Texas has seen a decades-long increase in its Muslim population, particularly around Dallas, where families have moved for schools, comparatively affordable housing and established community networks. Dozens of mosques and Islamic institutions have emerged across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but the expansion has coincided with stronger Islamophobic rhetoric, social hostility and political campaigns, according to a New York Times report cited on August 19, 2026.

The report described Muslims sharing accounts of derogatory comments while praying publicly or sitting in parks. A person was arrested over alleged terrorist threats against a major Islamic center in Houston, while a woman who told Muslim shoppers they were unwelcome later lost her job but received nearly $250,000 from supporters. Ghulam Kehar said hostility made him worried about leaving his wife and four children in Texas while serving with the US Coast Guard.

Political disputes have centered on a proposed mosque-linked development east of Dallas, initially called EPIC City and later renamed The Meadow. Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton opened investigations after criticism, while developers said the project would be open to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Muslim leaders are considering engagement and stronger legal responses to false allegations.

Bangladesh and Malaysia held a meeting in Putrajaya on Tuesday to strengthen cooperation in tourism and explore new opportunities in the sector. Bangladesh State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat met Malaysian Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Chiew Choon Man, according to a news release issued Wednesday.

The discussions covered increasing air connectivity between the two countries, simplifying and pre-verifying visa processes, building capacity and expanding cultural exchanges. The two sides also expressed views on sharing skills, experience and best practices to advance tourism development as part of wider mutually beneficial cooperation.

Both countries discussed cooperation on training and skills development in the hospitality sector. Particular emphasis was placed on increasing recruitment of trained Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia's tourism services sector. They also stressed stronger people-to-people contact and cultural exchange to deepen mutual understanding. Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, along with senior officials from relevant Malaysian tourism bodies and the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, attended the meeting.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said no campaigning will be allowed during voting in Bangladesh’s presidential election on Thursday, August 20. Speaking to reporters at his office in the Election Building on Wednesday, he described the contest as historic and said the Election Commission had made maximum preparations to conduct it properly.

Nasir Uddin said the world was watching the election and expressed hope for a smooth process. He said voting is taking place in this election for the first time since 1991. The presidential post became vacant on July 24 after the 22nd president resigned citing illness, and the Election Commission announced the schedule on August 6.

BNP and like-minded parties’ candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is contesting against Oli Ahmed, candidate of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance. Members of parliament will vote, with 349 eligible voters because the Chattogram-4 seat is vacant. Voting will run from 2pm to 5pm, with vote casting and counting visible to voters. The chief election commissioner will announce final results, followed by a gazette publication the same day.

Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology’s Architecture Department has received unconditional accreditation from the Institute of Architects Bangladesh for the first time since its establishment. The five-year accreditation took effect on 1 July, according to a letter sent by IAB to the RUET registrar on 15 July. IAB’s 26th Executive Council approved the recognition after a unanimous recommendation from its Architecture Education Board.

The department, established in 2013, met the requirements set by the IAB Architecture Education Board for its architecture education programme. The recognition places RUET among public universities whose architecture programmes have received IAB accreditation, alongside BUET, Khulna University, শাহজালাল Science and Technology University, and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology.

IAB is Bangladesh’s professional organisation for architects, and its membership is important for professional architectural practice and signing building designs or architectural plans. Students earning degrees under RUET’s accredited programme will be able to seek IAB membership later. The accreditation is expected to support participation in professional activities, competitions, seminars and workshops, while broadening links with domestic, international and regional architecture platforms including ARCASIA.

The United States is pursuing a new military coalition in the Middle East to counter drone and missile attacks by Iran and its allies, according to the report published on August 19, 2026. Washington aims to reduce pressure on air-defence systems, limit use of expensive missiles and develop more effective low-cost methods for destroying drones. On August 13, US Central Command said it had begun forming the “Falcon Strike Force” and was working to invite countries in the region to join.

The initiative reflects the growing challenge posed by comparatively inexpensive drones capable of targeting military bases, ships and other facilities. The report says intercepting such drones can require highly costly missiles, raising concerns over whether expensive advanced weapons can be used repeatedly against low-cost threats. A coordinated framework could combine countries’ technology, radar networks, fighter aircraft, ships and air-defence capabilities while enabling faster information-sharing.

The proposed arrangement could also expand use of specialised counter-drone technology, electronic jamming, lasers and low-cost interceptors. The report notes concerns about US weapons stocks amid ongoing conflicts. Analysts warn that a new alliance could deepen military polarisation, while Iran may seek to further strengthen its drone and missile capabilities. No participating countries or potential partners were identified by CENTCOM.

