An Amardesh investigation alleges that insufficient water releases from India’s Ganges pushed the Padma River level at Hardinge Bridge below the threshold needed to operate the Ganges-Kapotaksha irrigation project in 2024. Pumps at the main station in Bheramara, Kushtia, were shut from February 19 until water levels rose above 4.5 metres in the last week of May, according to project and hydrology officials cited in the report.

The report says the public was told all three pumps had failed, although two were operational at the time. Project officials said pumping is not feasible below 4.5 metres because water must be drawn from 0.70 to 1.20 kilometres away, despite the pumps’ stated capability at 3.96 metres. One official described the earlier mechanical-failure explanation as an instructed rather than actual report.

The project serves 13 upazilas across Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah and Magura. Officials and farmer representatives said the shutdown disrupted irrigation, lowered groundwater availability and caused severe water shortages and crop losses. The report says Bangladesh recorded dry-season levels below 4.5 metres in 23 of 30 years after the 1996 Farakka agreement.

Government colleges face persistent teacher shortages that are undermining efforts to improve educational quality, according to an article by a professor from Government Iqbal Memorial College in Daganbhuiyan, Feni. Many colleges have fewer teachers than approved posts, while key positions in some departments remain vacant for long periods. Teachers are often required to handle multiple courses alongside administrative, government and examination-related duties.

The article says increasing teacher numbers alone will not resolve the problem. It calls for regular professional training, research opportunities and wider exposure to modern teaching methods as artificial intelligence, digital technology and the fourth industrial revolution reshape education. It also identifies shortages of classrooms, laboratories, libraries and technology-based learning materials, with science students particularly constrained by limited practical and laboratory facilities.

Research opportunities and funding are described as highly limited in most government colleges, restricting research-oriented attitudes among teachers and students. The article also highlights student attendance, attention and self-discipline, as well as gaps between curricula and job-market needs. It recommends filling vacant posts quickly, upgrading infrastructure, expanding co-curricular activities and strengthening links between education and employment.

Bangladesh’s Health Sector Reform Commission has proposed creating a Bangladesh Health Commission to oversee the quality, scale and accountability of health services. The proposed body would supervise public health, hospital and diagnostic services, medical and allied education, staffing conditions, procurement complaints and financial and administrative accountability. It would oversee three directorates: hospital and diagnostic services, public health, and medical and allied education.

The commission recommends that the Health Commission report directly to the head of government and operate independently of the ministry, while implementation agencies remain separate from the oversight body. Its members would include specialists in public health, epidemiology, law, gender, economics, accounting, engineering, planning, clinical care, hospital management, nursing and paramedical services. The proposal received support in meetings with three political parties, three medical associations, representatives of nurses and paramedics, and students. A Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics survey found 72 percent of respondents supported the institutional framework.

The recommendations include a separate public health directorate, free universal primary health care, referral-based higher-level treatment, and stronger hospital support services. The commission also proposes allocating 5 percent of GDP to health care and introducing social health insurance for formal-sector workers.

A proposed Mecca Joint Defence Pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan on August 7, 2026 has prompted debate over Bangladesh’s possible participation. The pact would treat an armed attack on one member as an attack on all members, though its military structure, decision-making, obligations and admission rules remain unclear. Bangladesh has not signed it. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Dhaka views possible involvement in an economic or defence framework with the three countries positively, subject to national interests and changing global economic and trade realities.

The source says there is no confirmed public evidence that Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar specifically called Bangladesh’s entry into the pact dangerous. India’s official position was described as closely monitoring developments related to Bangladesh’s interest. India may view Pakistan’s membership as strategically sensitive, but the article argues that Bangladesh retains sovereign authority over its foreign and defence policy.

The article also urges Bangladesh not to make an emotional decision. It calls for publication of the full draft, parliamentary debate, expert assessment and review of economic effects. It says Dhaka should clarify whether membership could require involvement in external conflicts, troop deployments, or other automatic military commitments before reaching a final decision.

Iceland is holding a referendum on Saturday on whether to reopen talks on joining the European Union, as US President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on Greenland heightens Arctic security concerns. The vote in the Nordic country of about 400,000 people concerns restarting negotiations rather than immediate EU membership. A Gallup survey found 51.5% of decided voters supported renewed talks, while 48.5% opposed them.

Iceland applied to join the EU in 2009 after the global financial crisis, but a later centre-right government suspended the process over concerns about sovereignty and control of fishing waters. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir says voters can support talks without committing to membership, arguing that negotiations would reveal what terms the EU could offer. She cites potential investment stability, eurozone access, agricultural support, infrastructure loans and research links.

Opponents, including Independence Party leader Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, warn that EU membership could weaken national control over resources and fishing grounds. Iceland has no military or defence ministry but belongs to NATO, the European Economic Area and Schengen. A yes vote would begin membership negotiations, which Iceland’s foreign minister estimates could take about 18 months, followed by another national referendum on final accession.

