Lionel Messi has retired from Argentina’s national football team, prompting tributes from footballers in Bangladesh on social media. Bangladesh national team captain Jamal Bhuiyan posted a photograph of Messi on Facebook and wrote, “I will miss you.”

National team defender Topu Barman also shared a Messi photograph, describing the retirement as the end of a chapter while saying his achievements would live on forever. He thanked Messi for the dreams, tears and unforgettable moments, adding a farewell message to Leo from the national team.

Sheikh Morsalin posted an image of Messi kissing the World Cup trophy and wrote, “Thank you for everything, Leo.” The report said many other footballers in the country also expressed their reactions following Messi’s retirement.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostakur Rahman has urged the government to place two proposed laws before the ongoing National Parliament session to address mounting defaulted loans and distressed assets in the banking sector. In a demi-official letter sent to Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on August 31, he requested action on the Distressed Asset Management Act, 2026 and amendments to the Money Loan Court Act, 2003.

The central bank has proposed five major changes to the Money Loan Court Act: creating an appellate tribunal with High Court status, setting reserve prices for auctioned assets, appointing separate recovery officers to enforce court orders, shortening legal timelines for case disposal, and increasing the deposit required for appeals. Bangladesh Bank said the measures could speed up loan-related cases and recovery of bank dues.

Under the proposed new law, licensed distressed asset management companies would buy troubled loans from banks and manage them through separate trusts. They could enforce collateral, restructure loans, convert debt into capital and, in some cases, take control of defaulting firms after 60 days’ notice. Bangladesh Bank said distressed assets reached about Tk11 lakh crore in 2025, roughly 60 percent of total bank lending.

Bangladesh’s merchandise export earnings rose 13.14 percent year-on-year to $4.43 billion in August, driven by growth in ready-made garments and several other sectors. The Export Promotion Bureau released the updated figures on Tuesday. In the first two months of fiscal year 2026-27, July and August, exports increased 5.43 percent to $9.16 billion, compared with $8.69 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Ready-made garment exports, the principal driver of August growth, climbed 13.92 percent to $3.89 billion. Knitwear exports rose 14.88 percent and woven garments increased 12.70 percent during the month. In July-August, garment exports grew 5.12 percent to $7.50 billion, with knitwear up 6.17 percent and woven apparel up 3.81 percent.

Exports also expanded in jute and jute goods, pharmaceuticals, leather and leather products, printed materials, engineering goods and other footwear. August exports to the United States rose 26.09 percent, while Turkey, South Korea and Saudi Arabia recorded strong growth. The EPB attributed the increase to stronger demand, greater buyer confidence, expanded production capacity, higher-value products, and efforts to diversify products and markets.

BNP standing committee member and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan said the government would deliver free, fair, orderly and peaceful local government elections to strengthen local institutions. Speaking as chief guest at a BNP anniversary discussion in Palash, Narsingdi, on Tuesday afternoon, he said legal বাধ্যবাধকতা surrounding Upazila Parishad elections would be removed under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership.

Moin Khan said the February 12 election had ended an era of misrule and voterless elections. He alleged that the Awami League government between 2008 and 2024 pushed the economy toward destruction and deprived people of voting rights through practices including votes cast in the names of deceased people and night voting. He said young people and students had resisted this, referring to sacrifices during the 2024 mass uprising.

The minister also said work was under way to address global problems involving the Strait of Hormuz. He pledged effective measures to revive struggling factories in Palash and boost the local economy. He said arrangements would be made for free and fair elections in local bodies from union parishads to district councils, city corporations and upazila parishads.

Rangpur Metropolitan Police say they have uncovered the motive behind the killings of retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and three family members at their home in Machhuapara, Rangpur. The bodies of Ganapati, his wife Pritilata, daughter Agami and son Priyam were recovered early on August 23 after relatives alerted police late on August 22.

Deputy Police Commissioner Sanatan Chakraborty said neighbours had initially withheld some information, but police identified suspects quickly through confidential sources. Siddhartha Das and Mugdha Das were detained about one and a half hours after the recovery operation ended. Police said Siddhartha was found through his father, while Mugdha was located at Dakhiganj cremation ground.

Investigators conducted their first jail-gate questioning of the two accused at Rangpur Central Jail on Tuesday. A court ordered two days of questioning, for three hours each day, instead of the three-day remand sought by police. Additional Police Commissioner Tofayel Ahmed said the investigation was being conducted professionally and that a charge sheet would be submitted to court as quickly as possible.

