The Pentagon has rolled out new restrictions requiring journalists with building access to pledge not to report any information without prior authorization — including unclassified details. Violations could result in loss of credentials, according to a 17-page memo issued Friday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the policy, saying the press “does not run the Pentagon,” while critics, including the National Press Club and Society of Professional Journalists, denounced it as government censorship and “prior restraint.”

The move follows a series of media access rollbacks under Hegseth and comes after embarrassing leaks, including reports of planned strikes in Yemen and a canceled briefing for Elon Musk.

Security was heightened at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside on Friday, a day after a 16-year-old student was arrested for bringing a loaded handgun onto campus and posting a shooting threat on Instagram.

Meta flagged the post, prompting the FBI and NYPD to quickly trace it to the school. Police recovered a loaded 9mm Taurus GX4 with 13 rounds from the teen’s backpack. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and making terrorist threats.

Mayor Eric Adams credited the swift coordination between federal and local agencies with preventing potential tragedy. “We potentially saved the lives of a lot of students and staff today,” he said.

Students and parents expressed both relief and concern over the new security measures, including metal detectors. The Department of Education said weapons have “no place in schools” and promised additional safety support.

Britain, Australia and Canada on Sunday recognized a Palestinian state in a seismic shift in decades of western foreign policy, triggering swift Israeli anger. Portugal was also to recognize Palestinian statehood later Sunday, as Israel came under huge international pressure over the war in Gaza triggered almost two years ago by the October 7, 2023 Hamas resistance campaign.

“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a message on X. Britain and Canada became the first G7 countries to take the step, with France and other nations expected to follow at the annual UN General Assembly which opens Monday in New York.

“Canada recognizes the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X.

It is a watershed moment for Palestinians and their decades-long ambitions for statehood, with the most powerful western nations having long argued it should only come as part of a negotiated peace deal with Israel.

But the move puts those countries at odds with the United States and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacting angrily and vowing to oppose it at the UN talks. Calls for a Palestinian state “would endanger our existence and serve as absurd reward for terrorism,” Netanyahu said Sunday. A growing number of longtime allies have shifted positions, as Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive, vowing to eliminate the Hamas Palestinian fighters.

The Gaza Strip has suffered vast destruction, a spiralling death toll and a lack of food that has sparked a major humanitarian crisis since the start of the conflict which has drawn an international outcry.

The UK government has come under increasing public pressure to act, with thousands rallying every month on the streets. A poll released by YouGov on Friday showed two-thirds of young Britons aged 18-25 supported Palestinian statehood. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy acknowledged at the UN in July that “Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support the two-state solution.”

Over a century ago, the UK was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the creation of the state of Israel through the 1917 Balfour Declaration. Three-quarters of UN members already recognise Palestinian statehood, with over 140 of the 193 having taken the step. Starmer said in July that his Labour government intended to recognise a Palestinian State unless Israel took “substantive” steps including reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, getting more aid into the territory and confirming it would not annex the West Bank.

Starmer has also repeatedly called on Hamas to release the remaining hostages they captured in the 2023 resistance campaign, and is expected to set out new sanctions on the Palestinian fighters.

Lammy told the BBC on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority — the civilian body that governs in areas of the West Bank — had been calling for the move for some time “and I think a lot of that is wrapped up in hope.”

“Will this feed children? No it won’t, that’s down to humanitarian aid. Will this free hostages? That must be down to a ceasefire.”

But he said it was an attempt to “hold out for” a two-state solution. Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin told AFP last week: “Recognition is not symbolic.”

“It sends a very clear message to the Israelis on their illusions on continuing their occupation forever,” she added.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gazan health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable. Portugal said that it would also formally declare its recognition in New York on Sunday.

“By acting now, as the Portuguese government has decided, we’re keeping alive the possibility of having two states,” Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday accused Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami of trying to create a “state within the state” through its activities in the political landscape and universities. Speaking at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club, he warned that the country’s independence and sovereignty could face a major conspiracy due to rising threats from across the border and the emergence of new forces.

