Bangladesh will require all public transport vehicles to install and keep Global Positioning System devices active from Saturday, August 1, as part of an effort to strengthen order in the road transport system. From that date, operators seeking new registration, fitness certificates or fitness renewals must show proof that GPS is installed. They must also demonstrate through the relevant mobile application that the device is active.

The government said the measure should enable more effective monitoring of public transport movement, improve route management and reduce disorder on roads. The report cited reckless bus operation amid competition for passengers, boarding and alighting outside designated stops, and vehicles occupying multiple lanes as factors behind severe congestion in the capital and elsewhere.

Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association organising secretary Jahangir Alam Khan said contracts for GPS installation had been completed with different companies, but full implementation across all vehicles would not be possible from August 1. BRTA Chairman Habibur Rahman said the authority is developing a technology-based monitoring system to verify whether GPS devices are installed and functioning. Transport experts welcomed the initiative while stressing the need for oversight, transparency, accountability and longer-term reforms.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inspected several areas of Dhaka North City Corporation on Friday as part of efforts to build the capital into a clean city. He reviewed waste management, cleanliness operations, tree planting, greening, drainage and broader urban management. During the visit, he expressed dissatisfaction with several aspects of the city corporation’s work, identified existing problems and instructed those concerned to address them quickly and effectively.

Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Rony confirmed the visit. He said the prime minister summoned the state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives and the DNCC administrator to his Gulshan residence before leaving at about 3:30pm. Driving himself, Rahman toured locations including ECB Chattar, Mirpur DOHS, Diabari, Uttara, Airport Road, Mohakhali, Farmgate, Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, Mirpur and Banani.

During the inspection, the prime minister gave necessary guidance to relevant officials and people responsible for the services. State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, DNCC Administrator Shafiqul Islam Milton, BNP special secretary Belayet Hossain, Principal Secretary Mehedul Islam and Assistant Personal Secretary Abdur Rahman Sani were present. Rahman returned to his Gulshan residence after completing the inspection.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and that any vessel movement through the waterway is possible only with its coordination and permission. Iranian state media reported the statement, which was posted by the IRGC Navy on social media. The report was published on July 31, 2026.

The IRGC Navy rejected what it described as false claims by US Central Command that normal shipping continued through the strait. It said CENTCOM had claimed shipping companies could cross without problems under US security escorts, but maintained that the waterway was in fact closed and that all passage required coordination with the IRGC Navy.

The Persian Gulf Waterways Management Authority also said vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was currently not possible because of what it called continued aggressive activities by US forces in the region. It said pending applications would be reviewed sequentially once conditions became normal and stable, with movement permissions then issued according to a set schedule.

Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company said oil production, development and exports continued normally despite wartime conditions, according to its chief executive Hamid Bord. In a report published on July 31, 2026, Iranian state media said an offshore oil platform was successfully installed during the conflict, while oil exports continued without disruption.

Bord said gas production at platforms in the South Pars gas field remained uninterrupted. Major maintenance work was also completed on the platforms, and debris was safely removed from damaged refineries. He said many NIOC activities were not disclosed during the sensitive wartime period, describing this as a deliberate and planned decision aimed at protecting national interests.

Drawing on experience from rebuilding the Phase 14 refinery damaged in a 12-day war, Pars Oil and Gas Company is rapidly advancing reconstruction work at other refineries damaged in the recent conflict, Bord said. He described the continued operation of oil and gas production, operational areas, offshore platforms and energy facilities as evidence of Iran’s oil industry’s crisis-response capacity. Bord also credited industry workers’ dedication and sacrifice with maintaining production, development and sustainable energy supplies.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir held its 14th Youth Summit in Dhaka on July 31, 2026, bringing together selected higher-secondary students who achieved GPA-5 in SSC and Dakhil examinations. The daylong event took place at the Shaheed A N M Najibuddin Khan Khurram Auditorium of Dhaka College under a theme calling for the integration of spirituality with skills to lead the world.

Chief guest and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Shafiqur Rahman said young people need spiritual strength and modern skills alongside academic excellence to lead Bangladesh in the future. He stressed self-purification as a prerequisite for a corruption-free society, warning that talented people without principles cause the greatest social harm. He also recalled Shaheed Abu Sayeed and urged efforts to build a beautiful, discrimination-free country.

Special guest Mia Golam Parwar urged students to focus fully on studies and use phones, the internet and social media responsibly for knowledge and character building. In the closing session, Shibir president Nurul Islam said career success and skill development cannot be sustainable without a strong ethical foundation. The summit included sessions on careers, academics, skills, time management and leadership.

Professor Dr Md Zakir Hossain, a senior professor in the Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies Department at Islamic University, has been appointed vice chancellor of Sunamganj Science and Technology University. The Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division issued a notification on the appointment last Monday with the approval of the President and Chancellor. Assistant Secretary Md Shah Alam Siraj signed the notification.

