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US Democratic Senators Urge Netanyahu to Halt West Bank Settler Violence and Mass Arrests

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WASHINGTON: Forty-five of the 47 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate have signed a letter urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate steps to curb settler violence and what they described as widespread arrests of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The joint letter, sent to Netanyahu on Wednesday, expressed deep concern over what the senators called a recent rise in “lethal violence” by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Reuters reviewed the letter. The senators called on Netanyahu to give clear instructions to Israeli police and military forces to prevent violence and protect civilians, regardless of who is responsible. They also urged Israeli security forces to intervene promptly when violent incidents occur and take measures to prevent further attacks. Concern over escalating violence The Democratic senators said violence in the West Bank had increased significantly in recent weeks. They linked the escalation to extensive operations by Israeli sec...
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11-Party Alliance Announces March Toward Parliament Over Enforced Disappearances

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DHAKA: An 11-party political alliance has announced a march toward Bangladesh’s National Parliament, with families of people who allegedly became victims of enforced disappearance expected to take part in the demonstration. The alliance said the programme would be held on Sunday, August 30, at 3:00 p.m., as part of events marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The announcement was made on Wednesday at a press conference held at the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition on Minto Road in Dhaka. Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad announced the programme on behalf of the alliance. Azad said a number of people had allegedly been subjected to enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh in the past, but that justice had yet to be delivered in many of those cases. Against this backdrop, the alliance plans to organise the march, bringing together family members of people who have allegedly been su...
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“Scholars Like Junaid Babunagari Are Greatly Needed Today”: Shafiqur Rahman

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DHAKA, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Amir and opposition leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman has paid tribute to the late Islamic scholar and former Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh chief Allama Junaid Babunagari on the fifth anniversary of his death. In a Facebook post published on Wednesday night, Shafiqur Rahman said that scholars with the wisdom, courage and dedication of Babunagari remain greatly needed for the welfare of the country, society and the Muslim community. Babunagari died on August 19, 2021 , at the age of 68. In his message, Shafiqur Rahman recalled the late scholar’s longstanding role in religious affairs and his contribution to Islamic education and values. He said Babunagari’s work for the welfare of religion, the country and the wider community, as well as his prolonged efforts to promote Islamic education and values, would remain memorable. Shafiqur Rahman also described the late scholar as a person whose wisdom, courage and commitment could serve as an example at a ti...
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Gas Supply Cut Triggers Increase in Power Outages Across Bangladesh

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DHAKA, Bangladesh: Power outages have increased across Bangladesh after a shortage of LNG cargoes forced US-based Excelerate Energy to suspend operations at its floating LNG terminal in the Bay of Bengal, reducing gas supplies to the national grid and putting additional pressure on electricity generation. The disruption became more visible after evening demand for electricity began to rise. Several areas of the capital reported repeated power cuts, while the situation was also reported to have worsened in rural parts of the country. The outages have added to public hardship during a period of intense heat, with households and businesses facing repeated interruptions at a time when demand for electricity typically rises sharply in the evening. According to Petrobangla sources, the LNG stored at Excelerate Energy’s floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) was completely depleted at around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday because of a shortage of LNG cargoes. The terminal subsequently stop...
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Survey Finds Majority Approve of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Performance

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DHAKA: A public opinion survey conducted as the BNP-led government marked six months in office found that 66.30% of respondents approved of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s performance , while 54.50% expressed satisfaction with the government’s overall performance . The findings were presented on Wednesday in Dhaka at an event held at the BIDA Bhaban in Agargaon, where Doppler Opinion Research released the results of its “Approval Rating Survey 2026.” Respondents were asked how well or poorly they believed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was performing his responsibilities. About two-thirds— 66.30%—said he was doing a good job . The survey found relatively little variation in this assessment across respondents of different ages, genders, educational backgrounds and income groups. The prime minister also received comparatively positive assessments across political affiliations. Among supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami, 65.50% rated his performance positively, while the corresponding figur...
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LNG Cargo Shortage Forces Excelerate Energy Terminal to Halt Gas Supply

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DHAKA, Bangladesh: Gas supplies from Excelerate Energy’s floating LNG terminal in Maheshkhali were suspended on Wednesday after the facility ran out of its remaining LNG stocks, highlighting renewed pressure on Bangladesh’s gas supply system amid a shortage of LNG cargoes. The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), operated by Excelerate Energy, stopped supplying gas to the national grid at around 2:40 p.m. after its remaining LNG inventory was exhausted, according to an official of state-owned Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd. (RPGCL). Petrobangla data showed that Bangladesh was receiving about 2,289 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas at noon on Wednesday. Domestic gas fields accounted for approximately 1,628 mmcfd , while LNG contributed around 661 mmcfd . By about 6 p.m., however, LNG supplies had fallen to roughly 562 mmcfd , while domestic gas production remained almost unchanged at around 1,627 mmcfd . As a result, total gas flow into the national transmis...
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Bangladesh Bakery Fined for Allegedly Using Rotten Eggs and Contaminated Ingredients

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NOAKHALI, Bangladesh, Aug. 18 — A bakery in Bangladesh’s Noakhali district has been fined 40,000 taka ($325) for allegedly using rotten and broken eggs to make cakes and other food products in unhygienic conditions, officials said. The action was taken on Monday during an inspection at Ruchika Food Industries in the Datterhat area of Sadar upazila, according to the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection. The inspection was led by Md. Asadul Islam, assistant director of the Noakhali office of the consumer rights agency. Officials said inspectors found that the bakery was mixing fresh and rotten eggs collected from the market to prepare cakes. Rotten and broken eggs were emitting a foul smell, they said. The inspection also found that the bakery was using dirty syrup containing impurities to make a bun locally known as “Honeycomb”, allegedly without following basic hygiene standards. Authorities subsequently fined the establishment 40,000 taka under Section 43 of Bangladesh’...
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