Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Dhaka South unit honored 1,500 students who achieved GPA-5 in this year’s SSC, Dakhil and equivalent examinations. The reception was held at 9am on Sunday at the Gendaria Social Cultural Centre auditorium in the capital. Guests presented the students with commemorative crests and gifts.

Speaking as chief guest, the organization’s central president Nurul Islam Saddam said young people would be involved in building a welfare-oriented, justice-based Bangladesh. He urged the award recipients to use their talent, youth and enthusiasm constructively, speak against injustice, and stand for people’s rights and dignity.

Saddam told students that the next two years would be important after entering college and advised them not to waste time on unnecessary activities. Other speakers, including central literary secretary Saidul Islam and DUCSU vice-president Abu Sadiq Kayem, stressed humility, morality, humanity, regular study, self-purification and gratitude toward parents. Dhaka South president Hafez Delawar Hossain chaired the event.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has initiated plans to establish a new directorate for people affected by enforced disappearance, murder, torture and extrajudicial killings, as well as their families. The proposed body would work to ensure welfare, medical care, legal protection and rehabilitation. The initiative was discussed at an inter-ministerial meeting at the ministry on Sunday, according to a ministry press release.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan, who chaired the meeting, said people who made sacrifices during long struggles to restore democracy should receive state recognition, similar to those affected by the July mass uprising. He cited victims who disappeared, were killed, lost eyesight, became disabled, lost their assets in alleged false cases, or spent years in prison.

Participants discussed amending Schedule-1 of the Rules of Business, 1996, to place the responsibility formally under the ministry. They also considered legislation to secure victims’ and families’ rights and compensation, with reference to UN principles on remedy and reparation and Bangladesh’s constitution. Representatives from several ministries and divisions attended the meeting.

Bangladeshi expatriates sent $2.148 billion in remittances during the first 22 days of August, according to Bangladesh Bank data released on Sunday by Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan. At an exchange rate of Tk123 per dollar, the amount equals Tk264.204 billion in local currency.

The inflow was higher than the $1.711 billion received during the same August 1-22 period in 2025. Remittances increased by $437 million year on year, representing growth of about 25.52 percent, the central bank data showed.

From July 1 to August 22 of fiscal year 2026-27, total remittance receipts reached $5.006 billion, compared with $4.188 billion in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. That marked an increase of $818 million, or 19.5 percent. Bankers attributed the rise to greater use of legal transfer channels, easier access to banking services and a simpler remittance process.

Detective Branch police in Chattogram arrested 27-year-old Md Mohiuddin, also known as Prokash, after recovering a machine used to make counterfeit currency and fake notes worth Tk18,300. Chattogram Metropolitan Police disclosed the information at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, August 23, 2026. Mohiuddin is the son of the late Abul Kashem from Ghorabhanga in Bhujpur, Chattogram district.

Police said the DB’s Bandar-West Division team conducted an operation in front of Afmi Plaza on August 13 and recovered counterfeit notes valued at Tk40,500 from Mohiuddin. Police said Tk40,500 in fake notes had also been recovered from him previously. A case was filed with Panchlaish Model Police Station on August 14.

Following remand interrogation, police said they learned that a rented room in Tayyabiya Housing Society contained a counterfeit-money-making machine and fake currency. DB officers later searched the residence and recovered the machine, 43 fake Tk100 notes, 24 fake Tk500 notes and two fake Tk1,000 notes. Police also recovered a glass cup from the house.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to send notices seeking asset declarations from journalist couple Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa as part of an inquiry into allegations of illegally acquired wealth. ACC Deputy Director Md Akhtarul Islam said on Sunday that the notices will be delivered through prison authorities because the pair are in custody in separate cases. Shakil is held at Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail and Rupa at Munshiganj District Jail.

Using powers under Section 26(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, the ACC has asked each to provide information on assets held by themselves, their spouse and dependants. The order also seeks details of movable and immovable property, including assets held openly or anonymously, as well as liabilities, income sources and how the assets were acquired.

ACC records say they must submit the information within 21 working days of receiving the order. Failure to provide the declaration within the deadline or submitting false information could lead to action under Section 26(2) of the law. The ACC said its inquiry gave it “firm belief” that each owned substantial assets beyond known income. Earlier notices sent to their home address were returned after no one was found there.

A Lalpur upazila Chhatra Dal leader in Natore has been accused of announcing through loudspeakers that Section 144 had been imposed at a football field, leading to the cancellation of a traditional tournament final in Keshabpur village on Friday. Organisers said the announcement followed their refusal to name a former municipal mayor as chief guest and the leader as special guest. Police visited the site after receiving reports and restored calm.

