RELIANCE

DHAKA, Aug 18 — Bangladesh has moved to procure five cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through an international quotation process as the government seeks to meet rising domestic gas demand and maintain supplies to power plants and industries. The proposed purchases, covering deliveries in late August and early September, are expected to cost the government about 11 billion taka ($90 million), according to a proposal placed before the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has proposed buying the cargoes for delivery during five separate windows: Aug. 23-24, Aug. 26-27, Aug. 29-30, Sept. 1-2 and Sept. 4-5. Blackcube International Ltd of Britain and Oman-based Maxwell International SPC have been identified as the lowest bidders for the proposed supplies, according to the procurement proposal. The LNG prices were assessed against the Japan Korea Marker (JKM), a widely used benchmark for spot LNG deliveries in Asia. For the cargo scheduled...

DHAKA — Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser of the National Citizens Party’s (NCP) southern region and a lawmaker from Cumilla-4, has said his party accepts the six-month challenge issued by the prime minister to the opposition to present a plan for resolving the country’s electricity crisis. In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Hasnat said solutions had already been proposed by the opposition and that the government should now consider them and move towards implementation. According to Hasnat, the NCP has already outlined 15 proposals covering short-, medium- and long-term measures to address the power crisis. ‘Solutions Were Already on the Table’ Hasnat argued that the government should have been aware of the proposals before challenging the opposition to produce a solution. He said NCP convener, lawmaker and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam had proposed a 15-point plan, including five measures that could be implemented within 30 days, six medium-term measures for the next six to 1...

DHAKA — Faham has called for an end to attacks and harassment against Awami League leaders, activists and supporters, citing an incident involving a man who was allegedly assaulted while attempting to place flowers at Dhanmondi 32. In a Facebook post on Saturday, Faham said political disagreement or opposition should never be used as a justification for physically attacking people. He argued that political opponents should be defeated through justice, fairness and political principles—not through violence or intimidation. ‘It Is Time to Stop These Actions’ Referring to footage he had seen of a man being slapped and beaten by several people at Dhanmondi 32, Faham said he could not independently verify the authenticity of the incident. However, he suggested that those involved appeared to be associated with his own political side. He urged supporters to stop such behaviour, saying that simply being associated with the Awami League should not make someone a target of physical assault. Ac...

DARWIN — The first Test between Bangladesh and Australia in Darwin has entered a dramatic final phase, with the visitors firmly in control but the hosts refusing to concede. Australia ended the third day on 161 for four , still 67 runs behind Bangladesh's imposing first-innings total of 426 . With six wickets remaining, the hosts face a difficult challenge—but Australia still believe a victory remains within reach. At the centre of Australia's fightback is all-rounder Cameron Green , unbeaten on 43, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey , who was 19 not out at the close. Their unbroken partnership has kept Australia's hopes alive heading into the fourth day. For Josh Hazlewood, however, the immediate priority is not his own remarkable achievement but Australia's position in the match. Hazlewood Reaches 300-Wicket Milestone Hazlewood produced one of the standout individual performances of the match, taking six wickets for 89 runs in Bangladesh's first innings. I...

DHAKA — Bangladesh's national football team is beginning to look like a very different side from the one seen in previous years, with greater confidence, resilience and a willingness to compete against stronger opponents. Head coach Thomas Doley believes the team has developed the ability to challenge established sides and could produce surprises against even more highly rated opponents—provided the players are physically prepared and the team gets the right competitive exposure. Bangladesh's recent performances in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign have strengthened that belief, with the national side showing greater competitiveness against stronger opposition. For Doley, however, the next challenge is not simply producing an occasional impressive performance. It is building a team capable of competing consistently at international level. Bangladesh Ready to Embrace the Underdog Role Doley expects Bangladesh to enter matches against stronger regional opponents as the und...

ANKARA/MECCA The newly signed defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan could soon expand, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicating that Egypt may eventually join the emerging security framework . The prospect of Egypt becoming a member adds a significant new dimension to a regional defence arrangement that has already drawn international attention because of its collective-security provision. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement , signed in the holy city of Mecca on August 7 by the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, commits the three countries to treating an armed attack against one member as an attack against all three and to responding collectively. Speaking in a special interview for Al Jazeera Arabic's programme Al Muqabala , Erdogan said the agreement was designed to remain open to additional countries. He highlighted Egypt as a particularly important potential participant. “This agreement has sent an important message to the world,” ...

DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to travel to New Delhi for a bilateral visit in the third week of August, with Aug. 21-22 emerging as the likely dates, according to several government sources in Dhaka. The dates could shift by a few days, the officials said, adding that the proposed visit originated with India and that Bangladesh has indicated Rahman is prepared to travel. Preparations are already under way for what would be Rahman’s first visit to India as prime minister. However, Bangladeshi officials said Dhaka has raised several issues that it wants addressed before the trip is finalised. Bangladesh seeks assurances over Hasina’s political activities One of the key issues concerns former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in India since Aug. 5, 2024, following her removal from power. Bangladeshi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Dhaka wants assurances that Hasina will not continue making political statements or engaging in polit...