RAB-6 seized 50 kilograms of cannabis and detained two suspected drug dealers during an operation near Digraj Bazar in Mongla, Bagerhat. The operation was launched around 3am on Sunday night following a tip-off, according to RAB sources. Gopal Sarkar was detained while allegedly entering Mongla by transport carrying the large cannabis consignment.

RAB later detained another suspected dealer based on information provided by Gopal Sarkar, though the second detainee’s identity was not immediately known. Gopal Sarkar is the son of Shyam Sarkar of Kainmari in Mongla upazila. RAB alleged that he had long collected large drug consignments and sold them to smaller dealers in Mongla and other parts of Bagerhat.

Investigators are questioning the detainees to obtain information about others involved in the drug network. Law enforcement agencies are also examining who else was connected to the consignment and where it had been brought from. Bagerhat-3 lawmaker and state minister Sheikh Faridul Islam said on social media that anti-drug operations would continue and efforts were under way to identify remaining accused or associates.

Former Awami League lawmakers living abroad have reportedly sent multiple letters to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), alleging they cannot return to Bangladesh and citing human rights violations and repression of party activists. The matter was discussed in preparatory meetings ahead of IPU Secretary-General Anda Philip’s visit to Bangladesh, which began on Sunday night.

Current lawmakers told the meetings that the Awami League had been driven from the country by the public and that many members of the current parliament had faced persecution, harassment or enforced disappearance under the party’s government. They said incidents of disappearance, repression and violence before and during the July mass uprising were being presented to the IPU delegation.

On Monday, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed gave Philip a United Nations report concerning violence during the July uprising and the Awami League government’s tenure. Philip also met women and young lawmakers, visited the July Memorial Museum, and met opposition leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman. He is scheduled to hold discussions with government and opposition MPs, including lawmakers and relatives of alleged victims of past disappearances.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi declined to comment on Bangladesh’s internal politics when asked about India’s relations with a BNP government and tensions involving former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon after a courtesy meeting with Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

Trivedi said challenges would remain between Bangladesh and India, but both countries should move forward with the future in mind. He said the past cannot be forgotten, yet development work cannot progress if the two sides remain stuck in it. He also said he had extended greetings to everyone on the BNP’s founding anniversary.

The high commissioner said the meeting included discussion on working together harmoniously. He stressed the importance of people-to-people ties, saying decisions made by the two countries affect ordinary citizens and carry a responsibility to ensure public welfare. Trivedi added that the neighbours share not only a border but also dreams, increasing their responsibilities as neighbours, and said neither country is bigger or smaller than the other.

Rail services between Rajshahi and the rest of Bangladesh were suspended again after a coach of the Pabna-to-Rajshahi Dhalarchar Express derailed near Harian station on Tuesday at about 11:30am. Rajshahi Railway Station Manager Ziaul Islam said two wheels of the train derailed, blocking train movement on all routes connected to Rajshahi.

According to Islam, the train had travelled about 200 yards after leaving Harian station when the trolley attached to the wheels of its “Ta” coach broke. The failure caused two wheels of that coach to leave the track. Because the incident occurred on the main line, rail traffic on every route serving Rajshahi had to be stopped.

The disruption followed an earlier suspension of about one and a half hours on Tuesday morning, after a rail line broke in Bagatipara, Natore. A relief train was dispatched from Ishwardi to recover the derailed coach. Islam said train operations would resume after the recovery work was completed, which could take until between 2:30pm and 3:00pm.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Jahed Ur Rahman said the ninth and tenth wage boards for journalists will be implemented together. He made the statement on Tuesday while answering journalists’ questions at a briefing held to update the public on progress in various government activities.

Asked about ensuring government benefits for journalists employed by private newspapers and television outlets, he described the matter as a “real problem.” He said the ministry was working on related issues, including the crisis in electronic media. Journalists noted that discussion followed the eighth wage board but the ninth board was not implemented, while demands for the tenth board have continued for a long time.

Ur Rahman said the government would work quickly to ensure journalists’ jobs and livelihoods, arguing that good journalism cannot be expected without such security. On a new national pay scale, he said broad salary increases could create some inflation risk, but not everyone’s pay would double. He added that Bangladesh Bank would use its policy tools to control inflation and the government would take necessary regulatory measures.

Sonali Bank has asked the government to intervene over overdue loans extended to Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation and nine state-owned sugar mills. The bank fears that nearly Tk 7,000 crore in net outstanding debt could become classified in the September 2026 quarter after government guarantees covering the facilities expired. In a letter to the Finance Division secretary on August 19, Managing Director Shawkat Ali Khan sought repayment arrangements, government bonds against arrears, or renewed state guarantees.

