State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said all kindergarten schools operating without registration in Bangladesh will be closed by 2028 if they do not obtain registration within the stipulated period. He made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon in Chattogram after a daylong workshop on transformation and action planning for primary education at the PTI conference hall.

Hajjaj said the initiative is intended to improve the quality of primary education and bring the institutions under government rules and regulations. The government is also working to address staffing shortages at educational institutions, he said, as part of broader efforts to improve primary education.

He said a new integrated policy for primary teachers is being prepared. The policy will include provisions on teachers’ promotions, salary structure and scope of responsibilities, aiming to better align their professional facilities and duties. The workshop, organized by the Directorate of Primary Education’s Chattogram division, was attended by 300 primary education officials from the division, with Hajjaj as chief guest.

RAB says it has arrested the alleged mastermind behind the robbery of Tk 12.125 million from a DL Filling Station cash vehicle near Crown Plaza in Dhaka’s Airport area on August 9. The agency’s Legal and Media Wing Director, Wing Commander M Z M Entekhab Chowdhury, provided the information on Wednesday night. RAB also said it detained 12 people during an operation against alleged public extortion at a fruit market in Kamalpara, under Turag police station.

Armed assailants on three motorcycles stopped the cash-carrying covered van while it was travelling to deposit money at a bank. They allegedly injured filling-station official Mohammad Al Amin with a sharp weapon after he refused to hand over the money, then fled toward Abdullahpur with the cash bag. A case was filed with Airport police station, and law-enforcement agencies collected nearby CCTV footage.

Earlier, the Detective Branch said it arrested five people and recovered Tk 1.2 million, along with fake RAB identity cards, vests, walkie-talkies, handcuffs and firearms. DB said at least eight people were directly involved. RAB did not immediately disclose the newly arrested suspect’s identity, evidence recovered or specific role, saying details would be provided at a Thursday briefing.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP’s former secretary general and presidential candidate, became emotional and cried several times while delivering a farewell address to the party’s parliamentary group on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister and BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, was held in the government party meeting room at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and lasted about an hour and a half. Fakhrul asked party lawmakers to pray for him and vote for him in Thursday’s presidential election.

Fakhrul recalled late BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, while thanking Tarique Rahman. He apologised for any mistakes or unintended hurt during his years serving as senior joint secretary general, acting secretary general and secretary general. He said he would protect the honour and responsibility given by the party and would not compromise on national independence and sovereignty.

Tarique Rahman called the day historic, urged lawmakers to elect Fakhrul and stressed unity and discipline. He also warned MPs against losing contact with local party members ahead of local government elections, which he said would be held without party symbols.

Bangladesh’s Commerce Ministry has formed a two-member committee to investigate allegations of irregularities against the current board of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh, or REHAB. The committee was formed on Wednesday and has been instructed to complete its investigation and submit a report within 15 working days. Deputy Secretary Abdul Malek will convene the committee, while Deputy Secretary Mohammad Abdus Sadeq of the Central Digital Commerce Cell will serve as a member.

REHAB Vice-President Mohammad Akhtar Biswas and 10 other board members submitted an application to the director general of the Trade Organisations Wing on July 26. The application made 12 allegations, including financial irregularities, against REHAB President Ali Afzal and Senior Vice-President Abdur Razzak.

Joint Secretary Mostafa Jamal Haider held a hearing at the Commerce Ministry on July 30. Following the hearing, REHAB’s annual general meeting was postponed for 30 days, and the president was advised to discuss the complaints with the complainants within 15 days. The AGM scheduled for August 1 at Radisson Hotel was not held, while the August 12-15 summer housing fair was also temporarily postponed.

Authorities in Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, demolished more than half of the 59-year-old Arabia Zia-ul-Uloom Madrasa in Pipra Ramlal village on Tuesday. Seven rooms, a shop and half of a hall at the roughly 14,000-square-foot institution were razed. The administration said part of the madrasa had been built on encroached government land and that the operation followed a court order.

Five village residents filed a 2022 petition seeking removal of alleged encroachment. A tehsildar court ordered eviction in 2023, and madrasa caretaker Abdul Salam challenged that ruling before the district magistrate. On August 14, 2026, the district magistrate upheld the earlier order and dismissed the madrasa’s petition. Officials said a notice was issued and demolition proceeded after the alleged encroachment was not removed within the stipulated time.

The operation began around 7 a.m. under senior local officials, with about 100 police personnel from five police stations deployed. Samajwadi Party lawmaker Syeda Khatun and other party workers protested, while Aam Aadmi Party and Congress figures criticized the action. Officials said about 400 children studied at the madrasa.

