Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that Bangladesh’s new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be designed to safeguard public interest and national economic security. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday, July 12, 2026, he emphasized that the government will not join any IMF initiative that undermines the welfare of the people.

The minister criticized the previous IMF program adopted by the former government, describing it as contrary to public interest and incompatible with a democratic administration. He stated that the current government withdrew from that program to protect the nation’s economic priorities. Chowdhury reiterated that the main goal is not merely to secure funds but to ensure the protection of Bangladesh’s economic sovereignty and citizens’ welfare.

He also announced plans to revise the country’s visa policy to make it simpler and more modern, aiming to attract more foreign tourists and investors while strengthening global confidence in Bangladesh.

A Royal Bengal tigress that was seriously injured in a poacher’s trap has been released back into the Sundarbans after months of medical care. The release took place at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday in the Andhar Manik area of the Chandpai Range in the eastern Sundarbans. The event was attended by State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam and senior forest officials. The minister said the government prioritizes the protection of the Sundarbans and its biodiversity and emphasized public cooperation in wildlife conservation.

According to the Forest Department, the tigress was trapped on January 3 in the same area and rescued after being tranquilized. She was taken to the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division’s rehabilitation center in Boyra, Khulna, where a five-member veterinary team treated severe leg injuries caused by the trap. The tigress, aged about nine to ten years, has now regained full health and agility, with increased weight and restored hunting ability.

Officials said the decision to release her in the original location was made after expert consultation in a virtual meeting held on May 21.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in six divisions due to active monsoon conditions. According to a forecast signed by meteorologist Khondaker Hafizur Rahman, areas in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions may experience intense rainfall within the next 24 hours from noon on July 12, 2026.

The department defines heavy rainfall as 44 to 88 millimeters within 24 hours, while precipitation exceeding 88 millimeters is considered very heavy. In the past 30 hours, Dhaka recorded 179 millimeters of continuous rain, including 97 millimeters in the first 24 hours and 82 millimeters in the following six hours. Patuakhali recorded the highest rainfall nationwide at 132 millimeters during the same period.

Waterlogging caused by the heavy rain and inadequate drainage has submerged roads and alleys across the capital, creating severe disruption for residents and visitors.

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Bay of Bengal early Sunday morning, according to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services. Tremors were felt in several coastal areas of Visakhapatnam and nearby districts of Andhra Pradesh, including Gajuwaka, Mangalapalem, Sagar Nagar, Pedda Waltair, Arilova, MVP Colony, and Appughar. No casualties or damage have been reported so far.

The National Centre for Seismology stated that the quake occurred at 5:05:46 a.m. Indian time, with its epicenter located about 225 kilometers off the Kakinada coast at a depth of 10 kilometers. Mild shaking was also reported in parts of Anakapalli, Vizianagaram, Kakinada, and Konaseema districts.

Authorities have not issued any warnings, and there are no reports of significant impact following the tremor, which was relatively shallow and moderate in intensity.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired a meeting on two waste-to-energy projects for Dhaka North and South City Corporations. The meeting was held on Sunday morning at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Secretariat, according to Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Hossain Swadhin. The projects aim to convert city waste into electricity to support sustainable urban energy generation.

During the meeting, it was stated that China’s CMEC Group will invest in a waste-to-energy plant at Aminbazar under Dhaka North City Corporation. The facility will process about 3,000 tons of waste daily to produce 42.5 megawatts of electricity and is expected to begin supplying power to the national grid by August 2028, with a projected operational lifespan of 25 years. Meanwhile, South Korea’s B&F Company will implement a similar project at Matuail under Dhaka South City Corporation, generating around 15,000 tons of methane gas annually to produce approximately 81,000 megawatt-hours of electricity.

The projects will also produce solar power, fertilizer, animal feed, and eco-bricks, contributing to waste management improvement and climate change mitigation. The Prime Minister instructed relevant ministries to coordinate through an inter-ministerial meeting to ensure timely and environmentally sound implementation.

At least 16 people have died of hunger in Uganda’s northeastern Karamoja region in recent weeks, according to the government. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said her office will seek cabinet approval on Monday to secure additional food supplies for the affected areas. Once approved, more grain will be purchased and distributed urgently to communities in need.

