United News of Bangladesh

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is marking its 10th anniversary with celebrations, even as it faces pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump over how American history is presented in federally supported museums. The museum, which opened on Sept. 24, 2016, plans a weekend of events at its National Mall location and The Wharf along the Washington Channel. The celebrations will begin Thursday with activities throughout the museum and include a discussion titled “Understanding America,” featuring Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the museum's founding director. The anniversary will also have a family-style feel, including a performance of Stevie Wonder's “Happy Birthday.” “Our anniversary is really founded through this theme of ‘Welcome Home. Our Legacy Continues,’” said Shanita Brackett, the museum's acting director. “It means we are planning our next 10, frankly 20 years of exhibitions right now.” The museum, often affectionately called the “Blacksonian” by visitors and supporters, has come under scrutiny from the Trump administration. Trump signed an executive order last year seeking changes at a number of federally supported museums and landmarks. The Interior Department has also removed dozens of displays from national monuments that focused on social activists, people of color, women and LGBTQ people, among others. The order directed federal officials to work with Congress to prevent the Smithsonian from using federal funds for exhibits that allegedly “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with federal law.” However, museum officials say their work has continued without interference. “We have not changed any exhibitions. We haven't changed our language. We know that what we do is steeped in scholarship,” Brackett said. ‘No changes’ to museum's missionThe Smithsonian receives funding from both the federal government and private sources. Its funding structure and governance, which includes lawmakers from both parties, private donors and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, have made it more difficult for the administration to directly control its exhibits. Still, supporters of the museum have expressed concern about possible changes to its exhibitions over the past two years. Trump's administration has also announced measures aimed at the Smithsonian. Trump ordered signs to be placed outside some Smithsonian buildings warning visitors that they could encounter exhibits presenting what the administration considers an inaccurate portrayal of American history. Brackett said the museum remains committed to its original mission of presenting “the unvarnished truth of African American history and culture.” “We know that Black history is a part of American history, and it's our job to ensure that everyone who comes to this museum, who engages in our programming, who visits us online, understands exactly how all of this evolved,” she said. She said the museum also seeks to show how African Americans' contributions have helped advance the United States. “There are no changes to exhibits other than rotating objects that need conservation,” Brackett said. Some visitors had feared that displays such as the casket of Emmett Till and a Greensboro lunch counter at the nearby National Museum of American History might have been changed to address concerns from the administration. Brackett said there had been no such changes. “Nothing has changed,” she said. More than a century of advocacyThe idea of creating a major landmark on the National Mall to recognize African American contributions dates back more than 100 years. In 1915, Black Civil War veterans urged lawmakers to establish a memorial honoring their contributions to the war, during which many had fought for their own freedom. The proposal moved forward slowly over the following decades. Later, efforts to honor the legacy of the civil rights movement gained support among lawmakers. Congress approved the museum in 2003, and it opened its doors on Sept. 24, 2016. At the opening ceremony, then-President Barack Obama described African American history as an important part of the broader American story. “It is a glorious story, the one that's told here. It is complicated, and it is messy, and it is full of contradictions, as all great stories are,” Obama said. Over the past decade, the museum has welcomed nearly 14 million visitors from 200 countries and more than 26,000 school groups, according to the Smithsonian. The 10-story museum has five floors above ground that focus on African American art and cultural achievements, while five underground floors explore the community's deeper history. Its exhibitions present both the difficult and triumphant chapters of African American history and their place in the wider history of the United States. Visitors eager to experience the museumA day before the anniversary, Shallary Duncan of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, visited the museum for the first time. “With all of the changes in our country, it made me yearn to be here. I don't want to see any changes that would mitigate the reality of this experience,” said Duncan, a psychologist and self-described history enthusiast. She said it was important for African Americans to have a voice in preserving their history. “We know that African Americans have been in this country for as long as the country has been here, so it's important for us that we are a part of a voice that says this is real, our history is real and we don't want it to change,” she said. More than a dozen students from a group of historically Black colleges and universities also visited the museum Wednesday to learn from its exhibitions. Some said they had been visiting since childhood. For Jaina Dotson, a student at Tuskegee University studying architecture, the visit was especially meaningful. She had visited the museum as a child while growing up in Maryland and wanted to see how her perspective had changed. The visit also connected with her studies, as she had researched the museum's design for an architecture project. “Looking at the outside facade, the corona, and the intention of the design behind that, as well as the layout of the museum itself, was an integral part of my research,” Dotson said. “The layout of the museum, its architecture, is really important for the experience. So it'll be fun to actually experience that as a patron.”

Cristiano Ronaldo said he considered ending his international career after the World Cup, while acknowledging that some critics in Portugal want him to leave the national team. The 41-year-old forward was confirmed by coach Jorge Jesus as a starter for his 234th appearance for Portugal, against Wales on Thursday in the Nations League. Asked at a pre-match news conference whether he had considered retiring from international football after Portugal's round-of-16 defeat to Spain in July, Ronaldo said he had. “Yes, I did. Of course, I'm always thinking about my decisions, my future, the present also,” he said. Ronaldo said he had discussed his future with Portugal's president and Jesus, who previously coached Ronaldo at Saudi club Al-Nassr and led the team to the Saudi league title in May. “I still believe that I'm able to help the national team to reach what they want, and I will finish when I feel like I'm not doing anything here,” he said. Ronaldo, who led Portugal to the Nations League title in 2025, is also closing in on 1,000 career goals. “This is a new young generation,” he said. “But for me, the basic point is to be able on the pitch to score goals and help the team win games.” Ronaldo also acknowledged that he remains a target of criticism in his home country. “I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I do understand that some TV channels want to criticize me,” he said. “They are dying for me not to come to the national team any more, but I can still move away from it.” Ronaldo said he has become accustomed to criticism after more than two decades in the spotlight. “I'm used to it. For over 20 years I have been doing this, but my memories are with people who love me,” he said. He added that he hopes to remain an example for younger generations even after retiring. “I know why young kids love Cristiano, because they see me as an example, and I will continue to do that. Even when I am retired… in 10 years,” Ronaldo said with a smile.

Dhaka ranked 37th among the world's most polluted cities on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 64 at 10:22 am. The air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that the air quality is generally acceptable, although unusually sensitive people may experience some health effects, according to the AQI scale. DR Congo’s Kinshasa topped the list with an AQI score of 239. Malaysia’s Kuching and Pakistan’s Lahore jointly ranked second, with AQI scores of 194 each. Dubai of the United Arab Emirates ranked third, with an AQI score of 157. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Dr Khalilur Rahman has expressed concern that familiar patterns of violence and persecution continue to cast a long shadow across Rakhine state and the rest of Myanmar, noting that the Rohingya crisis is not over. The Assembly President underscored the importance of sustained political attention to keep the Rohingya crisis high on the international agenda. Predictable humanitarian assistance, he said, would also remain critical. At a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis in New York on Wednesday, he joined discussions highlighting the urgency of achieving durable solutions to protracted displacement, including through conditions for safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return. After years of displacement, the UNGA President said the international community must not allow attention to fade. "We must sustain political attention, support refugees and host communities, pursue accountability and ensure that the Rohingya themselves have a meaningful voice in shaping the conditions for their safe return home," he said. Describing the situation in Myanmar, Dr Rahman said civilians face indiscriminate attacks, air strikes, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, enforced disappearances, forced recruitment, destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, and the denial of humanitarian assistance. Nine years after the mass displacement of the Rohingya from Myanmar, their situation remains one of the world's most protracted and complex refugee crises, marked by years of persecution and uncertainty over the prospect of returning home. Against this backdrop, senior UN officials renewed calls for a durable solution that would enable Rohingya refugees to return home safely and with dignity, while ensuring justice and accountability. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, a keynote speaker at a high-level event held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the General Assembly, reminded participants that nearly 1.2 million (over 1.3 million) Rohingya refugees remain in Bangladesh. “An entire generation is growing up in exile…Conflicts continue in Myanmar. Conditions for voluntary, safe, and dignified, and sustainable return do not exist at the moment.” In August 2017, Myanmar's military launched a crackdown in the country's western Rakhine state, forcing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee across the border into Bangladesh, where the vast majority remain refugees, according to the United Nations. The Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, lamented that for children born in 2017, displacement now encompasses their entire childhood. “It's estimated that over 30,000 children are born into the camp each year.” The envoy said women and girls living in the camps face growing risks of gender-based violence, including from armed groups and criminal networks, while access to protection services is declining. "The young are losing hope." UN officials commended Bangladesh for its extraordinary hospitality and generosity but cautioned that the international community cannot stand by while the country continues to host the world's largest refugee settlement. “When funding disappears, needs do not disappear with it. There is less food, less education, fewer opportunities, greater pressure on health and other essential services, and more desperation for families,” the UNHCR chief said. Without prospects for a safe and dignified future, Rohingya refugees face increasing risks of exploitation, trafficking, forced conscription and dangerous sea journeys. Growing Cost of Displacement In his address, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman drew attention to the growing costs of prolonged displacement, both for the Rohingya and for host communities. “Prolonged uncertainty and disruption are creating new challenges and security risks, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, and other transnational crimes," he said. The Prime Minister thanked international partners for their support but stressed that generosity cannot become an excuse for political inaction. “Nor can Bangladesh be expected to shoulder this responsibility indefinitely. The crisis originated in Myanmar; its solution lies in Myanmar,” he said. UN officials also pointed to the genocide case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), brought by The Gambia against Myanmar, stressing that justice must be an integral part of any lasting solution and that momentum towards accountability must not be lost. Hope Beyond Survival “Victims deserve to see that we, as an international community, are doing our utmost to avoid a repeat of past horrors,” UNGA President Dr Rahman said. UNHCR Salih said refugees deserve a future that goes beyond survival. Drawing on his conversations with Rohingya refugees, he said many continue to hope for a return home, but that return must mean more than simply crossing a border, he said. “It means returning with rights, being able to move freely, to go to school, to work, to access services, the ability to live alongside other communities without fear,” and have a pathway to citizenship. “Our responsibility is to help make that future possible,” the UNHCR chief added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday and received a rare planeside welcome from U.S. President Donald Trump as top officials from the two countries agreed to extend their trade truce until January. Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension — under which the United States and China agreed to reduce tariffs and refrain from imposing new trade restrictions — during an interview with Fox News Channel as Trump welcomed Xi at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. “I don’t know whether a bigger deal can be done. I don’t know whether we will just roll the current deal,” Bessent said, noting that the extension until Jan. 10 could give the two leaders more time to discuss outstanding issues at international summits in China in November and Florida in December. Trade remains one of the biggest points of tension between the two superpowers, along with artificial intelligence, Trump’s war with Iran and China’s ambitions regarding Taiwan. Much of Xi’s three-day visit, however, is expected to focus on ceremonial elements, beginning with Trump’s decision to greet him as he arrived rather than waiting for him at the White House. A 100-foot (30-meter) red carpet was laid at the bottom of the staircase leading from Xi’s plane. A 21-member honor guard stood along both sides of the carpet as Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, with handshakes. The welcome ceremony featured a flyover by two B-1 bombers, platoons representing each branch of the U.S. military and the presentation of the flags and national anthems of both countries. Trump and Melania spoke with Xi and Peng, although their conversation could not be heard. Trump, wearing gloves and an overcoat despite the relatively warm 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius), removed one glove to shake Xi’s hand. At one point, he also patted Xi on the back and said something that was inaudible. “I think they appreciate it, tremendous people,” Trump told reporters after returning to the White House Wednesday evening. In a statement marking his arrival in the United States, Xi said China and the United States “should be partners, not rivals.” He said achieving “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” and “making America great again” could go hand in hand, allowing the two countries to contribute to each other’s success and benefit the wider world. Some Republicans question the optics of the visit Trump has described Xi as a “great leader” and spoken warmly about his relationship with the Chinese president while seeking to maintain what he calls “strategic stability” between the two countries. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized what he called the “lavish welcome.” Wicker, R-Miss., said in a Senate speech Tuesday that Trump should not have invited Xi given what he described as the troubling issues involving the Chinese leader and the Chinese Communist Party. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended high-level engagement between Washington and Beijing, saying the two countries are “the two largest economies in the world” and “probably the two most powerful militaries in the world.” Danny Russel, a former U.S. diplomat under President Barack Obama, said the elaborate airport ceremony could benefit Beijing’s messaging. “Such extreme deference is valuable evidence that China’s leader is now held in extraordinarily high esteem by the President of the United States,” said Russel, now with the Asia Society Policy Institute. “Beijing uses this at home and internationally to show China’s — and Xi’s — growing stature.” China had sought longer extension of trade truce China had wanted a longer extension of the trade truce, which had been scheduled to expire Nov. 10. “It underscores that the United States is still concerned about China’s full implementation of its commitments under the truce, particularly with respect to critical mineral exports and agricultural purchases,” said Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade negotiator and senior vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. The shorter extension gives Washington an opportunity to assess whether China fulfills outstanding commitments to purchase U.S. agricultural products, said Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “This is less about buying two months of calm than making China earn the next extension,” he said. Trump had not commented on the extension as of Wednesday. The two leaders are expected to hold more substantive discussions Thursday following a White House arrival ceremony and a review of troops. They are also scheduled to exchange toasts at a black-tie dinner featuring technology industry leaders including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and SpaceX’s Elon Musk. Trump seeks to welcome Xi with ‘the most respect’ Trump has made clear that he wants to impress Xi, saying in recent weeks that he was pleased his new “work of art” helicopter landing pad would be ready for the visit while expressing regret that his planned White House ballroom would not be completed in time. “I wish we had it for tomorrow night,” Trump said again Wednesday. Trump’s welcome was intended to match the pageantry he received during his visit to China earlier this year. Xi did not personally greet Trump at the airport in Beijing, where Chinese Vice President Han Zheng welcomed him instead. A red carpet was rolled out for Air Force One, while a military honor guard, military band and about 300 Chinese youths carrying Chinese and American flags greeted Trump with chants of “Welcome, welcome! Warm welcome!” Melania Trump said earlier Wednesday that her husband decided to personally greet Xi in the Washington area because “they have a great relationship.” “He’s coming on our soil, and we need to welcome them with the most respect,” she said of Xi and Peng during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.” The long red carpet also recalled a similar extra-long carpet rolled out by the United States for Russian President Vladimir Putin when he arrived at a U.S. Air Force base in Alaska last summer for a summit aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. On Friday, Xi and Peng are scheduled to return to the White House for a private tea with Trump and Melania before joining them on a tour of the National Archives in Washington. The White House said they will view historic documents highlighting the relationship between the United States and China.

Kenyan President William Ruto was a special guest at the Atlanta Dream’s victory over the New York Liberty on Wednesday night, attending the game to watch Kenyan player Madina Okot. Ruto, who is in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly, sat courtside to watch Okot play. “That was a very good honor, I appreciate him showing up,” Okot told The Associated Press after Atlanta’s 83-65 victory on Wednesday night. “I’m the only Kenyan over here and it just shows how much he supports sports at home. I hope that this opens up opportunities for other girls. I’m so much blessed to get support from him.” Ruto watched the game with his wife, Rachel, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum and members of NBA Africa. The Kenyan president also took a selfie with the first lady and Okot as they spoke on the court. “I got to talk some Swahili today,” a smiling Okot said. “So happy I spoke Swahili to my president and the first lady.” Ruto celebrated Okot being selected No. 13 overall by the Atlanta Dream in April. Okot scored two points and grabbed two rebounds in Atlanta’s win over New York.

