A rare marine fish locally known as bhola poa was caught in a fishing net in the deep Bay of Bengal near Kuakata in Patuakhali. The roughly three-kilogram fish was brought to Sifat Fish at Alipur fishing port on Monday morning and bought by local fish trader Rakibul Islam for Tk 11,125. It was caught by helmsman Shaikhul aboard the MS Sifat trawler.

The fish, also known as big-eyed poa, white poa and poa, was sold through an open auction at about Tk 150,000 per maund. Shaikhul said the unusually large fish drew crowds after it was brought ashore. Sifat Fish owner Mizanur Rahman said catches of such uncommon fish encourage both fishers and traders.

Experts said its external features suggest it belongs to the poa or croaker family, Sciaenidae, but scientific testing is needed to confirm the exact species. Fisheries official Apu Saha said such catches are a positive sign for marine biodiversity and could provide useful information for future research. Rakibul said he bought the fish against an order from a Dhaka businessman, whose partner plans to export it.

Bangladesh implemented only 0.69 percent of its Annual Development Programme (ADP) in July, the first month of fiscal year 2026-27. Ministries and divisions spent Tk 2,121.18 crore during the month, according to a report published Monday by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED). The ADP spending target, including own financing by public agencies, is Tk 308,924.86 crore for the fiscal year.

The July implementation rate matched the rate recorded in the same month of the previous fiscal year, while it was 1.05 percent in July of fiscal year 2024-25. Ten ministries and divisions recorded no expenditure, including the Health Services Division, Health Education and Family Welfare Division, Bridges Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Religious Affairs. Another 43 ministries and divisions remained below 1 percent implementation.

The Public Service Commission posted the highest July implementation rate at 7.52 percent, followed by the Parliament Secretariat at 6.69 percent and the Cabinet Division at 5.57 percent. Planning Commission and IMED officials said agencies usually spend the start of the fiscal year on project preparation and work plans. IMED plans regular review meetings to address implementation obstacles quickly.

Bangladesh has brought halal product standard-setting, halal standards and certification under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, with the Islamic Foundation responsible for the work. The Cabinet Division issued a notification amending the Rules of Business, 1996, the Islamic Foundation said in a press release on Monday.

Under the amended rules, a new responsibility has been added under “Ministry of Religious Affairs” in Schedule 1, which distributes duties among ministries and divisions. The new item, placed after existing item 22 as item 23, covers matters relating to halal standards and certification. Relevant government agencies and institutions will provide necessary coordination and support.

The Islamic Foundation will handle the formulation and implementation of halal standards, product standards and certification matters under the ministry’s mandate. The foundation has long been involved in halal certification for domestic producers and export-oriented firms. The release said the decision is expected to strengthen policy coordination, improve institutional capacity, support transparency in certification, build consumer confidence and facilitate wider Bangladeshi participation in the international halal market.

Bangladesh faced severe nationwide gas and electricity shortages on Monday, with supply disruptions affecting households, transport and industry. The report attributes pressure on liquefied natural gas imports to the US-Iran war, which it says has nearly doubled global LNG prices and made suppliers difficult to secure. Petrobangla data showed gas supply of 2,400 to 2,600 million cubic feet against demand of 4,000 million cubic feet, leaving a shortfall of up to 1,500 million cubic feet.

The gas deficit curtailed electricity generation, industrial output and CNG sales. Gas-based factories reportedly had 70 percent of their production capacity unused, while garment-sector output fell by 30 to 35 percent. Power supply reached 14,300 megawatts against peak demand of about 16,200 to 16,500 megawatts, requiring 2,000 to 2,200 megawatts of load shedding. Rural areas in some cases received only 40 to 50 percent of required power.

The government approved purchases of two LNG cargoes for September from South Korea and the United Kingdom at more than $24 per MMBtu. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said resolving the gas and power crisis would take another two years.

International crude oil prices remained largely stable on Tuesday morning as traders assessed the possible effects of tougher US sanctions on Iran. Brent crude futures fell by 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $92.16 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose by 1 cent to $85.02 a barrel.

The relative stability followed a sharp decline in global oil prices on Monday. After two consecutive weeks of gains in the oil market, investors took profits, pushing US crude to its lowest level in a week.

