The government of Bangladesh is preparing to implement a Tk 6,000 crore project aimed at improving border connectivity roads under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). A Development Project Proposal (DPP) titled 'Border Connectivity Road Rural Infrastructure Development Project' has been prepared, with an estimated cost of Tk 5,991.28 crore and a project duration from July 2026 to June 2031. A letter signed by LGED’s acting chief engineer Belal Hossain was sent to the Local Government Division secretary on July 12, requesting necessary approval.

According to the source, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has not yet been involved or informed about the project. However, a senior BGB officer acknowledged that poor road conditions currently hinder troop movement and welcomed the government’s initiative. Rangpur Range DIG Aminul Islam and Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Shahidul Islam both stated that improved border roads would help curb smuggling, illegal entry, and enhance rapid response capabilities.

The project proposal follows a series of reports published by the newspaper highlighting challenges faced by BGB and border residents, prompting LGED to take this development initiative.

Continuous rainfall and flooding have severely damaged Chattogram’s agricultural sector, affecting crops and water sources across 16 upazilas. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, more than 15,911 hectares of farmland, including Aus paddy, Aman seedbeds, and summer vegetables, have been damaged, with estimated financial losses exceeding Tk 400 crore. Around 20,000 tube wells and over 5,000 toilets were also damaged, creating acute shortages of food and safe drinking water in affected areas.

The worst-hit upazilas include Banshkhali, Sandwip, Chandanaish, Fatikchhari, and Satkania, where large portions of Aus paddy and vegetables were destroyed. Many farmers will need to replant Aman seedbeds, increasing production costs. Health experts have warned that contaminated tube wells could trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid if safe water is not ensured.

Officials from the Department of Public Health Engineering said damage assessments are underway, and efforts are being made to repair or reinstall tube wells and restore safe water supply to flood-affected communities.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has deployed special teams across Bangladesh to strengthen monitoring and verification of tax deduction at source. According to an official statement issued on Sunday by NBR’s Public Relations Officer Al Amin Sheikh, the teams are inspecting various commercial and economic institutions under the authority granted by Section 147 of the Income Tax Act, 2023.

The NBR notice explained that under Section 147, tax officials are empowered to enter business premises, examine financial records, and access digital systems, including cloud servers and encrypted data, to verify the authenticity of tax deductions. They may temporarily seize relevant documents or electronic devices and mark or seal copies of records as needed. The law also provides for penalties in cases of obstruction or non-cooperation during these operations.

The NBR urged taxpayers to deposit deducted taxes into the government treasury through e-challan using the correct legal provisions and economic codes. It also advised taxpayers to contact the Section 147 committee’s member secretary via email for assistance in case of confusion, complexity, or grievances related to the enforcement of the law.

An opinion article published on July 19, 2026, highlights Bangladesh’s persistent struggle to eliminate brokers from the overseas employment process. Despite having formal institutions such as BMET, BOESL, DEMO offices, technical training centers, and digital tools like the OIM-BMET platform and Ami Probashi app, the system remains inaccessible to many rural job seekers. The article notes that in 2023, over 1.1 million workers went abroad, but only 1.3 percent used the state recruiting agency BOESL, reflecting a major gap between policy and field reality.

The author cites findings from the World Bank, CPD, and ITUC showing that weak data integration, limited outreach, and informal recruitment practices allow brokers to dominate the process, often charging excessive fees and exploiting workers. To address this, the article proposes embassy-based Labor Market Development Cells, one-stop support for foreign employers, performance-based incentives for officials, and integrated upazila-level assistance centers combining existing agencies.

It further calls for transparent cost disclosure, verified contracts, expanded training linked to real labor demand, and direct access to low-interest loans. The author argues that investing a small portion of remittance income in these reforms would strengthen worker safety and national economic stability.

Authorities at the Kaptai Dam in Rangamati opened 16 spillway gates by six inches each at 11:20 a.m. on Saturday to release about 9,000 cusecs of water into the Karnaphuli River. The decision followed heavy rainfall and mountain runoff that rapidly raised the water level of Kaptai Lake. The measure aims to manage upstream and downstream water flow and prevent potential flooding.

