— Focus BanglaChief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has outlined his vision of a Bangladesh where religious festivals do not require extensive security arrangements, reports bdnews24.com. "We don't want to practise our religion under a security cordon. Whatever the religious or ideological differences may be, the state has no right to discriminate among citizens, he said, adding the state is duty-bound to ensure equal dignity for all. Highlighting the importance of citizen rights, Yunus said: "We are repeatedly humiliated, insulted and discriminated against in different ways. The most important goal of the new Bangladesh is to ensure equal rights for all citizens."

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has detained an assistant revenue officer of Chattogram Customs and a broker for allegedly taking bribes from an importer to clear goods. A team from ACC’s Integrated District Office Chattogram-1 carried out the operation at the Customs House on Tuesday afternoon. Subel Ahmed, deputy director of ACC Chattogram, told bdnews24.com: “We launched this ‘trap operation’ after receiving claims that an importer was being asked for a bribe to clear goods.”He said their special team observed the transaction in disguise and caught Assistant Revenue Officer Rajib Roy and his associate broker Mainuddin red-handed with Tk 30,000 in bribe money.

BNP vows to deal with demand for PR system in the streetIn response to a joint movement by several political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, demanding proportional representation (PR) in national elections, BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmad has vowed that the party will take its stance to the streets. On Tuesday, he said the BNP will use its rights as a “political party” to take the response to the streets and present it to the people. We will see what the people accept,” the BNP Standing Committee member. Reaffirming the BNP's position, Salahuddin added: "We are against the PR system in both houses. Several Islamic political parties, including the Jamaat, Khelafat Majlis, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh, along with a faction of Jatiya Ganotantrik Party, have announced a three-day protest against the PR system, set for Monday.

Former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque’s bail petitions have been turned down in two separate cases involving murder and verdict forgery. On Tuesday, Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Nargis Islam rejected his bail plea in the verdict forgery case filed with Shahbagh Police. Meanwhile, Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Jahangir Hossain denied him bail in the case over the murder of Abdul Qayyum Ahad, a Jubo League member, during last year’s July Uprising in Dhaka’s Jatrabari. Khairul’s lawyer, Monayem Nabi Shahin, said: “We filed bail petitions in both cases, but the courts denied them. We will appeal to the High Court and expect justice and bail there.”Khairul was arrested by police detectives at his Dhanmondi residence on Jul 24.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has outlined his vision of a Bangladesh where religious festivals do not require extensive security arrangements. He had earlier visited the temple premises ahead of the Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival for Bengali Hindus. Highlighting the importance of citizen rights, Yunus said: "We are repeatedly humiliated, insulted and discriminated against in different ways. Sharing his personal feelings, Yunus said he did not want to miss the joy of the Durga Puja festival. This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated at 33,576 pavilions, with 255 of those located in Dhaka city.

Bangladesh has lost at least 2.5 billion workdays in 2024 due to illnesses caused by rising temperatures, a World Bank study has found. According to the report, Bangladesh’s maximum recorded temperature has risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius since 1980. When the temperature rose above 30 degrees Celsius, the incidence of chronic cough increased by 22.7 percent. Compared to temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius, the likelihood of fatigue rose by 26.5 percent when temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius. The likelihood of diarrhoea rose by 47.7 percent when temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius compared to below 30 degrees Celsius.

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.