The United States has approved the proposed sale of military helicopters and related equipment to Iraq worth $800 million, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday. Bell Textron, a Fort Worth, Texas-based company, will be the principal contractor for the proposed transaction.

The State Department said the sale would support US foreign policy and national security interests by helping strengthen the security of Iraq, described as a strategic partner. The department presented the proposed transfer as part of support for Iraq’s security capabilities.

According to the statement, the equipment would improve Iraq’s ability to address current and future threats. It would enhance helicopter-based transportation and surveillance capabilities, while also improving Iraq’s capacity to conduct air-to-ground strikes against targets.

The Trump administration has moved to limit employment authorization for certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B visa holders in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security has listed a proposal that would remove eligible H-4 spouses from classes of noncitizens able to apply for work authorization. The measure could particularly affect Indian families, whose members make up a large share of H-4 employment authorization holders.

The proposal is not yet a final rule and does not immediately cancel existing H-4 employment authorization documents, or EADs. DHS must first publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register, allow public comments, and then issue a final rule. Until that process is completed, eligible H-4 visa holders with valid EADs may continue working under current rules.

The proposal seeks to reverse a 2015 policy that allowed qualifying H-4 spouses to seek EADs. By early 2017, 93 percent of approved H-4 EAD holders were Indian citizens and 94 percent were women. USCIS data also showed Indian citizens accounted for about 71 percent of approved H-1B applications in fiscal year 2024.

Sonali Bank has asked the government to intervene over overdue loans extended to Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation and nine state-owned sugar mills. The bank fears that nearly Tk 7,000 crore in net outstanding debt could become classified in the September 2026 quarter after government guarantees covering the facilities expired. In a letter to the Finance Division secretary on August 19, Managing Director Shawkat Ali Khan sought repayment arrangements, government bonds against arrears, or renewed state guarantees.

Sonali Bank said it had lent Tk 3,105 crore to BSFIC and its nine mills, while dues on loans issued directly to BSFIC stood at Tk 2,762 crore. Interest and other charges added about Tk 4,086 crore, bringing total claims to Tk 7,192 crore. After Tk 253 crore was repaid, net arrears stood at Tk 6,938 crore. A Tk 1,000 crore government guarantee expired in December last year, along with other guarantees previously extended.

The bank says classification would require substantial provisions under Bangladesh Bank rules, potentially widening its provision shortfall and hurting profits. BSFIC officials said its government receivable for trade gaps and subsidies could reach Tk 8,041 crore by the end of fiscal year 2025-26.

A glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border triggered flash floods on Wednesday, leaving more than 900 people dead and thousands missing. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said Monday that 903 people had died, while 4,247 remained missing, including 592 foreign nationals. Authorities have rescued 10,451 people alive from flood-hit areas.

Rescue operations entered their sixth day, with more than 20,000 military and law-enforcement personnel deployed in Nepal. More than 2,000 rescuers from the army, police and other agencies were working in China’s Tibet region. Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah described the disaster as unimaginable and heartbreaking, saying difficult weather, terrain and continuing risks were hampering assessment of total damage.

Twenty-six shelters in Rasuwa and Nuwakot had accommodated 3,454 people by Sunday. Authorities decided to bury some bodies after collecting DNA samples because morgues reached capacity. Rescuers were also trying to free more than 900 workers trapped in a hydropower tunnel on the Trishuli River; over 300 had been rescued. China and India sent specialist teams, while several international partners provided relief assistance.

Bangladesh’s High Court has ordered the government to give priority to 17,777 workers identified as affected after being unable to travel to Malaysia. The direction applies to 10,000 workers whom the government plans to send to Malaysia free of cost under its announced zero-cost scheme. The order followed a hearing on a writ petition after the relevant ministry submitted a report to the court on Monday.

The ministry’s report outlined government measures concerning the sending of workers to Malaysia. It said 17,777 people had been affected among 33,000 workers intending to travel to the country. During the hearing, the government-appointed lawyer told the court that a new initiative was being arranged to send 10,000 workers to Malaysia without any cost.

The court said the workers identified in the investigation committee’s report had suffered financially and mentally because they could not go to Malaysia. Authorities also informed the court about administrative and legal measures taken against manpower-exporting agencies that failed to send workers and were identified as involved in irregularities. The case has been adjourned for four months, and the government has been directed to submit a report on its next steps.