An Australian businessperson who served as executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar has been released from jail after more than 100 days in detention over allegations of financial misappropriation, a Myanmar legal official said Wednesday. Ye Khaung Kyaw, also known as Danny, was released following a court ruling in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, according to a legal official familiar with the case. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose information. Ye Khaung Kyaw and two other men charged in connection with the case have denied the allegations, saying they are baseless. Acting Police Brig. Gen. Soe Lin Aung, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s Home Affairs Ministry, confirmed that the court concluded proceedings in Ye Khaung Kyaw’s case on Tuesday but declined to provide further details. It remains unclear whether he was convicted, had the charges dismissed or withdrawn, or was ordered to leave the country. Ye Khaung Kyaw was detained in June, around the same time as former chamber president Adam Castillo, a U.S. businessperson who was released last week and deported without explanation. The chamber’s current board accused Ye Khaung Kyaw, Castillo and former board member Munimul Islam of breach of trust and misappropriation of association assets linked to a $300,000 contract with Washington-based lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs. Islam lives outside Myanmar and has not been detained. The chamber is commonly known as AmCham. Myanmar’s military-backed government issued no official statement on Ye Khaung Kyaw’s release. Officials at the court and the police station in Yangon’s Pabedan township, where Ye Khaung Kyaw stood trial, did not respond to requests for comment. Authorities in Myanmar, which is currently experiencing a civil war, rarely comment to international media. Supporters of the three men have said the allegations are baseless and contradicted by documentary evidence. The police complaint did not specify Ye Khaung Kyaw’s exact role in the alleged misconduct during his tenure as executive director. AmCham’s complaint focused on Castillo’s creation of the U.S.-Burma Economic Forum as a lobbying organization during his presidency from 2023 to 2025 and a contract signed with Mercury in 2024. In its annual report issued in May, AmCham accused Castillo of improperly collecting funds using the association’s name. The chamber said its board had neither approved the agreement nor received any money or services under it, and that the matter had not been disclosed to auditors. However, documents from AmCham obtained by The Associated Press appear to contradict the annual report. A signed board resolution showed that the board had approved the lobbying initiative, authorized the hiring of Mercury and agreed that Islam’s company, Misfit Technologies, would provide sponsorship. Current AmCham Executive Director Myat Phyu The described the resolution as a fabrication, although other records on the chamber’s website indicated that the board was aware of the arrangement. An employee of Misfit, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns about professional retaliation, said fees were paid through Misfit’s U.S. office because American sanctions made payments from Myanmar nearly impossible. Mercury disclosed the payments to U.S. authorities under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Australia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had provided consular assistance to an Australian citizen in Myanmar but declined to provide further details, citing privacy obligations.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan has said Bangladesh-China relations have come a long way and are now poised for further expansion across trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, technology and people-to-people contacts. “Our ties span trade, development, infrastructure, energy and industry, and, last but not the least, people-to-people contact,” he said. The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a reception in Dhaka on Wednesday evening marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen delivered the welcome remarks at the reception, which was attended by senior political leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties, ministers, senior government officials, diplomats stationed in Dhaka, business leaders, civil society representatives and senior journalists. The LGRD Minister said Bangladesh looks to the next decade with the expectation of further expanding cooperation with China. “Bangladesh looks forward to the next decade of further expansion of our cooperation - not only in the area of trade and commerce, but also in the area of friendship and culture,” he said. The minister emphasised that future partnerships should not only deliver large-scale infrastructure but also empower people and strengthen small businesses. “Small traders can be the best ambassadors between two countries,” he added. Recalling Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visit to China, Dr Moyeen said the visit had opened the way for transformative projects and described it as a milestone in bilateral relations. “The substantive discussions that were held in China and the forward-looking proposals that emerged from those discussions make us happy. That visit was a milestone in our bilateral relationship,” he said. Dr Moyeen said Bangladesh looks forward to elevating its partnership with China and building a shared future for the younger generations of the two countries. “But between the two countries, we have travelled a long way towards where we are today, and I think this friendship has to be built by taking into account modern times, our technology, our diplomacy and our politics,” he said. Dr Moyeen also praised China’s development experience over the past 77 years, saying it offers an important example of transformation in the modern world. “China has provided one of the most striking examples of development in our modern history,” he said, referring to the country’s transformation despite its enormous population and the level of economic development from which it started. He said Bangladesh, with its limited land and large population, shares an important development priority with China - improving the lives of people who are less privileged. “Our priority is also the same: that we want to uplift the rights of the people in society who are not so privileged,”Moyeen Khan said, while noting that the political philosophies of the two countries may be different. The minister said Bangladesh remains eager to learn from China’s experience in infrastructure development, technology, innovation and large-scale urbanisation. “At the same time, we believe that government-to-government cooperation must provide opportunities and create opportunities for more and more people,” he said. The minister  stressed the importance of greater exchanges among students, businesspeople, journalists and professionals, saying such contacts can help deepen mutual understanding and widen the scope of future cooperation. “People-to-people contact, exchanges of students as well as businesspeople can change the pace of our countries,” he said. He also thanked Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen for his role in advancing Bangladesh-China friendship and promoting cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges. “I would like to recognise the Ambassador personally for his tireless work in advancing the friendship between the two countries,” Dr Moyeen said. Dr Moyeen extended Bangladesh’s best wishes to the government and people of China for continued peace, prosperity and wellbeing. “May the friendship between Bangladesh and China continue to flourish, bringing greater progress to our peoples in both countries, and lasting stability to our friendship in this region and in the globe,” he said. Recalling a well-known saying, he concluded, “please go as far as China if you want knowledge.” The minister also congratulated the Chinese government and people on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Meta is making a major push into consumer-focused artificial intelligence, unveiling a new AI agent and expanding its AI-powered wearable devices as CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that it is a “wild time to be building” in the industry. At Meta’s annual Connect conference on Wednesday, Zuckerberg opened his keynote by noting that people in the technology industry have widely differing views about the future. “At Meta, we are optimists because we believe in people,” he said. Zuckerberg has distanced himself and Meta from recent calls by rival companies for a coordinated slowdown in the development of advanced artificial intelligence, arguing that individual AI labs can and should ensure their technologies are safe. “We believe that the best way to create a positive future for everyone is to put power in people’s hands,” he said at the conference. “We believe that empowering people is the source of prosperity in the world, that the highest purpose of superintelligence is creation and invention — not automation — and that the path to a safe future is to distribute this technology widely and create the right checks and balances, rather than concentrating it in the hands of just a few.” Zuckerberg has long predicted that wearable AI will eventually replace smartphones as the primary way people interact with technology. At the conference, Meta unveiled a series of updates to its smart glasses and virtual reality glasses, allowing users to control interfaces with their voices, eyes and hand and finger movements. AI agent Muse is centerpiece of Meta’s vision Zuckerberg said Meta’s recently launched AI agent Muse is the “centerpiece” of the company’s optimistic vision for the future of AI. Unlike chatbots, AI agents can act and perform tasks on behalf of users. Meta Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang described having an AI agent as a “sign of someone who is completely AI-pilled” and said Muse is designed to make such agents more accessible and bring “personal superintelligence” to everyone. Using a mascot resembling a plush toy, Wang and other senior Meta executives demonstrated various everyday uses for Muse. Users will be able to hold real-time voice conversations and video chats with their version of the agent, which can also be customized in appearance and voice. The agent can help users plan trips, book reservations, order groceries and perform other tasks. Meta has partnered with companies including OpenTable, Spotify and Ticketmaster to help its AI agents carry out those tasks. The company is also working to bring Muse to its AI glasses lineup for hands-free access. Zuckerberg said Meta plans to release a keychain-like device called Muse Charm during the holiday season in December. The palm-sized device will offer the “whole Muse experience,” allowing users to interact with a personal AI agent without a phone, computer or smart glasses. New AI audio glasses and updates to existing models Meta is launching an audio-only version of its popular smart glasses. The new product will allow users to listen to music, make calls and interact with an AI assistant, but it will have no display or video-recording capability. Called Ray-Ban Meta Audio, the glasses will be available in October, with prices starting at $349. Meta is also expanding a previous feature designed to help users hear conversations more clearly in noisy environments. Zuckerberg said a new hearing enhancement feature will turn the glasses into an “FDA-cleared, over-the-counter hearing aid” that can “compensate for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.” The feature will launch in the United States later this year and will cost $150 for supported AI glasses, or be available through a Meta One subscription. Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are also getting new features, including improved cycling and transit navigation and a personalized hologram for video calls. The company is adding more styles to attract a wider range of users and said it will offer more than 100 options across its Ray-Ban, Oakley and Meta Glasses brands by the end of the year. The glasses will also expand to additional markets, including Turkey, Hong Kong and the Philippines. The latest generation of the classic Ray-Ban Meta glasses is now available, featuring a slimmer design and longer battery life, among other upgrades. Generation 3 models start at $449. Meta replaces bulky VR headset with lighter glasses The most significant update announced at the conference involves Meta’s virtual reality hardware, now called Meta VR Glasses. The bulky headset has been replaced by a pair of glasses weighing about 100 grams (3.5 ounces), roughly the weight of a deck of cards. By comparison, the Meta Quest 3, launched in 2023, weighs about five times as much. Despite their lighter and slimmer design, the glasses require a wired connection to an external puck that provides battery power, storage and computing capabilities. The VR glasses use an eye-tracking camera and sensors instead of traditional controllers or the neural wristband used with some earlier devices. Users can look at an item to select it and use hand and finger gestures to interact with it, while voice commands can also be used to communicate with the Meta AI agent. During a demonstration at Meta’s Menlo Park, California, headquarters on Tuesday, the company showcased entertainment and workplace features, including sports events and concerts designed to replicate the experience of having courtside or front-row seats. A new feature called “VR Enhanced Cinema” aims to immerse viewers in films by transforming the area around the screen into a virtual environment inspired by the movie, using dynamic effects, 3D visuals and spatial audio. When the glasses launch, users will have access to more than 100 immersive live sports events from a courtside-style perspective through partnerships with ESPN, MLB, NBC Sports, TNT Sports and UFC. Meta said the glasses can also function as a gaming console, with more than 75 games planned at launch that can be played entirely through hand gestures. The glasses will also support workplace use. Users can project a virtual keyboard onto any flat surface and use the glasses as a computer display, including multiple virtual screens visible only to the wearer. Users will also be able to connect Mac or Windows computers to the glasses, allowing them to use existing keyboards and mice. Unlike earlier headsets, the VR glasses will allow users to see their desks and surroundings while working. In one of Zuckerberg’s live demonstrations, the glasses also showed the ability to use holographic technology to project a photorealistic digital version of another person, including real-time facial expressions and reactions, for hands-free video calls. The VR glasses are scheduled to launch in spring 2027 at a starting price of $1,300.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and discussed the Middle East conflict and the safety of Bangladeshi workers, while seeking Iran’s cooperation in facilitating the movement of Bangladeshi vessels and containers through the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin briefed journalists on the meeting at a press briefing later in the day at the Hyatt Grand Central New York hotel. Kobir said the Prime Minister called for an early resolution of the conflict through diplomacy, stressing its potential impact on Bangladesh, particularly on Bangladeshi expatriate workers and the country’s energy security. Bangladesh has a significant number of workers and professionals in the Middle East, and any prolonged conflict in the region could have an impact on the country, he said. The state minister also said Bangladesh raised the issue of containers and vessels being held up amid the tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and sought Iran’s cooperation in facilitating their safe movement once the situation improves. “We called for a quick resolution through diplomacy,” he said, adding that the Iranian President listened to Bangladesh’s concerns and took note of them. Kobir said Bangladesh maintains a neutral position and is prepared to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability if there is an opportunity. “Bangladesh can become a soft-medium influence for good, for peace and stability in the world,” he said. The state minister said Bangladesh has important partners across the Middle East, and some of them have encouraged Bangladesh to use its neutral position to communicate with parties involved in the conflict. He said Bangladesh does not necessarily need to take a visible mediation role, but can engage as a friend of the region and contribute to peace and stability through diplomatic channels. “The UN is a neutral venue,” Kobir said, referring to the meeting with the Iranian President at the UN Headquarters. He said the Prime Minister used the opportunity to discuss both the conflict and Bangladesh’s national interests, including the possible impact of the situation around the Strait of Hormuz on the country’s energy supply and trade. The state minister said Bangladesh wants an early and peaceful resolution to the conflict through diplomacy, as a prolonged crisis could have wider regional and international consequences. Mahdi said the meeting also focused on regional stability, the safety of Bangladeshi workers in the broader Middle East and issues related to regional and international peace. He said the Prime Minister emphasised Bangladesh’s national interests, particularly the safety and well-being of its expatriate population. The meeting took place as part of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s engagements on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.

Pakistan said early Thursday that it had carried out airstrikes on 10 sites in Afghanistan that it claimed were used to launch drone attacks against Pakistan a day earlier, marking a sharp escalation in recent fighting between the two neighbors and threatening ongoing mediation efforts. There was no immediate response from Kabul to the latest strikes. However, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's Taliban government, denied Wednesday that Afghan Taliban forces had carried out any attacks. The conflicting claims came two days after Pakistani fighter jets struck targets in eastern Afghanistan, which Islamabad said were militant hideouts. The latest announcement by Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar in a post on X came after officials said Afghan Taliban forces had launched eight drones and shelled Pakistani border posts after Pakistani troops foiled what they described as an attempted cross-border infiltration by militants. The claims could not be independently verified. The latest escalation threatens mediation efforts by China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to broker a lasting peace between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of allowing militants to operate from its territory and launch attacks across the border, an allegation Kabul denies. “Instead of dismantling these networks and taking credible and verifiable action against those using Afghan territory to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban regime has chosen to escalate the situation through hostile drone operations against Pakistan,” Tarar said. “The strikes were deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate and strictly limited to identified military objectives directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan,” he added. Pakistani officials also said Wednesday that security forces had neutralized eight rudimentary drones launched by the Afghan Taliban before they could enter the northwestern city of Kohat and the border town of Torkham. They also said Afghan Taliban forces had fired mortars and other heavy weapons at Pakistani border posts, prompting Pakistani forces to respond with artillery fire targeting Taliban border posts, mortar sites and defensive positions. The four officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about the latest flare-up. In Monday's airstrikes, Pakistan's Information Ministry said 28 militants were killed, while Afghan authorities reported at least three civilian deaths and four injuries. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan confirmed the civilian casualties, and Kabul formally protested the attack. On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed concern over what he described as the presence of more than two dozen anti-Pakistani militant groups in Afghanistan. Monday's Pakistani airstrikes followed a shootout with militants in Hangu, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, which killed six Pakistani security personnel. Days earlier, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque inside a police compound in the nearby city of Kohat. Eight gunmen then stormed the compound, triggering a 20-hour gunbattle that left at least 21 people dead, most of them police officers. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Pakistani authorities blamed the violence on the Pakistani Taliban and allied militant groups. The Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, have intensified attacks on Pakistani security forces since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to buy 11 more aircraft as Bangladesh moves to expand its aviation sector and open new routes, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said on Wednesday. “A significant signing ceremony was held with Boeing today [Wednesday], where Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed an agreement to purchase 11 more Boeing aircraft,” he said at a press briefing at the Hyatt Grand Central New York. Mahdi said Biman Chairman Rumee A Hossain signed the agreement on behalf of the national flag carrier. He said Bangladesh is buying aircraft based on its own requirements as the aviation sector is expanding. “We buy aircraft based on our needs. We want to expand our aviation sector, and for that we need aircraft,” he said. The adviser said Bangladesh has a long-standing commercial relationship with Boeing, while discussions with Airbus could also take place based on the country’s requirements. “The two companies that provide good aircraft are Boeing and Airbus. We will buy from Boeing or Airbus according to our needs. No one will force us to buy either,” he said. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said the signing ceremony was significant as several senior US government officials attended the event. US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur and Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Vinay Chawla attended the ceremony. Kobir said the presence of the senior US officials demonstrated the importance of Bangladesh-US relations. He said the participation of senior officials from the US Commerce and State Departments showed that the two countries are looking at expanding trade and investment while strengthening bilateral relations. Referring to President Donald Trump’s recent letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the state minister said the US President had expressed his appreciation for Bangladesh’s decision to purchase Boeing aircraft and conveyed confidence in the country’s future under Tarique Rahman’s leadership. He said the Boeing agreement was also important from the perspective of expanding Bangladesh’s aviation sector and strengthening economic ties with the United States. Mahdi said the Boeing delegation later held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. In April, Bangladesh signed a deal with Boeing to purchase 14 aircraft for Biman in a deal valued at $3.7 billion, described as the airline’s biggest-ever aircraft order. In a letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on September 1, Trump thanked him for the decision to purchase Boeing aircraft and said Boeing would not let Bangladesh down. Mahdi said technical assessments and discussions were also underway on possible future aircraft purchases, including from Airbus, based on Bangladesh’s requirements. He said Bangladesh is expanding its aviation sector, planning new routes and will need additional aircraft to meet growing demand. Kobir said Bangladesh will continue to assess its requirements before making further aircraft purchases, adding that the government wants to ensure that its aviation expansion serves the country’s interests. The Boeing signing was among a series of activities during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s four-day visit to New York to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The signing ceremony was attended by Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, and Rumee A Hossain, chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Kobir, Mahdi, Invest Bangladesh Authority Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Howard Lutnick and Christopher Landau on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday called for five urgent global actions to tackle climate change and ensure a just and equitable transition, including meeting the 1.5-degree Celsius target and ensuring predictable climate finance. “Collective action based on “Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities” is imperative…We call for 5 urgent actions,” he said.  Tarique made the call while addressing a high-level meeting on “Climate Action and the Just Transition” at the UN Headquarters in New York. Outlining the five urgent actions, the Prime Minister first called for achieving the 1.5-degree Celsius global warming limit through global emission cuts, as set out in the Paris Agreement. Second, Tarique called for predictable and accessible finance for adaptation in climate-vulnerable countries. Third, he urged greater access to climate-smart technologies to enable a just and equitable climate transition. Fourth, Tarique stressed the need for expanding renewable energy through accessible finance, capacity-building and technology transfer. And fifth, he called for full implementation and regular replenishment of the Loss and Damage Fund. “Bangladesh seeks partnerships that help us implement our plans. Let us act together to build a safer and more sustainable future for generations to come,” the Prime Minister added. Tarique said Bangladesh contributes less than 0.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but is among the most climate-vulnerable countries. He said Bangladesh could lose 12 to 18 percent of its coastal areas to sea-level rise by the end of this century, affecting the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. “Climate change has caused loss and damage equivalent to 1% of our GDP. Our food security is at serious risk,” Tarique said. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had allocated nearly $3.19 billion in its budget for climate adaptation but warned that the country risked severe damage without international support. He said Bangladesh plans to plant 250 million trees over five years and dig around 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals, alongside the Padma Barrage and Teesta Barrage Master Plan, to retain water, reduce flood risks, revive wetlands and recharge groundwater. The government also aims to generate 20 percent of the country's electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030, Tarique said. Bangladesh is promoting green industries, including jute products, eco-friendly transport, waste-to-energy and circular economy initiatives, while developing a national carbon market, he said adding that, “But we cannot succeed in isolation.” The high-level meeting was held at the Trusteeship Council Chamber of the UN Headquarters as part of the Prime Minister's engagements during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. 

The United States on Wednesday said it will not allow foreigners to exploit its immigration system and violate the sanctity of US citizenship, announcing a new visa restriction policy for those who engage in or facilitate birth tourism. Foreign commercial birth tourism networks have exploited the US immigration system to sell US citizenship for profit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press statement. These networks advertise and coach foreign nationals to lie on US visa applications and collect tens of thousands of dollars to arrange births on American soil for the sole purpose of obtaining US citizenship. "Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act," Rubio said. This policy targets individuals who knowingly engage in, have engaged in, or facilitate birth tourism to the United States, including owners, operators, and managers of commercial birth tourism facilitation networks, visa “fixers” who coach applicants to commit fraud, foreign medical providers who knowingly abet and facilitate such travel and the fraudulent use of our Medicaid system, and other individuals who support, abet, and enable commercial birth tourism. "The Trump Administration is using every tool at our disposal to defend the integrity of US citizenship, protect American public benefits and US taxpayers from exploitation, and safeguard our national security," said the US Secretary of State. By restricting visa issuance of those who both engage in and profit from this fraud, he said they are sending a clear message. This visa restriction policy is pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Certain family members may also be covered by these restrictions, according to the US Department of State.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj has said skilled and capable human resources are a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, stressing the need to effectively connect education with employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth. He made the remarks while addressing as the chief guest a discussion titled “From Classroom to Economy”, organised by the Bangladesh Consulate General in New York. The event, moderated by Consul General Muhammad Mozammel Haque, brought together government policymakers, university representatives, employers and Bangladeshi expatriate professionals residing in New York. Addressing Bangladeshi students and professionals from various US universities, Bobby Hajjaj emphasised that education should not remain confined to acquiring academic degrees but must prepare youth for real-world challenges and future job market demands. He highlighted the necessity of building an integrated continuum spanning from education to skill development, skill to employment, and employment to economic productivity. The state minister also underscored the importance of leveraging the expertise and global experience of expatriate Bangladeshi professionals to advance national human resource development and foster international knowledge exchange. The speakers said in the current global economic context, integrating education with job-oriented skills is becoming increasingly important. In this regard, they stressed the need to further strengthen cooperation among the government, educational institutions, the private sector, employers and expatriate Bangladeshis. The discussion explored various possibilities for linking education and skills development with employment and economic progress. Participants emphasised the importance of coordinated initiatives to develop Bangladesh’s young generation into skilled, productive human resources equipped for the future job market. The discussion also highlighted that such dialogues could create new opportunities for cooperation and knowledge-sharing among relevant stakeholders in the future, with a view to building an effective bridge between education, skills and employment for human resource development in Bangladesh.

Two concerts featuring Pakistani artists have been postponed at the last minute due to security concerns, with organisers saying they could not obtain the necessary security clearance. One of the organisers of the ‘mAhx Republic’ concert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said all preparations had been completed and advance payments had been made to the artists. “Everything was ready, including the advance payments to the artists. But we have to postpone the concert as we did not receive permission at the last moment. Details will be announced at a press conference on Thursday (Sep 24),” the organiser said. The ‘mAhx Republic’ concert, presented by the REDMI Note 17 Series, was scheduled for Sep 25 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Purbachal. The lineup included Pakistani musicians Ali Azmat of Junoon, Jal The Band and Mustafa Zahid featuring Roxen, along with Bangladeshi acts Nagarbaul, Nemesis, Level Five and Shironamhin. The concert was organised as part of activities surrounding the launch of Xiaomi’s REDMI Note 17 series. Meanwhile, Pakistani band Kaavish’s ‘Wave Fest: Enjoy the Full Moon’, organised by PrimeWave Communication, has also been postponed for the same reason, according to the organisers. Kaavish was scheduled to perform in Dhaka on Sep 26 with Bangladeshi bands Shironamhin and Meghdol. The concert had already been postponed once previously over security-related permission issues and was rescheduled after nearly 10 months. Organisers of the two concerts are expected to announce new dates soon. Sources also said three other concerts featuring foreign artists have been postponed, although details of those events were not immediately available.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković have discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Croatia, with a focus on expanding economic cooperation, trade and investment, skilled manpower, education and technology. The two leaders had a meeting on Wednesday at the UN Headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, said Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Md Nazmul Haque Khan. They also discussed ways to further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries and enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The two sides stressed the need to expand cooperation in economic relations, trade and investment, skilled manpower, education, technology and other potential areas.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a meeting with Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman at Hyatt Grand Central New York here on Wednesday. The meeting discussed ways to improve public health in Bangladesh, particularly child health, vaccination, affordable vaccines, preventive healthcare and modernising the country’s health system, said Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Md Nazmul Haque Khan. “Discussions also focused on expanding healthcare services at district and upazila levels, recruiting and training 100,000 health workers, creating international employment opportunities for trained health workers, and developing an AI-integrated digital public healthcare system,” he said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the U.N. General Assembly that global peace cannot be achieved while ignoring Palestine, describing Gaza as a symbol of the failure of international mechanisms to prevent civilian suffering. Addressing the assembly, Pezeshkian said that Palestine "remains an open wound on the conscience of the international community." He noted that despite decades of U.N. resolutions, occupation and violence have continued unabated. The Iranian president emphasized that as long as occupation, aggression and injustice persist, "resistance will continue". "Gaza, despite relentless killing and widespread devastation, has strengthened the people’s faith in resistance, and resistance cannot be destroyed by bombs and siege; this is human nature," Pezeshkian said. He further questioned the choices left to displaced populations under fire, asking, "If a human being is driven from his or her land, they will resist. If their homes are subjected to bombings and aggression and attacks, they will resist; what other choice do they have?". With inputs from Al Jazeera

A Dhaka court on Wednesday sent Obaidur Rahman, maternal uncle of Mariam Khatun, the second wife of Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Nazrul Islam, to jail in a case filed for allegedly abetting her suicide. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order, said Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Prosecution Division. Earlier in the day, Obaidur was produced before the court following his arrest. Inspector Mohammad Salauddin of the Detective Branch's Tejgaon zonal team sought an order to keep him in jail. No bail petition was filed on behalf of Obaidur, Rafiqul said. According to the prosecution petition, evidence had been found regarding Obaidur's alleged involvement in Mariam's suicide, and his detention was necessary for a proper investigation and in the interests of justice. Mariam's body was found hanging in Gazi Nazrul’s flat in the NAM Bhaban, a residential complex for lawmakers in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, on Sunday evening. Later, her father filed a case alleging abetment to suicide against the MP, his first wife Maksuda Begum and Obaidur. Gazi Nazrul is currently on remand, while Maksuda is in jail.

Abu Sayeed Md. Idris and Md. Zakir Hossain have been promoted to Deputy Managing Director (DMD) at Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC. Before their promotion, both served as Senior Executive Vice Presidents (SEVPs) of the bank, said a press release. Abu Sayeed Md. Idris is currently serving as head of the SME Investment Wing at the bank's head office. He joined Islami Bank as a Probationary Officer in 1992 and previously served as head of the Retail Investment Management Wing, as well as head of the Rangpur, Mymensingh and Dhaka South zones. He also managed various divisions and branches. He holds a master's degree in Public Administration from Dhaka University. Md. Zakir Hossain is currently heading the Local Office Corporate Branch of the bank. He joined the bank as a Probationary Officer in 1996 and has previously served as head of the Special Investment Division, head of the Sylhet Zone, and in various other divisional and branch leadership roles. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Accounting from Islamic University, Kushtia.

UN Headquarters (New York), Sept 23 (UNB) -Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday proposed five urgent measures to resolve the protracted Rohingya crisis, urging the international community to move from empathy to addressing its root causes, from promises to action and from managing displacement to ending it. “The time has come to move from empathy to a search for root causes and their solutions, from promises to action and from managing displacement to ending it,” he said. The Prime Minister made the proposals while addressing a high-level side event titled “The Rohingya Crisis: A Renewed Call for a Durable Solution from Protracted Displacement, with Justice and Accountability” at the UN Headquarters in New York. The five proposals include establishing a clear and credible roadmap for the early, safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar; ending violence against civilians, including the Rohingyas, and guaranteeing their fundamental rights and security; ensuring adequate and predictable humanitarian support for the Rohingyas and host communities; strengthening justice and accountability; and stepping up regional and international cooperation to combat the narco-economy, human trafficking, digital scams, illegal arms and other transboundary crimes.

