The upazila Forest Department rescued 107 rare turtles during a raid at 9pm on Monday in Bhola’s Char Fasson. The animals were found at an establishment that buys crabs and loaches in the BRDB Road area. Nasim Al Khushbu, acting officer of the upazila nursery centre, led the operation.

Officials identified the rescued animals as rare ‘Sandhi’ turtles and critically endangered ‘Kori Kaitta’ turtles. The Forest Department released all 107 turtles into its pond on Tuesday afternoon. Range Officer Abdus Salam and beat officers from several unions were present during the release.

Climate and environmental activist Sanjidul Islam expressed concern that no case had been filed against those involved. He said crab hunters and traffickers have long smuggled critically endangered turtles from forest canals and water bodies in BRDB Janata Bazar, Sonali Road and various char areas, and called for those responsible to be identified and brought under the law. Officials had also rescued 32 turtles from the fish market area on Saturday night. Divisional Forest Conservator Molla Rezaul Karim said hunting and trafficking such endangered turtles are prohibited under wildlife conservation law and operations will continue.

Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation central president Atikur Rahman alleged that a vested group is trying to exploit workers through syndicates in the labour market. Speaking at a Tuesday human chain outside the National Press Club, he demanded an end to alleged efforts to hand Malaysia’s Bangladesh labour market back to syndicates, alongside action on factory closures, layoffs, prices and minimum wages.

Rahman said Malaysia is an important destination for Bangladeshi workers and remittance earnings. He said syndicates and politicisation under the previous authoritarian government had closed the market, and about 17,000 workers could not travel from Dhaka airport on May 31, 2024 because of different syndicates. He welcomed the initiative to reopen the market after the prime minister’s Malaysia visit but criticised the government for allowing only 25 recruiting agencies to operate there.

He said syndicates could impose costs of Tk700,000 to Tk800,000 on each worker travelling to Malaysia. Rahman also said gas and power shortages had shut more than 300 factories and cost about 62,000 workers jobs in six months. He called for national and profession-based wage boards, lower oil and gas prices, reliable electricity, market-price controls and wage revisions across sectors.

Bangladesh is not starting any new government-funded environmental projects because of financing constraints, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam said on Tuesday at a National Press Club seminar in Dhaka. Projects with less than 30 percent progress have been stopped, while those exceeding 50 percent completion are continuing, he said.

The minister said the government needs cooperation because it faces serious funding and capacity problems. Despite the constraints, he said environmental protection remains a priority, citing an ongoing programme to plant 250 million trees. More than 30.5 million trees have already been planted this year, he added.

Faridul Islam identified waste management as a central concern and said regular branding was needed to address it quickly. He said pollution sources had been identified and work had begun, with regular updates from Environment Department operations. He also proposed switching off billboards after midnight to save electricity and curb visual pollution, while saying alternatives to polythene are being developed for shops and markets.

Japanese company Sub Working Group submitted a proposal on Tuesday to operate and maintain the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Masahiro Hirai handed the proposal to Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddique at the authority’s headquarters. Other CAAB officials and members of the Japanese delegation attended the submission event.

The company filed separate documents containing technical and financial proposals. These will be assessed under a prescribed process by an RFP evaluation committee formed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. The committee includes representatives from CAAB, the finance ministry, the civil aviation and tourism ministry, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Public-Private Partnership Authority and the Roads and Highways Department.

The technical proposal will be evaluated first, followed by the financial proposal. After the assessment, required discussions and negotiations will be conducted, and a contract date will be finalized through the set procedure if negotiations are completed successfully. The third terminal is described as a major aviation infrastructure project intended to strengthen Bangladesh’s aviation sector through modern technology, international-standard passenger services and efficient operations.

A government gazette has been issued for the proposed Santoshpur Ecopark in Fulbaria, Mymensingh, prompting optimism among residents about biodiversity protection, recreation and local development. Local people believe the project could reshape the upazila’s socio-economic conditions and transport links while creating a healthier recreational space for residents and visitors.

The report says roads in poor condition could be repaired and paved to ease tourist travel, improving connectivity across the upazila. It also says park-related hotels, restaurants, transport, guiding and handicrafts could create direct and indirect jobs for hundreds of unemployed young people. Greater visitor numbers are expected to increase income for local businesses.

MP Principal Kamrul Hasan Milon said the ecopark could strengthen infrastructure and communications, while protecting forests and endangered wildlife. BNP leaders and other local figures welcomed the announcement and said they were committed to advancing the government programme. The report further says the project could protect Forest Department land from illegal occupiers and safeguard the area’s natural environment and wildlife.

