Bangladesh’s export earnings have slowed in the 2025–26 fiscal year, driven largely by a downturn in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, which accounts for nearly half of total exports. According to the Export Promotion Bureau, exports to the European Union fell by 1.03% year-on-year between July and November, totaling $7.83 billion. While shipments to Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands rose slightly, exports to Germany, France, Denmark, and Italy declined, reflecting reduced consumer demand and intensifying competition.

Industry leaders attribute the slump to global inflation, higher living costs in Europe, and aggressive pricing by China and India. Domestically, rising gas prices—up nearly 150% since 2023—and higher lending rates have strained production. Exporters also cite reduced cash incentives, now at 2% from 5%, and weak marketing strategies as key challenges. The Exporters Association of Bangladesh warns that without policy support and energy cost relief, more factories may close, deepening the sector’s crisis.

The RMG industry, employing millions, faces mounting pressure to diversify products and markets. Analysts expect export recovery to hinge on energy stability, financial reforms, and renewed trade competitiveness in 2026.

A livestock quarantine station built at Bilonia land port in Feni’s Parshuram upazila has remained unused since its completion nearly a decade ago. The facility, constructed in 2016 under the Department of Livestock Services’ disease prevention project, was intended to inspect imported animals and animal products before entry into Bangladesh. Despite an investment of several crore taka and installation of 51 laboratory instruments, the station has never been operational.

Local traders and officials report that the station’s inactivity has led to the decay of expensive equipment, with only a single outsourced guard maintaining the premises. The Bilonia land port, opened in 2009 to facilitate trade with India, has seen minimal import activity, undermining the station’s purpose. Officials note that activating the facility could help regulate livestock imports, curb smuggling, and increase government revenue.

Experts warn that prolonged neglect of such infrastructure not only wastes public funds but also weakens border biosecurity. The Livestock Department has indicated that operationalization depends on renewed diplomatic and trade engagement with India.

Bangladesh’s government employees have postponed their previously planned protest program demanding implementation of the ninth pay scale. The decision was announced at a press conference held at the National Press Club under the banner of the Bangladesh Government Employees Demand Fulfillment Unity Council. The postponement was made to honor the late Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha, and in consideration of the current national situation.

Union leaders reiterated their seven-point demand, urging the government to publish a gazette with recommendations for a discrimination-free ninth pay scale by December 31. They warned that if no visible progress is made by January 1, they would launch tougher programs. The leaders also paid tribute to Hadi, recalling his lifelong activism against inequality and pledging to continue his struggle for fair treatment of government employees.

The next announcement on December 26 is expected to outline the future course of action, potentially shaping the trajectory of public sector wage reform in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast a drop in temperature and an increase in cold conditions across Dhaka and surrounding areas. In its six-hour forecast issued Sunday morning, the department reported that skies are likely to remain clear, with dry weather prevailing. Winds from the north-northwest may blow at speeds of 6 to 12 kilometers per hour, and light to moderate fog is expected in the early morning hours.

At 6 a.m., the recorded temperature in Dhaka was 17.8 degrees Celsius, indicating a gradual cooling trend. Officials noted that while no formal cold wave has been declared, the combination of clear skies and northwesterly winds is contributing to a perceptible chill. Residents have been advised to take precautions, especially during early mornings and nights.

Meteorologists expect the cooler conditions to persist for the next few days, with temperatures possibly dipping further if dry continental air continues to dominate. Rural areas in northern Bangladesh, such as Tetulia, are likely to experience even lower temperatures.

A thick blanket of fog has spread across Bangladesh, causing delayed sunlight and an increased feeling of cold, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). The agency said the condition is expected to persist for the next two to three days, with fog stretching from Delhi to Cumilla. Although temperatures have not dropped significantly, the combination of limited sunlight and cold winds from the north has made conditions feel colder.

Meteorologist A.K.M. Nazmul Haque explained that the fog is part of a regional weather pattern influenced by a subcontinental high-pressure ridge extending over West Bengal and adjoining areas. The BMD forecast indicates that Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Khulna divisions may experience moderate to dense fog from midnight to morning, while other regions may see lighter fog. On Saturday, the lowest temperature was recorded at 13°C in Srimangal, and 19.2°C in Dhaka.