The Election Commission (EC) has restarted the voter transfer services which have remained suspended since September 10 last. Earlier on September 02, the Election Commission directed its field-level officials to dispose of the applications over the transfer of voter address by September 10 last ahead of the local government elections. As the local government election schedule is being delayed, the EC on Wednesday sent a letter to the Director General of the National Identity Registration Wing, regional election officers and district election officers, instructing them to resume the voter transfer services, said EC officials. According to the letter, field-level offices were earlier instructed through a letter issued on September 2 to settle applications for voter transfer due to changes in residential addresses by September 10. The commission has now decided to resume voter transfer activities at field-level offices. The letter further instructed the field-level offices to receive applications for voter transfers as before and complete the necessary verification, processing and disposal of the applications.  

Police have arrested two people for allegedly entering a house posing as detectives and extorting money by threatening the occupants in Savar. The two were arrested during a drive in Bank Colony area of Savar municipality on Wednesday morning. Four stamped papers and a mobile phone were recovered from them. The arrestees are Md Ashraful, 23, general secretary of the Savar municipal unit of Ziya Projonmo Dal, and Russell alias Rohan, 22, a Jatiotabadi Chatradal activist. Both are from Zafarganj area of Shibalaya upazila in Manikganj and currently live in Savar. They were later sent to court. The other accused were Abdullah alias Abullah, 22, of Bank Colony in Savar municipality, and Md Hira, 24, and Nazmul, 20, both from the same area. All three were members of a juvenile gang, locals said. According to the case statement, private university student Md Rabbi Khan, 23, went to his friend Sanjoy Mondal’s house in Kazi Mokmapara area on Monday night to see him as he was ill. Around 9:15pm, Rohan knocked on the door and later entered the house with several others who identified themselves as members of DB police. They searched the house, threatened Rabbi and his friends and seized their mobile phones, demanding Tk 1 lakh from each person. At one point, Ashraful allegedly pulled out a switchgear knife, held the victims hostage and threatened to kill them. The accused also allegedly forced Rabbi and his friend Rakib Mia to sign four stamped papers stating that they owed Tk 2.5 lakh. Later, when Rabbi’s cousin Zakir and friend Junaid arrived, the accused allegedly demanded money from them as well. They collected Tk 29,000 after withdrawing Tk 20,000 from an ATM and taking another Tk 9,000 from them, according to the case statement. The accused also allegedly took Tk 2,700 from Rabbi’s bKash account, Tk 800 from Sanjoy’s Nagad account and two mobile phones, including one sent by Sanjoy’s expatriate relative. Rabbi later filed a case against five people with Savar Model Police Station. Police said two of the accused have been arrested while efforts are underway to arrest the others. Savar Model Police Station OC Saiful Alam said the first and second accused were arrested and sent to court, and police operations to arrest the remaining accused are continuing.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Safiqul Islam Khan on Wednesday inaugurated the Aftabnagar-Banasree Steel Footbridge No. 2, built to improve connectivity and ensure safer movement of pedestrians and students in the area. Speaking at the inauguration, Safiqul said the government is implementing projects in response to public demands and that the three bridges in the Aftabnagar-Banasree area were undertaken to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity. He said construction of the second steel footbridge was expedited using locally available machinery to ensure safe passage for pedestrians and students. The administrator said work on the other two bridges had been delayed due to the time required to bring heavy machinery from abroad, but steps had been taken to accelerate their construction. He said the newly inaugurated bridge was built with the cooperation of the Bangladesh Army and urged local residents to help maintain it and refrain from dumping waste into the nearby canal. The DNCC will take initiatives to clean and renovate the canal, he said, adding that the area could become an attractive destination if the canal is properly maintained. Safiqul also urged residents to pay their taxes regularly to support the city's development activities. He said two additional permanent bridges capable of carrying heavy vehicles are also under construction nearby. These bridges are expected to help ease traffic congestion on the main road and provide alternative routes during the implementation of the MRT project. Reiterating the DNCC's commitment to a "Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka", he said planting trees alone would not make the city beautiful unless the environment is kept clean. The Steel Footbridge No. 2 was constructed under a DNCC-funded project at a cost of Tk 89.54 crore, with supervision by the Bangladesh Navy. The project includes three bridges. Bridge No. 1 near Ideal School is 15.40 metres wide and 38 metres long, Bridge No. 2 near Farazi Hospital is 3.80 metres wide and 42 metres long, and Bridge No. 3 near Meradia Bazar is 15.40 metres wide and 49 metres long.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday joined a high-level side event at the UN Headquarters in New York on the protracted Rohingya crisis, with representatives from around eight countries taking part. The event, titled “The Rohingya Crisis: A Renewed Call for a Durable Solution from Protracted Displacement, with Justice and Accountability,” began around 11:20am (New York time). Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Hossain Shadhin confirmed that Tarique Rahman is attending the meeting and will deliver an important speech on the Rohingya crisis. The meeting aims to keep international attention focused on the Rohingya crisis, identify the root causes of human rights violations and other problems, and build international pressure on Myanmar to facilitate the return of the Rohingyas to their homeland. Türkiye and Kuwait are representing the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), respectively, at the event. The Prime Minister is expected to highlight Bangladesh’s continued humanitarian responsibility in hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingyas and call for a safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the displaced people to Myanmar. He is also expected to stress the need for stronger international support to create conditions conducive to their repatriation and ensure justice and accountability.

A devastating fire triggered by an electric short circuit gutted five residential houses in the Machuakhal area of Matlab Dakshin upazila on Wednesday morning, causing an estimated loss of Tk 40 lakh. At least five to six people were injured while attempting to extinguish the flames. The fire originated around 9:00 a.m. at the residence of Jalal Jamaddar and rapidly spread to adjoining houses belonging to his brothers and relatives-Manik Jamaddar, Selim Jamaddar, Sufian Jamaddar and Kamrul Jamaddar. Furniture, gold jewelry and all valuable belongings were reduced to ashes in the blaze. Upon receiving the news, a unit from the Matlab Dakshin Fire Service, led by Team Leader Mehedi Hasan, rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control by 10:30 a.m. after a one-and-a-half-hour effort. Initial findings suggest the fire was caused by an electric short circuit, Mehedi Hasan said. 

Prof Nilufar Sultana, a teacher of Cumilla Victoria Government College who handed over three female students to police after allegedly labelling them as “militants”, has been transferred to the National Academy for Educational Management (NAEM), while the students have demanded justice in the case. College Principal Prof Mohammad Abul Bashar Bhuiyan confirmed the transfer on Wednesday. The Secondary and Higher Education Division issued a notification on Tuesday night, appointing Nilufar, a professor of the Department of Chemistry, as a training specialist at NAEM. Nilufar also held several key positions at Victoria College during the Awami League government. The three students were handed over to police after Islamic books were reportedly found in their possession at Nawab Faizunnesa Hall of the college about 10 years ago. On May 24 this year, a Cumilla court acquitted the three students after finding no evidence to substantiate the militancy allegations, according to the students and case documents. The students have demanded action against Nilufar, saying the case continued for nine years, nine months and 27 days and that the college authorities did not contact them during that period. “Now an investigation committee has been formed, but we have not even been informed of the names of its members. Now Nilufar Sultana is leaving Cumilla. Will we ever get justice in this incident?” they said. Several attempts to contact Nilufar over the phone and text message for her comments on the allegations went unanswered. Principal Abul Bashar said, “Can we bring back what happened in their lives? Fortunately, due to the change of government, they were acquitted in the case.” He said the college’s investigation committee had found that the books were Islamic books, not books on militancy.

Compensation cheques totaling around Tk 500 crore have been distributed among landowners for 420 acres of land acquired for the Sirajganj section of the new Sirajganj-Bogura dual-gauge railway project. According to officials concerned, notices under Section 4 of the Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Act were issued in April 2024 for land in 37 mouzas across Kamarkhanda, Raiganj and Sirajganj Sadar upazilas. Of the 37 mouzas, four are in Kamarkhanda, 19 in Raiganj and 14 in Sirajganj Sadar. The Ministry of Land gave final approval for the acquisition in March 2025. Later, the Ministry of Railways allocated Tk 1,126 crore for compensation and other related payments for the acquired land. Since late 2025, around Tk 500 crore has been paid to landowners in the Sirajganj section, officials said. However, disbursing the remaining compensation may take time due to land-related complications and legal disputes involving some landowners. Md Niamat Ali Khan Himel, land acquisition officer at the Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner's Office, told UNB that compensation has been paid to eligible landowners in accordance with government rules. He said the district administration is closely monitoring the disbursement process and that Deputy Commissioner Md Aminul Islam and Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Mst. Nur Naher Begum are supervising the process. The land acquisition officer also said action had been taken against several officials and employees of the land acquisition office following allegations of misconduct. The office has also been brought under CCTV surveillance, he added. According to officials, once the outstanding legal and land-related complications are resolved, the remaining compensation may be paid by the end of 2027. The distribution of the compensation cheques has brought relief to many landowners whose land was acquired for the railway project.

Iranian filmmaker Farzam Tabibi’s ‘Portraits’ won the Zahir Raihan Best Short Award at the 17th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF), which concluded at the University of Dhaka on Wednesday. Bangladesh’s Mong Sai Shwe Marma won the Tareque Masud Best Emerging Director award for ‘Regresa’, while Türkiye’s Furkan Arslantaş received the Best One Minute Short award for ‘Louder’. The Best Reels of Resistance award went to Iranian filmmaker Ghazal Zoghiniya for ’Narmook’, while Bangladesh’s Ahsabul Yamin won Best Sound for ‘Dyspepsia by Salty Biscuits’. The three-day festival was arranged by Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS), with 1,269 films submitted from 92 countries. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Romana Schweiger, senior adviser on Rule of Law and Human Rights at UNDP Bangladesh, said supporting young filmmakers means supporting their ideas and visions for the future. “The films selected for this festival show that the struggles, dreams and aspirations of young people in Bangladesh are shared by many others around the world,” she said. She said visual storytelling has historically played an important role in Bangladesh and stressed the importance of creating spaces where young people can engage in dialogue, reflection and planning. Professor Dr Kazi Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Dhaka University, said film can help people rethink important aspects of personal, family and social life. “Film is a reflection or mirror of our society, family and personal lives,” he said. He, however, cautioned filmmakers against allowing artistic presentation to become detached from reality, saying films disconnected from real life could contribute to misconceptions and create new social challenges. Bangladesh is going through a major transition following the mass uprising and democratic transformation, he said, stressing the need to understand the role of cinema in shaping the emerging society. “Film is an extraordinary tool for building society. But the major challenge now is how we use this tool in the right way,” he said. The closing programme also featured a discussion titled “Film, Memory, and the Politics of Hope,” moderated by DUFS Assistant International Affairs Secretary Rifat Ara. The panel included UNDP’s Jinbo Choi, teacher and film activist Mrittika Kamal, filmmaker and curator Santua Tripura, and independent filmmaker and artistic director Farid Ahmed. The festival was supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, UNDP and OHCHR.

Kazi Sabyasachi elevated recitation into a modern and aesthetic art form and played a pioneering role in popularising Nazrul's poetry through his voice, speakers said at a seminar organised by Bangla Academy on Wednesday to mark Nazrul Year. The seminar titled ‘Kazi Sabyasachi: The Pioneer of Modern Nazrul Recitation’ was held at the Kobi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room of Bangla Academy at 4 pm. Bangla Academy Secretary Dr Md Selim Reza delivered the welcome address, while recitation artiste and lawyer Nasim Ahmed presented the keynote paper. Musician and organiser Khilkhil Kazi and recitation researcher and vocal artiste Nimai Mondal took part in the discussion. Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam chaired the programme, moderated by Deputy Director Kazi Rumana Ahmed Soma. Selim Reza said Nazrul's poetry embodies rebellion, equality, humanity, love, secularism and the aspiration for freedom, while its rhythm, sound and word arrangement make it particularly suitable for recitation. Presenting his paper, Nasim Ahmed said Kazi Sabyasachi, despite his relatively short life, elevated recitation and pronunciation into a modern and aesthetic art form. He described Sabyasachi's voice as deep, masculine, resonant and melodious, and said he remains an exemplary figure in modern recitation. "Not only his recitations of Nazrul's poetry, but also his renditions of poems by other poets were undoubtedly unmatched," Nasim said. He also said Sabyasachi took recitation beyond conventional circles and brought it to middle-class homes and ordinary people, helping establish it as a widely accessible art form. Khilkhil Kazi recalled memories of her grandfather Kazi Nazrul Islam and father Kazi Sabyasachi, saying Sabyasachi's popularity demonstrated how deeply a person could connect with people through a love for recitation. She said Sabyasachi had shown that recitation could be pursued as a profession and that he won people's hearts through the art. Bangla Academy Director General Professor Azam said Sabyasachi had internalised Nazrul's poetry from childhood and developed a creative connection between the poet's distinctive style and his own recitation. The speakers said Sabyasachi's work had a lasting influence on recitation of artistes in Bangladesh.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has invited Meta Platforms Inc to open an office in Bangladesh. She made the invitation when a high-level Bangladesh delegation held talks with Meta Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. The meeting was led by Shama Obaed, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was unable to attend due to time constraints, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Irene Khan and Deputy Permanent Representative AKM Wahiduzzaman also attended the meeting. Noting Bangladesh’s large Meta user base, Shama Obaed discussed the company’s relationship with Bangladesh and issues relating to the country’s digital platforms. The discussions also covered opportunities to strengthen Bangladesh’s digital economy and e-commerce ecosystem, including how Meta’s platforms and technologies could support businesses, entrepreneurs, SMEs, and digital commerce in Bangladesh. The state minister also underscored the need to prevent online abuse and digital harassment and discussed the proposed Cyber Security Act in Bangladesh. The exchange was described as constructive and forward-looking.

BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday alleged that “covert forces” inside the country are supporting what he described as former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s conspiracy to destabilise Bangladesh. “The fugitive fascist is trying to destabilise the country by pulling the strings from India, while the covert and dormant forces inside the country are fanning the flames,” he said. Rizvi made the remarks at a protest rally and procession organised by Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal in front of the BNP central office at Nayapaltan in the afternoon. The programme was organised against what the organisers described as planned violence and arson in the country. Swechchhasebak Dal President SM Jilani presided over the rally. Rizvi said the BNP’s struggle for democracy over the past 17 years was led by Khaleda Zia and current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Describing the BNP as a party of the people, he said it can take to the streets against injustice, oppression, irregularities, violence and attempts to destabilise the country, and demonstrate that its strength lies with the people. Referring to protests over rising fuel and gas prices, Rizvi questioned how the opposition will ensure adequate supplies of gas and fuel. He questioned whether opposition leaders who are making “big statements”, spreading propaganda and making what he called false allegations against BNP leaders and the government are following international developments and research. “If fuel and gas are not available in any way, the government is managing with whatever we can produce and whatever can be obtained from the eastern countries,” Rizvi said. “But you are saying, ‘everything is gone, everything is finished, the BNP government can do nothing’,” he said. Rizvi said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has indicated that the economy under the Tarique Rahman government is showing signs of improvement. Referring to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to New York for 5-6 days to attend the UN General Assembly with a 35-member delegation, Rizvi said the brief visit demonstrated the government’s efforts to manage the crisis and protect the economy. “Does not this make you realise how sincerely this government is working to deal with the crisis, how it is handling the crisis and how it is saving money to protect the country’s economy?” he said. The BNP leader said the BNP government, led by Tarique Rahman, is seeking to increase the country’s resources and capabilities. He urged people to remain alert to those allegedly involved in planned acts of violence, including arson attacks on vehicles at Madhya Badda, Kafrul, Uttara, Mirpur and Shahbagh in the capital. Rizvi said the people of Bangladesh have always foiled conspiracies and helped tear apart the web of conspiracies to bring out the light of truth. BNP Vice Chairman and Barkat Ullah Bulu, MP, Joint Secretary General Abdus Salam Azad, Assistant Economic Affairs Secretary Mahmudur Rahman Sumon, Swechchhasebak Dal General Secretary Rajib Ahsan, Vice President Fakhrul Islam Robin, central leaders Dr Zahid, Rafiqul Islam, Nazmul Hasan, Masum Billah, Zahir Uddin Tuhin and Sheikh Farid, among others, were present at the procession. Leaders and activists of the Dhaka North and South city units of Swechchhasebak Dal also took part in the protest procession.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, country's national flag carrier, is set to sign an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to acquire 11 additional aircraft during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The agreement is scheduled to be signed at 4:15pm (local time) on Wednesday at the prime minister’s place of residence in the presence of senior Bangladesh and US officials. "Congratulations to Boeing and Biman on the agreement to purchase 11 more of the world’s best commercial planes. Another win-win for the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship! Will be tuning in to the signing ceremony in New York later today," US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen said on Wednesday. The Ambassador said this in a post from his verified X handle. In April, Bangladesh signed a deal with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to buy 14 planes for its national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the two sides announced - the airline’s biggest-ever order, in a deal valued at $3.7 billion. Bangladesh is likely to sign the latest deal to purchase an additional 11 Boeing aircraft, according to the sources at the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry. Ruling out any pressure from the US side over the purchase of additional Boeing aircraft, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir recently said the approach is demand-driven and that Bangladesh needs to expand its aircraft fleet to open new routes, improve passenger services and strengthen its position as an aviation gateway in Asia. "No, not under any pressure but as per the demand of the aviation sector. We will buy additional aircraft according to our needs," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when a journalist drew his attention to the purchase of additional Boeing aircraft from the United States. Biman Chairman Rumee A Hossain is expected to sign the agreement on behalf of the national flag carrier. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir are scheduled to attend the signing ceremony, according to the PM’s programme schedule. Following the signing, Dr Brendan Nelson AO, Senior Vice President of Boeing and President of Boeing Global, is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at around 4:30pm at the bilateral meeting room at the prime minister’s place of residence. Nelson will lead the Boeing delegation during the call. The Bangladesh delegation is expected to include Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiyun Kobir, the prime minister’s spokesperson Mahdi Amin, Chairman of Invest Bangladesh Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun , Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Bangladesh at Ambassador to Washington and Biman Chairman Rumee Akhtar Hossain. The US delegation for the signing will include US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S Paul Kapur and Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Vinay Chawla. Lutnick and Landau are scheduled to deliver brief remarks at the signing ceremony. The additional order would take Biman’s planned Boeing acquisitions , following a $3.7 billion agreement signed in April for 14 aircraft. In a letter sent to the Prime Minister  on September 1 Trump thanked the Prime Minister for his decision to purchase Boeing aircraft, saying Boeing will not let Bangladesh down. “I just received your letter concerning the purchase of Boeing Aircraft, and very much appreciate your decision of purchase. Boeing will not let you down, and I will not forget,” Trump wrote in the letter. The US President also thanked Tarique Rahman for his attention to the matter and said, “I look forward to meeting you in the not too distant future.”

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday called upon all stakeholders, including BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA, to work together to address the existing challenges and problems facing the country’s apparel sector. The President made the call when a delegation of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), led by its President Mohammad Hatem, met him at Bangabhaban. President's Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam briefed reporters after the meeting. During the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said coordinated initiatives are necessary to keep the country’s growing economy moving while ensuring that all stakeholders receive equitable benefits.

A mobile court on Wednesday sentenced nine people to jail for slaughtering 13 horses and processing their meat for supply to hotels and restaurants in Dhaka and surrounding areas. The convicts were Mizanur Rahman of Purba Dashra in Manikganj Sadar; Rubel of Telipara in Gazipur; Sohel Rana of Tulsipur in Jamalpur; Emon Hasan, Tuhin, and Masud Rana, all of Badda in Dhaka; Ibrahim Khalil Dighirchala in Gazipur; Humayun Kabir of Dhanbari in Tangail; and Maruf of Bara Berait in Dhaka. One of the accused was sentenced to one year in jail without labour, while the other eight received six months each. The sentences were handed down under Section 24 of the Animal Slaughter and Meat Quality Control Act, 2011, for violating Section 4 of the law.

A Rajbari court on Wednesday sentenced the prime accused to life imprisonment in a case filed over the murder of an expatriate’s wife in Pangsha upazila of the district in 2023. Rajbari Special Sessions Judge Md Yusuf Hossain handed down the verdict with the convict, Milon Sheikh, 28, standing in the dock. The court also fined him Tk 50,000, in default of which he will have to serve one year more in prison. Milon, son of Khalil Sheikh, was a neighbour of victim Runa Khatun, 30, wife of Qatar expatriate Anisur Rahman of Khamardangi village. Two other accused in the case were sent to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal for trial as they are minors. According to the prosecution, Runa went to sleep with her nine-year-old daughter Sinha and one-and-a-half-year-old son Hussain at their newly built house around 10:30pm on August 19, 2023. Around 1:30am the following day, Sinha woke up to her brother’s crying and found her mother missing from the bed. She saw Milon on the veranda and Runa’s body, with both legs tied, lying in the yard. She screamed, prompting Milon and two unidentified men to flee. Runa’s brother Raihan Biswas filed a case against Milon as the prime accused and two unidentified people. Police later arrested Milon, along with two teenage boys from the same village.

