BNP joint secretary general and Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie warned that excessive expectations could create fresh danger and allow others to exploit the situation. He made the remarks on Saturday at the National Press Club in Dhaka during a memorial meeting and prayer event marking the 12th death anniversary of former Feni-3 lawmaker and media figure Muhammad Mosharraf Hossain.

Annie said public expectations of political leaders must align with politicians’ statements and actions. He said politicians, activists and supporters of political parties should consider the issue carefully. He also said relations with neighbouring countries should have been better and stressed that politicians have a responsibility to retain the public’s changed perception of them after the election and after the 5th.

The minister said expectations that a government can accomplish everything for everyone within six months are not realistic because state responsibilities were assumed through a defined process. He said people had at least been relieved from a 17-year situation marked by cases, attacks, oppression, torture, disappearances and killings. Annie also recalled Mosharraf Hossain as someone committed to helping people in Feni and said future memorial events could be organised on a broader scale.

Bangladesh ranked 127th among 147 countries in the World Happiness Report 2026, according to an article published by Amar Desh Online on August 22, 2026. The report places Bangladesh below conflict-affected Palestine, which ranked 108th, Pakistan at 109th and Somalia at 122nd. The article describes Bangladesh’s position as disappointing and says the findings renew questions about how comfortable and satisfying ordinary people’s lives are behind development and growth statistics.

The ranking is based on people’s overall assessment of their own lives through the Gallup World Poll. Participants place their current lives on an imagined ladder from zero, representing the worst possible life, to 10, representing the best possible life. Rankings generally use averages from three years of data. Researchers examine links with income per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and perceptions of freedom from corruption.

No Muslim-majority country was among the top 20 in the 2026 report. The United Arab Emirates ranked 21st, Saudi Arabia 22nd, Kuwait 30th and Kazakhstan 43rd. Researchers cited in the article say religious identity should not be directly linked to happiness; safety, effective institutions, social trust and optimism about the future are more important considerations.

The bodies of five of seven Bangladeshi nationals killed in a fire at Kolkata’s Shikha Inn residential hotel were returned to Bangladesh through the Benapole International Checkpost on Saturday. Indian Petrapole immigration police handed over the bodies to Benapole immigration police at the zero line after required formalities at about 5:30 pm.

Those returned through Benapole were Kushtia journalist Debashish Dutta, his wife Afsana Sharmin, their three-year-old son Sharnashish Dutta, Debashish’s father-in-law Md Akram Ali, and Savar businessman Ahmed Babu. Relatives had waited with ambulances at Benapole land port, where their arrival prompted mourning. Family members said Debashish and his son would be cremated under Hindu rites, while Afsana and Akram Ali would be buried under Islamic rites.

The fire broke out around 2 am on Wednesday at the hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata’s New Market area, killing nine people, including seven Bangladeshis and two Indians. Another victim, Satkhira resident SM Alimuzzaman, was brought through Bhomra land port, while Revati Sarkar’s body will be cremated in Kolkata at the family’s request.

The Argentine Football Association is preparing to appeal FIFA disciplinary sanctions linked to incidents during the World Cup, including a clash between Argentina and Spain players in the final. The FIFA Disciplinary Commission announced its rulings on Friday, and the AFA said it would seek reconsideration of bans and fines imposed on players and the federation. It has also left open the option of taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if necessary.

Argentina’s Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban, Nahuel Molina seven matches and Thiago Almada two matches. Roberto Ayala, a member of coach Lionel Scaloni’s staff, was banned for three matches, bringing the Argentine sanctions from the final incident to 22 matches. Spain’s Gavi received a one-match ban. Paredes and Molina were each fined $90,000, while the other three were fined $30,000 each.

FIFA also investigated allegations involving discriminatory chants and gestures, delayed kick-offs, security protocol breaches, thrown objects and inappropriate displays. The AFA was fined nearly €250,000 over conduct including a “Malvinas Argentinas” banner after the England semifinal. Argentina’s next two home matches must operate at 50% stadium capacity, and $100,000 of the fine must fund an anti-discrimination programme.

The citizen platform Health Service Protection Movement formally launched at a discussion meeting at the National Press Club on Saturday. It aims to help patients and relatives who face medical negligence, wrong treatment or mistreatment while seeking care to file complaints and pursue remedies. Convener Nibin Reza and member secretary Mazharul Islam outlined the organisation’s activities, while several family members affected by alleged negligence shared their experiences.

