Author: News Desk

Beyond structural scrap steel, decommissioned ships entering Bangladesh’s dismantling yards carry hazardous legacies: friable asbestos, toxic paints, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and volatile gases. Gas cutting releases dangerous fumes into unventilated chambers, while trapped flammable gases frequently trigger fires, explosions, and fatal asphyxiation. Data from the voluntary organization Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) indicates that 161 shipbreaking workers died in Chittagong yards over a 13-year period (2014–2026). The ongoing peril was underscored again on Friday, when nine workers died from toxic gas inhalation during a ship-dismantling operation. A 2025 study by the US-based Micro Think Institute revealed that…

At least seven workers lost their lives in a major disaster at an under-construction state-owned hydroelectric tunnel in India’s Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. The incident occurred late Thursday night when a landslide triggered a swift influx of water and mud into the shaft. Authorities confirmed that at least 13 other workers sustained injuries during the mishap. According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP) released on Friday (August 14), emergency crews managed to rescue 19 individuals from the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation project site. However, a statement issued by the State Disaster Management Authority indicated that at least three workers…

Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz registered a sudden single-day surge of 44 percent. Citing data from maritime tracking provider MarineTraffic, Dubai-based news outlet Gulf News confirmed that 13 commercial vessels transited the strait on Thursday (August 13), up notably from 9 vessels recorded the previous day. However, despite the single-day increase in transits, traffic levels remain far below pre-conflict baselines. Protracted standoffs between Washington and Tehran regarding navigational control and maritime route security continue to keep risks elevated across major shipping lanes. Analysis of MarineTraffic data…

Signaling a major tactical shift in the Iran conflict, US Vice President JD Vance stated that lowering oil and gas prices for American consumers—rather than halting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions—is now Washington’s top “Number One” priority. Agence France-Presse (AFP) confirmed the developments in a report released on Friday. In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Vice President Vance emphasized that keeping energy shipments flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and stabilizing domestic energy costs remain the Trump administration’s chief objective. Ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons has shifted to their “second goal.” Concurrently, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced…

The growth of government debt is continuing to outpace its revenue base, widening the structural gap between accumulated liabilities and the state’s annual resource mobilization capacity, according to Bangladesh Bank’s latest Systemic Risk Report for July–December 2025. The central bank highlighted that while the government debt-to-GDP ratio increased modestly, the debt-to-revenue ratio rose significantly due to a faster accumulation of public debt relative to national revenue generation. Both Bangladesh Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) flagged low revenue mobilization and escalating domestic debt as critical vulnerabilities affecting the country’s long-term debt-servicing capacity. The central bank’s report emphasized that aggregate…

A severe breakdown in LNG supply across the national grid, the crisis at CNG filling stations in the capital has taken a turn for the worse. Today, Friday (August 14), even on a weekly holiday, the suffering of CNG-driven vehicle drivers across the city reached an extreme level. Since early morning, long queues of hundreds of auto-rickshaws and private vehicles were seen outside filling stations across Dhaka. However, despite waiting in line for hours, most drivers failed to get gas due to inadequate pipeline pressure (PSI). With the situation spiraling out of control, numerous CNG stations across the capital suspended…

The nationwide gas crisis, now entering its fourth consecutive week, took a catastrophic turn on Thursday afternoon as the Summit floating LNG terminal (FSRU) completely ran out of reserve gas, triggering a severe supply breakdown across the national grid. Heavy seas and adverse weather prevented a waiting LNG tanker from berthing at the terminal since Monday, plunging total LNG supplies from the usual 1,000 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to under 300 mmcfd. Consequently, total national gas supplies dropped to just 1,930 mmcfd against a daily demand of 3,800 mmcfd. The severe gas deficit has severely disrupted power generation,…

Amid intense opposition and growing controversy over proposals to sell private investment stakes in FIFA competitions, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has secured significant diplomatic backing for his upcoming re-election campaign. Six influential Arab football federations—including Qatar and 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco—have officially declared their support for Infantino. Reuters confirmed the news on Thursday (August 13). In a joint statement released on Thursday, football chiefs from Qatar, Infantino’s initial plan promised a $20 million grant to each member association in exchange for approving private investment in FIFA properties. However, European and Asian confederations mounted strong opposition, citing major concerns over…

Ending a 23-year-old drought on Australian soil, Bangladesh scripted history at the Marrara Oval in Darwin. Maintaining complete dominance over hosts Australia across five consecutive sessions, the Tigers accumulated 286 for 3 at the end of the second session (5th session overall) on Day 2, securing a solid 88-run lead in the first innings. At the center of this historic performance on Friday (August 14) was young opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who registered his maiden Test century—becoming the first-ever Bangladeshi batter to score a Test hundred in Australia. Resuming the day at 96 for 1, overnight batters Mominul Haque and…

Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) latest release, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, has scripted history at the Indian box office. By surpassing James Cameron’s blockbuster ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, the film has crowned itself as the highest-grossing Hollywood movie of all time in India. Within a mere 11 days of its theatrical release, the webslinger dethroned Cameron’s four-year-old record. According to box office tracker Sacnilk, the film’s total gross collection in India reached ₹497 crore (net collection of ₹415 crore) in 11 days. With this milestone, it officially surpassed the long-standing record of ‘Avatar 2’, which held the top spot with…