Jordan Intercepts Iranian Missiles Following Joint U.S. and Saudi Strikes in Iraq
Jordanian air defenses shot down five Iranian ballistic missiles following joint U.S. and Saudi air operations against militia positions in Iraq. The renewed clashes disrupt a short-lived pause in hostilities, putting global energy transit through the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea at further risk.
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LIVEOur forestry policy must be rooted in local evidence
Technology cannot compensate for the missing trust in land offices
Gazi Nazrul’s case raises bigger questions for parliament
The narcotics trail: Traffickers tap 105 border points across 18 districts
National & Politics
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Onion growers breathe easier as prices rebound
Onion farmers in several major producing districts have been grappling with low prices and mounting losses for months. But wholesale prices have risen by as much as twofold in some areas over the past two weeks, bringing much-needed relief to growers.
Salinity creeps deeper into southwest
Saltwater is rapidly intruding into Bangladesh's southwestern region, with nearly 68 percent of cultivable land affected in 18 of 19 coastal districts, according to a new government study.
Tottenham vs Sydney FC: How to Watch, Kick-off Time, and Streaming Details
Tottenham Hotspur wrap up their pre-season trip in Australia with a clash against A-League side Sydney FC. Here’s everything you need to know about where to stream the action, kick-off times, and key team updates ahead of the game.
Citizens have already answered the ‘amendment or reform’ question
In his column published on July 24, titled “July charter implementation: Growing distance between BNP and the opposition is worrisome,” The Daily Star’s Editor Mahfuz Anam voiced a concern every democrat shares: that the hard-won consensus of our post-uprising transition is fraying. He is right to worry. But his prescription—for the opposition to join the government’s special committee on constitutional amendment and hold its objections in reserve—rests on a premise I must respectfully contest: that the choice between “amendment” and “reform” remains open for negotiation. It does not. The people closed that question on February 12, 2026.
Capital markets gain momentum following the central bank's updated monetary policy guidelines and targeted export incentives.
Business & Economy
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Citizens have already answered the ‘amendment or reform’ question
1 month ago
Iran says no current negotiations with US
1 month ago
Foodpanda Bangladesh incurs €111m losses since 2016
1 month ago
We need stronger digital systems to seize the China-plus-one opportunity
1 month ago
Lifestyle & Perspective
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1 month ago
Why are we still struggling to make health insurance work?
Bangladesh has committed itself to achieving universal health coverage (UHC), ensuring that everyone can access necessary health services without suffering financial hardship. Yet, out-of-pocket payments continue to finance most healthcare, forcing families to borrow money, sell assets, or forego treatment altogether. Recognising this challenge, the government’s Health Care Financing Strategy identified health insurance as a key instrument to reduce out-of-pocket spending and accelerate progress towards UHC. More than a decade later, however, the country remains at the pilot stage.
1 month ago
Will there be no end to this farce?
It is deeply concerning that illegal sand extraction continues unabated inside the Ramgarh-Sitakunda Reserve Forest despite repeated enforcement drives by the Forest Department. According to a report by this daily, authorities conducted at least 21 raids between June 2025 and May 2026, seizing excavators, dredgers, trucks, and more than 1,07,000 cubic feet of illegally extracted sand, while arresting six people. Unfortunately, these drives have failed to stop the illegal trade, as the miners return to the same areas soon after the raids. This shows that the authorities’ approach has failed to make any lasting impact.
1 month ago
3 held over alleged attempted rape on moving bus in Ashulia
Police have arrested three people, including a bus driver and his helper, in connection with the attempted rape of a woman on a moving bus in Ashulia.
Education & Career
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1 month ago
Citizens have already answered the ‘amendment or reform’ question
In his column published on July 24, titled “July charter implementation: Growing distance between BNP and the opposition is worrisome,” The Daily Star’s Editor Mahfuz Anam voiced a concern every democrat shares: that the hard-won consensus of our post-uprising transition is fraying. He is right to worry. But his prescription—for the opposition to join the government’s special committee on constitutional amendment and hold its objections in reserve—rests on a premise I must respectfully contest: that the choice between “amendment” and “reform” remains open for negotiation. It does not. The people closed that question on February 12, 2026.
1 month ago
Salinity’s silent intrusion
The alarming rate of salinity intrusion in southwestern coastal Bangladesh has emerged as a serious threat to nearly 4.4 crores people living in the coastal region. According to a report published in this newspaper, the speed and extent of salinity expansion across 18 of the country's 19 coastal districts demonstrate that the crisis demands urgent attention. The findings of the government-run Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to take effective measures to address this evolving crisis.
1 month ago
Foodpanda Bangladesh incurs €111m losses since 2016
Foodpanda Bangladesh’s losses rose 40 percent to €11.76 million last year, extending a losing streak that now stretches back a full decade, according to parent company Delivery Hero’s annual financial statements.
1 month ago
Madhupur pineapple prices crash as rain, flood dampen demand
Pineapple farmers in Tangail’s Madhupur upazila are selling this season’s harvest at a loss, as prices for the GI-certified fruit have collapsed at the peak of the season.
Tech & Innovation
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1 month ago
Reports of Tk 120cr VAT evasion by Transcom unsubstantiated
Reports claiming Transcom Group evaded Tk 120 crore in VAT remain unverified as NBR continues its regulatory review without issuing any official demand notice.
We need stronger digital systems to seize the China-plus-one opportunity
25th The Daily Star Prime Bank O&A Level Awards 2026
Presidential election: EC to meet acting Speaker tomorrow
SSC, equivalent results to be published on August 10
High risk little readiness
Culture & Entertainment
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High risk little readiness
Reading Dhaka's waterlogging through the life of commodities
Salinity creeps deeper into southwest
Will there be no end to this farce?
Health & Wellbeing
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Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury and the idea of Bangladesh
This 22nd of July marked the birth centenary of my father, Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury. I harbour no illusions that he would have lived this long in the normal course of events, however. The men on my father’s side of the family tend to be notoriously short-lived; his father died when he was nine, both his brothers passed away in their fifties, and even my only brother, his older son, left us when he was 47. But my father did not die a natural death. He was abducted on 14 December 1971, just two days before his country’s victory in one of the bloodiest liberation wars of the twentieth century, and tortured, bayoneted and shot to death in the early hours of 15 December, along with many other pre-eminent intellectuals of the land.
High risk little readiness
Dhaka has long expanded faster than it has planned. Wetlands have been filled, low-lying areas built over, and high-rises have been raised that may not withstand a major earthquake. In the final instalment of a six-part series, Star examines whether Bangladesh is ready to face a major quake despite years of studies, investments, and preparedness efforts.
Study finds microplastics in 3 out of 4 toothpaste samples
Microplastics were detected in 26 of 34 toothpaste samples tested in Bangladesh according to a new study, raising serious concerns about potential risks to human health and the environment.