AI-based digital surveillance has been deployed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and two other international airports in Bangladesh to help prevent suspects in serious crimes from fleeing abroad. The system, operational since August 5, 2024, combines AI-powered CCTV cameras, facial-recognition technology and highly sensitive gold-detection equipment. Security sources said authorities can provide a suspect’s photograph to airport agencies, allowing the system to match the face and alert security officers when the person enters an airport.

The facial-recognition system covers sensitive locations including arrival and departure terminals, boarding bridges, immigration counters and the cargo village. It is intended to identify people attempting to leave without passports or using different identity documents. The AI system can also issue automatic alerts when a person behaves unusually for an extended period or when an abandoned object is detected.

Authorities said modern gold-detection machines can identify small metal objects and gold concealed in clothing or inside the body, including material hidden as liquid or paste. Civil Aviation Authority member for security Air Commodore Asif Iqbal said government agencies use advanced equipment with their own funding and have achieved notable success over the past two to two-and-a-half years. Airport Executive Director Group Captain S M Ragib Samad said agencies maintain round-the-clock monitoring with high-tech equipment.

Meta is set to face a major federal lawsuit brought by four US states over allegations that Instagram and Facebook were made addictive for children. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday in a federal court in Oakland, near San Francisco, as part of ongoing litigation against social media companies in the United States. The report was published on August 10, 2026.

Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey allege that Meta intentionally made its platforms addictive for minors. They are seeking broad restrictions on how Instagram and Facebook are operated for underage users, along with fines of up to $1.4 trillion. The requested amount is close to Meta's entire market value, which exceeded $1.5 trillion on Friday.

Hearings for both sides are expected to begin on August 18. The trial is expected to last about six weeks, with a verdict possibly coming in early October. Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is considered a potentially important witness for the prosecution. He testified in a separate case in Los Angeles six months ago.

Dhaka Residential Model College’s Arup-Bit team won the secondary-category championship at South Korea’s education ministry-organized 16th e-Icon World Contest. The final competition was held on August 7. The team included ICT department lecturer Syed Mahbub Hasan Amiri, Grade 12 student Md. Shafiul Alam Siddiqui Shreshtho, and SSC examinee Aranya Abir Khan Prapyo. The college disclosed the achievement in a press release on Sunday.

The contest received 242 projects from 37 countries, with 10 selected for the final. Finalist projects included teams from Bangladesh, the Philippines, Thailand, Rwanda, Moldova and Uzbekistan. The competition required participants to develop web applications to support implementation of SDG-3. Professors from three well-known South Korean universities and senior Samsung officials served as judges.

The contest had two stages. From July 1 to 31, the Bangladeshi team collaborated online with a Korean team; from August 2 to 7, it travelled to South Korea to present its project. Arup-Bit’s web application, Light House, focuses on reducing students’ screen time. It uses AI hardware intended to assist students, help prevent excessive workload-related problems, and encourage them to stay away from screens. The app is available at arupbit.com.

A five-day training programme on using artificial intelligence in trade and economic analysis has begun for 30 officials of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Commerce. Running from August 9 to 13, the programme is jointly organised by UK International, the United Nations Development Programme and the ministry. Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir inaugurated the first batch on Sunday afternoon at the ministry’s conference room.

The course covers AI applications in trade administration, policymaking, preparation and analysis of government documents, import-export data analysis and international trade agreements. Sessions will address generative AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, drafting letters, memos, speeches and press releases, market-price analysis and supply chains. Participants will also study AI applications for WTO agreements, FTA and PTA analysis, global trade policy, policy formulation and e-governance.

The minister said AI could make government work faster, more efficient and data-driven, while supporting quicker decisions and more effective public services. He stressed the need for data security, personal privacy, transparency and human oversight. UNDP Senior Economic Adviser Wise Parry also cautioned against complete reliance on AI and called for human judgement and supervision. The programme, funded by UNDP, will conclude with capstone projects and live presentations.

Elon Musk’s net worth has again surpassed $800 billion after SpaceX shares rose 11.7%, according to Forbes. By the close of trading on Friday, his wealth reached $823.6 billion. His fortune increased by more than $100 billion in less than two weeks as SpaceX shares climbed to $129, their highest level in three weeks.

Musk’s wealth had fallen below $700 billion on July 27 after a sharp decline in SpaceX shares. The company released quarterly financial results early last week showing that quarterly spending had risen nearly sixfold over a year, which initially pushed its share price down. SpaceX reported quarterly revenue of $7.8 billion, above Wall Street’s forecast of about $6.9 billion.

