Prime Minister Tareque Rahman instructed naval and air force selection board members to base officers’ promotions on integrity and merit, above political ideology and personal preferences. He gave the directive on Sunday morning while inaugurating the Navy and Air Force Selection Board 2026 at Air Force Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment.

He said assessments should emphasize professional competence, leadership, discipline, integrity, reliability, loyalty and, above all, suitability for appointment. The prime minister said the Bangladesh Navy and Air Force have contributed not only to protecting national independence and sovereignty but also to supporting civilian authorities in maintaining internal peace, stability and disaster response.

Rahman later visited several key Air Force operational facilities, including the Air Defence System Integration site, the Air Command Operation Centre and the Aerospace Research and Development Complex. He observed Air Force-produced unmanned aerial vehicles, including drones, kamikaze drones, interceptor drones and VTOL systems, as well as a quadcopter flight. He expressed hope that such domestic capabilities would advance research, innovation and technological self-reliance.

TikTok is preparing a new payment feature that could allow users to send money to one another through direct messages. TechCrunch, citing Bloomberg, reported that evidence of the feature was found through an analysis of code in the latest iPhone version of the TikTok app. The feature has not been officially launched, and TikTok has not provided a timeline for its wider release.

Under the proposed system, recipients could accept a transfer by pressing a designated button. Users may also be able to attach short messages to payments. The service could use TikTok’s own payment system, which is already used for TikTok Shop purchases in several Southeast Asian countries.

TikTok has previously shown interest in financial services. A Reuters report in March said the company had sought permission to operate as a financial technology company in Brazil to offer lending and money-transfer services. The payment feature remains in experimental development, leaving its global rollout and initial availability by country uncertain.

Amazon plans to launch its Prime Air drone delivery service in nearly 500 US cities by the end of 2026, expanding the ability to send small packages to customers by air. The US e-commerce company said the planned network would reach major cities including Chicago and Atlanta, as well as Syracuse, Cleveland and Boise.

Amazon currently operates drone deliveries across 11 active bases in 10 metropolitan areas in the United States. The proposed expansion would substantially broaden that existing network and make the service available in a wider range of cities.

Prime Air drones can carry lightweight packages weighing up to 5 pounds, or about 2.26 kilograms. Eligible packages must be roughly the size of a large shoe box. The service is designed to deliver qualifying products and orders to customers in around 60 minutes.

A cyberattack believed to have been carried out by Iran-linked hackers forced a power plant in the United Kingdom to shut down for four days in July. The incident, described as unprecedented, became public only recently, according to a report by The Telegraph cited by Al Jazeera. The UK government has not named the affected facility, citing security reasons.

The plant was reportedly relatively small, among many similar facilities across the country that are activated intermittently as needed. At the same time, a series of cyberattacks targeted US water infrastructure, affecting 12 states and raising concerns at the White House, The Telegraph reported.

The shutdown has renewed concern over cyber risks to Britain’s critical infrastructure. The source notes that previous major cyberattacks in the UK disrupted systems within the National Health Service, cut schools off from IT services and affected commercial manufacturing. Production at major industrial companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, has also been affected by cyberattacks in the past.

Blitzer CUET, a Formula Student racing team formed by students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, is preparing to represent Bangladesh internationally. The team is designing and building its own racing car with the aim of competing in the Formula Student competition scheduled in China in 2027. Its stated goal is to showcase young Bangladeshi engineers’ innovation, technical knowledge and practical experience on an international stage.

The multidisciplinary team is working on the vehicle’s design, aerodynamics, powertrain, suspension, electrical systems and manufacturing, as well as testing. Team member Ashab Sifat said Formula Student is not only a racing competition but also an important platform for students to gain skills by applying engineering knowledge in practice.

Sifat said the members are continuing design and construction work despite limited resources and other challenges. Another member, Ahnaf Tajwar Ohi, identified the shortage of sponsorship and financial support as a major obstacle. The team expects that sufficient financial and technical support would enable it to enter a competitive vehicle in 2027 and help promote interest in Formula Student and automotive engineering in Bangladesh.

The government plans to launch a National E-Health Platform to bring Bangladesh’s health system under an integrated digital framework. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman ordered that operations begin through a pilot project in several districts. The decision was discussed at a meeting on integrated information technology systems in healthcare, chaired by the prime minister on Saturday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.

Participants discussed the platform’s possible structure, operating method and use in health services. The pilot will assess its effectiveness, potential problems, cost and feasibility before any expansion. Tarique Rahman instructed officials to ensure effective use of information technology so that people can access benefits easily and the process of receiving medical services becomes simpler.

The prime minister stressed secure storage of patients’ necessary health information and timely access for relevant doctors and healthcare institutions. He also called for data security, personal privacy, ease of use, cost efficiency and long-term operational sustainability. Engineer Zakaria Swapan gave a presentation on the platform, while health, ICT and other senior government officials attended the meeting.

Samsung is reportedly developing a new foldable phone with a relatively wider screen as it seeks to strengthen its position in the foldable smartphone market. The South Korean technology company is considering a display better suited to video viewing following the commercial success of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The report says the potential device could reach the market in 2027.

According to Engadget, citing South Korean outlet ET News, the device may use a display aspect ratio different from Samsung's existing Fold series. It could move away from the Galaxy Z Fold 8's 4:3 ratio toward a format closer to 16:9 or 16:10, although Samsung has not officially announced details. The redesign is intended to reduce the large black bars visible above and below widescreen videos on a 4:3 display.

ET News also reported that Samsung may plan to release five foldable devices by 2027, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, a successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 8, and a new-generation Galaxy Z TriFold. Their official announcement could come at a Samsung Unpacked event in July 2027, based on the company's recent launch schedule.

National University has launched a two-day training programme to expand the use of D-Nothi in official work and improve staff skills. The programme was formally inaugurated on Friday morning at the university’s main campus in Gazipur, organised by its Human Resource Development and Integrity Office. The university said it was the first D-Nothi training initiative held under the direction of Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Amanullah.

The initiative aims to ensure transparency, speed and accountability in administrative work while advancing a paperless office. Twenty-five officers from different university departments are taking part. After completing the programme, they will serve as master trainers and help introduce and implement D-Nothi activities in their respective offices.

Participants are receiving theoretical and practical instruction on e-Nothi and D-Nothi systems, login procedures, profile management, uploading and managing correspondence, tracking correspondence, online decisions, file presentation, note writing, draft letters, digital file numbers and branch codes. UGC ICT officials Muhammad Nazmul Islam and Dwijendra Chandra Das are serving as experts. The programme will end on Saturday with a final assessment, followed by certificate distribution.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission held an online public hearing on telecommunications services and regulatory activities on Wednesday at its Agargaon headquarters in Dhaka. The hearing brought together customers, service providers, stakeholders and media representatives to raise concerns over service quality, network coverage, call drops, internet speed and prices, mobile data and voice charges, and customer service. BTRC said it is working to reduce the floor price for voice calls, currently set between 45 paisa and Tk2.

A total of 2,990 customers registered online between July 17 and 27, including 1,047 professionals, 638 students and 172 women. The largest number of submissions concerned tariffs, data speed and validity, data carry-forward, network coverage, SIM registration, NEIR, licences and service quality. BTRC said Teletalk is continuing network expansion, including in remote and difficult areas, through various projects.

The regulator said regular measurements found mobile-tower electromagnetic radiation well below national and international safety limits. It has also created a platform to monitor whether mobile towers are operating during power outages and issue instructions to operators. From July 2025 to June 2026, BTRC received 13,009 complaints and resolved 11,279, or 86.70 percent.

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.