“Has the Ducsu VP been given magistracy power to decide which shop on the campus is legal or illegal? He fined a shop Tk3,000 and then deposited the money into Baitul Mal (the party’s fund). What is the legal basis for this?” the BNP leader asked.

“7th November Projonma” organized the program on journalist Dr Maruf Mallick’s book “Theoretical Analysis of Bangladeshi Nationalism: Crisis of Civic and Ethnic Nationalism”.

In any university, Rizvi said, it is the administration that should monitor who runs shops or markets on campus. Student leaders can raise concerns if the peaceful and orderly environment of the campus is being disturbed, he said.

“Instead, you are imposing fines and that money is going into Jamaat’s party fund. This is a very serious matter. We have always seen that their activities are creating a ‘state within the state,’ and we are now observing such an environment,” the BNP leader said.

He also criticized the supply of iron beds to university halls by Jamaat’s student wing, questioning whether it is the responsibility of any political party or the student union to do so.

“If students have demands, they should bargain or negotiate with the vice-chancellor. If there is a shortage of accommodation, beds or other facilities, it is the administration’s duty to address it,” Rizvi said. But, he said, the student organization or party is providing iron beds to the administration.

He added: “This is very strange. It undermines the legal foundation of the state and goes against the proper functioning of the university. Are you running an orphanage that you provide iron beds? Will you also provide dining tables for food? These kinds of actions are a very bad sign, in our view.”

Rizvi said in the current reality, especially after 5 August, when the nation is facing constant threats, many divisive voices are being heard, saying that one side is bad and the other is good.

“In this changed situation, with continuous threats coming from neighbouring countries, the way the political situation is moving and the rise of certain forces, I believe this is creating an opportunity for a major conspiracy that could endanger our sovereignty and independence,” the BNP leader said.

He also said a planned campaign is underway to blame BNP for crimes such as extortion, sand lifting and stone theft, while similar allegations against Jamaat leaders are being downplayed. When Jamaat attempts to show itself as good, it often appears that if BNP men are involved in sand lifting, Jamaat men are also connected, Rizvi said. He, however, lamented that media outlets do not highlight the misdeeds of Jamaat leaders and activists, while allegations against BNP receive wide coverage.

“If BNP members are involved in irregularities, we expel or suspend them and take disciplinary action. But this is not highlighted. Instead, a narrative is carefully created to use against BNP and malign the party,” Rizvi said.

He also said the media and social media often blame BNP for extortion, sand lifting or stone theft, but do not report that Jamaat leaders’ names also appear in such incidents, including cases of sexual harassment or abuse of women.

“Every family may have a black sheep. But if the parents punish the black sheep, that is a responsible family. The same goes for political parties,” the BNP leader said. BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, organizing secretary principal Selim Bhuiyan and senior journalist Amirul Islam Kagoji, among others, also spoke at the event.

Bangladesh has emerged as one of the most climate-vulnerable yet climate-indebted nations, according to the newly released Climate Debt Risk Index (CDRI-2025) by Change Initiative. With a national risk score of 65.37 out of 100, projected to rise to 65.63 by 2031, Bangladesh now falls under the ‘High Risk’ category—signaling a dangerous trajectory if immediate action is not taken.

Despite contributing less than 0.5% to global greenhouse gas emissions, Bangladesh now bears one of the highest per capita climate debts at $79.6, with a debt-to-grant ratio of 2.7—almost four times higher than the LDC benchmark of 0.7. The burden is exacerbated by an alarming multilateral climate loan ratio of 0.94, nearly five times the LDC average of 0.19.

The report highlights a deeper crisis: the adaptation-to-mitigation ratio stands at just 0.42, severely underfunding life-saving resilience work. The Index warns that the current international climate finance system—originally envisioned as reparations under the Paris Agreement—has morphed into a climate debt trap, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable nations.

“Protecting biodiversity can reduce climate impacts, yet global forums like COP often fail to deliver results,” said Dr Farhina Ahmed, secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

“Bangladesh must respond by addressing unequal carbon emissions, as highlighted by the ICJ judgment, while prioritizing national adaptation plans and NDC implementation.”

