Islami Andolon Ameer and Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim said people shaped by Islamic principles could raise Islam’s flag at the state level. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon as chief guest at a student rally in Shahbagh’s Historic Shaheed Osman Hadi Square in the capital, marking the 35th founding anniversary of Islami Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh.

Karim said student life is the best time for self-development and urged activists to gain knowledge, character, skills and leadership qualities. He described Islami Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh as an ideology-based student organisation, contrasting it with the disorder, violence, occupation and other wrongdoing he said had resulted from activities of many other student groups.

The rally was chaired by the organisation’s central president, Muntachir Ahmad, and moderated by Secretary General Sultan Mahmud. Islami Andolon Secretary General Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman urged the government to establish the practice of referendums and fulfil commitments related to the July Charter. Speakers also called on students to oppose drugs, terrorism, corruption and moral decline while pursuing education, research, skills and public welfare.

Deputy Speaker and Netrokona-1 lawmaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal called for those involved in uprooting and cutting planted saplings to be identified and brought under the law. Speaking on Friday afternoon at a tree-planting programme near Babni Bridge in Kalmakanda Sadar Union, Netrokona, he urged local authorities to take necessary action.

Kamal said saplings planted along both sides of the Thakurakona-Kalmakanda road on August 1 had been damaged by unidentified people at night two days earlier. The planting, involving more than 1,200 forest, fruit and medicinal saplings, was organised by Kalmakanda উপজেলা BNP and its affiliated organisations as part of the prime minister’s announced national tree-planting programme.

He said tree planting is necessary to address adverse climate impacts, maintain environmental balance and ensure a safe, livable environment for future generations. He also stressed that planting alone is insufficient and that saplings must be cared for and protected. More than 100 forest, fruit and medicinal saplings were planted beside the Babni Bridge road during Friday’s programme, attended by local political leaders and administration officials.

A devastating landslide and flood struck Nepal on Wednesday when a powerful flow of water, rocks and mud rushed through a Himalayan river valley, sweeping away homes, bridges, roads and people. Scientists are still determining the precise cause, but preliminary assessments suggest part of a glacier and an adjoining steep mountainside collapsed thousands of feet above the ground. The debris volume was estimated at roughly 70 Great Pyramids of Giza.

Experts say the event could not have been predicted in advance, but rapid glacier failures are becoming more common in a warming world. Kathmandu University glacier specialist Mohan Bahadur Chand said all glacier regions face risks as warming and melting accelerate. Hazards can range from sudden floods to megatsunamis, depending on where a collapse occurs. A 2019 study identified 210 Himalayan glacial lakes as potential threats to settlements through sudden flooding.

Specialists say monitoring, hazard mapping, community preparation and clear communication can reduce deaths. In Blatten, Switzerland, residents and livestock were evacuated nine days before a 2025 collapse buried much of the village, leaving no residents dead. Experts are working with Nepalese authorities to identify potential collapse sites, map risks and develop local preparedness plans, though Himalayan monitoring remains difficult and costly.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque called on the government to take effective, lasting action to resolve electricity, gas and fuel shortages. He made the remarks after Friday prayers at a citizens’ rally at Dhania College grounds in the capital, organised by the Jatrabari zone of BKM Dhaka South. The gathering protested hardships in civic life, demanded solutions and called for implementation of the referendum verdict.

Haque said promises of family cards and agricultural cards would not alone ease public suffering while people faced disruptions in power, gas and fuel. He said citizens wanted uninterrupted supplies and practical solutions to basic problems, arguing that development promotion could not replace public rights and democracy.

He also urged the government to respect voting rights, public mandate and referendum results. On the July Charter, he called for structural and effective reforms, including judicial independence, institutional balance and protection of public rights. He said Bangladesh’s relations with India should rest on mutual respect, equality and public interest, and called for the return and trial under domestic law of accused people who fled Bangladesh.

Iran reacted sharply after US President Donald Trump shared a map describing the strategically important Strait of Hormuz as “New US Territory.” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi called Trump “schizophrenic” in a Friday post on X, criticizing the president’s mental health. Trump had published the map on Truth Social, and the White House later shared the post on social media.

Gharibabadi wrote that hallucinations and delusions are among common symptoms of schizophrenia and said psychologists recommend around-the-clock observation and treatment for such patients. His remarks followed Trump’s depiction of the waterway, which lies between Iran and Oman and carries large volumes of oil and energy supplies.