Barrister Sara Hossain said special attention was needed to ensure that socially and economically disadvantaged victims can access justice, and stressed the media’s role in providing accurate health-service information. Barrister Rashna Imam said the country’s current legal framework was insufficient for prompt and effective resolution of negligence complaints, calling for a workable framework involving doctors, hospitals and other parties.

Organisers said the platform will provide information, advice and follow-up support on where and how to complain, which medical documents to preserve, and where legal or institutional assistance is available. It also plans to verify complaints impartially, guide affected people toward support and promote measures to improve future patient safety while giving equal importance to patient rights and doctors’ professional dignity.

Malaysia has published the names of 25 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies on its Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS), signalling that recruitment of Bangladeshi workers may resume in the long-closed labour market. The list was posted on Friday, while Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said an official announcement on reopening was expected within the week.

The publication has raised questions over Bangladesh’s earlier plan to give priority to the state-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited, or BOESL, in the first phase of recruitment. Chowdhury said workers would be sent through BOESL, but all recruiting agencies listed by Bangladesh would have an opportunity to participate. Former BAIRA secretary general Ali Haider Chowdhury said agencies had received no official information and wanted equal work opportunities, worker protection and lower migration costs.

Malaysia closed its labour market to Bangladesh and several other countries at the end of May 2024. Bangladesh had earlier submitted 423 agencies to Malaysia, and the current government later finalised 340 after scrutiny. Bangladesh’s High Commission labour wing in Kuala Lumpur said Malaysian authorities had not yet informed it about the 25-agency list.

The Pentagon said an estimated 20,492 US military members experienced sexual assault during fiscal year 2025, according to an annual report released Friday. The survey-based estimate covers active-duty women and men and is not the same as the number of formal complaints submitted to military authorities. The report was issued as required by Congress and included findings from the 2025 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey.

The survey measures unwanted sexual contact, sexual harassment and gender discrimination, including experiences that may not have been formally reported. Estimated sexual-harassment rates among active-duty women declined from 24.7 percent in 2023 to 17.5 percent in 2025. Among men, the rate fell from 5.8 percent to 4.4 percent. Meanwhile, the estimated share of incidents reported to authorities rose from 25 percent in 2023 to 33 percent in 2025.

Pentagon officials said reporting helps connect victims with medical, mental-health and other recovery services, while enabling investigations and accountability. Under Secretary Anthony J. Tata said sexual assault and harassment undermine military values, trust and readiness. The Pentagon did not release branch-level figures, detailed victim demographics or the number of disciplinary actions in Friday’s announcement.

Police in Maheshkhali, an island upazila in Cox’s Bazar, said they uncovered an alleged weapons-making workshop while investigating theft allegations in the Mitha Chhari area of Shaplapur union on Friday night. One person, Rahmat Ullah, was detained after local residents caught him and informed Maheshkhali police, according to the report.

Police said Rahmat Ullah was accused of stealing from shops and homes in different parts of Shaplapur union over a long period. During questioning, he allegedly told officers that stolen goods had been kept with Nomi Uddin, Moyna and Shabnur in Mitha Chhari. Police then launched an overnight operation in the area based on that information.

During the operation, officers found what they described as a large quantity of weapons-manufacturing materials at the home of a woman named Motahera. Items recovered from beneath a bed included gun stocks, triggers, barrel parts, springs, a drill machine, grinder and saw. Police said several people fled after noticing officers. An arms-law case has been filed, and operations to arrest other accused people are continuing.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Bangladesh is not rushing to arrange the prime minister’s visit to India and will proceed at an appropriate time after ensuring national interests through discussion. He made the remarks on Saturday, August 22, 2026, while answering reporters’ questions after paying tribute to Liberation War martyrs at the National Memorial in Savar.

Kabir said Bangladesh wants to maintain positive and effective relations with India as a neighbouring country, but would not compromise its national interests in relations with India or any other state. He said a prime minister-level visit cannot be organized suddenly because it requires necessary discussions and preparations before the two heads of government meet.

On Sheikh Hasina’s extradition, Kabir described her as having fled to India and said judicial proceedings against her are ongoing, with verdicts delivered in several cases and others still pending. He said Bangladesh and India have an extradition treaty, making the matter an ongoing bilateral issue. He added that Bangladesh would communicate and discuss with India the return of other alleged offenders who have fled there.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said action will be taken against relevant law-enforcement personnel if extortionists and terrorists are not quickly brought under the law. He made the remarks on Saturday while visiting a doctor injured in a terrorist attack at Dhaka Medical.