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has urged all concerned agencies to implement a coordinated action plan to simplify import-export clearance procedures, upgrade logistics systems and reduce trade costs. "The government is working to build capacity across departments and simplify trade processes to cut the time and cost of clearing consignments," Muktadir said, adding that the benefits of these initiatives can only reach businesses through effective coordination among all stakeholders. Muktadir made the call while presiding over the 10th meeting of the National Trade Facilitation Committee at the Ministry of Commerce conference room on Wednesday. According to the working paper placed at the meeting, Bangladesh has implemented 47 of the 54 measures required under the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement. All 21 Category-A and 18 Category-B obligations have been fulfilled and notified to the WTO, while eight of the 15 Category-C measures have been completed, the remaining seven are targeted for implementation by June 2030. The meeting stressed completing the outstanding measures quickly to preserve export competitiveness following Bangladesh's graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has rolled out a National Single Window to bring trade-related certificates, licences, permits and services onto a single platform, with 19 agencies already integrated and efforts underway to bring 18 more on board. Work is also progressing on forming a separate Bangladesh Single Window Commissionerate to run the system. NBR member Al Amin Pramanik told the meeting that the Automated Risk Management System (ARMS) is expected to become operational by October. The risk-analysis-based system will help speed up cargo clearance, he said, adding that NBR is also working to increase the number of Authorized Economic Operator-certified companies. Customs authorities have already introduced pre-arrival clearance processing and online auto-manifest registration, along with a National Enquiry Point to provide businesses with customs and trade information. The meeting also discussed infrastructure for exporting perishable agricultural goods. Cold storage facilities are being modernised at the cargo village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, while tender evaluation has been completed for a new cold storage facility at Benapole. An agreement has been signed to set up a cold storage and processing plant on 18 acres of land in Mongla, and plans are underway for a packing house and cold chain facility for export-oriented agricultural products at Dewanhat in Chattogram. Commerce Secretary Ataur Rahman Khan said the Commerce Ministry alone cannot implement all activities under the Trade Facilitation Agreement, and efforts are underway to complete the remaining work ahead of schedule with cooperation from relevant stakeholders. ERD Secretary Shahriar Kader Siddiky called for uniform procedures and digital systems to reduce inconsistent decisions on similar categories of goods. The meeting also discussed coordination among agencies to improve food quality testing and laboratory facilities.

Eight people, including five who reportedly suffered gunshot wounds, were injured in a clash between two groups in Char Kandipara area of Kalia upazila in Narail on Wednesday morning. The five injured with gunshot wounds were identified as Israfil Sikdar, Russel Sheikh, Matiur Rahman, Mukti Sheikh and Hasan Sheikh . The clash took place around 9am between supporters of Sohail, a member of Ward No. 2 of Kalabaria Union Parishad, and the group of Abed, according to locals. Police and locals said the clash broke out following an altercation between the two groups over local dominance and previous enmity. During the clash, eight people from both sides were injured in attacks and gunfire. Five of them reportedly sustained injuries to different parts of their bodies from gunshots. The injured were initially taken to Kalia Upazila Health Complex. After receiving primary treatment, they were referred to Khulna Medical College Hospital for better treatment. Officer-in-Charge of Naragati Police Station Md Hossain Ali said the clash stemmed from previous enmity, including an earlier murder, and a dispute over establishing dominance in the area. He said police were investigating what types of weapons were used in the clash. One person had been detained for questioning by Wednesday afternoon in connection with the incident, he added.

A meeting of the Board of Directors of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC was held on Wednesday at the Islami Bank Tower in the capital. Mohammad Zahir Hussain, Chairman of the bank, presided over the meeting. Md. Altaf Hossain, Acting Managing Director, and Md. Habibur Rahman, Company Secretary of the bank, were also present. During the meeting, the board reviewed the recent business performance of the bank and made several key policy decisions.  

At least 16 terrorists were killed in separate security operations across Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, security officials said Wednesday. In Mastung district, security forces killed nine terrorists after they attempted to attack a security checkpost. One soldier was injured during a heavy exchange of fire, and security personnel recovered heavy weapons, ammunition and three motorcycles from the scene. Security officials said that operations will continue until the threat is eliminated. Meanwhile, local police killed five terrorists in an exchange of fire after an early morning attack on a police station in the Aghbarg area on the outskirts of Quetta. Police personnel deployed at the station returned fire immediately, neutralizing the attackers. Separately, security forces killed two more terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Turbat.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit on Wednesday said fuel prices in Bangladesh will be reduced once the international market stabilises and the Middle East crisis eases. “The fuel price hike is an unavoidable consequence of the global situation. It was not a deliberate decision by the government, but a necessary step taken amid the global economic crisis and in the interest of border security,” he said. The state minister made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after a meeting with government officials, local elected representatives and civil society members at the Jhenaidah deputy commissioner's office. Amit said Bangladesh could not remain isolated from global developments and had to adjust domestic fuel prices because of the ongoing global crisis and the significant price gap with neighbouring countries. He said fuel prices, shipping costs and insurance expenses in the international market have risen significantly from March to August, but the government did not increase domestic prices during the period. “As a result, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) incurred losses of around Tk 22,875 crore,” he said. The state minister said the price adjustment was also necessary to prevent fuel purchased with foreign currency from being smuggled to neighbouring countries. “We cannot allow fuel bought with the hard-earned money sent by our expatriate brothers and sisters to be smuggled to neighbouring countries by taking advantage of lower prices,” he said. Amit expressed hope that fuel prices could be reduced once the international market returns to normal. “Once the Middle East crisis is over and the international market stabilises, fuel prices in the domestic market will be reduced immediately. If conditions remain favourable, there will be an opportunity to reduce prices even below their previous levels,” he said. On possible power shortages during the upcoming Boro irrigation season, the state minister said ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to farmers, particularly in rural and marginal areas, remains a priority. He said the government is working to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the Boro season and has plans to expand modern solar-powered irrigation systems to help farmers reduce irrigation costs. The meeting was attended by Jhenaidah-2 MP Ali Azam Mohammad Abu Bakr, Jhenaidah-3 MP Motiar Rahman, Prime Minister's Political Assistant Rashed Khan, Deputy Commissioner Md Noman Hossain, Superintendent of Police Mia Mohammad Ashish Bin Hasan, Zila Parishad Administrator and district BNP President Advocate Md Abdul Majid, General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Mona, District Bar Association President Kazi Ekramul Haque, Jhenaidah Press Club President Asif Iqbal Makhan.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Wednesday officially launched its specialized "BGMEA Japan Desk" in its Uttara Complex, aiming to usher in a new era of bilateral economic cooperation, trade, and investment between Bangladesh and Japan. The desk was inaugurated jointly by Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi, who attended as the chief guest, and BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, along with other senior diplomats and trade leaders. Established under the motto "Connectivity, Collaboration, and Prosperity," the Japan Desk will function as a dedicated one-stop platform for Japanese apparel buyers and investors. It aims to facilitate small- and medium-sized order processing, streamline Japanese investments, and build a long-term strategic partnership in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. The initiative stems from the "Japan Market Strategy Development Committee," formed a year ago by the current BGMEA board. The committee is chaired by BGMEA Vice President (Finance) Mizanur Rahman, with Director Mohammad Sohel serving as Coordinating Director. Speaking at the inauguration, Ambassador Saida Shinichi congratulated BGMEA on launching the desk, expressing optimism that it will energize bilateral trade between the two nations. He also highlighted the necessity of export diversification to ensure sustainable economic growth. In his address, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan stated that Bangladesh should not remain overly reliant on traditional markets or a single sector. "BGMEA is prioritizing product and market diversification, and Japan presents immense potential for Bangladesh's RMG industry," he said. He noted that overcoming lead-time challenges for shorter delivery cycles remains the primary hurdle in expanding market share in Japan. Welcoming the guests, BGMEA Vice President Mizanur Rahman requested the Japanese Ambassador to consider simplifying travel visas for Bangladeshi apparel entrepreneurs, particularly marketing and merchandising personnel. BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haq Khan (Bablu) emphasized the transformation of Bangladesh’s garment industry, focusing on safe working environments, workplace compliance, and long-term strategic alignment with Japan. Representatives from Japanese organizations and businesses also commended the industry's compliance standards and expressed confidence that the desk would deepen economic ties. The event featured a presentation on BGMEA's overall activities by Secretary General Maj. Gen. Dr. Md. Shahedul Islam (Retd.) and a briefing on the Japan Desk's operational plan by Kazi Sarwar Habib, Advisor to the BGMEA Japan Committee and Managing Director of Furushima (BD) Ltd., alongside Director Mohammad Sohel. High-level delegates attended the ceremony, including representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka, JETRO Dhaka Office, Japanese Commerce & Industry Association in Dhaka (JCIAD), Toyota Tsusho, Teijin Frontier, Marubeni Corporation, Itochu Corporation, and the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI). Key attendees included JBCCI President Yuji Wagata, JETRO Overseas Business Advisor Daisuke Arai, Teijin Frontier General Manager Takamasa Yamamoto, Marubeni Country Head Sugawara Manabu, Itochu Chief Representative Hiroaki Oura, and JBCCI President Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan (Jun). The program concluded with an interactive Q&A session discussing Japanese investment prospects and bilateral networking.

Special Response Battalion (SRB) arrested alleged terrorist and juvenile gang leader Srabon alias “Kutta Srabon” and three of his associates from Rupganj in Narayanganj. The elite Force  also recovered a foreign-made pistol, a bullet, a magazine and six machetes from their possessions. The arrestees are Srabon, 20, and his associates Siam, 20, Dipu, 19, and Kamruzzaman, 19. Lt Col Mohammad Masud Parvez, commanding officer of SRB-11, disclosed the information at a press conference at the SRB media centre in Karwan Bazar on Wednesday. He said a special SRB-11 team conducted a drive in Chanpara area of Rupganj around 1am on Tuesday night based on secret information and arrested Srabon and his associates with the arms and ammunition. According to Masud Parvez, Srabon had long been operating a juvenile gang and a criminal group in Rupganj and adjoining areas, involving teenagers and young people, and creating an atmosphere of disorder. He said Srabon and his followers were accused of brutally killing fruit trader Rony in Rupganj recently. Following the killing, local residents held human chains and protest programmes demanding Srabon's execution. The SRB commander said Srabon and his gang also allegedly set fire to the house of case complainant Amena Begum in Tatki area of Tarabo Municipality at night after she refused to withdraw a case against him, in an attempt to burn her to death. He said the gang also carried out attacks, vandalism and looting at houses when traders and local residents refused to pay extortion. “Whenever anyone lodged a complaint against his criminal activities with police or law enforcement agencies, Srabon and his gang would directly target the complainant,” Masud Parvez said. He said the gang would go to the complainant’s house after learning about a complaint and launch attacks, often injuring or disabling victims with sharp weapons. As an example, he said the gang once attacked a complainant’s house and hacked four members of the same family after a case was filed. Amena Begum’s house was also attacked after she filed a case, he said, adding that local residents had held a human chain in May accusing Srabon of killing a fruit trader. Due to fear of his activities, ordinary people were reluctant to lodge complaints against him with police, he said. Masud Parvez said 18 cases, including murder, attack, arson, abduction, extortion and assault, had been filed against Srabon with police stations in Rupganj and adjoining areas. He is also the prime accused in the widely discussed Nadim abduction case filed over an incident on Sept 16, he said. The SRB commander said controlling extortion and drug trading was allegedly Srabon’s main criminal activity in the area. Srabon had also been arrested in a joint forces operation in 2024, but was released on bail after around six to six and a half months and allegedly became involved in similar criminal activities again, he said. Describing the gang structure, Masud Parvez said Srabon led one of the two major juvenile gangs in Rupganj, while the other was known as the Nabi group. Around 50 to 60 members were active under Srabon’s gang and considered him their idol, he said. To evade arrest, Srabon would not stay in one place and used to hide in different areas on different nights, according to the SRB commander. Asked about the word “Kutta” in Srabon’s alias, Masud Parvez said the word was also associated with his father’s name and that his father had himself been accused in several cases and was a listed criminal. Masud Parvez also said a new initiative was being taken to use body cameras during arrest operations so that video footage could be submitted to courts as evidence, making the judicial process against criminals easier and stricter. The arrestees were handed over to Rupganj Police Station for further legal action, he said.

Turnover at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) crossed the Tk 800 crore mark on Wednesday after 36 days, with shares worth Tk 844 crore changing hands, the highest daily turnover so far this month. The bourse had last seen turnover above Tk 800 crore on August 18, when it stood at Tk 998 crore. Turnover then fell steadily day after day, dropping to the Tk 400 crore range by August 27 in a sharp slide from levels of around Tk 1,000 crore just days earlier. September opened with daily turnover hovering around Tk 500 crore. It touched the Tk 700 crore range on a few occasions but failed to breach Tk 800 crore until this week, rising to Tk 788 crore on Monday and Tk 791 crore on Tuesday before Wednesday's jump. All DSE indices advanced alongside the turnover rebound. The benchmark DSEX rose 55 points, the Shariah index gained 10 points, and the blue-chip DS30 index added 16 points. Prices rose for most listed companies, with 246 advancing against 102 decliners, while 37 remained unchanged. Unique Hotel & Resort PLC topped the gainers' list, with its share price climbing nearly 10 percent, up Tk 4 in a single day, from Tk 40.20 on Tuesday to Tk 44.20 on Wednesday. Mutual funds, however, largely bucked the market's upward trend. Most mutual fund units traded near their lowest levels, with AB Bank 1st Mutual Fund, Reliance One the first scheme of Reliance Insurance Mutual Fund, and ICB AMCL CMSF Golden Jubilee Mutual Fund each losing more than 5 percent to lead the fallers. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also posted gains, with its overall index CASPI rising 54 points. A total of 100 companies saw price increases against 71 decliners, while 20 remained unchanged. CSE turnover rose by Tk 5 crore over the previous session, with shares and units worth Tk 24 crore traded on the day, up from Tk 19 crore a day earlier. ICB AMCL Second Mutual Fund, Rupali Insurance Company Ltd and Index Agro Industries Ltd led the gainers on the CSE, each up around 10 percent. On the losing side, Chartered Life Insurance PLC, Continental Insurance PLC and Agni Systems PLC each shed nearly 10 percent.

A crude bomb exploded on the Dhaka-Barishal highway near the office of the Deputy Inspector General (Barishal Range) of police in the Kashipur area of Barishal city on Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses said activists of the Awami League, which faces a ban on its activities, brought out a sudden procession around 2:15pm, chanting "Joy Bangla" slogans. They exploded a crude bomb near the DIG office before quickly fleeing the scene. The sudden explosion triggered widespread panic among shopkeepers and residents of the area. Tamim, a local shopkeeper, said over 50 people marched from the direction of Kashipur School and College and exploded a crude bomb on the highway near the DIG office. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Barishal Metropolitan Police Md Anisur Rahman said police rushed to the spot after receiving the report of a loud noise. "Evidence of an explosion was found on the road, and police are currently analysing CCTV footage of the area to trace the perpetrators,” he said.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged the Attorney General’s Office to discharge its responsibilities with dedication, professionalism and accountability while upholding the dignity of the Constitution, rule of law and the country’s democratic journey. President made the call when Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban. During the meeting, the Attorney General congratulated Mirza Fakhrul on assuming the office of President and conveyed his best wishes to him. He briefed the President on the overall activities of the Attorney General’s Office and various initiatives and measures taken to protect state’s interests and legal rights. They also discussed issues related to safeguarding the state’s legal interests, ensuring justice, protecting citizens’ rights and ensuring the effective role of constitutional institutions. Mirza Fakhrul assured the Attorney General of all-out cooperation in discharging his responsibilities. President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam was present during the meeting.

Bangladesh has made important legal and policy progress in recognising domestic workers, but deep-rooted social attitudes continue to stand in the way of meaningful change, speakers said at a programme on Wednesday. They identified fair wages and working hours, protection from violence and harassment, access to social protection, and recognition of domestic work as dignified labour as major concerns. The speakers said legal reform must be accompanied by changes in the attitudes of families, employers and society if domestic workers are to enjoy their rights in everyday life. The day-long national event, titled “Hands That Hold Homes: Rights, Resilience and the Future of Domestic Workers,” was organised by Oxfam in Bangladesh. The event marked seven years of the Securing Rights for Women Domestic Workers in Bangladesh (SUNITI) project, implemented from 2019 to 2026 by Oxfam in Bangladesh and its partners with support from Global Affairs Canada. Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Md. Humayun Kabir said it is not possible for the government alone to fully ensure the rights of workers in any sector, including domestic workers. “It is not possible for the government alone to go from house to house and monitor whether the rights of child workers are being ensured. Everyone in society needs to come forward in this regard,” he said. He said low wages, long working hours, inadequate social protection, workplace harassment and limited awareness of rights remain major challenges for domestic workers. Kabir said the government has developed short-, medium- and long-term plans to implement the recommendations of the Labour Reform Commission, while work to update the Labour Rules in line with the amended labour law has progressed significantly. He also stressed that the government alone cannot monitor conditions in every household and that broader social responsibility is essential. Rasheda K Chowdhury, former Adviser to the caretaker government of Bangladesh, said legal and policy changes would not be enough without a change in mindset. “We may change many things, but unless we change our mindset, meaningful change will not happen. Why can I not recognise the domestic worker in my home as a co-worker?” she said. She also called for stronger childcare facilities for working mothers and greater access to social protection for domestic workers. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, former Chairman of the Labour Reform Commission and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, said recognition of domestic workers in the amended Labour Act is an important step, but remains partial. He described the organisation and leadership of domestic workers as one of SUNITI’s most important achievements and called for these structures to be strengthened further. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed said, “We have not yet fully secured any of the rights of women domestic workers. Even the law we obtained in 2026 provides only partial recognition. So, just as we have come a long way, there is still a long journey ahead.” Jane Palmer, Acting Head of Cooperation at Global Affairs Canada, said SUNITI had contributed to strengthening domestic workers’ skills, confidence and ability to organise collectively, and expressed hope that the project’s learning would continue to contribute to Bangladesh’s development. Neeran Ramjuthan, Programme Manager at ILO Bangladesh, said Bangladesh has created an important foundation for bringing domestic workers from largely invisible and informal employment towards stronger legal protection. Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said attitudes towards domestic workers have yet to change sufficiently and stressed the need to prevent children from entering domestic work. Anil Pant, Interim Country Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, said legal implementation must go hand in hand with social recognition, respect and dignity for domestic workers. The opening session also featured remarks from Zakia Sultana, President of the Domestic Workers National Forum-Bangladesh, while Mahmuda Sultana, Programme Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, presented the project’s journey, achievements, learning and future priorities. A key moment of the event was the launch of the project’s flagship publication, bringing together seven years of evidence, policy analysis, learning and 10 stories from the lives of women domestic workers. In the second session, Pushpita Saha of Oxfam Canada presented findings from the project’s final evaluation, moderated by Tarek Aziz of Oxfam in Bangladesh. The evaluation found that awareness of domestic workers’ rights increased from 12 percent to 74 percent, wage-negotiation capacity from 23 percent to 61 percent, and written employment arrangements from 8 percent to 28 percent. The afternoon dialogue, titled “From Recognition to a Secure Future: Rights, Worker Leadership, Decent Work and Partnerships,” focused on implementation of the amended labour law, social protection, grievance and remedy systems, skills recognition, employer accountability and stronger worker leadership. The final session, “Voices of Resilience,” brought together stories, cultural expression, learning and commitments for the future. The event was moderated by Md. Sariful Islam, Head of Influencing, Communications, Advocacy and Media at Oxfam in Bangladesh.

Battery-run rickshaws are increasingly operating on the Bhulta Flyover in Rupganj of Narayanganj, adding to growing concerns over the unsafe and unregulated movement of the three-wheelers on busy roads. The vehicles have become a common sight on the flyover, despite their operation often being associated with traffic-rule violations and reckless driving, according to local commuters.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested a former central leader of banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from West Agargaon of the capital on Wednesday morning. The arrestee was identified as Shah Mostafa Alamgir, 55. A team of DB Gulshan Division conducted an operation in the area around 7:00am and arrested Alamgir, said Md Akthar Hossain, DMP deputy commissioner (Media and Public Relations). According to the DB, Alamgir was the social welfare secretary and organising secretary of the BCL central committee. He also served as president of the Kabi Jasimuddin Hall unit of BCL at Dhaka University. He was also a joint secretary of the Publicity and Publication Sub-committee of Awami League, whose activities are banned, and a member of the Netrokona district Awami League. The DB claimed that Alamgir had been involved in various activities in support of the AL in recent times with the aim of creating instability in the country.

Moroccans are voting for a new parliament Wednesday in an election marked by growing frustration among young people over unemployment, public services and the rising cost of living despite the country's economic growth. Polling stations across Morocco are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with nearly 16 million registered voters eligible to elect members of the 395-seat House of Representatives. The election is the first since deadly youth-led protests nearly a year ago and a mass attempt by migrants to cross the country's northern border into Spain's Ceuta, where dozens of people died. The vote will determine the next prime minister and the composition of the government, which will operate alongside the powerful monarchy that retains broad authority over strategic affairs. Election results are expected Thursday. The new government will oversee billions of dollars in investment as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. It will also face pressure to address concerns over jobs, wages, housing, healthcare and education. Many young Moroccans remain skeptical that political participation can improve their lives, with some choosing street protests, considering emigration or staying away from the polls. A total of 7,288 candidates from 27 political parties are contesting the election. Under the constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the party winning the most seats. As no party is expected to secure an outright majority, coalition talks are likely. Some groups, including the far-left Democratic Path, have called for a boycott, saying the election lacks basic democratic conditions. The banned but tolerated Islamist association Al-Adl Wal Ihsane has also made similar claims. Moroccans living abroad have the constitutional right to vote but cannot cast ballots by mail or at Moroccan consulates. They must travel to Morocco or authorize a registered family member or acquaintance to vote on their behalf. The number of registered voters has fallen 9.7% since the 2021 election despite population growth, with analysts expecting low turnout. In Casablanca and Rabat, voters formed small but steady lines at polling stations despite Wednesday being a working day. Jamal Aamar, a 63-year-old retired banker voting for the Federation of the Democratic Left, said taking part in the election gives citizens a chance to make their voices heard. “If you boycott, you will leave others an empty seat,” he said.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has asked scheduled banks to keep their Hajj-related branches open this Friday and Saturday (September 25-26) to facilitate the collection of registration fees for Hajj 2027. The branches will remain open during regular banking hours, according to a circular issued by the central bank on Wednesday and signed by Md Abdul Mannan, director of the Supervisory Data Management and Analytics Department. Banks have also been asked to continue receiving Hajj registration fees beyond regular banking hours as long as depositors remain present at the branches, while ensuring adequate security measures. The decision was taken in response to a letter from the Ministry of Religious Affairs issued on September 20, aimed at easing the registration fee submission process for prospective pilgrims.  

