A dispute has emerged in Texas over planned and existing airport facilities for Muslim passengers to perform ablution before prayers. Governor Greg Abbott ordered a review of state funding for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and said grants could be halted. The issue was also referred to the US Department of Transportation for investigation.

The controversy began over a proposal for a separate ablution area at Dallas-Fort Worth. Abbott argued that publicly operated airports should not give special treatment to one religious group. The airport subsequently cancelled the plan, saying a rapid review found that the project would not provide the expected operational benefits.

Houston’s airport has had an ablution facility since 2024. Airport officials said it is available to all passengers, staff and others with terminal access, rather than only Muslims. Houston Mayor John Whitmire similarly said it does not provide preferential treatment to any religion. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called the governor’s stance political and anti-Muslim, describing ablution space as a routine passenger service that can also support cleanliness and management.

In a column published by Amar Desh on August 19, 2026, Mahmudur Rahman praised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s foreign-policy approach during his first six months in office. The writer said Rahman’s decision to make Malaysia and China his first foreign destinations, rather than India, demonstrated diplomatic skill and an independent stance for Bangladesh.

The article argues that Bangladesh should maintain a self-respecting position in relations with India while recognizing India as an important and powerful neighbour. Rahman says a high-level bilateral visit is necessary, but contends it should not take place hurriedly on the sidelines of an international summit or without preparation. He attributes various political positions and motivations to BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, India and other actors.

The columnist lists unresolved matters he says require substantive discussions, including the return of Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives, the Ganges water treaty, the Teesta agreement, border killings, alleged push-ins, narcotics, smuggling, trade, travel, cricket and visas. He says a Delhi visit by the prime minister should take place this year at a mutually convenient time.

A report published on August 19, 2026 alleges that Bangladesh’s ruling BNP has fallen short of its election pledge to build a merit-based, politically neutral public administration. The report says political considerations have shaped appointments across government agencies, institutions and offices during the government’s first six months. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said on Tuesday that the government wants to give honest and skilled officials greater opportunities to work and build a people-friendly administration.

The report says 28 public universities received new vice-chancellors in the first six months, with teachers alleging that partisan affiliation was prioritized over merit and qualifications. It also cites concerns over appointments of party figures to senior posts in 11 agencies and institutions, as well as administrators in city corporations and district councils. Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder warned that broad political appointments could make the administration more controversial.

Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said appointments and removals in key institutions reflected a continuing culture of partisan dominance. Service recipients interviewed in eight districts alleged that bribery, corruption and delays in public offices remain widespread. The report also says recommendations from an administrative reform commission led by retired civil servant Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury have not yet been implemented.

A recent YouGov survey found that 47% of British respondents support reducing or completely stopping immigration to the United Kingdom from Israel. The result, reported on August 19, 2026, places Israel behind Russia, Pakistan and Nigeria among countries whose immigration Britons are most likely to want reduced or halted.

Only 5% of respondents said the United Kingdom should allow more immigrants from Israel, while 24% supported maintaining immigration at its current level. Compared with a similar survey in 2016, support for reducing or ending immigration from Israel rose by 8 percentage points.

The survey analysis said international conflicts, including the Gaza war, and changing global perceptions of Israel may be contributing to the trend. The source also noted broader concern in Britain about overall immigration levels. Attitudes were comparatively more positive toward immigration from countries such as Ireland, Canada and Australia, indicating that views vary depending on immigrants’ country of origin.

Saudi Arabia has removed the sentence “Muslims will never leave Jerusalem” from its school textbooks, according to a review by Israeli curriculum-monitoring organization IMPACT-se. The change was identified in Saudi textbooks for the 2025-26 academic year and follows broader recent revisions to material concerning Israel, Jews and Jerusalem. The sentence appeared in the 2023-24 edition of an eleventh-grade Arabic-language textbook and was fully removed beginning with the 2024-25 edition.

The review said terminology concerning Israel and Jews has also changed in some books. In one instance, “Zionist enemy” was replaced with “Israeli occupation.” The name Palestine was removed from several maps, while some areas were left unnamed. Earlier harsh language about religious and minority groups was also removed or altered.

IMPACT-se said the revisions place greater emphasis on coexistence, tolerance and moderation, although some controversial content remains. The changes have prompted discussion about possible future Saudi-Israeli relations. Saudi Arabia, however, continues to state publicly that it will not establish full diplomatic relations with Israel without a Palestinian state and guarantees that East Jerusalem would be its capital.

