Iran says it is rebuilding military capacity after war-related damage and plans to shift from a defensive posture toward an offensive strategy against potential future US attacks. Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminiah made the claims, saying Iran seeks to strengthen its ability to respond to threats.

Akraminiah said Iran carried out several “deterrent operations” during the final stage of the war. He claimed an Iranian attack on a US base in Jordan served as an effective deterrent against further US attacks. He also said the government would provide financial rewards to people who capture US soldiers entering Iranian territory.

The spokesperson said significant progress had been made in rebuilding damaged infrastructure, with a large portion of destroyed facilities reconstructed. He added that Iran had received new military equipment that strengthened its defence capabilities. On the Strait of Hormuz, Akraminiah said vessels would remain under Iranian surveillance before entering and would be allowed to pass only with Iran’s permission.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized an estimated 200,000 yaba pills during a special operation at the Palongkhali border in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar. The seizure occurred on Tuesday night while a patrol team from Palongkhali BOP, under Ukhiya Battalion 64 BGB, was conducting regular patrol duties at Gurjakhali Rubel’s enclosure in Farir Bill.

Using advanced technology, the patrol observed suspicious activity by several people. BGB personnel saw six individuals entering Bangladesh from Myanmar carrying bundles. When challenged by the patrol, the alleged smugglers dropped the bundles and fled back toward Myanmar.

BGB members searched the area and recovered six abandoned bundles containing yaba pills wrapped in khaki and blue airtight packets. No other illegal goods were found despite an extensive search. Lieutenant Colonel Md Zahurul Islam, commander of Ukhiya Battalion 64 BGB, said intelligence surveillance and operations had been increased to identify drug suppliers and smugglers linked to the recovered tablets and bring them under the law. He said operations and intelligence activities would continue to prevent illegal goods, including drugs, from entering through the border.

Brigadier General Alireza Elhami, commander of Iran’s Army Air Defense Force, said on Wednesday that the force is fully prepared to defend the country’s airspace. Speaking to journalists, he said comprehensive surveillance is being carried out across all of Iran’s borders.

Elhami said both the Iranian Army’s air defense force and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ air defense force are fully prepared. He said Iran’s defense capabilities and the way they are being used are being demonstrated through practical operations.

The commander said the downing of strategic enemy drones has shown that relevant Iranian personnel are fully ready to carry out their duties. He added that the forces would continue performing their responsibilities to protect national security until their last breath.

Araihazar Upazila নির্বাহী কর্মকর্তা মো. আসাদুর রহমান visited the families of four children who drowned in a pond in Khanpara village of Duptara Union, Narayanganj. During the Tuesday visit, he expressed grief and condolences to relatives of the victims and provided grants to each of the four affected families from the government relief fund.

The four children died after drowning in pond water in the Khanpara area on Thursday evening, 20 August. The victims were identified as Ozaifa, 10; Afsa, 12; Ria Moni, 8; and Rubaiya, 8.

Asadur Rahman said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident and that the government stood beside the affected families. Duptara Union Parishad administrative officer Bashir Ahmad, ward BNP president Moniruzzaman Monir, general secretary Ahiduzzaman and local dignitaries were present during the visit.

A sudden surge of water and mud from the Tibet border area has devastated Nepal’s Rasuwa district, leaving at least eight people dead and 384 tourists missing, according to authorities. Nepal Tourism Board data show that 291 foreign tourists, including 105 Indians, and 93 Nepali tourists cannot be located. The flooding struck Wednesday morning, sweeping away riverside settlements, markets, roads and bridges along the Bhotekoshi River.

Nearly a dozen villages, including areas around Syabrubesi and Timure, suffered extensive damage, according to Northgaya Rural Municipality Deputy Chair Chameli Gurung. The missing list also includes 41 police personnel and 14 customs office employees. At least 25 people have been rescued, but disrupted communications and a washed-away helipad have complicated access to remote areas.

Experts cited satellite data indicating heavy rainfall in Tibet and said water and mud may have descended after a dam or reservoir failure, though a glacial-lake outburst has not been confirmed. Power facilities, including the Chilime hydropower project, were damaged. Authorities have deployed the army and police, issued downstream alerts, and advised people to avoid the Prithvi Highway and the Muglin-Narayanghat road.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dhaka North unit conducted cleanliness operations across several areas of the capital on Wednesday, the second day of its weeklong campaign to promote a cleaner, more beautiful and livable Dhaka. The drive covered Wireless Mor to Madhubagh, Bepari Gali and T&T Colony in wards 35 and 36 of Hatirjheel police station. It was led by Mohammad Selim Uddin, a central executive council member, Dhaka North ameer and Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral candidate.