Local farmers reported that since April, when the planting season usually begins, the region has received little to no rainfall. The lack of rain has dried up large fields of maize, sorghum, and soybeans, destroying hopes of a good harvest and worsening food shortages. Experts say recurring food crises in Karamoja are driven by climate change, erratic rainfall, deforestation, overgrazing, and crop diseases.

The government has already begun distributing emergency food aid. Specialists have urged investment in better weather forecasting, irrigation systems, and the development and expansion of drought-resistant crop varieties to reduce future risks.

A large tree fell on a university bus at Jagannath University (JNU) campus in Dhaka on Sunday morning, July 12, 2026, during continuous rainfall. The incident occurred at the Shanto Chattar area of the campus, damaging the bus but causing no injuries to students, drivers, or staff. Witnesses said the tree suddenly uprooted and crashed onto the parked bus, creating panic among those nearby. University authorities visited the site and began removing the fallen tree.

Transport Administrator Professor Md. Tariq Bin Atik stated that although no one was hurt, the bus sustained significant damage, estimated at around three to four lakh taka. He noted that several trees on campus are in risky condition and urged the administration to identify and address them to prevent future accidents.

An assessment of the total damage is underway, and officials emphasized the need for proactive measures to ensure campus safety during the monsoon season.

In Mymensingh, intermittent heavy rainfall and high humidity have intensified health risks for outdoor laborers such as farmers, construction workers, brick kiln laborers, and rickshaw pullers. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded 174 millimeters of rainfall on Wednesday, one of the country’s highest, while weak wind flow and persistent humidity have made working conditions increasingly hazardous. Experts warn that these are not normal seasonal variations but signs of a shifting climate pattern marked by hot days, humid nights, and erratic rain.

Health officials report a rise in heat-related illnesses including dehydration, heat exhaustion, and kidney complications. They emphasize the need for better medical training, equipment, and preparedness across hospitals. Farmers and laborers describe difficulties working in sweltering conditions without shaded rest areas or access to safe drinking water. Meteorologists note that Mymensingh’s geography makes it prone to thunderstorms, while climate scientists warn of long-term threats to productivity, agriculture, and food security.

Authorities have installed lightning protection systems in the region, but maintenance and coordination remain inadequate, limiting their effectiveness in reducing lightning-related hazards.

Electro Mart Group CEO Md. Nurul Afsar has received the Asia Prestige 50 Under 50 CEO Excellence Award 2026, recognizing his leadership and contributions to the electronics industry. The award ceremony took place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where over 280 senior corporate leaders from 28 countries gathered. The event was inaugurated by Cambodia’s Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hem Vandi, and celebrated young, dynamic, and visionary business leaders under 50 across Asia.

The award highlights Afsar’s more than 33 years of dedication to innovation, participation, and development within Electro Mart Group and Bangladesh’s electronics sector. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant growth through strategic marketing, product diversification, and sustainable development initiatives. The Electro Mart chairman congratulated Afsar, noting that his visionary leadership has driven the company’s culture of excellence.

In his remarks, Afsar expressed gratitude to the organizers and said the recognition would inspire further responsibility and collaboration to advance Bangladesh’s electronics and home appliance industries.

Continuous heavy rainfall has severely disrupted daily life in Dhaka, where 179 millimeters of rain fell between Saturday morning and Sunday noon, a span of just 30 hours. The downpour, combined with inadequate drainage, has submerged both main roads and residential lanes, leaving office workers, students, and laborers struggling to move through flooded streets.

Low-lying areas such as Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Tejgaon, Green Road, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Mirpur, and parts of Old Dhaka have experienced severe waterlogging, with water levels reaching knee to waist height in some places. Public transport shortages and disputes over fare hikes have added to commuters’ difficulties. According to meteorologist Khondkar Hafizur Rahman, the heavy rain is caused by active monsoon conditions and may continue through tomorrow, delaying any improvement in the flooding situation.

Experts note that Dhaka’s drainage system lacks sufficient capacity, with silt and plastic waste blocking many drains. City authorities are attempting to remove water, but their efforts remain inadequate compared to the scale of the problem.

Continuous monsoon rains have submerged large parts of Bangladesh, including Dhaka, yet the expected cooling effect remains absent. Despite temperatures stabilizing between 29 and 34 degrees Celsius, people across the country are enduring intense humidity and discomfort. Authorities have warned of short-term flooding in northeastern lowlands, even as water levels recede in Chattogram and hill regions.