Under Section 10(1) of the Sunamganj Science and Technology University Act, 2020, Hossain has been appointed for four years. If his regular service term ends or he reaches retirement before completing four years after joining, his vice-chancellor appointment will remain effective only until that date. He will receive salary and allowances equivalent to his substantive post, along with other benefits under government rules.

As the university’s chief executive, Hossain has been instructed to reside on campus full time. The President and Chancellor may cancel the appointment at any time. Hossain said his main goal is to develop the university into a leading centre for higher education, quality education and world-class research. He also sought cooperation from teachers, students, officers and employees to maintain a peaceful, education-friendly campus environment.

A high-level 11-member delegation led by US Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gore visited Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Friday. The group arrived at Cox’s Bazar airport at noon before touring the camps to assess current conditions among Rohingyas who have taken shelter there. US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen was also part of the delegation.

According to the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, the delegation first inspected activities run by the World Food Programme in Camp 4. It later observed overall camp conditions and security arrangements from the expanded Camp 8 West watchtower, before visiting Camp 6 to review health services and other humanitarian activities. The team received firsthand information about Rohingya living conditions, the humanitarian situation and ongoing assistance by international organizations.

About 60 Rohingyas displayed placards during the watchtower visit, calling for safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation. At 5pm, delegation members met relevant officials at the RRRC office in Cox’s Bazar to discuss the Rohingya crisis, humanitarian aid, security and repatriation. The 8 Armed Police Battalion said security was strengthened and the visit concluded peacefully.

Dhaka South City Corporation administrator freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam has announced a seven-day special “crash programme” in Kamrangirchar to control dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases and ensure proper waste management. He made the announcement after Friday prayers at a mosque beside Kamrangirchar Eidgah Field on July 31. The programme will include daily mosquito eradication activities across the area.

Salam said city corporation action alone would not be sufficient, urging residents to ensure that water does not accumulate in homes, yards or drains. He also called for a collective effort to build a clean, green and liveable Kamrangirchar. The administrator said work was under way on the Inner Circular Road project to expand Kamrangirchar Road to eight lanes, which he said would improve communication and change the area’s overall outlook.

He urged people not to dump waste, rubbish or polythene into the Old Buriganga Channel and to play an active role in preventing river encroachment. Salam also called for social resistance against drugs, extortion and encroachment, while stressing clean and encroachment-free roads, drains and playgrounds. After his speech, he inspected several locations and planted trees near the Buriganga River.

China has begun commercial production of domestically developed immersion deep ultraviolet, or DUV, lithography machines, Reuters reported. State-owned Shanghai Aisengna Electronic Technology Group is leading the project, developed with engineers from Chinese lithography companies. Chinese researchers also say they are nearing development of homegrown extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography technology, an advance that could mark a major shift in the semiconductor industry.

Lithography is central to advanced semiconductor manufacturing. DUV can produce chips down to 7 nanometres through skilled engineering techniques, while EUV is considered nearly essential for 2, 3 and 5 nanometre processors. Dutch company ASML has long held an effective monopoly in the commercial EUV market. After US export restrictions limited Chinese access to advanced chips, equipment and software, China made semiconductors a national strategic priority and invested tens of billions of dollars in research, manufacturing, equipment, materials and talent.

Analysis found that Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro, launched in 2023, used a 7-nanometre processor made by SMIC. China is investing across chip design, equipment, materials, memory and fabrication, while CXMT and YMTC have expanded their positions. The source says the United States, Taiwan’s TSMC and ASML remain leaders in chip design, manufacturing and EUV technology respectively.

Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain said some family cards will reach every village by December. Speaking in Nawabganj, Dinajpur, he said additional cards would be distributed next year and that everyone would receive them over the next three years. Farmer cards would also be issued through a similar process, he said.

The minister made the remarks on Friday after inaugurating a tree-planting campaign and tree fair at the Nawabganj উপজেলা পরিষদ premises. The event was organized by the উপজেলা administration and the Forest Department. He described the current government as highly humane, said it would stand beside every person, and asked for public cooperation.

Officials and local political leaders attended, including উপজেলা নির্বাহী অফিসার Bidhan Kanti Haldar, OC Abdul Quddus, উপজেলা engineer Hossain Ali, Dinajpur BNP vice-president Atikur Rahman Raja, and Forest Department officials. The minister distributed sewing machines to beneficiaries from small ethnic communities, educational scholarships to students, and cheques to needy and meritorious students. He also inaugurated beautification work at the উপজেলা পরিষদ auditorium.

