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Thousands gathered in Dhaka on Tuesday to mark a year since protests ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The day featured rallies, concerts, and prayers, with interim leader Muhammad Yunus promising early elections and lasting democratic reforms, Reuters reported.

Yunus urged unity against lingering autocratic forces and said trials for last year’s violence were underway. Security was tight across the capital.

Hasina, in an open letter, denied stepping down and vowed to return. The “July Declaration,” backed by major opposition groups, will outline a path toward democratic renewal, according to Reuters.

A new political party formed by the students who spearheaded an anti-government movement ousting former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday rallied in Bangladesh’s capital and pledged to build a new Bangladesh amid political uncertainty over the next election, Associated Press reported.

Separately, supporters of the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, also held a rally in the capital, Dhaka, where party leaders also vowed to work to establish democracy following the fall of Hasina.

The rallies took place two days before the country’s interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is marking the anniversary of Hasina’s fall, according to Associated Press.

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, will unveil the “July Declaration” on August 5, marking a year since Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted.

The declaration, shaped by youth-led protests and groups like Students against Discrimination (SAD), seeks to give constitutional legitimacy to the 2024 uprising and outline a vision for democratic reform, according to Firstpost.

Though initially labeled a grassroots initiative, the government later took charge of the draft, aiming to reflect the voices behind last year’s movement.

The move has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and legal experts, who argue constitutional changes must come through parliament, warning against scrapping the 1972 constitution, Firstpost reported.

The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, has restructured a five-member commission to probe alleged irregularities in the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections held under the Awami League. The move comes amid rising criticism over the credibility of those polls, both domestically and internationally, according to Firstpost.

The new commission, headed by retired Justice Shamim Hasnain, includes the same members as the previous panel. Its mandate is to review election-related complaints and propose reforms to ensure free and fair future elections. The deadline for submitting its report has been extended to October 31.

Police used tear gas to disperse angry students in Bangladesh on Tuesday who demanded answers from the interim government after an air force fighter jet crashed into a Dhaka school and killed 31 people, at least 25 of them children, Reuters reported.

The children, many aged under 12, were about to return home from class on Monday when the Chinese-manufactured F-7 BGI Bangladesh Air Force jet ploughed into their school and burst into flames, trapping pupils in the fire and debris.

The military said it had suffered mechanical failure, according to Reuters.

Students from the school and others from nearby colleges protested as two government officials visited the crash site, demanding an accurate death toll and shouting, "Why did our brothers die? We demand answers!"

At least 25 children were among the 27 dead pulled from scorched buildings after a Bangladesh Air Force jet on a training mission crashed into a college and school campus in Dhaka, officials said on Tuesday, with 88 people being treated in hospital, Reuters reported.

The F-7 BGI aircraft crashed soon after it took off at 1:06 p.m. (0706 GMT) on Monday from the airbase in Kurmitola in the capital on a routine training mission. The military said the plane experienced a mechanical failure.

Visuals showed rescue workers scouring the charred buildings for debris as distressed family members surrounded the site.

Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, told reporters that 27 people had died and 88 were admitted to hospital with burn injuries. Those dead included 25 children, a teacher and the pilot, according to Reuters.

China has started construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, raising concerns in India and Bangladesh.

The $167bn Motuo Hydropower Station is expected to surpass the Three Gorges Dam in capacity. Beijing says the project will support clean energy and local development, BBC reported.

However, India and Bangladesh fear it could disrupt downstream water flow, impact livelihoods, and pose environmental risks. Critics also warn of threats to Tibet’s biodiversity and local communities.

At least 19 people were killed after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school and college campus in Dhaka’s Uttara area on Monday, authorities said. Over 50 others, including children, were hospitalized with burn injuries, according to Reuters.

The F-7 BGI aircraft, which took off at 1:06 p.m. local time, went down at Milestone School and College, sparking a large fire and damaging part of the building. Videos showed thick smoke billowing from the crash site as firefighters battled the blaze.

Bangladesh's Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow and pledged a thorough investigation and full support for victims and their families. He called the loss “irreparable”, Reuters reported.

A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into the campus of Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara area on Monday afternoon, killing one person and injuring 13 others.

The F-7 BGI aircraft, purchased from China in 2022, went down around 1:06 PM local time, according to fire official Lima Khanam. Students were present on the premises at the time, contributing to the number of casualties, Firstpost reported.

Emergency responders from the military and fire department quickly reached the scene. Footage circulating online showed thick smoke and flames rising from the crash site. Authorities have not yet released further details about the victim.

Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media said, Associated Press reported.

The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Ms. Hasina in August last year announced a march toward the southwestern Gopalganj district, Ms. Hasina’s ancestral home, and her Awami League party’s stronghold.

Authorities later imposed an overnight curfew in the district.

Since Hasina's ouster 11 months ago, Bangladesh has been marked by chaos and unchecked mob violence. Wednesday's attack underscores the deep divisions in the country as its interim government keeps failing to bring the deteriorating security situation under control, according to Associated Press.

Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina and WHO’s Southeast Asia chief, has been placed on indefinite leave after corruption and fraud allegations surfaced.

WHO head Dr. Tedros announced the move in an internal email, naming Dr. Catharina Boehme as her temporary replacement, according to Firstpost.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission accuses Wazed of using political influence to secure her WHO post, faking credentials, and misusing $2.8m through the Shuchona Foundation during her mother’s rule.