Bangladesh may see rainfall increase again nationwide between August 21 and 24 as the monsoon remains active, the Meteorological Department said. A land depression has weakened into a well-marked low over Jharkhand and adjoining Bihar in India and may merge with the monsoon trough, limiting its direct impact on Bangladesh.

Rainfall may ease somewhat on Thursday as the low weakens, although parts of Chattogram and Sylhet divisions could receive comparatively heavier rain. Elsewhere, isolated light to moderate rain or thundershowers with gusty winds are forecast. Recent rain caused waterlogging in low-lying areas of Chattogram, where 189 millimetres was recorded in 24 hours up to the morning of August 17, including 109 millimetres in the final three hours.

Authorities have withdrawn local cautionary signal number 3 at Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra ports as Bay conditions have become calmer. Vessels have nevertheless been advised to operate cautiously. Forecasters said rain could lower daytime temperatures after a recent rise and warned people in Chattogram, Sylhet, Barishal and Khulna to remain alert for heavy rainfall.

Pakistan’s government has filed a review petition challenging a Supreme Court order to transfer jailed former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for examination and treatment. The Islamabad administration submitted the petition on August 19, following the court’s August 18 directive. The court ordered a specialist medical board, including Khan’s personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan, to assess him.

The government said the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, prescribe a defined procedure for taking prisoners outside jail for hospital care, and argued that procedure was not properly followed. It also contended that the court exceeded its jurisdiction. Authorities said Khan is receiving regular treatment and examinations through a medical board, with no evidence of a physical deterioration requiring special transfer to a private hospital.

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said the government does not oppose necessary treatment for Khan and will ensure care under the law and prison manual. The court also sought Khan’s complete medical record, weekly family meetings and twice-weekly calls with his two sons. The next hearing is scheduled for September 16.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission held an online public hearing on telecommunications services and regulatory activities on Wednesday at its Agargaon headquarters in Dhaka. The hearing brought together customers, service providers, stakeholders and media representatives to raise concerns over service quality, network coverage, call drops, internet speed and prices, mobile data and voice charges, and customer service. BTRC said it is working to reduce the floor price for voice calls, currently set between 45 paisa and Tk2.

A total of 2,990 customers registered online between July 17 and 27, including 1,047 professionals, 638 students and 172 women. The largest number of submissions concerned tariffs, data speed and validity, data carry-forward, network coverage, SIM registration, NEIR, licences and service quality. BTRC said Teletalk is continuing network expansion, including in remote and difficult areas, through various projects.

The regulator said regular measurements found mobile-tower electromagnetic radiation well below national and international safety limits. It has also created a platform to monitor whether mobile towers are operating during power outages and issue instructions to operators. From July 2025 to June 2026, BTRC received 13,009 complaints and resolved 11,279, or 86.70 percent.

The government has directed all universities and other educational institutions in Bangladesh to observe Eid-e-Miladunnabi on August 26. The day will be marked with due dignity and religious solemnity, according to the announcement published on August 19, 2026.

Institutions have been instructed to arrange discussions on the life and works of Hazrat Muhammad (SM), as well as Islam’s messages of peace, progress, harmony, tolerance, global brotherhood, human rights and women’s dignity. The directive also calls for prayer gatherings, hamd and naat performances, recitations of original poetry, cultural competitions and quiz contests.

District Shilpakala Academies, Shishu Academies, other cultural institutions, the Islamic Foundation, the Office of the Waqf Administrator, and Hajj offices in Dhaka and Jeddah will follow the same programme. As part of the state programme, divisional, district and upazila administrations, city corporations, municipalities and the Armed Forces Division will organize discussion meetings and prayer gatherings within their respective jurisdictions.

Bangladesh Bank has authorized Rupali Bank to release the remaining $3,197,561 from an approved foreign-currency syndicated loan to S Alam Group affiliate SS Power-1 Limited and to open new letters of credit. The central bank issued the notification on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, after previously permitting the company to open LCs on Sunday.

The notification, signed by Deputy Governor Md Kabir Ahmad, invokes powers under Section 121 of the Bank Company Act, 1991. It says Section 27ka(3) of the law will not apply to the loan disbursement and LC opening for SS Power-1. That provision ordinarily prevents a group entity from receiving new credit or credit facilities when the group is a loan defaulter.

Bangladesh Bank said neither the government nor the central bank will assume liability for any loan or financing provided under the facility. Lending banks or financial institutions will not be able to seek future financial support from the government or Bangladesh Bank against such loans. The source also cites allegations that S Alam Group took control of seven banks and one financial institution and borrowed heavily under various names.