The source says the post does not alter the Strait of Hormuz’s international or legal status, but is viewed as a political message of Washington seeking to assert control amid the US-Iran conflict. The United States has recently claimed to have completed mine-clearance work there and emphasized safe navigation, while Tehran has opposed Washington’s position. The exchange has further intensified military and diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

A liquefied petroleum gas tanker paid a record $5.3 million to secure priority passage through the Panama Canal before restrictions linked to El Niño take effect. Panama Canal deputy administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta gave the information to AFP on Thursday. Bloomberg reported that South Korean company SK Gas paid the amount for its G. Spirit tanker to transit the canal on September 1.

Two days later, the canal authority will reduce the number of vessels allowed to pass daily because drought has lowered water levels. Panama declared an emergency on Tuesday, becoming the latest Central American country to do so amid severe regional drought. El Niño raises surface-water temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, affecting wind patterns and rainfall worldwide.

From September 3, daily canal transits will fall from 36 to 34, before declining further to 32 later in September. Unbooked vessels typically wait about five days, while auctions offer last-minute transit opportunities. The authority said average auction prices from October 2025 to February 2026 were about $55,000. In April, an LNG vessel paid $4 million to avoid waiting.

India has responded to discussion over Bangladesh potentially joining the Mecca defence alliance. At a Friday press briefing, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was closely monitoring regional developments that could affect India’s security and was taking all necessary measures to safeguard it.

The question cited remarks attributed to Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who said any decision on whether Bangladesh joins the alliance would be entirely Bangladesh’s own and should not cause discomfort to others. The question was raised by The Hindu journalist Kulachi.

Jaiswal also said it was the Bangladesh government’s responsibility to manage the country’s law-and-order situation and ensure the security of its citizens. He said the Bangladesh government needed to perform this responsibility more strictly. The source did not provide further details on the alliance, Bangladesh’s position, or any decision on membership.

Eight months after US forces detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelans are expressing relief at his removal but growing impatience over continuing economic hardship. The interim government led by former vice president Delcy Rodriguez has pursued reforms, yet households still face uncertain incomes, soaring food prices, hyperinflation and recurring power cuts. Pastry shop owner Marbelis Daliz said expectations after Maduro’s removal had been replaced by disappointment.

Annual inflation measured in bolivars is now about 575 percent, while the currency’s sharp depreciation has left the economy effectively dollar-dependent since 2019. Rights activist Zaida Mujica said removing Maduro had not removed authoritarianism or produced benefits for ordinary people. Rodriguez, described as operating under Washington’s effective control, has opened several sectors to foreign and private investment; official figures say daily oil output has risen about 29.8 percent since January.

Two earthquakes struck northern Venezuela one minute apart on June 24, killing more than 6,500 people, injuring many others and destroying hundreds of buildings. Daliz said people are less afraid to discuss politics than under Maduro. The government says 1,046 political prisoners have been released since January, while Foro Penal says about 400 remain jailed.

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that Bangladesh’s economy could reach $677 billion within the next five years, potentially surpassing Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand in gross domestic product by 2030. The projections were cited in a Visual Capitalist report titled “The $150 Trillion Global Economy in 2030,” based on IMF forecasts.

According to the report, Malaysia’s economy could reach $672.5 billion in 2030, followed by Vietnam at $667.5 billion and Thailand at $647.5 billion. Denmark’s GDP is projected at $589.2 billion. The comparison is based on the overall size of national GDPs.

The IMF also forecasts that the global economy will expand by about $25 trillion between 2026 and 2030, taking total output above $150 trillion by 2030. The United States is expected to remain the world’s largest economy at about $37.7 trillion, while China is projected to rank second at nearly $26 trillion.

Local residents detained a police constable named Mursalin in Hetimganj Bazar of Golapganj, Sylhet, on Thursday evening on suspicion of attempting to steal a motorcycle. They handed him over to Golapganj police after he took a motorcycle for what was described as a test ride. A man accompanying him, Oliur Islam, was also taken into police custody for questioning.

Residents said Mursalin came to the market claiming he wanted to buy a motorcycle and became suspicious when he rode away after examining one. They chased and detained him, during which he identified himself as a police member. Mursalin denied stealing the motorcycle, saying he had gone there to purchase it and was beaten after residents mistakenly suspected him of theft.

Oliur Islam said he was Mursalin’s grandfather and had accompanied him because Mursalin intended to buy a motorcycle. Police said Mursalin was a constable posted at Beanibazar police station and had not returned to duty after leave earlier this month. Officers are investigating whether the motorcycle was taken with theft intent and whether Oliur Islam was involved.

