Kazi Rawnakul Islam Tipu has been appointed managing director of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCCT) on a one-year contractual basis, with Grade-2 status. The Ministry of Public Administration’s Contract and Foreign Employment Wing issued a notification on Thursday. The report was published on July 24, 2026.

The notification was signed by Md. Golam Rabbani, deputy secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration, by order of the President. It said the appointment was made under Section 19(2) of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Act, 2010. Tipu will serve as managing director for one year from the date of joining.

Before assuming the role, he must sever existing work relationships with any profession, business, government, semi-government, autonomous or private institution, and organization. Other contractual terms will be set through an agreement between both sides. Tipu had long served as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s central committee assistant secretary for forest and environment affairs. Copies of the notification were sent to relevant offices, with instructions to publish it on the ministry’s website.

A Sylhet-based trader has submitted a written application seeking the return of 6,300 kilograms of cumin seized in Habiganj, saying the goods were legally imported from India through a letter of credit. Mohammad Afzalur Rahman filed the application with the Shaistaganj customs warehouse officer on Thursday afternoon. He said his firm, Afsana Store Crusher, imported 300 sacks through Tamabil land port on July 16 and paid the required duty, VAT and taxes on July 19. He said 210 sacks were loaded onto a covered van on July 22 for delivery to a buyer in Dhaka when Border Guard Bangladesh detained the vehicle and goods.

Rahman alleged that BGB did not accept photocopies of the documents shown by the driver and took the cumin into custody. The goods were later sent to the Shaistaganj customs warehouse under case GR-160/26. BGB said the cumin was seized at a checkpoint near Teliapara rail crossing, about three kilometres inside the border, and that customs officials had said the trader's documents were forged. The customs warehouse officer said the application has been forwarded to divisional customs officials for review and a decision.

Dubai has launched the “Dubai Invite” initiative to support its tourism sector after international visitor numbers fell amid the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Under the programme, run by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, UAE residents can nominate foreign friends or relatives to visit Dubai. When nominated guests travel, residents can receive a benefit package worth 3,000 UAE dirhams, including free hotel stays, restaurant meals and tickets to attractions.

Residents can receive up to three benefit packages. Visitors must arrive by October 31, while benefits can be used until December. Nominees must be non-UAE residents, travel on valid tourist visas and can be nominated only once. The report said airline traffic at Dubai airport has fallen by half, overall business revenue has dropped by more than 50%, and many hotels are vacant. More than 10,000 applications were submitted within the programme’s first 48 hours, according to local media reports.

Bollywood actors Nora Fatehi and Pankaj Tripathi have expressed solidarity with students protesting alleged question-paper leaks in India’s National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, or NEET. Students and their supporters have been holding continuous demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since June 20. Their demands include full transparency and accountability in the examination system, justice for affected students, the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and sweeping reforms to the examination process.

In an Instagram message, Fatehi said education is not only about examinations or marks and that students and their families deserve fairness, dignity and trust. She expressed condolences to families of students who died by suicide and praised protesters’ courage and patience. Tripathi supported the movement in an Instagram story, criticized the police’s strict approach, and urged the government to show compassion toward injured young people. The source also says Alia Bhatt and several other prominent actors had previously voiced support for the students’ demands.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has been accused of spending several crore taka on corporate social responsibility activities without a legal framework or policy. Records obtained under the Right to Information Act show that from fiscal years 2021-22 to 2024-25, the regulator allocated funds to individuals and institutions for medical assistance, education, religious facilities, cemeteries, sports, picnics, insurance premiums and other purposes. Spending in those four fiscal years was Tk26.40 lakh, Tk7.1128 crore, Tk2.0242 crore and Tk87.75 lakh respectively.

BSEC spokesperson Abul Kalam said every expenditure was approved at commission meetings and that work on a CSR policy is under way. Former chairman Faruk Ahmed Siddiqui and former commissioner Helal Uddin Nizami said a non-profit government institution has no scope to conduct CSR spending. An official from the Revenue Audit Directorate said such spending would be unlawful without provisions in an institution's own law or a policy. Former commissioner Abdul Halim acknowledged that several institutions in his home area received allocations but denied influencing the approvals.

Continuous rainfall has reduced supplies of several vegetables in Khetlal upazila of Joypurhat, pushing market prices higher. The report, published on July 24, said prices for most vegetables rose by Tk15 to Tk20 per kilogram within a week. Visits to Itakhola Hat, Bottoli Hat and Thana Bazar Monjar Bazar found price increases at both wholesale and retail levels, with retail prices rising more sharply. At Itakhola market, eggplant sold for Tk100-120 per kg, bitter gourd for Tk80-100 and green chilli for Tk200-220.

