DHAKA — U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen inaugurated a new Smart Warehouse of Paxar Bangladesh Limited, a subsidiary of global materials science and manufacturing company Avery Dennison, at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) in Savar on Monday. The technology-driven facility is designed to strengthen supply-chain efficiency and improve the speed and accuracy of supplying labels and other products to Bangladesh’s ready-made garment and footwear industries.

The 830-square-metre warehouse has been integrated with Paxar Bangladesh’s existing operations and can accommodate approximately 25,000 cartons at a time. Receiving, storage, order picking, packing and dispatch operations will be managed through digital and automated technologies.

The new facility is part of Avery Dennison’s broader Manufacturing 4.0 initiative and reflects the company’s efforts to introduce greater automation, digital connectivity and supply-chain visibility into its Bangladesh operations.

The warehouse incorporates seven automated guided vehicles (AGVs), advanced warehouse management systems and connected packing software. According to Avery Dennison, the system is designed to deliver real-time visibility across the fulfillment process, with processing speeds increasing by 72 percent, inbound volume capacity rising fivefold, outbound velocity doubling and inventory density increasing by 50 percent.

Speaking at the inauguration, Ambassador Christensen said technology, productivity and supply-chain efficiency were important for strengthening Bangladesh’s competitiveness. He said American companies could further enhance Bangladesh’s industrial capabilities through technology, expertise and investment, adding that initiatives such as Avery Dennison’s Smart Warehouse demonstrated the potential for deeper commercial and economic ties between Bangladesh and the United States.

“Congratulations to Avery Dennison on the opening of its new Smart Warehouse in Bangladesh. This investment is an excellent example of American business, technology, and innovation strengthening the commercial relationship between our two countries,” Christensen said.

The inauguration was attended by Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Executive Chairman Major General Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, ndc, afwc, psc, G, MPhil; American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) President Syed Mohammad Kamal; and members of Avery Dennison’s executive leadership team.

Major General Moazzem Hossain said technology-driven investment was increasing the capacity and productivity of enterprises operating in the EPZs while making Bangladesh’s export industries more competitive.

He described Avery Dennison’s Smart Warehouse as an example of Bangladesh’s progress toward smart manufacturing, automation and modern supply-chain management.

“Companies like Avery Dennison are bringing not only investment to Bangladesh, but also technology, knowledge and modern production practices,” he said. He also emphasized that technology transfer and development of a skilled local workforce were among the important long-term benefits of foreign direct investment.

Before the inauguration, Ambassador Christensen met with the BEPZA executive chairman at the Dhaka EPZ Zone Office. During the meeting, BEPZA briefed him on its activities, investments in the EPZs, exports, employment, labour conditions and worker-management relations.

The discussions also focused on technology-driven investment, international standards and opportunities to strengthen Bangladesh-U.S. economic and trade relations. Christensen later wrote in the visitors’ book that he looked forward to working together on a mutually beneficial trade agenda to help unlock Bangladesh’s economic potential. He also planted a sapling on the Zone Office premises.

Avery Dennison said the new facility was developed in response to growing demand from customers for faster fulfillment, greater customization and more transparent supply chains.

Michael Barton, senior vice president and general manager of Apparel Solutions at Avery Dennison, said Bangladesh remained an important part of the company’s global apparel business.

He said the company was committed to growing alongside Bangladesh’s apparel industry as customer requirements become faster, more customized and increasingly data-driven. The new facility combines automation, connected systems and the expertise of Avery Dennison’s teams to improve the speed and reliability of service to customers.

Sazzad Hossain, general manager for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at Avery Dennison’s Apparel Solutions, said accuracy and speed were increasingly important as customers dealt with demanding production schedules and more complex orders.

He said improved inventory visibility and closer integration of packing, storage and dispatch operations would help the company respond more effectively to shorter lead times and customized production requirements.

The Smart Warehouse will serve apparel and footwear manufacturers in Bangladesh and global markets by improving inventory visibility, reducing picking delays and logistics errors, and enabling faster response to customer requirements.

Avery Dennison’s wider apparel solutions portfolio includes Embelex, an apparel embellishment platform covering heat transfers, embroidered patches, woven labels and specialty graphics, as well as Optica, its supply-chain solutions portfolio, and RFID and other digital identification technologies.

