Former Indian Air Marshal and Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force Nakesh Kapoor has questioned whether the Tejas Mk-2 will remain effective as a frontline fighter when large numbers are expected to enter service around the middle of 2030. In an NDTV interview less than two months after retirement, he said its battlefield relevance could be greatly diminished by then.

Kapoor cited China’s move toward sixth-generation aircraft and Pakistan’s plans to acquire fifth-generation fighters. He questioned the logic of confronting China’s sixth-generation aircraft in 2035 with a fourth-generation platform. The report says fifth-generation fighters such as the US F-22 and China’s J-20 feature stealth, sensor fusion and internal weapons carriage, while India currently has no fifth- or sixth-generation platform.

Kapoor nevertheless said Tejas Mk-2 aircraft would be needed to fill deployment gaps because limited numbers of advanced fighters could not be stationed everywhere across India. He also criticized Hindustan Aeronautics Limited over delays in Tejas Mk-1A deliveries. The Mk-2’s first flight is now expected between March and July 2027, while Kapoor urged consideration of participation in sixth-generation projects such as FCAS or GCAP.

A worker injured in an accident at Baraka Green Ship Recycling Yard in Sitakunda, Chattogram, has died after seven days of hospital treatment. Md Alauddin, 51, was seriously injured while working at the yard on August 16 and died at about 7am on Saturday at Treatment Hospital in the city’s Probortok Mor area.

Faujdarhat Police Outpost in-charge Inspector Rubel Afrad confirmed the death, saying Alauddin had been receiving treatment after the shipyard accident. Police and local sources said colleagues rescued him after the incident and admitted him to the hospital.

Alauddin was a resident of Uttar Masjidda area in Sitakunda উপজেলার and was the son of Nurul Islam and Hajera Khatun. News of his death brought grief among relatives and coworkers. The report said his family has fallen into severe financial uncertainty after losing its only earning member.

Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said Bangladesh must increase fish production to meet public demand without compromising quality. He made the remarks on Sunday at Aquaculture Knowledge Day-2026, organised by Fishtech BD Limited at a hotel in the capital. He called for coordinated work by researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs to ensure safe food and improve the acceptance of Bangladeshi products in international markets.

The minister said Bangladesh does not currently face a major shortfall in food production, but producing high-quality food remains a major challenge. He said quality agricultural products are essential if the country wants to advance its economy through agricultural exports. About 75 percent of the population is directly or indirectly involved in agriculture, he said, adding that strengthening this group economically would help build a more stable national economy.

Amin Ur Rashid urged researchers to explore natural solutions that reduce dependence on antibiotics and vaccines, and warned against food-production methods that could harm long-term health. He said the government has begun research into rising heavy-metal contamination in soil, water and rice, including lead and arsenic. He also stressed reducing groundwater extraction for irrigation and considering the use of freshwater from rivers.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday showed Wing Commander Saifur Rahman arrested in a crimes against humanity case over the April 17, 2012 disappearance of BNP central leader M Ilyas Ali. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, accepted the chief prosecutor’s application and set October 25 for the next hearing.

Saifur was produced before the tribunal from prison in the morning and brought before the court after 2 p.m. Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam then sought an order showing him arrested and sending him to jail, which the tribunal granted. The tribunal had earlier issued an arrest warrant against Saifur Rahman on August 9 following a prosecution application.

According to prosecution sources, investigators found information indicating Saifur’s involvement after a first alleged attempt to abduct Ilyas Ali failed and a second attempt, led by former army officer Ziaul Ahsan, succeeded. Saifur was then a Bangladesh Air Force squadron leader serving in RAB’s intelligence branch. His name also emerged in warrant officer Imrul Kayes’s June 21 testimony in a case involving more than 100 alleged disappearances and killings. Dismissed Major General Ziaul Ahsan is in jail in this case.

The Palestine Book Awards 2026 has released a 15-book longlist focused on Palestine. Published on August 23, 2026, the announcement says more than 80 books were submitted this year, making it the largest and most diverse selection in the award’s history. Judges will announce the shortlist in early September.

Organizers said writing on Palestinian history, people’s experiences and realities has become increasingly important amid ongoing war, destruction and displacement. The longlist includes work by Palestinian authors and researchers as well as writers from different countries, spanning academic research, global impact, creative writing, memoir and contemporary thought.

