The 2026 Mekong-Lancang Fruit, Coffee, Flower and Beer Carnival has opened at Hello World Living Mall in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province. Bangladesh’s stall has drawn strong interest from local visitors and businesspeople, according to a Commerce Ministry press release issued Friday. The Yunnan Provincial Department of Commerce is organizing the international event, which features 94 stalls displaying fruits and agricultural products from Mekong-region countries.

China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Bangladesh and Thailand are participating, with countries displaying and selling a range of fruits, agricultural and food products. Bangladesh is also participating as a co-organizer. The event is intended to strengthen regional agricultural and trade cooperation while presenting Bangladeshi agricultural diversity to international markets and creating potential new business links with China.

At the opening, Bangladesh Consul General in Kunming Shahnaz Ranu said agricultural trade and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and China had reached new heights. She said Bangladesh’s mango has already entered the Chinese market, while jackfruit export protocols were signed during Prime Minister Tareque Rahman’s China visit. Organizers expect the festival, running until August 23, to expand markets and agricultural cooperation.

Farmers in Khetlal upazila of Joypurhat are turning to Philippine Black sugarcane after receiving unsatisfactory prices for rice, wheat and vegetables. The variety can be marketed in about a year and is drawing interest because growers expect strong demand and prices. Farmer Md Zakaria of Raghunathpur village has reported success cultivating it on 19 decimals of land. About eight bighas of Philippine Black sugarcane have been cultivated across the upazila this season.

Several farmers have tested the variety on small plots, including Awal Talukdar, Nurunnabi, Tajel, Idris Mondal, Yasin and Razzak. Growers said their cane is now ready for sale and they expect good returns if each stalk sells for Tk30 to Tk40. Production costs are somewhat higher than for other varieties, as soft cane requires net fencing against foxes and bamboo supports because of its height.

Agriculture officials said Philippine Black cane is soft, sweet and juicy, making it popular for chewing, while many conventional varieties are suited to molasses and sugar production. They advised selecting high or medium-high land without standing water, using good seed and ensuring proper care. The agriculture department is providing advice to help farmers obtain quality seed and expand cultivation.

Bangladesh Garment Workers Solidarity President Taslima Akhter called for an end to worker layoffs blamed on energy shortages at a rally outside the National Press Club in Dhaka on Friday. The gathering demanded uninterrupted gas and electricity supplies, full implementation of the Labour Act 2026, a wage board and protection against dismissals. Akhter said workers would suffer most if production declines because of gas and power disruptions.

Akhter, also a member of the 2024 Labour Reform Commission, said the burden of industrial mismanagement or an energy crisis must not be placed on workers. She urged swift action to protect both industry and workers. She also said the Labour Act 2026 would remain limited to paper if its provisions were not implemented, citing union rights, safe workplaces, protection from discrimination and harassment, and workplace justice.

Speakers said more than 100 factories had closed over two years after the mass uprising, leaving about 40,000 workers unemployed. They said the livelihoods of around 4 million garment workers depend on gas and electricity supplies. After the rally, participants marched around the Paltan area. Organizers urged the government to direct owners against layoffs and sought jobs and social protection for displaced workers.

An analysis by online estate-planning firm Trust & Will identified 10 US metropolitan areas where millennials may find a comparatively better balance among job growth, rising incomes and housing costs. Published by Amar Desh Online on August 21, 2026, the report considers employment growth, income trends, home prices and new housing construction.

Austin, Phoenix, Boise and Jacksonville were highlighted for rapid employment growth and expanding housing construction. Austin’s job and housing growth is described as helping balance wage gains with housing costs, while Phoenix’s economic expansion and new construction may help contain those costs. In Boise, increased housing supply has pushed home prices somewhat below earlier peaks, alongside strong job and income growth.

Raleigh, Charlotte and Nashville showed positive progress in jobs, incomes and housing, while Denver and Sacramento were also included. Jacksonville’s job opportunities and economic growth have reportedly outpaced housing-cost increases. The analysis said most listed cities are mid-sized or fast-growing, but cautioned that none should be considered entirely cheap. Individual income, job type and the timing of renting or buying remain important factors.

Frequent load-shedding is disrupting tea production in Moulvibazar, where producers say electricity shortages and high fuel prices are raising costs, reducing output and harming tea quality. The report, published on August 21, 2026, says tea gardens are facing eight to 10 hours of power cuts during the day and night, despite separate feeders in some areas.

Tea leaves are meant to enter production within 14 to 16 hours of collection, but the process is taking 70 to 80 hours because of outages, according to the report. Generators cannot operate entire factories and expensive fuel increases production costs. Factory workers and managers said leaves dry out and spoil when factories stop, while dryer machines and other equipment are also being damaged.

