The government is seeking a foreign strategic partner for Sammilito Islami Bank PLC to restore normal banking operations and strengthen its long-term business capacity. Qatar has already proposed investing in the bank following discussions during Prime Minister’s economic and planning adviser Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir’s August 17–18 visit to Qatar. The government is also contacting potential investors in several other Islamic countries.

Sammilito Islami Bank was formed during the interim government by combining Exim, Social Islami, First Security Islami, Global Islami and Union Bank after prolonged irregularities and fraud prevented deposit repayments. The five banks hold deposits of about Tk142,000 crore from around 7.6 million depositors. Of their Tk192,000 crore in loans, 86 percent are classified as defaulted, while the capital shortfall exceeds Tk150,000 crore.

Individual account holders will be able to withdraw their full principal deposits from September 7, without profit payments, with applications accepted from Tuesday. The bank has filed about 10,000 cases to recover defaulted loans and formed a collection and recovery war room. Its management says it is preparing to resume regular transactions under directives from Bangladesh Bank and the board.

Global fuel oil prices rose twice in a single day, according to Reuters data reported on Monday. At 10:36am Bangladesh time, Brent crude gained $2.21, or 2.51%, to $90.31 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.83, or 2.19%, to trade at $85.23 per barrel.

Analysts said rising tensions around Hormuz created concerns about oil supplies, pushing prices upward. The market impact followed a new US attack in Iran. An attack on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s subsequent retaliatory attack renewed tensions in the Middle East.

The duration of the price increase remains a key market question. Reuters said prices could decline again if the conflict is brought under control quickly. However, if supply operations through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted for a prolonged period, prices above $90 a barrel could maintain a stronger position.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Masud Khan said investor confidence in the capital market is under strain and must be restored through action rather than words. Speaking Monday at a DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh discussion at DSE Tower in Nikunja-2, Dhaka, he said the regulator’s core responsibility is to protect investors by ensuring a fair, transparent and orderly market.

Khan said he removed the floor price on his second day in office, after which MSCI indicated it would reinstate Bangladesh’s index from next November. He described this as important progress for attracting foreign investment. The BSEC is also taking steps to make BSEC and Dhaka Stock Exchange surveillance systems AI-based.

The chairman said all bonds must be listed on the stock market’s main board and many bonds are expected to be listed there within a year. Draft work on direct-listing regulations is nearly complete and will be sent for public opinion after commission approval. He also cited progress on script netting and T+1 settlement, with a roadmap prepared through discussions with exchanges, CDBL and foreign custodian banks.

A mega project intended to promote tourism in Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, has stalled, leaving the Citizen Park and installations at Baraghop Steamer Ghat in poor condition. The project was launched about seven years ago by then executive officer Sujon Chowdhury near the police station pond and land office. It included a Balaka water fountain, gate, wall art, animal murals and sculptures of fish and fruit, while a seating area and dolphin sculpture were built at the steamer ghat.

About Tk 13 lakh was spent in several phases to build nearly 20 sculptures at the two locations, but work later stopped for unspecified reasons. Several murals have broken through neglect and others have lost their paint. NGO worker Umme Khairunnesa Urmi said children visit the park to take photographs, but its appearance has deteriorated and repairs could draw regular local visitors.

Craftsman Mahabub said the fountain has electricity and water lines, but no further action was taken after its connecting motor was stolen. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mizanur Rahman said there is no separate project for Citizen Park, although work on a new children’s park has begun. He said arrangements will be made to repair damaged murals at Citizen Park and the steamer ghat.

Farmers in Chilmarí of Kurigram and Madarganj of Jamalpur are facing drought conditions during the current aman rice planting season, with fields drying and cracking because of insufficient rainfall. Growers are using shallow machines, electric pumps and, in some cases, deep tube-well water to prepare land, transplant seedlings and keep crops alive. They fear that a prolonged dry spell could reduce aman rice production.

In Chilmarí, about 7,450 hectares have been planted with aman rice, and water has dried up on about 50 percent of the land, according to relevant sources. In Madarganj, the cultivation target is 17,600 hectares and seedlings have been transplanted on 16,500 hectares, with the remaining planting expected to finish within the week. Some transplanted seedlings are drying up, while farmers say delayed rain has made timely planting difficult.

