Fifty factories in Chattogram have closed over the past six months, leaving more than 7,000 workers without jobs, according to industrial police. Twenty-five factories shut permanently and 25 temporarily, amid a shortage of work orders and pressure on Bangladesh’s garment sector. The closures have particularly affected subcontracting firms, while many operating factories are running at low capacity.

Bangladesh’s garment exports to Europe fell 16.43 percent in the first six months of the year, according to Eurostat data cited in the report. Shipments to Europe totalled €8.6448 billion, down from €10.3444 billion a year earlier. Exports to the United States also declined 5.75 percent to $4.0078 billion from $4.2524 billion in the same period of 2025.

Factory owners cited raw-material shortages, global factors, worker misconduct and financial problems as reasons for closures, industrial police superintendent Mahmuda Begum Sonia said. Labour leaders alleged increased layoffs, forced resignations and unpaid legal dues. Analysts cited limited product diversification, dependence on cotton-based goods, weak capacity in man-made-fibre garments, energy shortages, port and customs complications, and longer lead times as barriers to exports.

Dubai International Airport handled 31.5 million passengers in the first six months of the year, down 31.3 percent from nearly 46 million in the same period last year, Dubai Airports said on Wednesday. The operator attributed the decline to widespread disruption across Middle Eastern airspace linked to the Iran war, including restrictions and major changes to flight schedules.

Dubai Airports described the first half as one of the most challenging periods in DXB’s history. Flight cancellations, rescheduling and diversions increased on regional routes after the war began, affecting the Gulf hub. Higher fuel prices also extended the impact beyond the Middle East into global aviation. Aircraft movements fell 32.1 percent to 150,600, while cargo volumes declined 28.7 percent to 751,340 tonnes.

Passenger traffic showed a gradual recovery in the second quarter, rising from 3.5 million in April to 4.5 million in May and 5 million in June. The quarter’s total of 13 million passengers was still 42 percent below a year earlier. Dubai Airports expects traffic to increase in the second half as airlines restore flights and capacity, though its earlier forecast of about 100 million annual passengers is now uncertain.

Police in Jiyanagar, Pirojpur, arrested alleged drug dealer Liza Begum, 30, with 70 yaba tablets during a special operation on Tuesday, August 25. The operation took place at about 8:30pm in South Dhepsa Buniya village, Ward No. 3 of Balipara Union. Police said she was detained while allegedly selling the tablets from her home yard.

Liza Begum is the wife of Md Monir Hawlader and lives in the same ward, according to the report. Acting on confidential information, a police team led by Jiyanagar police station Sub-Inspector Ismail Hossain conducted the raid. The source described her as a known drug trader in the area.

A case under the Narcotics Control Act was filed at Jiyanagar Police Station on August 25, 2026, as case number 5. Officer-in-Charge Md Mohabbat Khan said police had arrested Begum with the yaba tablets based on secret information. SI Ismail urged residents to take a stand against drugs and assist police, while the officer-in-charge said operations against narcotics would continue.

Food Minister Afroz Khanam Rita has provided financial assistance to the family of Jamuna Rani Das in Ghona village of Garpara, Manikganj Sadar. Das’s academically talented daughter is studying at the University of Dhaka, but the family has struggled to meet her educational costs because of financial hardship. The assistance was provided on Wednesday afternoon after Rita learned about the student’s situation at the family home.

Rita, who is also convenor of Manikganj district BNP and member of parliament for the Manikganj-3 constituency, gave the grant from her own funds through Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mousumi Nasrin. She also promised to repair the family’s home.

Jahangir Alam Biswas, general secretary of the Manikganj district branch of Citizens for Good Governance, described the support as a notable example of humanity that could help a talented student pursue her dreams. Jamuna Rani thanked Rita and prayed that she would continue working alongside helpless and ordinary people.

An army member and his wife were killed in a road crash in the Gas Depot area of Jhenaidah town’s bypass at about 10am on Wednesday. The victims were Sohail Kazi, 35, an instructor at the Bangladesh Military Academy branch in Chattogram, and his wife Jannatul Ferdous Tuli, 25. Tuli died at the scene, while Sohail later died during treatment after being transferred to Jashore CMH.

Fire Service leader Liaqat Biswas said the couple had been travelling by motorcycle from the Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital area to Tuli’s parents’ home in Bardah, Shailkupa. Their motorcycle reportedly lost control and fell on the road while trying to avoid a collision with an autorickshaw coming from a side road.

At that point, Tuli was run over by a Garai Paribahan passenger bus travelling from Kushtia to Khulna. Fire Service personnel rescued the seriously injured Sohail and took him to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital before he was referred for advanced treatment. Jhenaidah Sadar police said the bus has been seized and legal procedures are under way.