Eastern University Bangladesh Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Farid Ahmad Sobhani said Bangladesh needs fundamental changes to its education system to keep pace with a changing world. Speaking as chief guest at a Tuesday evening seminar in Uttara, Dhaka, he called for combining vocational and moral education to develop skilled, patriotic citizens capable of meeting global challenges. The event was titled “Education Crisis in Bangladesh and Ways to Overcome It” and was organised by the University Study Forum, Uttara, Dhaka.

City University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Kazi Shahadat Kabir presented the keynote paper, identifying key causes of the current education crisis and offering practical recommendations for addressing them. The seminar was chaired by Dr Md Rashedul Alam, president of the University Study Forum and a faculty member at Asian University of Bangladesh.

During an open session, deans, professors and university teachers discussed shortcomings in moral education within the curriculum, improving educational quality, teacher training and creating a research-friendly environment. Speakers said a prosperous country and nation cannot be built without moral and vocational education, and stressed that joint public and private initiatives are needed to address the sector’s existing challenges.

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam has called for recognising party leaders and activists who have made long-term sacrifices and participated in movements and struggles when selecting candidates for local government elections. He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon in Bagerhat as chief guest at a discussion and cultural programme marking the BNP’s 48th founding anniversary.

He said those who remained active during the party’s difficult times and stood beside its leaders and activists should receive proper recognition. According to him, candidate selection for upcoming local elections should give importance to qualified, sacrificing and popular leaders and activists.

The state minister also said evaluation should not be limited to organisational posts, but should consider close ties with the public and roles played on the streets during hard times. He urged party members to work in unity to gain public trust. The programme was chaired by Bagerhat district BNP convener ATM Akram Hossain Talim and moderated by member secretary Mozaffar Rahman Alam.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad urged the government to promptly implement the referendum verdict, warning against what he described as growing public anger. He made the remarks on Tuesday at the party’s central office in Purana Paltan, Dhaka, during a meeting to prepare for a September 5 long march organised under the 11-party alliance initiative.

Ahmad said the government would have no opportunity to ignore the public turnout expected at the long march. He cited gas and fuel shortages, rising prices of essential goods and factory closures as government failures that had disrupted public life. He said disregarding the referendum verdict in such circumstances would be an imprudent decision.

He also said people understood the difference between amending and reforming the constitution, and cautioned against misleading them in the name of constitutional amendment. The meeting, chaired by joint secretary general and long march implementation committee chief Maulana Ataullah Amin, called on Dhaka’s party workers to intensify preparations, public outreach and campaigning to make the September 5 programme successful.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen said the United States has been involved with Bangladesh Railway from its early years, highlighting American technology and engineering services during a visit to Saidpur Railway Station in Nilphamari on Tuesday afternoon. Responding to journalists, he said the locomotive used for the train was made by Progress Rail, which he described as a leading US company.

Christensen said US technology and American locomotives have served Bangladesh for years and continue to serve its people. He described the technological partnership as a combination of US technology and craftsmanship with the skills and dedication of Bangladeshis. He said Progress Rail, Webtec and other American companies were very interested in continuing the partnership with Bangladesh.

The ambassador later visited the Saidpur Railway Workshop, the historic Chini Mosque and Saidpur Christian Church. Earlier in the day, he visited the Lokayan Biodiversity Museum in Thakurgaon, Kantajew Temple and Nayabad Mosque in Dinajpur, and the central locomotive workshop near Parbatipur Railway Station. He travelled from Parbatipur to Saidpur by rail in President Saloon Coach No. 1265.

Bangladesh’s Education Ministry has decided to restore the previous recruitment and registration examination system for entry-level teachers at private educational institutions. The decision was made at a meeting held Tuesday at the ministry, according to relevant sources. Candidates will again need to obtain registration certificates through the established preliminary, written and MCQ examination process, while teacher recruitment through the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority, or NTRCA, will remain in place.

The meeting was chaired by Abdul Khaleq, secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division. NTRCA Chairman Alif Rudaba, Joint Secretary Helaluzzaman Sarkar and other relevant officials attended. An official who participated in the meeting, speaking anonymously, said the earlier decision to alter the teacher recruitment or registration examination system had been cancelled.

Officials said a formal circular implementing the latest decision will be issued soon. The restoration means the NTRCA registration examination will retain its previous importance for those seeking teaching positions in private educational institutions. Authorities expect the circular to end recent uncertainty surrounding the teacher registration and recruitment process.

Rainfall linked to a low-pressure system affected Bangladesh on Tuesday, bringing relief from several days of humid heat as temperatures fell across parts of the country. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the increased rainfall is likely to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, before easing somewhat for two days and increasing again from Sunday.