Selected titles address Palestinian history, occupation, Gaza, war, genocide, land and Palestinian identity. They include Samer Al-Saber’s A Movement’s Promise, Paul Kohlbry’s Plots and Deeds, Mark Griffiths’s Checkpoint 300, and Adam Johnson’s How to Sell a Genocide. Other listed works cover Palestinian Islamism, cinematic activism, Gaza, and libraries and knowledge preservation in Palestine.

The National Citizen Party’s Policy and Research Affairs Subcommittee has called an urgent press conference to present what it describes as the ruling BNP government’s “picture of failure” over 180 days. The briefing is scheduled for Monday at 11am at the party’s central office in Rupayan Tower, Banglamotor, in the capital.

NCP convener and opposition chief whip Md Nahid Islam is expected to attend the event. Political Council member Saleh Uddin Sifat and other senior party leaders are also scheduled to be present, according to the announcement.

The notice did not specify the individual issues, allegations or evidence that the subcommittee plans to raise regarding the government’s record. It identified the NCP Policy and Research Affairs Subcommittee as the body convening the press conference and gave the venue as the 15th floor of Rupayan Tower.

Border Guard Bangladesh seized illegal Indian sarees, three-piece sets, other goods and a vehicle valued at Tk9.29 million in separate operations in Cumilla early Sunday. Special patrol teams from Shiberbazar BOP in Chauddagram and Kotbazar Post in Adarsha Sadar conducted the raids at about 4:30am.

According to 10 BGB sources, the Shiberbazar patrol operated in the Chaoyara Bazar area, about six kilometres inside the border, while the Kotbazar team conducted its operation in the Palpara area, about five kilometres inside the border. The items were recovered from an ownerless vehicle.

The seized goods included various types of Indian sarees, three-piece sets, Red Bull and Move balm, along with the vehicle. Lieutenant Colonel Mir Ali Ejaj, commander of Cumilla Battalion 10 BGB, said the process was under way to hand over the seized goods to customs authorities in accordance with regulations. BGB said its strict operations against smuggling and all forms of cross-border crime would continue.

Newly appointed Food Minister Afroz Khanam began her first day in office at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Food on Sunday, August 23, 2026. She held an exchange meeting with senior officials from the ministry and its subordinate offices in the ministry’s conference room.

Officials briefed the minister on the ministry’s overall activities, ongoing programmes, food grain procurement, stockpiling and supply management, government food distribution, and future work plans. A PowerPoint presentation outlined efforts related to food security, public food stock management, procurement from farmers and food supply for consumers.

Khanam said the ministry has an important responsibility in ensuring food security and called for government food programmes to be implemented more effectively, transparently and in a people-friendly manner. She stressed accountability, efficiency and discipline across food collection, storage, transport and distribution, and said benefits must reach genuine recipients. Officials welcomed her and pledged full cooperation. State Minister for Food Md Abdul Bari, Food Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, the Directorate General of Food chief and other senior officials attended.

UK water regulator Ofwat has advised Muslims to use less water during wudu, the ritual ablution, as part of a wider water-saving initiative. The advice was issued through the Ofwat-funded Water Efficiency in Faith and Diverse Communities programme. A pilot project in Cambridge encouraged worshippers to use one litre of water rather than leaving taps running, and recommended wider promotion through Islamic television channels.

Ofwat said some people use up to about 12 litres of water across five daily ablutions. It estimated that using a one-litre bottle could save up to 55 litres per person each day. The Cambridge pilot reportedly saved around 5,900 litres of water daily. Water companies were also told to communicate the campaign carefully so that Muslims would not be portrayed as responsible for water waste.

The initiative has drawn criticism from some UK Muslims, who questioned whether religious practice should be singled out for conservation measures. They argued that leaks and infrastructure problems should receive priority. Citing Greenpeace UK research published in July, the report said leaking pipes waste about 2.87 billion litres daily in England and Wales. Ofwat said the project was not intended to change religious practices and ended in April 2025.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said discussions over a security agreement with Israel are currently suspended, with no date set for their resumption. Speaking to Reuters on August 23, 2026, he said Syria does not trust Israel at this time. He said communication between the two countries stopped after Israel struck Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase earlier in the week.

Al-Shaibani said Damascus hopes talks with Israel will resume soon. He said the United States has continued pressuring Israel to return to the negotiating table. According to the minister, Washington has been applying sustained pressure on Israel to bring it back into discussions.

The Syrian foreign minister also criticized Israel’s military approach to ensuring its security. He said Israel had tried to maintain its security through the use of force but had not succeeded. In contrast, he said Syria has extended its hand for understanding, peace and diplomacy.