Bangladeshi diploma engineers in civil, electrical and architecture fields are set to receive employment opportunities in Japan under a signed memorandum of understanding, officials said at a Tuesday meeting at the Secretariat. The initiative, led by Town Life Company Limited, has begun Japanese-language instruction for students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, with the Japanese company expected to cover costs from language and technical training through entry into Japan.

Prime Minister’s education and primary education adviser Mahdi Amin said Japan’s labour market is highly important for Bangladesh in the current circumstances. He said the government is pursuing multiple initiatives with Japan, prioritising Japanese-language education and working to assist Japanese teachers with visa applications and housing arrangements. The government is also taking steps to expand overseas labour markets and improve Technical Training Centre capacity.

Officials said the first batch’s Japanese-language course is nearly complete and a second batch is under way. Candidates who pass Japanese-language examinations will be sent to Japan in phases. First-batch jobs have been confirmed, with placements due to begin by October 2026; other selected candidates are expected to enter Japan by January 2027. Town Life will also support laboratory development and training equipment at Dhaka Polytechnic Institute.

French companies are increasingly viewing Saudi Arabia as more than a domestic market, positioning it as a base for expansion across the Middle East and wider region. The kingdom is seeking to establish itself as a hub for manufacturing, technology, exports and regional management under Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy beyond oil.

By the end of 2025, Saudi Arabia had 12,946 factories. During that year, it issued 1,660 new industrial licences with potential investments of about €17.1 billion, while 1,201 factories began production. The country has 36 industrial cities and more than 700 ready-built factories. Eligible investors in four special economic zones can receive a 5% tax rate for up to 20 years, while the Saudi Industrial Development Fund may finance up to 75% of eligible project costs.

French firms including Schneider Electric, Vallourec and Tarkett are expanding industrial operations in Saudi Arabia, with Tarkett establishing a manufacturing joint venture in Jeddah. Non-oil exports and re-exports reached €83.4 billion in 2025 across more than 180 countries. Riyadh hosts more than 750 regional headquarters, including 39 French companies, while French direct investment reached about €16.3 billion in 2024.

Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, MP, inspected river and embankment areas linked to the Muhuri-Kahua flood control project in Feni’s Parshuram and Fulgazi. The visit came ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s expected arrival for the project’s inauguration. On Tuesday afternoon, the minister visited the Muhuri Bridge-adjacent river and embankment area on the Parshuram-Subar Bazar road.

During the inspection, he received information from relevant officials on the project’s current condition, vulnerable embankment sections, river erosion and measures being taken for flood control. In the severe floods of 2024, parts of embankments along the Muhuri, Kahua and Silonia rivers collapsed, inundating wide areas of Parshuram and Fulgazi. Residents have since demanded permanent flood-control arrangements and durable embankments.

Local residents showed strong interest in the minister’s visit. They expect the project, with an ECNEC-approved allocation of Tk1,500 crore, to reduce annual risks of flooding and erosion caused by hill runoff and rising river water. Preparations are continuing in the area for the prime minister’s visit and the project inauguration.

Turkey and Qatar have set a target to raise bilateral trade to $5 billion, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said after meeting Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed in Ankara. Bilateral trade reached $1.3 billion in 2025, representing a 53-fold increase over the past 21 years.

Trade between the two countries had previously climbed to $2.5 billion during construction activity ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Both countries expect their Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, which took effect last year, to support further growth. Turkish contractors have completed 206 projects in Qatar valued at about $21 billion, while around 1,116 Turkish companies operate there in construction, services and manufacturing.

Qatari companies have invested a total of $7.8 billion in Turkey across finance, banking, energy, logistics, media and agriculture. Bolat also stressed the need for alternative trade routes as disruptions to cargo transport through the Strait of Hormuz continue amid conflict in the Middle East. Turkey and Qatar plan to strengthen alternative transit and trade corridors, while Qatar Investment Authority has indicated interest in expanding investments in Turkey.

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh plans to buy essential goods worth nearly Tk 8,000 crore in fiscal 2026-27 to help stabilize the market. The state marketing agency will procure edible oil, lentils, sugar, chickpeas and dates, according to TCB Chairman Brigadier General Mohammad Foysal Azad. TCB initially plans to source roughly half of the goods domestically and the rest from international markets.

Under its procurement plan, TCB will buy 220 million litres of edible oil, 220,000 metric tonnes of lentils, 110,000 metric tonnes of sugar, 14,000 metric tonnes of chickpeas and 4,400 metric tonnes of dates from local and foreign sources. It is regularly monitoring monthly demand, allocations, warehouse stocks and pipeline supplies to ensure uninterrupted distribution.