Farmers report rising costs for fertilizer, pesticides, labour and irrigation. One farmer in Madarganj estimated that costs could rise by nearly 50 percent, while growers put total costs at about Tk14,000 to Tk15,000 per bigha, including cultivation, planting, inputs, irrigation and harvesting. Agricultural officials warned water shortages can limit plant growth, reduce tillers, increase weeds and pests, and lower yields.

The Local Government Division cancelled the transfer of Sitakunda municipality Chief Executive Officer Md Nazrul Islam on August 30, two days before his September 1 deadline to join Shibpur municipality in Narsingdi. He had been transferred on August 20 in the public interest under memorandum No. 703. The cancellation means he will remain in Sitakunda rather than joining Shibpur.

The original order said Nazrul Islam would be considered stand released from September 2 if he did not join within the deadline. A subsequent order, also cited as memorandum No. 703 and signed by Joint Secretary Md Sagir Hossain, revoked the transfer. Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer and municipal administrator Md Fakhrul Islam said both the transfer and its cancellation fall entirely under the ministry’s authority.

Local government officials in Chattogram similarly declined to explain why the order was withdrawn, saying the ministry could clarify the decision. Municipal sources alleged longstanding internal conflict among staff and administrative power struggles. The report also cited allegations involving Nazrul Islam’s use of an official room as living quarters and concerns over electricity costs, while residents complained that administrative instability was affecting civic services.

Dhaka University’s Syndicate took several major decisions at a meeting on Monday, August 31, including the temporary suspension of four teachers. Three teachers were suspended over allegations of opposing the July uprising, while Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Ziaur Rahman of the Department of Music was suspended over allegations related to appointment qualifications. The university also extended the closing time of women’s residential hall gates by one hour, setting it at 11pm.

The three suspended teachers are Professor Dr M Wahiduzzaman and Professor Dr Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research, and Professor Dr Mashiur Rahman of the Department of Sociology. The decisions followed recommendations from an investigation committee formed by the university administration. A tribunal has been constituted to pursue subsequent legal and administrative procedures regarding the allegations against them.

A separate investigation committee will examine how Dr Ziaur Rahman, also known as Sayem Rana, was appointed despite allegations that he did not meet the advertised requirements. The advertisement required honours and master’s degrees in music, while he holds honours and master’s degrees in Islamic Studies and MPhil and PhD degrees in music. Women’s hall gates previously closed at 10pm.

Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Mannan, provost of Suhrawardy Hall at the University of Chittagong, resigned citing personal and family reasons. Information about his resignation emerged from a letter submitted to the university vice-chancellor on Monday night. The resignation followed the circulation on social media of an audio recording of an argument over a recommendation for hall accommodation.

In the recording, Chittagong University unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal general secretary Abdullah Al Noman is heard recommending accommodation for a student named Rashedul. The provost declined, saying the student was not a currently enrolled MPhil student. Noman accused the provost of favouring Chhatra Shibir figures outside the merit list and demanded details of all hall accommodation allocations.

In a Facebook post explaining the audio, Noman said the student had already received a seat on merit and sought an extension while MPhil admission procedures were underway after master's results were published. He alleged that the provost ignored the matter and later asked the student to leave the hall after a pro-vice-chancellor's recommendation was presented. Noman also alleged derogatory remarks about the student's parents' financial means.

Dhaka University’s syndicate has declared Mohammad Rashed Khan the general secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union, or DUCSU, nearly seven years after the 2019 election. The decision was made at a syndicate meeting on Monday, August 31, after the university cancelled former general secretary Gholam Rabbani’s MPhil student status. Acting Registrar Munshi Shams Uddin Ahmad confirmed the decision.

According to syndicate sources, the university formed an investigation committee over Rabbani’s MPhil enrolment. The inquiry found his student status to be invalid, after which he received a show-cause notice. University authorities said his response within the stipulated period was not satisfactory, leading to the cancellation of his student status and, subsequently, his DUCSU general secretary post.

The syndicate then named Rashed Khan, who received the second-highest number of votes for the post in the 2019 DUCSU election, as general secretary. In that March 11, 2019 election, Rabbani won 10,484 votes and Rashed received 6,063. Rashed later exchanged greetings with the university’s vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellors and said the decision followed the finding that Rabbani’s student status was invalid.

The source states that salaries are set to increase by between 100 percent and 142 percent. It does not identify the employees, institutions, sector, location, timing, or authority connected to the reported pay rise.

