A fisherman, Ratan Das, 35, was killed by lightning while fishing in the Mohishasura Haor in Kalmakanda, Netrokona. Three other fishermen were injured in the incident, which occurred early Wednesday. All four men were fishing from a boat when lightning struck.

Ratan Das, the son of Niranjan Das, was from Nayapara village in Kalmakanda Sadar Union. The injured were identified as Joysen Das, 25, Hridoy Das, 22, and Dinanath Das, 45, all from the same village and all professional fishers.

Local residents and relatives said Ratan Das died at the scene. The three injured fishermen reportedly developed hearing difficulties after the intense sound of the lightning strike. Kalmakanda police station Officer-in-Charge Md Mostafizur Rahman confirmed the incident and said an unnatural death case had been filed.

The United States is increasing economic pressure on Iran, including a naval blockade aimed at reducing its oil revenue, while analysts warn the strategy could push Tehran toward tougher military responses. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new economic measures on Monday, though he did not provide details on how they would be enforced. Iranian officials have described the pressure as a new phase of war and warned of expanding the confrontation.

Iran says its oil exports have fallen close to zero because of the blockade, while the rial has declined 41 percent since December, according to the economic newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad. Inflation and unemployment have increased, and some medicines have reportedly risen in price by as much as 500 percent. Fuel shortages have also worsened after damage to infrastructure and disruptions to fuel imports, with videos showing empty petrol stations and long vehicle queues.

The effectiveness of the US campaign will depend heavily on whether it can win cooperation from Iran's major trading partners, including Turkey, Iraq, Russia and China. Bessent said gold, digital assets, technology, aviation and shipping were among targeted sectors. Analysts said ordinary Iranians may bear the greatest cost, while politically connected groups could benefit from a sanctions-evasion shadow economy.

The Forest Department seized a boat loaded with a large quantity of garan timber allegedly being transported for smuggling from the Sundarbans in the Shyamnagar coastal area of Satkhira Range. Members of the Tengrakhal Forest Patrol Outpost carried out the operation at Mojidder Mor, near the Sundarbans coast in Shyamnagar upazila, at about 10pm on Tuesday.

Suspected smugglers fled after noticing the presence of forest personnel, preventing their detention. Md Ismail Hossain, the officer in charge of the Tengrakhal Forest Patrol Outpost, said officials found and seized a boat abandoned by the smugglers during the operation. The boat was carrying a large quantity of garan wood allegedly cut illegally from deep inside the Sundarbans.

Forest workers recovered the timber-laden boat and took it to the Tengrakhal Forest Patrol Outpost office. Forest Department sources said legal procedures have begun regarding the seized timber and vessel. A case will be filed under the forest law, while efforts will be made to identify the fleeing smugglers and take strict legal action against them.

Greece’s coast guard rescued 79 migrants, including Bangladeshi and Sudanese nationals, from two boats near the port of Kalilimanes in southern Crete on Tuesday. At least two women and two children were among those rescued. An EU drone detected the two vessels at sea, after which authorities carried out the rescue operation.

The ANA news agency had initially reported that 85 people were rescued, but the coast guard later said the confirmed total was 79. Crete and the nearby island of Gavdos have recently become important entry points for migrants attempting to reach Europe from Libya, a journey involving long and risky sea crossings.

Greek migration ministry data showed that arrivals fell from about 61,000 in the year ending August 2025 to about 42,000 in the following 12 months, a decline of roughly 31 percent. However, Crete and Gavdos remain key routes. Greece is also discussing EU-external “return hubs” with Germany and other European countries as migration policies tighten.

Bangladesh remain fourth in the World Test Championship standings after losing the second Test to Australia in Mackay, despite beating Australia in the first Test in Darwin. The result left Australia top of the rankings and made Bangladesh’s route to the two-team final significantly harder, with only six Tests remaining for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh must beat South Africa 2-0 and win at least two of four home Tests against West Indies and England under the simplest scenario outlined. Australia would also need to sweep South Africa 3-0 and New Zealand 4-0. Even those outcomes would leave Bangladesh with only a possibility, rather than a guaranteed final place.

A 1-1 draw against South Africa, a loss in either Test, or two draws would end Bangladesh’s final hopes, according to the analysis. If Bangladesh win one Test and draw one against South Africa, they would need to win all four matches against West Indies and England while other results strongly favour them. The South Africa series is described as Bangladesh’s most important and difficult remaining assignment.