Industry representatives said poor-quality tea is not receiving fair auction prices, leaving some tea unsold and creating concern over wages, bonuses and rations for workers. The Kamalganj zonal office of the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board said insufficient supply from the national grid requires 25 to 30 percent daily load-shedding. It said separate feeders could be built for other gardens if funding is allocated.

Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average, or Nikkei 225, fell as rising oil prices linked to uncertainty surrounding the Iran war weighed on investors. At the Friday midday break in Tokyo, the index was down 0.3%, putting it on course for a weekly decline of about 4%, its largest weekly fall since the week ended July 17. The report was published on August 21, 2026.

The broader Topix index also slipped 0.1% and was down 3.4% for the week. Nomura Securities strategist Maki Sawada told Reuters that investors could take profits before the weekend because Middle East uncertainty had kept both oil prices and bond yields at elevated levels.

Shipping was the best-performing sector among the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s 33 sectors, with its shares rising 2.8%. Shipping companies gained on expectations that freight rates could increase after the closure of the key maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz.

Bangladesh’s Financial Institutions Division has instructed state-owned BASIC Bank to exercise special caution in new lending and work toward becoming a well-governed, financially sustainable CMSME-focused commercial bank. The directives were issued at a recent special meeting chaired by Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek, attended by the bank’s board, managing director and other officials. The government’s roadmap aims to restore the bank after years of financial irregularities and weak management.

The bank was severely affected by major loan scandals and irregular disbursements between 2009 and 2014. Much of the lending later became non-performing, weakening its financial base, while capital shortages and a loss of depositor confidence disrupted normal operations. As of December 2025, BASIC Bank’s non-performing loan ratio stood at about 56 percent, among the highest for state-owned banks.

Officials set 12 priority actions for the next 12 to 24 months, including direct cash recovery from defaulted and written-off loans, prevention of fresh defaults and strengthened internal controls. The bank was told to assess borrowers’ repayment capacity, cash flow, group exposure, beneficial ownership and collateral values before approving major loans. Managing Director Md Kamruzzaman Khan said future programmes would follow the ministry’s instructions.

Bangladesh’s fertilizer reserves have fallen close to minimum safety levels amid gas shortages, reduced domestic urea production and disruptions to imports, according to a ministry review held Thursday. Urea output has declined by an average 25 to 30 percent because factories are not receiving gas as required. The country has about 500,329 tonnes of urea in stock, only 329 tonnes above the stated five-lakh-tonne safety reserve target, during the Aman rice season.

War and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have increased uncertainty over supplies from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has forced fertilizer shipments to travel via Egypt’s Yanbu port, adding about 1,200 miles, time and costs. Qatar has not concluded an export agreement with Bangladesh, leaving imports dependent on two countries rather than three.

The government has begun tender procedures to import urea from Russia, Malaysia and Brunei, though officials say completion could take two to three months. Stocks of DAP, TSP and MOP are below safety thresholds. Authorities also reported irregularities in distribution, while farmers alleged that fertilizers were being withheld and sold at higher prices.

Bangladesh has formally launched the Invest Bangladesh Authority by merging the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority and Public-Private Partnership Authority. The government published a notification on Thursday under the Invest Bangladesh Act, 2026, stating that the law took effect on 20 August. The new investment promotion body has begun operations under the name Invest Bangladesh.

Former BIDA Executive Member and Business Development Head Nahian Rahman Rochi said the authority’s full organisational structure, wings and teams would be formed gradually. He said investors had long sought a single front desk for investment-related services, and that the initiative originated from this demand. The stated goal is to make Invest Bangladesh a single point for more coordinated, seamless and reliable investor services.

Under the law, Invest Bangladesh will operate as a statutory body headquartered in Dhaka. With government approval, it may establish branch offices across the country and liaison offices abroad. It will have a chairman and seven members, with the chairman serving as chief executive. Assets, records, contracts, liabilities and personnel of the three merged bodies will transfer to the new authority.

Bangladesh’s government sees no shortcut to easing the country’s gas and electricity crisis, officials said after a special meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met energy-sector ministers, junior ministers and oversight team members to discuss why the situation worsened suddenly and to consider short-, medium- and long-term responses. He expressed dissatisfaction over delays in repairs to floating terminals and the non-arrival of promised LNG cargoes.

Officials told the meeting that the crisis was not created in a day. They cited limited exploration of new gas fields over the past 18 years and growing import dependence. The government reported daily gas demand of 3,800 MMCFD, against supply of 2,195 MMCFD, leaving a 1,605 MMCFD deficit. Of the supply, 1,625 MMCFD came from domestic sources and 570 MMCFD from imported LNG.

The prime minister directed agencies to raise domestic gas output, remove barriers to fuel imports and strengthen power-plant maintenance. About 7,000 MW of gas-based generating capacity was idle because of fuel shortages, out of nearly 12,000 MW. Energy officials said reducing import dependence and achieving a lasting normalization could take three to five years.

