The government has transferred 27 deputy secretaries from the BCS Administration cadre in a major administrative reshuffle, with most assigned as deputy directors for local government at district commissioners’ offices. The Public Administration Ministry’s Field Administration-2 branch issued the notification on Sunday. The postings cover district offices including Narsingdi, Thakurgaon, Jhenaidah, Satkhira, Rajshahi and Joypurhat.

Anti-Corruption Commission deputy director Tamim Talha Imamin was posted to Narsingdi as deputy director for local government. Cumilla additional deputy commissioner Md Saiful Islam was transferred to Thakurgaon, while Magura additional deputy commissioner Md Abdul Kader was sent to Jhenaidah in the same role. Officials from the Mymensingh District Council, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project and Gaibandha administration were also included.

The transfer list also includes officials from the Planning Commission, Land Records and Survey Department, Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority, Chattogram City Corporation and the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division. New local government deputy directors were assigned to several hill and border districts, including Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Feni, Panchagarh and Nilphamari. Transferred officials must be released by September 3 and join their new workplaces; otherwise, they will be considered released from September 4.

Students of Barishal University’s Coastal Studies and Disaster Management Department declared department chairman and founding associate professor Hafiz Ashraful Haque unwelcome and demanded his removal. On Sunday at about 10:30am, they locked the chairman’s room, classrooms and office, then staged a sit-in before the vice-chancellor’s office with banners and slogans.

The students alleged prolonged session delays, administrative paralysis and broader mismanagement in the department. They said the chairman had previously given written assurances to resolve the session backlog but had not implemented them, disrupting academic activities. They also alleged that despite an annual development fee of Tk1,200 from each student, no visible development had occurred over the past 10 years apart from installing a classroom screen.

Through the university proctor, students spoke with the vice-chancellor by phone after finding the vice-chancellor absent from the office. They said he promised to meet them within 24 hours. Proctor associate professor Mehdi Hasan Sohag asked students to submit written complaints, saying action would follow regulations. Haque attributed the difficulties mainly to shortages of classrooms and teachers and urged students not to take such extreme action.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has urged Japanese people to hold their government accountable for what he described as participation in US “crimes.” His remarks followed reports that US F-16 fighter jets were sent from Japan’s Misawa Air Base to the Middle East for an attack on Iran.

Araghchi questioned the use of US military facilities located in Japanese territory for operations in other parts of the world. Citing Fars News Agency, he said the Japanese government was responsible for the use of facilities based in the country.

The foreign minister also raised questions about the Japanese government’s role in how US military bases and installations in Japan are used for American military operations. The source did not include a response from the Japanese government or further details about the reported deployment of the F-16 aircraft.

A Bangladeshi youth, Sohag Mia, 20, was killed in alleged firing by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in the Chimtibil border area of Chunarughat, Habiganj. Sohag was identified as the son of Shafik Mia from the area.

His uncle, Abdul Kadir, said Sohag had gone to the border area in the morning to bring cattle, as he did regularly, when BSF personnel suddenly fired at him. Family members began searching after they could not find him.

Abdul Kadir and others later found Sohag lying in the border area and took him to Chunarughat উপজেলা Health Complex. The attending doctor, Sirajam Munira, declared him dead. Police prepared an inquest report and sent the body to the morgue.

Pakistan Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani called for international law to be applied equally to all states and for greater Global South representation in shaping global laws and policies. He made the remarks on Saturday at the second Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital.

Gilani said peace cannot be established selectively, arguing that a threat to peace in one part of the world becomes a threat everywhere. He urged parliaments to help approve international agreements, ensure accountability and promote fair international policies. Stressing peaceful dispute settlement, he described diplomacy and dialogue as the most effective path and referred to Pakistan’s role in advancing dialogue between the United States and Iran.

He said Pakistan has itself been affected by terrorism and has hosted millions of refugees, giving it an understanding of the costs of conflict and a reason to choose peace. Gilani proposed turning the conference into a permanent institution, with rapid-response mechanisms, fact-finding missions and regular parliamentary work on peace and security. He also met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and King Norodom Sihamoni.

The Bangladesh Building Construction Workers Federation held a press conference at the National Press Club on Monday, presenting a 12-point demand for workplace safety and broader protections for construction workers. Federation president Md Abdul Matin delivered the written statement, saying that about 8 million construction workers are employed across the country while facing dangerous and neglected conditions.

Matin said workers build high-rise buildings, roads, culverts, bridges, flyovers and modern markets despite risks to their lives. He said many are compelled to work without basic protective equipment such as safety helmets, belts, boots and gloves. Although appointment letters are mandatory under the national labour law, he said nearly all of the estimated 8 million workers are deprived of them, leaving them vulnerable to deprivation and harassment by employers.