Key Findings for Bangladesh:

• • Per Capita Climate Debt: $79.6—among the highest in LDCs
  • Debt-to-Grant Ratio: 2.7—nearly 4x the LDC average of 0.7
  • Multilateral Climate Loan Ratio: 0.94 vs. 0.19 LDC average
  • Adaptation-to-Mitigation Ratio: 0.42—less than half of LDC average (0.88)
  • Loan Burden per Ton of CO₂e: $29.52—contradicts Polluter Pays Principle
  • Misattributed Fossil Finance: 18.84% of “climate finance” went to fossil fuel projects with a staggering loan-to-grant ratio of 28.8:1.

Sectoral Analysis:

• Energy Sector: Loan-to-grant ratio of 11.99:1
• Transport & Storage: Virtually all debt-financed (1123:1)
• Water Supply: 7.78:1, despite being adaptation-critical

Sectors like agriculture, health, and disaster preparedness remain critically underfunded.

“Grants are limited, loans risky, and overreliance on the private sector heightens financial strain,” said Dr AK Enamul Haque, director general, BIDS.

“True resilience demands local knowledge, technology, and systemic change—incremental fixes are not enough.”

“Without firm pledges and clear governance, the $1B Climate Finance Action Fund, launched in COP29, risks remaining an ambition, not a lifeline for vulnerable nations,” added M Zakir Hossain Khan, chief executive of Change Initiative.

Household Burden Rising

The report reveals that between 2000 and 2023, over 130 million Bangladeshis were displaced or affected by climate hazards, causing $13.6 billion in losses. In the absence of sufficient public adaptation support, households now spend an average of Tk10,700 (~$88) annually on self-financed climate protection—totaling $1.7 billion a year.

“Adaptation finance must be grant-based and equitable, or the world risks a climate debt crisis where survival becomes unaffordable,” said Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, deputy managing director, PKSF.

The Call for a Just Climate Finance System

Change Initiative outlines a new roadmap grounded in Natural Rights Led Governance (NRLG)—a people-and-nature-centric approach that treats climate finance as a legal obligation, not charity.

Key policy asks include:

• A grant-first approach for adaptation, loss, and damage
• Debt-for-nature swaps and immediate climate debt relief
• Transparent classification systems to prevent misattribution
• A bottom-up Earth Solidarity Fund for direct, unconditional community grants
• Reforms to MDBs to end fossil fuel and unproven energy support

“Unless Bangladesh ensures accountability, transparency, and good governance, access to global finance will remain limited,” warned Shirin Lira, cooperation officer, Embassy of Switzerland.

“During disasters, local communities are the first responders—and without building their capacity, pledges won’t translate into real action.”

“Bangladesh contributes little to global emissions yet suffers the greatest impacts,” added Dr Saimun Parvez, special assistant to chairperson, BNP.

“We must move from loans to justice—this is the time to end climate debt and usher in climate equity.”

Bangladeshi supermodel Nibir Adnan has made the nation proud by gracing the runway at one of the world’s largest fashion events—New York Fashion Week 2025. Held from September 10 to 14 at Sony Hall, Manhattan, New York City, the event brought together renowned designers, models, celebrities, and fashion enthusiasts for a spectacular and diverse runway showcase. Models walked the runway in the creations of over 130 acclaimed designers. The event featured 28 Latin American brands from countries like Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia, alongside international brands from Japan, the United Kingdom, and Portugal.

Before the main event, on September 8, Nibir Adnan participated in the casting round through his agency CG Models. Nearly 3,000 models from around the world competed in this casting, where Nibir Adnan qualified to secure his place on the main runway. Among them, he proudly represented Bangladesh, highlighting the nation’s prestige through his presence and performance on the international stage.

During the three-day event, Nibir walked for five international designers, including O4BH (United Kingdom), Monkstr (Austin, Texas), The Tokyo Vibes (Japan), Runway7 Fashion (New York, LA, Miami), and Emma Ritz (Tokyo). His makeup was done by Book of Beauty, with photography by Anja Stoll.

