A severe gas shortage has forced factories in several Bangladeshi industrial areas to suspend production, declare worker leave or operate at reduced capacity. Talha Tex Pro Limited in Panchdona Union, Narsingdi, extended a shutdown until Tuesday after insufficient gas pressure prevented its planned reopening on Saturday. On Thursday, 20 factories in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka industrial zone also declared leave for workers because production was badly disrupted.

The shortage intensified after a fire at Accelerate Energy’s LNG terminal on July 21, which cut a major share of national gas supply, according to the report. Entrepreneurs said more than 100 factories had temporarily closed during the past month, while a similar number sent workers on leave. Areas affected include Ashulia, Savar, Gazipur, Kaliakair, Mymensingh, Narsingdi, Narayanganj and Habiganj.

BKMEA has sought permission to pay gas and electricity bills in 12 equal instalments, citing higher costs for diesel, LPG and other alternative fuels. Talha Tex said it halted production at least 15 times in a month, disrupting 60 percent of output. BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said factories need three to four PSI gas pressure, while some sites received zero or one PSI.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has formed two separate investigation committees to examine alleged financial mismanagement, governance failures, recruitment irregularities, conflicts of interest and dismissals of officials at the Dhaka Stock Exchange. The inquiry, described as the first major investigation of the country’s main stock exchange, follows allegations involving senior DSE officials. The committees have met relevant DSE department officials and requested information from Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar by August 23, 2026.

The allegations include illegal recruitment and promotions, insider share trading, concealed purchases of stakeholder interests, misuse of price-sensitive information, leaks of confidential investor portfolio data, sexual harassment allegations and irregular dismissal of 28 officials. Former DSE chairman Ahmed Iqbal Hasan said he believed the exchange lacked governance and was controlled by a powerful syndicate, adding that the BSEC initiative was positive for the stock market.

A three-member committee formed on August 10 requested audited financial statements, management letters and internal and external audit reports for fiscal years 2023 to 2025. It also sought board meeting minutes from January 2020, recruitment records since January 2024 and committee documents. The BSEC instructed DSE to preserve all related records and emails without alteration, deletion or overwriting until the inquiry ends.

Rajshahi district BNP activists say frustration is growing because a convening committee formed for three months has remained in place for nearly eight years. The 41-member committee was announced on July 6, 2019, with Abu Sayeed Chand as convener and Bishwanath Sarkar as member secretary. Grassroots leaders fear the prolonged absence of a full committee or a replacement convening body could weaken the party ahead of upcoming local government elections.

Party sources say the district BNP has 23 organisational units. Although 17 units have held conferences, full committees have not been announced for all of them, while several units have not held conferences for years. Sources also allege differences between Chand and Sarkar over organisational matters, including union committees, though Sarkar denied any significant dispute.

Chand said the committee had played an important role in political movements and that committees had been formed through councils in nearly all 23 units, with the rest to be completed soon. Central BNP organiser Syed Shaheen Shawkat said organisational activity was disrupted by cases, attacks, harassment and mass arrests from 2019 to 2024, and that decisions on expired committees would be made after discussions with central leaders.

Former president Md. Shahabuddin Chuppu said he was saddened and embarrassed after not receiving an invitation to the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s 23rd president, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, at Bangabhaban on August 23, 2026. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, former chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, cabinet members, diplomats and senior officials, but Chuppu was absent.

A senior Cabinet Division official said there had been no government instruction to invite the former president. A Bangabhaban official said the Cabinet Division organized and managed the oath-taking event, while Bangabhaban acted as host. The official said no instruction had been received to reserve a seat for Chuppu.

Chuppu told the newspaper that his health had worsened, with swollen legs and difficulty walking, and sought prayers from the public. He resigned on July 24, citing serious illnesses including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney complications and autonomic neuropathy. He had served as president since April 2023.

Bangladesh’s two floating LNG terminals at Maheshkhali resumed operating at or near full capacity on Saturday, August 22, after a new LNG cargo supplied by BP Singapore docked at the Excelerate Energy terminal. Excelerate restarted gas delivery after a three-day halt, while Summit LNG was already supplying above its capacity. The increased supply raised power generation, eased load-shedding and improved gas pressure for households, factories and CNG stations.

Excelerate initially supplied about 100 million cubic feet of gas daily and was expected to reach its full 600 million cubic feet capacity overnight. Summit supplied 558 million cubic feet on Saturday. Excelerate had stopped deliveries completely on August 19 after an LNG vessel from Saudi Aramco was turned away over security concerns; the terminal had also remained out of service for a prolonged period following a July 21 fire during ship-to-ship LNG transfer.

Petrobangla said daily gas demand is about 3,800 million cubic feet, against supply that had fallen to 2,700 million cubic feet. Authorities expect supplies to improve further in coming days, although industrial gas pressure may take longer to normalize. The government plans three additional floating LNG terminals by 2029.

Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas said European countries’ condemnations and criticism do not carry much weight with Israel and can instead strengthen the government’s position. Speaking to Al Jazeera in remarks published on August 23, 2026, he addressed recent European criticism of Israel’s E1 settlement project in the West Bank.

Pinkas said such criticism gives the Israeli government an opportunity to advance its long-standing argument that the whole world is against Israel, that others are antisemitic, and that an anti-Israel atmosphere has been created. Before his comments, several European countries and Canada issued a joint statement on Thursday criticizing the E1 project and warning of possible legal and reputational consequences.

The E1 project is linked to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, an issue that has long caused disagreement between Israel and European countries. Pinkas, who served as Israel’s consul general in New York from 2000 to 2004, said statements and condemnations from EU countries’ parliaments or foreign ministries do not create real pressure. He said criticism limited to words and “hollow condemnations” is unlikely to prompt major policy change.

A group of motorcycle-borne criminals allegedly stopped a pickup van at gunpoint with local weapons and stole 400 kilograms of processed hair in Chuadanga. The robbery occurred around 1:30pm on Saturday in the Purapara area of the Chuadanga-Damurhuda road. The hair, packed in 23 sacks, was being transported to Dhaka from a factory in Karpasdanga, Damurhuda.

Atiar Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Hair Processing Small Traders Cooperative Association, said the shipment contained processed hair belonging to 23 traders and was valued at about Tk1 crore. Police and traders began searching for the perpetrators after receiving information about the incident.

Affected trader Montu Mia said about 22 small traders and 100 workers depend on the shipment. He said traders had borrowed money to operate their businesses and expected to settle dues with proceeds from the hair sale. Damurhuda Model Police Station officer-in-charge Sheikh Mesbah Uddin said police had started an investigation and deployed multiple teams to identify and arrest those involved and recover the stolen hair.

Several state ministers have emerged as influential figures within the government, according to a report published on August 23, 2026. The cabinet reshuffle following the government’s six-month assessment during the presidential election elevated BNP central treasurer and Jamalpur-1 lawmaker M Rashiduzzaman Millat from state minister to full minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism. Afroz Khanam Rita was moved from that ministry to the Food Ministry.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam is also described as influential. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed called him the “most powerful state minister” at a Cox’s Bazar meeting on June 13. Shah Alam’s ministry has received a new full minister, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, while sources cited in the report believe Shah Alam’s influence will remain unchanged.

Chittagong Hill Tracts State Minister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin was also portrayed as influential after Minister Dipen Dewan resigned on June 1 amid a dispute linked to a Rangamati district council chairmanship recommendation. Bandarban lawmaker Saching Prue Jerry has taken responsibility for the ministry. Prime Minister’s foreign affairs adviser Humayun Kabir has been sworn in as a state minister for Foreign Affairs, joining existing state minister Shama Obaed Islam.

Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that any Gulf country joining US sanctions against Iran would be treated as an enemy. He said Tehran could respond by striking the interests of countries taking such action. The warning was issued amid continuing tensions between Iran and the United States and was reported on August 23, 2026.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would not bow down or surrender to its enemies. He also urged people in the country to maintain unity, stressing internal cohesion as tensions with the United States continue.

Yemeni authorities said a naval mine planted by the Houthis was detected and destroyed in an important area of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising fresh security concerns around a major maritime route. Separately, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli forces carried out an attack on the town of Hadatha in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon. The developments underline broader regional security strains.

The Bangladesh government led by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman expanded and reshuffled its cabinet for the first time 185 days after taking office. Four new ministers and two state ministers took oath on Friday at Bangabhaban’s Darbar Hall before newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The changes included new portfolio assignments and transfers involving existing ministers.

Zahir Uddin Swapan was moved from the information and broadcasting ministry to become an adviser to the prime minister with ministerial status. Andaleeve Rahman Partha replaced him as information minister, while Yasir Khan Chowdhury remained state minister in the same ministry. Rashiduzzaman Millat was promoted from state minister to minister for civil aviation and tourism, and Afroza Khanam Rita was transferred to the food ministry.

Humayun Kabir, the prime minister’s foreign affairs adviser, was appointed state minister for foreign affairs as Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman is expected to spend substantial time in the United States after beginning duties as UN General Assembly president in September. Sachin Prue Jerry became minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs. Mohammad Shamim Kaysar Lincoln was appointed state minister for religious affairs, prompting criticism and calls for cancellation of his appointment from Hefazat-e-Islam leader Maulana Junaid Al Habib.

