Bangladesh’s government has permitted green chilli imports and moved to reduce existing import taxes to curb rising prices. Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid announced the measures after visiting Shantinagar Kacha Bazar in the capital on August 2. He said imports would begin on Monday and expressed hope that prices would return to a tolerable level within two to five days.

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muqtadir, the agriculture minister and State Minister for Food Md Abdul Bari inspected the market to review supplies, prices and overall conditions for essential goods. Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam was also present. The ministers spoke with buyers and sellers and sought information on the availability and prices of different daily necessities.

Green chillies were selling for Tk320 to Tk380 per kilogram in different markets in the capital, after reaching as high as Tk400 several days earlier. Muqtadir said the government would take all necessary measures to keep market conditions tolerable for consumers. Officials hope the steps will normalize supplies of green chillies and other essential products and restore price stability.

Bangladesh received $2.85 billion in remittances in the recently concluded month of July, 15.40 percent higher than in the same period a year earlier. Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan confirmed the figure in a report published on August 2, 2026.

Central bank data show that remittance inflows exceeded $3 billion for six consecutive months from December through May of the previous fiscal year. The monthly figures were $3.22 billion in December, $3.17 billion in January, $3.01 billion in February, $3.75 billion in March, $3.12 billion in April and $3.43 billion in May. March recorded the highest inflow during that six-month period.

In the final month of the fiscal year, June, remittances fell to $2.81 billion. The report said remittances have remained below $3 billion for the past two months. Expatriates sent a total of $35.56 billion to Bangladesh in fiscal year 2025-26, compared with $30.33 billion in the previous fiscal year, representing growth of 17.30 percent.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) raised the price of a 12-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas cylinder used for cooking by Tk70 to Tk1,598. The previous price was Tk1,528. According to the BERC notification issued on August 2, the revised rate will take effect from 6pm on Sunday.

BERC set the consumer-level retail price of private LPG at Tk133.15 per kilogram in line with international market conditions. The commission said it recalculated private LPG and autogas prices after considering higher international propane and butane prices, shipping costs, trader premiums and the exchange rate of the US dollar.

For August, Saudi Aramco's announced price for propane was $620 per metric ton and for butane was $640, with the average contract price set at $633 per metric ton. The adjustment also used $180 per metric ton for shipping and trader premiums and an average exchange rate of Tk123.69 per dollar. Under the new rates, a 5.5kg cylinder costs Tk732, while the largest 45kg cylinder is priced at Tk5,992.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman ordered authorities to make waterways around Dhaka operational, while directing steps to prevent river pollution, improve drainage and maintain navigability and normal water flow. The instructions were issued at a Sunday meeting on reopening waterways around the capital, chaired by the prime minister at the Cabinet Division’s special meeting room in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

According to Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin, the meeting decided to revive the waterways surrounding Dhaka. It also decided to consider proposals from interested private companies and allow them to operate water buses on the routes. The prime minister instructed relevant authorities to examine ways to prevent pollution in Dhaka’s rivers and improve the drainage system.

He also directed that various species of trees be planted beside walkways built around the rivers to support environmental protection and enhance the beauty of riverbanks. The meeting was attended by Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam, city corporation administrators and senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies.

A farmer, Abu Bakkar Siddik, 50, died after being struck by lightning while planting transplanted rice in Dhamoirhat upazila of Naogaon. The incident occurred on Sunday morning in a cropland area of Mongolia locality under Alampur union. Siddik was the son of the late Abdur Gafur Mondal of the area.

According to local sources, Siddik went to a field beside his home in the morning to plant rice amid rain. He was seriously injured when lightning suddenly struck during the work. Local people rescued him and took him to Dhamoirhat উপজেলা Health Complex for treatment.

Siddik died while undergoing treatment at the health complex. Dhamoirhat police station duty officer ASI Raihan described the death as caused by a natural disaster. After completing necessary legal procedures, the body was handed over to his relatives.

Major General (Retd.) Dr Md Sahedul Islam has formally assumed office as the new secretary general of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, or BGMEA. The announcement concerning the country’s leading trade body for the ready-made garment sector was published on August 2, 2026.