The federation called for appointment and identity cards, living wages, social security, retirement welfare allowances and a separate government welfare fund. It also demanded compensation equal to lifetime earnings, treatment and rehabilitation for workers killed or injured at work, monitoring of safety and labour laws, district-based government hospitals, compulsory approval for construction projects, and depositing 1 percent of project costs into a welfare fund. Other demands include group insurance and implementation of all government holidays.

Police in Dasmina, Patuakhali, have launched an operation to recover a one-and-a-half-year-old boy allegedly sold for Tk100,000 by his father, carpenter Md Maruf. The incident was reported on Saturday morning in Betagi Boro Gopaldhi village. Family members allege Maruf took his son Musa from grandmother Mahfuza Begum, saying he would take the child to the market, but did not return.

The family later learned that Musa had allegedly been handed over to Imran Hossain of Ramanathsen village for money, which they say was intended to buy an iPhone. They further allege Maruf went to Dhaka with the child, exchanged an old iPhone for a new one, and later admitted under family pressure that he had transferred the child in writing for Tk100,000.

Imran acknowledged taking the child, saying Maruf had discussed giving him the boy for a long time and that the arrangement was made after discussions with family members. He said he left the child at his father-in-law's home on Saturday afternoon. Police said they are investigating the child's location, will verify the allegations after recovery, and will take legal action against those involved.

Bangladesh has confirmed a decision to buy Chinese-made J-10CE multirole fighter jets, with a draft proposal sent to the Finance Ministry and the Armed Forces Division for final approval. The proposed package also includes Chinese attack helicopters, VIP transport helicopters and drones. Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahedur Rahman said procurement could be completed quickly if funding is available in the current fiscal year; otherwise, the process would move to the next fiscal year.

The J-10CE is the export version of China’s Chengdu J-10C. The single-engine aircraft can conduct air combat, ground strikes, surveillance and long-range missions, with a reported maximum speed of about Mach 1.8 to 2. It has modern radar and can carry various air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles.

Bangladesh has not officially disclosed the number of aircraft or the contract value. Earlier information indicated a preliminary plan for 20 J-10 aircraft at an estimated cost of about $2.2 billion, including spare parts, training, transport, insurance and other equipment. The purchase is viewed as part of the Bangladesh Air Force’s modernization plan.

India and Uzbekistan have signed a long-term uranium agreement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced after meeting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on Sunday. The two leaders also discussed expanding cooperation beyond existing areas, including nuclear fuel and urban development.

The sides stressed the need to prepare an action plan for implementing three sister-city and sister-state agreements. Modi proposed using the experience of Gujarat’s GIFT City in the construction of Uzbekistan’s planned new city, New Tashkent. Cooperation between the countries already covers trade, investment, education, pharmaceuticals, information technology and culture.

Mirziyoyev said bilateral trade exceeded $1 billion for the first time last year. He also said direct flights between the two countries have increased to 14 per week. The Uzbek president further indicated an initiative to allow Indian citizens visa-free travel for up to 30 days, adding another proposed measure to strengthen people-to-people links.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced Delwar Hossain as its candidate for the Thakurgaon-1 by-election, after the seat became vacant following BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s election as president. The candidacy was formally announced on Sunday, August 30, at a gathering of party officials at the Thakurgaon district Jamaat office.

Jamaat central Assistant Secretary General and Rangpur-Dinajpur regional director Maulana Abdul Halim made the announcement. He said Delwar was selected as the nominee of an 11-party alliance under a central decision. Delwar is assistant secretary of Dhaka metropolitan south Jamaat and a former president of ইসলামী ছাত্রশিবির.

Abdul Halim said elections are the main means of establishing democracy and that Jamaat has decided to participate in all elections. He expressed hope that the alliance candidate would win if the election is neutral and voters can cast ballots freely. Delwar also contested the February 12 parliamentary election as Jamaat’s candidate. The Election Commission is expected to announce the by-election schedule soon.

Climate change is rapidly altering the Himalayan environment, with glaciers melting, snow and ice declining, and risks of rockfalls and sudden floods increasing. On Wednesday, a glacier and part of a mountain collapsed on the northern side of 23,734-foot Langtang Lirung near Nepal’s Tibet border, sending water, mud and rocks across about 60 miles. Weeks earlier, an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range killed 10 climbers, including Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja.