Speaking from New York about participating in one of the world’s largest fashion weeks, Nibir Adnan said: “This is a moment of immense pride for me, not just as an individual, but as a Bangladeshi. Representing my country on the global stage of New York Fashion Week is truly a dream come true. Every time someone asks me, ‘Where are you from?’ and I say, ‘I’m from Bangladesh’—I get goosebumps. Sharing the same platform with international celebrities and receiving their appreciation has been surreal. Their support and kind words have touched my heart. This success is not just mine; it’s for every young dreamer back home who thinks the world is too big and their country too small. I want to say: we belong. We rise. We represent.”

Notably, during the fashion week, on September 11 he also participated in the International Heritage Fashion Week, and he is scheduled to take part in Couture Fashion Week on Saturday, where his performance will further shine a spotlight on Bangladesh.

Supermodel Nibir Adnan has worked with nearly all major local brands and extended his career internationally in Mumbai, India, representing products for Amazon India, Raymond, Spykar, among other Indian brands. He has also brought pride to Bangladesh as the brand ambassador for the world-renowned Italian brand Bulgari Perfume, and has worked as a model for brands based in London and Dubai, in addition to Dhaka and Mumbai. Nibir has received numerous international honors and recognition, including the NRB Award in the ‘International Model of the Year’ category on September 14 in New York.

Apart from modeling, this supermodel is steadily entering acting. This year, he made his big-screen debut with the film ‘Esha Murder’.

Thousands of police officers from across the New York metropolitan area and beyond gathered at the Parkchester Jame Masjid on Virginia Avenue on Thursday, July 31, to pay their respects and say goodbye to slain Police Officer Didarul Islam, 36, a Bangladeshi American immigrant, father of two, with another baby on the way, who was promoted to detective first grade by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch during the service.

As reported, police said Islam was one of four people killed by gunman, Shane Tamura, 27, from Las Vegas who carried out the killings using an assault rifle which he carried inside 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan on Monday, July 28, and who reportedly had mental health issues. Police said Tamura later turned the gun on himself and also died. Islam’s body had been transferred from Midtown to Parkchester on Tuesday, July 29, as reported, as New Yorkers reacted to the shocking events and Gov. Kathy Hochul and others called again for a nationwide ban on assault rifles.

On Thursday, members of the Bangladeshi community from Parkchester, Norwood, and elsewhere joined thousands of other residents as police officers flooded the surrounding streets of Islam’s local mosque, and several NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) trucks blocked nearby intersections. Tisch had previously served as DSNY Commissioner.

In addition to Tisch, elected officials in attendance included Hochul, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), who represents parts of the West Bronx and northern Manhattan, and Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), who represents a large section of The Bronx stretching from the northwest to the south.

Also seen were Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and City Councilman Dr. Yousef Salaam (C.D 9) who represents parts of Harlem and is one of the Exonerated Five having spent between several years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.

Addressing the congregation, Hochul said in part, “Today our hearts are broken. The dam is searing.” Referring to Islam’s relatives, she said, “They’re a family that expected to see their beloved son, husband, father for many more dinners, birthdays and life celebrations, but because of a madman who traveled a thousand miles with such evil in his heart to come and destroy all that is good about New York City.”

For his part, the mayor, a former police officer, said in part, “This murder and the murder of others who were in the building, it cut me to my core. I spent my entire life defending and fighting for innocent people of this city, and each death I take personal because as a mayor, I am responsible for the safety of New Yorkers.”

For her part, Tisch said of Islam, “He stepped into a new land and chose to become part of its promise to believe in its dream, and he did believe in the American dream, not as something handed down, but as something built with your own hands.”

She continued, “Didarul Islam came to this country as an immigrant with no guarantees, only the hope that hard work, that humility, that purpose might lead him somewhere meaningful and it did. He earned the respect of his peers. He believed in this department. With only four years on the job, he did the work of a cop with twice that time, and in a command where the work never slowed.”

The commissioner said in addition to his work assignment in Midtown Manhattan on the day he was killed, Islam had been on duty the previous day at the Bronx Dominican Day Parade, a day which proved very challenging for the NYPD due to several shootings reported after the parade. Such was the number of violent incidents on the day, when contacted by Norwood News on Monday, the NYPD press office said they had to be provided with a specific time and location before they could share details of each incident.