The government is seeking a foreign strategic partner for Sammilito Islami Bank PLC to restore normal banking operations and strengthen its long-term business capacity. Qatar has already proposed investing in the bank following discussions during Prime Minister’s economic and planning adviser Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir’s August 17–18 visit to Qatar. The government is also contacting potential investors in several other Islamic countries.

Sammilito Islami Bank was formed during the interim government by combining Exim, Social Islami, First Security Islami, Global Islami and Union Bank after prolonged irregularities and fraud prevented deposit repayments. The five banks hold deposits of about Tk142,000 crore from around 7.6 million depositors. Of their Tk192,000 crore in loans, 86 percent are classified as defaulted, while the capital shortfall exceeds Tk150,000 crore.

Individual account holders will be able to withdraw their full principal deposits from September 7, without profit payments, with applications accepted from Tuesday. The bank has filed about 10,000 cases to recover defaulted loans and formed a collection and recovery war room. Its management says it is preparing to resume regular transactions under directives from Bangladesh Bank and the board.

Global fuel oil prices rose twice in a single day, according to Reuters data reported on Monday. At 10:36am Bangladesh time, Brent crude gained $2.21, or 2.51%, to $90.31 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.83, or 2.19%, to trade at $85.23 per barrel.

Analysts said rising tensions around Hormuz created concerns about oil supplies, pushing prices upward. The market impact followed a new US attack in Iran. An attack on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s subsequent retaliatory attack renewed tensions in the Middle East.

The duration of the price increase remains a key market question. Reuters said prices could decline again if the conflict is brought under control quickly. However, if supply operations through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted for a prolonged period, prices above $90 a barrel could maintain a stronger position.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Masud Khan said investor confidence in the capital market is under strain and must be restored through action rather than words. Speaking Monday at a DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh discussion at DSE Tower in Nikunja-2, Dhaka, he said the regulator’s core responsibility is to protect investors by ensuring a fair, transparent and orderly market.

Khan said he removed the floor price on his second day in office, after which MSCI indicated it would reinstate Bangladesh’s index from next November. He described this as important progress for attracting foreign investment. The BSEC is also taking steps to make BSEC and Dhaka Stock Exchange surveillance systems AI-based.

The chairman said all bonds must be listed on the stock market’s main board and many bonds are expected to be listed there within a year. Draft work on direct-listing regulations is nearly complete and will be sent for public opinion after commission approval. He also cited progress on script netting and T+1 settlement, with a roadmap prepared through discussions with exchanges, CDBL and foreign custodian banks.

A mega project intended to promote tourism in Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, has stalled, leaving the Citizen Park and installations at Baraghop Steamer Ghat in poor condition. The project was launched about seven years ago by then executive officer Sujon Chowdhury near the police station pond and land office. It included a Balaka water fountain, gate, wall art, animal murals and sculptures of fish and fruit, while a seating area and dolphin sculpture were built at the steamer ghat.

About Tk 13 lakh was spent in several phases to build nearly 20 sculptures at the two locations, but work later stopped for unspecified reasons. Several murals have broken through neglect and others have lost their paint. NGO worker Umme Khairunnesa Urmi said children visit the park to take photographs, but its appearance has deteriorated and repairs could draw regular local visitors.

Craftsman Mahabub said the fountain has electricity and water lines, but no further action was taken after its connecting motor was stolen. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mizanur Rahman said there is no separate project for Citizen Park, although work on a new children’s park has begun. He said arrangements will be made to repair damaged murals at Citizen Park and the steamer ghat.

Farmers in Chilmarí of Kurigram and Madarganj of Jamalpur are facing drought conditions during the current aman rice planting season, with fields drying and cracking because of insufficient rainfall. Growers are using shallow machines, electric pumps and, in some cases, deep tube-well water to prepare land, transplant seedlings and keep crops alive. They fear that a prolonged dry spell could reduce aman rice production.

In Chilmarí, about 7,450 hectares have been planted with aman rice, and water has dried up on about 50 percent of the land, according to relevant sources. In Madarganj, the cultivation target is 17,600 hectares and seedlings have been transplanted on 16,500 hectares, with the remaining planting expected to finish within the week. Some transplanted seedlings are drying up, while farmers say delayed rain has made timely planting difficult.

Farmers report rising costs for fertilizer, pesticides, labour and irrigation. One farmer in Madarganj estimated that costs could rise by nearly 50 percent, while growers put total costs at about Tk14,000 to Tk15,000 per bigha, including cultivation, planting, inputs, irrigation and harvesting. Agricultural officials warned water shortages can limit plant growth, reduce tillers, increase weeds and pests, and lower yields.