Paxar Bangladesh has been operating at the Dhaka EPZ since 2003. The U.S.-owned company has invested approximately $81 million in Bangladesh and currently employs around 1,500 people, according to BEPZA and media reports.

The opening of the Smart Warehouse comes as Bangladesh seeks to improve productivity, technological capacity and supply-chain efficiency in its export-oriented manufacturing sector. The investment also highlights the growing role of U.S. companies in bringing advanced technology, expertise and modern production practices to Bangladesh.

Avery Dennison’s latest investment is therefore being viewed not only as an expansion of its own operations but also as an example of how American technology and investment can contribute to Bangladesh’s transition toward smarter, more digitally connected manufacturing.

DHAKA: Bangladesh-US trade relations could see more positive outcomes over the next 30 years and beyond if Bangladesh fulfills its commitments under the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen has said. He made the remarks on Saturday (September 12) at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham Bangladesh) in the capital.

“Congratulations to the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh on 30 years of advancing US-Bangladesh commercial relations. Over the past 30 years, AmCham Bangladesh has been a reliable partner of the US government, and I am confident that if Bangladesh fulfills its commitments under the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, we will see even more positive results over the next 30 years and beyond,” the ambassador said.

Current and former AmCham leaders, representatives of member companies, government policymakers, diplomats, business leaders and other distinguished guests attended the event. The programme was organized to commemorate AmCham Bangladesh’s three-decade contribution to strengthening Bangladesh-US economic relations, particularly in trade and investment.

The event began with the national anthems of Bangladesh and the United States, followed by a screening of a commemorative documentary titled “30 Years of Making Possibilities Possible,” produced to mark AmCham Bangladesh’s 30th anniversary.

In his welcome address, AmCham Bangladesh President Syed Mohammad Kamal highlighted the organization’s journey from a vision three decades ago to becoming a strong platform for business, investment and Bangladesh-US economic partnership.

He expressed gratitude to the chamber’s founding members and former leaders for their vision, leadership and contributions to its development. Speaking about AmCham’s future priorities, Kamal emphasized the need for a clear two-year energy roadmap, a more investment-friendly business environment, greater attention to intellectual property rights and cybersecurity, and effective implementation of regulatory reforms.

He also urged the government to make greater use of the global experience, technology, knowledge and capabilities of AmCham and its member companies. At the event, AmCham Bangladesh Vice President and MetLife Bangladesh Chief Executive Officer Ala Uddin Ahmed announced the launch of the “AmCham Excellence Award” to recognize outstanding contributions across various sectors.

DHAKA — The Election Commission (EC) has decided to hold Union Parishad (UP) elections across the country in seven phases, with the first phase scheduled for November 12 this year. Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah disclosed the decision while speaking to journalists at the Election Building in Agargaon on Monday.

“Elections need to be held swiftly in around 4,272 UPs out of a total of 4,580 UPs as there is a legal obligation to hold elections within the 180-day period before the expiry of their terms,” he said. He said the preliminary election schedule had been prepared taking into consideration students’ annual examinations and major religious festivals.

According to the schedule, voting in the first phase will be held on November 12, the second phase on December 13 and the third phase on December 30. The preliminary dates for the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh phases have been set for January 17, February 4, April 22 and May 27, respectively, in 2027. EC Sanaullah said efforts would be made to complete elections in most Union Parishads within the first five phases.

Giving details of the first phase, he said voting would be held in Union Parishads across around 80 upazilas in 63 districts, excluding Thakurgaon, where a by-election is currently underway. District Sadar upazilas will receive priority in the first phase. Three upazilas in districts with a large number of upazilas, such as Chattogram and Cumilla, and two upazilas in districts having 10 or more upazilas will also be included in the first phase.

As part of the preparations, an inter-ministerial meeting is scheduled for September 17, followed by a law-and-order meeting on September 21. The Commission will also hold a three-day dialogue with all registered political parties on September 23, 24 and 25 to discuss preparations for a well-organised election similar to the national parliamentary election.