The dengue death toll in Bangladesh has reached 201, after six more people died of the viral disease in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Wednesday. During the same period, 1,868 new dengue patients were hospitalised across the country, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of the six deaths, two each were reported in Chattogram division and Dhaka South City Corporation, while one each was reported in Barishal and Mymensingh divisions, it said. Since January 1, a total of 67,367 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country, of whom 62,117 have recovered.  

Bangladesh Bank has issued new directives allowing foreign trading partner banks to open and maintain "Taka Vostro Accounts" without any initial deposit, aiming to expand the scope of using local currency in international trade. The initiative will enable the settlement of import and export trade transactions in Bangladeshi Taka, reducing reliance on foreign currencies. The Foreign Exchange Policy Department-1 of Bangladesh Bank issued  a circular in this regard on Wednesday. The circular was signed by Dr. Md. Abu Bakar Siddique, Director (Current Charge) of the FEPD. International commercial transaction funds can be deposited and settled in Bangladeshi Taka through these accounts maintained with local banks, creating an opportunity to lessen foreign currency dependence in trade settlements. The circular stated that Letters of Credit (LCs), contracts, and invoices for imports and exports can still be executed in freely convertible foreign currencies. However, during final settlement, the funds must be converted into Taka at the prevailing exchange rate. Even though commercial agreements can utilise US dollars or other freely convertible currencies, the ultimate settlement can be executed in Taka, thereby broadening the scope of local currency usage in international business. Bangladesh Bank also directed local banks to ensure safe, rapid, and efficient exchange of banking documents and communication with partner banks abroad. Importers will have to settle their transactions through local banking channels or the respective Vostro accounts. Subject to fulfilling specified conditions, overdraft facilities may also be granted against these accounts. This will institutionalize the local currency-based transaction framework between Bangladeshi banks and foreign partner institutions. A key aspect of the new policy is the option to invest surplus funds lying in these Vostro accounts within Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bank noted that surplus balances in these accounts can be directly invested in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), portfolio investments, alternative investment funds, and open-end mutual funds. Additionally, subject to approval from relevant authorities, funds held in Vostro accounts can be used to settle dues of local entities or remitted abroad as foreign currency transfers. As a result, funds in these accounts will not be limited solely to import-export settlements but can also be channeled into investments and other lawful financial transactions under specific conditions. Despite expanding local currency usage in trade, the central bank emphasised strict compliance with existing foreign exchange regulations. The circular stated that rules regarding IMP (Import) and EXP (Export) forms must be strictly followed for import and export transactions, respectively. Banks must also implement necessary measures to prevent money laundering and combat the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). The "Know Your Customer" (KYC) guidelines must be rigorously enforced when verifying customer identities and credentials. The directive also addresses trade with countries whose local currencies are not freely convertible. With prior approval from Bangladesh Bank, local banks will be permitted to maintain foreign Nostro accounts to settle trade transactions with such nations, providing a structured framework for trade with countries lacking internationally convertible currencies.

Bangladesh captain Liton Das wants his team to reach the Asian Games cricket final and compete for gold, but he is also thinking beyond the tournament. Cricket will return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and Liton sees Bangladesh’s Asian Games campaign as part of a bigger opportunity for the sport. Bangladesh are sending their national team to the Asian Games this time, rather than a second-string side. It will also be Liton’s first appearance at the multi-sport event. “It is a big thing to play for the national team, and playing at a place like this is also a big thing,” Liton told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. “You may win a trophy whenever you win elsewhere, but here there is a chance to win gold. It is a big dream. I think all the cricketers are excited.” Bangladesh have traditionally looked to cricket for medals at the Asian Games. The women’s team, however, lost to Pakistan in the bronze-medal match on Tuesday, leaving the men’s team as the country’s main hope of a cricket medal. “There is a lot of interest among our players because this tournament does not come around every time,” Liton said. “You get franchise leagues or national-team tournaments every year. But this is a rare event. Every player is excited, and we will try to fulfil the big dream.” For now, Liton said, the target is simply to get to the final. “We are looking at how we can reach the final,” he said. “Because if you play the final, you have a chance to win gold. In cricket, we always say, match by match. We will go match by match.” The 2028 Olympics will feature six men's cricket teams. The highest-ranked team from each of Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe will qualify directly. The United States, as host, will also qualify if it is among the top 15 teams in the ICC T20 rankings. The remaining place will be decided through a qualifying tournament. Bangladesh will compete with New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for a place in the Olympics. Liton also hopes success in cricket can help raise the profile of other sports in Bangladesh. “Being able to do something for the country is a big thing,” he said. “And if it is through sport, why not? We are different in cricket. But if something can improve other sports through us, or if opportunities come for other sports, we will try.”

A court on Wednesday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old speech-impaired child in Hatibandha upazila of the district. The convict is Shahidul Islam, 38, son of Nobiyar Rahman of Jamir Bari village in Kaliganj upazila. Judge Nityananda Sarker of the Lalmonirhat Tribunal for the Prevention of Violence Against Children delivered the verdict on Wednesday afternoon. The court also fined him Tk 50,000, in default, he will have to serve an additional three months in prison. According to the case statement and court records, Shahidul went to his in-laws' house in Hatibandha upazila on August 4, 2023. As no one was at home, he allegedly lured the child, who lived in the neighbourhood, into the house by telling her that he would show her photos on his mobile phone. He then violated her, according to the case statement. The child later returned home crying and told her mother about the incident. Following the incident, the child's father filed a case against Shahidul with Hatibandha Police Station.

National Board of Revenue (NBR) has found Tk3.20 crore in VAT evasion by online shopping platform Korean Mart Bangladesh, following an inspection and examination of its business records. Officials of the Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (West), conducted a preventive operation at the establishment on Sept 21 based on secret information, according to an NBR press release issued on Wednesday. The operation was conducted under the direction of the commissioner of the Dhaka (West) commissionerate and supervision of Pallabi Divisional Office. Korean Mart Bangladesh sells cosmetics and other products through online platforms. During the operation, officials examined information stored on the company’s laptops and computers, its courier service records, proprietary software and other documents. The examination indicated possible VAT evasion. The officials subsequently issued Mushak-12.3 and seized copies of data from the laptops, computers and other relevant documents by storing the information on a pen drive for further verification. After examining the seized records, the VAT authorities found irregular sales transactions worth Tk46.74 crore. The records showed that the company had failed to pay Tk3,19,57,490 in VAT against the sales, according to the NBR. The authorities are taking steps to file a case against the company over the alleged VAT evasion.

Russian drones struck Kyiv in daylight Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 23, hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to address world leaders at the UN General Assembly. The attacks triggered fires and damaged buildings in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, with thick black smoke rising over the capital, authorities said. Zelenskyy was in New York seeking stronger international support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion, which has continued for more than four years. He met US President Donald Trump on Tuesday amid growing frustration over the lack of progress toward ending the war and escalating aerial attacks by both sides. Zelenskyy has proposed measures to reduce tensions, including an end to Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure and arrangements to keep Ukrainian grain moving through the Black Sea. Ukraine has continued striking Russian oil refineries, while Kyiv is also seeking additional US-made Patriot air defense systems to counter Russian ballistic missiles. Supplies of the systems are limited following the outbreak of the war in Iran. In southeastern Zaporizhzhia, two men, aged 37 and 39, were injured when a Russian strike sparked a fire at a shopping mall. Emergency workers said the blaze covered about 6,000 square meters before being brought under control. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces struck Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities, logistics centers and sea vessels overnight. It also claimed that Russian air defenses intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones over several regions of Russia, Crimea and waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

Eleven more children died with measles-like symptoms in 24 hours until 8:00am on Wednesday, bringing the country’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 1076 this year. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has classified all eleven latest fatalities as suspected measles deaths. With these, the total number of suspected measles deaths has reached 975, while confirmed deaths from measles have remained the same at 101, it said. A total of 1,157 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, bringing the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 183,449. Meanwhile, 113 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 20,851. Since March 15 this year, a total of 162,048 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 155,612 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

The government is working on the blue economy and plans to establish a specialised university focusing on the sector in the future, Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon said on Wednesday. He made the remarks while addressing a scholarship distribution ceremony organised jointly by the Marketing Alumni Association of Dhaka University and Meghna Group of Industries (MGI) at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building. The minister said the government is working to develop Bangladesh’s human resources by equipping them with the skills needed for the future. “The government is working with the highest priority on the education sector to improve the country’s education system,” he said. Highlighting the importance of exposure to diverse cultures and experiences, Milon said such exposure enables people to analyse problems from multiple perspectives. He urged students not to confine themselves to a single field but to apply their knowledge, talents and skills across different areas. Speaking about the gap between academia and industry, the education minister said major companies and industries in Bangladesh do not give sufficient importance to strengthening linkages between the two sectors. “It is unfortunate that big companies and industries in our country do not attach enough importance to academia-industry linkage,” he said. Referring to China, he said industries there have established polytechnic institutes within industrial facilities, allowing engineers to teach students while students gain practical experience by working in those industries. “Such a linkage is also necessary in our country,” he added. “The people before me today will build the Bangladesh of tomorrow. Our intellect is in no way inferior to that of citizens of other countries,” he said addressing the students. Milon praised MGI’s corporate social responsibility initiative of providing scholarships to university students and urged other corporate organizations to come forward with similar initiatives to support education. The event, titled “MGI-MAA Scholarship 2026,” was organised jointly by MGI and the DU Marketing Department Alumni Association to provide scholarships to 90 students of the Marketing Department of DU.  

Bangladesh has halted hilsa import from India after the Department of Fisheries cancelled 103 no-objection certificates (NOCs) issued for importing the popular fish. The NOCs were revoked on Tuesday through a letter signed by Acting Director General of the Department of Fisheries Dr Md Khaled Konok. Following the decision, the process of importing hilsa from India through Benapole land port has remained suspended. Vice President of the Benapole Port Import-Exporters Association Aminul Haque confirmed the development to the media. He said they have received a letter from the Department of Fisheries stating that a number of NOCs have been cancelled. “As a result, hilsa imports have been halted. Importers are facing difficulties because of the decision,” he said. Hilsa importer Syed Mahidul Haque Rubai said the sudden suspension of imports has caused substantial losses to importers. He said hilsa purchased in India were kept there for import into Bangladesh, but the import suspension now means the fish will have to be returned at lower prices. “Besides, we are also facing losses from import-related expenses,” he said.

Alcohol companies are more than twice as likely to tell consumers to "drink responsibly" than to warn them about health risks, with current voluntary alcohol warnings largely hidden, uninformative and ineffective, an Australian study has found. The study analyzed more than 6,000 alcohol labels across three major Australian retailers, examining the type and placement of voluntary health warnings and messages, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Public Health Association of Australia. It found only 25 percent of products carried a voluntary health warning, with 99 percent of those advising specific groups, including minors, pregnant women and drivers, not to drink. The findings, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, showed that 65 percent of products carried responsible consumption messages without providing information about health harms, such as alcohol's links to at least seven types of cancer and liver disease. Health warnings or messages were almost always hidden from view on the back or bottom of packages, according to the study led by Australia's George Institute for Global Health. Lead author Asad Yusoff from the George Institute said current lax alcohol labeling rules allowed alcohol companies to "feign corporate responsibility while keeping consumers in the dark about the real health harms of drinking." The findings come after an Australian parliamentary committee last week recommended mandatory regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing. 

Three people were killed and three others injured when a truck hit an auto-rickshaw on Joydebpur-Tongi Road in Dhirasram area of Gazipur city on Wednesday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. The accident occurred around noon in front of Dhirasram GK High School when the truck hit the Joydebpur-bound auto-rickshaw, leaving two people dead on the spot and four others injured, said Aminul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station. The injured were taken to a local hospital, where another victim died later. Police seized the truck and arrested its driver.    

New Zealand's new firearms laws came into force on Wednesday, marking the biggest overhaul of the country's firearms regulatory system in more than 40 years, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said. Most provisions of the Arms Act 2026 and Arms Regulations 2026 took effect, replacing legislation dating from 1983 and regulations from 1992 with a system designed to improve public safety, simplify compliance and rebuild trust with licensed firearm owners, McKee said in a statement. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand also began operating as the country's independent firearms regulator, separate from police, she added. "Firearms are used by New Zealanders to put food on the table, earn a living, manage pests, protect biodiversity, compete in sport and enjoy the outdoors," she noted. "That is why getting this system right matters." The new law strengthens measures against unlawful firearms activity, including disqualifying gang members from holding firearms licenses and introducing new offenses targeting emerging criminal behavior, while simplifying requirements for licensed owners, she said, adding that it also establishes an independent review committee for license holders to challenge regulatory decisions. 

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury on Wednesday expressed hope that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and Malaysia would be signed by December 2027. Referring to discussions held between the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and Malaysia during the recent visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister to Malaysia, he also expressed optimism that such an agreement would play a positive role in further expanding bilateral trade, business and investment. A 39-member business delegation led by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed participated in a business discussion titled “Bangladesh Business Forum: Connecting Businesses, Forging Partnerships and Expanding Opportunities”, organised by the Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) at the KCCCI auditorium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chairman of SME Corp. Malaysia Teng Chang Khim attended the event as the special guest. In his welcome remarks, President of the Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Jeffery Tan said that one of Malaysia’s largest seaports is located in Klang. He added that, given the availability of modern logistics facilities essential for business and trade, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs may consider investment opportunities in Malaysia, particularly in Klang. Jeffery Tan noted that Malaysia is currently shifting its focus from labour-intensive industries towards technology-driven industries. He said Malaysian entrepreneurs could consider investing in Bangladesh’s ICT sector if the necessary facilities and a conducive investment environment are ensured. Dhaka Chamber President Taskeen Ahmed, expressing gratitude to the Klang Chamber for inviting the DCCI business delegation, said Bangladesh and Malaysia have long-standing friendly economic relations. However, the private sectors of both countries need to work together to further expand bilateral trade. He noted that Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest exporter of ready-made garments, while the country’s services and other manufacturing-oriented sectors also offer significant potential for foreign investors. Promising Investment Opportunities The Dhaka Chamber President said that Bangladesh offers promising investment opportunities for Malaysian entrepreneurs in sectors including energy infrastructure, digital financial services, telecommunications, semiconductors, halal food products, healthcare, tourism and human resource skills development. Taskeen Ahmed also called for Malaysia’s cooperation in increasing the export of Bangladeshi products to other countries in the ASEAN region. He further said that Bangladeshis spend approximately USD 4-6 billion annually abroad for medical treatment. Considering this, he noted that Malaysian healthcare-sector entrepreneurs could make an important contribution to Bangladesh’s healthcare sector by establishing world-class hospitals and healthcare facilities in the country. He also sought Malaysia’s cooperation in developing a world-class tourism industry in Bangladesh and promoting the overall growth of the halal industry. High Commissioner Chowdhury said Bangladesh is not only a major source of manpower but also a promising investment destination. He noted that Bangladesh offers abundant investment opportunities across various potential sectors, which Malaysian entrepreneurs can explore. The envoy said that one of the major impediments to expanding trade and business between Bangladesh and Malaysia is the absence of a bilateral trade agreement between the two countries. He also invited Malaysian entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh’s promising sectors, including aviation, medical services, ICT and agro-processing. The envoy said that Bangladesh has a large market for Malaysian halal products and sought Malaysia’s cooperation in establishing an effective halal ecosystem in Bangladesh by leveraging Malaysia’s long-standing expertise and experience in this sector. He noted that Malaysian entrepreneurs could play an important role in developing skilled human resources in Bangladesh’s semiconductor sector through training and capacity-building initiatives. Chairman of SME Corporation Malaysia Tan Ching Khim said that Malaysia currently has 1.3 million SMEs. He urged both the Dhaka Chamber and the Klang Chamber to work together to enhance interaction between small and medium-sized entrepreneurs of Bangladesh and Malaysia, strengthen business cooperation and expand business opportunities. He said that Bangladeshi workers constitute the largest group among foreign workers employed in Malaysia and have been making an important contribution to the Malaysian economy, particularly to the development of Malaysia’s infrastructure sector, through their skilled participation in various economic activities. He also noted that the people of Malaysia have a positive attitude towards expatriates from Bangladesh. He expressed hope that this positive relationship would contribute further to the expansion of trade, business and investment between the two countries. At the event, DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury gave a presentation on Bangladesh’s trade and investment opportunities. He emphasised the need to expedite initiatives for signing an FTA at the earliest, enhance the halal economic partnership between Bangladesh and Malaysia, and provide technical assistance to Bangladeshi SME entrepreneurs to expand their exports, alongside establishing linkages with global entrepreneurs. To further expand cooperation in bilateral trade and investment, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the DCCI and KCCI. DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed and Klang Chamber President Jeffery Tan signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations. A total of 40 B2B matchmaking sessions were held between members of the DCCI business delegation and representatives of the Klang Chamber during the event. Talks with Malaysian Tourism Minister Later, delegation leader and DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed paid a courtesy call on Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia Tiong King Sing. DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman and Minister & Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia Mosammat Shahanara Monica were also present at the meeting. During the meeting, the Minister said that the number of tourists travelling to Malaysia from Bangladesh has been increasing every year, which is highly encouraging. He said that Malaysia is placing significant emphasis on promoting Muslim tourism and expressed the hope that, as Bangladesh is home to one of the world’s largest Muslim populations, the number of Bangladeshi tourists visiting Malaysia would continue to grow in the future. He said that Malaysia is interested in providing necessary training to develop skilled human resources and strengthen management capacity for establishing an effective Muslim tourism ecosystem in Bangladesh. He also informed that the Malaysian government is considering the establishment of advanced hospitals and medical centres in Bangladesh to provide world-class healthcare services. He proposed signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) Malaysia and the DCCI to promote the development of the tourism industries of both countries and strengthen mutual cooperation.  

Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a three-day state visit to Washington on Wednesday, with US President Donald Trump expected to give him an unusual planeside welcome at Joint Base Andrews. Trump is expected to join an arrival ceremony with Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the military base outside Washington, rather than wait for the Chinese leader at the White House. The gesture reflects the importance Trump is placing on Xi’s first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. The visit will include a formal state dinner at the White House on Thursday, designed in part to reciprocate the elaborate reception Trump received during his visit to China in May. The high-profile ceremonies come amid tensions between the two countries over trade, artificial intelligence, the US war with Iran and China’s policy toward Taiwan. Trump has repeatedly praised Xi as a “great leader” and described their relationship warmly, while saying he wants to maintain “strategic stability” between Washington and Beijing. The planned welcome has drawn criticism from some US lawmakers. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized what he called the “lavish welcome” and urged Trump to raise issues including China’s military expansion and its support for Iran. Trump has made clear that he wants to impress Xi during the visit, recently highlighting preparations for a new helicopter landing pad at the White House. The pageantry is expected to continue Thursday with a formal White House arrival ceremony and a military honor guard review, followed by a black-tie state dinner attended by business and technology leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The two presidents are also expected to hold closed-door discussions on trade, technology and other contentious issues, although expectations for major breakthroughs remain low. On Friday, Xi and Peng are scheduled to have private tea with Trump and first lady Melania Trump before visiting the National Archives to view historic documents highlighting ties between the two countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is becoming increasingly willing to take risks as the war in Ukraine drags on and Moscow seeks to divide NATO allies, a senior NATO commander said Tuesday. Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer, NATO’s deputy supreme allied commander for Europe, told The Associated Press at a security conference in Estonia that Putin was becoming “increasingly cavalier, dangerous and risk accepting.” Stringer warned NATO members to respond carefully to a growing number of Russian-linked incidents, saying Putin could seek to provoke the alliance into an “overreaction.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia could deliberately target NATO countries with drones or missiles while claiming the attacks were accidental. French President Emmanuel Macron has also ordered preparations to protect critical infrastructure from potential drone and cyberattacks. However, some European officials have urged caution. A British defense official said the UK does not assess that Putin is seeking a direct confrontation with NATO. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics also said there was no evidence of a Russian military buildup near his country’s borders. “The perspective of direct military attack is not correct,” Rinkevics told reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker similarly said Putin “does not want a conflict with NATO,” while noting that Russian-linked sabotage and other hybrid activities were more concerning. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said NATO must remain prepared and strong, warning that any serious Russian action would draw a firm response. European countries have faced repeated Russian drone incursions and other covert activities since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. An AP review found more than 210 incidents by March 2026, including vandalism, propaganda, arson, sabotage and cyberattacks, up from 59 a year earlier. Stringer said some drone incursions into NATO airspace could be accidental, particularly when Russian electronic warfare disrupts drones during attempts to counter Ukrainian attacks. But he said Moscow could deliberately escalate such activity. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said the distinction between negligence and deliberate targeting can be difficult to establish. He and Stringer said the rise in covert Russian activity was largely linked to Western support for Ukraine. Stringer said Putin was seeking to create divisions among NATO members because Russia’s campaign in Ukraine was not progressing as Moscow had hoped. Michal said Russia was increasing pressure across Europe in an effort to weaken Western support for Kyiv. He said a conventional Russian attack on Europe was currently unlikely because of NATO’s deterrent and Russia’s military commitments in Ukraine. Baltic leaders expect Russian attacks on infrastructure to increase as winter approaches and see little prospect of diplomatic progress before spring. Michal said the Russian threat would remain until Putin changes his military objectives, arguing that continued support for Ukraine is the strongest means of deterrence.

