Posts, Telecommunications, Information and Technology, and Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has called for collective action to build a trusted, inclusive and resilient digital information system in Bangladesh. He made the appeal as chief guest at a policy dialogue in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon titled “Information Integrity and Social Cohesion in Bangladesh: Policy, Platform Accountability and Collective Action.”

The minister said Bangladesh’s rapid digital transformation has created new opportunities for citizens in access to information, communication, education, commerce and government services. However, he said reliable, credible and accurate information is essential for building a dependable digital information ecosystem. Protecting information credibility, he added, extends beyond addressing misinformation and disinformation, linking directly to public trust, social cohesion and meaningful citizen participation.

Anam said coordinated efforts by the government, technology platforms, media, civil society and citizens are needed to create a credible, safe and trust-based environment. He also stressed responsible journalism and quality content across traditional and digital media, warning that harmful, misleading and deliberate content can have serious negative effects, particularly on children and young people. Representatives from government bodies, international organizations, media and civil society attended the dialogue.

Turkey has moved from heavy dependence on foreign weapons and military equipment to producing its own fighter jets, drones, warships, missiles, tanks and advanced defense technologies, according to a report published on August 18, 2026. Ankara is also strengthening its position among major global arms exporters. The number of defense companies has risen from 56 in 2002 to more than 4,500, while defense projects increased from 62 to nearly 1,400.

The total value of those projects has grown from $5.5 billion to more than $100 billion. Defense and aerospace exports rose from $248 million in 2002 to $10.05 billion in 2025. During the first seven months of this year, Turkey exported $5.79 billion in military and aerospace goods, with an annualized figure of about $11.2 billion through July. The report says Turkey is now the world’s 11th-largest defense exporter.

Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2, Akinci and Kizilelma drones feature prominently in the country’s defense development. Turkish Aerospace’s KAAN fighter first flew in February 2024, and Indonesia has agreed to buy 48 aircraft, the report said. Domestic technology use has exceeded 85 percent, while Turkish defense products are exported to about 185 countries.

The Rural Development Academy, or RDA, has claimed success in pilot electricity generation using flywheel technology in Bandi Dighi, Erulia, Bogura. In a demonstration held last Sunday, electricity produced at the experimental plant was used to run two pumps and a welding machine. Officials involved said preliminary calculations indicate the technology could produce each unit of electricity for Tk1.50.

Acting RDA Director General Dr Md Abdul Majid Pramanik said a one-megawatt round-the-clock solar power installation would cost more than Tk100 crore, while an equivalent output using the flywheel system could be possible for Tk25 crore. He said work on the technology began in 2004, with new research prospects emerging after 2010. Flywheel technology is currently used in several countries, including the United States and China, according to him.

RDA has planned a full one-megawatt power plant and submitted the project to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and the Climate Trust. Researcher Dr Monirul Islam said wider public access to the low-cost electricity would be possible if funding and supporting equipment were secured. Bogura-6 lawmaker Rezaul Karim Badsha described the initiative as promising and pledged government support.

Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan inaugurated the divisional modern information complex in Kashipur, Barishal city, on Sunday afternoon. He said the government wants to raise the value of information buildings to global standards, giving importance to practical usefulness alongside the structural value of the facilities. The seven-storey complex was built at a cost of Tk17 crore.

Speaking as chief guest at the event chaired by Information Ministry Secretary Mahbuba Farzana, Swapan said technological capacity does not depend on a building, a mobile phone or its price, but on practical value. He said efforts would be made to extend the information complex's activities to district and উপজেলা levels. A digital library is also planned at the complex, which he said would play an important role in acquiring knowledge.

The minister said the complex would have modern screen facilities. He noted that Bangladesh once had around 1,100 cinema halls, but only 140 remain, citing films unsuited to single-screen venues as one reason. Construction had been expected to finish in 2023, but the building was formally opened nearly three years after the scheduled completion.

Bangladesh and Lithuania discussed new prospects for joint cooperation in information technology, cybersecurity and fintech to strengthen bilateral trade ties. The issues were discussed on Sunday at the Ministry of Commerce in the Secretariat during a meeting between Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Lithuania’s non-resident ambassador to Bangladesh, Diana Mickeviciene. Commerce Ministry Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan also attended the meeting.

Muktadir said bilateral trade remains limited but there is broad scope to expand cooperation. He said Lithuanian technology companies could use Bangladesh’s fast-growing ICT sector, skilled young workforce and freelancers’ capabilities to expand operations in the South Asian market. The minister also described Bangladesh as a promising investment destination, citing facilities for investment withdrawal and repatriation of profits, alongside what he called a stable and investment-friendly environment.