Dr Islam has more than 35 years of experience in military leadership, international diplomacy and academia. While serving as defence attaché in Washington, DC, he received the United States’ Legion of Merit. He earned PhD, MPhil and MBA degrees from the University of Dhaka, including doctoral work on reviewing and developing workers’ skills, and a Master of Management Studies from Osmania University in India.

He previously served as dean at Bangladesh University of Professionals and as treasurer and professor at Central University of Science and Technology, and also played a role in UN peacekeeping missions. BGMEA leaders said they expect his leadership to support industry growth, skilled workforce development and responses to global challenges. He pledged to work with the BGMEA board and entrepreneurs on economic conditions, product and market diversification, skills development and strengthening Bangladesh’s international market position.

A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman decided to revive waterways surrounding Dhaka and consider allowing interested private companies to operate water buses. The meeting began at 10:30am on Sunday, August 2, 2026, in the Cabinet Division’s special meeting room at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The decisions covered restoring the capital’s surrounding river routes and reviewing proposals from private operators.

The prime minister instructed relevant authorities to prevent pollution in Dhaka’s rivers, improve drainage systems, and maintain normal navigability and water flow. He also directed them to plant different species of trees beside walkways built along the rivers, with the stated aims of environmental protection and improving the appearance of riverbanks.

Those attending included Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam and State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam. Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam, Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Rumon, and senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies also attended the meeting.

At least eight people have died and 13 were injured in floods and landslides triggered by persistent heavy rain in Kerala, India. Eight others remain missing, Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan said on Sunday. Waterlogging and extensive property damage were reported across different parts of the state as rain and flooding continued.

Satheesan said 27 houses were completely destroyed and 196 were partially damaged. Authorities moved 5,792 people to 209 relief camps established across the state. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for 12 districts amid the severe weather conditions.

According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, some areas received up to 320 millimetres of rainfall on Saturday, flooding roads and low-lying areas. Ayyankunnu in Kannur district recorded the highest total of 320 millimetres. Many other places in northern Kerala received between 90 and 180 millimetres of rain from 3 a.m. until midnight on Saturday.

Bangladesh’s government is considering shifting retail electricity distribution and customer management to private companies, while retaining electricity generation and wholesale supply under state control. Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said the prime minister had given consent to move ahead with the idea, but stressed that it is not being implemented immediately and is still under study.

The government cites mounting financial pressure in the power sector, including Tk67,000 crore in overdue bills and a possible Tk41,000 crore subsidy requirement in the current fiscal year. The Power Development Board buys electricity at higher prices and sells it at lower, regulator-set rates to six distribution companies, with the government covering losses through subsidies. The minister said private management could improve efficiency, billing collection and supply operations.

Energy experts warn that privatization without a strong, independent regulator could raise consumer costs and create service disparities in remote, hilly or sparsely populated areas. They argue that strengthening the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, improving accountability and revising existing contracts should come before any transfer of distribution responsibilities. Concerns were also raised about workers’ futures and potentially opaque agreements.

Hungary’s only nuclear power plant, Paks, is set to shut down fully as persistent drought and intense heat across Europe have driven the Danube River’s water level to a record low. Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced the decision on Sunday, saying the plant south of Budapest would cease operations completely for the first time in 44 years.

Paks normally supplies about one-third of Hungary’s total electricity demand. Its cooling system depends on water pumped from the Danube, but a lack of rainfall since May and successive heatwaves have reduced the river to its lowest recorded level. Magyar wrote on X that one of the final two generating units would be shut at 1:30 a.m.

He said the move would reduce the plant’s output to 240 megawatts before a complete closure the following day. The operator said on Friday that a full shutdown could be necessary by the middle of the following week if water levels continued to fall. National weather agency HungaroMet forecast temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in coming days, with 42 degrees possible on Thursday.

Bangladesh has proposed importing gas from Myanmar through a pipeline, prioritising expanded energy cooperation with its neighbouring country. The proposal was made during a meeting in Dhaka on August 2 between Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and Myanmar Ambassador U Kyaw Soe Moe. State Minister Anindya Islam Amit and senior ministry officials also attended the meeting at the Secretariat.

Mahmud said Bangladesh has significant domestic demand for natural gas and is particularly interested in obtaining fuel from Myanmar through a pipeline. The ambassador responded positively to the proposal and said the feasibility of supplying gas as LNG could also be discussed in detail. The energy minister gave a positive response to that suggestion.

