Bangladesh’s state-owned Jamuna Fertilizer Factory in Jamalpur has remained closed since January 15, 2024, after gas shortages were cited as the reason for suspending production. It had not restarted by August 5, 2026. Factory-related officials say production could have continued at about 1,200 metric tons of urea a day even with limited gas supplies if the required pressure had been ensured, while the shutdown has forced imports.

According to sources cited in the report, the plant could have produced about 36,000 metric tons of urea monthly. Imported urea now costs about Tk88,000 per ton, requiring monthly imports worth Tk316.8 crore, compared with an estimated domestic production cost of Tk79.2 crore for the same volume. The report estimates the additional spending over more than two and a half years at about Tk7,365.6 crore.

Factory officials say the plant needs gas pressure of only 42 to 43 PSI and that supplies to some lower-priority industries could have been adjusted. Bangladesh Fertilizer Association representatives said the factory’s fertilizer is popular with farmers and that its closure increases market pressure and import dependence. General Manager Fazlul Haque said regular gas supply could significantly reduce reliance on fertilizer imports.

China’s Einstein Probe space telescope detected an unusual X-ray flash in March from a stellar explosion about 500 million light-years from Earth. Within an hour, telescopes around the world turned toward the distant source, which scientists identified as a supernova. The observations captured the brief initial light known as shock breakout, when a shock wave escapes a star’s outer layers. Two papers on the observations were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on July 14.

Researchers said this was only the second direct observation of a supernova shock wave in the past 20 years. The event was classified as a Type Ic broad-lined supernova, but its shock breakout was the faintest yet seen for that class. No gamma-ray burst was detected, despite follow-up with sensitive instruments. Co-author Brendan O’Connor said no evidence of such a burst was found, while one possibility is that a jet was trapped by the star’s surface or surrounding material.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, Gemini North and South, and other facilities contributed follow-up observations. The dead star was a Wolf-Rayet star with roughly 20 times the Sun’s mass and had expelled hydrogen and helium before its explosion. Scientists plan to seek more shock-breakout observations to examine whether similar stars undergo comparable final stages.

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the United States declined in the first six months of the year, but the drop was smaller than for China and India, according to a Thursday report by the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel, or OTEXA. The United States is Bangladesh’s largest single-country garment market, receiving about 20 percent of the country’s total apparel exports.

US apparel imports fell 8.04 percent year on year to $35.09 billion from January through June, amid higher tariffs and pressure on global demand. Imports from Bangladesh declined 5.75 percent to $4.01 billion. In contrast, imports from China dropped 37.69 percent and imports from India fell 25.27 percent. Bangladesh’s apparel imports rose 5.74 percent year on year in June alone, reaching $763.57 million.

By volume, US apparel imports from Bangladesh fell 3.69 percent, compared with declines of 26.30 percent for China and 22.74 percent for India. Bangladesh’s average unit price declined 2.15 percent, the same decrease recorded for Vietnam. The price decline was close to Pakistan’s but lower than the declines reported for China and India.

Bangladesh will begin sending new workers to Malaysia through BOESL in the final week of August, Mahdi Amin said at a meeting with journalists at the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. The announcement was reported on August 6, 2026, and concerns the reopening of worker recruitment to Malaysia.

Amin addressed the press as the prime minister’s representative in the presence of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who was visiting Malaysia. Amin is identified as the minister’s spokesperson and an adviser to the prime minister.

He said senior-level discussions between the two countries had been positive and productive, aimed at reopening the previously closed labor market and swiftly completing arrangements for transparent, low-cost worker recruitment. The government is committed to keeping the labor market free of syndicates and transparent so ordinary workers can travel safely to Malaysia at lower cost, he said.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry administrator Md Fazlul Haque welcomed the successful signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, between Bangladesh and South Korea. In a Thursday press release, he said the agreement would expand business and trade between the two countries and strengthen their economic relationship. He also congratulated the commerce minister and relevant officials for completing the agreement quickly and successfully.

According to the FBCCI administrator, bilateral import-export trade between Bangladesh and Korea stands at $1.39 billion. Bangladesh imports goods worth $903 million from Korea and exports goods worth $492 million, leaving Bangladesh with an estimated trade deficit of about $411 million.

Haque said nearly 97 percent of Bangladeshi products, or 8,428 items, would be able to enter Korea's developed market duty-free under the agreement. He expressed hope that exports of garments and other products would rise substantially and help Bangladesh address its post-LDC graduation situation. He also cited opportunities for leather goods, footwear, pharmaceuticals and agricultural products, alongside increased technical cooperation. South Korea imports about $12 billion in garments annually, with only 3 percent currently sourced from Bangladesh, he said.