Mickeviciene said Lithuania is advanced in laser technology, GovTech and fintech services, and is interested in exchanging experience and technical cooperation to support Bangladesh’s digital transformation, technology development and stronger cybersecurity. The meeting emphasized taking prompt effective measures to expand trade, increasing business-level contacts, and pursuing joint initiatives in technology-driven sectors.

Prime Minister’s postal and telecommunications adviser Rehan Asif Asad said Bangladesh aims to bring 70 million people under mobile internet coverage within the next six to 12 months. He made the announcement on Saturday at a roundtable titled “Spectrum for a Connected Bangladesh: Enabling Internet for All,” organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh at a hotel in the capital.

Asad said about half of the country’s roughly 140 million mobile phone users still use 2G or button phones. Moving those estimated 70 million users to smartphones overnight would not be possible, he said, but a gradual transition could be achieved through joint efforts. Work on the issue began two weeks before the budget, he added. Manufacturers said a phone could not be produced for Tk3,000, but could be made for Tk5,000 to Tk6,000.

He cited a roughly $39 Android phone sold by India’s Reliance, saying its combination of a smaller touchscreen and keypad reduced costs by about $6. Bangladeshi manufacturers have begun pursuing similarly low-cost smartphones. He urged mobile operators to work with manufacturers on co-branding and bundled voice and data packages.

Bangladesh’s SMW-5, one of the country’s main international submarine internet cables, resumed operation after being disconnected for about two and a half hours. Both eastern and western connections of the cable were fully cut at around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 15, and service was restored at around 2 p.m. The restoration eased immediate fears of a major nationwide internet disruption.

During the outage, many customers experienced slower internet speeds, delays accessing foreign websites and servers, and temporary difficulties using online platforms. International server-based work, online meetings, gaming and file downloads were affected. Internet service providers had to divert traffic through alternative routes, while customers of providers able to move connections quickly to backup lines faced comparatively fewer problems.

Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC said it could not immediately provide an estimated repair time because it was awaiting information from the main consortium. An initial assessment suggested a possible problem with power supply or equipment at the landing station in Matara, Sri Lanka, but the final cause has not been confirmed. Bangladesh also has SMW-4 and multiple international terrestrial cable connections with India, which served as backup capacity. BSCPCL is awaiting the consortium’s final fault report.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said ensuring access to justice is part of guaranteeing human rights, and the state must enable citizens to exercise their inherent and universal rights. He made the remarks on Saturday morning at the opening of a two-day coordination meeting in Rajendrapur, Gazipur, for the “Accelerating Digital Legal Aid Services in Bangladesh” project, attended by judges, legal aid officers and other stakeholders.

The meeting discussed how to effectively deliver digital legal assistance to disadvantaged and marginalised communities. Participants focused on strengthening and coordinating 57 upazila legal aid committees and 413 union legal aid committees across nine districts. The effort aims to help poor people, women, persons with disabilities and other underserved groups obtain legal advice and assistance, including opportunities to resolve disputes through mediation before going to court.

The minister directed steps to recognise eight outstanding legal aid officers, one from each division, and 20 judicial officers nationwide. He said Bangladesh has about 4.5 million pending cases and aims to reduce the number significantly within a year through combined use of legal aid, mediation, digital technology and judicial work. The second day on August 16 will discuss training, records, reporting and areas for improving digital services.

France’s Constitutional Council on Friday blocked a bill that would have restricted social media use by children under 15. The court said the proposal interfered excessively with freedom of expression and communication and did not provide sufficient legal safeguards for personal privacy. The decision was seen as a political setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who had previously instructed the government to redraft the measure.

Under the parliamentary-approved bill, children under 15 would have been barred from opening new social media accounts from September 1. Platforms would also have been required to close existing accounts within four months. The proposal required age verification through methods approved by France’s data protection regulator.

The court said the bill did not clearly define the conditions or limits for collecting and storing information used to prove users’ ages. The Elysee Palace said the Macron government remains determined to introduce revised legislation on social media regulation ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok gave no immediate comment after the ruling.

Hackers breached computer systems used by France’s tax administration and land registry in two separate cyberattacks in June and July, authorities said Friday. The Directorate General of Public Finances, or DGFiP, said the first attack compromised data from at least 678,000 individual and professional accounts. A second attack in July stole information from 200,000 land registry accounts.

The stolen tax-related data included names, income-related information and tax rates paid. A hacking group called Zerobytes had previously claimed responsibility in a dark-web forum. The group said it gained access through a virtual private network used by tax officials. Zerobytes claimed it took data from 250,000 land registry accounts linked to about 2 million people who own land and property.