The market is now showing signs of recovering from Monday’s setback. Trading activity remains focused on evaluating how potential US measures against Iran could affect the international crude oil market.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said Bangladesh is working to raise tourism’s contribution to national GDP from the current 2–3 percent to 7–8 percent. He made the remarks on Monday as chief guest at an inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs conference room on tourism development linked to historical sites and archaeological remains.

Millat described tourism as an inclusive industry closely connected with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman wants to take the country’s tourism sector to a new level. The meeting, chaired by Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, also included State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam and Cultural Affairs Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman.

The two ministries decided in principle to sign a memorandum of understanding for joint work. After signing, they will begin drafting a common policy and form a Joint Task Force for Cultural Tourism. Roy Chowdhury said Bangladesh has 554 archaeological institutions, which ministry task forces will inspect gradually before development decisions are made.

India’s capital Delhi was hit by persistent heavy rain beginning early Monday, prompting the weather department to issue a red alert over concerns that conditions could worsen. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, while 15 flights unable to land at Delhi airport were diverted to alternative airports.

More than 250 flights could not land in Delhi on schedule because water had accumulated on the runway, and several departures were also delayed, increasing difficulties for passengers. Severe traffic congestion developed on roads across the capital, including MB Road near Sangam Vihar, airport-bound roads and roads around Saket Court.

After humid and uncomfortable weather on Sunday, rain began across Delhi from early Monday. Between 18 and 28 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in different parts of the capital by 11:30am, with Chhatarpur receiving the highest rainfall. The forecast said moderate to heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds could continue through Monday. Orange alerts were also issued for neighbouring Gurugram and Faridabad.

Oman has announced that expatriate workers aged over 60 will no longer receive new work permits or renewals of existing permits. Several expatriates said employers’ renewal applications had been rejected in recent weeks, while a senior official confirmed that permits are currently not being issued to foreign workers above the age threshold.

The decision has created uncertainty for many expatriates who have worked in Oman for a long time. In January 2022, the Omani government had allowed work permits for expatriates to be renewed after they turned 60, with retaining experienced and skilled workers among the stated aims of that policy.

The latest move effectively reverses that earlier approach. Although Oman’s Labour Ministry website continues to offer a work-permit renewal service for expatriate workers, it currently provides no clear information about an age limit. The report cited Gulf News as its source.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said Bangladesh’s economy has seen some positive changes during the new government’s first six months, but negative trends remain more pronounced overall. At a Monday media dialogue titled “The New Government’s First Six Months: An Economic Review,” CPD projected a revenue shortfall of Tk130,000 crore to Tk140,000 crore in the current fiscal year. It also reported that 95 factories permanently closed in three major industrial zones between January and August 2026, costing 61,881 jobs.

CPD distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya said the government took office amid structural economic problems and an unfavourable global environment. He said the absence of a consolidated, data-based document on the economy inherited by the government makes it difficult to assess official claims and progress. CPD said expectations of economic recovery, inflation control, investment growth, job creation and improved governance have faced some discomfort.

The report said the Tk695,000 crore revenue target requires nearly 42 percent growth, while NBR revenue growth fell to 11.1 percent. Total tax revenue growth declined to 4.9 percent, government reliance on bank borrowing rose to 53.8 percent, and net foreign aid fell to $734.3 million. Industrial and manufacturing growth both fell to zero.

Chattogram Customs House will begin an online auction this August to sell goods from 442 unclaimed and auctionable containers, according to a National Board of Revenue notice issued on Monday. Special e-auction No. 9/2026 will cover goods in 152 containers, while special e-auction No. 10/2026 will cover 290 containers. The auction also includes 86 old empty containers.

Items listed for sale include chemicals, machinery and parts, PVC flex banners, plastic waste or scrap, chest freezers, pipes, yarn, fabric, solar modules, air-conditioner parts, tiles, stainless-steel coils, scanners, badminton rackets, elevators, salt, paper and household products.

Participants must register through Chattogram Customs' e-auction portal. Bids for auction No. 9/2026 will be accepted from August 27 to September 16, while bids for No. 10/2026 will be accepted until 3pm on September 17. A scanned copy of a security deposit worth at least 10 percent of the proposed bid must be uploaded. The NBR said the initiative should improve port capacity, reduce container congestion, protect assets and prevent waste of state resources.

Indonesian police have arrested 72 people accused of setting fires in forests and peatlands, as severe blazes across central and western parts of the country produced widespread haze that crossed into neighbouring Malaysia. The fires are affecting areas on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, where authorities are investigating 89 suspected forest and land-fire cases across nine provinces.