Export-oriented garment factories in Fatullah, Narayanganj, are facing major production disruptions amid a severe nationwide gas crisis. Industry sources say output at many factories has fallen by nearly half because low gas pressure is preventing timely supply of dyed fabric. Of 256 garment factories in the Fatullah BSCIC industrial area, 122 have closed over the past two years, while most of the remaining 134 are affected by the shortage.

Factory owners say July to December is the period when foreign buyers place the highest volume of orders, supporting production in subsequent months. However, they report that many buyers are not placing new orders because of the ongoing disruption. BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said garment, knitting, dyeing and textile operations form one production chain, meaning gas supply interruptions can halt the entire cycle.

A July 26 Titas Gas directive stopped cascade CNG supplies for non-vehicle use, removing an alternative that some factories had used to operate boilers. Owners warn of uncertainty over worker wage payments, higher production costs, lower exports and reduced competitiveness. Hatem said Bangladesh could lose $1.5 billion in exports if the crisis continues.

Bangladeshi youths continue attempting irregular sea crossings from Libya to Italy or Greece despite deaths, disappearances, abuse and extortion, the report says. In March, at least 18 Bangladeshis died while travelling from Libya toward Greece, including 12 from Sunamganj. On August 3, a boat carrying 42 people, including 38 Bangladeshis, left Libya for Greece; 10 people, including nine Bangladeshis, died after the vessel broke down and ran out of fuel.

Survivors reached Egypt's Marsa Matruh coast on August 13 after nearly 10 days at sea, and police took them for hospital treatment. Families described paying brokers millions of taka and losing contact with relatives during the journey. Frontex data cited in the report show 20,259 Bangladeshis entered Europe across the Mediterranean in 2025, while 4,249 reached Italy and 3,608 reached Greece from Libya in the first half of 2026.

IOM data recorded at least 1,329 Bangladeshi deaths and 859 disappearances on nine irregular migration routes between 2015 and 2025. Migration expert Asif Munir called for awareness campaigns, law enforcement and international coordination. Expatriates' Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said action was being planned against trafficking networks, alongside a month-long awareness campaign in several districts.

Rangpur Metropolitan Police’s new commissioner Mahbubur Rashid said police are working to complete investigations into prominent and sensational cases quickly and submit chargesheets to ensure justice. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon after visiting the home of retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty in Daspara, eight days after the killings. Rashid joined as commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police on Thursday.

The commissioner said narcotics are not only a problem for Rangpur but a social scourge across the country. He said visible operations and activities against drugs would be seen within the next week. Police would work with public cooperation to develop Rangpur into a city of peace, security and good governance, he added.

On the night of August 20, police recovered the bodies of Ganapati Chakraborty, his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, daughter Agami Chakraborty and son Ayus Chakraborty from their home in Machhuapara. Police said all four were strangled. Ganapati’s elder brother Gopinath Chakraborty filed a murder case, and police later arrested Mugdha Das and Siddhartha Das.

Keraniganj in Dhaka has gone without gas for seven days, leaving household stoves unusable and forcing industrial establishments and factories to close, according to the report. The prolonged disruption has increased reliance on electricity and LPG cylinders, while shortages of cylinders have also been reported in several parts of the area. The situation was observed on Thursday at Titas Gas Zone-5’s Jinjira office, where residents were gathering daily to demand service.

Residents said gas shortages have persisted in Keraniganj throughout the year, but supply has been completely absent for the past week. They alleged that illegal customers outnumber legal Titas subscribers after new legal connections were halted in 2016. The report said operations of 5,673 industrial customers have stopped. A former local women’s wing leader said residents across nine unions were using electric stoves, LPG, firewood or restaurant food, and blamed the government for the crisis.

The government-set price for a 12-kilogram private LPG cylinder is Tk1,598, but cylinders were reportedly selling for Tk1,800 to Tk2,000 in several areas. Titas manager engineer Bidhan Chandra Maitra said pressure on the Keraniganj gas line had fallen to 2, compared with usual household pressure levels, preventing supply. He also cited possible burner, regulator, pipe, leak, water and low-pressure problems, and said numerous illegal lines exist.

Emergency repairs to a crack and large pothole near Ashariar Char Bridge in Narayanganj triggered severe congestion on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway on Friday. With one Dhaka-bound lane closed from Friday dawn until Saturday dawn, the traffic jam spread about 40 kilometres, from Ashariar Char to Elliotগঞ্জ in Cumilla, by around 2am.

Long-distance bus passengers, drivers and freight workers faced major disruption, with some passengers reporting they had been stuck in one place for nearly five hours. A passenger named Nur Mohammad, travelling from Feni to his workplace in Dhaka, said he had been stranded in the Gazaria area for more than three hours and was suffering discomfort in the heat. Sick people, women, children and elderly passengers were among those facing particular hardship.