The authority’s figure for affected land registry accounts is lower than the group’s claim. Zerobytes has also been linked to several previous cyberattacks on French government computer systems. In April, a major attack on ANTS, the agency responsible for identity-document applications and management, affected data of about 12 million individuals and professionals. France’s Finance Ministry also reported in February that information from 1.2 million bank accounts had been stolen in a major security breach.

Social media platform X plans to end its current Creator Earnings program and introduce a replacement called Original Content Rewards for content creators. Creators can continue earning under the existing system until September 7, while eligible users will be able to apply for the new program from September 8.

Applicants must have an X Premium subscription, at least 500 verified followers, and a minimum of 500,000 views from verified users during the previous 90 days. The program will prioritize original material, including creators’ own photos, videos, reports, analysis, comments, memes, and graphics.

Content that makes only minor changes to others’ material will not be treated as original. Users who copy posts from other accounts or download and repost content will not qualify for earnings. X said some incentives in the old system had become less effective than expected. Allegra Zakia said creators should focus on producing new, valuable content rather than only earning more money. X may revise the program’s rules later based on user experience and circumstances.

Rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war are increasing demand for electric trucks across Asia and driving a sharp rise in Chinese exports, according to a report published on August 14, 2026. Use of electric trucks, from light vehicles to heavy trailers, is also growing rapidly in China, while domestic sales have increased in the world’s largest car market.

Pakistan-based outlet Dawn reported that in the four months after the United States and Israel began war against Iran in February, China’s exports of heavy electric trucks more than doubled year on year to 16,823 units. Nearly half of those shipments went to countries in South and Southeast Asia. Exports to South Asia rose more than fivefold, while shipments to Southeast Asia increased nearly threefold.

Higher fuel costs are offsetting the disadvantage of electric trucks’ relatively higher upfront purchase prices. The report said rising energy expenses are pushing countries across Asia toward electric transport more quickly. Chinese manufacturers are therefore focusing not only on their domestic market but also on selling electric trucks in newer markets across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

National University has launched an effort to make its second-year undergraduate Applied ICT course more current, student-friendly and employment-oriented through improved resource materials and online content. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Amanullah highlighted the initiative on 14 August 2026 at BRAC CDM in Savar, during the opening of a three-day “Resource Materials Finalization” workshop organized with technical support from UNICEF Bangladesh.

Amanullah said information and communication technology is closely connected to education, employment, research, innovation and daily life. He said students should receive learning they can use beyond the classroom. He called for final materials to reflect students’ diverse educational and technological capacities and realities across regions, using simple, fluent and accessible language to support inclusive learning opportunities.

On the workshop’s first day, participants reviewed the accuracy and student suitability of each resource-book chapter and topic, pedagogical approaches, practical application, and alignment with online content. Experts recommended revisions and refinements to make the material clearer and more practical. The resource book and online content are scheduled to be finalized over the following two days based on those views.

US Central Command, or CENTCOM, has announced the formation of its first multinational, multi-domain attack-drone task force, named Task Force Falcon Strike. The announcement was reported on August 14, 2026, and concerns a new unit involving US forces and military personnel from regional partner countries.

CENTCOM said the task force will deploy one-way attack drones across several operational environments: on the sea surface, underwater and on land. The command described the unit as multinational and multi-domain, with participation by military members from the United States alongside regional partners.

The announcement comes nine months after the establishment of Task Force Scorpion Strike, described as the first specialized US one-way attack-drone squadron in the Middle East. CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said Falcon Strike would expand on Scorpion Strike’s success amid innovation among regional allies and partners. He added that integrating and deploying new capabilities would allow emerging possibilities to be implemented rapidly.

Bangladesh has launched its online e-bail bond system in 12 additional districts, bringing the total number of covered districts to 28. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman announced the expansion at a ceremony at the ministry's conference room on Thursday morning, August 13, 2026. The stated aim is to modernise the justice system, reduce hardship for court users and speed the release process for accused persons granted bail.

The newly added districts are Tangail, Kishoreganj, Munshiganj, Cox's Bazar, Chandpur, Rangamati, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Habiganj, Thakurgaon and Jamalpur. The system had already operated in 16 districts, where about 120,000 e-bail bonds were filed online over recent months, according to the minister.

Under the new process, filing and completing a bail bond requires two steps instead of 12 under the conventional method. Lawyers can submit bonds online from their chambers or elsewhere using smartphones, while acceptance will be confirmed immediately through OTP. The minister also called for contact with district legal aid offices regarding detainees in compoundable cases and said mediation, legal aid and efforts to reduce cases and raise disposal rates were being prioritised.