A severe gas shortage across Bangladesh has nearly halted production at textile mills, dyeing and finishing plants and other industries, according to a report published on August 17. Gas pressure began improving in some areas from Sunday afternoon, but supplies had not returned to normal in places including Bhaluka in Mymensingh and Sreepur in Gazipur. Industry owners described the roughly 20-day disruption as unprecedented, citing factory closures, reduced output and delayed deliveries.

Bangladesh currently needs 3,800 million cubic feet of gas daily but has supply capacity of 2,700 to 2,800 million cubic feet. A fire shut one LNG terminal on July 21, worsening the shortage, although both LNG terminals were operating on Sunday. Experts said the deeper problem is declining production from older domestic fields without sufficient output from new fields or wells.

Industry associations said factories are operating below capacity, while air shipments and overtime are increasing costs. Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said resolving the energy crisis could take at least two years. Experts urged higher domestic gas production, bringing Bhola gas into the national grid and improving energy efficiency.

Stakeholders called for a modern organisational structure, skilled workforce and stronger research infrastructure for the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission at a discussion meeting held on August 16. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Scientists Association organised the event at the Dr Anwar Hossain Auditorium of the commission’s headquarters, focusing on the institution’s current status, challenges and required actions.

In his keynote paper, Dr A. S. M. Saifullah said nuclear science and technology are strategically important for Bangladesh’s science, technology and innovation-driven development, with applications in agriculture, medicine, food and energy security, industry and the environment. He said the commission’s organisational structure, dating from 1985, does not match its expanded activities and workforce. He also cited shortcomings in scientific career tracks, promotion and professional recognition.

Speakers stressed stronger independent technical assessment and oversight capacity as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant moves toward commercial operation. They also highlighted developing the commission into a national technical support organisation for future plants, small modular reactors, the fuel cycle and radioactive waste management. Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam and adviser Rehan Asif Asad pledged government support for the commission’s capacity and research activities.

A daylong Sino-Bangla Day 2026 job fair was held Monday at the Teacher-Student Centre premises of Dhaka University, offering about 430 job opportunities for students. The event was a joint initiative of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh and Dhaka University, organized by DUCSU and the Confucius Institute. It ran from 10:30am to 5pm.

DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayeem said the government and universities had failed to address unemployment among young people in the country. He said DUCSU organized the fair out of a sense of responsibility to support youth employment. Referring to a recent visit to China by DUCSU leaders, he said they worked on improving people-to-people connections between Bangladesh and Chinese universities, student unions, and public and private institutions.

The report said 30 to 40 leading Chinese companies participated, while Kayeem said 31 major Chinese technology and other companies joined the fair. Thousands of students attended voluntarily, and more than 400 candidates' CVs were initially collected. Organizers and participating companies assured that qualified candidates would be recruited by companies in stages.

Bangladesh’s proposed ninth pay scale recommends raising the basic salaries of government employees by up to 100 percent across all grades from one to 20. The plan, reported on August 17, 2026, envisages implementation in two phases: basic pay in the first year and house rent and other allowances in the second year.

All members of the secretaries’ committee have signed the final report on the ninth pay scale, advancing the implementation process. Details were included in an e-book published by the Prime Minister’s Office marking 180 days of the government. The 2026-27 fiscal year allocation for salaries and allowances is Tk89,836 crore, rising to Tk141,434 crore when pensions and gratuities are included.

The Zakir Ahmed Khan Commission had proposed retaining the existing 20 grades while increasing salaries and allowances by 100 to 140 percent. It recommended lifting the minimum basic salary from Tk8,250 to Tk20,000 and the maximum from Tk78,000 to Tk160,000. The final increase rate, implementation schedule and allowance structure remain subject to the government’s next decision.

Bangladesh Bank has revised allocation rates for Shariah-based sukuk bonds across investor categories, according to a circular issued on Monday and reported on August 17, 2026. The maximum allocation for Shariah-based banks, financial institutions and insurance companies has been set at 50 percent, down from 80 percent previously. The change redistributes portions of the sukuk offering among a wider range of eligible investors.

