Iranian Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami issued a sharp warning to US President Donald Trump in response to Trump’s reported threat to turn the Strait of Hormuz into US territory. The remarks were reported on August 16, 2026, with Al Jazeera cited by the source.

According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Hatami criticized Trump’s comments about the strait. He said joking about such remarks was a major mistake because it was Iran and it had guards who would break Trump’s legs. His comments directly addressed the reported threat concerning the strategic waterway.

Hatami also said US forces had been “effectively expelled” and no longer had permission to enter the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, or the Strait of Hormuz. He said US bases would not be allowed to return to their previous position and that Iran would never permit this. The report said Trump had threatened to make the strait US territory.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education has finalized preparations to receive transfer applications from MPO-listed teachers working at private schools and colleges. Under a draft plan, applications are scheduled to open on August 21 and continue through August 27. An official notice will be issued only after approval from the education ministry.

The director general of the directorate, Professor Dr Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, met Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon on Sunday to discuss the matter. The meeting decided that a notice should be issued quickly to begin accepting transfer requests. The director general is expected to submit the draft to the ministry on Monday, and the notice could be published this week if approval is granted.

The draft allows seven days for submissions, followed by screening that may take seven to 10 days. Teachers may apply only for their own district, their spouse's home district, or their spouse's workplace. The software will not accept applications outside these three areas and will display a notification stating that the applicant is ineligible.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled its BG372 flight from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Dhaka after a technical fault was detected before takeoff. The flight was scheduled to depart for Dhaka at 4pm on Sunday. The aircraft had left the terminal with passengers aboard and was moving toward the runway when the problem was identified. It was returned to the terminal, passengers were disembarked and kept waiting, causing hardship for about 127 travellers.

Passengers told media outlets that, even after waiting for nearly two hours, they initially received no clear information on when the flight would leave or what alternative arrangements would be made. The delay raised concerns for elderly passengers, children and people who were ill.

Babul Akhtar, Biman Bangladesh's Kathmandu country manager, told media that it was not immediately possible to say how long repairs would take. Business-class passengers were given access to a lounge, while other passengers were being provided facilities under applicable rules. The airline was preparing to send a larger aircraft to Kathmandu to carry all passengers from the cancelled flight to Dhaka together.

Kushtia-3 lawmaker Mufti Amir Hamza has given a 24-hour ultimatum for the arrest of Ganadhikar Parishad leaders and activists allegedly involved in an attack on him. Speaking at a news conference at Haji Shariatullah Academy auditorium in Kushtia city at noon on Sunday, August 16, 2026, he said his convoy was attacked while returning from scheduled outreach activities and visits with local residents in his constituency.

Hamza alleged that “identified terrorists” of Ganadhikar Parishad carried out a premeditated and sudden attack on his convoy. He said the incident was not accidental and alleged that it was intended to disturb peaceful Kushtia and disrupt his democratic and public welfare activities. He described those behind a planned attack on an elected representative as enemies of society and Kushtia residents.

He called for exemplary legal action against the alleged masterminds based on CCTV footage and eyewitness testimony. Hamza also urged local police and the administration to remain free of political pressure and adopt a zero-tolerance policy against terrorists. He warned that if the attackers were not swiftly brought under the law, peaceful residents of Kushtia would join him in giving a strong response on the streets.

Eleven members of one family fell ill from an unidentified condition in Mogara village of Dattapara union, Shibchar upazila, Madaripur. On Sunday, seven of them were sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment after their condition became critical. The incident began on Friday morning after the family ate food cooked at the home of Nayon Sheikh.

Family members and local sources said they had eaten together as usual when seven people suddenly became ill and lost consciousness one after another. After receiving no response to phone calls from family members, Nayon Sheikh informed relatives and neighbours living nearby and asked them to check the house. At about 4pm, a neighbour found them unconscious inside the home.

Local people rescued the family members and took them to Shibchar Upazila Health Complex. More people in the house became ill later that night and were also taken to the hospital. Sagarika Akter said everyone began losing consciousness while eating. Monika Akter called for checking whether toxic substances had been mixed into the food or water. Dr Wasif said food poisoning was initially suspected, but tests and an investigation were needed to confirm the cause.

Bangladesh Bank has withdrawn the requirement for importers to maintain a 100 percent cash margin when opening letters of credit for fruit imports. In a circular issued on Sunday and reported on August 16, 2026, the central bank said cash-margin rates for fruit import LCs can now be set based on the relationship between banks and their customers.