NATO has told its members to be prepared to protect all allies following a report that Iran considered attacks on US military installations in Europe if President Donald Trump intensifies the war. The warning was issued by a NATO official on Wednesday, after a Financial Times report raised questions about possible Iranian retaliation against expanded US military activity.

The official said NATO would take all necessary measures to address any threat to a member of the alliance. The official also said that earlier this year, NATO air defences successfully intercepted ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey in four separate incidents, describing the result as evidence that the alliance’s deterrence and defence systems are strong and effective.

The United States has military bases and deployed personnel in several countries across Europe. The report said a potential Iranian attack on US military facilities in Europe could also affect the security of NATO member states. The source article attributed the report to Middle East Eye and cited the Financial Times regarding Iran’s potential response.

Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque was released from Keraniganj Special Prison on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, according to prison directorate sources. The source described him as a former Awami League-aligned chief justice. His release followed interim bail granted by the High Court in a Banani police station case involving attempted murder and the Explosives Control Act.

Haque received interim bail from the High Court on August 10. Before that, after securing bail in eight separate cases, the investigating officer applied to the court on July 2 to arrest him in the Banani case. He was shown arrested in that case on July 8.

A lower court rejected his bail request on July 27. Haque then filed a bail petition with the High Court on August 9. Following the hearing, the court granted him interim bail on August 10, and he was released from prison on Wednesday.

Former education minister Dipu Moni, imprisoned in cases including crimes against humanity, has been granted 12 hours of parole following the death of her husband, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Toufiq Nawaz. The parole will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday. Munshiganj District Magistrate Syeda Nurmahal Ashrafi approved the request at about 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday.

Her family had sought four days of parole after Nawaz’s death, but the district administration approved only 12 hours. Dipu Moni’s daughter, Tani Dipabali Nawaz, met her mother at Munshiganj District Jail on Wednesday afternoon and later submitted the application to the deputy commissioner. Lawyer Gazi Faisal Islam said requests to allow Dipu Moni to meet her husband outside prison during his illness had not been granted.

Police will escort Dipu Moni from the prison and return her within the approved period, according to her lawyer. Nawaz’s body is scheduled to be taken to his Kalabagan residence in the morning, followed by prayers at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Zuhr and burial at Banani cemetery. He died Tuesday night at Continental Hospital at age 76 after long-term kidney and liver complications.

Members of Bangladesh’s parliament will vote in the presidential election in the Parliament Building’s chamber on August 20. Polling will run continuously from 2pm to 5pm, with 349 eligible voters. Lawmakers must enter the chamber during that period, collect their ballots and cast their votes according to the prescribed process.

Members must carry identification cards supplied by the Parliament Secretariat. After taking their seats, they will receive ballots printed with their names and division numbers from assisting officials. They must write their full names on the designated counterfoil, return it to the official, and write their full names in the specified blank space opposite their preferred candidate.

Completed ballots must be placed in designated ballot boxes in the chamber. Damaged ballots must be shown to the election officer before being deposited. Campaigning, speeches and statements are prohibited during the meeting. Counting will begin immediately after 5pm, and the candidate with the highest number of valid votes will be declared elected. The Election Commission will later publish the result in a gazette. The contest is described as the first directly competitive presidential vote in 35 years.

Shihab Hossain, 24, of Raghobpur village in Kalai, Joypurhat, alleged that he escaped from a private hospital in Pakistan after being taken there on the promise of overseas employment and prepared for kidney removal. He accused his parents, a broker named Tarek Haji and others of arranging the plan. Shihab said he travelled from Dhaka to Pakistan on July 22 and returned to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on July 31.

According to his written complaint, hospital staff told him that his parents had agreed to sell one of his kidneys for Tk600,000 and had received Tk300,000 in advance. He said he had not known of any such arrangement, objected after learning about it and was held while preparations were made for surgery. He alleged that he later escaped with another person's assistance.

Shihab said Kalai police did not accept his written complaint, while the station officer said nobody had come to report such an incident. His parents denied the allegation, saying they had contacted intermediaries to bring him home after he went missing and that he was making false claims. Joypurhat police superintendent Shahnaz Begum said the allegation would be examined and legal action is being taken against organ-trafficking brokers.