Police in Meherpur detained a man identified as Sayan on Wednesday morning after he was accused of attacking his former wife, Sanjida Rahman Smriti, and her parents following a divorce. The attack occurred around 1:30am on Tuesday night at the family home above Selim Electronics near Lord Market, a busy area of the town. Smriti’s right hand was severed in the assault, according to the report.

When Smriti’s parents, Selim Hossain and Rebeka Sultana, rushed from another room after hearing her cries, they were also allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon. Local people took all three victims to Meherpur 250-bed General Hospital. After initial treatment, doctors referred them to Dhaka Medical College Hospital because of the severity of their conditions, where they are now receiving treatment.

Smriti’s family said the couple married 10 days earlier and that she divorced Sayan three days before the incident, alleging he was addicted to drugs. Sayan’s mother denied that he was drug-addicted or that she knew of a divorce, saying her son was mentally distressed. Police said several teams conducted raids and took Sayan into custody, while legal proceedings and an internal investigation continue.

Malaysia’s Human Resources Ministry has issued guidance requiring Malaysian employers to follow an eight-step process for recruiting foreign workers, including those from Bangladesh. The directive, issued on Sunday, is seen by the Bangladesh government as an indication that Malaysia may soon reopen its closed labour market. As of Tuesday, however, Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry and its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur had not received a formal announcement on when the market would reopen.

The process requires employers to seek approval and advertise vacancies, apply for worker quotas through the ministry’s one-stop centre, pay levies, obtain conditional approval and complete embassy formalities. Workers must then be recruited and sent through recruitment agencies, obtain a Visa With Reference, and enter Malaysia. Employers were advised to use the Foreign Workers Centralized Management System portal for information and approved agency lists.

Malaysia previously published lists of 25 Bangladeshi recruitment agencies and more than 40 medical centres, prompting objections from manpower exporters and political parties alleging a syndicate. Bangladesh has written to Malaysia seeking clarification. The existing 2021 memorandum of understanding remains valid until December, while recruitment from Bangladesh was halted in June 2024 amid allegations of irregularities and corruption.

Bangladesh Coast Guard recovered a foreign G-3 rifle, ammunition and 5,000 yaba tablets during two separate operations in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon disclosed the information on Wednesday afternoon. A joint Coast Guard and police operation was conducted near Damdamiya No. 14 Bridge at 5am on Wednesday after intelligence indicated a robbery group was gathering there.

The suspected group fled into the hills after detecting the joint force’s presence. Searches of the area recovered the G-3 rifle with a magazine, two locally made firearms, three locally made weapons, 13 rounds of live ammunition and one litre of locally made liquor. Authorities said the group had allegedly been positioned there for kidnapping and robbery.

In a separate special operation in the Sabrang area of Teknaf, Coast Guard personnel searched a suspicious residence at 8pm on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. They seized 5,000 yaba tablets, estimated in the source to be worth about Tk25 lakh. Legal action concerning the recovered weapons, ammunition and seized drugs is under process.

China-made humanoid robot Tiangong Ultra ran 100 metres in 8.86 seconds during the large-size robot division semifinal at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. The time was reported as a new record and was 0.72 seconds faster than Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second human world record set in 2009.

Tiangong Ultra had already broken its own earlier record on the opening day of the event, when it completed the distance in 9.39 seconds. Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, the robot is also reported to have achieved 38.15 seconds over 400 metres, two minutes 21.64 seconds over 1,500 metres, and a 2.88-metre high jump.

After its semifinal run, the robot was unable to control its speed beyond the finish line and struck a heavy safety mat. It fell after the collision and a small fire started in its internal components. The source says China is treating humanoid robotics as a strategic industry, combining artificial intelligence, powerful motors and advanced semiconductor technology. Tiangong Ultra was developed through a joint effort involving Chinese technology firms including Xiaomi and Baidu.

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman called for a roadmap to prevent the rehabilitation of fascism in the country, alleging that many masked individuals are still conspiring to restore fascists. He made the remarks on Wednesday, August 26, at an event in Banani, Dhaka, marking Eid-e-Miladunnabi (PBUH).

The minister said people must remain alert to those seeking to bring back what he described as a fascist government that killed thousands and left 30,000 people disabled or blind. He said a roadmap was necessary to ensure that no one could become fascist again.

Asaduzzaman said the country should leave a livable nation for future generations. He acknowledged that mistakes can happen in work but said they should be corrected before moving forward. He urged progress guided by the ideals of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), toward democracy and the rule of law, so fascism does not return and those working against it do not themselves become fascist. He also called for moving beyond a culture of opposition for opposition’s sake and working for national welfare.