Police in Kolkata have identified two more people killed in a major fire at a residential hotel in the New Market area, bringing the reported death toll to nine. The newly identified victims were Indian nationals: 19-year-old Sandeep Paswan from Bihar and 68-year-old Yog Narayan Agarwal from Siliguri. The report was published on August 19, 2026.

Kolkata police had earlier identified five Bangladeshi nationals among those killed. They were Md Akram Ali, 74, from Kushtia; Debashis Dutta, 39; Afsana Sharmin, 27; Sharnashish Dutta, 3; and Babu Ahmed Babu, 37, a resident of Aminbazar in Savar, Dhaka.

The identity of one victim remains unconfirmed. Following the fire, observations at the five-storey building pointed to alleged irregularities and poor management, including cramped rooms, narrow passageways and an apparent lack of adequate fire-safety measures. Local residents alleged that several hotels operated on different floors, with small accommodation rooms and multiple air-conditioning units on each floor.

Sugarcane cultivation is declining in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj as farmers lose interest amid what they describe as a lack of government support. The crop was once widely grown across the area, meeting local demand and being supplied to Dhaka and other parts of the country. Although farmers report good yields and prices, only 35 farmers are now involved in cultivation.

The upazila agriculture department set a target of growing sugarcane on 22 hectares this year, but cultivation has reached only 19 hectares. Farmer Md Idris Molla, who has grown sugarcane for 40 years, said the crop carries lower risk and offers higher profit than other crops, but growers receive little follow-up from the agriculture office. He called for free pesticides and fertiliser similar to support provided for other crops.

Farmer Moktar Sheikh said he cultivated one acre this year at a cost of Tk60,000 and expects about Tk80,000 in profit. He said growers must sell in markets because there is no sugar mill in the area. Agriculture officer Md Mizanur Rahman said the region is outside sugar-mill coverage, so no government incentives are available for growers.

Iran issued a satirical response after US President Donald Trump again suggested declaring the Strait of Hormuz part of the United States. On August 19, 2026, Iran’s Hyderabad consulate in India posted a map of the United States on social media, coloring California blue and labeling it “the new territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Trump shared a Truth Social image on Tuesday showing the strategic waterway circled and described as “new US territory.” The White House later reposted the image on its official X account. The article said the Iranian map was intended to highlight what Tehran viewed as the absurdity of unilaterally declaring territory part of another country.

Speaking at a New York police academy on Friday, Trump said Iran was losing badly and that he would soon declare the strait US territory after fully defeating Iran. He also said a US naval blockade effectively made the waterway American. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the claim, saying the strait could not be seized through posts, aircraft carriers, or orders.

Bangladesh will observe Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi on August 26, with the government announcing nationwide programmes to mark the occasion with religious solemnity and enthusiasm. The plans were finalized at an inter-ministerial meeting on August 13 chaired by Religious Affairs Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad. The president and prime minister will issue separate messages, while national flags will be hoisted at public, semi-public, autonomous and private institutions and armed forces installations.

Dhaka’s major traffic islands, light posts, roads and other locations will be decorated with national and coloured flags and banners carrying Kalima Tayyiba. Prayer gatherings will be held at the Bangladesh Secretariat Mosque and mosques across the country. Divisional, district and upazila administrations, city corporations, municipalities and the Armed Forces Division will arrange discussions and prayer gatherings within their respective jurisdictions.

The Islamic Foundation will organize religious gatherings, seminars, talk shows, recitation and cultural competitions, a souvenir publication and a month-long Islamic book fair at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Educational and cultural institutions have been directed to arrange programmes on Prophet Muhammad’s life and Islamic values. Authorities will provide improved meals at specified hospitals, prisons and care facilities, while missions abroad will also observe the day.

Bangladesh Coast Guard recovered two foreign firearms, magazines and ammunition during a special operation on the Naf River in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, on August 19. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon said the operation was conducted by BCG Station Teknaf from 1am to 8am, following intelligence about an attempted weapons transfer from Myanmar to a terrorist group in a Rohingya camp.

During the operation, personnel signalled a suspicious wooden boat to stop. The boat ignored the signal, entered the Nayapara mangrove area and was abandoned by members of the alleged group, who fled. A search found the weapons and ammunition concealed inside fishing nets.

The seized items included an SVD Dragunov rifle with a magazine, a foreign 9mm pistol with a magazine, 229 rounds of rifle ammunition, two live pistol rounds, one blank pistol round and two MA-1 rifle magazines. Intelligence surveillance and patrols have been intensified to apprehend those involved. Legal procedures regarding the seized weapons, ammunition and boat are under way.