Bangladesh’s energy shortages have intensified despite a sharp increase in imports of fuel oil, liquefied natural gas and electricity in fiscal year 2025-26, according to Bangladesh Bank data cited in the report. The crisis worsened after gas supply from Excelerate Energy’s LNG terminal in Maheshkhali stopped on Wednesday afternoon, triggering heavier nationwide load-shedding, lower gas pressure and long queues at CNG stations.

Total energy import spending, including fuel oil, LNG and directly imported electricity, rose 65.58 percent to $20.9044 billion in 2025-26 from $13.7094 billion a year earlier. Fuel-oil spending rose by about 107 percent, while LNG imports cost Tk75,929 crore and electricity imports from India cost Tk21,115 crore. Higher international prices for refined petroleum products were cited as a major driver of the increase.

PGCB said at least 62 of 143 listed power plants faced fuel shortages, lifting average daily generation shortfall to 1,482 megawatts. National gas supply fell to 2,185 million cubic feet against demand of about 3,800 million cubic feet. In Bhaluka, around 20 factories were nearly shut, while Chattogram faced worsening shortages in homes, transport and industry.

In an essay published by Amar Desh on August 21, 2026, Shahid Kamrul examines nationalism’s relationship with the state and argues that it can serve as either a constructive or destructive force. The article traces modern nationalism to the period after the French Revolution and reviews ideas from Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Ernest Renan, Benedict Anderson, Michel Foucault and Rabindranath Tagore.

The essay presents nationalism as a source of collective identity but warns that emotional, religious or exclusionary forms can fuel division and violence. It discusses language politics in former East Bengal, the Bangladesh language movement, Hindutva-oriented nationalism in India, and identity-based divisions in Bangladesh. It also contrasts John Stuart Mill’s doubts about multinational states with Lord Acton’s support for coexistence among diverse national groups.

Kamrul describes economic nationalism as state action to protect domestic industry, agriculture and labour while limiting multinational capital. He cites mercantilism and Friedrich List’s case for infant-industry protection, alongside criticism from Adam Smith and others who associated protectionism with inefficiency and corruption. The essay concludes that economic nationalism requires democratic accountability, transparency and public sovereignty to avoid becoming a tool for concentrated power and exploitation.

Vegetable prices declined across Dhaka markets on Thursday, August 21, 2026, as supplies improved after a reduction in prolonged heavy rain. Visits to Nayabazar, Karwan Bazar and Kaliganj Bazar found most vegetables selling below Tk80 per kilogram, although eggplant, tomatoes and new beans remained more expensive. Green chilli prices fell to Tk80-120 per kilogram from Tk250-280 a few days earlier.

Traders said increased supplies, including imported green chillies from India and higher domestic chilli availability, helped bring prices down. Onion prices also fell by about Tk10 to Tk50 per kilogram. A shopper at Nayabazar said vegetable prices had become more normal, while calling for regular market monitoring. A vegetable seller said prices could decline further as new produce reaches markets.

Fish, chicken and eggs remained costly. Broiler chicken sold for Tk190 per kilogram, while white eggs were Tk140 per dozen and neighbourhood shops charged Tk155-160. Fish prices rose by Tk50-100 per kilogram over the week because river fish supplies were lower, according to a fish trader. Packaged and loose flour prices also increased, while rice prices were comparatively stable.

US Treasury Attaché Larita Bolden and Treasury local staff member Disha Dube met Bangladesh Bank Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman on Thursday. The meeting focused on Bangladesh’s macroeconomic situation, the central bank’s recent incentive package, monetary policy, exchange-rate policy and ongoing banking-sector reform activities.

Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governors Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, Dr. Md. Kabir Ahmed and Md. Sarwar Hossain were also present. During the discussion, the Bangladesh Bank side briefed the visiting Treasury representatives on progress in the areas under review.

The Treasury delegation expressed satisfaction after being informed about Bangladesh Bank’s progress, according to the report. The representatives also assured continued cooperation and support in relation to the discussed areas, including economic management, policy matters and banking-sector reforms.

US total government debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time, according to updated US Treasury Department data released on Wednesday. The threshold was crossed nearly two years earlier than a May 2023 Congressional Budget Office forecast that projected the debt would reach that level in 2028. The report, published on August 20, 2026, said US debt had exceeded $39 trillion in March, adding another $1 trillion in less than five months.

Debt has nearly doubled from about $19.95 trillion when Donald Trump first became president in January 2017. It rose by about $7.8 trillion during his first term, largely amid coronavirus pandemic spending, and by about $3.8 trillion since his return in January 2025. Under Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025, debt increased by about $8.4 trillion.

About 80% of the debt, or roughly $32 trillion, is held by the public, including domestic and foreign investors. Japan, the United Kingdom and China were listed as major foreign creditors in 2025. Analysts cited crisis spending, persistent gaps between revenue and expenditure, and rising pension and healthcare costs as drivers, warning of risks to inflation, interest rates, investment and growth.