A 55-year-old passenger, Chhanowara Begum of Chattogram, died after falling ill aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight travelling from Jeddah to Chattogram on Wednesday. Flight BG-136 diverted to Muscat while in the air and made an emergency landing at Muscat airport in Oman. She was taken quickly to a local hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines General Manager for Public Relations Mohiuddin Ahmed confirmed the incident. He said the passenger’s body was kept in Muscat while BG-136 continued its journey to Chattogram. The flight landed at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram at about 2:47pm on Wednesday.

Ahmed said arrangements are being made to bring Chhanowara Begum’s body back to Bangladesh on a subsequent flight after completion of legal procedures. The Bangladesh Embassy is working on the matter. BG-136 had been scheduled to depart Jeddah at 11am on Wednesday and travel to Chattogram before continuing to Dhaka.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has protested the appointment of chairmen and members to interim councils in the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts—Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban—formed on August 20. In a Wednesday statement signed by office cell member Sadia Farzana Dina on behalf of its central convening committee, the party demanded the dissolution of the current councils and immediate direct, free elections.

The NCP alleged that the councils effectively lack representation from political views, social forces and people outside political identities other than the BNP. It said such one-sided political representation raises questions about the councils’ neutrality, inclusiveness and public trust. The party argued that hill district councils are public institutions, not organisational bodies of any political party, and warned that excessive politicisation could obstruct development and deepen discrimination and distrust.

The statement said that although the Hill District Council Act was enacted in 1989 and an election was held that year, the institutions have long been run through government-appointed or interim councils rather than regular direct elections. Until elections are held, the NCP called for any interim arrangement to ensure competence, neutrality and participation by different ethnic groups instead of party loyalty.

RAB arrested Rabiu Islam, 36, vice president of Nandigram upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, with 1,200 yaba tablets in Nandigram, Bogura, on Tuesday night. Officers also seized Tk 3,150 described as proceeds from drug sales. The arrest followed a RAB-12 operation based on information that a person was travelling by CNG auto-rickshaw carrying yaba toward Nundah village.

RAB personnel on patrol set up a checkpoint on the road in front of Mozammel’s house in Nundah village. At about 9pm, they stopped an unnumbered passenger auto-rickshaw. Rabiu, the vehicle’s only passenger, was questioned after arousing suspicion. He reportedly admitted that yaba was kept in a zipper bag in his left trouser pocket, from which the tablets were recovered.

Nandigram upazila Chhatra Dal general secretary Mostafizur Rahman Tarek said the party would not accept responsibility for an individual’s offence and that steps had already been taken to expel Rabiu. Nandigram police station officer-in-charge Tarikul Islam said a case was filed under the Narcotics Control Act and the accused was sent to Bogura court custody.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent statement describing Taiwan as part of China has renewed debate over whether Kuala Lumpur is moving closer to Beijing. In an Al Jazeera interview earlier this month, Anwar said the position was universally recognised. Asked about possible Chinese use of force, he compared it with Malaysia using force to preserve its own territorial integrity if a state sought secession. He later said Malaysia respects China’s position but wants a peaceful resolution of tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

China welcomed the remarks, reiterating that Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory. Taiwan’s government condemned them, warning that what it called Anwar’s one-sided support for China could undermine Taiwanese companies’ confidence in investing in Malaysia. Taiwan-linked firms have significant investments in Malaysia’s semiconductor industry, while China is Malaysia’s largest trading partner and a major investor.

Analysts say Malaysia’s recognition of Taiwan as part of China is not new, tracing it to a 1974 joint statement establishing diplomatic relations. They also point to Malaysia’s continuing defence and trade ties with Western countries, including the Five Powers Defence Arrangements. Anwar’s calls to strengthen Sabah’s defence amid concerns over military developments in the Philippines may reflect border-security concerns rather than a pro-China strategic shift.

National Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said parliamentary committees will receive top priority during the third session of parliament, due to begin Thursday. Speaking to reporters at the parliament building on Wednesday, he said relevant committees would be finalized as soon as opposition parties submit their nominees. He said the session could last five, seven or 10 days, with an extension possible if necessary.

Moni said about six important bills could be introduced during the session, including measures concerning property transfers, enforced disappearances and human rights protection. Under the proposed property-transfer law, parents who transfer property to children would retain rights to possess and use it while alive. He said the measure aims to prevent children from neglecting parents after receiving transferred property.

The chief whip also outlined a proposed 17-member committee for constitutional amendments, with seven members from BNP and five from Jamaat proposed. He said opposition parties should raise public concerns, identify government errors and seek solutions through parliamentary debate. Moni said major infrastructure problems, including power plants, require time to address, and criticized past power-sector contracts, including the Adani agreement, as creating long-term economic pressure.