Sonali Bank said it had lent Tk 3,105 crore to BSFIC and its nine mills, while dues on loans issued directly to BSFIC stood at Tk 2,762 crore. Interest and other charges added about Tk 4,086 crore, bringing total claims to Tk 7,192 crore. After Tk 253 crore was repaid, net arrears stood at Tk 6,938 crore. A Tk 1,000 crore government guarantee expired in December last year, along with other guarantees previously extended.

The bank says classification would require substantial provisions under Bangladesh Bank rules, potentially widening its provision shortfall and hurting profits. BSFIC officials said its government receivable for trade gaps and subsidies could reach Tk 8,041 crore by the end of fiscal year 2025-26.

A rehabilitation project for Bangladesh Railway’s flood-damaged Sylhet-Chhatak Bazar metre-gauge line has reached only 20 to 25 percent completion after its August 23, 2026 deadline, leaving renewed train services uncertain. The roughly 34-kilometre route has been closed for nearly four years following severe flooding in 2022. The project, approved in 2025, was intended to restore the section between Sylhet and Chhatak Bazar.

The project’s estimated cost was Tk217.34 crore, financed jointly by the government and the Asian Development Bank. Contractor Mir Akhter Hossain Limited signed a contract on February 3, 2025, valued at about Tk199 crore. Officials said work at 85 of 96 piling points has been completed, while earth filling and culvert construction continue. Old rails along the route have been removed, but installation of new tracks and other key work remains delayed.

Local residents and businesspeople said slow or halted work has caused frustration, while the route’s closure has increased the time and cost of transporting goods by road. The contractor cited adverse weather, heavy rainfall, political conditions and delays importing materials. It said Tk29 crore was recently allocated and requested a one-year extension to finish the remaining work.

Bangladesh’s High Court has ordered the government to give priority to 17,777 workers identified as affected after being unable to travel to Malaysia. The direction applies to 10,000 workers whom the government plans to send to Malaysia free of cost under its announced zero-cost scheme. The order followed a hearing on a writ petition after the relevant ministry submitted a report to the court on Monday.

The ministry’s report outlined government measures concerning the sending of workers to Malaysia. It said 17,777 people had been affected among 33,000 workers intending to travel to the country. During the hearing, the government-appointed lawyer told the court that a new initiative was being arranged to send 10,000 workers to Malaysia without any cost.

The court said the workers identified in the investigation committee’s report had suffered financially and mentally because they could not go to Malaysia. Authorities also informed the court about administrative and legal measures taken against manpower-exporting agencies that failed to send workers and were identified as involved in irregularities. The case has been adjourned for four months, and the government has been directed to submit a report on its next steps.

The Dewanganj upazila administration in Jamalpur seized 100 sacks, or five metric tonnes, of TSP fertilizer during an operation on Monday night. A trolley carrying the fertilizer was also seized in the Pollakandi area on the Dewanganj-Sanandabari road.

According to the upazila administration, officials acted on a tip-off that a group was transporting illegally stored TSP fertilizer elsewhere to sell it at higher prices. Dewanganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Shah Jahurul Hossain led the operation, with Upazila Agriculture Officer Ratan Mia present.

Ratan Mia said the fertilizer was likely being moved to create an artificial shortage through stockpiling and then sell it at inflated prices. Shah Jahurul Hossain said the seized fertilizer would be sold to farmers at government-set prices, with the proceeds deposited in the state treasury. He added that such operations would continue to prevent illegal stockpiling, artificial shortages and attempts to sell fertilizer at excessive prices.

The government is seeking a foreign strategic partner for Sammilito Islami Bank PLC to restore normal banking operations and strengthen its long-term business capacity. Qatar has already proposed investing in the bank following discussions during Prime Minister’s economic and planning adviser Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir’s August 17–18 visit to Qatar. The government is also contacting potential investors in several other Islamic countries.

Sammilito Islami Bank was formed during the interim government by combining Exim, Social Islami, First Security Islami, Global Islami and Union Bank after prolonged irregularities and fraud prevented deposit repayments. The five banks hold deposits of about Tk142,000 crore from around 7.6 million depositors. Of their Tk192,000 crore in loans, 86 percent are classified as defaulted, while the capital shortfall exceeds Tk150,000 crore.

Individual account holders will be able to withdraw their full principal deposits from September 7, without profit payments, with applications accepted from Tuesday. The bank has filed about 10,000 cases to recover defaulted loans and formed a collection and recovery war room. Its management says it is preparing to resume regular transactions under directives from Bangladesh Bank and the board.

