Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed withdrew remarks on Thursday afternoon after opposition lawmakers objected during the parliamentary question-and-answer session. The dispute began when opposition MP Shafiqul Islam Masud questioned him about the law-and-order situation, and the minister said speaking at Shahbagh Square was not the same as speaking in parliament.

Opposition members protested the comment, saying the minister had responded in that manner to questions from several members, including Hasnat Abdullah. Salahuddin Ahmed said he had not directed his remarks at anyone. The objections continued as lawmakers challenged his description of opposition members’ questions as speeches associated with Shahbagh Square and Paltan Maidan.

Amid the protest, the home minister sought “shelter” from Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. When the speaker was also unable to stop the protesting members, Salahuddin Ahmed said, “I withdraw, I withdraw, are you happy now?” The minister’s statement marked a retraction of the contested remarks during the session.

Bangladesh’s ongoing parliamentary session will run for nine working days, beginning Thursday and scheduled to conclude on September 10. The decision was made at a meeting of the Jatiya Sangsad Business Advisory Committee before the session began, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the Cabinet Room of the Parliament Building. The speaker may change the session’s duration and working days if necessary.

Parliament leader and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the meeting, along with opposition leader Dr. Mohammad Shafiqul Rahman and other committee members, ministers and parliamentary whips. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal also attended at the speaker’s special invitation.

The committee decided that there would be no parliamentary sittings on government holidays or on August 31 and September 1. Sittings will begin at 3pm each day. The session has received 2,818 questions, including 142 for the prime minister and 2,676 for other ministers. It has also received 81 notices under Rule 71 and 249 notices for resolutions under Rule 131.

Gyirong port on the China-Nepal border has become a focal point for rescue operations after severe flooding and landslides in China. CCTV footage showed the large building marking the border being swept away by powerful flows of mud and water, while hundreds of people ran toward safer ground. The building stood in the deepest of five Himalayan valleys.

The port became an important trade and transport hub after the 2015 earthquake damaged other routes. It served as a main entry point for tourists travelling between Nepal and Tibet. More than 100,000 people used the port during the first six months of the current year, and it handled more than 30 percent of total China-Nepal trade.

Following the disaster, some users on Chinese social media questioned why such an important land port had been built in a geographically unstable deep valley. Heavy rainfall last year also triggered destructive landslides and flash floods that killed 17 people. The source notes that valleys are the natural routes for crossing the Himalayas, and this passage has been used for more than 1,300 years by nomads, herders, Nepali traders and local villagers.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said Bangladesh will soon launch a pilot to deliver cooked meals to primary schoolchildren with mothers involved in preparation and distribution. Speaking on Wednesday at an orientation and discussion meeting in Chapainawabganj, he said the initiative will examine models based on experiences in Sri Lanka and India’s Tamil Nadu. Ingredients including vegetables, eggs and fish could be sourced from local markets, with mothers taking responsibility for cooking and delivery.

Hajjaj said the government’s central objective is to ensure every child receives safe, quality and nutritious food on time. He said effective oversight by Mothers Committees has significantly reduced irregularities and complaints in the mid-day meal project. Mothers’ direct involvement has improved transparency and accountability in food quality, supply and distribution, he added.

He instructed Mothers Committees at every school to take a more active role and immediately reject food with problems in quality, smell, taste or supply, while informing the relevant authorities. The minister also outlined planned reforms involving teacher training, promotions, transfers, staffing, infrastructure, monitoring, curriculum and technology in primary education.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has protested the reported beating of three journalists while they were carrying out professional duties in Shariatpur. It also condemned an alleged telephone threat to another journalist by Shariatpur district BNP joint general secretary Arifuzzaman Molla, who was quoted as saying, “You write, we will beat.” NCP demanded immediate party disciplinary and legal action against those involved.

In a joint statement sent Thursday by office cell member Sadia Farzana Dinar, NCP convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain said violence against journalists and threats to suppress the media showed that part of those in power did not believe in even minimum media freedom. They said a return of cadre rule, abuse of power and fascism would not be accepted in a new Bangladesh after the July uprising.

The party called for the arrest and legal prosecution of the attackers and all involved, including Molla. It also urged effective legal and administrative measures to ensure a safe environment and legal protection for journalists across the country to publish truthful news freely. NCP said it would stand with journalists and the public in defending free media and freedom of expression.