The Local Government Division cancelled the transfer of Sitakunda municipality Chief Executive Officer Md Nazrul Islam on August 30, two days before his September 1 deadline to join Shibpur municipality in Narsingdi. He had been transferred on August 20 in the public interest under memorandum No. 703. The cancellation means he will remain in Sitakunda rather than joining Shibpur.

The original order said Nazrul Islam would be considered stand released from September 2 if he did not join within the deadline. A subsequent order, also cited as memorandum No. 703 and signed by Joint Secretary Md Sagir Hossain, revoked the transfer. Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer and municipal administrator Md Fakhrul Islam said both the transfer and its cancellation fall entirely under the ministry’s authority.

Local government officials in Chattogram similarly declined to explain why the order was withdrawn, saying the ministry could clarify the decision. Municipal sources alleged longstanding internal conflict among staff and administrative power struggles. The report also cited allegations involving Nazrul Islam’s use of an official room as living quarters and concerns over electricity costs, while residents complained that administrative instability was affecting civic services.

Dhaka University’s Syndicate took several major decisions at a meeting on Monday, August 31, including the temporary suspension of four teachers. Three teachers were suspended over allegations of opposing the July uprising, while Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Ziaur Rahman of the Department of Music was suspended over allegations related to appointment qualifications. The university also extended the closing time of women’s residential hall gates by one hour, setting it at 11pm.

The three suspended teachers are Professor Dr M Wahiduzzaman and Professor Dr Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research, and Professor Dr Mashiur Rahman of the Department of Sociology. The decisions followed recommendations from an investigation committee formed by the university administration. A tribunal has been constituted to pursue subsequent legal and administrative procedures regarding the allegations against them.

A separate investigation committee will examine how Dr Ziaur Rahman, also known as Sayem Rana, was appointed despite allegations that he did not meet the advertised requirements. The advertisement required honours and master’s degrees in music, while he holds honours and master’s degrees in Islamic Studies and MPhil and PhD degrees in music. Women’s hall gates previously closed at 10pm.

Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Mannan, provost of Suhrawardy Hall at the University of Chittagong, resigned citing personal and family reasons. Information about his resignation emerged from a letter submitted to the university vice-chancellor on Monday night. The resignation followed the circulation on social media of an audio recording of an argument over a recommendation for hall accommodation.

In the recording, Chittagong University unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal general secretary Abdullah Al Noman is heard recommending accommodation for a student named Rashedul. The provost declined, saying the student was not a currently enrolled MPhil student. Noman accused the provost of favouring Chhatra Shibir figures outside the merit list and demanded details of all hall accommodation allocations.

In a Facebook post explaining the audio, Noman said the student had already received a seat on merit and sought an extension while MPhil admission procedures were underway after master's results were published. He alleged that the provost ignored the matter and later asked the student to leave the hall after a pro-vice-chancellor's recommendation was presented. Noman also alleged derogatory remarks about the student's parents' financial means.

Dhaka University’s syndicate has declared Mohammad Rashed Khan the general secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union, or DUCSU, nearly seven years after the 2019 election. The decision was made at a syndicate meeting on Monday, August 31, after the university cancelled former general secretary Gholam Rabbani’s MPhil student status. Acting Registrar Munshi Shams Uddin Ahmad confirmed the decision.

According to syndicate sources, the university formed an investigation committee over Rabbani’s MPhil enrolment. The inquiry found his student status to be invalid, after which he received a show-cause notice. University authorities said his response within the stipulated period was not satisfactory, leading to the cancellation of his student status and, subsequently, his DUCSU general secretary post.

The syndicate then named Rashed Khan, who received the second-highest number of votes for the post in the 2019 DUCSU election, as general secretary. In that March 11, 2019 election, Rabbani won 10,484 votes and Rashed received 6,063. Rashed later exchanged greetings with the university’s vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellors and said the decision followed the finding that Rabbani’s student status was invalid.

The source states that salaries are set to increase by between 100 percent and 142 percent. It does not identify the employees, institutions, sector, location, timing, or authority connected to the reported pay rise.

No supporting details are provided on current salary levels, the basis for the percentage increase, eligibility, implementation procedures, or the number of people who may be affected. The source includes no quotations, dates, stakeholder comments, or official announcement.

The text also asks readers to follow an “Amar Desh” news channel on Google News for updates. Beyond the stated salary increase range, the source provides no further verified information about next steps or likely effects.