The bank said the decision considered public health and nutrition needs, import facilitation, and ensuring necessary supplies through a competitive market. It also cited improving desired stability in the country’s foreign-exchange rate and transactions in recent times, saying this had reduced the need for a full cash-margin requirement on fruit imports.

A September 5, 2024 circular had required 100 percent cash margins for LCs involving certain luxury goods and domestically substitutable imports amid global economic instability; fruit was included in that list. Bangladesh Bank said other provisions of the 2024 circular and subsequent related instructions remain unchanged. The decision is expected to reduce importers’ immediate cash needs and ease import financing, while potentially increasing fruit supply and competition in the market.

Kakroach Janata Party, or CJP, has demanded the swift arrest of those it says were responsible for the death of Mofik, father of volunteer Sheikh Abdul Hafiz, after an alleged attack linked to a government school inspection in Korisunda, Bankura district, West Bengal. CJP said Hafiz inspected conditions at a school in his village on August 13 and that Mofik died from injuries while under treatment on August 15.

According to the party, armed people identified as local BJP workers entered Hafiz’s home that evening. CJP alleged that Hafiz was pressured to record a video apologising for highlighting poor school conditions and saying he had acted under outside influence. The party said the family was attacked after he refused, leaving Hafiz with serious neck injuries and Mofik with severe head injuries.

CJP alleged that no medico-legal case was initiated after the attack and that an FIR was initially not filed. It called for an impartial investigation into the death, the attack and the alleged failure to take legal action. The party also urged Indus police station to ensure Hafiz and his family’s safety, and said a national working committee delegation led by co-convener Ashutosh Ranka would visit West Bengal.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union unveiled the commemorative book ‘Isharat Manzil’ to mark the 154th birth anniversary of Nawab Salimullah. The launch was held at 3pm on Sunday, August 16, at the Salimullah Muslim Hall auditorium of Dhaka University. DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayem attended as chief guest, while General Secretary S. M. Farhad was special guest and Literary and Cultural Secretary Musaddiq Ali Ibn Mohammad chaired the event.

Musaddiq said Nawab Salimullah was linked to the founding of Dhaka University and was a pioneer in advancing education and the progress of underprivileged Muslim and Hindu communities in the region. He said the book would help students learn more deeply about Salimullah’s life, work and historical role. Executive member Sabikunnahar Tamanna said the publication would also introduce students anew to Dhaka University’s historical journey.

Farhad said Salimullah’s contribution extended beyond the establishment of one institution to educational expansion and the development of disadvantaged people. Kayem described him as a far-sighted leader in education and social reform, saying the publication was an important DUCSU effort to present his ideas and work to younger generations. DUCSU, hall council representatives and students attended the event.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held in Berlin, Germany, and Seoul, South Korea, according to a report by Iran’s state news agency on Sunday. In Berlin, protesters gathered to oppose Western countries’ military support for Israel and voiced solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Demonstrators in the German capital chanted various slogans in support of Palestinians. In Seoul, many protesters also assembled in solidarity with Palestinians and demanded an end to what they described as crimes by the Israeli government in Gaza.

Protesters in both capitals chanted, “Palestine must be liberated,” while protesting Israeli occupation in occupied territories. The report did not provide details about the organizers, the number of participants, or the specific locations of the rallies.

Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan inaugurated the divisional modern information complex in Kashipur, Barishal city, on Sunday afternoon. He said the government wants to raise the value of information buildings to global standards, giving importance to practical usefulness alongside the structural value of the facilities. The seven-storey complex was built at a cost of Tk17 crore.

Speaking as chief guest at the event chaired by Information Ministry Secretary Mahbuba Farzana, Swapan said technological capacity does not depend on a building, a mobile phone or its price, but on practical value. He said efforts would be made to extend the information complex's activities to district and উপজেলা levels. A digital library is also planned at the complex, which he said would play an important role in acquiring knowledge.

The minister said the complex would have modern screen facilities. He noted that Bangladesh once had around 1,100 cinema halls, but only 140 remain, citing films unsuited to single-screen venues as one reason. Construction had been expected to finish in 2023, but the building was formally opened nearly three years after the scheduled completion.

International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said ousted Sheikh Hasina would not be able to seek a waiver of delay to face proceedings in the case in which she was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. Tamim made the remarks at a press briefing at the tribunal premises on Sunday. He said Hasina and other accused in the case knew about the proceedings and therefore could not make such an application after returning.

