Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will soon impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods after tariff-related trade talks between Washington and Ottawa ended without an agreement. Carney said the measures, covering products including US steel, dairy and electronics, will take effect on September 8. He described the US proposal as economically irrational, unethical and unfair.

Carney said President Donald Trump had started a trade war and that Canada had come under attack. He said Canada could neither accept Washington’s proposed terms nor provide what the United States had demanded, arguing that the conditions would harm Canada’s overall interests.

The prime minister said the response would be based on a “dollar-for-dollar” approach against the United States. He presented the planned tariffs as a measure to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families and businesses following the failed negotiations.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said gas supply has begun returning to normal after repairs to the LNG terminal in Maheshkhali. He also said electricity load-shedding has started to decline. Rizvi made the remarks to journalists on Sunday morning after paying tribute at the graves of former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

Rizvi said the government was not responsible for the ongoing energy crisis, attributing the situation to war. He said a fault had developed at the Maheshkhali LNG terminal and that it had already been repaired. An LNG-filled cargo has also arrived, he said, increasing pressure in gas supply.

Addressing organisational matters, Rizvi said BNP would dissolve expired committees of its various affiliated organisations and form new ones. New leadership will be brought into responsibility in those bodies, he said. According to Rizvi, the process of restructuring the party’s affiliated organisations will continue.

Invest Bangladesh formally began operations on Sunday after the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority and Public-Private Partnership Authority were merged. The new body started its first working day following publication of the gazette under the Invest Bangladesh Act 2026. Operating under the Prime Minister’s Office, it was introduced as the country’s leading investment promotion agency and unveiled a new brand identity.

According to a press release, the authority brings investment facilitation, policy coordination, economic zone development and public-private partnership capacity under one institution. It said domestic and foreign investors will be able to receive assistance on investment opportunities and services across the country from a single point. The release noted that investors and partners had long sought a unified contact centre for coordinated engagement with the government on services, incentives and policies.

Chairman Ashik Chowdhury said the aim was not merely to merge three institutions, but to organise government work more effectively around investors. Invest Bangladesh will continue operating BanglaBiz, the single digital platform for investment services, and is working to implement a 14-day business licensing framework. It said a progress report on commitments announced in March will be released before the 180-day deadline expires.

Barishal’s Port Road hilsa wholesale market is receiving far less fish than expected during the peak season, according to a report published on August 23, 2026. While more than 1,000 maunds would normally arrive daily in peak season, current average arrivals are reported at no more than 100 maunds a day. Traders and workers at the market say the shortage has left the major hilsa trading centre largely empty.

Traders and fishers allege that increased tolls charged by leaseholders have encouraged sellers and wholesale buyers to bypass the market. Fishers are said to be selling catches at river mouths and other convenient locations, while buyers send hilsa to Chandpur, Jashore and northern districts. Leaseholder Kamal Hossain said the toll was raised from 280 to 380 taka per maund after a request to cover operating losses, denying that it was imposed forcibly or that anyone was assaulted over the issue.

Fish trader Nasir Uddin said up to 100 maunds arrived on Friday, with prices ranging from 800-900 taka per kilogram for jatka to 2,850 taka for 1.2-kilogram hilsa. District fisheries officer Md Hadiuzzaman said hilsa availability in rivers and estuaries is somewhat lower, citing submerged sandbars and banned nets as factors affecting fish movement, growth and production.

About 560 families in remote hill villages of wards 1, 2 and 3 of Kaptai Union No. 4 in Kaptai, Rangamati, have remained without electricity for 55 years, according to local representatives and residents. The affected areas include Golabarudchhara, Bhaijyatali and Harinchhara, despite Kaptai Hydroelectric Centre supplying power to a large part of the country. The report was published on August 23, 2026.

The villages are near Kaptai উপজেলা headquarters and surrounding areas but are geographically isolated by hills and forests. Uneven mountain routes make conventional electricity connections risky and expensive, leaving residents without a basic modern service. Local people say the lack of power affects household lighting, children’s studies, mobile communication, healthcare and safe-water management.

Reserved woman union parishad member Bhanumati Chakma said she has raised the issue with relevant people and authorities for three years without a permanent solution. Union chairman engineer Abdul Latif said education, healthcare, electricity and clean water are crucial for residents. Locals have called for government-funded household solar systems or a solar power project, saying it could provide electricity more quickly and sustainably than extending the central grid.

A severe gas shortage has forced factories in several Bangladeshi industrial areas to suspend production, declare worker leave or operate at reduced capacity. Talha Tex Pro Limited in Panchdona Union, Narsingdi, extended a shutdown until Tuesday after insufficient gas pressure prevented its planned reopening on Saturday. On Thursday, 20 factories in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka industrial zone also declared leave for workers because production was badly disrupted.