Vegetable sellers said waterlogging in many fields has made harvesting difficult and reduced output, cutting supplies to markets. Buyers complained that prices for the same vegetables vary within the same market, alleging that some traders charge extra. Market-related sources expect prices to decline within the next few days if rainfall eases and vegetables can be harvested and supplied normally.

Flood conditions have worsened in India’s Assam state, affecting more than 721,000 people across 11 districts, according to the latest report released Friday by Assam’s Disaster Reporting and Information Management System. Nearly 900 villages remain fully inundated. Six additional deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the seasonal flood death toll to 47. Sivasagar is the worst-hit district, with about 392,000 people affected. Charaideo, Jorhat and Dibrugarh are also among the affected districts.

Local authorities have opened 106 relief camps and 381 relief distribution centres. A total of 24,418 people are sheltering in the camps, while nearly 290,826 people are receiving assistance through distribution centres. Rescue and relief operations include 111 medical teams, 56 boats and an Indian Air Force helicopter. Authorities have moved 8,409 people and 35 animals to safer locations. Floodwaters have submerged about 24,897 hectares of cropland and affected 138,965 animals. Water levels in four rivers are above danger marks, while the Disang River has crossed its highest flood level.

A rare soldierfish was caught in a fishing net in the deep Bay of Bengal off Kuakata in Patuakhali. Idris, skipper of the Mayar Doa trawler, found the fish while catching hilsa, poa and other fish three to four days earlier. It was brought to the Sifat Fish market at Alipur fishing port on Thursday, where people gathered to view its bright red-pink appearance. The fish has been kept on ice because it is unfamiliar locally and its suitability for consumption has not been confirmed.

Experts said soldierfish have bright red or pink bodies, comparatively large eyes and hard, rough scales that can make them resemble an armored soldier. They generally move in groups and live around deep-sea coral reefs or rocky areas. Research assistant Bakhtiar Rahman said the fish belongs to the Holocentridae family and occurs in the Indo-Pacific and deep Bay of Bengal. Senior fisheries officer Apu Saha said such catches provide important information about marine biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal.

Media report says manipulated statistics that inflated Bangladesh's economic performance during the Sheikh Hasina era have not ended and similar practices continue under subsequent governments. The article describes suppression of nonperforming loan data, overstated export earnings, concealed GDP realities and repeated upward budget changes as routine during that period. An interim government formed a taskforce to reform the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and submitted recommendations, but those were not implemented; the current elected government also has taken no effective steps to carry out the reforms according to the report.

The report details the taskforce composition and aims: an eight-member expert group chaired by Hossain Zillur Rahman sought institutional changes to make BBS data more transparent and reliable, and members such as Dhaka University professor Moinul Islam said they submitted all necessary reform proposals. BBS officials quoted in the piece said ministerial approval is no longer required to publish some BBS data, but one director said he lacked detailed knowledge of the earlier taskforce. The article highlights specific data inconsistencies — population counts, GDP and per capita income, inflation figures, and export statistics — and cites international assessments questioning data adequacy and experts warning of planning and resource-allocation complications caused by unreliable statistics.

Global fuel markets surged after renewed escalation of conflict in the Middle East, pushing Brent crude to $100 per barrel — the first time since May. Prices climbed sharply after the United States intensified military action against Iran and following attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on oil tankers in the Red Sea, which also threatened alternative export routes that avoid the Strait of Hormuz. Natural gas benchmarks rose alongside oil, with UK gas near 150 pence per therm, up from about 98 pence in late June.

Economists warn the Middle East fighting could sharply increase inflationary pressures worldwide because higher oil prices raise petrol and diesel costs, which in turn lift transport and food prices. The article notes recent impacts in developed countries: UK petrol and diesel prices have risen over the past two weeks to about £1.56 and £1.72 per litre respectively, and US average gasoline has surpassed $4 per gallon after being $3.92 a month earlier. US officials signalled a return to heightened tensions after a temporary ceasefire earlier reduced prices.

US Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh told Congress that prolonged high inflation would not be tolerated and the Fed remains committed to restoring price stability, while Fed policy rates were left unchanged in a recent meeting at 3.5–3.75 percent.