Defaulted loans at Bangladesh’s five state-owned banks rose by Tk6,304 crore in the first six months of the current government, despite efforts to reduce bad debts and policy support from Bangladesh Bank. At the end of June, combined defaulted loans at Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali and BASIC banks stood at Tk151,343 crore, up from Tk145,039 crore in December. The BNP formed the government on February 17 after winning the 13th parliamentary election.

Agrani Bank recorded the largest increase, with defaulted loans rising Tk3,518 crore to Tk32,133 crore. Janata Bank’s bad loans increased Tk3,020 crore to Tk75,558 crore, the highest among the five banks. Its top 20 borrower groups account for Tk52,418 crore, or about 72 percent, of total defaulted loans. Rupali’s defaulted loans rose Tk159 crore, while Sonali’s fell to Tk15,710 crore and BASIC’s declined to Tk8,152 crore.

Bank officials cited borrowers’ unwillingness to repay, slow legal processes and weakened recovery efforts after political changes. Agrani’s managing director said roughly half of its bad loans are held by its 20 largest borrowers. The report said no major effective government initiative on state-bank reform, governance or loan recovery had become visible during the first six months.

The National Freedom Fighters Council, or JAMUKA, has recommended cancelling the gazettes of 6,465 people identified as non-freedom fighters since 2010. The information was presented on Tuesday at the first meeting of the 13th National Parliament’s standing committee on the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs at Parliament House. The meeting reviewed the activities of the ministry, JAMUKA, the Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust and the July Mass Uprising Directorate.

Since JAMUKA was formed in 2010, it has recommended listing 18,417 people as freedom fighters. This includes 768 martyrs, 198 war-wounded freedom fighters, 529 Birangonas and 16,922 general freedom fighters. Applications from 222 people seeking inclusion as Birangonas remain pending.

The meeting was also told that 104 recommended freedom fighters are awaiting gazette publication following scrutiny by a subcommittee formed after the July uprising. Hearings are pending on 202 applications filed against freedom fighters receiving allowances. Sources said committee member Gazi Nazrul Islam, who was expelled from Jamaat, was not invited at the party’s request, and Jamaat has sent a letter seeking his removal from the parliamentary committee.

Japan-based expatriate Junaid Mia, who went viral after leaving a wedding in Akhaura over the absence of a whole goat on a large platter, has married Jannat Akhtar. The ceremony was completed at about 11pm on Tuesday at the bride’s maternal uncle’s home in Niamatpur village of Kasba upazila, Brahmanbaria.

Junaid confirmed the marriage in a Facebook post at around 1am on Tuesday night, saying that the marriage had been completed and asking for prayers for a peaceful and happy married life. Images showing a whole goat served as a special dish for the groom have circulated on social media.

Jannat is the daughter of Zaher Mia of Nurpur village in Akhaura and is reported to be a second-year HSC student at a local women’s college. Junaid’s younger brother Parvez said the marriage was held joyfully with both families’ consent, with the dower set at Tk600,000. On Monday, Junaid had returned without marrying from a ceremony in Tolatala village after becoming upset that a whole goat was not served on a large platter.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the request concerning the extradition of Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina remains under review under its established process. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the statement on Tuesday in response to a question about requests from Dhaka connected to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s planned visit to India.

A journalist said the requests included Sheikh Hasina’s extradition and the return of people arrested over allegations linked to Hadi’s killing. Jaiswal said India seeks a positive, constructive and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh based on mutual interests and bilateral ties.

Jaiswal said there was no need to restate India’s position on the former Bangladeshi prime minister’s press conference. Before that event, he had said the Indian government had no involvement in it and did not endorse any statements made there. Bangladesh had expressed strong anger over the opportunity for direct interaction at the event, according to the report.

Bangladesh’s government has taken up a Tk 1,311 crore 50 lakh 66 thousand project to develop Ramu Cantonment in Cox’s Bazar into a modern, full-fledged military installation. The proposal, titled “Infrastructure Development for Ramu Cantonment,” was scheduled for presentation to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. It is planned to run from July 2026 to June 2030 with full government financing.

The project is intended to strengthen security along the country’s southeastern border, protect sovereignty against external attacks and increase strategic military capability. The Defence Ministry is the project sponsor, while Army Headquarters, the Engineer-in-Chief Branch, the Public Works Department and Dhaka Cantonment will implement it. The documents also list important military and civilian areas in Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna divisions.