According to the manager engineer of the Karnaphuli Hydropower Station, the lake’s water level reached 104.08 feet MSL at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Five power generation units are currently operating, producing an average of 222 megawatts of electricity while discharging around 32,000 cusecs of water through turbines. The lake’s maximum capacity is 109 feet MSL, and authorities may open more gates if necessary.

Officials have advised residents in low-lying areas along the Karnaphuli River to remain alert. The situation is being continuously monitored, and Rangamati’s deputy commissioner and other local officials visited the dam to observe the water release operation.

A section of the embankment in Talukdar village under Char Ishwar Union of Hatiya upazila, Noakhali, collapsed on Friday afternoon under pressure from an unusually high tide, flooding three villages. The sudden inundation swept away household furniture, fish from ponds, livestock, and crops. Local residents fear the situation may worsen during the next high tide at night, with further damage expected.

According to local sources, continuous rainfall and high tides had weakened several parts of the embankment before it gave way. Floodwaters rose two to three feet in some areas, submerging rural roads, homes, and farmlands. Union Parishad member Asar Uddin said authorities had been warned earlier but no preventive action was taken. Residents accused officials of negligence and urged immediate repair using geo-bags or sandbags to block water entry.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rasel Iqbal confirmed that the Water Development Board had been alerted earlier, and emergency repairs are planned. Sub-divisional engineer Jamil Uddin Patwary said repair work would begin as soon as weather conditions allow.

US energy company HKN Energy has suspended all operations in Iraq’s Kurdistan region due to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. The decision was reported by Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, citing a company official. It came only days after HKN signed an agreement with Iraq’s oil ministry to develop the Hamrin oil field in Salahuddin province. The deal, signed on July 9, aimed to raise daily oil output to 140,000 barrels and gas production to 40 million cubic feet.

The suspension follows a series of drone attacks in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces that killed nine members of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The deteriorating security situation prompted the company to halt its activities. Earlier, UAE-based Dana Gas had also temporarily suspended operations at the Khor Mor gas field near Sulaymaniyah, citing credible threats.

The back-to-back suspensions highlight growing instability in northern Iraq’s energy sector as regional tensions intensify.

Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department has forecast intensified rainfall across the country starting from July 20 or 21, with heavy to very heavy showers expected particularly in the northern divisions. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre warned that the combined effect of heavy rain and upstream water from India could worsen the overall flood situation. On Saturday, Nilphamari’s Dimla recorded 137 millimeters of rain, while Rangpur, Sylhet, and Noakhali also experienced significant rainfall.

According to the latest forecasts, active monsoon conditions will bring widespread rain and thunderstorms to Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet, and moderate rain to other regions. Water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara, Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers are rising, with some points already above danger levels. Short-term flooding may occur in low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, and Kurigram.

Authorities have issued local weather alerts for coastal ports and advised fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal to remain near shore. The extent of flooding this week will depend on rainfall intensity and the inflow of water from India.

The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month has risen to 5,119, according to the latest official figures released on Saturday. The quakes, which occurred on June 24, caused severe damage in the coastal state of La Guaira near the capital Caracas. Authorities reported that the number of injured remains unchanged at 16,740.

Venezuelan parliamentary president Jorge Rodríguez confirmed the updated figures through Telegram. Rescue operations continue in La Guaira, where many buildings collapsed, and bodies are still being recovered from the debris. Thousands of residents have been left homeless and are currently staying in temporary shelters.

Officials have not yet released any formal count of those still missing, leaving uncertainty about the total human impact of the disaster.

The US government has approved the launch of a mirror satellite named Earendel-1, designed to reflect sunlight onto specific areas of Earth at night, according to a report by Petapixel. The satellite, roughly the size of a bedside table, will orbit about 400 miles above Earth and deploy a 60-foot-wide square mirror. It will direct sunlight to illuminate a circular patch about three miles wide, effectively turning night into day for limited zones.

Ben Nowak, co-founder of Reflective Orbit, said customers committing to at least 1,000 hours of annual use would pay $5,000 per hour for the service. While the cost—totaling $5 million per year—places it beyond most photographers’ budgets, authorities noted potential use in emergency situations. The US government also plans to launch up to 1,000 larger satellites in the future, each capable of reflecting light equivalent to 100 full moons.

Astronomers and biologists have voiced strong opposition, warning that such artificial illumination could disrupt natural light-dark cycles, harm wildlife, and alter human sleep patterns.