The department expects dry weather nationwide with partly cloudy skies until Sunday morning. Daytime temperatures may drop slightly in the northern divisions, though no cold wave has been declared yet.

After more than a decade of waiting, the Sonalia-Kortia railway station in Tangail has officially opened to the public. The inauguration took place on Saturday morning when Bangladesh Railway Director General Afzal Hossain cut the ribbon and waved the green flag to mark the first train’s departure. Senior railway officials, local leaders, and hundreds of residents attended the ceremony, celebrating the long-anticipated launch.

The station, located in Sonalia village of Basail upazila near the border of Tangail Sadar’s Kortia area, was constructed around 2010 but remained unused due to naming complications and administrative delays. Locals expressed relief, noting that the unused facility had been wasting government resources. They expect the new station to benefit several hundred thousand residents across three upazilas. Officials confirmed that initially one train will operate, with plans to include the Sirajganj Express and a new Tangail commuter service in the future.

The reopening is expected to boost local trade and connectivity in the Kortia commercial zone, while residents have also called for improvements to surrounding roads and transport infrastructure.

Seven wild Asian elephants were killed and one calf injured when a high-speed passenger train collided with a herd in northeastern India. The incident occurred near Sairang in Mizoram as the Capital Express, carrying 650 passengers from Guwahati to New Delhi, struck the animals. The impact caused the train’s engine and five coaches to derail, though no passengers were injured, according to Indian Railways spokesperson Kishore Sharma.

Officials said the driver applied emergency brakes after spotting nearly 100 elephants on the tracks but could not avoid the collision. The accident site, about 125 kilometers southeast of Guwahati, lies outside a designated elephant corridor. Veterinary teams conducted autopsies on the elephants, which will be buried the following day.

Assam, home to roughly 7,000 wild elephants, has seen several similar accidents in recent years. Conservationists have urged authorities to improve monitoring and install early-warning systems along railway routes intersecting elephant habitats to prevent future tragedies.

Bangladesh’s interim government has formally requested Meta to remove content that allegedly incites violence and disrupts the upcoming national election and referendum. The National Cyber Security Agency sent a letter to Meta last Friday, urging the company to enforce stricter monitoring of Bangladesh-related content until February 2026. The government expressed concern that social media platforms are being used to provoke real-world violence and attacks on media institutions.

According to the letter, several Facebook posts have supported the death of Osman Hadi and called for violence against journalists, leading to attacks on two newspaper offices. The government accused Meta of failing to deactivate accounts that spread such content despite repeated appeals from authorities and civil society. Officials warned that online incitement threatens citizens’ safety, minority rights, and the country’s democratic transition.

The letter called on Meta to apply community standards more rigorously, strengthen Bangla-language moderation, enhance sentiment analysis, and ensure immediate removal of content promoting intimidation or organized harm. Meta has not yet issued a public response.

National Life Insurance Company Limited has been awarded the Gold Medal in the Life Insurance category at the 15th ICMA Bangladesh Best Corporate Award 2024. The award ceremony took place on December 17 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center, where Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin presented the honor to CEO Md. Kazim Uddin and CFO Probir Chandra Das FCA.

The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) recognized National Life for its excellence in corporate governance, transparency, and contribution to the national economy. Senior officials including NBR Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, and Financial Reporting Council Chairman Dr. Md. Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan attended the event.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that National Life Insurance has received the prestigious Gold Award, reinforcing its leadership in Bangladesh’s life insurance sector and its commitment to ethical business practices and financial reporting standards.

James Cameron’s long-awaited science fiction sequel, *Avatar: Fire and Ash*, premiered worldwide yesterday, marking a synchronized release in Bangladesh’s Star Cineplex alongside major global markets. The film continues the saga of the Sully family, exploring grief, identity, and survival amid new threats on Pandora. Critics at a London preview praised its visual scale and reaffirmed the cinematic importance of large-screen storytelling.

Cameron revealed at a Paris press conference that the film delves into themes of displacement and the search for belonging, aiming to connect emotionally with audiences. Composer Simon Franglen spent seven years crafting the score, writing over 1,900 pages of notation and inventing new instruments for Pandora’s inhabitants. Early reviews highlight the film’s technological innovation and emotional depth.

The director noted that the commercial success of *Fire and Ash* will determine the future trajectory of the *Avatar* franchise, which has already grossed billions worldwide through its previous installments.

