Saudi Arabian security forces arrested 14,260 people accused of violating residency, border security and labour laws during joint operations across the country from August 13 to 19, the Interior Ministry said Saturday. The ministry said 13,724 undocumented residents were deported during the same period.

Of those arrested, 6,900 were accused of residency-law violations, 3,982 of border-security violations and 3,378 of labour-law violations. Authorities also detained 1,524 people while they allegedly attempted to enter Saudi Arabia illegally through its borders. Yemenis accounted for 36 percent of those detainees, Ethiopians for 63 percent and people from other countries for the remaining 1 percent.

The ministry said 18,808 people were referred to their countries’ diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 5,386 were sent to complete ticketing and other travel arrangements. It also reported 38 arrests over alleged attempts to leave the country illegally and 24 arrests for alleged involvement in transporting, sheltering or employing undocumented residents. Legal proceedings are under way against 31,922 foreign nationals.

Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, spokesperson for the National Citizen Party (NCP) and head of its international relations and diaspora affairs subcommittee, has performed Umrah in Mecca. He arrived in the holy city on the night of August 20 and prayed for the welfare of the people of Bangladesh, according to information released by the NCP media cell on Saturday.

Bhuiyan left Dhaka with his wife on a Thursday afternoon flight for the pilgrimage. Other NCP figures accompanying him include central members Ayman Rahad and Yasir Arafat, National Olama Alliance member secretary Maulana Sanaullah Khan, and Dhaka South NCP senior joint convener Tarek E Adil, along with several others.

After completing Umrah, the NCP leaders visited places associated with Prophet Muhammad. Bhuiyan also held a courtesy meeting with Bangladeshi expatriates living in Saudi Arabia. He is currently in Mecca and is scheduled to travel next to Medina Munawara. His return to Dhaka is expected on August 30.

Cristiano Ronaldo set a world record by scoring in 25 consecutive league seasons, beginning in 2002-03. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward achieved the mark on Friday as Al Nassr beat Al Riyadh 4-0 in the Saudi Pro League, scoring his team’s fourth goal in the 83rd minute.

Ronaldo started Al Nassr’s second match of the season on the bench and entered in the 62nd minute for Abdullah Al Hamdan. He finished Ayman Yahya’s pass from the middle of the box with his left foot. The previous record belonged to Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored in 24 straight league seasons from 1999-2000 through 2022-23.

The scoring run spans four countries and five clubs: Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al Nassr. The goal was Ronaldo’s 977th in official senior football, leaving him 23 short of 1,000. He has indicated that the 2026-27 campaign could be his final professional season, while his Al Nassr contract runs through the current season.

Bangladeshi Hafiz Nuruddin Zakaria has won first place in the fourth category of the 46th King Abdul Aziz International Quran Memorization, Recitation and Interpretation Competition in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The result was reported on August 20, 2026. Zakaria surpassed hundreds of contestants from 133 countries to become the top performer in his category.

Zakaria is a student of Ar Rayhan International Madrasa in Bangladesh’s capital. The fourth category assesses contestants’ memorization of 15 parts of the Quran, accurate recitation and tajwid skills. He advanced through the competition’s stages before securing the top position under evaluations by Saudi and international judges.

The competition, organized by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, featured 334 participants across five categories. A total of 50 winners will receive prizes, while the event’s total prize fund was 12.6 million Saudi riyals. Zakaria said the Quran had brought him from a small village to the holy city of Mecca, and described competing with participants from different countries at Masjid al-Haram as a major honor and memorable achievement.

Saudi Arabia has removed the sentence “Muslims will never leave Jerusalem” from its school textbooks, according to a review by Israeli curriculum-monitoring organization IMPACT-se. The change was identified in Saudi textbooks for the 2025-26 academic year and follows broader recent revisions to material concerning Israel, Jews and Jerusalem. The sentence appeared in the 2023-24 edition of an eleventh-grade Arabic-language textbook and was fully removed beginning with the 2024-25 edition.

The review said terminology concerning Israel and Jews has also changed in some books. In one instance, “Zionist enemy” was replaced with “Israeli occupation.” The name Palestine was removed from several maps, while some areas were left unnamed. Earlier harsh language about religious and minority groups was also removed or altered.