Khulna Deputy Commissioner Mij Hure Jannat called for public awareness to prevent electricity waste, promote efficient consumption and expand solar power use. She made the appeal as chief guest at a public awareness meeting at KDA New Market in Khulna on Friday at 5:30 pm. The event was jointly organised by the Khulna district administration and West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited, Khulna.

Jannat said electricity demand is continuously rising alongside national development and economic activity, making it essential to stop unnecessary consumption. She said greater use of solar power, a renewable energy source, could reduce pressure on conventional electricity supplies. She stressed that electricity conservation is not solely the government’s responsibility and that citizens must use power responsibly.

Speakers urged households, businesses and public and private establishments to use electricity according to need and turn off lights, fans, air conditioners and other devices when unnecessary. They said solar power could reduce conventional electricity demand and lower energy costs over the long term. Police Superintendent Sarker Omar Faruk and KDA New Market Shop Owners Association president Alhaj Abdul Gaffar Biswas attended as special guests.

China and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday to establish the China-Bangladesh Vocational Education, Training and Research Centre. The agreement was signed at the China-Bangladesh Education Exchange Conference, organised by the Jiangxi provincial government and Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University. Technical and Madrasah Education Division Secretary Md Daud Miah signed for Bangladesh, while Professor Zheng Pengwu signed for the Chinese side.

The cooperation framework covers technical training programmes, bilingual learning materials, education-industry links, research centres, industrial training, visits to China and specialised training. The conference also inaugurated three platforms: the China-Bangladesh Vocational Teachers Training Centre, the Bangladesh Vocational Education Research Centre, and the Bangladesh Chinese Language+ Skill Development Cooperation Centre.

Officials said the initiatives are expected to expand teacher training, practical student training, industrial experience, curriculum development, research cooperation, exchanges and employment-oriented skills. Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon said vocational education must be closely linked to industry and employment needs. Prime Minister’s education adviser Mahdi Amin said the aim is to implement the cooperation in practice and create employment and opportunities for young people.

Native freshwater fish species are declining in the haors, canals and beels of Mohanganj, Madan and Khaliajuri upazilas in Netrokona, according to the report. Several species have disappeared, while others are nearing extinction as their breeding has steadily decreased. Threatened large fish include chital, baghair, banehar, beush, shilong and rita; smaller species include rani, kajli, gilachaki, bacha and shrimp.

These fish were caught in rivers and beels in Netrokona and nearby Sunamganj areas 8 to 10 years ago, then sold through Mohanganj’s fish market to traders from Dhaka and elsewhere. Their numbers have fallen over the past 12 years, leaving people more dependent on farmed fish. Fishers attribute the decline partly to reduced water depth and sediment filling rivers, canals and wetlands.

Market representatives and fisheries officials cited illegal nets, gas tablets, pesticide use and drying rivers to catch fish as additional causes. Officials said such practices are prohibited and reported seizing and burning China duari and current nets worth Tk 5 million in several drives this year. They called for continued enforcement, awareness, training and dredging to protect breeding grounds.

Members of the Haldigram and Barmari camps of the 39 BGB Mymensingh Battalion detained 12 Bangladeshi nationals while they were allegedly returning from India through an illegal route in Nalitabari, Sherpur. The detentions took place around 4am on Friday near border pillar 1111 in the Burunga Kalapani hilly area. Three Hiace microbuses sent to transport them and their three drivers were also detained.

Haldigram BGB Camp Commander Nayek Subedar Nurul Islam said the detainees, from Godagari in Rajshahi, had travelled to India illegally about a year earlier and worked there as labourers. He said they planned to return through brokers because they feared arrest amid increased activity by Indian police.

According to BGB, 30 Bangladeshis entered the country near pillar 1111 as planned. Acting on confidential information, separate BGB patrol teams detained 12 people, while the others fled into different parts of the hills. BGB said the detainees and the drivers would be handed over to Nalitabari police station after cases are filed under the Passport Act.

Iran has prepared new weapons and what it described as “surprising” measures for use on future battlefields, according to Defence Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported his comments, which said the preparations include weapons, equipment, technology and tactics for potential future conflicts.

Talaei-Nik said recent wars, despite causing damage, had created opportunities for progress in Iran’s military and defence industries. He linked the claimed advances to the conflict described as the “12-day war,” which began after Israeli air strikes on Iran in June 2025.

According to Talaei-Nik, Iran’s weapons production doubled after that conflict. He said the newly prepared capabilities would appear as surprises on the battlefield if another war occurs. The report did not provide details about the weapons, equipment, technologies or tactics cited by the Defence Ministry spokesperson.