Ahil Petroleum Limited in Kalipur, Bhairab town of Kishoreganj is producing diesel, petrol, octane and gas from discarded polythene and plastic. Entrepreneur Yusuf Ahmed Galib said work on the project began in August 2018, following a Thailand-based Sepco company pattern and guidance from Bangladesh’s Access to Information, or a2i. The facility currently processes 1,000 kilograms of waste polythene daily and collects about 500 litres of fuel oil.

The initiative has drawn support from local residents and the upazila administration because polythene waste is described as a major environmental threat. The report says discarded bags and packets do not decompose easily and can damage rivers, canals, wetlands, drainage systems and soil fertility. Visitors are reportedly gathering daily at the new factory to observe the fuel and gas production process.

Gas generated at the plant is currently used as factory fuel rather than collected separately. The facility also collects ash or black carbon, which is intended for making printer ink. Citing Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research testing, the report says the fuel has a quality rating of 93.56 and 1.56 percent higher fuel efficiency than normal fuel. Bhairab Upazila নির্বাহী Officer K M Mamunur Rashid welcomed the initiative and promised administrative support.

Bangladesh may see rainfall increase again nationwide between August 21 and 24 as the monsoon remains active, the Meteorological Department said. A land depression has weakened into a well-marked low over Jharkhand and adjoining Bihar in India and may merge with the monsoon trough, limiting its direct impact on Bangladesh.

Rainfall may ease somewhat on Thursday as the low weakens, although parts of Chattogram and Sylhet divisions could receive comparatively heavier rain. Elsewhere, isolated light to moderate rain or thundershowers with gusty winds are forecast. Recent rain caused waterlogging in low-lying areas of Chattogram, where 189 millimetres was recorded in 24 hours up to the morning of August 17, including 109 millimetres in the final three hours.

Authorities have withdrawn local cautionary signal number 3 at Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra ports as Bay conditions have become calmer. Vessels have nevertheless been advised to operate cautiously. Forecasters said rain could lower daytime temperatures after a recent rise and warned people in Chattogram, Sylhet, Barishal and Khulna to remain alert for heavy rainfall.

Bangladesh’s Department of Environment has fined Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries Tk 500,000 for cutting the ship MT Rasi without renewing its environmental clearance. The order was issued after a hearing at the Department of Environment’s Chattogram regional office on Wednesday. The yard, located on H Akbar Ali Road in Bhatiari, Sitakunda, was also instructed to halt all cutting work on MT Rasi until the clearance is renewed.

Department officials said an on-site inspection and review of documents by the Chattogram district office found that cutting was underway despite the expired clearance. At the hearing, the violation was established, and compensation was set under Section 7 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, as amended in 2010, using the approved environmental damage assessment method.

The company must deposit the amount in the government treasury through the designated challan within seven working days. The order said failure to pay or implement it could lead to legal action, including a criminal case. A yard official said the vessel’s clearance had expired only two days earlier and could not be renewed in time.

Rainfall is expected to increase again across Bangladesh from August 21 to 23 as the monsoon becomes more active, according to meteorologist Dr Abul Kalam Mallik. The update was published on August 19, 2026, after light rain in the capital during the morning gave way to largely sunny skies later in the day. Coastal areas continued to receive varying amounts of rain.

Cox’s Bazar recorded the country’s highest rainfall over the previous 24 hours, at 90 millimetres. The land depression over Jharkhand and adjoining Bihar is forecast to move west and northwest and gradually weaken. Within the next 24 hours, it may weaken into a low-pressure area and merge with the monsoon trough.

The Meteorological Department said rain may occur in isolated areas nationwide, including Dhaka, on Wednesday, with temporarily partly cloudy skies. Although no heavy-rain warning was in effect, rain may decline over the next two days before rising again. Authorities also asked ports in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to lower local warning signal number 3 as rough conditions in the Bay of Bengal eased.

At least 200 families have been left waterlogged in Patiya, Chattogram, after a drainage route was blocked, preventing monsoon water from receding. The flooding has affected Kazipara in Ward No. 7 of Haidgaon Union and broad areas across four or five nearby villages, according to the report published on August 19, 2026.

Residents said water from five villages previously passed through the Mongoler Tek area near a three-way road, then flowed via Mora Khal into Chandkhali Khal. They alleged that influential groups recently sealed the water route with cement. Farmland and ponds have been submerged, causing losses for cultivators and fish farmers, while prolonged standing water has disrupted movement for residents and students.

Kazipara Government Primary School management committee president Kazi Arif Ullah said excess rainwater had drained from surrounding areas but remained in Kazipara because the route was closed. He called for the attention of Patiya’s member of parliament Enamul Haque Enam and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farhanur Rahman. Acting Haidgaon Union Parishad chairman Helal Uddin said necessary action would be taken if a written complaint is submitted.

