Journalist Muhammad Kader Gani Chowdhury has been appointed managing director and editor-in-chief of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the national news agency. The contract-based appointment was announced in a notification issued on Thursday, August 27, by the Contract and Foreign Appointment Branch of the Ministry of Public Administration.

The notification, signed by Ministry of Public Administration Deputy Secretary Md Golam Rabbani, said the appointment was made under Section 10(1) of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Act, 2018. Chowdhury will serve in the two posts for one year from the date he joins.

The appointment is conditional on Chowdhury ending employment relationships with any other profession, business, or government, semi-government, private institution or organisation. The notification said the remaining terms of the appointment will be set through a contract document and that the order was issued in the public interest.

Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the 23rd extraordinary meeting of OIC foreign ministers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, Kabir handed over a letter from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The meeting took place amid heightened discussion over Bangladesh joining the Mecca defence pact.

According to Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to elevating the partnership. Kabir said several high-level visits had taken place since the BNP-led government was formed, creating new opportunities for broader cooperation across sectors. He also referred to possible high-level visits by both sides in the near future.

Prince Faisal said Bangladesh was among Saudi Arabia’s priority countries and stressed stronger economic cooperation. He noted growing interest among Saudi companies in Bangladesh and expressed interest in expanding investment and business engagement. He also praised the valuable contribution of Bangladeshi expatriates to Saudi Arabia’s development. Kabir invited the Saudi foreign minister to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

The opposition walked out of the national parliament on Thursday, accusing the government of pursuing partial reforms while bypassing comprehensive reform. The walkout began during the introduction stage of the National Human Rights Commission Bill and the Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Bill. Opposition member Dr Shafiqur Rahman raised the issue on a point of order before legislative proceedings began.

Rahman spoke about the July Charter, a constitutional reform council and a special committee formed for constitutional amendments. He strongly criticised the failure to establish a constitutional reform council. He then said the opposition would not take part in the introduction of the two scheduled bills and led the walkout at 8:06 pm.

During the interim government, 133 ordinances were issued and presented to parliament on 12 March, with 10 April as the deadline for approval or rejection. Sixteen were not introduced as bills in time and lost effect, while seven were repealed. The cabinet approved draft disappearance legislation on 3 August and the human rights commission law draft on 10 August. Human rights activists, political parties and others have expressed concerns and criticised aspects of the drafts.

Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed that it will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until an independent Palestinian state is created along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The statement came amid reports that US President Donald Trump seeks to link a civilian nuclear agreement with Riyadh to Saudi normalization of relations with Israel.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent the proposed US-Saudi civilian nuclear cooperation agreement to Congress for review and stipulated that it would not take effect unless Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords. Citing a US administration official, the report said the president’s position had not changed and that the agreement would not proceed without Saudi participation in the accords.

A Saudi official, speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, rejected reports connecting the nuclear agreement to normalization with Israel. The official said Riyadh’s position remained clear, firm and unchanged, and described the civilian nuclear program as part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategic partnership with Washington rather than a matter that should be conditioned on diplomatic ties with Israel.

Police arrested four suspected criminals, including Kala Mobarak, also known as Golakata Mobarak, during a pre-dawn operation on Wednesday in the Shahnagar Pollanpara area of Lelang Union in Fatikchhari. Officers recovered four firearms, 23 rounds of ammunition, three magazines and spent cartridge cases, Superintendent of Police Masud Alam said at a Thursday press conference at the Chattogram District Police office.

Police said one recovered weapon was a Brazilian-made 9mm foreign pistol that matches the list of government weapons looted from Kotwali police station. After reviewing CCTV footage of the killing of Jubo Dal leader Masudul Haque Chowdhury, investigators identified Kala Mobarak and initially believe the 9mm pistol was used in the murder. Chowdhury was shot dead publicly in Rauzan's Pahartali area on June 13.

The other recovered weapons included a 7.65mm foreign pistol, a foreign revolver and a locally made pistol. Police describe Kala Mobarak as a close associate of David Emon and Raihan and as a principal shooter for the Boro Sazzad group. Investigators will examine serial numbers, official records, ballistic evidence and the weapons' supply route.

The government has assigned 30 ministers, state ministers and members of the National Parliament’s whip group to supervise and coordinate activities across all 64 districts. A notification on the assignments was issued by the Cabinet Division on Thursday. Their responsibilities include maintaining normal law and order, controlling corruption and drugs, and overseeing development and public welfare programmes.