The shortage intensified after a fire at Accelerate Energy’s LNG terminal on July 21, which cut a major share of national gas supply, according to the report. Entrepreneurs said more than 100 factories had temporarily closed during the past month, while a similar number sent workers on leave. Areas affected include Ashulia, Savar, Gazipur, Kaliakair, Mymensingh, Narsingdi, Narayanganj and Habiganj.

BKMEA has sought permission to pay gas and electricity bills in 12 equal instalments, citing higher costs for diesel, LPG and other alternative fuels. Talha Tex said it halted production at least 15 times in a month, disrupting 60 percent of output. BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said factories need three to four PSI gas pressure, while some sites received zero or one PSI.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has formed two separate investigation committees to examine alleged financial mismanagement, governance failures, recruitment irregularities, conflicts of interest and dismissals of officials at the Dhaka Stock Exchange. The inquiry, described as the first major investigation of the country’s main stock exchange, follows allegations involving senior DSE officials. The committees have met relevant DSE department officials and requested information from Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar by August 23, 2026.

The allegations include illegal recruitment and promotions, insider share trading, concealed purchases of stakeholder interests, misuse of price-sensitive information, leaks of confidential investor portfolio data, sexual harassment allegations and irregular dismissal of 28 officials. Former DSE chairman Ahmed Iqbal Hasan said he believed the exchange lacked governance and was controlled by a powerful syndicate, adding that the BSEC initiative was positive for the stock market.

A three-member committee formed on August 10 requested audited financial statements, management letters and internal and external audit reports for fiscal years 2023 to 2025. It also sought board meeting minutes from January 2020, recruitment records since January 2024 and committee documents. The BSEC instructed DSE to preserve all related records and emails without alteration, deletion or overwriting until the inquiry ends.

Bangladesh’s two floating LNG terminals at Maheshkhali resumed operating at or near full capacity on Saturday, August 22, after a new LNG cargo supplied by BP Singapore docked at the Excelerate Energy terminal. Excelerate restarted gas delivery after a three-day halt, while Summit LNG was already supplying above its capacity. The increased supply raised power generation, eased load-shedding and improved gas pressure for households, factories and CNG stations.

Excelerate initially supplied about 100 million cubic feet of gas daily and was expected to reach its full 600 million cubic feet capacity overnight. Summit supplied 558 million cubic feet on Saturday. Excelerate had stopped deliveries completely on August 19 after an LNG vessel from Saudi Aramco was turned away over security concerns; the terminal had also remained out of service for a prolonged period following a July 21 fire during ship-to-ship LNG transfer.

Petrobangla said daily gas demand is about 3,800 million cubic feet, against supply that had fallen to 2,700 million cubic feet. Authorities expect supplies to improve further in coming days, although industrial gas pressure may take longer to normalize. The government plans three additional floating LNG terminals by 2029.

Barishal’s Port Road hilsa market is receiving far fewer fish than expected during the peak season, according to traders and fishers cited in a report published on August 22, 2026. The market, described as the city’s largest hilsa trading hub, normally receives more than 1,000 maunds daily in peak season but is currently averaging no more than 100 maunds a day. Fishers are reportedly selling their catches at river mouths and other convenient locations instead of bringing them to the market.

Traders and fishers alleged that higher tolls imposed by leaseholders have pushed sellers and wholesale buyers away. They said fish caught in rivers and at sea is being sent to Chandpur, Jashore and northern districts through other points. A trader said 100 maunds was the highest quantity landed at the market on Friday, while hilsa prices ranged from Tk800-900 for jatka to Tk2,850 per kilogram for 1.2-kilogram fish.

Leaseholder Kamal Hossain rejected claims that tolls were raised forcibly or that anyone was assaulted over the issue. He said the charge rose from Tk280 to Tk380 per maund after traders were consulted because operating the ghat caused losses. District Fisheries Officer Md Hadiuzzaman said hilsa availability was somewhat lower, citing submerged sandbars and banned nets as factors affecting fish movement, growth and production.

In the United States, many Generation Z adults are prioritizing retirement accounts, stock-market investments and high-yield savings over saving specifically to buy homes. Rising home prices and high mortgage interest rates are making homeownership harder, reshaping how younger people view long-term financial security. The article was published on August 22, 2026.