Lumpy skin disease has spread across Rajbari district, affecting hundreds of cattle and leaving farm owners and household cattle rearers struggling with treatment costs and animal deaths. The district livestock department has no accurate total estimate of the losses. Officials say limited staffing has weakened field-level awareness efforts, while infections continue to rise among cattle.

Rajbari has 16,121 cattle farms across its five upazilas and a total cattle population of 121,092, according to district livestock data. The government supplied 6,500 doses of LSD vaccine in the previous fiscal year, while demand in the district is estimated at about 150,000 doses. Commercial vaccines cost Tk2,000 to Tk2,500 per ampoule, contributing to reluctance among many cattle owners.

In Rajbari Sadar, 20 cattle died from the disease over six months, a death rate described as above normal, with calves more affected than adult cattle. Officials say the virus spreads through mosquitoes, flies and ticks, and cases increase at the start of the monsoon. Vaccination of healthy cattle can provide some control, while livestock officials are advising farmers through farm visits and courtyard meetings.

Yemen’s National Resistance Forces said it killed 14 Houthi fighters in a raid targeting Houthi bases and facilities in the port city of Hodeidah. The force announced the operation in a statement on Tuesday evening, describing it as carried out under instructions from the Presidential Leadership Council to take “deterrent” measures and recover state institutions.

The Houthis had not responded to the government forces’ claim at the time of the report. According to Yemen’s state news agency Saba, the decision to conduct an operation in Hodeidah was made during a recent meeting in Riyadh attended by representatives of the Presidential Leadership Council and the Saudi-led military coalition.

The Presidential Leadership Council said it was seeking to restore state institutions, establish authority across Yemen’s national territory and end humanitarian suffering caused by the Iran-backed Houthi group. Yemen’s conflict began in 2014, and tensions have risen again after an attack on the runway at Sanaa airport last week, for which the Saudi-backed council government claimed responsibility.

Bangladesh’s government faces a record Tk 283,779 crore in maturing domestic government securities during fiscal year 2026-27, according to the latest quarterly Bangladesh Bank Securities Bulletin. The amount is described as the highest maturity obligation in a single fiscal year. It includes Tk 194,326 crore in Treasury bills, Tk 71,961 crore in Treasury bonds, Tk 15,500 crore in sukuk and nearly Tk 1,993 crore in special purpose Treasury bonds.

Nearly two-thirds of the debt maturing next fiscal year consists of short-term Treasury bills. The government will need either to repay investors as these instruments mature or renew the debt by issuing new securities. Former governor Ahsan H Mansur said such maturities are mainly a rollover issue, with new bonds or securities issued to repay expiring instruments.

A Bangladesh Bank official said pressure tends to build toward the end of the year, when government payments increase and banks reduce investment in this area. Outstanding government securities reached about Tk 9 lakh crore at the end of June, up Tk 60,224 crore during April-June. Banks remained the main investors, holding about 74 percent of Treasury bill and bond investments.

Bangladesh’s government has outlined a long-term energy security plan aimed at addressing electricity and gas shortages, reducing load-shedding to zero and supporting industrialisation. In an interview with Amar Desh, Prime Minister’s Economic and Planning Adviser Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said the plan includes building fuel reserves equivalent to at least three months, expanding domestic gas exploration and strengthening state-owned Bapex. The government also links reliable energy supplies to its target of making Bangladesh a $1 trillion economy by 2034.

According to Titumir, the programme has three stages: eliminating current supply deficits and load-shedding, preparing for an estimated 6% rise in electricity demand during summer, and securing long-term supplies for economic expansion. He said energy infrastructure is being decentralised beyond Matarbari and Chattogram, with work under way on a floating LNG terminal and a CNG landing station in the Mongla area.

International bidding for domestic gas exploration has begun, Titumir said, while Bapex’s technical and exploration capacity will be enhanced. He added that domestic and foreign investors are working in the energy sector through IPP and PPA models, and that multinational companies, including from the United States, have shown renewed interest in investment.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow for secret meetings after a US military Boeing C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft arrived in the Russian capital. Neither Washington nor Moscow officially disclosed the purpose of the visit, Ratcliffe’s meeting partners, or the issues to be discussed. The trip comes as relations remain sharply strained over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Flight-tracking data indicated that a large US military aircraft travelled from the United States to Russia via Latvia on Tuesday before later leaving Moscow for Riga. Videos on social media showed a C-17 approaching Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport and a diplomatic motorcade on Moscow streets, though Ratcliffe’s presence in that convoy could not be independently verified.

