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Hasina’s final days before the fall

A desire to cling to power, intolerance for dissent and failure to see the writing on the wall were what eventually unravel Sheikh Hasina’s iron-fisted rule of 15 years.

It has been a year since Bangladesh freed itself from the murderous clutches of a tyrannical regime that had made corruption the rule of business, extreme arrogance of power the norm, and brutal repression its operational style.

Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic rule came to an end in the wake of the mass uprising of July–August 2024, which also led to her to flee the country.

“Robust democratic environment remains a fictitious configuration of our noisy imagination”

In conversation with Salimullah Khan, one of Bangladesh’s most prominent public intellectuals and a professor in the Department of History & Philosophy at North South University.

Australia lifts foreign student cap to 295,000 and prioritises Southeast Asia

Australia will raise its cap on foreign students by 9 percent to 295,000 next year and prioritise applicants from Southeast Asia, the government said yesterday.

Remittance-rich Sylhet ranks poorest in new index

Long seen as the “London of Bangladesh” for its foreign earnings and opulent villas, Sylhet has been dealt a sobering blow. The country’s first Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) has revealed that the division is, in fact, the poorest in Bangladesh when measured by access to education, healthc

Contraband, counterfeit cigarettes have surged in market

The government lost a substantial amount of revenue last year due to a surge in contraband cigarettes and local counterfeit production, said National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan yesterday..This came about in spite of the imposition of higher taxes, he said, adding,

Spellbound by stalemate, sipped like Amrita

That’s what this game does. It restores belief even when stretched thin. It makes cynics dreamers.

The 36th day of July / August 5, 2024: The day the people triumphed

August 5 became a watershed in Bangladesh’s history -- the climactic peak of the July uprising.

Brazil judge puts ex-president Bolsonaro under house arrest

Bolsonaro is on trial at the Supreme Court for allegedly plotting to cling onto power after losing 2022 elections to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Canada airdrops aid into Gaza, says Israel violating international law

Canada said on Monday it delivered humanitarian assistance through airdrops to Gaza, which has been under a devastating Israeli military assault for almost 22 months, with Ottawa again accusing Israel of violating international law

If Test cricket is the sporting equivalent of a literary epic, the five-match Test series between England and India was its Iliad -- a battle of two groups of warriors which will go down in history as a tale of valour, heroism and sheer audacity.

Chief adviser calls for urgent reforms in social services to prioritise senior citizens, girls

Political interference led to unfair distribution of benefits in the past, he says

Beijing evacuates more than 80,000 over heavy rains: state media

Chinese authorities evacuated over 82,000 people across Beijing at risk from heavy rainfall, state media said, after dozens of people died in flooding in the capital's suburbs last week

Agonising loss to India leaves England facing Ashes questions

England, and Stokes in particular, have shown huge faith in Shoaib Bashir, a 21-year-old off-spinner unable to hold down a regular place in a county side but who has now taken 68 wickets in 19 Tests at 39.

Woman shot dead at home in front of family in Dhaka's Mirpur

The victim, Tahmina Rahman Ranu, 42, was an internet service provider

Opinion

Opinion

A year after the uprising, economic reform is yet to pick up

The government is still struggling to translate ideas into credible practice.

ONE YEAR OF SHEIKH HASINA'S FALL / The unfinished journey of Drohojatra

The path ahead is difficult but the people of this land have shown time and again that they can rise.

Business

Business

Exports hit 32-month high in July

The country’s exports rose to $4.77 billion in July, up nearly 25 percent from $3.82 billion a year earlier, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), marking the highest monthly earnings from merchandise shipment since November 2022.

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Sports

Sports

DSP Siraj issues series-deciding speeding ticket to England's Bazball

He finished the five-match series in England with a chart-topping 23 wickets, the highest for any bowler.

Passara brings technical focus to Bangladesh table tennis

Under the low light at the Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium, it was somewhat difficult to spot the newly appointed Thai table tennis coach, Pattaratorn Passara, among the 30 or so paddlers preparing for the upcoming Asian Youth Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, and South Asian Games.

Women's Asian Cup: Bangladesh’s group and tough road ahead

In Star Explains, we break down Bangladesh’s group, their challenges, and their prospects in the upcoming Asian Cup.

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News

News

Australia to buy 11 advanced warships from Japan

Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday

Hospital staffer shot in Mohakhali dies after 3 days

The victim, Jamal Hossain, 40, a fourth-class staff member of the hospital, was allegedly shot due to previous rivalry

SOUTH CHINA SEA / Philippine, Indian navies begin first joint patrols

Indian Navy warships have begun patrolling areas of the disputed South China Sea with their Philippine counterparts for the first time, Manila’s military said yesterday, as President Ferdinand Marcos departed for a state visit to New Delhi.

Five to die for killing neighbour in Ctg

Abdur Sukkur, of Anwara upazila, went missing after going out of his house after getting a phone call on August 19, 2011

Spain breaks up ring smuggling Yemenis to UK, Canada

Spanish police said yesterday they have dismantled a criminal network suspected of smuggling mainly Yemeni migrants into UK and Canada with fake passports.