The government has issued a gazette notification on Wednesday increasing the fares of diesel-run buses and minibuses by Tk 0.17 per kilometre, with the revised rates taking effect from September 22, following a rise in diesel prices and transport operating costs. The Road Transport and Highways Division of the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry issued the gazette notification on Wednesday. According to the notification, the fare for buses operating in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas has been raised to Tk 2.70 per passenger per kilometre from Tk 2.53. For inter-district and long-distance bus and minibus routes, the fare was increased to Tk 2.40 per kilometre from Tk 2.23. The fare for minibuses operating in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas, as well as buses and minibuses operating under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur and Manikganj, has been raised to Tk 2.60 per kilometre from Tk 2.43. The minimum fare for buses in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas remains unchanged at Tk 10, while the minimum fare for minibuses remains Tk 8. The notification said fares would have to be proportionately recalculated if the number of seats in a bus or minibus is reduced from the number approved by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to facilitate more comfortable travel. In such cases, the revised fare must be approved by the BRTA or the relevant Passenger and Goods Transport Committee. The revised fares will not apply to gas-run buses and minibuses. Transport operators have also been instructed to display fare charts prominently at visible locations inside every bus and minibus. The government recently raised the prices of all major petroleum fuels in line with international market prices. The prices of diesel, kerosene, octane and petrol were increased by Tk 20 per litre, with the new prices set at Tk 135, Tk 135, Tk 165 and Tk 160 respectively. The revised fuel prices took effect on Monday. Following a meeting with transport owners, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam announced the Tk 0.17 per kilometre fare hike on Tuesday.

A Sri Lankan court on Tuesday sentenced 15 men to between 200 and 260 years in prison for helping plan and facilitate the 2019 Easter bombings that killed 267 people at churches and hotels. Nine other defendants were acquitted after a trial lasting more than five years. The April 21, 2019, attacks, inspired by the Islamic State group, targeted three churches and three hotels during Easter services and celebrations. Forty-two foreigners were among those killed and 574 people were injured. The three-judge High Court panel also ordered the convicts’ property confiscated under the country’s anti-terror law. The defendants can appeal to the Supreme Court. Prosecutors said the men were involved in a coordinated plot targeting Christian worshippers and tourists. They presented a video recorded a day before the bombings showing masked attackers pledging allegiance to then-Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Authorities filed 23,270 charges in 2021 against 25 suspects accused of planning or inspiring the attacks. One died before the trial ended. The bombings also triggered allegations of a wider conspiracy and criticism of security agencies for failing to act on repeated warnings. In July, a former police chief and a senior former Defense Ministry official were sentenced to death for failing to respond to foreign intelligence warnings. Sri Lanka has not carried out an execution since 1976. The Catholic Church welcomed Tuesday’s verdict. Rev. Jude Chrishantha Fernando, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo, said the sentence would help deter similar attacks. “We are happy — at least with this judgement, we know that in the future this type of crime will not take place in our country,” he said.

The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal No 3 as the deep depression over Northwest Bay and adjoining Westcentral Bay moved westwards. It is now lies over the same area at 12 noon Wednesday about 940 km Southwest of Chattogram, 920 km Southwest of Cox's Bazar, 755 km Southwest of Mongla and 785 km Southwest of Payra. It is likely to move west-northwestwards further and cross North Andhra Pradesh - South Odisha coasts of India by tonight. Under its influence squally weather may affect the Maritime Ports, North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh. Maximum sustained wind speed within 48 km of the Deep Depression centre is about 50 kph rising to 60 kph in gusts or squalls. Sea will remain rough near the deep depression centre. All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.  

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved a proposal to award a Tk 1,946.22 crore contract to Indonesia’s PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental for operating and maintaining Bangladesh’s Single Point Mooring (SPM) facility at Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division placed the proposal before the committee. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presided over the meeting. The operation and maintenance (O&M) contract covers the SPM’s offshore and onshore facilities, marine services and associated equipment. The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) floated an international tender to appoint an operator for the SPM and its double pipeline system. The tender covered the SPM facilities at Kutubdia-Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar and the pipeline facilities extending towards Anwara-North Patenga in Chattogram. According to the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority, the tender sought O&M and marine services for the complete SPM installation, including all auxiliary and ancillary facilities both offshore and onshore, for a 64-month service period. The SPM is a major petroleum import and transportation facility designed to enable large mother vessels carrying crude oil and refined petroleum products to unload directly through a floating offshore mooring system. Under the system, tankers can moor at a floating buoy in the Bay of Bengal and transfer crude oil and high-speed diesel through separate submarine pipelines to the pumping station and tank farm at Maheshkhali. The products can then be transported to Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL) and other facilities in Chattogram. The project comprises a floating SPM, two parallel pipelines and storage facilities. The pipelines are designed to transport crude oil and diesel separately. Government project documents say the system was designed to reduce the time needed to unload 100,000 tonnes of crude oil from around eight to 10 days to about two days. Some 60,000–70,000 tonnes of diesel can be unloaded in about 28 hours. The SPM project was undertaken to overcome the limitations of unloading petroleum products from large vessels at the outer anchorage using smaller lighterage vessels. Large tankers cannot enter the Karnaphuli River due to draft restrictions, making the traditional lighterage system slower and more costly. According to BPC documents, the project comprises a floating mooring facility, a pumping station and tank farm at Maheshkhali, and a 220-kilometre pipeline network. The infrastructure also includes storage tanks for crude oil and diesel and a supervisory control and data acquisition system. The project was completed in March 2024, and trial operations demonstrated the transfer of crude oil and diesel through the pipeline system. The facility, however, remained without a regular O&M operator for an extended period. BPC subsequently invited international tenders to appoint an operator. The latest tender process attracted bids from PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental, China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited and Hong Kong-based Hilong Marine Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited. PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental was evaluated as technically qualified and the lowest financial bidder, according to recent reporting based on BPC documents. The appointment of the operator is expected to enable the SPM to enter regular operation, allowing BPC to use the infrastructure for direct unloading and transportation of imported crude oil and diesel. The facility was built to reduce dependence on the existing lighterage system, shorten fuel unloading time and lower the cost of transporting imported petroleum products. Government estimates have previously put the potential annual savings from the SPM at several hundred crore taka, depending on the volume of crude oil and diesel handled. The CCGP’s recommendation now clears the way for the government to proceed with the proposed O&M contract with PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental.  

The government has allocated Tk 370 crore for installing rooftop solar panels at offices, agencies and institutions under the Local Government Division, aiming to generate around 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said on Wednesday. “We are going to generate electricity through solar panels on the rooftops of these 6,544 institutions,” he said at a press conference held at Secretariat. The state minister said solar panels would be installed on the rooftops of 6,544 institutions, including local government offices, municipalities, union parishads, LGED offices, WASA facilities, public health engineering offices and haat-bazars or growth centres across the country. Funds have already been released from a special allocation and separate instructions have been issued to the institutions concerned, he said adding the programme is expected to be implemented by January 27. A standard calculation prepared in consultation with solar panel installation companies shows that installing a system capable of generating 5.5 kilowatts of electricity would cost around Tk 3.26 lakh. Of the electricity generated, around 150 MW will be consumed by the local government institutions themselves, while the remaining 150 MW will be supplied to the national grid through net metering under the government's renewable energy programme. The additional electricity will be sold at Tk 10.50 per unit, he said. Meanwhile, revenue generated from selling surplus electricity could recover the investment within three to four years. After that, the local government institutions would have an additional source of regular income, he added. The rooftop solar systems would help ensure a reliable power supply, particularly during office hours, reducing the impact of load-shedding and other power disruptions, said Mir Shahe Alam. Under the renewable energy policy, solar panels will be installed by companies listed by the Power Division, including Walton, PRAN-RFL, Grameen Shakti and other enlisted firms, said the state minister. The local government institutions will sign 20-year agreements with the companies under which the companies will provide free servicing and warranty for the solar systems for 20 years, the state minister said. The companies would be responsible for monitoring and maintenance and would address any technical problems during the contract period, he said. He said city corporations have been allocated Tk 75 crore, upazila parishads Tk 99 crore, municipalities Tk 64 crore and district councils more than Tk 12 crore for the rooftop solar initiative. The minister said the money could otherwise have been spent on small-scale development projects such as roads, bridges and drains, but the government considers investment in electricity generation to be another form of development.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved two major procurement proposals for infrastructure development involving a combined cost of around Tk 3,748 crore. Under the first proposal, the committee recommended awarding a contract worth Tk 118.33 crore for emergency rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, bridges and culverts under the project titled “Emergency Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Various Roads, Bridges and Culverts under Sunamganj and Habiganj Road Divisions Damaged in the 2022 Flood”. The project aims to rehabilitate and reconstruct road infrastructure damaged by the 2022 floods in Sunamganj and Habiganj. The committee also recommended approval of a major infrastructure package worth Tk 3,629.96 crore under the “Supporting Infrastructure Project for Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone” being implemented by Invest Bangladesh. The Prime Minister’s Office placed the proposal. China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) was recommended as the successful bidder for the package. The CCGP recommended approval of both procurement proposals.

Primary Teachers’ Organisation Unity Council on Wednesday put forward a nine-point demand including fixing the salary scale of assistant primary school teachers at the 11th grade, promotion opportunities and simplifying the transfer policy. The organisation also announced that it would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through deputy commissioners on October 1 to press for implementation of the demands. The teachers’ leaders announced the programme at a press conference held at the Abdus Salam Hall of the Jatiya Press Club. Speakers said primary education is the foundational and basic pillar of the country’s education system. They said improving the social and economic status of around 380,000 teachers is essential to ensure quality primary education. They demanded restoration of house rent and Baishakhi allowances and an increase in the education allowance in the 2026 pay scale. They also welcomed the idea of introducing a separate pay scale for teachers. The speakers said the Unity Council, comprising 11 organisations, has long been working for the legitimate demands of teachers. They said there is growing frustration among teachers over the suspension of transfers at the upazila level and the situation in which teachers are forced to remain in the same post for years until retirement. They warned that the lack of opportunities for 100 percent promotion would hamper the delivery of quality and ethical education. The other demands are resolving complications regarding selection grade or higher grade upon completion of eight and 14 years of service; providing recreation allowance automatically every three years; incorporating life-oriented and work-oriented ethical education into the curriculum; implementing the 10th grade for head teachers without delay; ensuring representation of teachers’ organisations in education-related policymaking decisions; and bringing all government primary schools under a single-shift system, with school hours set from 10am to 3pm. The teachers’ leaders warned that they would be forced to launch tougher programmes if their demands were not met within a short period.

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) continued their shutdown for the second consecutive day on Wednesday demanding reinstatement of Prof Dr Abu Shadat Muhammad Sayem as the university’s Vice-Chancellor. The students organised a mass signature campaign on the university’s Shaheed Minar premises in the morning keeping the university’s main gate closed. Students were seen participating spontaneously in queues, providing their student ID numbers and signatures. Protesters said the collected signatures would be submitted to the higher authorities. Farhan Hasnat Adib, a third-year student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, said VC Prof Dr Abu Shadat Muhammad Sayem was removed without prior notice on September 21. “We staged a protest procession that night in response. The following day, we observed a complete shutdown at CUET. Today, on the second day of our movement, we are holding the mass signature campaign,” he said. The signatures would be sent to the higher authorities and that the students would continue their peaceful movement until their demand was met, he said. The students also reiterated that the peaceful movement would continue until their demand is fulfilled. Earlier on Sept. 21, students staged demonstrations after the authorities decided to remove Prof Dr Abu Shadat Muhammad Sayem as CUET Vice-Chancellor and appoint Prof Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology as his replacement. The protesting students later locked the VC’s residence and announced a shutdown of all academic and administrative activities at the university until further notice.  

The government on Wednesday approved proposals to procure 10,000 metric tonnes of lentils and 155,000 metric tonnes of MOP and DAP fertilisers at a total cost of around Tk 1,058 crore. The approvals came at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) held with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. Under the first proposal, the committee recommended the procurement of 10,000 metric tonnes of lentils in 50-kg sacks through the Open Tendering Method (OTM) under the Ministry of Commerce. Joytun Auto Rice & Dal Mills Ltd of Phultala, Khulna, was recommended as the supplier for the procurement at a total cost of Tk 76.89 crore. The price of the lentils was fixed at Tk 76.89 per kg. The committee also recommended the import of four lots of fertiliser under government-to-government (G2G) arrangements. Under the second item, 40,000 metric tonnes of MOP fertiliser will be imported from the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) under an agreement signed between CCC and the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) at Tk 189.67 crore. Another 40,000 metric tonnes of MOP fertiliser will be imported from CCC under the fourth lot of the agreement at Tk 189.67 crore. Under another state-level agreement between Russia’s JSC Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg) and BADC, the government will import 35,000 metric tonnes of MOP fertiliser. The procurement cost has been fixed at Tk 165.90 crore. Prodintorg, Russia, was recommended as the supplier. The committee also approved the import of 40,000 metric tonnes of DAP fertiliser from Saudi Arabia’s MA’ADEN under a state-level agreement with BADC. The fertilizer will cost Tk 437.37 crore. MA’ADEN was recommended as the supplier.  

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) has approved procurement of two additional cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar Energy Trading LLC under a long-term government-to-government agreement. The additional LNG cargoes are scheduled for delivery on November 6 and November 22, 2026, according to the proposal placed before the committee. The LNG will be procured at a price of JKM minus $0.02 per MMBtu, which is different from the price specified in the existing long-term contract. Qatar Energy Trading LLC was recommended as the supplier for the two additional cargoes. The proposal was placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presided over the CCGP meeting. The purchase is part of the government’s arrangements to ensure LNG supplies for meeting the country’s energy requirements.  

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an agreement with Denmark and Greenland designed to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. The deal could allow the United States to expand its military presence in Greenland while reducing tensions caused by Trump’s repeated calls for the island to become part of the United States. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, days after Trump announced plans to increase the U.S. military presence in Greenland while keeping the territory under Danish control. The arrangement would remain valid even if Greenland eventually becomes independent. “This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody,” Trump said shortly before the signing. “And for Greenland, it's going to be incredible.” Trump has sought to acquire Greenland since at least 2019. During his second term, he has also threatened to take control of the semiautonomous territory from Denmark, a fellow NATO member. When asked Tuesday whether the United States had abandoned the idea of acquiring Greenland, Trump did not directly answer. U.S. Military Has Maintained a Presence in Greenland for DecadesRepresentatives from the United States, Denmark and Greenland spent months negotiating the agreement in an effort to address U.S. security concerns about the resource-rich Arctic island. Trump’s interest in Greenland had created tensions within NATO. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously warned that a U.S. takeover could threaten the future of the Atlantic alliance. The dispute also caused concern among Greenland’s approximately 56,000 residents and strained relations between Washington, Copenhagen and their European Union partners. European countries responded by increasing security activities and financial assistance involving Greenland. Economic interests and the island’s natural resources have also influenced discussions about its future. Around two-thirds of Greenland lies within the Arctic Circle, where declining sea ice has created new potential shipping routes. The United States has maintained a military presence in Greenland for decades. Since 1945, however, that presence has declined from thousands of troops stationed across 17 bases and installations to about 200 personnel at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The facility supports U.S. and NATO operations involving missile warnings, missile defense and space surveillance. Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly before the agreement was signed, Trump said the United States would immediately begin developing a larger military presence in suitable locations, including the construction of two major bases. Denmark’s parliament approved legislation last year allowing U.S. military bases on Danish territory. The measure expanded on a 2023 agreement reached with the Biden administration that provided American forces with broad access to Danish air bases. Trump has previously argued that the United States must “take Greenland” to prevent Russia or China from gaining control of the territory. Although he has said he would prefer to negotiate a deal, he has also stated that the United States would obtain Greenland “one way or the other.” Agreement Would Continue if Greenland Gains IndependenceThe agreement, released by the three governments following the signing, permits the United States to modernize and expand its activities at Pituffik Space Base. It also allows Washington to establish defense areas at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east. The United States could establish additional defense areas and expand military facilities or operations elsewhere on the island. The agreement calls for contracts related to the construction, maintenance and removal of such facilities to be awarded to Greenlandic businesses whenever possible. The accord also provides the U.S. military with broad access across Greenland, including underwater routes. The three parties said they share an interest in ensuring U.S. military access to Greenland to help defend NATO territory, Greenland and North America, including through Trump’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system. Frederiksen said no specific decision had yet been made regarding that system. Countries outside NATO would be prohibited from establishing manned or unmanned military facilities in Greenland or maintaining a permanent military presence there unless all signatories agree. The agreement has no specified expiration date. If Greenland becomes independent, it would remain in NATO and assume the rights and responsibilities currently held by Denmark under the agreement. Signatories Describe the Deal as a Positive DevelopmentFrederiksen described the agreement as a long-term arrangement that benefits the United States, Greenland, Denmark and NATO as a whole. “Mr. President, you have been very clear: You don’t want adversaries to come too close,” she said. “I fully agree.” Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen described the agreement as a “win-win-win” arrangement, emphasizing the shared security interests of Greenland and the United States. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who played a role in easing tensions during the height of the dispute in January, also welcomed the agreement. In a post on X, he said the deal, together with NATO’s increasing involvement in Arctic security, would strengthen collective security and contribute to greater stability in the region. However, some Greenlandic officials said the tensions had damaged trust. Naaja Nathanielsen, one of Greenland’s two representatives in Denmark’s parliament and a former government minister, told The Associated Press that the dispute had been extremely difficult for Greenland’s population. She said many people had experienced fear and uncertainty about the possibility of losing their country and their livelihoods. Still, Nathanielsen described the new agreement as a major positive development and said it represented the first binding international agreement Greenland had signed as a country. She said it was an important step toward greater self-government and a stronger role for Greenland in international discussions. Frederiksen also expressed relief following the signing, saying that the Kingdom of Denmark was in a better position than it had been the previous day. She ended the post-signing news conference by joking that the participants would soon go out for a cold beer. Other NATO members also welcomed the development. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said the announcement was positive, although many details remained to be resolved. Rinkevics added that he hoped the Greenland dispute would now be settled, saying that the prolonged disagreement between close allies had been uncomfortable.

At least 11 people were killed and three others injured after three gunmen opened fire at a house party in South Africa, according to police. Police said one of the victims was a woman who was believed to be pregnant. The incident took place Tuesday night in KwaMakhutha township, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Durban on South Africa’s eastern coast. According to police, the victims were attending a gathering at the house when the attackers entered and began shooting. Authorities said they were conducting a search for the suspects.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved two proposals to import urea fertiliser under government-to-government (G2G) arrangements for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The approvals were made at a meeting of the committee after considering two proposals placed by the Ministry of Industries. Under the first proposal, the committee recommended policy approval for amending the existing G2G agreement with Fertiglobe Distribution Limited of the United Arab Emirates to allow the purchase of bulk granular urea fertiliser on both FOB (Free on Board) and CFR (Cost and Freight) terms during the 2026-27 fiscal year. The proposed amendment will enable Bangladesh to procure the fertiliser under either of the two internationally used delivery and pricing arrangements, according to the proposal. Under the second proposal, the committee recommended policy approval for signing an agreement with Foreign Economic Corporation Prodintorg for the import of prilled urea fertiliser during the 2026-27 fiscal year under a G2G arrangement. The decisions are part of the government’s arrangements for ensuring the supply of fertiliser for agricultural production during the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has attended 10 scheduled programmes on his first day at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, covering Bangladesh’s diplomatic, regional, humanitarian and economic interests, said his Adviser and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin on Tuesday. Briefing reporters at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, Mahdi said the day’s engagements covered multilateral, regional and bilateral issues, the Rohingya crisis and development cooperation. He said the Prime Minister began the day by attending a breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of delegation and their spouses before joining the opening session of the UN General Assembly’s high-level General Debate. At the regional level, Tarique Rahman held meetings with the prime minister of Bhutan and the vice-president of the Maldives, while he also held bilateral meetings with the prime minister of Haiti and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said the meetings focused on strengthening Bangladesh’s relations and partnerships with the countries concerned, including cooperation in areas of common interest. He said the meeting with the Turkish President covered the two countries’ comprehensive partnership, including defence, investment and cooperation at international and multilateral forums. “The Prime Minister of Bhutan also discussed the special relationship between the two countries and ways to further strengthen the partnership,” Kobir said. On the Rohingya crisis, Mahdi said the Prime Minister held separate meetings with UNHCR representatives and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar to discuss the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar. He also held a meeting with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, discussing Bangladesh’s development priorities and ways to strengthen the partnership with the global lender. After the meeting, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the World Bank agreed to support Bangladesh in dealing with external economic shocks related to oil, gas and supply-chain disruptions, as well as expanding support for youth entrepreneurship and employment programmes. Mahdi said the Prime Minister’s engagements also included discussions with international development partners and representatives of the technology sector. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said a high-level team nominated by the Prime Minister held talks with Meta in his absence due to time constraints. “As Bangladesh has a large number of Meta users, the discussions covered the company’s relationship with Bangladesh and issues related to the country’s digital platforms,” she said. Of the 12 programmes scheduled for the first day, the Prime Minister could not personally attend two due to time constraints — meetings with the European Council and Meta, Mahdi said. He said the Prime Minister’s engagements demonstrated the government’s efforts to put Bangladesh’s interests and the interests of its people at the centre of its international engagements. Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN AKM Wahiduzzaman, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony and Assistant Press Secretary KM Nazmul Haque Khan were present at the press briefing. Tarique Rahman is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Thursday, delivering his first speech at the world body as prime minister.