Leaked audio verified by the BBC reveals that former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina authorised the use of lethal force against student-led protests last year. In the recording, Hasina is heard instructing security forces to “shoot wherever they find protesters.”

The protests, initially sparked by opposition to civil service job quotas, escalated into a mass movement that led to Hasina’s ousting after 15 years in power. UN investigators estimate up to 1,400 people were killed in the unrest, marking the worst violence in Bangladesh since the 1971 war.

Hasina, now in India, is being tried in absentia at a special tribunal for crimes against humanity. Prosecutors plan to use the leaked 18 July phone call as key evidence. Independent forensic analysis by the BBC and experts confirmed the recording’s authenticity and ruled out manipulation.

Despite denials from Hasina’s Awami League party, legal experts say the recording clearly establishes her direct role in the violent crackdown, BBC reported.

The Trump administration has slapped a 35 percent tariff on Bangladeshi garment exports, more than doubling the previous rate and jolting the country’s key export industry. Just as the sector was finding its footing after political unrest, the hike now threatens jobs and economic stability.

With the US being Bangladesh’s biggest export market, industry leaders called the move a serious setback. Dhaka is now looking to ease tensions by increasing imports of American goods like Boeing planes, wheat, and cotton, according to Firstpost.

US President Trump defended the decision, citing trade imbalances, and has warned other countries of similar tariffs unless they buy more from the US.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday sentenced ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to six months in prison for contempt of court, according to Firstpost.

The verdict, delivered by a three-member ICT-1 bench led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, marks the first conviction against the former Awami League leader since her removal from office and departure from the country 11 months ago.

In the same ruling, Shakil Akand Bulbul of Gaibandha’s Gobindaganj was sentenced to two months in jail, Firstpost reported.

With rising water levels in major rivers and accelerated snowmelt following the onset of the monsoon, power generation by hydropower projects in the country is gradually increasing, enabling the country to resume power exports to India and Bangladesh. 

According to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), daily exports have now reached 350 MW. Of this, 40 MW is being sent to Bangladesh via India, and the remaining is being exported to various Indian states including Haryana and Bihar. Since Sunday, NEA has been exporting 200 MW and 80 MW, respectively, to the Indian states of Haryana and Bihar. Additionally, it has been supplying up to 30 MW daily to the Indian power exchange market.

Nepal has received permission to export up to 940 MW in total—400 MW under a medium-term bilateral agreement and 540 MW through the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX). Although 125 MW is approved for export to Bihar, only 80 MW is currently being utilized. Similarly, exports to Haryana are expected to increase to the full 235 MW approval in the coming weeks.

NEA plans to resume export of the full 940 MW by the first week of July.

Electricity exports to Bangladesh resumed on Saturday night under a trilateral agreement between Nepal, India and Bangladesh. Nepal is now exporting 40 MW to Bangladesh via the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV transmission line. The electricity is sourced from Trishuli and Chilime hydropower projects. NEA estimates this export will generate monthly revenue of Rs 250m for Nepal, or Rs 1.25bn over five months.

Nepal, India and Bangladesh signed a tripartite agreement for power exports to Bangladesh in October last year. To begin with, Nepal is exporting 40 MW. Bangladesh has expressed interest to develop a reservoir-type power plant in Nepal in partnership with Nepal for a long-term energy partnership.

Unlike Nepal-India energy trade, which is settled in Indian currency, Bangladesh is paying Nepal in US dollars. The cost per unit is 6.4 cents. Bangladesh also bears the transmission loss and costs incurred within India, while NEA covers the losses within Nepal.

In the first five months of 2024-25, Nepal exported electricity worth Rs 13.4bn to India.

Although Nepal has a total installed capacity of 3,602 MW, actual generation stands at around 2,300 MW right now. Domestic demand hovers around 1,900 MW.

Nepali Embassy in Dhaka, in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, hosted a Nepal-Bangladesh Tourism Meet under the theme Destination Nepal: From the Bay of Bengal to the Himalayas in Chattogram, Bangladesh, on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Ghanshyam Bhandari emphasized the vital role tourism and people-to-people connections play in Nepal-Bangladesh relations. He shed light on the growing ties between the two countries and called for greater efforts to ‘truly connect the heights of the Himalayas with the depths of the Bay of Bengal’. 

He highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Government of Nepal to improve tourism infrastructure.

Ambassador Bhandari also appreciated the important contributions of travel and tour entrepreneurs in further positioning Nepal as a preferred tourist destination, reads a statement issued by the Embassy.

Similarly, Rohini Prasad Khanal, Officiating Director of Tourism Marketing & Promotion Department at the Nepal Tourism Board, delivered a presentation on Nepal’s diverse tourism products and potential, urging the participating travel agents and tour operators to strengthen efforts towards building more robust tourism linkages between the two countries. 

Highlighting Bangladesh as one of Nepal’s major source markets, he expressed optimism about an increased flow of Bangladeshi tourists in the days ahead, according to the statement.

Likewise, Mount Everest Summiteer Babar Ali shared brief remarks about his experiences in Nepal during his successful summit to Mount Everest in 2024 and his recent ascent to Mount Annapurna.

The programme also featured a raffle draw, with tour packages and round trip air tickets for the Dhaka–Kathmandu sector sponsored by Nepali tour and travel agencies, Himalaya Airlines and Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Over 120 participants including Chattogram-based representatives of ATAB, TOAB, hotels and airlines, and leading organizations from the tourism and hospitality sector attended the event, the statement further reads.