Chittagong has suffered severe waterlogging during the current monsoon, while floods and landslides have killed more than 50 people across Chittagong division, according to an article by Dr. Md. Iqbal Sarwar of the University of Chittagong. He argues that heavy rain alone should not be blamed, pointing instead to mismanagement, poorly planned development and indiscriminate hill cutting as major drivers of the disaster.

The article says 30 minutes to one hour of rain can leave about 40 to 50 percent of the metropolitan area waterlogged. In some places, flooding lasts from 30 minutes to nearly eight hours, with depths ranging from 0.50 to 1.60 metres. Research cited by the writer attributes 63 percent of the city’s waterlogging causes to human activity, including inadequate drainage, uncleared canals and drains, filled water bodies, waste obstruction, unplanned infrastructure and land-use changes.

The government has allocated about Tk13,000 crore to four projects, but the benefits of a CDA waterlogging project, 95 percent complete by May 2026, remain uncertain. The writer calls for halting unplanned urbanisation, hill cutting and destruction of rivers, canals and water bodies, while protecting forests and preventing settlements on vulnerable slopes.

Illegal sand and soil trading is allegedly continuing on terminal land and riverbanks at Paturia Ghat in Shibaloy, Manikganj, according to a report published on August 18. The activity is said to endanger the ferry terminal, river port and surrounding areas through erosion, with local residents fearing increased risks during the current monsoon season. The report says erosion has already begun in the area.

A field visit found at least five illegal sand depots on BIWTA foreshores near the ferry terminal. The report alleges that excavators are used overnight to remove sand and soil from riverbank areas for sale after occupying government land. Businessman Mintu Kazi said extraction from the river and adjoining areas is prohibited but continues. The Shibaloy Model Union Parishad chairman said sand-carrying vehicles damaged a union road and that repeated requests for administrative intervention had not brought relief.

Aricha and Paturia river port officer Subrata Roy said authorities are preparing a list of illegal depots and will conduct an eviction drive soon. Shibaloy Upazila Nirbahi Officer Monisha Rani Karmakar said mobile courts have been conducted against illegal soil traders and will continue. BIWTC Chairman ATM Abdul Bari Dany visited the ghat on August 15.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said battery-powered autorickshaws will face fines if they are charged from sources other than solar power. Speaking to journalists after a review meeting on solar power use on August 17, he said vehicles charged without solar electricity would not receive registration, while renewals would be denied if such charging occurred after registration.

The government is bringing battery-powered autorickshaws under registration by city corporations and municipalities within the Local Government Ministry. Alam said the registration conditions will require charging through solar power. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority will no longer issue registrations for these vehicles, he added.

A law on the matter has been passed in Parliament, and regulations are being prepared to set registration fees, renewal fees and other conditions. For registration and renewal, autorickshaws will be required to obtain fitness certificates from BUET or the automobile department of government polytechnic institutes at district level. The certificate must then receive a countersignature from traffic police before being submitted to the relevant city corporation or municipality.

Heavy rainfall again inundated several parts of Chattogram city, causing widespread waterlogging and hardship for residents, according to a report published on August 17. Low-lying areas including Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Katalganj, Kapasgola and Agrabad were flooded, affecting daily movement across the city.

Patenga weather office official Ismail Bhuiyan said 189 millimetres of rain was recorded in the previous 24 hours up to Monday morning. Of that total, 109 millimetres fell between 6am and 9am. Office-bound commuters and students faced difficulties in the morning, while knee-deep water in some places disrupted vehicle movement.

Residents alleged that rickshaw operators charged extra fares during the flooding. Rainwater also entered shops and business establishments in some locations. Habib, a resident of Khwaja Road in Bahaddarhat, said water enters the ground floor of their home even after light rain and that taking his child to school was difficult that morning. The weather office forecast very heavy rain in Chattogram and nearby areas for the rest of the day, and warned district authorities about possible landslides.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Indonesia’s quake-hit Flores region on Monday, days after a powerful magnitude 7.7 tremor hit East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday. Germany’s GFZ Research Centre for Geosciences said the latest quake originated about 10 kilometres below the surface. No immediate reports of additional casualties or damage were available from the new tremor.

Indonesia’s national disaster management agency said 47 bodies were recovered on Saturday and six more on Sunday, bringing the death toll from the earlier earthquake to 53. More than 130 people were injured. Authorities recorded at least 995 aftershocks, including 46 felt by residents, with the strongest measuring magnitude 6.2. Thousands of people spent the night outdoors because of fears of further aftershocks.

More than 900 homes were completely destroyed across East Nusa Tenggara, while about 450 were damaged and nearly 5,000 people moved to temporary shelters. More than 100 public facilities, including schools, health centres and churches, were damaged or destroyed. Landslides cut sections of the Trans-Flores highway, hampering rescue work, and a helicopter was deployed to deliver aid and evacuate people if needed.

