Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched an initiative to increase PhD and postdoctoral fellowships to expand high-quality, internationally standard research at the country’s universities. The commission also plans to strengthen research conditions, raise special research-sector allocations and build an effective, sustainable research ecosystem. UGC Chairman Professor Dr Mamun Ahmed outlined the measures while chairing the commission’s 179th full commission meeting on Monday. UGC has raised the number of its own PhD scholarships from 75 to 100 and plans to increase the total gradually to 500 from the next fiscal year. Opportunities for PhD study abroad have also been increased from 10 to 35. The commission said it is taking steps to increase the number of postdoctoral fellowships as well. The commission will submit a proposal to the government for special allocations for PhD and postdoctoral research in the next fiscal year. The meeting approved the “UGC Promotional and Academic Staff Development Research Project Policy, 2026.” The chairman said expanded domestic and overseas PhD opportunities are needed to address shortages of quality teachers at universities.

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haq Milon has pledged special measures to replace outdated equipment, modernise laboratories and address a long-running teacher shortage at Bangladesh’s technical education institutions. He made the assurances on Monday at a post-China visit press conference in the Technical and Madrasa Education Division’s meeting room at the education ministry. Milon said China’s industry-academia linkage model was notably strong and Bangladesh aims to follow that model in technical and general education. He said administrative procedures for recruiting needed teachers and modernising laboratories were being considered on a priority basis. The minister also stressed preparing students for global labour markets and demand from domestic and overseas industries. During the August 26-28 China visit, Bangladesh and China signed a memorandum of understanding announcing a China-Bangladesh Vocational Education, Training and Research Centre. Three cooperation platforms were also launched, including vocational teacher training, vocational education research and Chinese language-skill development centres. Plans include opportunities to study Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic alongside technical education.

The Directorate of Madrasa Education has handed over four cheques covering the government-funded MPO portion of August salaries and allowances for teachers and employees of private madrasas under its jurisdiction. The information was announced in a notice issued by the directorate’s finance branch on Monday. The notice was signed by Muhammad Mozammel Hossain Khan, director for administration and finance at the directorate. It said the cheques were delivered to the head offices of distributing Agrani Bank and Rupali Bank, as well as local offices of Janata Bank and Sonali Bank. Teachers and employees will be able to withdraw the government portion of their August salaries and allowances from their respective banks after September. The notice describes the payment as the MPO component of monthly remuneration for staff at private madrasas under the directorate.

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Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip killed five Palestinians and wounded several others on Monday, according to medical and local sources cited by Anadolu. Three people were killed when an Israeli drone struck a civilian vehicle in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa area, while two others died in a drone strike near the entrance of a residential building close to Gaza Municipality Park. The bodies were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said five fishermen were injured by fire from Israeli warships off Gaza City’s coast and were transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital and Al-Saraya Field Hospital. A 16-year-old was injured after an Israeli drone dropped a bomb in Beit Lahia, while three Palestinians were reported injured in drone fire and bombing in Khan Younis’s Hamad and western Satar areas. Local and medical sources also reported injuries, shelling and destruction in eastern Deir al-Balah. Palestinian Civil Defense said it extinguished fires in two tents for displaced people in Hamad after Israeli fire. The source said 1,318 Palestinians have been killed and 4,375 injured in alleged ceasefire violations since the agreement took effect on October 10, 2025.

Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at home at Camp Nou to move alone to the top of the La Liga table with nine points from three matches. Lamine Yamal and Brazilian winger Raphinha each scored twice as Hansi Flick’s side recovered after Sergio Camello gave Rayo an early lead in the 12th minute. Raphinha levelled in the 19th minute with a low shot from inside the box, before Yamal put Barcelona ahead 2-1 two minutes later with his first goal of the season. Barcelona held that advantage until halftime. In the 51st minute, Rayo defender Lejeune scored an own goal to make it 3-1. Camello brought Rayo back into the match at 3-2 after scoring from a Unai Lopez corner. Barcelona then regained control as Raphinha scored his second from a Fermin Lopez backheel, making it 4-2. Yamal completed his brace in the closing moments. Barcelona have scored 12 goals in their first three league matches.