Entertainment

Entertainment

The dissection of an Uprising with Ashfaque Nipun

Reminiscing on the historic August 5 is filmmaker and activist Ashfaque Nipun, who was actively involved throughout the entire uprising and has been a participant in the anti-fascist movement for the past 17 years.

‘Proticchobi’ showcases Nowrid Amin’s artistry and global reach

Singer-songwriter Nowrid Amin kicked off the year with the release of his second solo album, “Proticchobi”, on January 1, 2025. Since its release, the album has been met with enthusiastic praise from audiences both at home and abroad.

Loni Anderson, who played smart against stereotype on 'WKRP in Cincinnati', dead at 79

Actress Loni Anderson, who won acclaim for her US television sitcom role as the brainy, glamorous radio station receptionist defying workplace sexual stereotypes on "WKRP in Cincinnati", died on Sunday at age 79, according to her publicist.

Life & Living

Life & Living

#Perspective / Remembering 36th July!

The year 2024 shall forever remain etched in our hearts as a season of mixed emotions. On one hand, we look back at those tumultuous days with joy. On the other hand, we remain apprehensive about what lies ahead.

#Events / The Rebel Within You: Painting the memory of a movement

In commemoration of the July Uprising, on 29 July, 2025, The Daily Star hosted an art camp titled “The Rebel Within You,” inviting 11 young artists who lived through the chaos, fear, and fire of 2024’s student-led mass movement.

#Women Empowerment / No age limit!: How Arthy Ahmed is rewriting dance norms

Arthy Ahmed's Bharatanatyam classes in Dhaka empower adults to reclaim joy through inclusive dance, emotional healing, and cultural connection — transforming traditional norms and redefining classical dance in Bangladesh with passion, purpose, and community.

Youth

Youth

No more visa stickers: UK switches to e-visas for int’l students

The UK is replacing physical immigration documents with e-visas.

The curious case of the vanishing bees: Explained

The vanishing of bees isn't a distant environmental tale, it's a local, urgent reality.

Does the new Superman movie signal a cultural shift?

Superman stories have always referenced and challenged real-life geopolitics since the character's inception.

Tech & Startup

Tech & Startup

How your smartphone compares to 1990s supercomputers

In just a few decades, the smartphone has gone from a luxury gadget to an everyday necessity. But what is often overlooked is just how powerful these small devices really are. Today’s smartphones are thousands of times more powerful than the world’s most advanced supercomputers from over 30 years ago - machines that once filled entire rooms and cost millions to operate.

Google launches 'Deep Think' for Gemini Ultra users

Google has introduced a new 'Deep Think' feature for Gemini Ultra subscribers, offering enhanced problem-solving capabilities through extended reasoning time. The tool, now available in the Gemini app, is a refined version of the model that recently achieved gold-medal performance at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), according to an official blog post by Google.

Google to invest $6 billion in Indian data centre: report

Google will invest $6 billion to build a 1-gigawatt data centre in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, marking its first such direct investment in India, according to a recent report by Reuters.

Star Multimedia

Star Multimedia

News Analysis / Governed by Facebook posts, ruled by confusion

It was just about 7:00am on Monday. A mother sat with her daughter at a bus counter in Dinajpur, set for a two-hour commute to Rangpur for the daughter’s HSC exam three hours later.

Watch / Plenty of promises, but where’s the action?

This episode of The Daily Star podcast "Pitch Perfect" seeks answers to these pressing questions.

Who, how, and under what rules gets a firearm license?

A gun magazine was found in Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan's bag during a recent search at the airport.

WATCH / 25 years since Test status: How far have Bangladesh come?

On June 26, 2000, Bangladesh became the 10th nation to gain Test status from the ICC -- a historic milestone that sparked hope and pride across the country.

Environment

Environment

Writ petition seeks HC directive to protect Teota Zamindar Bari in Manikanj

Advocate Zahid Ahammad Hero submitted the petition as a public interest litigation on Sunday

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Rain may continue across Bangladesh for five more days: BMD

Authorities urge vigilance in flood-prone, low-lying areas as active monsoon persists

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Why was July 2025 wetter in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh experienced three low-pressure systems on July 7, July 14 and July 24 which led to heavy rain

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Evict 508 illegal structures from Gomti river: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the deputy commissioner of Cumilla to take necessary steps to evict 508 illegal structures occupying the banks of Gomti river in the district within six months.

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LPG price slashed by Tk 91 for August

12kg cylinder now set at Tk 1,273 nationwide

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Jashore flooded after heavy rainfall

Aman seedbeds and vegetable crops destroyed

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Light to moderate rain likely throughout Bangladesh in next 24 hours

Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicted rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty wind over the country in the next 24 hours commencing 9:00am today.

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Wings wide open

A peacock pansy spreads its glorious wings while resting on a flower in Chattogram’s Banshkhali tea garden.

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