Law-enforcement agencies are investigating a series of bomb recoveries and explosions in Dhaka and other districts of Bangladesh, following what the report describes as a renewed pattern since an explosion at Al Kura Madrasa in South Keraniganj on December 26, 2025. Police recently arrested two people with cocktails in Demra’s Sanarpara area, while officers have also seized chemicals, gunpowder, electric wires, bearing balls, nitric acid and plastic containers in related operations.

Authorities believe incidents in different locations may be connected, although police say there is no militant activity in Bangladesh and no indication of major sabotage. Dhaka Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief Mohammad Shamsul Haque said recovered bombs in Dhaka were under investigation and extremism remained under government control. Criminologist Touhidul Haque urged intelligence agencies to examine whether domestic or foreign conspiracies or deeper political motives were involved.

Police and counterterrorism units are reviewing the online and offline activities of people arrested in past extremism cases. They are also focusing on weapons looted from police stations and barracks after the 2024 mass uprising. Police said 1,320 weapons, including SMGs, China rifles and pistols, remain unrecovered, describing their recovery as a major challenge.

Iran is changing its military doctrine to place greater emphasis on preventing threats before they develop into attacks, amid concerns that future conflict could intensify. Hamidreza Azizi, an Iran researcher at the Clingendael Institute and writer of the Iran Analytica newsletter, described the shift in comments reported on August 23, 2026. He said Tehran is seeking to build deterrence at an earlier stage.

Azizi said Iran’s previous deterrence strategy had failed to stop repeated attacks by the United States and Israel. In a post on X, he wrote that Tehran aims to signal it can respond even when preparations for an attack against Iran are underway. He identified two elements in what he called Iran’s new offensive military policy: pre-emptive or preventive action and disproportionate retaliation.

According to Azizi, preventive action is intended to stop a potential threat before it becomes real, while disproportionate retaliation would raise the cost of attacking Iran. He also described Iran’s warning to Gulf countries not to join the United States in economic warfare against Tehran as a final warning. Iran’s military and security structures, he said, are increasingly preparing for another round of tension or conflict.

Police arrested Shikha Inn owner Bireshwar Mitra on Saturday, four days after a fire at the hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata killed nine people. Seven of the dead were Bangladeshi citizens. Mitra, 46, was detained at his home on Diamond Harbour Road in Behala after being missing since the fire broke out early Wednesday.

According to police sources cited by the Indian Express, Mitra left Kolkata by car after the fire and went into hiding in Dhanbad, Jharkhand. Police are examining why he returned home and whether anyone helped him hide. His two bank accounts have been frozen, stopping financial transactions, and police believe financial difficulty may have prompted his return.

Police searched two other hotels owned by Mitra in Digha and Mandarmani on Friday but did not find him. He is due in court on Sunday, when police will seek custody for questioning. The hotel’s lessee, Abu Jafar, was previously arrested. Authorities have also issued fire-safety notices to 25 hotels, inns and restaurants in central Kolkata and closed several establishments following inspections.

An opinion article published by Amar Desh Online on August 23, 2026 argues that Islamophobia and anti-Arab discrimination have intensified in the United States. It says human-rights and civil-rights groups have reported record complaints of discrimination and harassment, linking negative attitudes toward Muslims to the Gaza war, tensions in the Middle East, and political rhetoric.

The article cites the Council on American-Islamic Relations as saying complaints related to anti-Muslim and anti-Arab discrimination and harassment have reached an all-time high. It recalls a 2008 campaign event in which Republican Senator John McCain responded to a voter describing Barack Obama as an Arab, saying Obama was a decent family man and a US citizen despite their political differences.

It also describes attacks on Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul Al-Sayed, including statements by Republican figures and former CIA director Mike Pompeo. The article argues that criticism of Israel is treated as disqualifying for Muslim politicians, and extends this argument to Jewish critics of Israel, citing comments attributed to Robert Kagan, Alan Dershowitz, Mike Huckabee, Michael Barenboim and the Jewish Chronicle.

Blitzer CUET, a Formula Student racing team formed by students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, is preparing to represent Bangladesh internationally. The team is designing and building its own racing car with the aim of competing in the Formula Student competition scheduled in China in 2027. Its stated goal is to showcase young Bangladeshi engineers’ innovation, technical knowledge and practical experience on an international stage.

The multidisciplinary team is working on the vehicle’s design, aerodynamics, powertrain, suspension, electrical systems and manufacturing, as well as testing. Team member Ashab Sifat said Formula Student is not only a racing competition but also an important platform for students to gain skills by applying engineering knowledge in practice.

Sifat said the members are continuing design and construction work despite limited resources and other challenges. Another member, Ahnaf Tajwar Ohi, identified the shortage of sponsorship and financial support as a major obstacle. The team expects that sufficient financial and technical support would enable it to enter a competitive vehicle in 2027 and help promote interest in Formula Student and automotive engineering in Bangladesh.