Individual depositors of five banks merged into Sammilito Islami Bank will be allowed to withdraw the full principal amount of their deposits without any profit payment. Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on Monday under the Bank Resolution Act, 2025. Sammilito Islami Bank said it will begin returning principal deposits to individual-account customers on September 7, while applications will be accepted at branches from Tuesday. The facility covers balances in current and savings accounts as well as only the principal in term deposits. It applies to Al-Wadiah current accounts, Mudaraba savings accounts, MTDRs and DPS accounts. Depositors who use the option will be considered to have reached a full and final settlement with the merged bank and cannot later claim profit or other additional amounts. Any outstanding liability a depositor has with one of the banks must be adjusted against the deposit before payment. Customers who keep their accounts open will continue receiving profit at previously agreed rates under their contracts. The bank said broader deposits and withdrawals, including profit, will be available once its overall operations are fully launched.

Researchers presented an artificial intelligence tool that can identify signs of heart failure and heart valve disease from routine electrocardiogram results in less than two seconds. The technology, trained on data from several million ECGs, was discussed at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual conference in Munich, Germany. It could help identify patients who should be prioritised for echocardiogram testing. In testing involving 67,000 patients in the United States, the AI detected up to 81% of people with heart failure and up to 90% of those with heart valve disease. Conventional ECGs record the heart’s electrical activity and have long been used to identify heart attacks and abnormal rhythms, but they cannot reliably diagnose these conditions. Echocardiograms are usually required, and patients can wait months for the scan. The British Heart Foundation-funded research does not provide a final diagnosis or reliably rule out disease. Its potential role is to flag people at higher risk for faster follow-up testing and treatment. Researchers are also aiming to develop a portable AI-enabled ECG device for health workers, potentially allowing rapid risk assessment outside hospitals and in primary care settings.

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending a two-decade journey in Argentina’s jersey. In an emotional social media message, the Argentine football legend said the decision to leave the national team was extremely difficult, but he had come to believe that this was the appropriate time to say goodbye. Messi said he had always given everything for the national team, including long before the recent years when Argentina won everything. He said he loved representing Argentina and had completely exhausted himself in service of the side. He also pointed to a strong group of young players behind him who deserve places in the national team. Thanking Argentina’s supporters for 20 years of love and backing, Messi said he would miss hearing their cheers from the field. He pledged to support the team from outside, especially during difficult times. He also thanked his family, former and current coaches, teammates and officials. Messi said he wrote the farewell announcement on July 21, two days after the final, and finalized his decision after losing his father.

Advocate Md Nayan Molla, an assistant public prosecutor at the Narsingdi District Judge Court, has been relieved of his post following allegations that he took a Kuwait expatriate’s wife, children, cash and gold ornaments. The order was issued in a letter signed on August 25 by Md Faruk Hossain, senior assistant secretary of the Supreme Court, from the Law and Justice Division’s Solicitor Wing. The letter did not specify the reason for the removal, but said Molla’s appointment as assistant public prosecutor, made on November 11, 2024, had been cancelled. The allegations concern Lutfor Rahman, a Kuwait expatriate from Amirganj in Raipura, who said his wife Hafsa Akter, two children, earnings accumulated over 21 years and gold ornaments were taken. After returning to Bangladesh, Rahman sought the return of his family, money and gold, but alleged that he was threatened. He submitted written complaints to Narsingdi Model Police Station, the district commissioner, police superintendent, district bar association and Bangladesh Bar Council. Molla later called a press conference and described the allegations against him as false.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan has instructed agencies to accelerate implementation of the prime minister’s “Clean City, Green City” vision for Dhaka. Speaking Monday at a review meeting at the Local Government Division conference room in the Secretariat, he urged short-, medium- and long-term environmental plans for the capital and called for greater public awareness of cleanliness through media campaigns. The meeting reviewed progress on canal boundary demarcation and excavation to address waterlogging, tree planting, beautification, waste removal and replacement of waste bins in Dhaka North and South City Corporations. The minister said waste left on roads during daytime harms the city’s appearance and creates bad odours, and said nighttime waste collection should be seriously considered. He also advised planting perennial flowering plants along roadsides to make Dhaka clean, attractive and environmentally friendly. Officials said boundary marking of 29 canals in Dhaka North had advanced significantly, while work on canals under Dhaka South was continuing. Beautification and greening work was also ongoing in both corporations. State Minister Mir Shahe Alam praised the efforts, sought faster work, and directed officials to present practical solutions, before-and-after comparisons and future plans for submission to the prime minister.