The notification said the government had observed with deep concern that development allocations in various districts had existed on paper but were widely looted through corruption. It said part of the looted money was allegedly transferred abroad, while another part was used for activities involving drugs, social degradation, public security and threats to state security.

The district-level oversight roles were introduced to coordinate overall government operations. The stated objectives include strengthening governance, transparency and accountability, alongside monitoring law and order, anti-corruption and anti-drug measures, public welfare initiatives and development activities.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told parliament on Thursday that an inquiry into alleged partisan recruitment in the police under the previous “fascist” government is nearing completion. Responding to a supplementary question from Noakhali-2 MP Zainul Abdin Faruk, he said the findings would be made public once the investigation is finalized.

The minister said investigators had found information indicating irregularities in police recruitment in several districts. He alleged that thousands of constables, sub-inspectors and personnel in other posts were recruited during the previous government’s tenure, and that some applicants changed permanent addresses to access district quotas. He identified Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Kishoreganj among four or five districts under scrutiny.

Ahmed also said operations to recover looted weapons were continuing, with some recovered weapons identified through their serial numbers. A separate committee has been formed for their recovery. He said plans include creating 4,000 unarmed SI posts, 400 sergeant posts and 100,000 constable posts, while vehicle and watercraft shortages would be addressed gradually over five years through the revenue budget.

Malaysia has finalised the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme for Myanmar nationals, with 1,476 people scheduled to return to Myanmar on September 29. The Malaysian government announced the plan on Thursday, saying Myanmar authorities had confirmed the identities of those set to be repatriated. The operation will use two Myanmar naval vessels and one hospital ship.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously said Myanmar agreed to take back 5,000 ethnic Rohingya refugees amid rising tensions with local communities in Malaysia. The Home Ministry said about 4,008 people, most of them ethnic Rohingya, would be included this year under the Refugee Registration Document, or DPP, programme.

Under an understanding with Myanmar’s government, a further 5,000 people will be considered for voluntary repatriation, the ministry said. As of August 15, Malaysian immigration detention centres held 10,388 Myanmar nationals, though not all could be regarded as refugees. Immigration authorities and police are verifying detainees’ identities, nationalities and security information, with the process expected to finish by the fourth quarter.

Rapid Action Battalion personnel arrested two alleged drug traffickers and seized 100,000 yaba tablets from a pickup truck in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. The operation was conducted at a checkpoint set up in front of the RAB Teknaf camp on the Teknaf-Cox’s Bazar road at about 6pm on Wednesday, August 26.

The detainees were identified as Jafar Alam, 55, of Notun Para in Ward No. 3 of Sabrang Union, and Md Tariq, 19, of Karachi Para in Ward No. 2 of the same union. Both are residents of Teknaf Upazila. RAB-15 Assistant Director for Law and Media and Assistant Superintendent of Police A. M. Faruk confirmed the matter.

According to RAB, a patrol team signalled the suspicious pickup to stop during regular duty and searched the vehicle and its occupants. The tablets were found concealed behind the driver’s seat. Officers also seized the pickup and two mobile phones. The suspects and recovered evidence were handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station for a regular case under the Narcotics Control Act.

Bangladesh has offered Nepal all necessary assistance to address devastating flash floods and landslides, Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman said on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He spoke by telephone earlier in the day with Nepalese Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and said Bangladesh was ready to respond once Nepal identifies its needs.

Khanal told his Bangladeshi counterpart that Nepal was still assessing the scale of damage and the types of assistance required. He said Nepal would inform Bangladesh by the evening or the following day about its specific requirements. During the call, Khalilur Rahman conveyed deep sympathy and condolences on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the people of Bangladesh.

The minister said Bangladesh had not received any information so far that a Bangladeshi citizen had been affected. Nepalese authorities were asked to immediately inform Dhaka if any Bangladeshi was found, alive or dead. Bangladesh is prepared to provide support and take necessary measures, including arranging flights for repatriation if needed. Nepal’s foreign minister thanked Bangladesh for its solidarity and pledged cooperation regarding any affected Bangladeshi citizens.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has warned the public against unauthorized lending activities conducted through mobile apps, online platforms and social media-based digital channels. In a Bangladesh Bank press release issued Thursday, the agency said some individuals and institutions are offering fast loans on easy terms without approval, despite lending being a regulated financial activity in Bangladesh.