The tournament has been held in the village for about six decades and involves residents, students, young people and sports enthusiasts, locals said. Six teams of local college, high school, madrasa and university students, as well as employed participants, took part in this year’s event, which began about 15 days earlier. The final had been scheduled after Friday prayers.

Natore district Chhatra Dal issued a show-cause notice to the accused leader, Mohammad Maruf Ali, on Sunday and ordered him to appear in person by Monday to explain the allegations. Lalpur upazila Chhatra Dal convener Rayhan Kabir Suis said no individual has authority to declare a government decision such as Section 144. Police said they did not directly witness the loudspeaker announcement.

The Bangladesh government has promoted five deputy inspectors general of police to the rank of additional inspector general of police. The Public Security Division of the Home Ministry announced the promotions in a notification issued on Sunday, according to the report published on August 23, 2026.

The promoted officers are Md. Saidur Rahman, Md. Mainul Hasan, Md. Israel Howlader, Md. Iqbal Hossain and Md. Kamrul Ahsan. Saidur Rahman is serving as director of Rajarbagh Police Hospital, while Mainul Hasan heads the Tourist Police. Israel Howlader is commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, Iqbal Hossain is deputy inspector general of Dhaka Range, and Kamrul Ahsan works in the Confidential Branch at Police Headquarters.

The report cited the officers’ experience in field-level leadership, metropolitan policing, intelligence work, specialised units and administrative duties as grounds for their elevation to the senior level of the police force. Mainul Hasan previously worked with the Special Security Force, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Criminal Investigation Department. Iqbal Hossain earlier served in the Special Branch and assumed his Dhaka Range role on July 5.

Seventeen-year-old Rudiansah has joined efforts to fight severe wildfires on Indonesia’s Borneo island, wearing a red-and-blue Superman costume while spraying water on vegetation and burning peatland. He works with a local volunteer firefighting team established by his father, Muliadi, near Palangkaraya. The report was published on August 23, 2026.

Rudiansah said he has helped his father after school since 2023, but chose the costume this year to encourage public attention and motivation. A video of him handling a hose spread widely on social media and was viewed millions of times. Indonesia’s forestry minister later called him a “forest hero.” His father described this year’s haze as the worst seen since the volunteer team was formed in 2020.

The Indonesian government said more than 200,000 hectares burned from January through July, about three times Jakarta’s area. Water shortages caused by prolonged drought have complicated firefighting, while haze has reached neighbouring Malaysia. The government has ordered additional troops and aircraft deployed. Rudiansah, who hopes to become a forest ranger, urged firefighters and volunteers across Indonesia not to lose morale.

The 2026 Junior Scholarship Examination will begin on December 8 and conclude on December 15, according to a schedule released Sunday by the Dhaka Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Bengali will be examined on December 8, English on December 10, mathematics on December 13, and science alongside Bangladesh and World Identity on December 15.

The revised timetable moves the examination forward from the education ministry’s previously published academic calendar, which had scheduled tests from December 15 to 20. That calendar had indicated December 30 as the possible result publication date. Under the new plan, candidates will sit examinations worth a total of 400 marks, which will determine merit and general scholarships.

Bengali, English and mathematics will each carry 100 marks and have three hours allotted. Science and Bangladesh and World Identity will carry 50 marks each, with 90 minutes for each subject. Candidates must enter examination rooms 30 minutes early, collect admit cards at least seven days beforehand, correctly complete OMR details, avoid folding answer scripts, and may use approved scientific calculators. Mobile phones and other electronic devices are barred except for centre secretaries.

The ‘Hridoye Dhaka 416’ festival began on Saturday at Madhumita Cinema Hall in the capital, celebrating Dhaka’s heritage and film history. Organised by Dhaka South City Corporation, the opening day honoured 58 distinguished figures of Dhaka cinema and three historic theatres: Lion Cinema Hall, Azad Cinema Hall and Madhumita Cinema Hall.

Living honourees included actresses Sujata, Suchanda, Anwara, Bobita, Nutan, Champa and Shabnaz, along with actors Ujjal, Sohel Rana, Alamgir, Khaja Naim Murad and Azad Rahman Shakil. Awards also recognised contributors to lyrics, music, cinematography, directing and film journalism, including Mohammad Rafiquzzaman, Abida Sultana, Sheikh Sadi Khan, Reza Latif, Chhotku Ahmed and Chinmoy Mutsuddi.

