The Bangladesh government has been working to postpone the deadline for the country’s transition from a least developed country (LDC) to a developing nation, according to Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman. Mahbubur made the remarks at a workshop on LDC graduation organised by Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) in Dhaka on Tuesday. "I have spoken to a foreign team a few days ago to defer the graduation process. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a two-year extension, setting the country’s official graduation date for Nov 24, 2026. As an LDC, Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free and quota-free access to European markets, a benefit that will expire once the country exits the category.

A court has granted bail to Abu Saleh Musa, the husband of showbiz personality and model Sanayee Mahbob, in a case accusing him of demanding dowry, as well as physical and emotional abuse. During the hearing, he told the court: “The court took the case into consideration and issued a summons against the suspect. We’ll reach a compromise soon.”Objecting to the bail petition, Sanayee’s counsel, Mithun Saha, told the court:“Beyond demanding dowry, the defendant also took Tk 1.9 million from the plaintiff. At his insistence, Sanayee gave him Tk 1.2 million of her own money and another Tk 700,000 from her father. However, after spending that money, Musa later demanded Tk 2.2 million in dowry from Sanayee, according to the filing.

Activists of the Awami League, whose political activities are banned, have detonated improvised explosives to free several people detained during their latest procession in Dhaka's Shyamoli, according to police. The incident took place around 11am on Tuesday, when several hundred leaders and activists of the disgraced party rallied in front of the Shishu Mela amusement park. Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station chief Md Imamul Haque also confirmed the account, saying the detainees could not be held because of the “backup team” from the Awami League. “At the Shyamoli Shishu Mela intersection, Awami League men were preparing for a procession in the presence of several police officers. “As they were taking people away after setting off cocktails, police detained six of them along with a motorcycle,” said Imamul.

Tribunal set to deliver indictment order over cornice shooting, Rampura deaths on ThursdayA tribunal is set to deliver its indictment order on Thursday in a crimes against humanity case involving the shooting of a young man clinging to the cornice of a building in Dhaka’s Rampura during the July Uprising, and the killing of two others. A three-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal 1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, scheduled the date on Tuesday. The others are former additional deputy commissioner of Khilgaon Zone Md Rashedul Islam, former Rampura Police Station chief Md Mashiur Rahman and former sub-inspector Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan. Police followed him, and as he clung to a cornice rod on the roof, officers allegedly opened fire. Two others were also shot dead in Rampura that same day, according to the case dossier.

Disaster Management Advisor Faruk E Azam has outlined the government's plans to mobilise the youth to build a national volunteer force geared towards responding swiftly to natural calamities. On the importance of tapping into the youth's potential in this regard, he said: “Young people are always inspiring. He recalled the 1970 Bhola cyclone, which killed nearly half a million people, calling it one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history. “Flash floods, landslides, lightning strikes, droughts, heatwaves and cold waves are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. This mindset has opened new horizons in our disaster management thinking,” he said.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has met with leaders of the Puja Celebration Council to discuss preparations and overall arrangements for Durga Puja. Speaking at the meeting, Yunus said: “Although I always wish to meet you, opportunities do not arise often. The Puja offers a rare occasion for face-to-face discussion each year.”Hindu community leaders briefed Yunus on the preparations, saying that more than 1,000 Puja pavilions have increased compared with last year. The leaders also said the interim government is providing full support for this year’s Puja, especially praising the advisor and secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The leaders expressed hope that this year’s Puja will be celebrated smoothly, as it was last year.

The interim government has extended the term of the National Consensus Commission by another month. Formed on Feb 12, the commission was tasked with reviewing recommendations from six separate reform panels and holding talks with political parties and groups to build national consensus. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is its chairman and president, with Constitutional Reform Commission head Ali Riaz serving as vice-chairman. The commission members include Public Administration Reform Commission member Ayub Mia, Police Reform Commission chief Safar Raj Hossain, Electoral System Reform Commission chief Badiul Alam Majumdar, Judiciary Reform Commission chief Md Emdadul Haque, and Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission chief Iftekharuzzaman. The commission began work on Feb 15 with an initial six-month term set to end on Aug 15.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of four flats and 0.12 hectares of land belonging to actor and former minister Asaduzzaman Noor, along with freezing of his 16 bank accounts. In addition, a 0.12 hectare plot at Purbachal New Town Project in Narayanganj is worth Tk 3.36 million. His 16 bank accounts held Tk 139.15 million. It also cited Tk 1.58 billion in “suspicious transactions” in 19 bank accounts, involving transfer, conversion and movement of funds, which are offences under money laundering prevention and anti-corruption laws. According to the ACC case data, Tk 857.2 million was deposited into Noor’s bank accounts, while Tk 730.5 million was withdrawn, with the source of these transactions remaining “ambiguous”.