Jamaat-e-Islami amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman condemned the killing of four members of a family in Rangpur and called for accountability from the home minister. The bodies of former Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, son Priyam Chakraborty and daughter Agami Chakraborty were recovered from a house in the city’s Machhuapara area on Saturday night. Initial information indicated they were killed by strangulation.

Describing the elimination of an entire family as deeply painful and horrific, Shafiqur said social crimes, killings and terrorist activities had reached serious levels in recent times. He referred to reported extortion demands in dollars and attacks involving a doctor in Dhaka and a veterinary doctor in Mymensingh, saying these incidents showed a serious deterioration in law and order.

He said the perceived indifference of law-enforcement agencies had alarmed people and urged authorities to quickly identify those involved in the Rangpur killings and ensure exemplary punishment. He also said victims were not receiving proper justice and court delays were causing public frustration. Shafiqur called for greater social awareness to protect people from such crimes.

Three people described as an Islami Chhatra Shibir worker and two supporters were shot by masked attackers in Baraital village of Jirtali ইউনিয়ন, Begumganj upazila, Noakhali, at about 9:30pm on Saturday. The injured were identified as Sakibul Hasan, 17, Md Nadim, 17, and Md Saher. They were admitted to Noakhali 250-bed General Hospital after local residents rescued them.

Local sources said the three were returning home from Bangla Bazar on a motorcycle when several masked people travelling in a CNG-run autorickshaw tried to stop them. After failing to block the motorcycle, the attackers allegedly fired indiscriminately, leaving all three injured. Residents approached the scene, after which the attackers fled. A shooting at a wedding in Alaiarpur union of Begumganj had injured at least five people the previous Monday.

Begumganj Jamaat emir Md Abu Zayed alleged that a Jubo Dal leader named Harun led the attack, an allegation rejected by Jubo Dal member secretary Mohi Uddin Raju. Police said two injured people had shrapnel wounds, while their political identities remained unconfirmed. No written complaint had been filed, and police said legal action would follow if one is submitted.

Ethel Caterham, described as the world’s oldest British woman, has reached the age of 117. She lives in a care home in Surrey, about 25 miles from London. João Marinho Neto of Brazil, described as the oldest man, sent her congratulations. Caterham was born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, in southern England.

Caterham was the second youngest of eight siblings. In 1931, she met British Army Major Norman Caterham at a dinner event, and they married two years later. Her husband died in 1976. She has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.

King Charles III visited Caterham shortly after her 116th birthday in September 2025. She is also among the oldest people to have recovered after contracting coronavirus at the age of 110 in 2020. The report cited CNN, PA Media and Guinness World Records as sources.

Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir will visit Tehran, the Iranian capital, on Monday, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei. The report, published on August 23, 2026, cited Iran’s Fars news agency for the announcement. No further schedule or meetings for the visit were specified in the source.

Baghaei said strengthening bilateral cooperation is among the main objectives of Munir’s visit. He also linked the trip to continuing Pakistan’s “sincere efforts” to establish regional peace and security. The source did not provide details about specific cooperation areas or any planned agreements.

The Tehran visit is described as part of efforts by Pakistan and Iran to further strengthen their bilateral relationship. The two countries are also continuing cooperation on regional peace and security, according to the report. The source did not state how long Munir’s visit would last or identify other officials expected to take part in discussions.

A Lalmonirhat court on Sunday sentenced Bidhan Chandra to death for the murder of seven-year-old schoolgirl Nandini Roy of Falimari village in Aditmari upazila. District and Sessions Judge Md Haidar Ali delivered the verdict on August 23, 2026, within six working days after the case was transferred for trial. Two other accused, Ranjit Kumar Roy and Mamata Rani, received five years’ rigorous imprisonment each.

Nandini’s father, Nalani Mohan Barman, filed the murder case at Aditmari police station on June 16 against three accused. The complaint alleged that Nandini was killed between 3pm on June 15 and 6am on June 16, and her body was buried in a maize field belonging to Javed Ali to conceal it. Police said Bidhan gave a confession under Section 164, leading to the recovery of the body and seizure of a spade and other evidence.

Bidhan was convicted under Section 302 and fined Tk20,000, with additional penalties under Section 404. The death sentence requires High Court Division approval, and he may appeal within seven days. All three convicts were ordered sent to Lalmonirhat District Jail.