Tribhuvan University glacier researcher Aravindra Khadka said Himalayan glaciers are losing an average of about one metre of ice each year. Mountain guide association president Tula Singh Gurung said retreating snow and ice are exposing bare rock and making routes unfamiliar, while rockfall risks are emerging across many areas. Experts said further research is needed to establish the precise cause of the Langtang disaster.

The changes also threaten Nepal’s tourism-dependent mountain economy. Tourism accounted for 6.1 percent of the economy and nearly 1.2 million jobs in 2023, according to the World Bank. Climbers increasingly use weather forecasts, GPS, avalanche detectors and drones, which may reduce risks for Sherpas and other local workers as autumn trekking approaches.

Bangladesh’s Home Ministry on Sunday launched the Repatriation Data Management System, or RDMS, to make the return of Bangladeshi citizens who are victims of human trafficking and irregular migration more effective and coordinated. The launch took place at a hotel in the capital at an event organised by the ministry with support from Justice and Care Bangladesh, chaired by Additional Secretary Dr Ziauddin Ahmed.

The central digital platform was developed by the ministry with technical assistance from Justice and Care Bangladesh, while the Australian government supported its development and upgrades. It is designed to centrally store and manage repatriation case information, improve coordination among government agencies, speed up nationality and police-record checks, and enable real-time monitoring and reporting.

Dr Ahmed said the platform has already been linked with the national identity database to preserve comprehensive information on returnees and survivors. Work is under way to integrate it with birth and death registration and passport services to identify children accurately. The system also aims to securely manage sensitive personal information and allow Bangladeshi missions abroad and relevant agencies to submit repatriation requests through a more structured process.

Local residents surrounded the Palli Bidyut Samity-1 zonal office in Madhabdi, Narsingdi, protesting excessive load shedding, while thousands of textile workers blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway on Sunday. Workers occupied the road outside the Madhabdi electricity office from 10am to noon, disrupting traffic and demanding uninterrupted power for the Narsingdi and Madhabdi industrial areas.

The blockade created traffic congestion of about three kilometres on both sides of Madhabdi bus stand, causing hardship for long-distance passengers and other commuters. Workers said repeated outages had disrupted factory production and reduced their earnings. Textile worker Ratan Mia said the inability to produce cloth regularly was affecting workers' wages and called for the situation to be restored quickly.

Police from Madhabdi station, district administration officials and local leaders went to the site to address the protest. The workers returned to their workplaces and traffic resumed after they were assured that electricity supply conditions would be normalised within seven days. Deputy general manager Mohsin Kabir said load shedding was a national problem and that officials would try to improve supply in Madhabdi within a week.

A devastating flash flood in Nepal’s Rasuwa area near the Nepal-Tibet border on 26 August has renewed concern over climate change impacts on the Himalayas. Scientists say rapidly melting glaciers and permafrost are weakening mountain slopes, increasing the risk of glacier collapses, landslides and sudden floods. Hundreds of people were killed and many others went missing in the border-area disaster.

The US Geological Survey said a 5.2-magnitude tremor recorded during the event was not an earthquake, but resulted from a glacier collapse and a massive movement of ice and rock downhill. Scientists said the debris entered a river, creating a powerful flow of water, ice, mud and rocks. River levels rose by about nine metres within 30 minutes, submerging nearby settlements, roads, bridges, power facilities and other infrastructure.

Scientists cautioned that further research is needed to determine the disaster’s direct link to climate change. They urged regular monitoring of glaciers and river levels, satellite surveillance, stronger early-warning systems and faster information-sharing among Nepal, China and downstream countries. Rivers originating in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region support the lives and economies of about 2.1 billion people.

On International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, observed on August 30, an account has revisited the 2015 disappearance of current Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. According to Syed Habib Hasnat, the owner of the Uttara flat, Ahmed was taken from the residence in Dhaka on March 10 while serving as BNP spokesperson during anti-government protests. Ahmed, who had moved there from Gulshan, was found in Shillong, Meghalaya, on May 11 after about two months missing.

Hasnat said Ahmed had shifted between Gulshan flats as government agencies, intelligence bodies, RAB and police searched for him. On March 10, Hasnat said he found an unusually deserted area, a strong law-enforcement presence near the building, a broken flat door, and staff saying their “guest” had been taken away. He left Bangladesh soon afterward, fearing arrest or disappearance.

The government denied that law-enforcement personnel had taken Ahmed and said he had gone into hiding. Reports in two national dailies on March 18 cited witnesses who said law-enforcement members took him. Hasnat also said intelligence officials later threatened him to remain silent when he prepared to hold a press conference abroad.