Independent lawmaker Rumin Farhana told parliament on Thursday that 62,000 people had lost their jobs within six months of the BNP government taking office. Speaking under Rule 71, she questioned the government’s election pledge to create 10 million new jobs, saying more than 900 factories had closed amid energy shortages and rising fuel costs.

Farhana said people faced unreliable gas and electricity supplies, describing public complaints that services come and go without people knowing how long they will last. She said the government had listed improving law and order, controlling commodity prices and ensuring the energy sector among three priorities for its first 180 days.

She also criticised the law-and-order situation and said the home minister either mocked concerns or used rhetoric to obscure the issue. On prices, she said no vegetables were available below 80 taka, egg prices had risen several times, and rice prices, particularly miniket rice, had doubled. She referred to people standing in lines for TCB goods and questioned how long existing workers could retain their jobs.

NCP Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam accused the BNP of deceiving people over a referendum and its own 31-point programme while speaking to journalists on Thursday afternoon in Feni. He made the remarks after a district coordination meeting and political workshop at Hotel Golden Palace in Feni town. Sarjis also said the BNP government had become unpopular within six months of taking power, citing rising commodity prices, electricity and fuel shortages, nepotism and partisan practices.

Sarjis said the NCP is and will remain in the 11-party alliance, but will contest the upcoming local government elections independently. He described the polls as an important opportunity to build the party’s organisational base and improve the skills of its organisers. The party plans to nominate candidates at district, upazila, city, municipality and union levels.

He said the NCP may not win everywhere but would fight to win, adding that independent participation would not create problems within the alliance. Sarjis said the alliance maintained cordial relations and planned long marches across the country on various issues in September to seek government accountability. Joint member secretary Saleh Uddin Sifat also criticised the BNP over shortages of gas, petrol and fertiliser.

Sonamukh Smart Academy held a day-long counselling and guidance seminar for students who failed the SSC examination in Dumuria, Khulna, on Wednesday. The programme, held at the academy hallroom in Andulia, Shahpur, promoted the message that failure is not final and students can recover through planning, practice and confidence. It was organised alongside observances of Eid-e-Miladunnabi and an Islamic cultural competition.

Professor Hafizur Rahman chaired the event, while academy founder A. M. Kamrul Islam, principal Husain Ahmed, teachers and other speakers addressed participants. Speakers said a single examination result does not determine a student’s entire life. They urged students to identify the causes of failure and move forward with regular study, practice and appropriate guidance.

Speakers noted that many students failed English first and second papers this year and stressed regular study, practice and advice from skilled teachers to address weaknesses. The academy announced that from September 1 it would provide special support in different subjects by appointing skilled teachers for students in the area. Participants received prizes, and each unsuccessful SSC student was given the book “Tumio Jitbe.”

Bangladesh’s parliament saw intense unrest after Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed responded to a question from Patuakhali-2 lawmaker Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud about law and order and arrests of opposition activists. Ahmed said, “Giving speeches at Shahbagh Square and speaking in parliament are not the same.” The comment prompted anger and strong protests among opposition members. The third session of the 13th National Parliament began at 3pm on Thursday under the chairmanship of Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Masud said daylight robberies involving weapons and attacks on parliament members elected by the people were concerning. He alleged that, despite opposition lawmakers filing cases after attacks, actual suspects were not being arrested. Instead, he claimed, opposition leaders and activists were being arrested in false and fabricated cases. He asked the home minister about specific measures.

As the disorder escalated, the Speaker repeatedly urged members to remain calm and hear the minister’s response. The Speaker asked opposition members to show patience, said they had ample opportunities to speak in parliament, and stated that they could criticize the government freely. Members were asked to return to their seats, listen to the full answer, and speak later if necessary.

Germany has recorded an estimated 15,800 deaths linked to high temperatures this year, a figure significantly higher than in any of the past 10 years, according to the Berlin-based Robert Koch Institute. The national public health agency released the estimate on Thursday in its latest weekly report covering the period from April 6 to August 16.

The institute linked about 9,600 deaths to an intense heatwave in late June and roughly 4,000 deaths to unusually high temperatures during the first two weeks of August. It said the current estimate is comparatively conservative, meaning the actual number of heat-related deaths this year could be higher.

Heat exposure can directly cause death in cases such as heatstroke, RKI said, but in most cases it combines with pre-existing health conditions. Medical director Uwe Janssens said many such deaths are not recorded as heat-related because death certificates may cite causes such as organ failure. More than half of the deaths, about 7,960, involved people aged 85 or older. Women accounted for more deaths than men, partly because women outnumber men among older people.

