The death toll from a major landslide in Pengshui County, Chongqing municipality in southwestern China, has risen to 41, authorities said Tuesday night. The landslide struck on July 17, burying several residential buildings at the foot of a mountain and along a riverbank. Officials identified 30 additional victims after DNA testing and confirmation of identities from bodies and remains recovered at the site.

The reported death toll had stood at 11 as of last Friday. State media footage showed large amounts of rock and earth covering a residential and commercial road. Hundreds of rescue workers carried out operations at the scene, according to the report.

Rescuers had previously said there were no signs of survivors while searching for 50 people missing under the debris. Two weeks earlier, another landslide in the northwestern province of Gansu buried 33 people, with at least 21 deaths reported in that incident.

At least 13 people were killed after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area of Kyushu, Japan’s main southern island, on Tuesday afternoon. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the death toll. More than 36,000 households remained without electricity, while the affected area lies about 900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo.

Takaichi said rescue operations for missing people continued after overnight efforts. Many people were injured and several remained missing, she said. Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency advised more than 260,000 people to move to safer locations, most of them in Kumamoto Prefecture. Evacuation instructions were also issued in neighbouring Nagasaki Prefecture.

According to an AP report, part of a shopping centre collapsed after the earthquake, with a gas leak initially suspected as the cause. Fire department information said several people were trapped when the second floor of Aeon Mall in Kashima city collapsed. A large chimney also fell at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro plant, and Kumamoto emergency rescue teams said several people were trapped beneath the debris.

Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan said student participation in cleanliness campaigns and public-service activities can help implement the prime minister’s Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka initiative. He made the remarks on Tuesday while inaugurating a cleanliness campaign at Bangladesh Navy College in Mirpur, where he attended as chief guest.

Khan said the prize-giving event was arranged to encourage school and college students to participate and to motivate other educational institutions through their involvement. He said the programme would be spread to different places through campaigning to raise public awareness and make city corporation responsibilities and civic services easier.

The administrator praised Navy College students for their talent, songs and dance performances. He said their ideas would be shared among residents in every city ward and neighborhood as part of efforts to create a cleaner city. After the prize distribution, students from Navy College, Dental College and Navy School joined a rally, where they were taught how to use modern dustbins and took part in the cleanliness campaign.

Japan issued a tsunami warning after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu on Tuesday. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake hit at 4:27 p.m. local time and reached a maximum intensity of 7 on Japan’s Shindo seismic scale. About 45,000 households and facilities in the Kumamoto area lost electricity, according to local utility Kyushu Electric Power.

The meteorological agency said tsunami waves could reach up to one metre. Public broadcaster NHK reported that waves of that height may already have struck. About half an hour after the earthquake, an NHK local reporter said shaking was still continuing and was so strong in the newsroom that it was difficult to remain standing.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no immediate abnormalities had been detected at nuclear power plants. Kyushu Electric Power said three operating nuclear reactors in the region were functioning normally during the quake. The NHK reporter urged people to remain alert for possible further tremors after describing the initial shaking as too intense to stand through.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department said rain may continue in different parts of the country for the next four days under the influence of a deep depression over the northwestern Bay of Bengal. The information was issued in a four-day weather forecast published on the night of Monday, July 27, and reported on July 28.

From 6 a.m. on July 28 through the following 48 hours, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely in 76 to 100 percent of areas in Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions. Rain is also possible in 51 to 75 percent of areas in Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Mymensingh divisions. Moderate to heavy rainfall may occur in various parts of the country.

On July 30 and 31, rain or thundershowers are forecast in most places of Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions, and in many places of Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions. Heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur in some locations. Daytime temperatures may range from 30 to 36 degrees Celsius, while nighttime temperatures may range from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius.

Allegations of illegal sand extraction have emerged in erosion-prone areas of Nikli উপজেলার Singpur Union in Kishoreganj, including the Ghoradigha, Barulia, Dhanua and Ghorautra rivers. The report alleges that an influential BNP-linked syndicate, working with Awami Jubo League activists, is operating dredgers at night. Extraction is said to run from 7 p.m. until dawn, with more than 250,000 cubic feet of sand reportedly removed each night and sold at three taka per cubic foot.

The report says the extracted sand is used to fill haor farmland, ponds, pits and low-lying land. Although Nikli has no government-designated sand quarry, influential syndicates are accused of operating illegally with administrative protection. Unplanned extraction from the Ghorautra and Dhanua riverbeds has reportedly intensified erosion, with homes in several Singpur Union localities said to have been lost to the rivers.