The company’s net loss narrowed from $1 billion to $541 million in the latest quarter. Starlink satellite internet is one of SpaceX’s main revenue sources, and its revenue nearly doubled in the second quarter. Capital expenditure rose to $18.3 billion, including $15.8 billion spent on artificial intelligence. Musk owns about 38% of SpaceX, making his personal wealth directly sensitive to changes in the company’s share price.

Actor, director and writer Hasan Masud says a major religious and mental transformation following Hajj has led him to largely withdraw from acting. In an interview with a private satellite channel, reported on August 9, 2026, he said he no longer acts in television dramas or films. He said he may occasionally work only when he receives an advertisement offer he likes.

Masud said the change in him had begun before he went on Hajj and that he now considers himself a completely changed person. He recently returned home after spending 41 days in Mecca and Medina during the pilgrimage. He said becoming more spiritual and religious was the reason he had stepped away from drama and film work.

In the interview, Masud also recalled giving up reading books after a period of intensive reading left him feeling like a machine without emotions. He sold about 1,200 books in Nilkhet and stopped reading afterward. He joined the Bangladesh Army in 1985 and retired as a captain in 1992 before working in journalism. His big-screen debut came in the 2003 film “Bachelor.”

Actor Ashraful Haque Don, known as Don Haque and popular for villain roles, has been arrested in the murder case of film star Salman Shah. Law enforcement personnel detained him at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday, August 9, and later handed him over to the Criminal Investigation Department, or CID.

Salman Shah’s body was recovered under mysterious circumstances on September 6, 1996. After prolonged debate over the cause of his death, his maternal uncle Alamgir Kumkum filed a murder case at Ramna police station to revive the investigation. The case names 11 accused, including Salman Shah’s former wife Samira Haque and Don.

Salman Shah’s family has alleged that there were efforts from the beginning to conceal the incident as a planned killing. His mother, Neela Chowdhury, had alleged that when the family sought to file a murder case, police recorded it as an unnatural death case. Salman Shah acted in 27 commercially successful and popular films during a four-year career, and supporters see the renewed case as bringing fresh hope of resolving the widely discussed death.

India’s online-based Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, has emerged as a major challenge for Narendra Modi’s government two weeks after youth-led protests forced the education minister to resign. The movement began in New Delhi over leaked government examination papers and alleged irregularities, then spread to cities across the country. It rapidly widened into a protest over unemployment, scarce job opportunities for young people and what protesters view as the government’s growing authoritarianism.

Under protest pressure, the education minister resigned on July 25, an unusual setback for the prime minister. The government has sought to win over young people, while parliament tightened penalties for examination paper leaks and police withdrew cases against protesters. Demonstrators used social media extensively, and Modi, a regular X user, became active on Instagram for the first time and posted a video there.

The protests also highlighted authorities’ use of AI-powered camera technology to monitor and identify demonstrators. Internet access was cut near the main protest site in New Delhi, disrupting communications. CJP says it will organize a nationwide listening program and continue supporting protests against exam irregularities. Demonstrations are continuing in Jharkhand.

Google has added several artificial intelligence-powered features to Google Maps, including the Gemini-based Ask Maps assistant, according to a report published on August 9, 2026. The tools are designed to help users order food, check live public-transport delays and plan trips. Users can give multi-step instructions in natural language, such as requesting a specific food item while returning home, and Ask Maps can find nearby restaurants, allow a selection and add the item to a cart for review and payment.

The food-ordering feature is being launched through partnerships with restaurant technology companies Square and Toast, with Uber Eats expected to join soon. Ask Maps can also compare real-time hotel prices and room availability, while suggesting nearby attractions and activities. A new transit widget provides immediate information on delays affecting buses, trains, metro services and ferries.

Google has also introduced Personal Intelligence in Ask Maps, allowing users to optionally connect Gmail for upcoming travel information and more tailored recommendations. Gmail access is off by default. Ask Maps is expanding to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and more than 150 English-supported countries and regions. Some features will initially be available only to US users, while transit updates, conversation memory and personalized responses will roll out gradually in supported areas on web and iOS.

National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A S M Amanullah said independent, objective and responsible journalism can help move the country and society forward. He made the remarks on Saturday as chief guest at the orientation for a new batch of the three-month Media Certificate Course 2026 at the Press Institute Bangladesh auditorium on Circuit House Road in the capital.

He described the media as a mirror of society and one of the main foundations of democracy. In the information technology era, he said, maintaining objectivity and accuracy in news reporting has become more challenging than before. Journalists must play independent, investigative and responsible roles to deliver correct information to the public amid misinformation and fake news, he added.