Addressing participants, Selim Uddin said people must move beyond photo opportunities and take part in cleaning their surroundings. He criticised the city corporation administration over unclean roads, mosquito problems and waste left for months, saying residents must help keep the city clean. He said collective awareness and cooperation could make this possible, describing the campaign as a civic, humanitarian and moral responsibility.

The programme was being held simultaneously in 54 wards for a second day, with many volunteers, experienced sanitation workers and social workers involved. Selim Uddin called on volunteer organisations to join the effort and urged residents to choose qualified leadership for a clean, traffic-free and waterlogging-free Dhaka. The campaign runs from August 25 to August 31.

Fifty factories in Chattogram have closed over the past six months, leaving more than 7,000 workers without jobs, according to industrial police. Twenty-five factories shut permanently and 25 temporarily, amid a shortage of work orders and pressure on Bangladesh’s garment sector. The closures have particularly affected subcontracting firms, while many operating factories are running at low capacity.

Bangladesh’s garment exports to Europe fell 16.43 percent in the first six months of the year, according to Eurostat data cited in the report. Shipments to Europe totalled €8.6448 billion, down from €10.3444 billion a year earlier. Exports to the United States also declined 5.75 percent to $4.0078 billion from $4.2524 billion in the same period of 2025.

Factory owners cited raw-material shortages, global factors, worker misconduct and financial problems as reasons for closures, industrial police superintendent Mahmuda Begum Sonia said. Labour leaders alleged increased layoffs, forced resignations and unpaid legal dues. Analysts cited limited product diversification, dependence on cotton-based goods, weak capacity in man-made-fibre garments, energy shortages, port and customs complications, and longer lead times as barriers to exports.

Dubai International Airport handled 31.5 million passengers in the first six months of the year, down 31.3 percent from nearly 46 million in the same period last year, Dubai Airports said on Wednesday. The operator attributed the decline to widespread disruption across Middle Eastern airspace linked to the Iran war, including restrictions and major changes to flight schedules.

Dubai Airports described the first half as one of the most challenging periods in DXB’s history. Flight cancellations, rescheduling and diversions increased on regional routes after the war began, affecting the Gulf hub. Higher fuel prices also extended the impact beyond the Middle East into global aviation. Aircraft movements fell 32.1 percent to 150,600, while cargo volumes declined 28.7 percent to 751,340 tonnes.

Passenger traffic showed a gradual recovery in the second quarter, rising from 3.5 million in April to 4.5 million in May and 5 million in June. The quarter’s total of 13 million passengers was still 42 percent below a year earlier. Dubai Airports expects traffic to increase in the second half as airlines restore flights and capacity, though its earlier forecast of about 100 million annual passengers is now uncertain.

Police in Jiyanagar, Pirojpur, arrested alleged drug dealer Liza Begum, 30, with 70 yaba tablets during a special operation on Tuesday, August 25. The operation took place at about 8:30pm in South Dhepsa Buniya village, Ward No. 3 of Balipara Union. Police said she was detained while allegedly selling the tablets from her home yard.

Liza Begum is the wife of Md Monir Hawlader and lives in the same ward, according to the report. Acting on confidential information, a police team led by Jiyanagar police station Sub-Inspector Ismail Hossain conducted the raid. The source described her as a known drug trader in the area.

A case under the Narcotics Control Act was filed at Jiyanagar Police Station on August 25, 2026, as case number 5. Officer-in-Charge Md Mohabbat Khan said police had arrested Begum with the yaba tablets based on secret information. SI Ismail urged residents to take a stand against drugs and assist police, while the officer-in-charge said operations against narcotics would continue.

Food Minister Afroz Khanam Rita has provided financial assistance to the family of Jamuna Rani Das in Ghona village of Garpara, Manikganj Sadar. Das’s academically talented daughter is studying at the University of Dhaka, but the family has struggled to meet her educational costs because of financial hardship. The assistance was provided on Wednesday afternoon after Rita learned about the student’s situation at the family home.

Rita, who is also convenor of Manikganj district BNP and member of parliament for the Manikganj-3 constituency, gave the grant from her own funds through Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mousumi Nasrin. She also promised to repair the family’s home.

Jahangir Alam Biswas, general secretary of the Manikganj district branch of Citizens for Good Governance, described the support as a notable example of humanity that could help a talented student pursue her dreams. Jamuna Rani thanked Rita and prayed that she would continue working alongside helpless and ordinary people.