A rare parrotfish was caught by fishermen off the Kuakata coast in the Bay of Bengal and brought to Mohipur fish market on Thursday afternoon. The fish, locally called 'tota' or 'tia' fish, weighed about 700 grams and drew a crowd at Faisal Fish auction due to its bird-like mouth and beak. The manager Mo. Jahangir bought it at auction for three thousand taka.

The catch was made by the trawler FB Vai Vai under skipper Babul Matubber, who went fishing with 17 crew near Payra port's last buoy two days earlier. The parrotfish was hauled up alongside hilsa, poa and other species during net retrieval. Manager Jahangir said the fish was purchased and preserved on ice and will be sent to Chattogram for sale.

Experts and officials noted the species' beak-like teeth and bright coloration; its scientific name is Scarus ghobbani and it is occasionally caught in deep Bay of Bengal waters near Cox's Bazar and Kuakata.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the recently drafted budget, prepared after one to one-and-a-half months of effort, has been appreciated across all levels of the country and its true success depends on effective implementation. He made the remarks while addressing the first meeting with finance department officials at the ministry on Thursday, where the meeting was chaired by Finance Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Majumdar.
The minister urged changing negative public perceptions about bureaucracy, stressing that working together can overcome any obstacle and that officials should move beyond traditional practices to adopt innovative, out-of-the-box thinking. He called for meetings to allow free and spontaneous expression of views, mutual cooperation, family-like work environments, direct presentation of problems and ideas, and objective feedback from subdivisions to enable proper decision-making.
He said the government has initiated a coordinated masterplan to develop Cox’s Bazar as an international and regional tourist hub and is reconsidering long-standing 50m and 500m coastal restrictions where development will occur, ensuring environmental protection. Work on an international airport, rail service, and improved road links from Chattogram are underway and will be coordinated to transform Cox’s Bazar into a modern digital tourism city contributing to the goal of a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2034.

At a seminar titled “Bangladesh’s Economy in July’s Aspirations,” held on July 23 at Dhaka University, Dr. Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Amar Desh, emphasized that creating new employment opportunities must be the top priority to revive Bangladesh’s economy. He argued that sustainable development and equitable wealth distribution are impossible without expanding productive industries and agriculture. Rahman criticized the focus on mega projects over manufacturing, citing corruption risks and questioning the credibility of official economic statistics.

The event, organized by the Center for Advanced Studies and Thoughts (CAST), also featured the launch of two books analyzing Bangladesh’s recent economic trends. Speakers, including Dr. A.K.M. Waresul Karim of North South University, highlighted rising inflation, high non-performing loans, and inadequate income growth among low-wage groups. They called for transparency in industrial revival plans and greater research funding for young scholars.

Participants further stressed the need for reliable infrastructure, energy supply, and skilled human resources to attract investment and ensure inclusive economic growth.

Vegetable prices across Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, have surged sharply, with most items now selling above Tk100 per kilogram. According to a report published on July 23, 2026, prices have risen by Tk20 to Tk50 per kg due to continuous rainfall disrupting supply chains. Retailers report that eggplant, bitter gourd, and okra are selling between Tk100 and Tk120 per kg, while cucumber and tomato prices have reached Tk130 and Tk160 respectively. Green chili prices have doubled or tripled within a month, now retailing between Tk200 and Tk280 per kg.

Traders attribute the price hike to rain-induced supply shortages, as waterlogging has damaged crops and limited farmers’ ability to harvest. A vegetable seller from Keraniganj said wholesalers are receiving fewer supplies, forcing retailers to sell at higher prices. Consumers, particularly middle- and lower-income families, expressed frustration over the escalating costs of daily essentials.

Agricultural expert Dr. Jamal Uddin warned that continued adverse weather could further strain local supply chains. However, traders expect prices to ease once weather conditions improve and new harvests reach the markets.

Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt has expressed her support for the ongoing student protests in Delhi against exam paper leaks and irregularities. In an emotional message shared on social media on July 23, 2026, she praised the students’ courage and determination in demanding a fair and transparent education system. Bhatt said the recent days had been both painful and inspiring, acknowledging the sacrifices and dreams behind each protesting student.

She emphasized that the movement for accountability reminds society to listen to the voices of the younger generation. Bhatt described the students’ resilience as a mirror reflecting a question to all—whether the nation truly hears those shaping its future. Her message concluded with the sentiment that the future belongs to the students themselves.

Earlier, actor Salman Khan had also expressed solidarity with the protesters but voiced sorrow that the initially peaceful demonstrations had turned violent. He called the exam paper leak a serious issue and extended sympathy to affected students and their families.