Two representatives from each registered political party will participate in the discussions. Asked about amendments to electoral laws, Election Commissioner Sanaullah said the elections would initially be conducted under the existing laws.

DHAKA — A Dhaka court on Monday ordered the freezing of four bank accounts, two beneficiary owner (BO) accounts and two savings certificates held in the names of former Shariatpur-2 lawmaker AKM Enamul Haque Shamim and his wife, Mst Tahmina Khatun, amid an inquiry into allegations of corruption and money laundering.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Shahjahan Kabir passed the order following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). According to the ACC, an inquiry is underway into allegations of money laundering involving Shamim and individuals and organisations linked to his interests.

During the inquiry, investigators found information about various bank accounts, BO accounts and savings certificates held in the names of Shamim and his wife, the commission said. Two of the bank accounts are in Shamim’s name at National Bank PLC’s Dhanmondi Branch and First Security Islami Bank PLC’s Dilkusha Branch.

The other two bank accounts are in Tahmina Khatun’s name at National Bank PLC’s Foreign Exchange Branch and National Credit and Commerce Bank PLC’s Dhanmondi Branch. Tahmina Khatun also holds two BO accounts with Sinha Securities Limited and NBL Securities Limited, along with two family savings certificates registered with the Department of National Savings.

The ACC told the court that information obtained during the inquiry indicated that the individuals named in the allegations were allegedly attempting to transfer, hand over or dispose of funds and other assets held in the accounts and certificates.

The commission said that if the assets were transferred or disposed of, recovering the money later could become difficult. It therefore sought an immediate freeze on the accounts and savings certificates to prevent the withdrawal, transfer or disposal of the funds. After hearing the ACC’s application, the court granted the plea and ordered the freezing of the movable assets.

GENEVA — United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday called on governments and companies developing advanced artificial intelligence systems to take urgent action to address what he described as the “unprecedented risks” posed by frontier AI.

In a statement issued by the UN human rights office, Türk warned that the world is “on the cusp of irreversible change,” with consequences that could affect not only the current generation but generations to come.

He called on states and companies to urgently mobilize through multilateral forums to develop a coordinated approach to governing advanced, frontier AI models, with human rights at the center of those efforts.

Türk said the rapid race to develop increasingly powerful AI systems is creating risks across virtually every aspect of human life. He stressed that voluntary self-regulation by AI companies is not sufficient on its own, arguing that governments must establish effective safeguards and ensure that AI development remains consistent with international human rights law.

The UN human rights chief also warned about the potential consequences of increasingly autonomous AI systems, including risks to essential services, critical infrastructure, communications and democratic institutions.

Türk urged countries and leading AI companies to act without delay, emphasizing that no individual country can effectively regulate the technology on its own and that no company should be left to determine independently which risks society should accept.

The warning comes amid growing international debate over the rapid development of increasingly capable AI systems and concerns about their potential impact on human rights, security and society.

DHAKA – Bangladesh and China today discussed cooperation on the Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor alongside a wide range of bilateral areas, including infrastructure, energy, human-resource development and economic cooperation.

The issues came up when Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, MP, at her office here, according to a foreign ministry press release.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on areas of mutual interest and cooperation, particularly the Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, the Chinese Economic Zone and development of Mongla Port.

They also discussed the proposed 1,000-bed hospital in Rangpur, education and human-resource development, people-to-people exchanges, energy cooperation, including renewable energy, and women’s empowerment.

Shama recalled Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s successful visit to China and appreciated Beijing’s continued support for Bangladesh’s development, particularly in infrastructure, human development and capacity building.

Ambassador Yao reaffirmed China’s commitment to Bangladesh as a trusted partner and friend and highlighted the significant progress made in bilateral relations in recent years. During the meeting, the Chinese envoy also invited the state minister to visit China at a mutually convenient time, leading a delegation of women entrepreneurs from Bangladesh. Shama welcomed the invitation and expressed appreciation for the initiative.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — The United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s VTB Bank, accusing the major financial institution of helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions and establishing correspondent banking relationships with sanctioned Iranian banks. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the action on September 14 under the administration’s Operation Economic Outcast, a campaign aimed at disrupting the Iranian regime’s financial networks and sources of revenue.