A Dhaka seminar on Bangladesh-India shared river water distribution called for renegotiating the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty, citing structural weaknesses and urging restoration of its “guarantee clause.” The event, titled “Ganges Water Treaty: Issues for Renegotiation,” was held Tuesday at the BILIA auditorium in Dhanmondi. Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury said the government aims to make the Padma Barrage project plan effective and visible by January-February next year.

Presenting the keynote paper, Dhaka University law professor and former interim government adviser Asif Nazrul said Bangladesh’s share had fallen by about 6.52 percent because the 1996 treaty lacks an assurance of minimum water availability. He said Bangladesh did not receive minimum flow in 15 of 27 critical periods between 2008 and 2016. His recommendations included access to information, restoring the guarantee clause, multilateral basin management involving Bangladesh, India and Nepal, and strengthening the Joint Rivers Commission.

The minister said the barrage concerns nearly seven crore people in 24 to 26 districts. He also expressed hope that the prime minister would present Bangladesh’s firm position on the treaty at the United Nations next month. State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad highlighted navigability problems in 54 rivers.

Iran is considering attacks on US military installations in Europe if its ongoing war with the United States expands further, the Financial Times reported, citing two Iranian government sources. Potential targets mentioned include US military facilities in Bulgaria and Cyprus. The report was published on August 19, 2026, as efforts to halt the war appeared to have broken down.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington was not currently holding talks with Tehran and had no plan to begin new negotiations. The United Arab Emirates said Wednesday it would suspend all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice. Trump has also used harsh language toward long-standing US allies accused of not supporting Middle East military operations.

Tensions are centered on the Strait of Hormuz, where Trump says shipping is operating normally under US control, while the source says vessel traffic remains very limited. One person was killed this week in an attack on a cargo vessel transiting the strait. Analysts cited in the report warned that a prolonged disruption could raise global oil prices.

Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur air base in Syria’s Idlib province on Tuesday, placing the attack about 70 kilometres from the Turkish border, according to the report published on August 19, 2026. US Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack warned that the incident could further raise tensions with Turkey. The strike came after a Turkish military delegation visited the base to inspect runway renovation work.

Barrack said Turkey had not been warned before the attack and could have mistakenly viewed it as an attack on itself, potentially sending aircraft in response. He expressed relief that there were no reported casualties and that the situation did not escalate into a larger conflict. Israel indicated the strike was linked to concerns over the possibility of Turkish troop deployment at Syrian air bases.

Barrack called for a coordination, or deconfliction, mechanism among Israel, Syria and Turkey to prevent future misunderstandings. He said the United States is working toward such an arrangement, including a permanent 24-hour communications centre staffed by officials fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, English and Turkish. He also said discussions could address Israeli concerns over Turkish military deployments and radar systems in Syria.

Chinese private space startup LandSpace achieved a major reusable-rocket milestone on Wednesday when the first stage of its Zhuque-3 commercial rocket returned and landed successfully on land after launch. The rocket lifted off at 7:35 a.m. local time from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in northwest China. State news agency Xinhua described the mission as a complete success.

CCTV footage showed the first stage descending slowly toward a designated desert landing site. Its landing legs deployed shortly before touchdown, allowing it to land in a controlled manner. Zhuque-3’s second stage also successfully delivered the Honghu-03 satellite into its intended orbit, according to Xinhua.

Space experts said LandSpace was the first organization outside the United States to return an orbital-class rocket booster to land using its own landing legs. Astrophysicist Richard de Grijs said China had demonstrated two separate rocket-recovery technologies through state and private sectors within a month, following the July recovery of a Long March-10B first stage from a sea-based platform. He said such competition and experimentation could support lower-cost, more frequent launches.

Kolkata police have identified five Bangladeshi nationals among those killed in a hotel fire on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata. The report was published on August 19, 2026. Police said the identified victims include Shornoshish Dutta, Afsana Shimmin, Debashish Dutta and Md Akram Ali, all residents of Kushtia district in Bangladesh.

A fifth identified victim, Ahmed Babu, was listed as being from Aminbazar in Savar. According to police information, three-year-old Shornoshish Dutta and his father Debashish Dutta were residents of the Aruapara, Mohini Mill area of Kushtia.

Kolkata police said efforts were continuing to establish the identities of the remaining victims. Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata Muhammad Khaled said on Wednesday afternoon that police and the FRRO had informed the deputy high commission after identifying at least five Bangladeshi citizens among the dead. The FRRO is a Home Ministry division that keeps records of data and movements of foreign nationals entering India.