Mohammad Irhamni of Indonesia’s police special crime investigation division said most suspects are accused of deliberately burning land to clear it cheaply for farming or plantations. Police are also examining whether companies financed the fires. Irhamni said authorities would not only act against people on the ground, but would seek to identify those who benefited and those behind the burning. The accused could face up to 15 years in prison.

Indonesia’s environment ministry identified more than 3,700 fire hotspots in Borneo and over 1,700 in South Sumatra on Sunday. Visibility in some areas fell to 10 metres. Drought and El Niño have worsened conditions, while underground peatland embers risk reigniting fires. Indonesia has begun artificial-rain operations in Kalimantan and deployed 30 helicopters there and 22 in Sumatra. In Malaysia’s Sarawak, haze shut nearly 600 schools, affecting about 200,000 students.

Bangladesh and India discussed steps to deepen bilateral trade, including reopening closed border markets, operating land ports at full capacity and lifting restrictions on yarn imports by land. The issues were raised on Monday at a Secretariat meeting between Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi. The minister said the two countries currently conduct about $13 billion in bilateral trade.

Muktadir said trade activities had slowed somewhat because of obstacles that emerged over the past year and a half. He described India as Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner after China and said the meeting examined ways to identify problems and make future commerce easier and more effective. Discussions also emphasized reviving border markets and fully activating land ports.

A proposal was made to establish a joint task force for greater business cooperation and to improve digital infrastructure, with the aim of creating investment opportunities and expanding commercial ties. Trivedi said the countries should work together on the basis of equality and stressed joint investment and production. He said India could support Bangladesh’s garment sector by supplying inputs including zippers, buttons and machinery.

Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has announced it will not take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, saying the event can “no longer be considered neutral” amid divisions linked to the war in Gaza. Director-General Taco Zimmerman said on Monday that international conflicts were increasingly affecting the contest and turning it into a platform for division.

The announcement follows recent boycotts over Israel’s participation. Eurovision organisers said earlier this month that countries involved in armed conflict would be barred from hosting, but AVROTROS said the changes did not offer enough confidence that the competition’s independent and neutral character had been restored. Israel placed second in both the 2025 and 2026 contests.

Next year’s contest is scheduled for May 15 in Burgas, Bulgaria, after Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won this year’s Vienna competition with “Bangaranga”. The event will be Bulgaria’s first time hosting Eurovision. This year’s contest drew 131 million viewers, 35 million fewer than the previous year, after five countries boycotted over Israel’s participation.

A UK-supported climate adaptation project in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans region will close by September, two years before its planned 2028 end date, after British foreign aid reductions. British development organisation Practical Action launched the project in 2023 to protect local livelihoods through solar power, climate-resilient farming, fish cultivation, and early-warning systems for cyclones and heavy rainfall.

The project had aimed to support about 57,000 people by this year, but reduced funding means roughly 37,000 will receive assistance. Tamanna Rahman, Practical Action’s climate resilience officer in Bangladesh, said the abrupt decision has damaged trust built with local communities and long-term initiatives. She said limited time has also made it difficult to properly transfer project activities to local government.

Sea levels in areas adjoining the Sundarbans are rising by about three centimetres annually, worsening salinity, cyclones, storm surges and farmland damage. UK bilateral assistance to Bangladesh is set to fall from £66.7 million in 2025-26 to £31 million in 2026-27. The FCDO said it seeks more direct partnerships with developing-country governments while maintaining climate action efforts.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen assured cooperation in Bangladesh’s infrastructure and renewable energy sectors during a courtesy meeting at the Secretariat on Monday with newly appointed Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan. The discussion also covered prospects for US investment in these areas, according to State Minister Mir Shahe Alam.

Shahe Alam said Bangladesh proposed investment in several specific sectors under a public-private partnership model. Water supply and improved water management were among the priorities for which US cooperation was sought. The two sides also discussed opportunities for investment and cooperation in urban waste collection and management.

Renewable energy discussions placed particular emphasis on waste-to-energy projects, including the potential for investment in generating electricity from waste. Shahe Alam said the ambassador expressed satisfaction with several public welfare policies of the current government. Both sides agreed to deepen existing Bangladesh-US relations and advance them further, while the US representative welcomed the new cabinet and pledged that the two countries would work together.