Rail communication between Rajshahi and the rest of Bangladesh resumed after emergency repairs to a broken railway track in Bagatipara, Natore. The damage was detected around 6:30am on Tuesday near Lokmanpur station, between rail pillars 227/0 and 227/1. Services were suspended for nearly two hours as railway engineering and repair teams worked at the site.

At least six trains were stranded at Abdulpur and Rajshahi stations during the disruption, causing hardship for passengers. The affected services included the Sagardari Express, Titumir Express, Bonolota Express, Silkcity Express, Rajshahi Commuter and Modhumoti Express. Railway workers spotted the damaged section during a regular inspection and immediately informed senior authorities.

Following the initial repairs, trains were permitted to use the affected section at 20 kilometres per hour. Railway mechanic Mostak Ahmed said normal speeds would resume after full repairs are completed. Abdulpur station master Masud Rana said rail links were now normal and the delayed trains were leaving for their destinations in stages.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Masud Khan said investor confidence in the capital market is under strain and must be restored through action rather than words. Speaking Monday at a DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh discussion at DSE Tower in Nikunja-2, Dhaka, he said the regulator’s core responsibility is to protect investors by ensuring a fair, transparent and orderly market.

Khan said he removed the floor price on his second day in office, after which MSCI indicated it would reinstate Bangladesh’s index from next November. He described this as important progress for attracting foreign investment. The BSEC is also taking steps to make BSEC and Dhaka Stock Exchange surveillance systems AI-based.

The chairman said all bonds must be listed on the stock market’s main board and many bonds are expected to be listed there within a year. Draft work on direct-listing regulations is nearly complete and will be sent for public opinion after commission approval. He also cited progress on script netting and T+1 settlement, with a roadmap prepared through discussions with exchanges, CDBL and foreign custodian banks.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders and activists observed the party’s 48th founding anniversary in Bogura on Tuesday through a range of programmes. National and party flags were raised at the district BNP office in the morning, beginning the day’s observances. District BNP president and Bogura-6 MP Rezaul Karim Badsha raised the party flag, while acting general secretary and Kahalu-Nandigram MP Mosharraf Hossain also took part.

Participants later placed floral wreaths at portraits of BNP founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Former district general secretary Ali Azgar Talukdar Hena, metropolitan BNP president Advocate Hamidul Haque Chowdhury, leaders and activists from different levels of the party, and representatives of affiliated and associate bodies were present.

After the flag-raising at 7:30am, BNP leaders and activists joined anniversary-related activities. The party office and nearby areas took on a festive atmosphere, according to the report. A friendly football match was scheduled for the afternoon. BNP and its affiliated and associate organisations also planned day-long programmes in all 13 upazilas of Bogura.

A mega project intended to promote tourism in Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, has stalled, leaving the Citizen Park and installations at Baraghop Steamer Ghat in poor condition. The project was launched about seven years ago by then executive officer Sujon Chowdhury near the police station pond and land office. It included a Balaka water fountain, gate, wall art, animal murals and sculptures of fish and fruit, while a seating area and dolphin sculpture were built at the steamer ghat.

About Tk 13 lakh was spent in several phases to build nearly 20 sculptures at the two locations, but work later stopped for unspecified reasons. Several murals have broken through neglect and others have lost their paint. NGO worker Umme Khairunnesa Urmi said children visit the park to take photographs, but its appearance has deteriorated and repairs could draw regular local visitors.

Craftsman Mahabub said the fountain has electricity and water lines, but no further action was taken after its connecting motor was stolen. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mizanur Rahman said there is no separate project for Citizen Park, although work on a new children’s park has begun. He said arrangements will be made to repair damaged murals at Citizen Park and the steamer ghat.

Farmers in Chilmarí of Kurigram and Madarganj of Jamalpur are facing drought conditions during the current aman rice planting season, with fields drying and cracking because of insufficient rainfall. Growers are using shallow machines, electric pumps and, in some cases, deep tube-well water to prepare land, transplant seedlings and keep crops alive. They fear that a prolonged dry spell could reduce aman rice production.

In Chilmarí, about 7,450 hectares have been planted with aman rice, and water has dried up on about 50 percent of the land, according to relevant sources. In Madarganj, the cultivation target is 17,600 hectares and seedlings have been transplanted on 16,500 hectares, with the remaining planting expected to finish within the week. Some transplanted seedlings are drying up, while farmers say delayed rain has made timely planting difficult.

Farmers report rising costs for fertilizer, pesticides, labour and irrigation. One farmer in Madarganj estimated that costs could rise by nearly 50 percent, while growers put total costs at about Tk14,000 to Tk15,000 per bigha, including cultivation, planting, inputs, irrigation and harvesting. Agricultural officials warned water shortages can limit plant growth, reduce tillers, increase weeds and pests, and lower yields.