Dhaka University honored 62 teachers and researchers whose Google Scholar profiles have received 2,000 or more citations, recognizing their research contributions and role in raising the university’s international visibility. The awards were presented on Thursday at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr A B M Obaidul Islam attended the event as chief guest.

The ceremony was chaired by Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education Professor Dr Abdus Salam, while Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Administration Professor Dr Mohammad Al-Mojadded Al-Felchani and Treasurer Professor Dr M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury spoke as special guests. Honorees represented a wide range of disciplines, including science, engineering, health, social sciences, business, computing and fine arts. Professor Dr Md Anwarul Islam delivered introductory remarks and presented on the importance of citations in assessing research quality and international acceptance.

The vice-chancellor congratulated the recipients and called for a stronger researcher role in developing the university into a research-oriented institution and improving its international ranking. He said work is under way on a 20-year academic development plan, alongside proposed funds of Tk1,000 crore each for research and student welfare. He also highlighted efforts to strengthen industry-academia links, alumni networking and international research collaboration.

Cumilla-4 lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah questioned Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed in parliament over whether he had restored law and order during the past six months. The exchange took place on Thursday afternoon, the opening day of the third session of the 13th National Parliament, during supplementary questions. Abdullah also asked whether the minister had played a sufficient role in establishing the rule of law and whether he had failed.

Abdullah said music events and boat races had been stopped in Brahmanbaria, despite the minister previously describing it as a cultural district. He said music performances and film screenings in the district were nearly halted, and cited figures on killings and injuries. Salahuddin replied that he could not tell whether the remarks were a question or a speech at Paltan, and said he did not know the basis for the statistics presented.

The minister said law and order had improved since the current government took office, claiming suspects in crimes were brought under the law within 24 to 48 hours. He cited the recent four killings in Rangpur among cases in which police and other forces quickly arrested accused persons. He said specific allegations could be debated in parliament with notice.

Recruitment agency associations from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar have raised concerns over Malaysia’s foreign worker recruitment system and called for equal opportunity, transparency and fair competition for all legally licensed agencies. The groups issued a joint statement on Thursday, urging Malaysia and relevant stakeholders to review the FWCMS recruitment system.

The statement was signed by representatives of Nepal’s Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies, Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Association and Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association. They said they support digitalisation, transparency, efficiency and responsible recruitment, but warned that no digital platform or system should enable syndication, monopoly or exclusive control over migrant worker recruitment.

The associations said thousands of agencies in sending countries are properly licensed and deserve equal, transparent and non-discriminatory access to legal recruitment. They warned that preferential access for a limited number of agencies could weaken fair competition, transparency and ethical recruitment, while potentially increasing costs and limiting choices for employers and migrant workers. They listed four demands, including open competitive distribution of recruitment opportunities and prioritising migrant workers’ rights and welfare. On August 21, FWCMS published a list of 25 agencies for recruiting workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said there is no clear evidence that Iran is rebuilding its nuclear facilities after US and Israeli attacks. Grossi made the remarks in an interview with the Argentine newspaper Clarin, according to Al Jazeera.

He said Iran’s nuclear facilities were severely damaged and that it could not be ruled out that some infrastructure reconstruction had begun. However, he said there was no clear evidence indicating that rebuilding was underway, leaving the matter a major unresolved issue.

Grossi said discussions over Tehran’s nuclear programme have stalled because of the war. He added that Iran’s roughly 440 kilograms, or 972 pounds, of highly enriched uranium remains where it was during last year’s 12-day war. The UN nuclear watchdog chief said the agency was ready and hoped to resume its work there as soon as possible.

National Parliament Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said he is somewhat concerned about the future of parliament, warning that continued violations of rules could prevent it from lasting long. He made the remarks at the opening of the third session of the 13th National Parliament on Thursday at 3pm, which he chaired.

The speaker said the tendency among members to obstruct one another while speaking during proceedings is not a good sign for parliament. He called for discipline and said democracy had been achieved after considerable hardship. According to him, every member of parliament has a responsibility to ensure that democracy remains in place.

Ahmed urged lawmakers to read the Rules of Procedure. He said that when the speaker instructs every member to sit in their assigned seats, disregarding or violating that rule and convention would mean parliament would not continue for long. He called on all members to follow the rules and thanked them.