The sides also expressed interest in reviving an earlier proposal for a pipeline from Myanmar to Chattogram. Mahmud proposed a ministerial-level meeting between relevant officials of both countries to advance bilateral energy discussions. He said he would formally invite Myanmar’s energy minister to visit Bangladesh and expressed interest in visiting Myanmar if needed. The ambassador suggested reviewing the matter through a Bangladesh-Myanmar joint technical committee.

Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir met Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh Kyaw Soe Moe at the Commerce Ministry on August 2. They discussed expanding bilateral trade, increasing imports and exports, strengthening maritime transport links, LNG imports and opportunities for mutual investment. The meeting also addressed the safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingya people sheltering in Bangladesh.

Muqtadir said Bangladesh is committed to strengthening relations with neighbouring countries through mutual respect, trust and economic cooperation. He said matters involving trade, transport, investment and border connectivity that concern other ministries would be reviewed through inter-ministerial coordination. The ambassador expressed interest in raising trade volumes and said resuming long-suspended border trade could benefit businesses and people in both countries, possibly initially on a limited or temporary basis.

The sides exchanged views on trade in agricultural and fisheries products, rice, medicines and frozen food, while stressing stronger business-to-business contacts. Myanmar said verification of repatriation lists was continuing and that steps would be taken when security and field conditions allowed. Both sides supported regular institutional talks and joint committee meetings, and emphasized finalizing a proposed agreement on direct maritime and shipping links.

Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action thriller King is drawing attention before its planned worldwide release during the upcoming Christmas week. Bollywood reports suggest Zee Music may acquire the film’s music rights for about Rs 50 crore. If completed, the deal would be considered among the biggest music-rights agreements in Indian cinema.

No final decision has been made, however. Punit Goenka, managing director and chief executive officer of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, told Variety India that he did not want to comment on the financial value of the proposed agreement. He confirmed that discussions with the production company were progressing positively.

Goenka said Zee Music prioritizes agreements in which producers also receive fair financial benefits. King is jointly produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Films. Sachin-Jigar are handling the film’s music, while Anirudh Ravichander is composing the background score. The cast also includes Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Rani Mukerji.

REHAB President Dr Ali Afzal said government policies, tax rules and registration procedures are forcing legally earned income in Bangladesh’s housing sector to remain undisclosed. In an interview published by Amar Desh on August 2, 2026, he said 95 percent of businesses involved in land and apartments were in poor condition. Construction costs have risen by more than 40 percent, pushing flat prices beyond many buyers’ means and discouraging new projects.

Afzal described provisions in the Detailed Area Plan, or DAP, as discriminatory and detached from reality. He argued that population growth had not been adequately considered in planning. He called for coordination between public and private parties, government responsibility for utility services, and consistent rules for approving high-rise buildings. He also said taxes on products used by support industries total about 44 percent and that property registration costs are high.

The REHAB chief proposed a one-stop service, approval of plans within 30 days of complete document submission, and an end to harassment at registrar offices. He estimated that Tk50,000 crore to Tk60,000 crore in flat transactions goes undisclosed annually, arguing that minimum-value registration rules make it difficult to report actual sale values and profits.

The BNP government has moved to fill long-standing vacancies at Bangladesh’s state-owned banks as part of its pledge to create 10 million new jobs in public and private sectors over five years. The Financial Institutions Division of the Finance Ministry has asked the banks for updated vacancy lists and information on the progress of recruitment. The banks have already submitted the requested information, according to the report published on August 2, 2026.

Basic Bank has 886 employees against 1,083 approved posts and 237 vacancies in grades six, nine and 10. It aims to fill 119 posts within 180 days and complete most recruitment by December. Agrani Bank has 6,248 vacancies; 323 candidates have been finally selected for certain posts, while recruitment for 400 senior officers is under way.

Sonali Bank has 6,218 vacant posts, followed by Janata Bank with 3,000, Rupali Bank with 1,470 and Bangladesh Development Bank with 810. Officials said half of grade nine and 10 vacancies are filled through direct recruitment and half through promotion. Janata Bank’s managing director said its board is not currently interested in new hiring because of its financial condition and focus on recovering defaulted loans.