Planned works include 135,882.97 square metres of residential buildings, 6,158.30 square metres of non-residential buildings, 25,000 metres of drainage structures and 11 tube wells. Health and water-supply facilities, telecommunications equipment, land development, electrical and firefighting equipment, computers and furniture are also included.

Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) officials say India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has gathered more than 1,000 Indian citizens at several points along the border from Mymensingh through Sylhet to Cumilla, allegedly for possible push-ins into Bangladesh. The report, published on August 19, 2026, says the people have been divided into small groups and positioned near different border points.

BGB members stationed at Cumilla’s Bibirbazar and Golabari borders said an Indian citizen was recently allegedly sent toward Bangladesh before dawn, then detained and returned to India through the Mathurapur border. They also said a July 26 attempt to force four people, including a woman and three children, into Bangladesh through the Saldanadi border was stopped.

Cumilla 10 BGB commander Lieutenant Colonel Mir Ali Ejaj said the force remains alert and would not allow Indian citizens to enter Bangladesh. A regional commander said BGB had thwarted at least 25 alleged push-in attempts over the past two months. Officials cited manpower shortages but said drone surveillance and other new technologies were being used.

Nine Bangladeshi nationals, including six men, two women and a child, died in a fire at a hotel in a multi-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata’s New Market area. The blaze was initially reported to have started on the third floor at about 4:15 a.m. Tuesday. The building housed separate hotels or guest houses on nearly every floor, and several people were rescued by firefighters.

Guests alleged that the rooms and passageways were cramped, the building had only one main entrance and exit, and no emergency evacuation system was available. Smoke filled corridors and balconies, making it difficult for people to find their way out. Some guests reportedly sheltered in bathrooms and tried to escape by breaking windows. One guest said hotel staff were not seen after the fire began and alleged inadequate firefighting arrangements.

Fire officials initially suspect a short circuit, while forensic experts are expected to visit the scene. Doctors initially believe the victims may have died from suffocation, though post-mortem examinations will determine the cause. Authorities are examining fire safety, hotel legality, permits and trade licences, while some injured people remain in critical condition.

The United Nations has called for an end to Israeli airstrikes in Syria after Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in the eastern part of Idlib province. The report, published on August 19, 2026, said the UN described the attack as a violation of Syria’s territorial integrity and airspace.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told a news conference on Tuesday that the airstrikes should stop and that the United Nations opposed them. His remarks followed Syria’s condemnation of the attack in letters sent to the UN secretary-general and the president of the Security Council.

The source did not provide details on casualties, damage, the timing of the strike, or Israel’s response. It also did not specify any action planned by the Security Council or other UN bodies following Syria’s letters and the spokesperson’s statement.

Iran has fully rejected a United Arab Emirates allegation that it launched two ballistic missiles from Iranian territory on Tuesday. The UAE said one missile landed outside its territorial waters and the other fell into the sea within its waters, alleging that the missiles targeted maritime navigation. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei called the accusation baseless.

Baghaei said such statements would undermine efforts to strengthen trust among neighbouring countries and improve regional security. Tehran also urged neighbouring states to refrain from what it described as unfounded accusations. Iran said the actions of the United States and Israel had further complicated the situation in the Middle East.

Following the incident, the UAE suspended all commercial and financial transactions with Iran until further notice. It had earlier issued an alert over a possible missile attack. Iran also said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until a peace agreement is reached with the United States. The strait is described as a major energy and trade route used by vessels from the UAE and other Gulf countries.

After forming the government, the BNP has moved to recognise leaders active in its long-running movement and those denied party nominations by assigning them important roles in local government and other public institutions. Five BNP leaders in Sylhet have received such appointments, according to a report published on August 19, 2026.

The appointees are BNP assistant organising secretary Miftah Siddiqui, Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qayum Chowdhury, former district president and executive committee member Abul Kaher Chowdhury Shamim, former acting metropolitan president Rezaul Hasan Qayes Lodi, and former metropolitan general secretary Badruzzaman Selim. Selim was most recently appointed director of Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited by the power, energy and mineral resources ministry.

Qayum Chowdhury was appointed administrator of Sylhet City Corporation on February 22, Shamim became Sylhet District Council administrator on March 15, and Qayes Lodi was appointed chairman of Sylhet Development Authority on June 11. Siddiqui was named chairman of Sylhet WASA on August 9. The report said several of the leaders had sought BNP nominations in the latest national election.