The allocation for Islamic banking branches and windows operated by conventional banks has increased to 30 percent from 5 percent. The circular said this will allow such branches and windows to invest in a significant share of sukuk. Conventional banks, financial and insurance companies, provident funds, deposit insurance institutions, investment companies, corporate entities, charity funds and other institutional investors will receive a combined 10 percent allocation.

Individual depositors will also have 10 percent of sukuk reserved for them. Under the instructions, allocations must follow investors' liabilities or participation ratios based on total bids. If bids in a category are below its prescribed proportion, sukuk may be allocated according to submitted bid amounts. Any unused sukuk may then be distributed among other eligible investors.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue has issued a new permanent order to speed up the transparent and modern disposal of uncleared goods and goods seized over smuggling allegations at customs houses and customs stations. Permanent Order No. 43/Customs/2026 was issued on Monday, August 17, 2026, with immediate effect under provisions of the Customs Act 2023. It replaces Permanent Order No. 91, issued on July 2, 2023.

The order makes online or live e-auctions the main method for disposing of seized or uncleared goods, while allowing conventional public auctions in exceptional cases where e-auctions are not possible. ASYCUDA World will be used to prepare lists and lots of uncleared goods. Reserve prices will consider quality and quantity, with reductions of 10 percent annually after the first year, up to 40 percent. E-auction bidders must deposit 5 percent earnest money through e-payment.

Perishable essentials such as sugar, salt, lentils and soybean oil may be sold directly to TCB at NBR-set prices. Edible uncleared perishables with less than three months of shelf life may be donated to government orphanages. Claimants will receive seven working days’ notice before auction, and legal action may follow disruption or fraud attempts.

Rabindra Srijonkola University has awarded actor, director, painter and advertising maker Afzal Hossain the Srijonkola Guni Jon Sommanona 2026 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to creative arts and Bangladesh’s cultural sphere. The award, a new institutional honour introduced by the university this year, was presented with a commemorative crest and certificate at the university auditorium on August 16.

Trustee Board Chairman Robin Khan chaired the ceremony. Retired Lieutenant General Dr Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, Bir Bikrom, Farzana Rashid Brownia and Monira Parvin attended as special guests, while Professor Dr Md Rafiul Islam, the university’s honorary academic adviser, delivered the welcome address. Khan described Hossain as a multidimensional creative talent whose work has offered audiences joy and helped them see beauty in new ways.

After receiving the honour, Hossain shared experiences from his long creative career and took part in a direct question-and-answer session with students. Students from different university departments also presented cultural performances. The stated purpose of the award programme is to introduce younger generations to indigenous arts and the creative legacy of distinguished cultural figures.

Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has called for rapid construction of infrastructure to resolve longstanding cargo-handling problems at the country’s airports. At a review meeting at the Commerce Ministry on August 17, 2026, he urged authorities to move ahead with temporary and permanent warehouse projects on an emergency basis rather than allowing lengthy administrative processes to delay them. The meeting reviewed cargo capacity and warehouse construction in support of expanded Bangladesh-European Union trade and investment.

Muktadir said airport infrastructure construction and management are the responsibility of relevant authorities, while customs is responsible for ensuring the legality of imports and exports, declarations, documentation and duty-related matters. Customs would operate once the necessary facilities are built, he said. He added that modern airport cargo management is important for expanding trade with the European Union and said the Commerce Ministry was ready to provide necessary support.

Participants discussed seven potential sites for a temporary warehouse near the airport and four potential sites for a permanent facility. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam stressed faster implementation while preserving transparency and accountability. Muktadir proposed an inter-ministerial coordination structure that could include a Commerce Ministry representative to speed decisions and implementation.

Bangladesh Bank has set a Tk60,000 crore lending target for banks in the agriculture and rural sectors for fiscal year 2026-27. Governor Md Mostakur Rahman announced the agriculture and rural credit policy and programme at the central bank’s Jahangir Alam Conference Hall on August 17. The target is 53.85 percent higher than the Tk39,000 crore target set in the previous fiscal year.