The Government of Bangladesh has announced a plan to modernize the country’s public transport system by introducing around 1,400 electric buses. Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Dr. Mohammad Ziaul Haque said the initiative aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and make transport cleaner, safer, and more efficient. The plan includes establishing a universal EV charging network and exploring new systems such as monorail.

According to the secretary, several projects are underway: 500 buses are under financing process, 300 buses are being implemented with South Korean support, and another 400-bus project awaits World Bank approval. Two separate procurement packages worth Tk 400 crore each have been added to accelerate purchases, including a special fleet for women passengers. The government expects visible progress on selected routes by December this year or early next year, initially targeting 200 buses.

A technical committee comprising BUET and MIST experts is developing unified standards for batteries, charging, and mechanical systems. The government is also considering incentives for private operators and discussing fare structures with the finance ministry to balance costs and affordability.

The Government of Bangladesh will launch the pilot phase of the 'Probashi Card' next month to provide multifaceted services for expatriate Bangladeshis. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office, where it was announced that the trial launch will take place in mid-August. The initiative aims to enhance the social status, empowerment, and financial inclusion of expatriates through dual-currency cards enabling international payments and banking services.

According to the Prime Minister’s Press Wing, the Probashi Card will offer at least ten special benefits, including complimentary airport lounge access, priority immigration booths, meet-and-greet services, discounts on air tickets and hotel bookings, affordable car rentals, airport pick-and-drop for signature cardholders, dedicated service booths at government hospitals, and special discounts at private hospitals. Additional privileges include free repatriation of deceased cardholders, rehabilitation and insurance for returnees, priority in land registration and utility services, and remittance-linked financial incentives.

Initially, Janata Bank will issue the debit cards, targeting 50,000 cards by December 2026 and 200,000 by June 2027. In the second phase, Probashi Kallyan Bank will manage all related operations.

Saudi Arabia has introduced a new technology-driven service at the Grand Mosque in Mecca to assist Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. According to a Gulf News report published on Saturday, the initiative provides real-time crowd information for areas designated for Tawaf and Sa’i, allowing worshippers to choose less crowded routes and perform rituals more comfortably.

The authority responsible for maintaining the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque stated that the digital platform delivers live updates on crowd density and offers guidance to help avoid congestion. The service aims to enhance the overall experience of worshippers by improving movement and safety within the holy site.

Pilgrims can access the service through a QR code, which provides continuously updated information to facilitate smoother movement around the mosque. The system is expected to make crowd management more effective and ensure a more seamless and comfortable pilgrimage experience.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has introduced new conditions for receiving government grants for full-length film production. According to a circular issued by the ministry’s Film-2 branch on Wednesday, the third installment of funding will not be released unless 80 percent of the film’s shooting is completed. The directive is part of the revised ‘Government Grant Policy for Full-Length Film Production 2025,’ which also establishes an 11-member grant committee.

The committee, chaired by the ministry’s adviser, includes senior officials, film industry representatives, and cultural experts such as Professor Dr. Syed Jafar Iqbal, actress Humayra Islam Mukti, and the president of the Bangladesh Film Exhibitors Association, Awlad Hossain. It will approve the release of the second installment, verify shooting progress before the third installment, and provide final approval for selected scripts and proposals. The committee may also recommend suspending grants if no suitable proposals are received in a given year.

A separate 11-member committee has been formed for short film grants, also chaired by the ministry’s adviser. The new directives take effect immediately in the public interest.

The United States is facing a simultaneous onslaught of wildfires, floods, and smoke pollution, affecting multiple regions at once. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 68 large wildfires are burning across 15 states, with 17 new fires ignited by lightning in the Pacific Northwest. Thick smoke has spread from the Great Lakes to Washington, D.C., while Texas’ Hill Country remains submerged under floodwaters for a third consecutive day. More than 17,400 firefighters, 140 helicopters, and four military C-130 air tankers have been deployed nationwide to combat the crises.

So far this year, about 3.72 million acres of forest have burned—over one million acres more than during the same period last year. Experts from several U.S. universities warn that overlapping disasters amplify overall damage. They link the extreme weather to abnormal jet stream patterns and human-driven climate change, which have tripled stagnant jet stream events since the 1950s.

Researchers also note that global warming intensifies both drought and heavy rainfall, creating conditions where wildfires and floods increasingly occur at the same time.