On July 19, BNP leader Kachum Ali was killed and two others were injured in clashes between two BNP groups over illegal extraction from the Ghorautra River. BNP leaders said offenders would not be recognized and could face organizational action. Local officials denied allegations against the administration, said no extraction is permitted, and stated that raids would be conducted upon receiving complaints.

Residents of Chailabunia village in Mirzagonj, Patuakhali, have accused former army member Ismail Hossain, also known as Liton, of land grabbing and excavating three-crop farmland to create a large pond. The report, published on July 28, 2026, said roughly two acres of farmland in Chailabunia mouza had been cut for the pond, with earthen embankments built on both sides.

Locals said the pond has obstructed water movement across about 20 acres of surrounding cropland, causing waterlogging and raising concerns about soil fertility and future agricultural output. They said about 10 families have been affected. Monir Hossain alleged that Ismail forcibly occupied their land and removed soil, while threatening him with death and false cases after he protested. Sultan Ahmed also alleged occupation of ancestral property.

Ismail denied the accusations, saying he prepared an enclosure on his own land for fish and vegetable cultivation. He said coconut and betel nut saplings were planted beside it and that no vegetation likely to harm neighboring land would be planted. Mirzagonj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Rasel said a written complaint had been received and legal action would be taken following an investigation.

People displaced by flooding in Banshkhali, Chattogram, are living under the open sky after heavy rain and hill runoff damaged homes, according to a report published on July 28, 2026. Although floodwater has receded, thousands of families remain uncertain about returning home. The report says suffering is increasing amid complaints that no rehabilitation initiative has been taken for those affected.

Flood damage across several sectors in Banshkhali has been estimated at Tk200 crore. Homes were submerged, crop seedbeds were washed away, fish from ponds and enclosures were lost, and rural infrastructure and roads were badly damaged. More than 12,000 earthen houses were completely destroyed across wide areas of the upazila’s 14 unions and one municipality, leaving many families outdoors or in damaged houses.

Dr Md Zakaria, director general of the NGO Bureau at the Prime Minister’s Office, distributed food and cash during a visit and said field-level work would begin on plans for durable housing. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ruhul Amin called permanent rehabilitation the biggest challenge and said private support was being sought alongside government efforts. Assistant Commissioner Omar Sani Akon said the administration was ready to provide all forms of assistance.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast rain accompanied by gusty winds across parts of the country for five days from Monday evening, driven by a deep depression over the northwestern Bay of Bengal. Moderate to heavy rainfall is possible in various areas, with very heavy rain expected at isolated locations, the department said in a forecast issued Monday.

The seasonal low over the northwestern Bay and adjacent Odisha-West Bengal coast has intensified into a deep depression. At 6pm Monday, it was located over the northwestern Bay and the adjacent West Bengal-North Odisha coast. It may move northward and cross the West Bengal-North Odisha coast by Monday evening. The monsoon trough extends through Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, the depression’s centre, southern Bangladesh and Assam.

Rain is forecast in most areas of Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions during the first two days, while rainfall may expand across all eight divisions on the third day. Very heavy rain is possible in parts of Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet during the fourth and fifth days.

Speakers at a discussion in Chattogram urged all relevant service agencies to stop blaming one another and work jointly to restore the city’s lost traditional ponds and water bodies. The event, organized by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association on July 27, 2026, was held at a restaurant in Lalkhan Bazar from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Urban planner engineer Delwar Hossain Mazumder chaired the meeting, while CUET dean Dr Mohammad Rashidul Hasan presented the keynote paper.

Participants said nearly 21,000 ponds and water bodies have already disappeared in Chattogram. They expressed concern that enforcement measures and fines alone have not been sufficient to protect them. Speakers proposed holding-tax rebates and special benefits in plot-design approvals for owners who preserve ponds on their land. They also emphasized a policy of collecting environmental surcharges from others and using the funds as incentives for pond conservation.

The meeting called for protection of the city’s green zones and water-reserve areas, and for bringing the Chattogram Development Authority, Chattogram WASA, Chattogram City Corporation and other agencies under accountability. CDA project director and executive engineer Ahmed Moinuddin presented overall progress on CDA’s part of the mega waterlogging reduction project.

Hydrogen-powered trains are drawing growing global interest as countries seek cleaner rail transport amid climate change, air pollution and rising fossil-fuel use. The trains use hydrogen fuel cells rather than diesel or coal-based fuel to generate electricity for electric motors. The process produces mainly water and water vapour, with virtually no carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides or black smoke emissions, according to the source.