BFIU said these platforms collect users’ personal and sensitive information, including contact data stored on mobile phones and photographs. It said borrowers have faced undue pressure, intimidation, threats to disclose personal information, harassment and excessive collections in the name of loan recovery. The agency said such activity creates risks of data misuse, unauthorized financial transactions, fraud, financial crime and money laundering.

The agency said it has identified information on 31 unauthorized mobile apps, including Sathi Loan, Popcash, Fincash, Quick Loan, Quick Taka, Dhaka Fin and Loanvibe. It urged people not to borrow from unfamiliar apps or platforms, share personal, identity or bank information, or pay advance, registration or processing fees. BFIU requested complaints and information about suspected operators.

The Bangladesh Army has received 54.99 acres of land and assets of the long-closed state-run Jalil Textile Mills Limited in Fouzdarhat, Chattogram, for expansion of Bangladesh Ordnance Factories. The handover agreement was signed on Thursday in the presence of Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir. Workers protested outside the mill, demanding settlement of unpaid benefits.

About 1,100 workers say they are owed Tk 20 crore 57 lakh 47 thousand in gratuity, provident fund, salary arrears, overtime and lay-off payments. They say the claims have remained unresolved for 21 years despite repeated approaches to the ministry and Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation. Labour leaders cited a 2013 audit that assessed dues for 1,075 workers at Tk 20 crore 57 lakh 47 thousand 800.

The mill, established in 1961 and nationalised in 1972, closed in 2004 before the government retook it in 2017 after legal proceedings. Workers warned of stricter action, including blockades of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway and rail line, if dues are not paid. Officials said the site is planned for high-technology arms and ammunition production, logistics infrastructure and specialised storage facilities.

Independent Brahmanbaria-2 lawmaker Rumin Farhana sharply criticized Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku during Thursday’s parliamentary session. Speaking on inflation, law and order, and energy supplies, she said public conversations suggested that having 64 home ministers for the country’s 64 districts would not be a bad idea.

Farhana said discussions of law and order in parliament were difficult because, in her view, the home minister responded with sarcasm or wordplay. She also criticized the energy minister, referring to public complaints about rising oil prices, shortages of electricity and the unavailability of gas. She said the government’s stated progress had included controlling law and order, commodity prices and ensuring energy-sector security.

The lawmaker said people were uncomfortable with inflation and questioned employment prospects. She said the government had promised to create one crore new jobs, but claimed that 62,000 people had lost jobs after it took office and that more than 900 factories had closed. She also cited vegetable prices above Tk80, higher egg and miniket rice prices, and long queues for TCB goods.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Muslim countries should not allow their territories to be used for attacks on other Muslim states. He made the remarks on Thursday at the 40th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, in a speech broadcast live by Iranian state television.

Pezeshkian said defending Iran did not mean holding hostility toward Muslim countries or neighboring states. He said no Islamic country should permit its territory to be used for aggression against another Islamic country, and that no country should build its own security on the insecurity of its neighbors.

Referring to tensions with the United States, Pezeshkian said large-scale US and Israeli military attacks on Iran began while diplomatic efforts were under way to resolve differences between Tehran and Washington. He said renewed talks had started that month, but attacks followed, killing military commanders, officials, scientists, students, schoolchildren and civilians, while cities and infrastructure were targeted. Iran's IRNA said nearly 600 guests from 40 countries are attending the conference, which runs until Sunday.

The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) fined 13 buildings a total of Tk 4.1 million during a mobile court drive in the city’s Agrabad and Halishahar areas on Thursday, August 27. The operation targeted violations of building construction rules and the use of parking spaces for illegal commercial activities. Five buildings were sealed during the drive.

Special Metropolitan Magistrate and Joint District and Sessions Judge Hamimun Tanzin led the operation in the presence of CDA চেয়ারম্যান Engineer Md Belayet Hossain. On Agrabad Access Road, the superstore Utsab was fined Tk 800,000 and Swapno Tk 1.1 million. A restaurant named Safes Lounge was among establishments sealed for operating without parking arrangements, alongside other irregularities.

CDA sources said authorities also demolished illegal extended portions of three buildings and obtained written undertakings from owners. Belayet Hossain said failing to provide parking at large supermarkets and institutions was highly irresponsible, urging construction in line with approved designs to reduce public inconvenience and traffic congestion. CDA officials said such drives against illegal and non-compliant construction would continue.