An army member and his wife were killed in a road crash in the Gas Depot area of Jhenaidah town’s bypass at about 10am on Wednesday. The victims were Sohail Kazi, 35, an instructor at the Bangladesh Military Academy branch in Chattogram, and his wife Jannatul Ferdous Tuli, 25. Tuli died at the scene, while Sohail later died during treatment after being transferred to Jashore CMH.

Fire Service leader Liaqat Biswas said the couple had been travelling by motorcycle from the Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital area to Tuli’s parents’ home in Bardah, Shailkupa. Their motorcycle reportedly lost control and fell on the road while trying to avoid a collision with an autorickshaw coming from a side road.

At that point, Tuli was run over by a Garai Paribahan passenger bus travelling from Kushtia to Khulna. Fire Service personnel rescued the seriously injured Sohail and took him to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital before he was referred for advanced treatment. Jhenaidah Sadar police said the bus has been seized and legal procedures are under way.

Police in Meherpur detained a man identified as Sayan on Wednesday morning after he was accused of attacking his former wife, Sanjida Rahman Smriti, and her parents following a divorce. The attack occurred around 1:30am on Tuesday night at the family home above Selim Electronics near Lord Market, a busy area of the town. Smriti’s right hand was severed in the assault, according to the report.

When Smriti’s parents, Selim Hossain and Rebeka Sultana, rushed from another room after hearing her cries, they were also allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon. Local people took all three victims to Meherpur 250-bed General Hospital. After initial treatment, doctors referred them to Dhaka Medical College Hospital because of the severity of their conditions, where they are now receiving treatment.

Smriti’s family said the couple married 10 days earlier and that she divorced Sayan three days before the incident, alleging he was addicted to drugs. Sayan’s mother denied that he was drug-addicted or that she knew of a divorce, saying her son was mentally distressed. Police said several teams conducted raids and took Sayan into custody, while legal proceedings and an internal investigation continue.

Malaysia’s Human Resources Ministry has issued guidance requiring Malaysian employers to follow an eight-step process for recruiting foreign workers, including those from Bangladesh. The directive, issued on Sunday, is seen by the Bangladesh government as an indication that Malaysia may soon reopen its closed labour market. As of Tuesday, however, Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry and its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur had not received a formal announcement on when the market would reopen.

The process requires employers to seek approval and advertise vacancies, apply for worker quotas through the ministry’s one-stop centre, pay levies, obtain conditional approval and complete embassy formalities. Workers must then be recruited and sent through recruitment agencies, obtain a Visa With Reference, and enter Malaysia. Employers were advised to use the Foreign Workers Centralized Management System portal for information and approved agency lists.

Malaysia previously published lists of 25 Bangladeshi recruitment agencies and more than 40 medical centres, prompting objections from manpower exporters and political parties alleging a syndicate. Bangladesh has written to Malaysia seeking clarification. The existing 2021 memorandum of understanding remains valid until December, while recruitment from Bangladesh was halted in June 2024 amid allegations of irregularities and corruption.

Bangladesh Coast Guard recovered a foreign G-3 rifle, ammunition and 5,000 yaba tablets during two separate operations in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon disclosed the information on Wednesday afternoon. A joint Coast Guard and police operation was conducted near Damdamiya No. 14 Bridge at 5am on Wednesday after intelligence indicated a robbery group was gathering there.

The suspected group fled into the hills after detecting the joint force’s presence. Searches of the area recovered the G-3 rifle with a magazine, two locally made firearms, three locally made weapons, 13 rounds of live ammunition and one litre of locally made liquor. Authorities said the group had allegedly been positioned there for kidnapping and robbery.

In a separate special operation in the Sabrang area of Teknaf, Coast Guard personnel searched a suspicious residence at 8pm on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. They seized 5,000 yaba tablets, estimated in the source to be worth about Tk25 lakh. Legal action concerning the recovered weapons, ammunition and seized drugs is under process.

China-made humanoid robot Tiangong Ultra ran 100 metres in 8.86 seconds during the large-size robot division semifinal at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. The time was reported as a new record and was 0.72 seconds faster than Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second human world record set in 2009.

Tiangong Ultra had already broken its own earlier record on the opening day of the event, when it completed the distance in 9.39 seconds. Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, the robot is also reported to have achieved 38.15 seconds over 400 metres, two minutes 21.64 seconds over 1,500 metres, and a 2.88-metre high jump.

After its semifinal run, the robot was unable to control its speed beyond the finish line and struck a heavy safety mat. It fell after the collision and a small fire started in its internal components. The source says China is treating humanoid robotics as a strategic industry, combining artificial intelligence, powerful motors and advanced semiconductor technology. Tiangong Ultra was developed through a joint effort involving Chinese technology firms including Xiaomi and Baidu.