Customs officials in Dhaka have detained a foreign passenger carrying more than 8.6kg of cocaine, valued at about Tk 1.3 billion, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The passenger, identified as Karen Petula Stuffle, a citizen of Guyana, arrived on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said in a statement. Acting on a tip-off, customs intelligence officers intercepted her at the airport’s green channel. A search of her luggage uncovered three plastic jars containing 22 foil-wrapped, egg-shaped packets of cocaine. Officials said a case is being filed under criminal and customs laws.

A plan to erect a memorial for the July Uprising martyrs beside Sylhet’s historic Ali Amjad Clock tower has stirred sharp criticism, with residents and heritage activists warning it undermines one of the city’s oldest landmarks. The Sylhet City Corporation is implementing the project under a government initiative to build “street memory stamps” at sites where protesters were killed. Two are being set up near the clock tower to commemorate martyrs Pabel Ahmed Kamrul and Pankaj Kumar Kar, who were killed nearby. Former MP Nawab Ali Abbas Khan, grandson of Ali Amjad Khan who built the tower in 1874, condemned the move as an affront to Sylhet’s heritage. “Ali Amjad Clock is a proud symbol of Sylhet.

Rohingya people in and outside Myanmar are facing a further deterioration of their already dire conditions, eight years after being forcibly displaced from Rakhine State, according to the United Nations. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric shared the observation in a statement marking eight years since the start of the mass Rohingya exodus into Bangladesh. Since Bangladesh opened its border, Rohingya have settled across vast areas of Cox’s Bazar and Ukhia. At the time, the UN described the campaign against the Rohingya as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”. The United States government has also labelled the atrocities committed against the Rohingya as “genocide”.

Bangladesh Bank has invited eligible institutions to apply for digital bank licences, with applications to be accepted between Sept 1 and 30. The announcement was made on Monday evening on the central bank’s official Facebook page. In comparison, traditional banks in Bangladesh are required to have a minimum paid-up capital of Tk 5 billion. Bangladesh Bank first cleared the way for digital banks in June 2023, when it approved a set of guidelines and invited applications. In October 2023, nine institutions were granted initial approval to set up digital banks, including Nagad and ACI’s “Kori”, which received licences.

Seven fishermen rescued as trawler sinks in Naf River after ‘Arakan Army’ chaseA fishing trawler has sunk in the Naf River estuary after allegedly being chased by Myanmar’s armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, while returning to Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar from the Bay of Bengal. All seven fishermen managed to swim back to shore at Gara on Shah Parir Dwip around noon on Monday. The returned fishermen are Sultan Ahmed, Nur Kabir, Kabir Ahmed, Ali Hossain, Shona Mia, Gafur Alam, and Abdul Amin Majhi. Abul Kalam, general secretary of the Kayukkhalia Ghat Trawler Owners Association of Teknaf Municipality, said the trawler was owned by Mohammad Hashem, a resident of Teknaf Sadar. “There were seven fishermen in it.

Who opened ‘fascism research institute’ at Awami League’s central office, how far have they gone? It has long been recognised as the Awami League’s central office. From Ganabhaban to this Awami League office, I was part of the movement against the dictator. bdnews24.com contacted Alam through a mobile number obtained from the residents of the Awami League office. That is not their responsibility -- it is police’s.”HOW AL OFFICE MOVED ACROSS GULISTANSince its founding, the Awami League’s central office has relocated at least eight times.

Police say they were attacked by armed “robbers” while patrolling the Meghna River in Munshiganj’s Gajaria. The incident took place on Monday evening near Jamalpur village, where members of a gang reportedly opened fire on a police boat patrolling from a temporary camp. Gajaria Police Station chief (OC) Md Anwar Alam Azad said, “Led by Piyas, around 30 to 35 robbers on five to six trawlers fired at police. Munshiganj district's Superintendent of Police Md Shamsul Alam Sarkar said, “The river robbers likely entered the area to collect extortion money. “Gunfire occurred between both sides, but no one from our side was injured,” he added.