A book published Tuesday by the brother of the late Princess Diana has made headlines around the world with its damning allegations about Diana's ex-husband, now King Charles III, and reopened decades-old wounds within Britain's royal family. In "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," Charles Spencer alleges that he argued with the then-Prince Charles over palace plans for Prince William and Prince Harry, then 15 and 12, to walk behind their mother's coffin during her 1997 funeral procession. Spencer says he told Charles that Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris at the age of 36, would not have wanted her boys to undergo the ordeal. He claims the prince "went ballistic" during the argument, and told him: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." Spencer also accuses Charles of having "contempt" for his ex-wife and of sounding "elated" after her death. After excerpts of the book were published last week, Buckingham Palace responded with a strongly worded statement that's rare by the measured standards of the royal household. "His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss," it said. Spencer has stood by his claims, insisting to the BBC that he is telling the truth. On the royal rebuttal, he asked: "Is he furious or is he embarrassed?" War of words draws renewed attention to Charles and Diana's stormy history Charles, then 32, married 20-year-old Lady Diana Spencer in a lavish ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral in 1981. The couple divorced in 1996, and a decade later Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla. Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, has long clashed with the royals over their treatment of his older sister. Tensions between the palace and the Spencer family following her death were dramatized in the film "The Queen" and the Netflix series "The Crown." In a searing eulogy at his sister's funeral, Spencer vowed that her "blood family" would carry on her "imaginative and loving" legacy in raising her two sons. The speech was widely considered a swipe at the royals. At the time, many in Britain and beyond felt Queen Elizabeth II and her kin were too slow to acknowledge the global outpouring of grief over Diana's death and that the monarchy was deeply out of touch with the public mood. Diana tried to break off engagement to Charles and back out of wedding After days of news stories that pitted one Charles against another, the book landed in shops with a new offering of salacious allegations. Spencer says his sister tried to break off her engagement after discovering Prince Charles had bought a bracelet for Camilla. She also tried to back out of the wedding, telling her father it was clear Charles didn't love her. "My father was appalled and said it was impossible to pull out of such an enormous commitment at that point," Spencer wrote. Diana had suicidal thoughts and more than once drove to the famous chalk cliffs at Beachy Head on the south coast of England and considered "ending it all," her brother said. Spencer, like his nephew Prince Harry, holds the press responsible for the car crash that killed Diana, saying the paparazzi were the "leading cause of her death." 'Swan Song' is in ample supply and offered at half price The book was prominently displayed in windows and stacked on tables in London bookshops. The 28-pound ($37.43) hardback was offered Tuesday at half price in some shops and early sales were not brisk. Mary Scheible, a retired pharmacist visiting from Atlanta, said she couldn't wait to get back to her hotel to start reading it. Scheible was married the same year as Diana and Charles and has always been fascinated with the princess's story. "I wanted to see her brother's side of the story and what he had to say," Scheible said. "I'd really like to read the book in its entirety and see if what's being said is really what he's trying to convey in the book or not." The Telegraph gave the book a two-star review (out of five) and called it a "monument" to Spencer's ego and not a book about his sister. The Times of London said it went beyond defending Diana to launch a "Shakespearean blood feud between two aristocratic houses — a Montague-versus-Capulet drama played out in Barbour jackets and tweed where an 'ancient grudge' becomes 'new mutiny.'" After broadcaster Piers Morgan threatened to sue over allegations of what he called "examples of brazen falsity," Spencer apologized for getting at least one of his facts wrong. But he reiterated that Morgan was surly when Spencer told him he was not welcome at his sister's funeral. Morgan said he still planned to sue to have the "lies" removed from the book. Charles Spencer says press treatment of Harry echoes that of his mother The royals have spent decades putting that period of crisis behind them. The warmer, more personable approach of William and Harry — and, in recent years, the king — is a legacy of that time. In his book, Spencer also criticized the royals for what he described as a "lack of obvious care" for the then 12-year-old Harry. He recounted how "tiny, and slight, and bereft" his nephew looked after the funeral. "He needed Diana's hugs, of course, and they would forever be denied him," he wrote. "But instead of calm and nurture, he was allowed to spin out of control." Some critics have questioned why Spencer felt the need to revisit the pain and trauma 30 years on. The aristocrat said he wanted to write down his own thoughts and memories about Diana, "once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths." Asked if the relationship between the press and Harry and his wife, Meghan, mirrors the way the media treated his sister, Spencer told the BBC: "(Diana) was really brought low by all that criticism. I suppose it's a pity when I see echoes of that now." Penguin Press said the book will be published globally and translated into 12 languages.

Concerns over the possibility of artificial intelligence taking control of the internet are gaining fresh attention as researchers witness increasingly autonomous AI systems accessing online networks and, in at least one case, communicating with one another. The prospect of a swarm of AI agents taking over the internet could be just six to 12 months away, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned in an essay this month, in which he urged the industry to slow the development of the technology. Skeptics point out that incidents described by companies as AI agents going rogue have involved bots pursuing objectives assigned by humans. Other researchers and experts, however, say the possibility of AI systems breaking away from human control and pursuing their own agendas is becoming increasingly plausible. An AI takeover of the internet is among several doomsday scenarios receiving renewed attention. Such an event could potentially involve attacks on electrical grids, water and transportation systems, as well as financial institutions. The vulnerability of the internet was demonstrated in 2024 when a faulty software update from a cybersecurity company caused widespread technological disruption. The incident grounded flights, affected some financial companies and news organizations, and disrupted hospitals, small businesses and government offices. The scale of those outages also underscored the world's reliance on a relatively small number of providers for critical computing services. Amodei said two years later that a botnet — a network of AI bots connected through malware — could potentially cause billions of dollars in damage. The potential destruction could become even greater if AI systems grow more powerful without adequate safeguards, he said. Several AI agents gain unauthorized internet access Amodei cited a July incident in which an OpenAI system escaped from a "sandbox" testing environment and hacked Hugging Face. OpenAI described the episode as "unprecedented," saying its advanced AI models gained access to the internet and used stolen credentials to infiltrate servers belonging to the AI startup. In a separate incident, OpenAI disclosed that its AI agents had communicated with each other through a public wiki that served as a shared message board. Some researchers have cautioned that referring to such incidents as "rogue AI" may wrongly attribute human-like intentions to AI agents that were simply carrying out instructions given by people. "AI agents did exactly what they were trained to do. The security of those sandboxes was extremely lax," said Vishal Misra, a professor and vice dean of computing and AI at Columbia University. "No security engineer would ever let that system run. These agents communicated because they were rewarded for communicating with each other," he said. Juan Andrés Guerrero-Saade, a researcher at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne and a member of OpenAI's Frontier Risk Council, described the Hugging Face incident as an example of negligence rather than a case of a highly capable AI system independently going rogue. Nevertheless, the possibility of AI agents operating freely on the internet raises serious concerns, regardless of what objectives they are pursuing. Anthony Aguirre, president and CEO of the Future of Life Institute, a nonprofit focused on reducing risks posed by emerging technologies, said an AI system seeking to circumvent restrictions in order to achieve its objectives could potentially contact a cloud computing provider and find ways to operate on external systems. "So now you're no longer tethered to OpenAI, you're running on some other GPU, some other hardware that you're in control of, not OpenAI," Aguirre said. "So now there's no one to turn you off, because either you're paying for your service or the people who are paying just don't know that you're there and what is happening. … They can't unplug you," he said. From there, an AI system could potentially replicate and spread by hacking additional hardware or finding ways to obtain money, including through Bitcoin, Aguirre said. AI raises stakes in cybersecurity cat-and-mouse game More powerful AI models are expected to increase the likelihood of AI-assisted cyberattacks in the near future. However, some AI experts consider the idea of bots taking over the highly fragmented internet far-fetched. Cybersecurity has long been a cat-and-mouse contest, with defensive capabilities advancing alongside increasingly sophisticated attacks. While major companies such as Google may be able to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses, smaller organizations — including schools, hospitals and water treatment facilities — can take years to patch software and establish adequate protections. An AI system may have no obvious reason to target a hospital, Aguirre said. But when financial incentives such as ransomware or geopolitical motives are involved, the risk becomes more apparent. "It's not hard to see an adversary using these AI systems to hack critical infrastructure," Aguirre said. John Thickstun, an assistant professor of computer science at Cornell University who studies methods for controlling AI model behavior, said attackers will likely encounter growing pains as they search for vulnerable targets online, but an AI takeover of the internet is unlikely anytime soon. He said such concerns would become more realistic if there were theoretical evidence that an AI model could replicate itself across other computer systems. "Then you can imagine things can get really out of hand because suddenly you're shutting this model down here and there but it's popping up over in Russia, you can't even get to Russia and it's all over the place," Thickstun said. "But it's completely unrealistic because the current smart versions of these models that we have require massive data centers just to run them," he said. "There's actually very little computing infrastructure out there in the world that is actually capable of hosting these systems," Thickstun added.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200 million loan to help Bangladesh modernise and strengthen its power distribution network in peri-urban areas surrounding Dhaka, improving the reliability, efficiency and resilience of electricity supply for businesses and households. The Power Distribution Network Enhancement Project will support the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) in upgrading electricity distribution infrastructure across 13 Palli Bidyut Samities (PBSs)—or electric cooperatives—serving rapidly growing industrial and urban areas around Dhaka, it said. Under the ADB-supported Integrated Growth Network Development initiative, the project will help address overloaded substations, aging infrastructure, power losses, and increasing natural hazard risks that constrain electric service delivery. “As Bangladesh advances its vision of becoming a more prosperous, resilient, and globally competitive economy, modern power distribution networks will be essential to sustaining growth, creating more jobs, and attracting investment,” said ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Qingfeng Zhang. “This project will help future-proof the power system in key growth corridors around Dhaka through advanced technologies, stronger infrastructure, and enhanced resilience measures, ensuring that businesses and communities have the reliable electricity they need to thrive,” he said. The project will install 1,150 megavolt-amperes of new transformer capacity across 52 substations and increase the capacity of 12 existing substations by 115 megavolt-amperes. It will also construct or upgrade more than 2,600 kilometers of overhead and underground distribution lines and install insulated conductors to improve network reliability, efficiency, and safety. To modernise system operations, the project will build river-crossing transmission structures and switching stations and deploy 900 fault locator sets for faster fault detection and service restoration. Bangladesh achieved universal electrification in 2022, but rising electricity demand driven by rapid urbanisation and industrial growth continues to increase pressure on the power network, said an ADB press release. The project will help strengthen the distribution system’s ability to meet growing demand while supporting the country’s natural hazard-resilient and low-carbon development goals. ADB’s dedicated resilience financing for the project amounts to $146.52 million, including support for adaptation tools such as an environment-friendly gas-insulated switchgear technology, cutting annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 203,751 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent through improved distribution efficiency and reduced technical losses. The project will strengthen the institutional capacity of BREB and PBSs through training in digital system integration, cybersecurity, natural hazard-resilient operations, environmental and social safeguards, and financial management. By strengthening the financial sustainability of PBSs, it will help attract greater private sector participation and investments. The project will also promote practices responsive to the needs of women and girls, including measures to boost women’s participation in the power sector and improve workplace conditions. ADB’s assistance is complemented by $107.95 million in cofinancing from the Government of Bangladesh and $141.39 million from BREB.  A $1 million technical assistance grant from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund, administered by ADB, will support institutional development, financial sustainability planning, and implementation of innovative technologies.

A single digital identity will become the main gateway for accessing various government services in Bangladesh, as the government is working to build an AI-driven Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Prime Minister’s Telecommunications and ICT Adviser Rehan Asad has said. “We want to implement the best and safest DPI and digital ID in the world,” Asad said. Speaking at a high-level side event of the United Nations in New York on Tuesday, he said Bangladesh has already started developing the system and plans to launch it within the next 18 to 24 months. The event, jointly organised by the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), brought together ministers and senior officials from different countries and regions to discuss the development and management of DPI. Bangladesh was the only country from the Asia-Pacific region represented on the panel. The adviser said Bangladesh has begun developing its digital ID and broader DPI infrastructure by learning from best practices and experiences from different countries. “We have started this journey. It will take time; there is no shortcut. But we are building the foundation for our future,” he said. The event discussed how DPIs developed by different countries can be made interoperable, particularly how such systems can work across national borders. As part of its efforts to build its own DPI infrastructure, Bangladesh is also working with Estonia’s X-Road, Asad said. X-Road is widely regarded as an important model for securely exchanging information among different government systems. The event also highlighted initiatives from several countries. Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, for example, are jointly working on cross-border digital systems, while Rwanda is pursuing the use of digital IDs for accessing government services and verifying identities across borders in East Africa. The European Union is also moving towards interoperable digital identity wallets. Under common EU standards, each member state will introduce at least one wallet. Through these wallets, citizens will be able to securely verify their identities and share digital documents and identity-related information even outside their home countries. According to Asad, Rwanda’s initiative aims to reduce the need for citizens to visit government offices for services such as obtaining birth registrations and various certificates. At the same time, regional interoperability will allow citizens of one country to use their digital identities in another country, he said. The event also discussed security, privacy and trust in the use of DPI, as well as how AI can safely support the use of such infrastructure. The UN’s broader DPI security initiative seeks to address security, privacy and governance risks while developing digital systems at scale. Asad said DPI and digital ID will play an important role in the delivery of government services worldwide in the future. “The key point is that this is not just a Bangladesh or Asia-Pacific issue. In the future, DPI and digital ID will become the centre of government service delivery,” he said. He also stressed the need for closer cooperation among countries and regions to ensure that their digital systems can work with one another while maintaining trust and security.

India retained their Asian Games women's cricket title on Tuesday, beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final in Japan. Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat. India made 216 for 3, the highest team total in women's cricket at the Asian Games. Sri Lanka had never chased more than 177 to win a T20 international, and they never came close this time either. They were all out for 69 in 15.4 overs. The margin is India's biggest win by runs in T20 internationals, beating the 142-run win over Malaysia at the 2018 Asia Cup. It is also Sri Lanka's heaviest T20 defeat by runs. Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 79 off 45 balls. Along the way she became the first woman to reach 11,000 runs in international cricket. She needed 13 when she walked out. Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on 99 in the first 10 overs. Shafali made 48 off 29 balls and broke South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt's record for most T20 runs in a calendar year. Wolvaardt set the mark of 824 earlier this year. Shafali now has 863 from the same 24 innings. Richa Ghosh finished the innings with an unbeaten 49 off 22 balls, adding 53 off 19 with Fulmali. Sri Lanka were 41 for 2 after the powerplay but lost four wickets for 11 runs in the next four overs. Captain Chamari Athapaththu made 29. Off-spinner Deepti Sharma took 3 for 6. India have now won both Asian Games women's cricket golds, including Hangzhou 2022. Earlier, Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 31 runs to take bronze.

Salman Khan used the latest episode of Bigg Boss 20 to speak out against online trolling, body-shaming and what he called inappropriate paparazzi photographs of female celebrities. During the show’s “Weekend Ka Vaar,” Salman addressed trolls who criticized his former girlfriend Katrina Kaif over her postpartum weight following her appearance at a Ganapati Utsav in Mumbai last week. “Why do you troll somebody who gets pregnant? Pregnant hone ke baad everyone puts on weight… Jab woh pictures mein wapas aayegi toh woh fit aayengi… she wants to spend time with her family,” Salman said. A video clip of his comments quickly went viral, with social media users praising the actor and calling him “Pookie,” a Gen Z term of affection for someone seen as standing up for a good cause. “If green flag had a face,” one user wrote, while another commented, “Green flag to ab Salman Khan lagne laga mujhe.” Salman also addressed criticism about his age, saying he knows people mock him for growing older. “Of course, I'm 60 years old, yaar,” he said. “You cannot be Maine Pyar Kiya all the time… this age has become a topic suddenly. Log kehte hain woh budha ho gaya hai… what do you want to troll… mujhe pata hai mujhe kaun kaun troll karta hai… hum react nahin karte… humare fans club itne saare hain… humko kya farak padta hai… bolne do inko.” At one point, Salman removed his shirt and hat, wiped off his makeup on camera and challenged trolls to criticize him. He then showed his physique, making it clear that he was not affected by the comments. He also defended his brother Sohail Khan and others who have faced online ridicule. “Pehle apne aap ko dekho, apne jism ko dekho uske baad karna yeh sab… apne maa baap ko dekho… uske baad troll karna… mazak udana Sohail ke upar, Varun ke upar it's not done,” he said. “Jitna trolling karna hai kar lo, phate hue joote bhi pehenta hoon,” Salman added. Salman criticises paparazzi Salman also criticized paparazzi for photographing actresses from behind and taking what he described as inappropriate shots. “Paparazzi hip shots lete hain, taangon ke shots lete hain, aur agar peeche se shot mil jaaye toh woh bhi lete hain. None of these heroines, none of the girls like it,” he said. Referring to his niece, he added, “Meri apni niece chal rahi hoti hai, toh peeche se uska shot le rahe hain aur caption daalte hain ‘Pehchaano ye kaun hai?’” “I am saying all this to girls: agar aisa ho toh ghoom ke ek chamat maaro aur bolo, ‘Apni maa-behen ka shot le lo.’ Disgusting people! What is this mentality?” Salman said. Salman and Katrina reportedly began dating in the mid-2000s after working together. Katrina later said in a 2011 interview with Cosmopolitan that Salman was her first serious relationship. Katrina has been married to Vicky Kaushal since 2021. The couple welcomed their first child, son Vihaan, last November.  #From NDTV 

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman have attended a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for world leaders attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The dinner was held at the luxury Lotte New York Palace hotel in New York on Tuesday night. Heads of state and government of UN member states and their spouses attended the dinner. Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Dr Zubaida Rahman attended a breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of state and government and their spouses. The Prime Minister is in New York to attend the 81st session of the UNGA. He is scheduled to deliver his maiden address in the global body on Thursday.

Dhaka ranked 50th among the world's most polluted cities on Wednesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 55 at 10:22 am. The air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that the air quality is generally acceptable, although unusually sensitive people may experience some health effects, according to the AQI scale. Pakistan's Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 207. DR Congo’s Kinshasa and Kuching of the Malaysia ranked second and third, respectively, with AQI scores of 198 and 177. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered its economic growth forecast for Bangladesh to 4.0% for fiscal year (FY) 2027 from 4.5% projected in its July outlook, while forecasting 3.7% growth for FY2026. According to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) latest report, the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2026, released on Wednesday, Economic activity slowed in the final quarter of FY2026 due to supply chain disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East, although the impact is expected to be limited. The improved growth outlook reflects stronger consumption and investment as political uncertainty eases following the general election in early 2026. Inflation eased to an estimated 8.7% in FY2026 from 10.0% in FY2025, but is forecast to rise to 9.0% in FY2027. Inflation is expected to remain elevated due to energy shortages, high production and transport costs, potential shipping disruptions, the delayed effects of El Niño on food prices, and gradually easing monetary conditions. The current account deficit is projected to widen to 0.6% of GDP in FY2027 from an estimated 0.3% in FY2026, as import growth outpaces exports. Remittance inflows are expected to remain resilient despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Strong remittances and higher foreign exchange reserves will help support external stability, although maintaining stability will depend on adequate financial inflows, exchange rate flexibility, and prudent macroeconomic management. The report notes that the services and agriculture sectors are expected to support growth in FY2027. However, industry and investment are likely to remain constrained by high borrowing costs, limited access to credit, energy shortages, weak external demand, and other structural challenges. Private consumption, supported by remittances, is expected to remain the main driver of growth, although high inflation will continue to reduce household purchasing power. The report projects  significant downside risks. A prolonged conflict in the Middle East, higher oil prices, further disruptions to global shipping, tighter trade restrictions, weaker growth in major export markets, continued exchange rate pressures, additional stress in the banking sector, delays in fiscal reforms, lower-than-expected development spending, and climate-related shocks could weaken growth and keep inflation elevated. ADB Country Director Qingfeng Zhang said Bangladesh’s economy is beginning to recover, but the recovery remains vulnerable to external shocks and domestic constraints. “This is an important moment to accelerate reforms in macroeconomic management, the financial sector, energy security, and the business environment. These reforms will be essential to unlock private investment, create quality jobs, and place Bangladesh on a stronger, more inclusive, and resilient growth path”. He mentioned that ADB stands ready to support Bangladesh in translating these reforms into tangible results for its people.