A senior Ukrainian official told CBS that Kyiv had been informed of a high-level US delegation’s planned Moscow visit and was asked to pause attacks until it departed Russia. Former British military attaché John Foreman said the visit could concern de-escalation, while the release of detained US citizens might also be discussed. Ratcliffe previously played a significant role in talks securing Ksenia Karelina’s release.

Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain held a discussion meeting with government officials in Nawabganj, Dinajpur. The meeting was organized by the upazila administration and took place at 12:30am on Tuesday night.

The meeting was held in the conference room of the Nawabganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer. Government officials from Nawabganj, Birampur, Hakimpur and Ghoraghat upazilas attended the session.

Nawabganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Bidhan Kanti Haldar chaired the meeting. The source did not provide details of the issues discussed, any decisions made, or follow-up actions.

Philadelphia-raised twin brothers Ronan Sullivan and Declan Sullivan say they dream of helping Bangladesh reach the World Cup after playing key roles in the country’s SAFF Under-20 Championship triumph in Nepal. Bangladesh defeated longtime rival India in the final, with Ronan sealing the title in the tiebreaker through a Panenka-style final penalty. The brothers discussed their Bangladesh journey, cultural adjustment and ambitions in an interview published by The Guardian.

The twins obtained Bangladeshi passports through their mother but had to compete in a trial camp involving more than 30 players to earn places in the squad. Ronan said being expatriates initially made it difficult to receive the ball because they did not understand the language and other players may not have fully accepted their presence. He said the atmosphere became easier after they demonstrated their ability in training.

Declan said he knew Ronan would attempt a Panenka if given the chance to score the decisive penalty. Although they had opportunities to represent the United States or Germany, the brothers chose Bangladesh, their maternal grandfather’s country. They said the warm reception in Dhaka after the title deeply moved them and view the achievement as an opening step in a revival of Bangladeshi football.

Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck made a stopover at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka early Wednesday, where he was welcomed by President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. During an approximately one-hour stay, the two leaders held a courtesy meeting in the VVIP lounge and discussed matters of mutual interest.

The president invited the Bhutanese king and members of the royal family to make a state visit to Bangladesh at a convenient time. The king invited Bangladesh’s president and prime minister to visit Bhutan. He also congratulated Alamgir on assuming the presidency, while both sides exchanged greetings and good wishes for their respective peoples and governments.

Alamgir described Bangladesh-Bhutan ties as deep and historic, noting Bhutan was the first country to recognise Bangladesh on December 6, 1971. The king stressed expanding cooperation in education, trade and investment, and outlined Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City project, seeking Bangladesh’s participation. The president praised the initiative and said Bangladesh was ready to work closely with Bhutan on regional development and sustainable prosperity.

US Senator Chris Van Hollen has alleged that President Donald Trump is personally benefiting from the Iran war. Citing a report by Democrats on the US Congressional Joint Economic Committee, Van Hollen said Trump could have earned as much as $15.5 million this year from assets in the oil and gas sector.

In an interview with MSNBC, the Democratic senator said it was clear that Trump was profiting from what he described as an illegal war launched alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Van Hollen characterized the conflict as meaningless and accused Trump of exploiting it for personal financial gain.

Van Hollen also alleged that Trump had turned the White House into a venue for private profit. He further claimed that Trump had taken in more than $1 billion since returning to power. The source presents these statements as allegations by Van Hollen and attributes the energy-income estimate to the Democratic report.

Global fuel oil prices continued to decline on Wednesday morning in international markets. Benchmark Brent crude fell by $1.78, or 2.0%, to $86.80 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude dropped by $1.49, or 1.8%, to $80.87 per barrel.

The decline followed reports that Iran said it would restart discussions with neighbouring Oman on opening the Strait of Hormuz. The prospect of the waterway being reopened created renewed expectations in the market and was cited as the factor behind the latest fall in oil prices.

Both major crude benchmarks had already declined by more than 3% on Tuesday. The report did not provide further details about the planned discussions, a timetable for the Strait of Hormuz, or additional market developments.