A June Pew Research Center survey found that 89 percent of adults under 40 believe buying a home is more difficult for young people than it was for their parents’ generation. A Fidelity analysis released earlier this year found Gen Z contributions to retirement savings rose 65 percent in one year, more than twice the growth rate for millennials. Stanford researcher Roberta Katz said the generation places greater value on financial flexibility amid uncertainty and change.

Examples include Kana Cummings, who saves through a Roth IRA, a 401(k), a money-market fund and an investment portfolio, without currently saving separately for a home. In Bend, Oregon, Jeff Sharp has moved investments toward index funds while contributing to retirement and college savings plans. Gallup found 81 percent of Gen Z adults seek personal-finance advice, with 75 percent obtaining such information online.

The United States has announced a 50 percent tariff on nearly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods after three days of trade negotiations in Washington, DC failed to produce a final agreement. The announcement came after a deadline set by President Donald Trump expired at 12:01 a.m. last Friday, according to the report published on August 22, 2026.

The new tariff is expected to affect about 5 percent of Canada’s total exports to the United States, including electronics, industrial machinery and dairy products. It adds to existing US tariffs on steel, lumber and automobiles. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned of “dollar-for-dollar” retaliatory measures and said his government would introduce steps in the coming days to support workers and businesses.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer blamed Canada for the collapse, saying it declined to finalize an agreement under terms accepted earlier in the week and introduced new demands. The report said the countries have remained in a trade dispute since Trump imposed tariffs on major Canadian imports early in his second term, prompting retaliatory action from Ottawa.

More than 300 garment factories across Bangladesh have closed amid a prolonged gas crisis, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Mohammad Hatem said on Saturday, August 22, after a meeting with businesspeople at the BKMEA office. He said disrupted production had damaged exports by 40 to 50 percent and that European buyers were moving export orders to neighbouring countries.

Hatem said gas shortages had affected different areas for a month, forcing production to halt at many factories. The Energy Ministry had assured businesses that conditions would normalize after August 10, he said, but supplies improved only slightly for two days before the situation worsened. He said a major European order was being considered for cancellation and relocation to a neighbouring country.

Business leaders presented six demands to the government. They sought permission to pay June and July gas and electricity bills in instalments over 12 months without disconnection for non-payment during that period. They also requested weekly government briefings, suspension of CNG supply to public transport, disconnection of illegal gas lines, and restraint on loan-installment collection by the government and Bangladesh Bank.

Malaysia has published the names of 25 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies on its Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS), signalling that recruitment of Bangladeshi workers may resume in the long-closed labour market. The list was posted on Friday, while Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said an official announcement on reopening was expected within the week.

The publication has raised questions over Bangladesh’s earlier plan to give priority to the state-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited, or BOESL, in the first phase of recruitment. Chowdhury said workers would be sent through BOESL, but all recruiting agencies listed by Bangladesh would have an opportunity to participate. Former BAIRA secretary general Ali Haider Chowdhury said agencies had received no official information and wanted equal work opportunities, worker protection and lower migration costs.

Malaysia closed its labour market to Bangladesh and several other countries at the end of May 2024. Bangladesh had earlier submitted 423 agencies to Malaysia, and the current government later finalised 340 after scrutiny. Bangladesh’s High Commission labour wing in Kuala Lumpur said Malaysian authorities had not yet informed it about the 25-agency list.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa would impose equivalent retaliatory tariffs on US goods after last-minute trade negotiations with Washington collapsed. Canada decided on the “dollar-for-dollar” approach after the United States began applying new tariffs on Canadian products from midnight Saturday, according to the report published on August 22, 2026.

Carney said changes to US-proposed terms in the final stage of negotiations appeared unfair and economically unreasonable to Canada, raising doubts about the reliability of a possible agreement. Talks had continued intensively since July. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer countered that Canada declined to finalize an agreement based on terms both sides had accepted earlier in the week.

The discussions had included reducing US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50 percent to 25 percent, and on Canadian vehicles from 25 percent to 15 percent. Ontario Premier Doug Ford backed retaliatory tariffs. The Trump administration is also planning new 50 percent duties on various Canadian goods, while existing tariffs on steel, aluminum, vehicles and lumber would remain.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said Bangladesh has no opportunity to resolve its energy crisis quickly, despite the government taking all available initiatives to address it. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon at a seminar in Motijheel, Dhaka, organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the biannual economic situation for fiscal year 2026.

The minister said the solution to the energy crisis would come slowly. He also said the economy cannot emerge from its current crisis without investment, and that the government is working to create an investment-friendly environment to increase both domestic and foreign investment.

Chowdhury said the government aims to ensure three months of reserves in every energy sector. He said all possible efforts are being made by the government to meet that objective.