Bus driver crushes to death between two buses in JashoreA bus driver has been killed after being sandwiched between two buses in Jashore. The victim's family said the incident occurred at the Bagachra bus stand in Sharsha Upazila around 9pm on Monday. The deceased, 55-year-old Hafizur Rahman, was from the Upazila’s Samta village. The victim’s father Mujibur Rahman said Hafizur was returning home after parking his bus in Satkhira. He was changing buses at the bus stand and was about to board the previous one when he got caught between the two buses and sustained a head injury.

Indian delegation arrives in Dhaka for 4-day DG-level border conferenceAn Indian delegation has arrived in Dhaka to attend the four-day director-general level border conference between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF). The 56th border conference will officially begin on Tuesday, the BGB said in a statement issued on Monday. The nine-member Indian delegation, led by BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary, arrived in Dhaka in the afternoon, the statement read. BGB Director General Maj Gen Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui welcomed the Indian delegation at Shahjalal International Airport upon their arrival. BGB sources have indicated that the conference will cover numerous cross-border issues such as border killings, push-ins, drugs, and arms smuggling.

Information and Broadcasting Advisor Mahfuj Alam has been targeted with eggs and water bottles by expatriate activists of the Awami League while entering the Bangladesh Consulate in New York. The consulate organised the event on Sunday evening, with Mahfuj Alam as chief guest. As Mahfuj exited his vehicle at 7:00pm, he was pelted with eggs and water bottles, and one protester kicked the consulate’s glass door, causing damage. Now, it is only natural that someone will throw eggs, hurl insults, or demand the fall of Mahfuj Alam,” he said. At the event, Mahfuj expressed gratitude for diaspora engagement, saying their contributions would be acknowledged in the July Charter.

The government has carried out a major reshuffle in the police force, transferring 36 senior officers and confirming 16 others in their posts through four separate orders. The reshuffle, announced on Monday by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, included transfers of additional inspectors general, deputy inspectors general (DIG), additional DIGs and superintendents of police (SP). In the first order, six additional DIGs and two SPs were transferred from their current workplaces. Six officers promoted to additional IGP on a supernumerary basis were also retained in their positions. Another order reassigned 12 DIGs, while the day’s final circular transferred 14 SP-rank officers.

Former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque has been hospitalised after falling ill in jail. Around 11:45am on Monday, he was transferred from Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj to Bangladesh Medical University Hospital in Shahbagh, bdnews24.com reports. Senior Jail Superintendent Suraiya Akter confirmed the transfer, saying: “He reported feeling unwell, so he was sent to the hospital on medical advice.”Brig Gen Abu Noman Md Mosleh Uddin, director of the hospital, told bdnews24.com: “He has been brought in and is currently in the coronary care unit, where doctors are monitoring his condition.”Khairul, the 19th chief justice of Bangladesh and former chairman of the Law Commission, has been in jail since his arrest on Jul 24.

Former chief justice of Bangladesh ABM Khairul Haque admitted to hospitalFormer chief justice ABM Khairul Haque has been hospitalised after falling ill in jail. Around 11:45am on Monday, he was transferred from Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj to Bangladesh Medical University Hospital in Shahbagh. Senior Jail Superintendent Suraiya Akter confirmed the transfer, saying: “He reported feeling unwell, so he was sent to the hospital on medical advice.”Brig Gen Abu Noman Md Mosleh Uddin, director of the hospital, told bdnews24.com: “He has been brought in and is currently in the coronary care unit, where doctors are monitoring his condition.”Khairul, the 19th chief justice of Bangladesh and former chairman of the Law Commission, has been in jail since his arrest on Jul 24.

Momen warned that a rise in black money circulation before the election could push inflation higher. He reiterated that black money is not acceptable and must not be allowed in campaigns. “There is absolutely no room for anyone to enter the election with black money,” he said. While the commission’s mandate is narrow, it will remain alert to limit the flow of black money during the campaign period. “This is a direct warning -- reject anyone who is using black money,” he added.

As the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh enters its eighth year, 11 countries have reaffirmed their commitment to finding a path for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. In a joint statement, the countries also pledged continued support for Bangladesh. The signatories include Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, France, Switzerland and Finland. They committed to working with Bangladesh at a high-level conference in New York next month to address both Myanmar’s current situation and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The statement was released on Monday morning by the French Embassy in Dhaka through its Facebook page and X handle.