Grameen Bank has launched a nationwide initiative to plant 10 million trees to mark its 50th anniversary, aiming to address climate change and protect the environment. The tree-planting programme was inaugurated yesterday at the Mahipur Kalapara branch in the Patuakhali zone, according to a report published on August 16, 2026. The bank began in Jobra village, Chattogram, in 1976 as a small microcredit project.

Professor Dr Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, chairman of Grameen Bank, attended the inauguration as chief guest. Managing Director Sardar Akhtar Hamid, Company Secretary Abdus Sabur Md Bakius, zonal and area managers, and local dignitaries were also present. Chowdhury said the institution had begun a fight against climate change after starting its fight against poverty 50 years ago.

Hamid said the programme seeks to improve nutrition and economic security for member families while making the country more climate-resilient. Distribution of fruit, forest and medicinal saplings among members is under way at Grameen Bank's 2,528 branches across the country. Planting in household yards and open spaces will continue throughout the year.

Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie said Binna grass could offer an effective, environmentally friendly and low-cost natural solution to river erosion, land degradation and soil loss. He made the remarks on Sunday at a meeting on the Binna Grass Policy for Bangladesh at Water Bhaban in Panthapath, Dhaka. State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad was present.

The minister said the grass’s roots penetrate deep into the soil and hold it firmly, helping reduce erosion caused by rainwater, waves and currents. He said planned planting along riverbanks, canal banks, embankment slopes, haor areas and erosion-prone locations could improve soil stability. Its use in such areas could also support environmental balance and increase infrastructure durability.

Annie called for wider use of Binna grass to protect soil on riverbanks and embankments. He said the ministry is prioritising sustainable and environmentally friendly initiatives to conserve rivers, canals, embankments and reservoirs. Azad said climate change is increasing risks from floods, river erosion, heavy rainfall and land degradation, and that nature-based solutions should be considered alongside concrete infrastructure. BUET Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Shariful Islam presented on the grass’s benefits and potential.

Severe flooding struck Indiana after days of heavy rain and storms, inundating areas of Noblesville and Indianapolis as the White River rose far above its danger level. The river reached its peak in the Noblesville area on Saturday night local time before rising sharply in northern Indianapolis. Residents in riverside areas were ordered to move to safer locations, while officials described the event as among the state’s worst floods in decades.

At least five people were reported dead in flooding and storm-related incidents across Indiana. Some deaths occurred after trees fell, while others involved people being swept away by floodwaters. Emergency rescue workers continued evacuating people at risk and moving them to safe places. Authorities said some areas received more than 11 inches of rain in only two days, rapidly raising water levels in rivers and canals.

Indianapolis is facing its largest flooding situation in at least 30 years. National Weather Service officials said the flooding was nearing the scale of an event that could occur once in a century. Homes, roads and businesses were submerged in several areas. Indiana’s governor declared an emergency, and the US president approved an emergency disaster declaration following a request for federal assistance. Authorities warned that additional rain could worsen conditions.

Construction of the Madarganj solar power project on a Jamuna River char between Bogura and Jamalpur has missed its original schedule because of financial constraints. Work began in 2023 and about 60 percent has been completed, project manager Didarul Islam Didar said. Electricity had been expected to enter the national grid in December last year, but the project period has been extended until June 2027, with generation now expected in 2027.

The project is being built at Kaiser Char in Madarganj, Jamalpur, beside Uttar Shankarpur village in Sariakandi’s Bohail union. Land filling on 325.6536 acres and RCC block protection against river erosion have been completed. Workers are installing supports for solar panels, building panel frames and constructing power lines for the national grid. The plant is initially described as a 100-megawatt facility, with plans to raise capacity to 110 megawatts.

China’s CREC and Bangladesh’s BR Powergen Limited signed the joint-project agreement on June 13, 2023, with an estimated cost of $131.56 million. About 100 families living within the project boundary were resettled. Didar said large unpaid bills were preventing a faster start to generation. Local residents said they want the plant commissioned quickly because of load-shedding hardships.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck near the coast of the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Sunday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake was centred about 56 kilometres northeast of Port Olry, a small coastal village in Vanuatu, and originated at a depth of 188 kilometres below the surface.

No immediate damage or casualties were reported after the earthquake. Vanuatu’s natural disaster authorities also did not immediately issue a tsunami warning. The country is prone to earthquakes because it lies in the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, an area stretching from Southeast Asia to the Pacific basin where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent.

The Vanuatu tremor followed powerful earthquakes in Colombia and Indonesia. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early Saturday and was followed by more than 100 aftershocks, killing 51 people. In western Colombia, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake on Monday caused extensive damage to buildings, roads and other infrastructure around Cali, Pereira and nearby areas. The reported death toll there has reached about 290, with 140 people missing and around 4,000 injured.