IMPACT-se said the revisions place greater emphasis on coexistence, tolerance and moderation, although some controversial content remains. The changes have prompted discussion about possible future Saudi-Israeli relations. Saudi Arabia, however, continues to state publicly that it will not establish full diplomatic relations with Israel without a Palestinian state and guarantees that East Jerusalem would be its capital.

Saudi Arabia has imposed tighter scrutiny and controls on bank transfers to the United Arab Emirates, causing delays in some transactions between the two countries and the return of others, according to businesspeople. Reuters reported on August 18, 2026 that the Saudi central bank instructed several major banks to conduct additional checks on UAE-bound payments.

The Saudi central bank said no direct sanctions had been imposed on any specific country. Several businesspeople said their transfers to the UAE had recently been held up or delayed, with some transactions that previously took days now requiring weeks. Sources said Saudi banks are asked to apply extra caution to high-risk countries or regions to prevent money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes, and claimed similar enhanced monitoring had been introduced for the UAE.

A UAE official said authorities had received no private-sector complaints about unusual delays in banking transactions and stressed the countries' longstanding trade and investment ties. Competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi has increased in recent years over oil production, regional influence, foreign investment and regional headquarters. Regional financial-sector sources said the scrutiny could signal rising tensions, though analysts considered a major economic split unlikely because of close commercial links.

Saudi Arabia has begun early preparations for the 2027 Hajj season, with its Ministry of Hajj and Umrah holding ongoing coordination meetings with Hajj offices from more than 75 countries. The initiative, reported on August 18, 2026, aims to ensure timely preparations for pilgrims and further improve service quality during the pilgrimage.

The meetings cover preparations and plans for the 2027 Hajj, while reviewing operational plans submitted by participating countries' Hajj offices. Discussions also address rules and guidance related to Hajj administration, as well as questions, needs and proposals raised by the countries involved. Saudi authorities are emphasizing completion of necessary measures within set timeframes.

Saudi authorities said early planning should strengthen coordination between domestic agencies and Hajj missions from other countries, increasing management capacity and improving services for pilgrims. Personnel, resources and capabilities are being mobilized to make the process smoother from pilgrims' arrival in Saudi Arabia through completion of Hajj rites and their return home. The effort aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and Pilgrim Experience Program goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo has indicated that the 2026-27 season could be his final year in professional football. The 41-year-old Portuguese star made the comments in an interview with fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, saying he wants to leave behind a great legacy. Ronaldo is currently playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, where he has one year remaining on his contract.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is approaching the end of a 25-year career. After recently marrying his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, the source says family and personal life have become more prominent in his future plans. Ronaldo said he has fully arranged plans for life after football and will need several activities to address the major void that could follow retirement.

He said he hopes to spend more time with his family, travel more, watch and play padel tennis, and enjoy what he has achieved after years of sacrifice. Ronaldo is 24 goals short of the 1,000-goal milestone and is the all-time leading scorer in men's international football. If he retires before his contract expires, this season could be his last appearance on the field.

Nepali Muslim Sheikh Rahemullah, who was filmed confronting a group of unruly people to prevent an attack on a mosque in Nepal’s Rautahat district, has been honored with an Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The incident occurred in late January, when he was seen standing on one leg with crutches and a stick. After the footage spread on social media, Saudi activists and social media workers sought to identify him.

Rahemullah, a 32-year-old resident of Rampur, arrived in Saudi Arabia on August 5 with his parents to perform Umrah in Mecca. Saudi donors and organizers sponsored the trip in recognition of his stance in defense of the mosque. During their stay, Saudi citizens and local residents welcomed him with gifts and hospitality, the report said.

The Badar Association has also taken responsibility for providing a prosthetic limb for Rahemullah’s missing leg. Kerala-based Muslim content creator Mohammed Rafi met Rahemullah and his family in Saudi Arabia and accompanied them during the visit. Rahemullah and his family left Saudi Arabia for Nepal on August 14, carrying memories of Mecca and Medina and gratitude toward the donors and others involved.

Saudi Arabia’s oil exports through the Red Sea are facing fresh uncertainty amid fears of possible attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Oil tankers linked to the kingdom are switching off their Automatic Identification System, or AIS, signals to avoid exposing their locations, leaving shipping data related to oil exports unavailable. The report was published on August 14, 2026.

The Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on July 20 and subsequently claimed attacks on Saudi-linked oil tankers, the Yanbu oil facilities and the Jazan refinery. Analysts said nearly all tankers leaving Yanbu recently travelled with tracking signals disabled. Since July 23, continuous AIS data has been unavailable for about 70 percent of ships departing Saudi Arabia’s west coast.

The missing tracking data has complicated efforts to determine Saudi Arabia’s actual oil export volumes, producing major differences among ship-monitoring firms. Shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait has also declined. Saudi Arabia is exporting more oil through the Suez Canal and Egypt’s SUMED pipeline, while exports from Egypt’s Sidi Kerir port have reached record levels, much of them Saudi crude.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud said a defense agreement with Pakistan and Turkey will strengthen efforts to address regional challenges and maintain security and stability. He made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday, according to the report.

King Salman described the Mecca agreement as a long-term defense partnership that would expand cooperation. Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the agreement at a trilateral summit in Mecca last Friday. He said the summit reaffirmed a commitment to further strengthen the three countries’ longstanding historical ties and bonds of brotherhood.

The summit also emphasized advancing the three countries’ common strategic interests. Under the agreement, the countries pledged to strengthen joint security, deepen defense cooperation, and work toward peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Bangladesh’s Amar Bangladesh Party, or AB Party, expressed deep sorrow and concern after 16 Bangladeshi expatriates died in a fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh’s Manfuha area of Saudi Arabia. In a joint condolence message, party chairman Mojibur Rahman Manju and secretary general Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad offered sympathy to the bereaved families. The fire occurred on Sunday, according to the source.

The leaders described the deaths of workers who had gone abroad for livelihoods as deeply painful and an irreparable loss for both their families and the nation. They said expatriate workers are among the driving forces of the country’s economy, while questions repeatedly arise over their safety and working conditions abroad. They added that Bangladeshi workers should not be viewed only as sources of foreign currency, and that their lives and safety have equal value.

AB Party called on the government to swiftly return the bodies of those killed, provide appropriate financial assistance and compensation to every family, and ensure treatment and necessary support for injured or affected Bangladeshis. It also urged regular monitoring by Bangladeshi embassies and missions of workplaces, housing and fire-safety arrangements for workers abroad.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar expressed deep grief over the deaths of 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers in a major fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fire occurred in the Musa Sanaiya industrial area under Shifa police station in the Saudi capital. The report, published on August 10, said Parwar issued his condolence message on Monday.

In the message, Parwar described news of the deaths as deeply heartbreaking and painful. He said family members of the migrant workers depended substantially, and in some cases entirely, on them. He said the loss of lives in this manner while working abroad for a livelihood was an irreparable loss for their relatives.

Parwar prayed for the souls of those killed and extended deep condolences to the bereaved families. He called on the Bangladesh government and the Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia to swiftly identify the victims and return their bodies to Bangladesh for handover to their families. He also urged the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment to provide appropriate financial compensation and overall assistance to the families.

Three Bangladeshi expatriates from Naldanga upazila in Natore have died in a severe fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The information was reported on August 10, based on local sources and the families of those killed. The three men died from burns after the fire suddenly broke out at their workplace.

The victims were Md Sabbir Hossain Shuvo, 30, son of Rabbani from Sripur village in Khajura union; Shamim Hossain, son of Zakher Ali from the Dighirpar area; and Robiul Awal Hridoy, son of Aslam Hossain from Mohishdanga village. Khajura Union Parishad chairman Sohrab Hossain confirmed the deaths of the three expatriates.

News of the deaths has brought grief to the victims’ respective villages in Naldanga, with relatives mourning their loss. Their families and concerned parties are trying to bring the bodies back to Bangladesh quickly, according to the report.

Seven Bangladeshi expatriate workers from Atrai upazila in Naogaon were killed in a major fire at a sofa factory in Saudi Arabia. Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury expressed deep grief over the deaths in a condolence message sent to the media on Sunday night.

The minister described the deaths of Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia to earn a livelihood as premature and deeply heartbreaking. He said their contribution to the country’s economy was immense and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family members. He also prayed for forgiveness for the deceased and for strength for their families to endure the loss.

According to the minister, the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia is maintaining round-the-clock contact with the accident site and local authorities. Arrangements are being made to return the bodies of the deceased workers to Bangladesh quickly. He said relevant officials had been instructed to ensure all necessary government assistance and compensation for the families of those killed.