Ahmed also said legal action would be taken against any member of a law-enforcement force found involved in such activities. His comments linked accountability for criminal activity both to perpetrators and to force members who may be implicated.

The minister said instructions have been issued to bring extortionists, identified terrorists and drug dealers under the law quickly in all metropolitan areas of the country, including the Dhaka Metropolitan Police area. The report did not provide further details about the attack, the injured doctor, or a timeline for the enforcement actions.

Iranian parliament speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the United States has put the security and existence of its Middle Eastern allies at risk while protecting Israel’s interests. In a post on X, Ghalibaf said the situation had left US allies in the region concerned about their own survival. The report was published on August 22, 2026.

Ghalibaf attributed the risks facing US partners to what he described as US “bullying” and an extreme disregard for the interests of its allies. He said every US ally in the region had been exposed to major security threats as a result.

He also said Iran had received numerous messages from neighbouring countries on creating a new framework for regional security and expanding economic cooperation. Ghalibaf argued that genuine peace and security require an independent regional arrangement built through local initiative rather than reliance on outside powers. He said a local and independent system centred on regional countries’ interests and security could ensure long-term peace and stability.

Four people, including a five-year-old child, were killed after a Dhaka-bound oil tanker truck struck them in Brahmangram area of Osmaninagar, Sylhet, on Saturday at about 2:30pm. The crash occurred on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. Three other people were seriously injured, though their identities were not immediately available.

The deceased were identified as Md Lalon Mia, 26, of Sherpur Majherbari in Osmaninagar; Md Niamat, 45, of Sriramshi in Jagannathpur; Usufa Begum, 30, from the same area; and Niamat’s daughter Aysa Akhtar, aged five. Osmaninagar police investigation officer Zainal Abedin confirmed that four people died in the accident.

Police and local residents rescued the dead and injured and sent them to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for treatment. The report said at least seven people, including women and children, were injured in a head-on collision between a private car and an ambulance in the same Kashikapon area on August 17. Residents have expressed alarm and dissatisfaction over frequent accidents there.

Tensions have emerged in Beanibazar উপজেলার of Sylhet over a boat race planned for August 28 on the Sunai River. The event is being organized by young people from the Lauta-Bahadurpur area, while two sides have taken opposing positions over whether it should proceed.

Posts seeking cancellation of the competition have circulated on Facebook. There are also allegations that a group using the banner “Tawhidi Janata Lauta Union” demanded cancellation at Barigram Bazar Mosque on Thursday. Local residents said boat races have been held on the Sunai River for a long time and traditionally draw large crowds along both riverbanks.

Concern has increased because a killing occurred in connection with last year’s boat race. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Umme Habiba Majumdar said organizers had not informed the administration or sought permission or assistance. She said the administration is treating the matter seriously and a discussion is scheduled for Saturday.

Bangladesh is working toward a target of producing 10,000 megawatts of solar power as part of efforts to address electricity and energy shortages, Commerce, Industries, Jute and Textiles Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said on Saturday. He made the remarks in Sylhet after inaugurating a display and sales centre set up by the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation at Osmani International Airport.

The minister said expanding solar use is necessary for a sustainable solution to power and fuel constraints in industry. Bangladesh can make optimal use of solar energy for about three and a half to four hours daily, he said. Adding storage capacity could allow electricity generated during the day to be used during evening peak hours. He said meeting the 10,000-megawatt target would substantially reduce load-shedding in industry and facilitate more reliable electricity supplies to factories.

The government is also preparing a framework for industrial plots to use rice husk and coal alongside gas as alternative fuels. Muktadir said reducing energy disruptions to industrial production is a priority and that alternative energy could lower pressure on the power sector and dependence on fossil fuels. He also said the CMSME sector contributes about 34 percent to the national economy, with a government target of raising that share to 50 percent.

More than 350,000 patients in the Gaza Strip urgently need medicines, but medical supplies entering the territory remain far below demand, according to Mohammad Abu Afash, director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society. He made the remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera, as reported on August 22, 2026.

Abu Afash said there is a shortage of medicines and other medical supplies needed to treat the large number of patients. The aid currently entering Gaza is not sufficient to meet people’s needs, he said, warning that the health situation in the strip could become more severe if access for medical assistance is not arranged.

He also cautioned that continued failure to supply emergency medical materials would place greater pressure on Gaza’s health system and make it extremely difficult to ensure treatment for patients. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society official stressed the need for rapid and adequate delivery of medical assistance to Gaza.