TCB currently has 40 warehouses with total capacity of about 48,370 metric tonnes and aims to add nearly 10,000 metric tonnes of storage capacity. About 8 million smart cards have been approved, with around 7.5 million distributed. The agency also plans point-of-sale machines and a mobile system for beneficiaries to access card information and make payments digitally.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman instructed the chairman and managing director of Sammilito Islami Bank PLC to protect depositors’ interests and normalize the bank’s operations. The instructions were issued on Tuesday morning during a meeting with Chairman Kazi Shairul Hasan and Managing Director Abedur Rahman Sikdar.

The governor said the finance minister had announced in parliament that there would be no “haircut” on depositors’ profits. He said some uncertainty remained among depositors and directed the bank to clearly inform all depositors that no haircut would apply to their profits.

According to the governor, depositors are already receiving funds under a policy announced on December 29, 2025. He also directed the bank to make necessary arrangements so individual depositors can withdraw principal amounts as needed from Al-Wadiah current accounts, Mudaraba savings accounts and Mudaraba term deposits from September 1. Deputy governors Dr Md Habibur Rahman, Dr Md Kabir Ahmed, Md Sarwar Hossain and Md Anisur Rahman were present at the meeting.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moeen Khan said Danish cooperation could play an effective role in addressing Dhaka’s growing demand for safe water and its water crisis. He made the remarks on Tuesday, August 25, during a meeting at the Secretariat with Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Christian Brix Moller. State Minister for Local Government Mir Shah Alam also attended.

The meeting discussed strengthening Bangladesh-Denmark bilateral relations, expanding cooperation in water supply and waste management, and possible Danish investment in development projects. Khan said Denmark could be an important partner in water supply, waste management and development assistance, including opportunities to invest in producing energy from waste. The ambassador congratulated the minister on assuming his new responsibilities and expressed hope for broader cooperation.

Participants also discussed Danish financing and support for Phase 3 of the Saidabad Water Treatment Plant project. The Danish government will provide Tk 45 billion, including Tk 15 billion as a grant and Tk 30 billion in low-interest loans. Mir Shah Alam said the assistance was a major achievement and that implementation could substantially ease pressure from Dhaka’s increasing demand for safe water while reducing the government’s financial burden.

Singapore plans to create a new western island by reclaiming land from the sea and combining several existing islands to meet future industrial, energy and defence needs. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the plan at a recent National Day Rally. The project is expected to be developed over the coming decades south of Jurong Island, a major industrial and energy hub.

The proposed island would combine Pulau Semakau, Pulau Bukom, Pulau Sudong and several other islands. Analysts say it could provide substantial space for future industrial and energy infrastructure, including hydrogen, ammonia, advanced manufacturing and lower-carbon energy systems. The development could also strengthen industrial activities on Jurong Island.

Experts have also identified potential for nuclear power infrastructure on the new island, although Singapore has not made a final decision on using nuclear energy and further research and detailed studies are needed. Major costs are expected for reclamation, transport, power and utility infrastructure. Rising sea levels, emergency connectivity and environmental impacts may pose significant challenges. The plan is also intended to improve energy security through greater alternatives and resilience.

Japan is seeing fewer people visit its beaches while erosion and climate change are causing sandy shorelines to disappear, forcing closures at several popular sites. Otake Coast Hokota Beach in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, once known as Ibaraki’s Gold Coast, was not officially opened in 2026 for the second time in three years because of severe erosion and damage to sea-defence embankments.

Visitor numbers have fallen sharply at other beaches. Osaka’s Tokimeki Beach received 101,000 visitors in 2016 but 33,000 in 2025, while Kumanoe Beach in Miyazaki Prefecture declined from about 25,000 visitors in 2005 to only 1,000 in 2025. Nationwide beach attendance dropped from about 37.9 million in 1985 to 4.4 million in 2024, while approved summer beaches fell from 1,379 in 1993 to 966 in 2025.

Experts cite changing lifestyles, extreme heat, declining interest and environmental damage. Sea level along Japan’s coast has risen by an average 3.4 millimetres annually over two decades. A 2025 sand replenishment project at Hokota cost about 40 million yen, but waves removed 12,000 cubic metres of sand within months.

Egypt’s government has approved the establishment of a special free economic zone in New Alamein for Fujairah Alamein Oil and Gas Company, which is linked to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The zone will cover about 738,000 square metres and will be used for storing and trading crude oil and various petroleum products.

Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade said the project aims to use New Alamein’s geographical location and infrastructure to expand regional energy trade. Under the government decision, the company must export all of its produced goods outside Egypt and use at least 50 percent local components in production.

The company must obtain environmental clearance and other required government approvals before implementing the project. The initiative follows earlier energy-sector cooperation between Egypt and Fujairah: in October 2025, the sides signed agreements on creating a logistics zone in Alamein for crude oil and petroleum-product storage and trade, including plans to develop and expand El-Hamra Petroleum Port.