At times sounding almost defiant on Islam’s behalf in the wake of Monday’s tragedy, Tisch added, “But no matter what this job threw at him, you could count on Didar to get it done, and to get it done right, and though his journey was cut too short, the way he lived his job, with steadiness, with heart, with conviction, it reflected everything this title represents. So, today, it is my honor and my great privilege to promote Police Officer Didarul Islam to Detective First Grade.”

The congregation applauded as NYPD personnel rose to their feet. Tisch was later seen embracing one of Islam’s mourning family members. Islam’s brother-in-law, Police Officer Kamrul Hasan, who called Islam his “protector” and “best friend,” shared some memories to demonstrate their solidarity and Islam’s strength of character. “Anything, everything anybody needed, anything, they come to us,” he said. “He was helping everybody.” Hasan concluded, “On behalf of our whole family, I would like to thank everybody for coming here and staying with us and being here for us.”

In addition to public statements already made by a number of elected officials including the mayor and governor, other elected officials had also shared their reaction to the tragedy. Clark lamented what she called “yet another act of senseless gun violence with a high-powered weapon brought to the city by an allegedly mentally disturbed man.”

The district attorney added in part of Islam, “My heart goes out to his pregnant wife, sons, the members of the NYPD, and the families of all the victims. This incident is a reason I urge and advocate for mental health services in our city!”

On Tuesday, Gibson had offered her condolences and paid tribute to Islam, writing, “On behalf of our Borough, we extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the four victims of yesterday’s horrific shooting in Midtown, including one of our own, decorated Police Officer Didarul Islam of the 47th Precinct.”

A gunman with mental health issues opened fire in a central Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing four people including a policeman before apparently taking his own life, officials said. Mayor Eric Adams said the fallen police officer was a 36-year-old immigrant from Bangladesh.

Two other males and a female died and another man remained in a critical condition, officials said without giving any preliminary motive for the shootings.

An NFL employee was stable after being ‘seriously injured’ in the attack, ESPN reported, quoting an internal memo from league commissioner Roger Goodell. A fifth victim was in critical condition after being shot, Eric Adams told a late-night press briefing at a nearby hospital.

The gunman was caught on surveillance footage leaving a black BMW and carrying an M-4 rifle, police commissioner Jessica Tisch told the news conference.

On entering the building, he immediately opened fire on a police officer before ‘spraying the lobby’ with bullets, she said.

The gunman then took an elevator to the 33rd floor of Rudin Management, which owns the building, and continued his spree before apparently shooting himself. He was later discovered by officers next to his weapon.

The office tower block at 345 Park Avenue — home to the National Football League, hedge fund giant Blackstone, and auditor KPMG — was apparently targeted by the gunman, who is believed to have acted alone, Tisch said.

The police commissioner identified the shooter as Shane Tamura from Las Vegas and said a revolver, ammunition and magazines were found in his vehicle.

Tamura had a history of mental health issues, she said.

The incident began around 6:00pm (2200 GMT) when reports of gunfire prompted hundreds of police to swarm a busy office district on Park Avenue, an area popular with tourists and businesspeople.

A worker from a nearby office building wept as she left the area after a local lockdown was lifted. Another office worker described the gunman going floor-to-floor as staff prepared to leave for the day.

‘We lost four souls to another act of senseless violence,’ the city’s mayor said, excluding the shooter, who died by an apparently self-inflicted gunshot. CNN and NBC cited unnamed officials as saying the shooter had a grievance with the NFL and its handling of CTE, a brain condition linked to head trauma.

The gunman had a note in his pocket saying he suffered from CTE, the news channels said, quoting a source with knowledge of the investigation. Office worker Shad Sakib said that he was packing his things to leave work when a public address announcement warned him and his colleagues to shelter in place.

‘Everyone was confused with like, ‘wait, what’s going on?’ And then someone finally realised that it’s online, that someone walked in with a machine gun,’ the witness said.

‘He walked right into a building right next door. We saw the photo of him walking through the same area that I walked through to get lunch here.

