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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sub-Inspector Suman Kabir Mridha of the Ramdas Hat Police Investigation Centre has been attached to the Chattogram Police Lines following allegations that he took a bribe from a small-scale farmer in Banshkhali. The action was taken on Friday, according to Additional Superintendent of Police Mahmoodul Hasan of the Anwara Circle. Mridha has left Banshkhali to report to the Chattogram Police Lines.

The allegation arose during the investigation of a theft case involving Jamshed Express Dairy and Agro Farm, owned by Nurul Alam in the Barpura area of Chandrapur village. The theft occurred during the night of July 7. Nurul Alam filed the case at the Banshkhali Senior Judicial Magistrate Court on July 26, and the court directed the officer-in-charge of Banshkhali police station to investigate.

The investigation was later assigned to Mridha. Nurul Alam alleged that the officer demanded money in exchange for submitting the investigation report and subsequently took a bribe. After the matter came to the attention of senior police officials, the police superintendent ordered his attachment to the police lines. Hasan said an inquiry or investigation would be conducted, and action would follow under applicable rules if the allegation is proven.

Nearly 2,000 people are missing after severe floods and flash floods in Nepal, according to the latest update from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. The authority put the number of missing people at 1,924, including 517 foreign nationals. About 15,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to search for and rescue those missing.

The authority said search and rescue operations have been intensified in affected areas. However, figures released by Nepali government agencies differ somewhat. Nepal Police had earlier reported that 575 foreign nationals were missing, while the authority’s latest tally was issued about two hours after the police update, creating a gap between the two sets of figures.

Security personnel are using helicopters and other rescue equipment in remote and mountainous flood-hit areas. Authorities are racing to locate missing people after extensive damage across wide areas, including mountainous regions near the Nepal-China border. Difficult terrain and the risk of further flooding are making rescue operations more challenging.

National Citizen Party (NCP) northern region chief coordinator Sarzis Alam said the BNP is gradually going off track and moving toward failure. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon while answering journalists’ questions at the Chandpur Press Club, where he attended an NCP Chandpur district organisational coordination meeting.

Alam said criticism of the BNP should not be regarded as opposition, arguing that the party’s failure would harm both the BNP and Bangladesh. He said the BNP should play an effective role inside and outside parliament rather than remain limited to statements. He also said every ministry, including the Home Ministry, must properly perform its responsibilities.

Referring to recent incidents in the country, Alam described the killing of a teacher as alarming and condemnable and cited cases of rape and murder. He called on responsible authorities to act quickly, ensure justice and implement announced verdicts. He said the NCP had presented what it described as the BNP government’s failures and record over 180 days, and urged the BNP to learn from criticism and correct shortcomings.

Geologists say recent devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet may have resulted from a combination of landslides and glacier collapses in high mountain areas. The resulting torrents of water and mud can descend so rapidly that they engulf buildings and infrastructure within seconds, leaving too little time to identify the danger and move residents to safety.

Conventional glacier-risk monitoring generally tracks water levels in specific glacier lakes, which form as melting water accumulates in depressions left by retreating glaciers. Professor Eran Hood of the University of Alaska said monitoring can use real-time video, laser water-level measurements and regular field observations. But experts say forecasting sudden mountain collapses requires dense, costly monitoring across vast and inaccessible terrain.

A 2020 report counted 2,070 glacier lakes in Nepal, including 21 classified as high risk. Nepal’s warning system mainly relies on river and lake gauges and may not detect rapidly developing surges. Experts recommend greater public awareness, controls on construction in high-risk flood zones, and clearly marked evacuation routes.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar criticised the government at a media exchange after the party’s unit presidents’ conference in Cumilla on Friday. He said the government should take effective steps to implement the July Charter before the stipulated 180 days are completed in September, warning that otherwise Jamaat would decide to launch a movement with the public.

Parwar alleged that one minister comments on every ministry and belittles the parliamentary opposition while failing to address deteriorating law and order under his own ministry. He also accused the government of politicising appointments and development activities involving city corporations, municipalities and district councils, calling such administrator appointments unconstitutional.

The Jamaat leader said parties including Jamaat and BNP had signed the July Charter, which stated that an elected government would implement it within 180 days. He alleged the government was moving away from that commitment. Parwar also criticised what he described as unequal development allocations for opposition lawmakers’ constituencies and urged local government elections to allow the selection of public representatives.

Chelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for £7.5 million. The nearly 34-year-old is set to join Stamford Bridge on a two-year contract, subject to completing a medical examination in London and formally signing the deal. The agreement includes an option to extend the contract by one additional year.

Chelsea were seeking a reliable and experienced goalkeeper after recent performances and errors by Robert Sanchez in the Premier League. Martinez’s arrival is expected to provide additional reassurance and depth to the team’s defensive setup at Stamford Bridge. The goalkeeper had been awaiting a new challenge over recent seasons.

Juventus had shown interest in Martinez early in the transfer window, but that proposed move collapsed because of complications involving a finger injury. Aston Villa have already secured Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for £25 million, making him their new number one goalkeeper.