Chattogram-based S Alam Group has announced the closure of 11 factories in different parts of Chattogram, with notices posted in phases from Thursday afternoon through Friday night. The factories were set to close from August 1. Notices said nearly 6,000 workers and employees would receive their outstanding dues in stages. Most of the affected units are located in the Anwara and Karnaphuli industrial areas.

Workers said the factories formally closed after they returned home following work on Thursday, while the company began paying dues to affected employees. Staff who remain on the payroll were told that all arrears and legally mandated payments would be cleared by August 6. Hasmat Ali, an employee of S Alam Refined Sugar Industries, said raw-material shortages and financial difficulties had disrupted production and made wages and allowances irregular for two years.

Another employee, Abdur Rahman, said the factories faced difficulties after restrictions were imposed last August on the company’s movable and immovable assets and bank accounts. The closed units include S Alam Refined Sugar Industries, S Alam Cement, S Alam Oil, S Alam Vegetable Oil, a bag factory and a feed mill. Attempts to obtain immediate comments from S Alam Group officials were unsuccessful.

Israel launched fresh air strikes across the Gaza Strip within hours of Hamas agreeing to surrender weapons under the “Gaza Board of Peace” plan, according to the report published on August 1, 2026. At least two Palestinians were killed in the attacks, based on information provided by medical staff.

Doctors at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed that one Palestinian was killed in an Israeli air strike on Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza. A separate Israeli drone strike in the Sabra area of Gaza City killed another Palestinian, according to doctors and a source from emergency rescue services cited by Al Jazeera.

The report also described violence in the occupied West Bank. WAFA said settlers, protected by Israeli police and military forces, attacked the village of al-Mughayyir, seriously injuring a 10-year-old Palestinian child with gunfire. It also reported that Israeli forces physically and psychologically abused a Palestinian man near the Khawarta checkpoint south of Nablus. Israeli military raids and arrests have continued near Tel village following a deadly settler attack there last week.

A van driver was killed and a young man was seriously injured after a dump truck collided with a van on the Baneshwar-Charghat road in Puthia, Rajshahi. The crash occurred at about 8:30pm on Friday in front of Khobir Haji’s five-storey building. The injured man is receiving treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

The deceased was identified as 60-year-old Manik Chand, son of Sheikh Chand of Holidagachhi village in Charghat upazila. He worked as a van driver. The injured person, 28-year-old Shiblu Hossain, is also from Holidagachhi village and is the son of Rohit Ullah. Rescuers said both men were seriously hurt in the collision between the dump truck and the van.

They were taken quickly to the emergency department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where the attending doctor declared Manik Chand dead. Shiblu Hossain was admitted to ward number 8 and is undergoing treatment. Legal procedures concerning the cause of the accident and related matters are under way, according to the report.

Food and water shortages in the Garo Hills of Mymensingh are pushing wild elephants into settlements, increasing conflict with residents and farmers. Forest Department figures show that from 2014 to 2026, elephant attacks killed 49 people in the Garo Hills and nearby areas. During the same period, 35 wild elephants died in electric traps, poison bait and retaliatory attacks by people.

The report attributes the crisis to forest clearing, hill cutting for settlements and cultivation, illegal occupation and commercial tree felling, which have reduced elephant habitat and food sources. Irregular rainfall and prolonged drought linked to climate change have also prevented new vegetation from growing and dried up streams. Farmers said elephants destroy crops, while compensation is not adequately received.

Sherpur has been the worst affected district, where 30 people and 30 elephants have died in the conflict. The Balijuri Range has about 120 elephants in 8,330 acres of forest, an area experts consider unsuitable for that number. The Forest Department is planting elephant-friendly trees on 115 hectares and has initiated plans for artificial water reservoirs in several forest areas.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has withdrawn a proposed plan to bring private investment into the World Cup and other major FIFA tournaments. He formally announced the cancellation on Saturday after strong opposition from football bodies in Europe, North and Central America, and Asia. Infantino acknowledged that the proposal had created divisions within football and said it would not be fair to continue it under those circumstances.

The proposal envisaged creating a subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise to manage commercial operations for the World Cup and FIFA’s major tournaments. Outside investors would have been brought in as minority partners in the company. In return, Infantino had promised additional development funding for FIFA’s 211 member associations.