Meteorologist Dr. Omar Faruk explained that Bangladesh’s traditional six-season cycle has been disrupted by climate change, leaving the country effectively trapped between summer and monsoon. He noted that low-lying clouds and longer daylight hours prevent rainfall from bringing relief. Meteorologist Kazi Jebun Nesa added that high humidity from southern monsoon winds intensifies the heat, while Bazlur Rahman described monsoon rain as “warm rain” formed from low clouds, unlike the cooler pre-monsoon showers.

Frequent power outages have worsened public suffering, depriving residents of relief from fans and cooling devices. Experts also linked the persistent heat to global El Niño effects and long-term climate instability.

Widespread flooding has submerged large parts of Satkania and Lohagara upazilas in South Chattogram following continuous rainfall that began on July 6, 2026. Environmental experts say the disaster is not only due to heavy rain but also decades of unregulated hill cutting, illegal brick kilns, and unplanned development that have reduced the region’s natural water retention capacity. Around 300,000 people are reportedly trapped by floodwaters, with homes, schools, and roads inundated and communication severely disrupted.

Investigations reveal that soil from hill cutting in Satkania’s Aochia area is being supplied to illegal brick kilns in nearby Banshkhali. Despite legal actions, influential kiln owners have largely avoided prosecution. The Department of Environment acknowledges limited manpower and legal constraints in controlling the destruction, with over 300 unlicensed brick kilns operating across Chattogram. Officials say daily raids continue but public awareness remains low.

Experts warn that ongoing hill cutting and land filling will worsen flash floods and waterlogging. They also caution that the new Dohazari–Cox’s Bazar railway, if not properly designed with adequate culverts, could act as an artificial barrier to water flow.

Rail communication between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar resumed on Sunday after being suspended for five days due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall. The intercity Parjotok Express, which departed from Dhaka, left Chattogram station at 11:40 a.m. for Cox’s Bazar, marking the first train to operate on the route after the disruption. Railway authorities confirmed that other scheduled trains from Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Dhaka will gradually resume passenger services on the same route.

According to railway sources, continuous rain had submerged about 500 meters of track near Shamsherpara, east of Jan Ali Hat station, on the Sholoshahar-Dohazari section. Water levels rose up to 21 inches above the track, exceeding the safe limit for locomotive traction motors, which can operate in up to 4–5 inches of water. As a result, train operations were halted last Tuesday.

Railway officials stated that emergency engineering measures and receding water levels made the track safe again. The line was raised about 10 inches above the water level through lifting work, and after inspections, train operations resumed on Sunday.

Bangladesh’s television audience first experienced large-scale dubbing a decade ago with the Turkish series “Sultan Suleiman,” aired on Deepto TV. The show’s success, driven by high-quality Bangla dubbing, opened a new chapter for foreign series localization. Following this, several private TV channels and OTT platforms began producing dubbed content, creating a new professional field for voice-over artists.

Although dubbing existed earlier through BTV and Kolkata-based studios, Deepto TV’s 2015 initiative marked the first major domestic effort to build local dubbing teams and studios. Voice director Lata Majumdar and actor Deepak Suman described the early challenges of forming a 15-member team without prior infrastructure. Today, around 15 studios operate nationwide, with artists working in categories earning between 2,000 and 5,000 taka per shift, and experienced freelancers earning up to 600 taka per minute.

Industry figures note growing challenges, including declining quality and complex government regulations requiring censorship and time restrictions for foreign content. Without improvements, experts fear the sector could again depend on imported dubbing services.

The Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) has submitted a proposal to Bangladesh Bank seeking approval to impose new fees on 14 banking services that are currently free of charge. The proposal also includes increases in existing charges for various services such as account maintenance, loan processing, letters of credit, bank guarantees, demand drafts, pay orders, and solvency certificates. If approved, the changes would significantly raise banking costs for depositors, businesses, importers, exporters, and borrowers.

According to the proposal, dormant account reactivation would cost 500 taka, and cash withdrawals beyond certain limits would incur new fees. Loan management, restructuring, and early settlement charges would rise, while fees for letters of credit and bank guarantees would also increase. ABB has argued that rising operational and technology costs, along with inflation, justify a revision of the current fee structure. It has requested that the proposed schedule of charges be approved as the maximum limit for all banks.

ABB also suggested allowing banks to adjust charges annually by up to 10 percent in line with operational and inflationary changes, subject to Bangladesh Bank’s approval.