Posthumous honours went to filmmakers including Abdul Jabbar Khan, Zahir Raihan, Amjad Hossain, Subhash Dutta and Chashi Nazrul Islam, as well as performers and music professionals. The festival also started screenings of 13 memorable Bangladeshi films at Madhumita Cinema Hall, opening with ‘Mukh O Mukhosh’, described as Bangladesh’s first full-length sound film. DSCC administrator Md Abdus Salam chaired the inauguration.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obayed Islam said the international community must collectively assume political and moral responsibility for resolving the protracted Rohingya crisis, stressing that Bangladesh cannot bear the burden alone. Speaking on Sunday in the capital at a dialogue jointly organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh and Oxfam in Bangladesh, she said the crisis’s nearly 10-year mark requires renewed action and accountability.

She said Bangladesh has hosted more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingya despite limited land, high population density and its own development challenges. Their presence has put heavy pressure on infrastructure, the environment, public services and communities in Cox’s Bazar, she said, while Bangladesh continues to provide food, shelter, health care, education and protection. She warned that reduced funding under the 2026 Joint Response Plan could affect refugees, host communities, camp stability and regional stability.

Islam said a durable solution must be found in Myanmar, where the crisis originated, and reiterated Bangladesh’s goal of safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation. She called for faster verification under bilateral agreements, including consideration of children born in camps and Rohingya arriving from Rakhine after 2017, alongside sustained diplomatic efforts and predictable international funding.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against 10 people, including former Padma Bank PLC Managing Director and CEO Abdul Motaleb Patwary, over allegations of approving and embezzling a Tk 19.5 million loan using forged documents. The case was filed at the ACC headquarters on August 23, 2026, according to Deputy Director of the commission’s public relations department Md Aktarul Islam.

Other accused include former branch manager George Cornelius Gomez, former credit in-charge Md Russell Mia, former manager operations M Atif Khaled, former first assistant vice president Amena Begum, former branch manager Mohammad Shamsul Hasan Bhuiyan, former manager operations Mahbub Ahmad, former credit in-charge Md Kawsar Hossain, MH Enterprise proprietor Md Mominur Rahman and Md Ajit Ullah.

The ACC said it decided to investigate allegations that false documents were created to secure the loan in the complainant’s name. After reviewing the inquiry team’s report and relevant records, the commission filed a regular case. The accused face allegations under several Penal Code provisions, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.

The Bangladesh government has appointed Md Abdur Rahman Khan on a contractual basis as alternate executive director for Bangladesh’s relevant constituency at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, United States. The appointment will run for three years from his date of joining, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration’s contract and foreign employment branch on Sunday.

The notification says Khan’s post-retirement leave and related benefits will remain suspended during the appointment. It also requires him to sever employment links with any other profession, business, government, semi-government, private institution or organisation before taking up the role.

The Ministry of Public Administration said the remaining terms of the appointment will be set through a contract agreement. The notification described the order as having been issued in the public interest. The report, published on August 23, 2026, did not specify Khan’s joining date or provide further details about the contractual conditions.

Bangladesh’s National Security Intelligence agency has appointed three senior officers as directors, according to two separate administrative orders issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Sunday. The appointees include two deputy inspectors general of police and a senior army officer. The orders directed that the appointments take effect immediately in the public interest, with the officers placed under the Prime Minister’s Office.

Aminul Islam, who had been serving as the official in charge of the Rangpur Range, has been sent on deputation as an NSI director. Special Branch DIG Dr Mohammad Abdul Kader has also been assigned to the same post. Both police officers were withdrawn from their current workplaces and attached to the Prime Minister’s Office under the notifications.

In a separate order issued on the same day, Brigadier General Monowar Hossain was appointed as an NSI director. Aminul Islam’s transfer is also linked to a change at the Rangpur Range DIG post. A 12 August notification had earlier appointed Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner DIG Mohammad Abdul Mabud as the new DIG of Rangpur Range.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher said Bangladesh will no longer allow construction of buildings or housing projects that violate laws or depart from approved designs. He made the remarks on Sunday at the Secretariat during an exchange meeting with members of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) and the Bangladesh Land Developer Association. The report was published on August 23, 2026.

Taher said laws, rules and policies governing building construction had not been properly implemented over the past 17 years. He said approved building plans include sewage treatment plants and soak wells, but many developer companies had not built them. He called on members of both industry bodies to ensure that no buildings or housing projects are developed in breach of the law.

RAJUK is bringing its full land-use clearance and design-approval process under digitalisation, Taher said. He added that rules of the National Housing Authority would be amended to bring developer companies outside the capital under specific policies. State Minister Ahmmad Sohel Manzur urged developers to consider customers’ hardships, including delayed handovers and delayed refunds. Industry leaders voiced support for legal compliance and presented views on DAP and Dhaka building rules.