Five, including students, arrested over links to ‘MDMA smuggling’ in DhakaFive individuals have been arrested in Dhaka over alleged connections with an international drug trafficking ring, with two of the suspects identified as students at prominent universities. The arrested individuals were allegedly involved in the smuggling of MDMA (Methylone Dimethoxy Methamphetamine) into Bangladesh. The arrest followed the interception of an MDMA shipment from the United Kingdom, which was traced to one of the suspects. Among the arrested, two are students: Syed Shayan Ahmed, 24, a student at Canadian University, and Asif Mahbub Chowdhury, 24, from North South University. Following this lead, the DNC arrested Prathit in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.

With the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) and Hall Council elections slated after 35 years, 38 candidates have won unopposed, with 35 of them from women's halls and three from men's halls. In the women's halls, 27 candidates have won secretarial positions unopposed, while eight have secured executive member positions. While no positions remain vacant in men's halls, four executive member positions in women's halls are unfilled, as no candidates have come forward. The following halls have seen unopposed victories:Mannujan Hall: 1July-36 Hall: 7Rokeya Hall: 9Rahamatunnesa Hall: 9Tapashi Rabeya Hall: 3Begum Khaleda Zia Hall: 6Bijoy-24 Hall: 3Also, vacant positions remain in July-36 Hall, Rokeya Hall, Rahamatunnesa Hall, and Khaleda Zia Hall, where no candidates have run for certain positions. Vice-president positions will see 19 candidates, general secretary positions 14 candidates, and assistant general secretary roles will be contested by 16 candidates.

The interim government has implemented only 2.39 percent of its Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the first two months of FY2026, falling behind the same period last year despite a trimmed budget. In July and August, a total of Tk 57.15 billion has been spent from the development budget, compared with Tk 71.43 billion during the same period in FY2025, when implementation stood at 2.57 percent. The data was released on Monday by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the planning ministry. The slowdown comes despite the government rolling out a reduced, austerity-focused ADP for the current fiscal year. Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud, speaking after an ECNEC meeting in August, warned that the implementation rate was “concerning”.

Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a three-day programme of protest rallies to press home a series of demands, including holding the national elections in February based on the “July Charter”. The party’s deputy chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher laid out the plans at a press conference at the Al-Falah Auditorium in Moghbazar on Monday. According to the schedule, protest marches will be held in Dhaka on Sept 18, in divisional cities on Sept 19, and in districts and Upazilas across the country on Sept 26. “We are making a sincere appeal to our countrymen to unite to realise the demands of the people through the implementation of these programmes,” said Taher. “Under these circumstances, there is no alternative to a mass movement to realise the demands of the people.

A modern, non-stop electronic toll collection (ETC) system has been launched on Padma Bridge on a trial basis. An ETC allows a customer to pay the toll automatically without stopping the vehicle when crossing the toll gate. Masud Rana Sikder, spokesman for the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) said, "Live piloting has begun today. However, in order to do this, the vehicle must have an approved RFID from BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Authority)." The BBA had started collecting tolls in this manner on a test basis in 2023.

Toma went viral for her fiery slogans outside an ex-MP's home. Now she faces extortion chargesFaria Akter Toma had once grabbed the limelight with her controversial slogans outside the residence of former Kishoreganj MP Fazlur Rahman. Last week, Toma was arrested and sent to jail on charges of extortion. On Thursday, Delwar’s brother-in-law, Riaz Uddin Ahmed, filed a case at Uttara West Police Station, naming four people and two unidentified suspects. Later that night, Noman, Tanzil, Toma, Niloy and two unidentified individuals forcibly entered the house at 1:10am.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party- BNP has called for the Supreme Court's opinion on implementing the July Charter, urging the top court to provide legal advice on the constitutional issues involving the implementation process. The discussions took place at the National Consensus Commission on Sunday, which included representatives from 30 political parties. The BNP, however, has softened its previous stance against amendments through ordinances and now seeks the Supreme Court's opinion on whether special constitutional orders could be used to implement the Charter. He stressed that if political parties fail to agree, the people should have the final say through a referendum. Muhammad Yunus, the head of the Consensus Commission, called for unity among the political parties and urged them to sign the July Charter.