All 55 UEFA member countries threatened to boycott the World Cup, while CONCACAF’s 41 member associations rejected the proposal and the Asian Football Confederation expressed solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling the plan a bad deal for football. FIFA’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said many officials had been kept in the dark. FIFA’s presidential election is due in Morocco next March.

The United States has reached a severe strategic “impasse” over its policy and military action against Iran, according to Kenneth Katzman, a former analyst for the US Congress and senior fellow at The Soufan Center. The assessment was reported in an article published on August 1, 2026.

Katzman said Washington is confronting a complex situation in which it has only two options. He described the current circumstances as a point at which US policy and military measures regarding Iran have produced difficult strategic choices.

According to his analysis, the United States must either greatly intensify its military campaign against Iran or acknowledge that US forces can no longer prevent Iran from establishing control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The source provided no further details on possible actions, reactions from US or Iranian officials, or a timeline for decisions.

A theft was reported at the Freedom Fighters Complex beside the busy Tanore-Mundumala road in Tanore municipal headquarters, Rajshahi. According to a report published on August 1, intruders broke the lock on the main entrance of the long-closed, unguarded building and stole three to four ceiling fans and some generator parts. The estimated value of the stolen items is Tk 30,000.

Local sources said the theft may have occurred between 12:30am and 6am on Friday. Residents informed police after the incident became known in the morning. Locals said the complex was completed and inaugurated under the previous government but was never put into effective use. Ground-floor rooms were not rented out, while no government office operated regularly on the upper floor.

Despite its roadside location, the building had no security guard, night watchman or CCTV coverage, residents said, blaming prolonged mismanagement and inadequate security. Tanore police visited the site and preparations are underway to file a case. UNO Naima Khan said officials were gathering information and would take steps to identify those involved and bring them under the law.

Bangladesh’s cricket team has departed for Australia to play a two-Test series, marking its first Test tour of the country in 23 years. The first group of 17 members left Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a 11:55pm flight on Friday night. The opening Test is scheduled to begin in Darwin on August 13, followed by the second and final Test in Mackay on August 22.

The initial travelling group includes Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim and all-rounder Amit Hasan. Head coach Phil Simmons, spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed, batting coach Mohammad Ashraful, the bowling coach and several support staff members also travelled with the first contingent.

The remaining cricketers and team-management members are due to join the squad on a separate flight on August 2. Once the full party assembles in Australia, Bangladesh will begin preparations for the series, including several days of training and a warm-up match to adapt to local conditions. Bangladesh last played a Test series in Australia in 2003 and will seek to demonstrate its ability away from home.

Saudi Arabia has welcomed a draft peace agreement prepared to end Israel’s war in Gaza, describing the move as an important milestone toward resolving the crisis. The report, published on August 1, 2026, said Riyadh viewed the proposed agreement as a historic step toward ending the conflict.

Saudi Arabia stressed that the agreement must ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged Gaza Strip. It also called for the deployment of an International Stabilization Force, known as ISF, uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, and faster reconstruction of Gaza after widespread destruction.

Saudi authorities said the agreement should begin a process that facilitates the realization of the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights. Riyadh said the process should ultimately secure Palestinians’ right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Yemen’s armed Houthi group has categorically denied reports that it is imposing tariffs on commercial ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea. The group described information circulating in international media outlets and digital platforms as baseless, according to a report published on August 1, 2026.

The Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center said in a statement that vessel transit through the strait remains completely free of charge. The center is responsible for the group’s maritime communications and matters related to ship movement.

The statement further said that all commercial vessels exempt from, or outside, the scope of the Houthis’ declared restrictions can travel through the waterway in complete safety. The report noted that the group announced a formal naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20, describing it as a response to blockades and military attacks over the past several years.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi voiced strong dissatisfaction and condemnation over recent British government actions during a phone call with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, according to Tasnim News. In the report published on August 1, 2026, Araghchi criticized Britain’s decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “state threat” and alleged British involvement in US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Addressing the current Middle East situation, Araghchi said US and Israeli aggression was the main cause of severe regional instability. He said Iran had engaged in diplomatic talks with the utmost goodwill until Washington violated several previously signed international understandings and agreements. He also invoked international law, saying that allowing a country’s territory or resources to be used for military attacks against Iran amounted to direct aggression.

Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran was determined to establish arrangements with Oman to ensure the orderly movement of vessels and ships. He warned third parties not to obstruct the joint process. Miliband said the United Kingdom was not participating in the war against Iran and supported diplomatic dialogue and negotiations to reduce tensions and restore peace.

Bangladesh’s industrial sector is under severe pressure from energy shortages, high interest rates, dollar-market stress and stalled investment, according to the report published on August 1, 2026. More than 250 industrial establishments have closed over the past year, leaving over 150,000 workers and employees jobless. Factories in Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj are operating below capacity or halting production for much of the day because of inadequate gas pressure.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data showed significant production declines in several industries in fiscal year 2024-25, including weaving textiles, jute textiles, pharmaceuticals, cement-lime-plaster and fruit processing. Use of diesel generators has raised production costs by 30% to 40%. The government temporarily suspended new industrial gas connections and approved load increases on July 14, followed by an emergency Petrobangla instruction on July 17.

Private investment fell to 21.53% of GDP in fiscal year 2025-26, its lowest level in 14 years. Imports of industrial raw materials and capital machinery also declined, while new foreign equity inflows dropped 70.34% in the first quarter of 2026. BIDA says it is pursuing alternative energy projects and aims to generate 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

India’s parliamentary standing committee on external affairs has said fugitive Sheikh Hasina, sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, has not been allowed to conduct political activities from Indian territory. Its latest Bangladesh-related report said Dhaka’s request for her extradition is being examined by relevant authorities under applicable laws and established procedures. The committee, chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, said the government had taken note of the request after the court issued the sentence in absentia.

The report described Hasina’s presence in India as being considered under the country’s humanitarian tradition of sheltering people facing grave distress or an existential crisis. It said India does not permit anyone to use its territory for political activity against another country, and urged the government to maintain a principled and humanitarian approach consistent with international obligations.

The committee also recommended renewing the Ganges water-sharing treaty, pursuing a fair Teesta agreement and gradually restoring full visa services when conditions normalize. It raised concerns over China’s economic, infrastructure and strategic engagement in Bangladesh, advising the government to closely monitor foreign powers’ activities. The report further stressed completing priority development projects under India’s line of credit on time.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Friday that it struck and stopped two oil tankers under US military escort in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident coincided with President Donald Trump’s cabinet meeting on the war, inflation and the approaching US midterm elections. The report said the tankers were attempting to cross the strait through an undeclared route while under US Air Force protection.

The IRGC described the vessels as “policy-violating” tankers. Following the incident, four additional oil tankers under US escort reportedly changed course and returned to their previous positions. Iran and the United States are using two separate routes for vessels crossing the strait, according to the report. Iran is bombing ships using a southern route near Oman’s coast, while the United States is attacking vessels that violate its blockade on Iranian ships and ports.

Shipping through the strategically important strait has been almost completely halted since fighting resumed two weeks earlier, contributing to higher fuel prices. Crude oil rose above $90 a barrel after Washington launched a major strike on Iran on Thursday in response to an attack on a US military base in Jordan. Trump called the Friday cabinet meeting at Camp David in Maryland to determine the war’s future course.

US President Donald Trump said the United States will continue stronger and harsher attacks on Iranian military targets, declaring that Washington’s central objective is to win the war. Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting at Camp David in Maryland on Friday local time, Trump said Iran would never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

Trump said the United States was in a strong position and was trying to remain as restrained as possible, while Iran was becoming severely weakened. He rejected claims that Iran remained militarily strong and said reaching an agreement with Tehran was difficult. Comparing the current crisis with the long US conflicts in Vietnam and Afghanistan, he claimed that five months of operations had completely destroyed Iran’s military capability.

Trump also voiced deepening distrust of ongoing indirect and direct talks with Iran, saying Tehran lies. He said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth informed him that Iran had fired five missiles at a US military base in Jordan while he was awaiting a call from special envoy Steve Witkoff. The report said US operations followed Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran reported retaliatory attacks on US bases in Jordan and the Gulf region.