Turkey’s olive oil exporters have raised concerns that possible US taxes and trade barriers could create new challenges for the country’s exports in international markets. They called for swift action, warning that olives, described by Turkish farmers as “green gold,” are a valuable agricultural product and a key part of the sector.

Industry businesses said additional tariffs or taxes in the US market could raise the price of Turkish olive oil and weaken its position in international competition. The United States is one of the important markets for Turkey’s olive oil, meaning such a decision could place significant pressure on exporters.

Exporters said the industry involves not only large companies but also thousands of farmers and small producers, so barriers in export markets could affect the broader production system. Turkey is among the world’s important olive and olive oil producing countries and has been trying to expand export markets in recent years. Exporters described maintaining access to the US market as strategically important and urged rapid diplomatic and commercial initiatives to address potential tax barriers.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) said the ongoing 2026-27 budget centers on easing government controls on businesses and adopting investment-friendly policies. The measures were outlined on Thursday at a briefing titled “Investment Related Budget Outcome for Fiscal Year 2027-27” at BIDA’s conference room in Investment Bhaban, Agargaon, Dhaka. Prime Minister’s adviser Rehan Asif Asad attended as chief guest, while BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun chaired the event.

BIDA said businesses can be started within 14 days through a single-window system, with automatic approval if service-level agreement deadlines are exceeded. The budget identifies tax policy as a tool to support an investment-production-employment cycle and prioritizes export diversification, local value chains, renewable energy and technology use. Ten new export sectors, including motorcycles, speedboats and handicrafts, can import duty-free raw materials through bank guarantees without bond licences.

The budget removes turnover tax for startup sandboxes and provides a Tk500 crore startup fund. Import tax on electric vehicles priced below $25,000 has been reduced from 94 percent to 64 percent, while charging stations receive full duty exemptions. BIDA also cited duty-free solar components, zero income tax for solar-power businesses, lower advance income tax on cotton imports, and customs-duty exemptions for specified pharmaceutical raw materials.

The Trump administration has returned nearly $100 billion to importers in the United States after courts struck down a major portion of tariffs imposed on goods from various countries using emergency powers. Al Jazeera reported the figure, citing US customs authorities. The report was published on August 6, 2026.

In February this year, the US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to invalidate a major part of the administration's tariff policy. The court said imposing tariffs at such high rates through emergency economic powers was not lawful. Before the ruling, the administration had collected about $166 billion in tariffs from importers. Lower-court judges subsequently directed US Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, to begin the refund process.

In a court filing submitted Tuesday, CBP said it had accepted refund claims exceeding $128.68 billion for processing, with more than three-quarters already returned. Trade lawyer Ted Murphy and analyst Walker Livingston expressed surprise at the speed of the refunds. US lawmakers, however, alleged that the money is largely going back to large companies rather than consumers and small businesses that ultimately bore the higher tariff costs.

The High Court has suspended the upcoming biennial election of the Bangladesh Film Producers-Distributors Association for two months. The vote had been scheduled for August 8. A High Court division bench comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar issued the order on August 6, directing that all election-related activities remain suspended until a pending case before the FBCCI Arbitration Tribunal is resolved.

Film producer and actor Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Ujjal filed writ petition No. 10856/2026 challenging the decision to hold the election while case No. 08/2026 remained pending before the tribunal. The writ also challenged the inaction of the relevant authorities. Senior advocates Md. Badruddoza and Md. Moniruzzaman Asad, along with advocate Md. Khairul Alam, represented the petitioner.

Following the hearing, the bench issued a rule nisi asking respondents to explain why their inaction should not be declared without lawful authority and ineffective. There had been disputes over the candidacies of Khorshed Alam Khosru and Shamsul Alam. Panel member Tanvir Hasan expressed disappointment. The association made no formal comment and said next legal steps would be determined after receiving the full order.

Oman has begun accepting visa applications to recruit agricultural workers from Bangladesh under an approved labour recruitment programme. The announcement was made by the Al Dhahirah branch of the Oman Agricultural Association, according to a Thursday report by Oman Daily Observer. Omani farmers are now permitted to apply for visas to hire Bangladeshi agricultural workers.

The recruitment process is being run on the basis of approvals issued by Oman’s Ministry of Labour and the Royal Oman Police. Registered farm owners will be able to obtain visas for Bangladeshi workers. Farmers seeking to hire them can submit applications at the association’s Al Murtafa office from August 9 to August 20. Applications containing any discrepancies will not be accepted.

Applicants must provide proof of annual fee payment, an agricultural holding certificate, a national identity card, a valid approval letter from the Ministry of Labour and other documents. An owner of a government service centre, Sanad, said approval has been granted to recruit 5,000 Bangladeshi workers in total. The facility is limited to registered agricultural association members, and each association may recruit no more than 330 workers.

Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle stressed broader, more institutional cooperation in trade, investment, skills development and research. At a Thursday meeting at the Commerce Ministry in the Secretariat, they discussed expanding cooperation in trade-negotiation capacity, education, agriculture, livestock and investment to deepen bilateral economic ties. Commerce Ministry Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan attended the meeting.

The minister said the government plans long-term institutional training to strengthen officials’ skills in international trade, particularly World Trade Organization law and trade negotiations. He said an initiative has been taken to establish a research and study centre, envisioned as a future regional hub for knowledge and skills exchange. He also cited planned specialised training for project directors.

Ryle said Australia was interested in supporting such long-term capacity-building programmes, including trade negotiations, legal aspects of international agreements and policy skills. The sides also discussed post-LDC trade benefits and future market access. Bilateral trade is about $5.5 billion and growing, she said. An Australian business delegation is planning a Bangladesh visit, while beef exports, halal certification, animal traceability and livestock management were also discussed.

The Bangladesh government has begun work on a draft revised Gold Policy 2018, aiming to move the country’s gold sector from an informal condition into a legal, recognized and accountable business sector. At a meeting at the Commerce Ministry in the Secretariat on August 6, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir instructed relevant government agencies and stakeholders to submit written opinions on the draft by next Sunday.

The meeting was chaired by Commerce Ministry Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan and included Bajus President Enamul Haque Khan, Export Promotion Bureau Vice Chairman Mohammad Hasan Arif, and representatives of the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Bank and the gold sector. The minister said the sector had not become fully institutional because of inadequate policy and regulatory structures, and that regulatory weaknesses should also be considered rather than placing responsibility solely on businesses.

The proposed framework calls for every stage of purchasing, selling and storing legally imported gold to be recorded and monitored by regulators. The government is also considering employment, lawful imports, revenue collection, transparency and the potential for value-added jewellery exports. After stakeholder views are compiled, another meeting may be held if needed before work proceeds to finalize the revised policy quickly.

Record drought has caused an unprecedented deterioration in France’s small rivers and waterways, with water flow disrupted or channels completely dry in 43 percent of them, according to the French Biodiversity Office. As of August 1, 1,373 small waterways across mainland France and Corsica were affected, a situation the agency described as the most critical seen at this time of year.

The assessment was based on data from the National Low Water Observatory Network, which operates 3,230 monitoring stations nationwide. Local broadcaster BFMTV reported that the number of affected waterways had increased by 554 since July 1. The French Biodiversity Office said all regions were affected, with rapid deterioration from the western Vendée department to the eastern Grand Est region and a spreading impact in south-central France.

The agency said conditions had surpassed the severe drought of 2022, with 112 more waterways experiencing disrupted flow or drying up. Compared with the same period in 2025, the situation had worsened by more than twice. France’s geological survey classified 60 percent of groundwater levels as moderate to very low as of July 15.

Gas supply to the national grid has resumed from the Excelerate Energy-operated floating LNG terminal in Maheshkhali after a two-week shutdown. From 3:10am on Thursday, the terminal began supplying 115 million cubic feet of gas a day, Petrobangla officials said. Total gas supplied to the grid from imported LNG has consequently risen to 660 million cubic feet daily.

Officials of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited said one unit of the terminal was restarted early Thursday and supply began on a limited scale. Operations are being restored gradually, with the terminal expected to deliver gas at greater capacity within four to five days. Grid supply could increase further if sufficient LNG cargoes are available.

The terminal was completely shut down after a fire on July 21 was followed by technical problems. The outage created a daily shortfall of about 500 million cubic feet of gas in the national grid, while imported LNG supply fell by nearly half. Residential consumers, industrial operators and CNG users faced the greatest disruption, and load-shedding increased in several areas as gas-fired power plants received less fuel.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman ordered the rapid preparation and effective implementation of an integrated action plan to prevent pollution in rivers surrounding Dhaka. He issued the instruction at a meeting on Buriganga River water and environmental improvement at the Cabinet Division conference room in Bangladesh Secretariat on the morning of August 6.

The meeting discussed the environmental condition, pollution sources, challenges and long-term remedies for the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and other rivers near the capital. Untreated industrial discharge, inadequate sewerage and drainage, reduced canal navigability, and weak solid-waste management were identified as major causes. The prime minister stressed effective operation of effluent treatment plants, improved canals and drainage, regular drives against polluters, strict enforcement of environmental laws, stronger coordination and public awareness.

The meeting decided to form an inter-agency coordination committee under the Prime Minister’s Office to prepare and implement the plan. It will coordinate ministries, divisions and agencies, review progress at set intervals and submit reports to the Prime Minister’s Office. Environmental groups, voluntary organizations, educational institutions and local residents were also directed to be involved.