Tamim said fugitives convicted in criminal cases often return and claim they were unaware of the proceedings and were tried in their absence. They then seek forgiveness for the lengthy delay and ask to face trial. But he said Hasina and the other accused had made statements while abroad, spoken about returning, and defended the case through the media.

On November 17 last year, the tribunal sentenced fugitive Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a crimes-against-humanity case over the July killings. It also ordered their assets confiscated and distributed among martyrs' and victims' families. Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun received five years in prison. Appeals must be filed within one month of the verdict, with accused required to surrender and appear in person.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman MP said trials for fascism would take place in Bangladesh and would be conducted in appropriate courts, not in secret. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while speaking as chief guest at an exchange meeting with lawyers in Barishal. He said Bangladesh could not be treated lightly after the sacrifices of the July revolutionaries and that fascism could not be given an opportunity.

The meeting was held to mark the laying of the foundation stone for a proposed 10-storey building of the Barishal District Bar Association. After hearing lawyers’ demands and problems, the minister said Tk 20 lakh had been provided for renovation of the Barishal Bar and Tk 5 lakh initially for purchasing books. He also said necessary steps would be taken for construction of the building.

The minister said the government had tried to restore public confidence and trust within six months while working to address existing crises without offering false assurances. On family cards, he said the BNP had introduced the programme after coming to power and that all families in the country would receive cards within the next five years. Information and Broadcasting Minister M Zaher Uddin Swapan and other representatives attended.

Holy Cross College and the Holycross College Alumni Association held the Promoting Cancer Awareness and Breast Screening Programme 2026 with support from Gonoshasthaya Community-Based Cancer Hospital. The programme took place on Sunday morning at the college auditorium and involved about 1,400 twelfth-grade students.

Professor Dr Habibullah Talukdar Rasquin, project coordinator at Gonoshasthaya Community-Based Cancer Hospital and chief coordinator of the Bangladesh Breast Cancer Awareness Forum, delivered the main presentation in two consecutive sessions. Associate Professor Dr Mushtaq Ibne Ayub of Dhaka University’s Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology was the other speaker.

Dr Sadia Habib Arpi provided registered women with guidance and training on breast self-examination. More than 500 guardians and teachers registered for breast cancer screening. Four female physicians and three nurses or paramedics completed screenings for 240 people, while the remaining registered participants are scheduled to be screened next Saturday. Alumni Association President Fahmina Hasin delivered welcome remarks, and Principal Sister Shikha Gomez thanked attendees.

A week-long trade licence renewal service began on Sunday at the DCCI auditorium in Dhaka, jointly organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dhaka South City Corporation. DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam inaugurated the programme as chief guest. The service initiative is scheduled to end on August 20 and aims to make business-related procedures easier for chamber members under the city corporation.

At a discussion on local commerce, law and order, traffic conditions and trade licence services, service recipients called for lower renewal fees and automated, harassment-free renewal procedures. They also sought action to address traffic congestion and waterlogging, register electric autorickshaws and hawkers, clear occupied footpaths, and prevent extortion by political and organisational activists and law enforcement personnel.

DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed stressed effective digital systems and the introduction of multi-year renewals. Abdus Salam said trade licence fees could be reduced if NBR charges within the prescribed fee were lowered. He said a one-stop service is under consideration, while efforts continue to bring electric autorickshaws and hawkers under registration. Representatives of 10 DCCI member firms received renewed licence copies after the event.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government will provide women with free education through honours level and bear all related costs. He made the announcement on Sunday afternoon in the Mirzapur Chairman Bari Ghat area of Pakundia upazila, Kishoreganj, during an event for National Fisheries Week 2026 involving the release of fish fry in the Old Brahmaputra River, distribution of fry to local fishers, and exchanges with residents.

Rahman said women’s education had previously been made free through intermediate level when Khaleda Zia was in office. Noting that women make up half of the country’s population, he said national progress would not be possible while leaving women behind. He also said government stipends would be arranged for girls who achieve good results and urged them to study attentively and lead the country in the future.

The prime minister said the government plans to provide about 12 million children from poor rural families with school bags and uniforms alongside new books every year. He said family cards are being distributed gradually to women-headed households, with a goal of reaching every home within five years; the programme is being inaugurated in Kishoreganj.