An overwhelming majority of 70% respondents believe that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is doing a “good job,” according to the Washington-based International Republican Institute (IRI), released recently. This is 4% more than the survey conducted by the same institution in 2018. IRI is an American nonprofit organization funded and supported by the United States federal government. Most of its board are drawn from the Republican Party. The survey was conducted between March and April. The results are posted on the IRI website. Analysts believe the rise in the approval rate of Honourable Prime Minister (HPM) Hasina in a span of five years validates her successful Covid management, a raft of infrastructure projects, and the rolling out of a number of safety net schemes. On the government’s performance in different sectors, the endorsement for Awami League also stood “high”.

Developing countries can follow the development model of Bangladesh, according to World Bank’s Honourable Executive Director Parameswaran Iyer. "Bangladesh has witnessed a phenomenal transformation," he said while paying a courtesy call on HPM Sheikh Hasina at the latter's official residence recently. The economist praised Bangladesh premier saying that the developments of Bangladesh have been achieved because of her leadership and planning. He conveyed the greetings of the WB president to the premier. He said the World Bank will assist Bangladesh to improve infrastructure in the next phase of its development journey.

The country observed National Mourning Day and 48th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with due respect and solemnity. August 15 is the darkest day in the history of independent Bangladesh as the architect of the country’s independence and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were brutally gunned down by some disgruntled army men on this day in 1975. Honourable President Mohammed Shahabuddin and HPM Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the Bangabandhu, paid homage to the founding father by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No-32 in the capital at 6:30am, later taken part by thousands of general people.

HPM Sheikh Hasina announced 12 more districts and 123 upazilas homeless and landless free as she distributed 22,101 more houses with lands under her dream Ashrayan project, designed and being implemented by her to alleviate poverty. "I am declaring 12 more districts and 123 upazilas homeless and landless free in the country," she said while joining virtually a house distribution ceremony among the beneficiaries. With the new announcement, 21 districts and 334 upazilas have become homeless and landless free under the Ashrayan-2 project's second round in the fourth phase, taking total number of beneficiary families at 2,38,851 under the scheme. Meanwhile, Hochemin Islam, a transgender activist, met the premier and held a 30 minute meeting the former told press a “lifetime experience”.

The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is set to start selling essential commodities at subsidised prices for the month of August for as many as 10 million families across the country. Some 1 crore cardholder families would be able to buy subsidised lentil, edible oil, and rice nationwide. Beneficiaries will find these items at their designated areas or designated distributors in their respective areas. Each cardholder is eligible to buy two litres of soybean oil, two kg of lentil, one kg of sugar, and five kg of rice. The Directorate General of Food began selling subsidised rice last month, with each family purchasing a maximum of 5kg of rice.

Leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatrashibir set at least two motorcycles on fire on the road in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU) in Dhaka’s Shahbagh, triggering panic among patients. Jamaat-Shibir activists staged a protest around the ambulance carrying the body of convicted war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi. Earlier, a group of Jamaat and Shibir men assaulted five journalists from various television channels allegedly for calling the late party leader as a war criminal. The unruly activists also unleashed a wave of violence in different parts across the country attacking law enforcers and their vehicles.

Fear was written all over their faces. Some were survivors of gang rape, some had their hands and legs chopped off, while others were still reeling from the shock of losing loved ones. All of them belong to different minority communities and their allegiance to Awami League was the only fault according to BNP-Jamaat cadres who unleashed terror on them, according to a video posted by ICT Affairs Advisor to HPM Sajeeb Wazed on X, formerly known Twitter. Accounts of unprecedented torture at the hands of BNP-Jamaat men recounted by survivours have been documented in the video produced by rights activists. Such accounts expose why the BNP-Jamaat coalition is a threat to communal harmony in Bangladesh, Sajeeb Wazed reminded all.