‘You would think it won’t happen to you, and then it does.’

Another witness, a woman who declined to give her name as she left the vicinity of the shooting, said: ‘I was in the building. He went floor by floor.’

A second woman wept as she left the scene.

There have been 254 mass shootings in the United States this year including Monday’s incident in New York, according to the Gun Violence Archive — which defines a mass shooting as four or more people shot.

A total of 39 Bangladeshi nationals, including one woman, were deported from the United States and arrived in Dhaka today (2 August). They were flown back on a special military aircraft (C-17), which landed at 6:45am at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, an officer of the Immigration Department of the Special Branch (SB) of police confirmed to The Business Standard.

Upon their arrival, the returnees were provided with transportation assistance by Brac, while food support was arranged by the expatriates’ welfare desk, Brac Migration Programme said in a press release. Several of the deportees alleged that they were kept in handcuffs throughout the long flight from the US.

“We are not criminals. We simply sought asylum. But we were treated like dangerous prisoners,” said one of the returnees.

Commenting on the deportation, Shariful Hasan, associate director of Brac Migration Programme and Youth Platform, said, “From what we have learned, most of them had sold their homes or taken heavy loans to finance the journey — some spending as much as Tk30 to Tk40 lakh — trying to reach the US in an irregular approach through Mexico or various South American countries.”

Upon reaching the US, they applied for asylum, but their applications were rejected by the courts and immigration authorities, Shariful said, adding that the US administration later decided to deport them.

The Bangladesh Army on Thursday said that they had taken major Sadikul Islam Sadek into custody over the allegation of training Awami League men, adding that they would take necessary actions if Sadek was found guilty in the investigation. Brigadier General Md Nazim-ud-Daula, director, Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters, disclosed the information in response to a question at a press conference at the Officers Mess at the Dhaka cantonment over some media reports and social media posts which claimed that serving Major Sadikul was training Awami League people to create instability in the country.

‘We have taken Sadek into custody. We are investigating into the allegations. If he is proved guilty in the investigation, necessary actions would be taken against him,’ said Nazim. Replying to a question over the fighter jet crash on Milestone School and College killing at least 34 people, mostly students, he claimed that a Bangladesh Army team reached the spot first within two minutes after the incident as there was an army camp within 150-200 yards from the spot.

‘There were criticisms that bodies were concealed and teachers beaten. If any children’s bodies were concealed, parents would have come and said that their children were missing,’ he said, posing a question why the Bangladesh Army would conceal bodies and what they would benefit from concealing bodies.

Brigadier General Nazim said that all the allegations against army were rumors. Asked about the home adviser’s remarks that the army opened fire during the Gopalganj violence and the army gave protection to the National Citizen Party, he said that army used force as there was a possibility of killing leaders of a political party.

‘A high-powered government investigation committee was formed headed by a justice over the Gopalganj violence,’ he added. Remarking that the army did not give special attention to any political party, he said that the army would come forward when any citizen’s life would be at stake.

Asked about Kuki-Chin National Front buying arms from the Arakan Army in the absence of army camps along Myanmar borders in Bandarbans and KNF’s dominance in the area, he said that it was nothing abnormal about the link between the KNF and the Arakan Army considering the Arakan Army’s situation.

‘The Arakan Army and the KNF are from similar groups with allied intentions. I would not be surprised if the KNF bought arms from the Arakan Army,’ he said.

Denying the allegations of KNF control in these areas, he said that the area was under the Bangladesh Army control.

At the press briefing, Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff at the Army Headquarters’ Military Operations Directorate, said that they had arrested 813 people, including listed and identified crime suspects, members of teenage gangs, and robbers, and other crime suspects in the past four weeks, raising the total number of arrestees to 16,459 so far during the interim government’s tenure.

The army officer said that the Bangladesh Army had recovered 37 illegal arms and 179 rounds of bullets in the past four weeks. Thus, the army has recovered 9,729 arms out of the 12,119 looted ones and 2,87,033 rounds of bullets out of 3,90,975 looted ammunitions during the government’s tenure.