No supporting details are provided on current salary levels, the basis for the percentage increase, eligibility, implementation procedures, or the number of people who may be affected. The source includes no quotations, dates, stakeholder comments, or official announcement.

The text also asks readers to follow an “Amar Desh” news channel on Google News for updates. Beyond the stated salary increase range, the source provides no further verified information about next steps or likely effects.

The Argentine Football Association expressed emotion after Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football. In a social media message, the governing body thanked its captain for more than two decades of contribution in Argentina’s national-team shirt and said it loved him.

AFA said Messi had given supporters “the most beautiful journey” of their lives, adding that his legacy and professionalism would remain in their hearts. Messi said the decision to retire from the national team came after considerable thought and was not easy for him.

The Argentine star said he had always given everything for the shirt, for supporters’ happiness and to deepen their pride in being Argentine through football. He said he loved the national team and always would, while thanking fans for 20 years of love and support. Messi also acknowledged his family, coaches, teammates and officials, describing their shared memories as invaluable achievements and saying he was leaving with peace and pride.

Lionel Messi has won six major international trophies across Argentina’s youth and senior national teams, according to the source. His first major success came in 2005, when Argentina won the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and Messi also finished as the tournament’s top scorer and best player. He added an Olympic gold medal with the Under-23 side at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Messi’s wait for a senior Argentina title lasted until 2021, when Argentina defeated Brazil to win the Copa America and end a 28-year trophy drought. In 2022, Argentina beat European champions Italy 3-0 to claim the Finalissima. Later that year, Messi helped Argentina defeat France in the Qatar World Cup final, delivering the country’s first World Cup in 36 years.

Argentina retained the Copa America in 2024, adding another chapter to Messi’s international career. The source says Messi has represented Argentina in 207 matches and scored 125 goals. He is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer.

The Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board has published revised subject codes for the Dakhil level, aligning them with general-stream SSC subject codes to enable common question papers in SSC and Dakhil examinations from 2027. The decision was announced in a notice signed by Registrar Professor S M Touhiduzzaman under the chairman’s directive on Monday.

The notice said the new codes will take effect in 2027. It also released a list showing the old and newly assigned codes for Dakhil subjects. The revised codes will apply to regular candidates sitting for the Dakhil examination from 2027.

For regular candidates, the new codes must be used in registration, form submission, storage and transmission of candidate information, admit cards, question papers, answer scripts, result preparation, marksheets, certificates and all other examination-related work. Previous subject codes will remain in effect for irregular candidates. The board requested all concerned to take necessary action.

A court has allowed police to question Siddhartha Das and Mugdha Das at the jail gate in connection with the widely discussed four-murder case in Rangpur. The court declined a police request for remand and instead permitted questioning for two days, three hours each day. Rangpur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Sanatan Chakraborty said on Monday afternoon that both accused tested negative in drug tests.

Police said the two accused had acknowledged using yaba in statements recorded under Section 164. Samples were collected through Rangpur Medical College Hospital at their request, but the test results found no drugs. Chakraborty said the investigation is continuing and police have seized some evidence. A police and medical team collected the samples from the central jail on Sunday, August 30.

Chakraborty said the tests were conducted days after the incident and that drug detection was unlikely after such a delay. Rangpur Medical College Associate Professor Maruf Hossain said urine samples generally need to be collected within three to four days for a positive result, while these samples were collected after five days. Police and local political figures alleged that misinformation was being spread about the case and the negative results.

A low-pressure system over the northwestern Bay of Bengal and nearby areas has increased rain in parts of Bangladesh, but humid heat continues to cause discomfort nationwide. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said rain and thunderstorms may continue in different regions until Wednesday, while rainfall is expected to decline from Thursday and temperatures could rise again. In Dhaka, cloudy skies, rain and thunderstorms remain possible on Tuesday, with maximum temperatures forecast near 30 to 33 degrees Celsius.

On Monday, the country’s highest temperature was 35.6 degrees Celsius in Nikli, Kishoreganj, while Dhaka recorded 33.5 degrees. Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar received the highest rainfall, 61 millimetres, compared with only three millimetres in the capital. High moisture levels are making conditions feel hotter than thermometer readings because sweating becomes less effective at releasing body heat.

The system has moved inland as a well-marked low pressure and is not expected to develop into a depression, meteorologist Dr Omar Faruk said Monday night. Local cautionary signal number 3 has been advised for Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra ports. Light to moderate rain may continue for two days, but no heavy rainfall is indicated.