China called on Washington to stop military threats and unilateral sanctions after reports that the Pentagon was examining possible military intervention options in Cuba. On July 31, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing was closely monitoring the matter and opposed external interference in Cuba. She said China would firmly stand with Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and would work with all parties to uphold international justice and fairness.

The statement followed a CBS News report that senior US defense officials had reviewed several outlines for a military operation in Cuba, including an air-strike plan involving thousands of troops from the 101st Airborne Division. The report said the US military held a preliminary meeting in late June to assess potential operations, troop requirements, logistics and risks.

US officials stressed that President Donald Trump had not authorized an attack and that no final decision had been made. The Associated Press reported that no immediate attack preparations were underway, though a military option remained in US planning drafts. Officials said moving fighter aircraft, intelligence-surveillance platforms and other equipment to Cuba would be difficult under current conditions, while the Pentagon declined direct comment on hypothetical operations.

Five people died in Lakhai upazila of Habiganj after consuming an intoxicating liquid, police said. They became ill after drinking the substance on Tuesday night and died at different times on Wednesday and Thursday. Police recovered one body and sent it to the morgue at Habiganj Sadar Modern Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The dead were Sudeb Das, 60, and Sujit Das, 35, of Morakari village; Nandalal Rabidas, 52, and his wife Subi Rabidas, 40, of Bhadikara village; and Ranjit, 45, from the Chowdhury Bazar area of Habiganj town. Local sources said they regularly collected an alcohol-based liquid from Hanimann Homeo Hall in Morakari Bazar for intoxication.

Sujit died while being taken to Brahmanbaria District Sadar Hospital, Sudeb died at Habiganj District Sadar Hospital, and Ranjit died while being taken to Dhaka. Nandalal and Subi died at home. Lakhai police station officer-in-charge Sharif Ahmed said some bodies were cremated without police being informed. Police are examining the liquid’s source, whether it contained toxic substances, and possible involvement of others.

Palestinian groups have rejected US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a purported Gaza peace and disarmament agreement, calling it incorrect and inconsistent with realities on the ground. In the report published July 31, representatives said any discussion of weapons handover or security arrangements in Gaza could be considered only after a full Israeli military withdrawal and an end to aggression.

Palestinian representatives said talks had made some progress, but the arrangement described by Trump had not been finalized. Fundamental issues remain unresolved, including the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the blockade from Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian aid access, and the durability of a ceasefire. Trump had earlier described an “historic” understanding on disarming armed Palestinian groups and a phased Israeli withdrawal.

Trump said Egypt, Qatar and Turkey had acted as mediators and that the process could pave the way for a new administrative structure in Gaza. Palestinian groups said disarmament is not a preliminary condition, but a possible later step contingent on Israel implementing commitments, particularly troop withdrawal and an end to military operations. Reports cited by the article said Israel views disarmament as a precondition for withdrawal, while Palestinians insist withdrawal must come first.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said citizenship, rather than religious identity, should be the core foundation of the Bangladeshi state. He made the remarks on July 31 as chief guest at a discussion meeting and representatives’ conference on minority protection and security, organised by Sammilito Sanatan Parishad at the Diploma Engineers Institution auditorium in the capital. He said there was no scope for division in Bangladesh in the name of religion and that people of all faiths have equal rights and dignity.

The minister said Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians have lived in harmony in the region for centuries. Addressing the Sanatan community, he said he did not regard them as minorities, but as children and citizens of the country. He described the Liberation War as a struggle for freedom, dignity and economic emancipation for all people, and called for a democratic, non-communal and humane Bangladesh.

Alamgir urged people to remain united against efforts to create religious divisions and damage communal harmony. He said extremism and fundamentalism have no place in Bangladesh. He also said the government had taken steps to protect the lives, property and places of worship of followers of all religions, including by providing support and security during Durga Puja, Rath Yatra and other religious events. He encouraged the Sanatan community to present its concerns and demands in an organised manner.

Fisheries and Livestock State Minister Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has announced plans to clean Tangail city’s DC Lake and develop it into a mini tourism centre. He made the remarks on Friday after inaugurating an operation to remove water hyacinth and accumulated waste to restore the lake’s environment. Tuku said the lake is not only a recreational site but also an important part of Tangail city’s beauty and environment.

He said the entire lake would be cleaned gradually, while the adjoining char area is planned as a larger tourism centre. Necessary initiatives are being taken toward those goals, he added. Tuku said he had previously visited the area with the chairman of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, who inspected both the char area and the DC Lake area.

The state minister said work was under way to fulfil his pre-election pledge to establish a modern tourism centre in Tangail. He said a cleaner, more usable lake could provide residents with a modern recreation space, while fish farming in the lake would also benefit local people. Tuku inspected sections of the lake, joined the water-hyacinth removal effort and directed those involved to continue regular cleaning. BNP activists, volunteers and local residents joined the campaign.