Roads and Highways Department officials said recent heavy rainfall had created potholes at several points on the highway, creating risks and disrupting vehicle movement. Divisional Engineer Al Razi said micro-concrete had been poured over a pothole spanning about five metres and would need at least 24 hours to harden. Highway police said they were working to control the congestion.

Police headquarters data show that 2,076 people were killed across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, from January through July. The report says killings have been linked to political disputes, extortion and territorial control, personal conflicts, gang rivalries, drug trade control, land disputes and family disputes, raising renewed concerns over law and order.

Monthly killings numbered 287 in January, 250 in February, 317 in March, 288 in April, 310 in May, 326 in June and 298 in July. Police said 75 people were killed in political conflicts during the seven-month period, with 90 percent identified as BNP leaders and activists. In July 2026, 21 people were killed in mob beatings and 11 in political violence.

Police said they are taking prompt legal action against attempts to take the law into private hands, registering murder cases and conducting arrests. Criminologist Touhidul Haque cited impunity, delays and weak or slow law-enforcement activity as factors behind rising killings. Authorities are also concerned about illegal weapons, saying 1,311 police firearms looted during the July uprising remain unrecovered.

Chuadanga Motor Workers Union and Chuadanga Bus Owners Association have decided to suspend inter-district bus services on routes to Kushtia, Meherpur, Darshana, Jibannagar and Jhenaidah from August 29. The decision was made during a meeting of the bus owners association held from 5:30pm to 7:30pm on Friday at Ali Hossain Market in Chuadanga Sadar Police Station area.

Transport workers demanded the prompt arrest of those involved in a clash between auto drivers and inter-district bus workers at Daulatdiar bus stand intersection at about 5pm on August 27. They also said they would not operate vehicles until a permanent solution is reached to disputes over picking up passengers.

The groups also said local bus services would remain suspended until a district administration decision on assigning and implementing colours for different easybikes is carried out. If their demands are not met by August 30, they said long-distance buses on routes including Dhaka and Chattogram would stop operating from August 31. A press conference is scheduled for 11:30am on August 29 at the district transport owners association office in front of Chuadanga municipality.

Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram called for a broader regional framework to contain Iran, linking India, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Cyprus. Speaking Wednesday at the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University, Baram also urged expanded military capabilities and a new US-Israel security memorandum based on shared interests and values.

The proposal builds on Israel’s growing ties with Greece and Cyprus, including military exercises, meetings and defense exports. Greek media reported that Athens is advancing approval for a €3 billion deal for Israeli-made air-defense systems under its planned Achilles Shield, including Rafael’s Spyder and David’s Sling systems and IAI’s Barak MX.

Baram said Iran’s growing military capabilities have created a shared interest in wider cooperation, while stressing that countries’ priorities must be understood. The analysis notes that Abraham Accords-related forums emphasize stability, integration and peace rather than a military alliance. It also says Gulf states and India are reluctant to enter conflicts, while Greece and Cyprus may show greater interest in defense cooperation due to concerns about Turkey.

Electricity load-shedding eased somewhat across Bangladesh on the Friday holiday as demand fell, though officials said the overall gas and power situation showed no major change. In Dhaka, outages lasted one to two hours depending on the area, while locations outside the capital faced six to eight hours of load-shedding. Household gas stoves and CNG filling stations also experienced somewhat better pressure.

Power Grid Bangladesh data showed electricity demand at 14,684 megawatts at 3pm on Friday, down 2,262 megawatts from 16,946 megawatts at the same time on Thursday. Supply was 13,201 megawatts, only 81 megawatts below the previous day, reducing the shortfall by 2,181 megawatts to 1,483 megawatts.

Petrobangla data put Friday’s gas demand at about 4,000 million cubic feet against supply of 2,350 million cubic feet, leaving a deficit of 1,450 to 1,650 million cubic feet. Gas and fuel shortages disrupted output at 62 power plants, while textile and garment factories in Savar, Gazipur and Narayanganj were operating at 30 percent capacity. CNG vehicle queues continued despite improved pressure.

At least five people were injured and four motorcycles were vandalised after a clash erupted during a celebration procession by the newly formed Dumki উপজেলা Jubo Dal committee in Patuakhali. The incident occurred around 5:30pm on Friday when the procession, led by the new committee’s president and general secretary, reached the front of the উপজেলা main gate from the Pagla area.

More than a hundred deprived leaders and activists, led by former convener Jasim Uddin and joint convener Zakir Hawlader, allegedly attacked the procession from the opposite direction. The two sides then engaged in repeated clashes. Police arrived and tried to control the situation, though sporadic attacks continued. Syed Riyad, 31, Shakil Jomaddar, 27, and Abdul Wahab, 32, were admitted to the উপজেলা Health Complex with serious injuries.

Previously, the deprived group held broom processions and demonstrations demanding cancellation of the partial committee, which they described as a “pocket committee.” New president Zakir Alam Milon alleged district BNP influence behind the attack. Police said the situation is now under control, while organisational sources said a full committee would be announced soon.