The government has not yet decided whether MPO-listed teachers and employees will be included in the National Pay Scale 2026, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani said on Monday. He made the remarks at the Secretariat after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Responding to a question about nearly 500,000 MPO-listed education staff, Gani said a subsequent decision would be announced when made. The cabinet earlier approved the National Pay Scale 2026, with phased implementation scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026. Basic pay will be introduced in three stages between July 1, 2026 and July 1, 2027, covering the 2026-27 and 2027-28 fiscal years. Other salary and allowance benefits are set to take effect together from January 1, 2028. The scale raises salaries relatively more for employees in lower grades among the existing 20 grades. First-grade basic pay will rise from Tk78,000 to Tk156,000, while the 20th grade will receive the highest increase rate of 142 percent. About 2.4 million military and civilian employees, along with 925,000 retirees and other eligible beneficiaries, are expected to benefit. Full implementation is estimated to add Tk105,580 crore in annual government spending.

With 56 days remaining before Israel’s scheduled October 27 Knesset election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be weakening as opinion polls show declining support for him and his Likud party. Netanyahu views the vote as crucial to his political and personal future while corruption cases involving bribery, fraud and breach of trust continue in Israeli courts. The source also says an International Criminal Court arrest warrant has been in place against him since 2024 over allegations related to Gaza. A poll broadcast by Israel’s public broadcaster on Sunday evening projected 52 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 55 for non-Arab opposition parties and 13 for Arab lawmakers. A governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset requires support from at least 61 lawmakers. Opposition parties could seek support from Arab legislators, though most of their leaders still oppose such an alliance. Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot’s new Yashar party was projected to win 24 seats, ahead of Likud’s 21, while 40 percent of respondents preferred Eisenkot as prime minister compared with 37 percent for Netanyahu. Netanyahu is trying to prevent right-wing votes from splintering by pursuing alliances among smaller parties, but efforts to unite Jewish Power and Religious Zionism have failed, according to the report.

Train services between Rajshahi and the rest of Bangladesh returned to normal at about 8:30am on Tuesday after rail-track damage disrupted operations. Western Railway authorities said cracks appeared at several points on the old Arani-Abdulpur rail line around 6:00am, citing intense heat. Railway engineering staff reached the affected sites and began repairs. Train movement had been temporarily suspended after multiple sections of track between Arani and Abdulpur stations were found damaged. The disruption prevented several trains, including the Dhaka-bound Bonolota Express and Silkcity Express, from leaving Rajshahi on schedule. Stranded trains later departed for their respective destinations after repair work. Railway sources described the Arani-Abdulpur section as an important connection between Rajshahi and other parts of the country, carrying regular intercity services to Dhaka and elsewhere. Western Railway General Manager Farid Ahmed said operations were halted on the defective section to protect passengers and trains. He said prompt repairs helped avoid a major accident, and services on all routes were restored gradually after workers and engineers repaired the damaged areas.

BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the party gives the highest importance to public opinion and voting rights, describing the protection of democratic rights as a BNP commitment. He made the remarks in a message issued Monday ahead of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s 48th founding anniversary on Tuesday. Rizvi said BNP was established under the leadership of its founder, the late President Ziaur Rahman, to protect national independence and sovereignty, establish democracy and secure people’s rights. Rizvi described Bangladeshi nationalism and multiparty democracy as BNP’s core ideals, saying Zia’s 19-point programme remains the basis of the party’s political, social, economic and cultural activities. He paid tribute to Zia, former prime minister Khaleda Zia and party activists who made sacrifices for the organisation. He also called on leaders, activists, supporters and the public to remain united under the BNP banner. He said BNP is working to implement electoral commitments on public security, rule of law, justice, human dignity and democratic values. Rizvi said the party aims to address hunger, poverty, unemployment, inequality and social injustice, while ensuring social protection for people across different occupations and groups.