Bangladesh’s Adviser on Shipping and Labour, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, inaugurated a new launch terminal at Dhalchar (Ananda Bazar) in Charfashion upazila of Bhola district. The terminal, established by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), aims to provide safe and regular river transport to one of the country’s most remote island regions near the Meghna River estuary and the Bay of Bengal.

For decades, residents of Dhalchar faced severe travel hardships due to unsafe and irregular boat services, especially during adverse weather and tidal conditions. Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Hossain said the new facility would ease access to healthcare, education, and administrative services while boosting local economic activity. BIWTA Chairman Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa and local officials attended the event.

The government has prioritized developing water transport infrastructure to integrate marginal and isolated island communities into the national development framework. Officials said the project reflects a broader goal of ensuring equitable growth across Bangladesh’s riverine regions.

India’s Ministry of Defence is finalizing a proposal to acquire 850 kamikaze drones for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and special forces at an estimated cost of ₹2,000 crore. The Defense Acquisition Council is expected to approve the purchase in its upcoming meeting later this December, after which procurement will begin.

According to reports from the Economic Times citing ministry sources, the move follows India’s successful use of combat drones during ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan in May. Senior defense officials told ANI that drones proved highly effective during that operation, prompting the armed forces to expand their drone arsenal across all branches. Kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munitions, are designed to strike targets and self-destruct upon impact.

Analysts view this procurement as part of India’s broader modernization strategy to strengthen precision strike capabilities and reduce battlefield risks. The integration of autonomous navigation and target recognition technologies in these drones could significantly enhance India’s tactical flexibility in future conflicts.

A new study published in the journal *Mobile DNA* reveals that polar bears are undergoing genetic changes that may help them adapt to global warming. Researchers from the University of East Anglia analyzed blood samples from 17 polar bears in northeast and southeast Greenland and found increased activity of so-called 'jumping genes'—mobile DNA elements that influence other genes’ functions.

The study found that rising temperatures have dramatically boosted the activity of these genes in southeastern Greenland bears, altering genetic pathways linked to metabolism, thermal stress, and food processing. Lead researcher Dr. Alice Godden said the findings suggest a potential genetic blueprint for adaptation to warmer environments, though she cautioned that this does not eliminate extinction risks.

Scientists see the discovery as a sign of evolutionary resilience but stress that reducing carbon emissions remains crucial. Without slowing global warming, genetic adaptation alone may not be enough to secure the species’ survival through the century.

The Surma and Kushiyara rivers flowing through Jakiganj in Sylhet are facing an alarming navigability crisis, with water levels dropping drastically during the dry season. Once vibrant waterways supporting transport and fisheries, the rivers have now turned into nearly dry beds, disrupting navigation and local water use. Residents report that once-thriving aquatic life and river-based livelihoods are disappearing as the rivers lose their natural flow.

Experts attribute the deterioration to upstream water flow disruptions, excessive siltation, unplanned encroachments, and the impacts of climate change. The resulting water scarcity has intensified pressure on groundwater, threatening long-term water security and agricultural productivity. Fish breeding has declined sharply, endangering local biodiversity and the income of fishing communities. Pollution has worsened as reduced water volume concentrates industrial and urban waste.

Officials from the Water Development Board say dredging and integrated river management plans are being prepared to restore flow and navigability. Environmentalists warn that without urgent, coordinated action, the Surma–Kushiyara system could face irreversible ecological and socio-economic damage.

Chinese short-video platform TikTok has finalized a deal with several U.S. investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, to maintain its operations in the United States and avert a potential ban. CEO Shou Zi Chew announced the agreement to employees on Thursday, confirming that the joint venture will allow TikTok to comply with U.S. regulatory requirements.

Under the arrangement, one-third of the new venture’s ownership will remain with ByteDance’s existing investors, while ByteDance itself will hold around 20 percent— the maximum share allowed for a Chinese company under current U.S. law. Oracle’s executive chairman Larry Ellison, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, is among the key figures involved in the deal.

The move follows earlier U.S. government demands during Joe Biden’s presidency that ByteDance divest TikTok’s American operations or face a ban. With the investor deadline set for January, TikTok’s timely agreement ensures its continued access to one of its largest markets while easing political and security tensions between Washington and Beijing.