Hydrogen is stored in specialised high-pressure tanks and reacts with oxygen in fuel cells to generate power. Surplus energy is stored in batteries, while energy produced during braking can also be recovered, reducing waste. Germany tested the world’s first hydrogen passenger train in 2018 and commercially introduced the technology in 2022. France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, China, Japan and South Korea have also begun development and trial operations.

India inaugurated its first domestically built hydrogen-powered train on July 17. The technology can operate on existing non-electrified tracks without overhead electric lines, but green hydrogen costs, dedicated storage and supply infrastructure, safety systems, investment and skilled personnel remain challenges. For Bangladesh, it could become a long-term option on routes where electrification is costly.

The Upazila Fisheries Department seized a large quantity of banned fishing nets valued at about Tk 3 million during an operation at Dhamura Bazar in Uzirpur Upazila, Barishal. The operation was conducted on Monday from 11:40am to 1:50pm. After the seizure, officials burned the nets to destroy them.

According to the fisheries department, the seized items included 253 China duari nets, 65,000 metres of current nets and 67 boda nets. Upazila Fisheries Officer Prosen Majumdar led the operation. Upazila Rural Development Officer Md Moniruzzaman, Uzirpur Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Ripon Shikdar, fisheries staff, a representative of the National Fishermen’s Association and local dignitaries were present.

Majumdar said the use of banned nets is severely harmful to fish breeding and biodiversity in natural water bodies. He said regular operations are being conducted to stop the use of illegal nets, alongside awareness campaigns aimed at fishers. He added that such operations will continue to protect fisheries resources.

At least seven people, including two children, were killed and 20 injured in rain- and flood-related incidents across Pakistan’s Punjab province during the past 24 hours. The report, published on July 26, said continuous heavy rainfall damaged numerous homes and killed livestock. Around 400 square kilometres of Punjab were inundated after heavy rain and overflowing drains carrying water beyond their capacity.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said 14 rain-related incidents had been reported across the province by 2 p.m. Saturday. Four roof collapses in Lahore killed three people, while a roof collapse in Kasur killed two. A woman died in Faisalabad after a house roof collapsed, and a child drowned near Pathan Colony in Gujranwala. Further injuries were reported in Bahawalnagar, Narowal, Sialkot, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura and Okara.

PDMA Director General Umar Abbas said Punjab had not yet faced a major flood situation because water levels in major rivers, including the Ravi and Sutlej, remained normal. Authorities warned, however, that water in the Chenab and Ravi could reach moderate to high flood levels within 24 hours. The PDMA said rain-related incidents had killed 22 people and injured 183 across Punjab so far this monsoon season.

Environmental research group Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) says it found harmful microplastics in 26 of 34 toothpastes sold in Bangladesh. The findings of the year-long study were released at a news conference at the organization’s office on Sunday, July 26. Tests found between 20 and 320 plastic particles per 100 grams of toothpaste among the products examined.

ESDO said the research combined a survey of 2,760 consumers nationwide with scientific testing at Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Environmental Sciences Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology Laboratory. The study used stereomicroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Microplastics were found in 22 of 25 Bangladesh-made products, one of five made in India, one of two made in Thailand, and both products made in Vietnam.

Mediplus Fluoride Gel recorded the highest level, with 320 particles per 100 grams. Four of six toothpastes specially made for children also contained microplastics, including 140 particles in Kudumu Ultra Shield Formula. ESDO said no detectable microplastics were found in Genfresh, Parachute Just for Baby (Mango), Close Up Red Hot Zinc Fresh Technology, or the imported children’s product Kudumu Orange.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Professionals Party has announced a programme to plant 10 million trees nationwide as part of a prime minister-declared plan to plant 250 million trees over five years. The programme, titled Tree Planting Programme-2026, was inaugurated on Friday at Harggram Natunpara Cemetery in Rajshahi by the party’s Rajshahi metropolitan and district branches.

Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, administrator of Rajshahi City Corporation and general secretary of Rajshahi metropolitan BNP, attended as chief guest. Ariful Islam Zia, founding president of the party’s central committee, inaugurated the programme. Later on Friday, the organisation held an introduction and discussion meeting for its newly elected Rajshahi district and metropolitan committees.

At the meeting, lawmaker Advocate Mohammad Shafiqul Haque Milon called on people to work together to build the future Bangladesh under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership. Riton said professional organisation leaders should help implement the prime minister’s 31-point agenda. He also sought public cooperation for city development work, including cleanliness, mosquito control, mud removal, tree planting and greening. The group also held introductory meetings in Manikganj and Pabna on Thursday.