A massive fire broke out at a CNG filling station in Aushkandi, Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj on Thursday morning after a bus cylinder exploded during refuelling. The blaze gutted nine auto-rickshaws, a bus, and two motorcycles before firefighters brought it under control in over two hours. Authorities estimate damages of around Tk 1.5 crore, though no casualties have been reported.
The assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975 stands as a national tragedy borne of both conspiracy and profound security failures. Despite warnings from close political allies and foreign leaders, Bangabandhu continued to reside at his easily accessible home on 32 Dhanmondi Road, rather than at the more secure Ganobhaban. Intelligence agencies and the military command failed to detect or respond to the looming threat, while key officers and ministers showed complicity or remained silent. On the fateful night, the security detail was swiftly overpowered and no rescue attempt was made. The ease with which the plotters isolated and attacked the presidential residence revealed a complete institutional breakdown. This watershed event not only marked the brutal loss of Bangladesh’s founding father and much of his family but also exposed enduring vulnerabilities within the nation’s security apparatus—a legacy that continues to be examined half a century later.
On August 11, 2025, US Chargé d’Affaires in Dhaka, Tracey Ann Jacobson, hosted a meeting at her Gulshan residence with three senior National Citizens Party (NCP) leaders — convenor Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, and Senior Joint Secretary Tasmin Zara — along with US Embassy official Eric Geelan. The meeting followed a clear rift within the NCP, marked by the absence of five leaders, including Zara, from an August 5 event in Dhaka; instead, they stayed in Cox’s Bazar, where they reportedly held a virtual meeting with former US Ambassador Peter D. Haas. Bangladeshi intelligence monitored their activities closely. The presence of Hossain and Islam, who had issued show-cause notices to the five dissidents, suggests the US Embassy may be involved in mediating the party’s internal dispute.
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has postponed the country’s next general election to February 2026 to allow sweeping constitutional, judicial, media, and electoral reforms. The move follows the August 2024 ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League after a deadly, student-led uprising and a UN-confirmed crackdown involving alleged crimes against humanity.
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is now in a commanding position and, along with allies Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party, supports barring the Awami League from contesting. Critics warn that excluding the Awami League — still popular in rural and minority communities — could fuel instability. India and the UN stress the need for a credible democratic process, but ongoing unrest and deep political divisions make Bangladesh’s path to the 2026 polls uncertain.
The July Declaration, announced by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on August 5, 2025, is a contentious 28-point document that criticizes the Awami League government and its historical legacy, accusing it of authoritarianism and fascism. The declaration controversially omits major aspects of Bangladesh’s liberation history and instead praises opposition figures and certain past regimes while condemning others. Its politically charged narrative has been widely criticized for attempting to rewrite history and ignoring ongoing repression under Yunus’ interim government. Public resistance, including student protests at Dhaka University, reflects widespread dissatisfaction with the declaration and the current political climate in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah, arrived in Tripura on a three-day official visit, where he is scheduled to meet Governor N Indrasena Reddy and Chief Minister Manik Saha. During his visit, Hamidullah will inspect major border infrastructure projects, including the Agartala Integrated Check Post, the Akhaura Land Port, and the under-construction Akhaura-Agartala Rail Link. A key highlight of his visit is an inspection of Maitri Setu, the 1.9-kilometre bridge connecting Sabroom in India to Ramgarh in Bangladesh. Although Maitri Setu was inaugurated in March 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, it remains non-operational due to political changes in Dhaka. The High Commissioner’s visit underscores renewed bilateral efforts to operationalize the bridge and boost cross-border connectivity between India’s Northeast and Bangladesh’s Chittagong port.
Since the forced exile of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 and the subsequent collapse of Bangladesh’s constitutional government, the country has entered a period marked by instability, mob rule, and pronounced attempts to reshape its fundamental national identity. The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has set in motion efforts that many observers see as a deliberate move toward erasing the historical and secular legacy established by the War of Liberation in 1971.
The Bangladesh Constitution of 1972 stands as a testament to the ideals that defined the nation’s struggle for independence—nationalism, democracy, secularism, and socialism. While these founding ideals have been undermined periodically by constitutional amendments, recent developments—including proposals to amend or abandon the 1972 Constitution without parliamentary debate—have raised grave concerns. The absence of representative oversight, alongside the rise of communal political forces, poses a direct threat to the secular, democratic foundations of the country.
Restoring the 1972 Constitution, with its emphasis on pluralism and egalitarianism, is seen by many as essential for the country’s future. Bangladesh today stands at a crossroads: whether to safeguard its inclusive and secular legacy or to succumb further to authoritarian and communal pressures.
A Bangladesh court on Thursday denied bail to Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in connection with multiple criminal cases, including the high-profile murder of Chattogram lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. Das, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, remains in jail as the court rejected his plea, despite health concerns raised by his legal team. His arrest and continued detention have sparked protests amid rising communal tensions under the interim administration, following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. India has condemned the developments, citing persecution of Hindu minorities.
Widespread student-led protests erupted across Dhaka on Tuesday after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into Milestone School and College in Uttara, killing at least 31 people and injuring over 160—most of them students. Grief quickly turned to anger as protesters accused the government of withholding information about the victims and demanded accountability for allowing outdated aircraft to operate near schools. Demonstrators called for the resignation of top education officials and pressed for immediate release of the victims’ identities, compensation for families, and a halt to unsafe training flights. Tensions flared during a visit by government advisors, who were forced to shelter inside the school when surrounded by demonstrators. In response, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus pledged that all demands would be considered, an information centre established, and allegations of assault by military personnel investigated. The incident has triggered mounting public scrutiny of Bangladesh Air Force safety practices and government transparency.
Nineteen people were confirmed dead and over fifty injured—many with severe burns—after a devastating crash at a local school in Uttara, Dhaka. Victims were rushed to multiple hospitals across the city, including Crescent Hospital, Uttara Adhunik Hospital, Mansur Ali Medical College, Kurmitola General Hospital, and the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, with the most critical cases transferred to specialized burn units. “Most of those brought in are students, and many are in critical condition,” reported Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. While some patients with minor injuries were stabilized, others required advanced care. Rescue operations continued as authorities investigated the cause of the tragedy. The school has been temporarily closed as the community mourns the loss and grapples with the aftermath.
Barak Bolchhe!
