Author: News Desk

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck southern Japan has risen to 13, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed on Wednesday (July 29). Prime Minister Takaichi stated that search and rescue operations continued through the night to locate missing individuals and remain actively underway. She added that alongside the fatalities, numerous people have been injured, and several others remain unaccounted for. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto region on Kyushu—the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands—on Tuesday afternoon (July 28). The seismic activity caused a section of a local shopping mall to collapse, reportedly triggered by an initial…

There is no longer any legal impediment for Sarwar Alamgir, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate elected from the Chittagong-2 (Fatikchhari) constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, to discharge his duties as a Member of Parliament. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has struck off from its cause list an application seeking an injunction against his participation in parliamentary sessions. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, issued the order today, Wednesday. Court Observations and Legal Opinions Speaking to journalists following the court’s order, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman (or Attorney General…

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed readiness to assist Bangladesh in addressing its acute gas supply shortages, following a high-level telephone conversation with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. In a statement published on his official social media profile on Tuesday, Prime Minister Anwar confirmed that Dhaka has formally requested assistance to secure Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supplies through Malaysia’s state-owned energy conglomerate, PETRONAS. The bilateral discussion focused on deepening strategic cooperation across the energy, trade, and infrastructure investment sectors to bolster mutual economic development. Key Energy & Economic Takeaways LNG Supply Assistance: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman highlighted Bangladesh’s pressing energy…

India has officially invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC, to attend the Outreach Session of the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi this September. However, the Bangladesh government is yet to make a final decision on whether to accept the invitation and attend the summit. According to high-level government sources, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will make the final decision after reviewing schedule logistics and relevant political considerations. Earlier on July 23, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obayed Islam confirmed that the diplomatic letter addressed to the Prime…

Netanyahu Meets Trump at White House for First Talks Since Iran ConflictWASHINGTON DESKIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday—marking their first in-person meeting since the onset of the conflict with Iran, a war that has at times strained relations between the two long-standing allies. The bilateral meeting will be dominated by post-escalation strategy following joint US-Israeli strikes in late February. While Washington has signaled a desire to pursue diplomatic avenues, Israel has refrained from joining the latest round of US-Iran hostilities that flared up after an April ceasefire…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Russia is significantly bolstering its military cooperation with Iran, North Korea, and China to expand its defense capabilities. According to a report published by Al Jazeera on Monday (July 27), Zelenskyy expressed these concerns during an exclusive interview with British news outlet Sky News. Fears of Additional Troops and Missile Supplies During the interview, the Ukrainian President raised alarms over the following developments: North Korea: Pyongyang could potentially deploy an additional 30,000 troops to support Russia in the war against Ukraine. Iran: Tehran is preparing to supply Moscow with another batch of advanced…

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has outlined a strategy built around four core areas to achieve its ambitious Value-Added Tax (VAT) collection target of Tk 2.57 lakh crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year. To collect an additional Tk 99,000 crore over the previous fiscal year’s revenues, the tax authority plans to focus on strengthening compliance, accelerating development project execution, leveraging economic recovery, and tightening enforcement in the tobacco industry—relying on administrative efficiency rather than introducing new tax measures. NBR officials presented their Budget Implementation Plan (BIP) during an internal meeting with Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Adviser to the Prime…

Bangladesh is confronting severe macroeconomic headwinds after years of structural mismanagement. Among the most critical challenges is the country’s energy sector, where long-standing systemic flaws have been further amplified by global geopolitical tensions. The repercussions of the energy crisis now reach far beyond the power grid; they pose a direct threat to overall macroeconomic stability. Consequently, the crisis can no longer be treated solely as a matter for the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. To avert a broader economic fallout, the Ministry of Finance and Bangladesh Bank must fully integrate energy sector dynamics into the national macroeconomic framework…

Saltwater is rapidly intruding into Bangladesh’s southwestern region, affecting nearly 68 percent of cultivable land across 18 out of 19 coastal districts, according to a recent government study. Experts warn that escalating soil and groundwater contamination poses a severe threat to national food security and the livelihoods of millions. Data from the Soil Salinity Map of Bangladesh 2024, prepared by the Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), reveals that at least 11.56 lakh hectares out of 17.03 lakh hectares of cultivable land in the region degraded due to salinity up to 2024. This marks a sharp increase from 10.56 lakh hectares…

A tree plantation program organized by the Moitalee Foundation was successfully conducted on Sunday, July 26, 2026, on the campus of Government Rupnagar Model School & College. The initiative was made possible through the dedicated cooperation of the institution’s Principal, Mr. Moha: Alauddin Al Azad, who actively participated by planting saplings himself. The event saw active participation from members of the Moitalee Foundation, as well as several distinguished guests, including: Abu Mohammad Shoeb, President, Moitalee Foundation. Md. Riad Hossain Khan, General Secretary, Moitalee Foundation Mr. Rashedul Islam, Former Secretary, Government of Bangladesh Rahela Chowdhury, Former Member, National Board of Revenue…