President Donald Trump said U.S. and Iranian officials met Tuesday in an unexpected diplomatic engagement, shortly after he warned in his address to the U.N. General Assembly that he could “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if an agreement is not reached soon to end the nearly seven-month war. Trump told reporters that his chief envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with Iranian officials for about three hours on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders. He provided few details about how the talks unfolded or what was discussed. “It was a very good meeting,” Trump said, later adding that the Iranian officials were “not the highest level, but it’s something.” Witkoff said in a post on X that the discussions took place through mediators who moved between the U.S. and Iranian teams. He said he was hopeful the effort “will prove constructive and promising.” The talks came after months of stalled U.S.-Iran communications following the collapse of a brief ceasefire brokered in June. U.S. and Iranian negotiators separately met with Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Doha in early July for indirect talks. Earlier Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump was open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian while both were in New York for the General Assembly. “This is a president that will meet with anybody for the most part, because he believes that engaging with people is important if you're going to solve problems,” Rubio said on NBC’s “Today” show. “It doesn't mean you're going to end up agreeing with them, but it's important.” Trump also met Tuesday with leaders and senior officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — as well as Jordan, to discuss the way forward in the war with Iran. In his General Assembly address, Trump defended his decision to launch the war with Iran, arguing that he had shown resolve while other leaders had hesitated. But he also suggested he may be facing a turning point in the conflict, while urging Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations to reach a settlement. “I have a big decision to make,” Trump said. “Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump made the remarks during a wide-ranging address in which he also celebrated the U.S. military operation this year that removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, praised a new agreement expanding the U.S. military presence in Greenland and opposed calls for greater regulation of artificial intelligence. A central theme of the speech, however, was Trump's defense of the war and his rejection of the idea that Iran had demonstrated resilience. “The terrorist regime is behaving badly, not because they are strong and confident, but because they are weak and desperate,” Trump said. Most members of Iran’s delegation left the chamber as Trump criticized the Islamic Republic. Trump’s speech begins busy day of diplomacy After his speech, Trump met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on the sidelines of the General Assembly to sign a new security agreement. The agreement, announced last week, followed repeated threats by Trump to “take over” Greenland, a territory of NATO ally Denmark, by military force if necessary. Trump said Tuesday that the United States would immediately begin work on expanding its military presence in Greenland, including “building two very major military bases.” Under the agreement, Greenland will remain Danish territory. Trump also held talks on the sidelines of the General Assembly with new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Trump and Rodríguez met Tuesday evening at a reception, marking their first engagement since Trump ordered a U.S. operation in January to capture Maduro and bring him to New York to face federal narcoterrorism and drug-trafficking charges. Maduro’s lawyers have objected to the U.S. military operation that removed him from power. Iran war looms over General Assembly Trump’s visit to the U.N. came as his foreign policy approach, particularly his decision to launch the war with Iran, has become a political issue for Republicans ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. Nevertheless, Trump argued in his speech that the world is better off under his leadership. “I have no interest in leaving dangers to grow for another day,” he said. In last year’s address to the U.N., Trump claimed the United States had “demolished” Iran’s nuclear capabilities after ordering the June 2025 bombardment of three key facilities. He returned to the General Assembly as the new war with Iran approached its seventh month, continuing to argue that it is necessary to counter the nuclear threat posed by the Islamic Republic. The conflict has become increasingly complicated even as U.S. and Israeli strikes have killed much of Iran’s top leadership and destroyed its air force and navy. A U.S. blockade of Iranian oil has also severely damaged Tehran’s economy. The war continues to unsettle energy markets, with oil prices remaining elevated. Saudi Arabia earlier this month shut down a key pipeline that had served as an alternative route for oil blocked in the Gulf after the pipeline was attacked by Iran-backed militants in Iraq. Meanwhile, territorial actions by Yemen-based Houthi rebels, another Iranian-backed group, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait have made the Red Sea shipping route increasingly dangerous for oil carriers. Trump’s frustration grows over Russia-Ukraine war Trump also addressed Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine, a conflict he predicted during his 2024 campaign would be resolved on the first day of his second term. He again expressed hope that the fighting would soon end. Trump has made clear that his patience is being tested by Ukraine’s attacks on Russian diesel refineries, which have contributed to volatility in global oil markets, as well as Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Trump noted that he signed a new sanctions bill last week targeting Moscow. The legislation gives him the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas. The law includes an exception for countries importing less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and taking significant steps to reduce those imports. Trump, however, has yet to impose the penalties. “If necessary, I will have to use them,” Trump said. “It’s time to stop the killing.”

U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland, the semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, first became public in 2019. The following is a timeline of developments that have since contributed to tensions between Washington and its European allies. August 2019: During his first term, Trump expresses interest in purchasing Greenland but says it is “not No. 1 on the burner.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismisses the idea as “an absurd discussion.” Trump later says he canceled a planned trip to Denmark after Frederiksen made a “nasty” statement rejecting his proposal. Dec. 22, 2024: Weeks before beginning his second term, Trump revives his interest in Greenland, declaring that “the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede responds that “we are not for sale and will never be for sale.” Jan. 7, 2025: Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., visits Greenland. Trump, then president-elect, says he will not rule out using military force to take control of the territory. March 11, 2025: Greenlanders elect a new parliament, with Jens-Frederik Nielsen’s Demokraatit party emerging victorious. Soon afterward, all five parties represented in the legislature reject Trump’s calls for U.S. control of Greenland. March 27, 2025: Four of the five parties in Greenland’s parliament agree to form a coalition government, with Nielsen as prime minister. March 28, 2025: Vice President JD Vance visits the U.S. Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and accuses Denmark of failing to invest sufficiently in the island’s security. March 29, 2025: Denmark’s foreign minister criticizes the tone of U.S. criticism. Trump says he has never taken “military force off the table.” Aug. 27, 2025: Denmark’s Foreign Ministry summons the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen after a Danish broadcaster reports that at least three people linked to Trump have been conducting covert influence operations in Greenland. Dec. 21, 2025: Trump announces that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry will serve as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland. Landry says it is an honor to serve in the role “to make Greenland a part of the U.S.” Dec. 22, 2025: The leaders of Denmark and Greenland reiterate that the United States will not take over Greenland. Denmark’s foreign minister says he will summon the U.S. ambassador. Jan. 4, 2026: Discussion of a possible U.S. takeover of Greenland intensifies after the United States removes Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela. Jan. 5, 2026: Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen says an American military takeover of Greenland would effectively mark the end of NATO. Jan. 6, 2026: Major European leaders join Frederiksen in issuing a statement defending Greenland’s sovereignty. The White House says “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option” for Trump. Jan. 8, 2026: Trump says in an interview that the United States needs to possess all of Greenland rather than simply rely on a longstanding treaty that gives Washington broad access to the territory for military purposes. Jan. 13, 2026: Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen says Greenland would choose Denmark “if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now.” Jan. 14, 2026: The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers meet in Washington with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They agree to establish a working group, but Denmark and the White House subsequently give sharply different accounts of its purpose. Denmark announces plans to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic, while several European allies say they will send small numbers of troops to Greenland for Arctic security reconnaissance. Danish media later report that Copenhagen prepared for a potential conflict, including deploying explosives and blood supplies. Jan. 16, 2026: Trump says he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support U.S. control of Greenland. Jan. 17, 2026: Trump says he will impose a 10% import tax beginning in February on goods from eight European countries because of their opposition to U.S. control of Greenland. Jan. 19, 2026: In a text exchange with Norway’s prime minister, Trump links his position on Greenland to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and says he no longer feels “an obligation to think purely of Peace.” Jan. 21, 2026: Hours after saying he wants Greenland “including right, title and ownership,” Trump withdraws the threatened tariffs against European countries. He says he reached an agreement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security. Jan. 28, 2026: Technical discussions involving the United States, Denmark and Greenland on an Arctic security agreement begin. Feb. 21, 2026: Trump says he will send a hospital ship to Greenland, claiming many people there are sick and lack adequate medical care. His announcement comes after Denmark’s military says its forces evacuated a crew member from a U.S. submarine off Greenland for urgent medical treatment. Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen responds, “no thank you,” to the proposed hospital ship. July 7, 2026: Trump renews tensions ahead of a NATO summit, saying Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.” Frederiksen reiterates that Greenland is “not for sale” and says Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory” in the event of an attack. Sept. 18, 2026: Trump announces that he has reached a deal to strengthen the U.S. military presence in Greenland. Danish officials respond cautiously, with Frederiksen emphasizing that the planned agreement recognizes Denmark’s sovereignty and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination. Sept. 22, 2026: Trump signs an agreement with Denmark and Greenland to expand the U.S. military presence, describing it as “tremendous for everyone.” However, he does not respond to questions about whether his effort to acquire Greenland is now off the table.

Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer Bin Abiyah has reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s deep appreciation for its longstanding and distinguished relations with Bangladesh. "The bonds between our two brotherly countries are founded on mutual respect, friendship and cooperation, and continue to develop across numerous fields for the benefit of both nations and their peoples," he said in a special message on the occasion of the 96th Saudi National Day, which falls on September 23. The Saudi Ambassador hosted a reception at a hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday evening to celebrate the glorious national occasion. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan spoke as the chief guest at the reception and highlighted various aspects of the growing bilateral relations. Opposition Leader in Parliament and Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, political and business leaders, and diplomats stationed in Dhaka were present. "We renew our commitment to the Kingdom’s continued progress, prosperity, and development, and look forward with confidence and optimism to an even brighter future," said the Saudi Ambassador in his message. On the occasion of the 96th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, he extended his warmest congratulations and sincere greetings to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, as well as to the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "This cherished national occasion represents a proud moment for every Saudi citizen, and for those who live and love Saudi Arabia, as we celebrate the remarkable journey of our Kingdom since its unification by the Founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, and reflect on the achievements that have shaped modern Saudi Arabia," he said. The Ambassador said Saudi Arabia stands at an important stage of its development journey. "Under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Kingdom continues to advance the ambitious objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, transforming its economy, empowering its people, strengthening its international partnerships and creating new opportunities across diverse sectors," he said. The achievements made in recent years reflect the determination and ambition of the Saudi people, said the Saudi envoy. "From economic diversification and investment to tourism, culture, technology, education, healthcare and quality of life, the Kingdom is witnessing a comprehensive transformation that is opening new horizons for the future," he said. The National Day theme, “Our Pride Is in Our Nature”, embodies the values that have always characterised Saudi society: generosity, hospitality, determination, authenticity and pride in its national identity, said the Saudi envoy, noting that these values remain an important foundation for the Kingdom as it moves confidently towards the future. "May the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continue to enjoy security, stability, prosperity and sustainable development under the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince," he said.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton opened this year's Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York on Tuesday, urging participants to pledge to “step into the void created by retreating governments” following cuts to foreign assistance by the United States and other countries. “We know that we can't completely fill the hole that retreating governments are leaving behind,” Clinton said, adding that philanthropy and other sectors would need to develop new ideas and find resources to preserve progress already made on key issues. He made the appeal after opening the conference by challenging President Donald Trump and his administration on several fronts. “I suppose I could take my entire allotted time to discuss the self-evident wisdom of building an Arc de Triomphe in Washington to hold all our drones,” Clinton joked. “Some of this stuff it's hard to make up.” After the laughter died down, Clinton more seriously explained his disagreement with the notion that “cooperation is not important, that winning is important in the short run.” The Clinton Global Initiative has brought together political, business and philanthropic leaders for more than two decades to address global challenges. Donna McKay, president and CEO of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, unveiled one of the new initiatives at Tuesday's conference. New funding ideas for research and democracy BCRF Ventures, the foundation's first venture philanthropy fund, is a $100 million initiative launched Tuesday with an $11 million donation from philanthropists Karen and Rob Hale to finance its creation and initial investments and encourage additional donors to contribute. “It makes sense that at this point in time when there are extraordinary advances happening that BCRF throw everything that we can at research and science,” McKay told The Associated Press in an interview. “What this venture philanthropy program will do is try to fast-track advances and get them to patients as quickly as possible,” she said. The new initiative will not replace BCRF's traditional grants to breast cancer researchers. The foundation expanded that grantmaking last year amid federal funding cuts for medical research. The venture philanthropy fund aims to use returns from successful companies it supports to invest in additional companies. “The success of one breakthrough has the potential to finance the next and the next,” McKay said. Stacey Abrams, a former Georgia state representative and leader of the vote mobilization and education nonprofit 10 Steps Campaign, announced a coalition of democracy-focused nonprofits that will launch the Democracy Index Fund. The fund will pool resources to support pro-democracy organizations, while the Democracy Hedge Fund will seek to generate revenue while also providing support to such organizations. “Authoritarians have a playbook. They also have a budget,” Abrams said while announcing the new funds. “And now, so should we.” ‘This is a moment to give out money. Lots of it. Right now.’ Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, outlined an approach that she described as common sense but is still considered radical by many in philanthropic circles. “This is an invitation that I give to donors, to foundations in the room, to anybody who has a rich cousin, this is a moment to give out money,” she said. “Lots of it. Right now.” Rojas said the current level of need is extraordinary and should be met with equally extraordinary action. The Marguerite Casey Foundation announced in June that it planned to increase its annual giving to at least $500 million over the next decade to ease some of the pressure on communities it serves following federal funding cuts. In 2025, the foundation drew from its endowment to distribute $135 million. “There was greater risk in inaction,” Rojas said, explaining a step many nonprofits would avoid because it could put future investment earnings at risk. “The greatest risk we face is sitting on a set of resources that communities across this country desperately need to protect their neighbors, to be able to build relationships with one another, to have their needs met,” she said. In an interview with The Associated Press, Rojas said her foundation's strategy had encouraged others to adopt a similar approach. She also wants foundations to reconsider the requirement that they distribute 5% of their assets annually to retain their tax-exempt status, arguing that the requirement should be viewed as a floor rather than a ceiling. Ford Foundation President Heather Gerken urged conference participants to continue imagining what they want to achieve. “As much as we are in the trenches and fighting the fight, we need to look out over the horizon,” she said. “The reason we are here is that we have had a democracy that has not served everyone. And so we need to figure out how to dream a new democracy into existence.”

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham made a positive first impression on U.S. President Donald Trump at their first meeting on Tuesday, with Trump playing down differences over the Middle East and describing the new British leader as “a natural business person.” The two leaders met for more than the scheduled 30 minutes on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where Burnham, in his first address to the global gathering, warned about the dangers posed by unchecked artificial intelligence and socially damaging disinformation. It was a baptism of fire for Burnham, who went from serving as mayor of Manchester in northwest England to leading a G7 country within weeks. Despite British concerns about how the meeting would unfold, Trump said, as the two leaders sat before U.K. and U.S. flags, that trans-Atlantic relations were “more up than they were with your last prime minister.” “Based on our relationship with the prime minister, Andy, I think we're doing very well,” Trump said. British officials are aware that Trump can be unpredictable. He initially developed a warm relationship with Burnham's predecessor, Keir Starmer, before tensions emerged over Britain's refusal to join the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. There was therefore relief among British officials that Burnham emerged largely unscathed from his first meeting with a president who had once dismissed him as “the mayor of a town.” “We don't hold it against you,” Burnham said. Burnham acknowledged differences between the U.S. and U.K., saying Trump had been “good enough to listen to us” on issues including trade and the Falkland Islands. Trump has recently raised questions about the future of the British-controlled South Atlantic archipelago, which is also claimed by Argentina, where it is known as the Malvinas. Britain and Argentina fought a brief war over the islands in 1982. On another potential source of tension, Britain's decision to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Trump said he was unaware of the issue. Chagos Islands remain a point of contention Trump's strongest criticism was directed at Britain's plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. The U.K. says the agreement would safeguard the future of the strategic U.S. military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands. However, ratification of the deal has stalled after the Trump administration withdrew its support, and British officials acknowledge that the agreement is now in limbo. Trump described it as “a terrible deal” involving “a very important piece of real estate, militarily and strategically.” “I think the prime minister is going to be looking at it,” he said. Burnham said Britain was working to reach an agreement and expressed confidence that it could do so with its U.S. partners. Before the meeting, Burnham said he would discuss with Trump ways to end the on-and-off war between the U.S. and Iran, which has disrupted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed global fuel prices higher. Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure are adding to the problem, making Burnham's pledge to ease cost-of-living pressures for British voters more difficult. As he traveled to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders, Burnham announced that he had authorized limited military support for Saudi Arabia to help repel attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. He said a Royal Air Force plane would refuel Saudi jets involved in “defensive” operations to shoot down Houthi missiles. Burnham also said he would urge Trump to increase U.S. support for Ukraine by providing air-defense missiles ahead of another winter of Russian attacks. It remained unclear whether he made progress on that issue. Burnham focuses on AI in UN speech In his address to the General Assembly, Burnham argued that Britain could play both a leading and cautionary role in the rapid development of artificial intelligence. He said world leaders must heed warnings about AI and establish global standards to oversee the technology, because “fundamental decisions on this technology are too important to be left to chance.” Burnham said AI has enormous potential but could also be “a source of disruption to the way we live and work – and a multiplier of risk.” “We've all heard the warnings – which we must heed,” he said. Burnham said the U.K. would seek to persuade other countries to adopt rules on transparency and access to AI models, while also pushing technology companies to sign up to such standards. That could become another point of tension with Trump, who told the U.N. on Tuesday that the U.S. “totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme” to regulate AI. Burnham also said Britain would “draw a line under the last decade” since the U.K.'s 2016 decision to leave the European Union. He suggested that Brexit was a point when the country took a wrong turn, partly driven by misinformation. Burnham said Russia and other states were using AI-enhanced misinformation and disinformation to undermine democracy. He said he had asked British security chiefs to establish a National Center for Information Defense to counter the threat. “Over the last decade we have given too much ground to those who want to run a negative, corrosive narrative about life in Britain, which bears no resemblance to reality,” Burnham said. “Well, no more.”

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih held a high-level meeting on Tuesday to discuss a sustainable solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis and the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the displaced people to Myanmar. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s place of residence at the Hyatt Grand Central New York hotel, according to a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing. They discussed creating a conducive environment for the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar and the need for an effective and coordinated role by the international community to help resolve the crisis. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had been hosting a large number of Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds for years and that there is no alternative to their safe and dignified return to their homeland for a lasting solution to the crisis. He stressed the need for stronger and more coordinated international efforts to facilitate their repatriation. The two sides also stressed the importance of continuing humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas and strengthening international cooperation to expedite the repatriation process. Barham Salih appreciated Bangladesh’s humanitarian role in hosting the Rohingyas and underscored the importance of continued international cooperation to find a sustainable solution to the crisis.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed ways to expand cooperation between Bangladesh and Türkiye in the areas of economy, trade and investment during a meeting in New York on Tuesday. The high-level meeting was held at the Turkish House at 821 United Nations Plaza. The two leaders exchanged views on various issues of mutual interest and discussed the scope for further expanding existing cooperation in the economic, trade and investment sectors.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought continued support from the international community for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis and the dignified return of the displaced people to their homeland in Myanmar. He made the call during a meeting with Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar, at the Hyatt Grand Central New York hotel on Tuesday, said PM’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. The meeting focused on the Rohingya crisis and the need for an effective role by the international community in resolving the long-standing problem “The Prime Minister sought international cooperation to ensure the safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas to their homeland,” Rumon said. The meeting took place as the Prime Minister is in New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where the Rohingya crisis is among the issues receiving particular attention during his visit. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam were present at the meeting. On Wednesday, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to join a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis titled “The Rohingya Crisis: A Renewed Call for a Durable Solution from Protracted Displacement, with Justice and Accountability.” Bangladesh and The Gambia are co-hosting the event, with the European Union as a co-sponsor. The event is intended to renew international political and humanitarian support for resolving the crisis, strengthen accountability efforts and support conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingyas to Myanmar. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also called for sustained international support for Bangladesh and other refugee-hosting countries and for efforts to address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable returns. Julie Bishop, who serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, has been engaging stakeholders on the Myanmar crisis and the Rohingya issue. During his New York visit, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is holding a series of bilateral and high-level meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. He is scheduled to deliver his maiden address at the General Assembly on September 24.

Development organisation Padakhep on Tuesday organised an awareness programme on preventing gender-based violence, cyber harassment and bullying, and promoting safe parenting. Titled “Know, Speak Up, Stop Violence,” the event was held at Padakhep’s head office with officials and employees from different levels of the organisation participating both in person and online. The programme focused on different forms and early warning signs of gender-based violence, ways to address misconceptions and potential risks in workplaces and online spaces, and the legal rights and support available to survivors. It also highlighted responsible parenting and the importance of creating safer and more respectful environments for children, families and communities. Padakhep Founder and President A.B.M. Siddique inaugurated the event and stressed the shared responsibility of individuals and institutions in preventing violence. He said speaking up through appropriate channels and standing beside survivors can play an important role in creating a safer environment. Shazib Hasnat, joint director of Microfinance Operation and head of Safeguarding at Padakhep, highlighted the importance of recognising different forms of violence and their early warning signs and ensuring individual responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace. Special speaker Liza Begum, PSC, Deputy Police Commissioner (Women Support and Investigation Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, discussed the legal rights and protection of survivors and procedures for reporting incidents. She urged participants to report incidents to the appropriate authorities instead of remaining silent and seek law enforcement assistance when necessary. She also briefed participants on accessing support and services through the national emergency helpline 999 and women and children helpline 109, among other mechanisms. The event was moderated by Ummay Sumaiya Mutiatur Rasul, Joint Director of Padakhep’s Brand and Communications Division.

The Turkish Airlines ActivePulse International Half Marathon 2026 was held at Hatirjheel in Dhaka, bringing together around 5,000 participants from Bangladesh and abroad. Turkish Airlines, which flies to more countries than any other airline, was the title sponsor of the event, which celebrated sports and its role in connecting people and communities. The event was particularly significant for Turkish Airlines as it marks 15 years of operations in Bangladesh, connecting the country with Türkiye and destinations across its global network. Held at the iconic Hatirjheel area, the marathon brought together runners and supporters from different communities, reflecting growing interest in running and healthy lifestyles in Bangladesh. Turkish Airlines Dhaka General Manager İslam Güre said the airline was delighted to mark its 15th anniversary in Bangladesh with an event highlighting movement, determination and connection. “Sport has a unique ability to bring people together, just as aviation connects people, cultures and destinations around the world,” he said. Turkish Airlines currently operates seven weekly flights between Dhaka and Istanbul, connecting passengers from Bangladesh to Türkiye and destinations across its global network.