Amanullah said false information and rumours can quickly create social disorder, making regular training essential for protecting journalistic quality, verifying facts and establishing accountability. He called journalism a social commitment and a noble responsibility, and urged journalists to continually acquire new technologies and knowledge to address challenges in the AI era. PIB Director General Faruk Wasif, officials, guests and trainee journalists attended the event.

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said Google, Meta and TikTok have submitted investment proposals for Kaliakair Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur. He disclosed the proposals during a Saturday visit to Kaliakair Hi-Tech Park, described as the country’s first hi-tech park. The government is pursuing measures to accelerate investment at the site.

The minister said the BNP government is acting on its 2026 election manifesto through implementation of a National Green Industrial Policy, development of an AI hub, and long-term planning for software, app and hardware production. Proposals for fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for investors are also being prepared. Domestic and foreign companies have received land and ready space after basic infrastructure development.

A total of 85 companies have been allocated land or space at the park, including seven foreign firms. Forty have begun business or production, 28 are under construction and 17 are expected to begin construction soon. Proposed investment totals about $1.636 billion, with about $283 million already invested. The government has spent more than Tk500 crore on basic infrastructure.

Two Bangladeshi and one Malaysian former students of the University of Malaya have launched Fresh Move, an AI-based agricultural supply-chain startup in Malaysia. Published on August 8, 2026, the report says the venture aims to connect local farmers and reliable importers directly with grocery stores, hotels and restaurants, making agricultural marketing more effective while reducing supply-chain inefficiency and food waste.

Fresh Move was co-founded by Farhad Hossain, Shaheen Alam and Nur Shafiqah Binti Roslan. Hossain serves as chief executive officer, Alam as chief technology officer, and Roslan as chief financial officer. The idea emerged after Hossain observed in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, that farmers producing high-quality vegetables and fruit were struggling to obtain desired prices because of limited market access, weak packaging and unreliable transport.

The platform analyzes supply and demand data in real time and provides training and technical support on product quality, packaging and commercial standards. Fresh Move also says it operates its own logistics network using smart routing and demand forecasting. Through its contract-farming program, farmers receive land arrangements and SOP training, while the startup handles marketing, transport, supply and sales.

Meta has launched Muse Code, an artificial intelligence-based coding tool for developers, the company said on August 5. Powered by Meta’s latest AI model, Muse Spark 1.2, the tool is designed to help with software creation, code writing, and identifying and fixing errors. Muse Code is currently available in beta.

Meta said Muse Code was specially trained to manage long and complex coding projects. It can use multiple AI assistants, or sub-agents, at the same time to complete difficult and time-consuming tasks more quickly. Muse Spark 1.2 and Muse Code were trained together, allowing the two technologies to work jointly on coding-related tasks.

The beta version will save users’ work records, enabling them to resume from a previous point if the software closes. Developers can access it through a pay-as-you-go model. Under its standard plan, Meta charges $1.25 per one million input tokens and $4.25 per one million output tokens. Meta is positioning Muse Code to compete with technologies including Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s Codex.

BNP leader and the prime minister’s political assistant Rashed Khan questioned whether Sheikh Hasina is alive and whether an audio statement recently broadcast in India was genuinely hers. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon during an exchange with local journalists at the Mobarakganj Sugar Mill guest house in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah. Khan said that if Hasina is alive, she should return to the country and face the law.

Khan said an audio statement played at a press conference in India could either be Hasina’s real voice or material created using artificial intelligence technology. He also said there was no further opportunity for the Awami League to return to politics, describing the Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League as banned political parties.

He accused Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP activists of creating disorder around a national event marking July Uprising Day, including what he described as a mob in the name of surrounding the Secretariat. Khan urged BNP members to prevent extortion or wrongdoing in the party’s name and said conduct damaging the party’s image would not be tolerated. Local officials, BNP leaders, journalists and Jamaat MP Abu Talib attended.

A newly published analysis has accused Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X and one of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, of strengthening racial division, Islamophobia and far-right politics. The report, published on August 7, 2026, cited an interview with Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes in which Musk, when asked about Islam and Muslims, raised issues including rape, murder, opposition to Western values and imposing laws.

Critics said those comments resemble anti-Muslim narratives long promoted by far-right groups and portray Muslims as a single, inherently violent group threatening Western societies. The analysis said Musk denies being racist, but argued that his political positions and activity on social media convey a different message. It also alleged that he has repeatedly posted about the “Great Replacement Theory” and “white genocide.”

According to the report, Musk posted about such themes almost daily in January this year, and one X post saying white people were rapidly becoming a minority reached millions. The article also cited his financial support for US President Donald Trump’s campaign, public support for France’s National Rally and Germany’s Alternative for Germany, and the reinstatement of several prominent far-right activists’ accounts on X.