The highest rainfall on Tuesday was recorded at Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, at 84 millimetres, while Dhaka received 21 millimetres. Temperatures in various areas dropped by up to 2 to 3 degrees Celsius compared with previous days. The country’s highest temperature was 33.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, down from 35.6 degrees Celsius recorded in Nikli, Kishoreganj, on Monday.

Meteorologist Shahinul Islam said the well-marked low-pressure area had moved northwest and was located over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Jharkhand. Light to moderate rain or thundershowers with gusty winds are forecast in many areas on Wednesday and Thursday, with moderately heavy to heavy rainfall possible in some places. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged, while nighttime temperatures may fall slightly.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen said the United States and Bangladesh would continue their partnership to improve rail connectivity in Bangladesh. He made the remarks to journalists on Monday after travelling from Parbatipur to Saidpur on the Nil Sagar Express, his first train journey in Bangladesh.

Referring to his visit to the Parbatipur Railway Workshop, Christensen said the Nil Sagar Express locomotive was made by a US company. He said the United States has contributed to railway-sector development by supplying modern technology, and expressed hope that his visit would further strengthen cooperative relations between the two countries.

At Saidpur Railway Workshop, divisional superintendent Shah Sufi Nur Mohammad, workshop manager Mumtazul Islam, other senior railway officials and labour leaders welcomed the ambassador with flowers. He later visited the historic President Saloon associated with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, different workshop sections, the railway museum and several British-era structures. He also toured a historic Catholic church, a Christian cemetery and the adjacent Chini Mosque.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, amir of Dhaka Metropolitan North Jamaat and a Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral candidate, said the Clean Dhaka campaign cleaned 290 canals and drains and removed about 204 tonnes of waste. At a Tuesday press briefing in Baridhara, he also called on the government and Election Commission to quickly hold city corporation elections and hand responsibility to elected representatives.

Uddin said the programme ran simultaneously in all 54 wards of Dhaka North City Corporation from August 25 to 31. According to him, 25,828 volunteers took part in clearing canals, removing accumulated waste and reopening encroached footpaths. He said the initiative was intended to demonstrate that such work is possible and to bring together residents’ voices, rather than claim that all city problems could be solved in seven days.

The campaign installed 20 smart bins in different parts of Dhaka, with waste to be deposited in three stages. Uddin said pens made from the waste would be distributed to students on the upcoming Literacy Day. He also urged transparent ward-level budgets and spending, digital complaint systems, functioning streetlights, and action against alleged waste-management syndicates.

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said only the BNP can pull Bangladesh out of the “deep hole” he said was created by past governments. Speaking on Tuesday, September 1, at a pre-rally gathering in Chattogram marking the BNP’s 48th founding anniversary, he said the party, led by Tarique Rahman, could resolve the country’s problems.

Khasru accused what he called a fascist government and an interim government of damaging the country through looting and inaction. He said recovery would take time, urged party activists not to worry, and said the BNP would remain active both in government and, if needed, on the streets. He also said the party viewed economic difficulties as problems affecting the public rather than any specific group.

He said steps had already been taken and further measures would be introduced in the public interest. Calling for patience and cooperation with the government, he asked people to identify drug dealers, extortionists and illegal occupiers and hand them to police. State Minister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin said a long march involving 1,000 vehicles was planned for September 5.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami said 650 people, including a former judge, former military and police officers, lawyers, businesspeople, Qawmi scholars and political activists, formally joined the party at an outreach rally in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon. The event was organised by the party’s Dhaka South unit as part of its month-long public-contact programme at the Muktijuddho Smriti auditorium of the Institution of Diploma Engineers.

Opposition leader and Jamaat ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman attended as chief guest and welcomed the new members with flowers and Islamic books. Dhaka South Jamaat ameer Md Nurul Islam Bulbul MP chaired the gathering. Named entrants included former judge Syed Shahidur Rahman, senior Supreme Court lawyer Dr ASM Khalequzzaman, former army officer Colonel Faruk Hossain, former police superintendent Obaidul Haque and former national footballer and former UN official Selim Ahmed.

The group also included business figures, BNP activists from several wards and local units, mosque secretary Niamat Ullah Kollol, Nurani Education Board secretary general Maulana Muhammad Jasim Uddin, and several Qawmi scholars. Several new members and Jamaat leaders addressed the rally, which was jointly moderated by Dhaka South secretary Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud MP and assistant secretary Delwar Hossain.