State-owned commercial and specialised banks have been assigned Tk20,495 crore, while private and foreign commercial banks have been assigned Tk39,505 crore. The revised policy allows certifications from local agriculture extension, fisheries and livestock officers to be used as information for obtaining farmer cards. It also relaxes the prescribed membership limit for farmer groups and provides rural lending guidance for farmers involved in income-generating crop and cultivation activities.

The policy prioritises women and marginal farmers for loans up to Tk5 lakh in fisheries and livestock and advises use of alternative collateral instead of land or immovable property. It adds hatchery fry production, poultry chick production and camel rearing to agricultural lending. Bangladesh Bank said the financing should support food production, employment, rural incomes and inflation control.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the government will announce and implement a new pay scale within the current year. He made the remarks to journalists on Monday afternoon after a meeting on the pay scale at the Finance Ministry. The minister said the government is working on the new structure and discussions on different aspects are continuing.

Chowdhury said more detailed discussion is needed on the pay scale, and the relevant authorities will meet again. He said the government is considering all matters related to announcing the pay scale with great importance. The minister also gave assurance that the new pay scale would be implemented on time.

He said the government would formally present the pay scale after reaching a final and comprehensive decision. Detailed information will be disclosed by the government only after that decision is made. The finance minister asked everyone to remain patient while the discussions continue and the full decision is completed.

Istanbul Airport has emerged as one of Europe’s strongest aviation hubs, according to a report published on August 17, 2026. Less than eight years after its official opening on October 29, 2018, the Turkish airport is competing with established major European airports in passenger traffic, cargo handling and technology. In July this year, 8.15 million passengers travelled through Istanbul Airport, exceeding Heathrow’s roughly 7.9 million passengers and making Istanbul Europe’s busiest airport for the month.

The report attributes the airport’s rapid rise to Turkey’s strategic location, Turkish Airlines’ broad international network and the scale of its infrastructure. Located at the junction of Europe, Asia and Africa, Istanbul is used as an international transit hub by large numbers of travellers. Turkish officials say that 1.5 billion people in 67 countries can be reached within a four-hour flight from Istanbul.

The airport has introduced a system, described as a European first, allowing three aircraft to use runways simultaneously for take-offs or landings. Cargo traffic rose 10.8 percent year on year to more than one million tonnes in the first six months, overtaking Frankfurt. A direct metro link is operating, while a fourth runway and annual capacity for 200 million passengers are planned.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained atop the North American box office in its third week, according to a report published August 17, 2026. The film earned $19 million in the United States and Canada on Friday, and its weekend total was projected to reach about $67 million.

Its third-week revenue was about 53 percent lower than the previous week, but that was still enough to retain first place. With the current weekend’s earnings included, the film’s cumulative North American gross was projected to reach about $783 million.

Warner Bros.’ science-fiction thriller The End of Oak Street ranked second on Friday, earning $8.1 million from 3,446 North American theaters on its opening day. Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie placed third with $7.3 million on Friday. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey also held a strong position, earning $6.5 million on the Friday of its fifth weekend.

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.

Bangladesh’s Finance Division has increased spending authority for ministries, autonomous bodies and project directors to accelerate government project delivery and reduce delays in procurement. A recently issued circular allows entities and individuals to approve spending limits that have risen by two to three times in some cases without approval from the procurement committee. The report was published on August 17, 2026.

Under the new rules, ministries and divisions may approve up to Tk100 crore for construction works and contracts in development projects, as well as for purchasing goods, machinery and materials, up from Tk50 crore. In the operating budget, ministries may approve up to Tk100 crore for construction work and Tk50 crore for goods purchases. Their authority for hiring consultants in development projects has doubled from Tk10 crore to Tk20 crore.

Agency heads may now approve up to Tk25 crore for construction work, from Tk20 crore, and up to Tk20 crore for goods and equipment purchases, from Tk7 crore. Project directors’ powers have been set in three categories based on project size. Economist Abu Ahmed and former finance secretary Mahbub Ahmed welcomed the move but called for stronger oversight and accountability to prevent misuse or waste of funds.