“Under Operation Economic Outcast, Treasury will continue to target and disrupt those who provide material, technological, or financial support that allows the Iranian regime to sustain its terrorist enterprise,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. Bessent added that the United States would continue identifying, exposing and isolating individuals and institutions that support the Iranian regime.

VTB Accused of Expanding Ties With Iran

According to the Treasury Department, VTB Bank, one of Russia’s largest financial institutions, has expanded its banking presence in Iran in recent years as Moscow and Tehran have sought to deepen economic and trade ties.

U.S. authorities said VTB established correspondent banking relationships with Iranian financial institutions already under sanctions and began taking additional steps to expand its presence in Tehran in January 2025.

The Treasury Department also accused the bank of helping establish a settlement mechanism using Iranian rials and Russian rubles through correspondent accounts, with the aim of facilitating bilateral trade. U.S. officials further alleged that VTB took steps to move billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets.

Operation Economic Outcast

The Treasury Department announced Operation Economic Outcast on August 24, describing the campaign as an effort to sever the remaining economic lifelines supporting the Iranian regime. The operation focuses on financial networks involved in oil smuggling, sanctions evasion and the financing of Iran’s security apparatus, terrorist proxies and other affiliated networks.

Washington has warned foreign financial institutions that continuing significant business with sanctioned Iranian entities could expose them to secondary sanctions and potentially restrict their access to the U.S. financial system. The Treasury Department said it is also working with partners in the European Union, the United Kingdom and Gulf countries to target financial channels connected to Iran.

VTB Already Under U.S. Sanctions

The latest action is not the first time VTB Bank has been targeted by the United States. OFAC previously designated VTB in January 2025 under sanctions authorities targeting Russia’s financial sector. The bank was also sanctioned in February 2022 over its ties to the Russian government and its operations in Russia’s financial services sector. The new designation adds Iran-related sanctions exposure to the bank’s existing restrictions.

Assets Blocked

Under the latest action, all property and interests in property belonging to VTB Bank that are located in the United States or held by U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions involving the blocked property unless authorized by OFAC or covered by an applicable exemption. The restrictions also extend to entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50% or more by one or more blocked persons.

Foreign financial institutions engaging in certain significant transactions involving designated entities may also face the risk of secondary sanctions, including restrictions on their ability to maintain correspondent or payable-through accounts in the United States.

The Treasury Department said the latest action sends a broader warning to foreign banks and businesses that facilitate Iran’s efforts to circumvent U.S. sanctions. Washington is expected to continue targeting financial institutions and other entities that it says provide Iran with access to international financial networks.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — A new political alliance among Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has intensified debate over the future of the United Kingdom, after leaders from the three nations met in Cardiff on Monday and signed an agreement calling for the right to self-determination and constitutional change.

The meeting brought together Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, along with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. The leaders signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation and increasing political pressure on Westminster over the constitutional future of their nations.

The agreement does not amount to a formal declaration that the United Kingdom is breaking apart, nor does it set dates for independence or reunification referendums. Instead, the leaders emphasized that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different constitutional circumstances and should have the right to determine their own futures.

The gathering nevertheless marks a significant political development. The leaders argued that Westminster’s traditional dominance is weakening and that the political landscape of the United Kingdom is changing. They also called for greater cooperation on economic, energy and international issues.

Scotland: A New Push for Independence

Scotland remains at the centre of the constitutional debate. On August 28, the Scottish Government published a draft Independence Referendum Bill containing the proposed question: “Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes or No.” However, the bill cannot proceed to a referendum without the necessary legal powers being secured. Scotland held its previous independence referendum in 2014, when voters rejected independence by 55% to 45%.

The Scottish Government has since renewed its demand for another vote, arguing that Scotland should be able to decide its constitutional future. Swinney has pressed the UK Government to transfer the necessary powers to the Scottish Parliament.

The central legal obstacle remains the division of constitutional powers between Edinburgh and Westminster. A 2022 UK Supreme Court ruling established that the Scottish Parliament cannot unilaterally legislate for an independence referendum because matters concerning the Union and the UK Parliament are reserved to Westminster.

The latest draft bill therefore represents a political and legislative push rather than an immediate authorization for a referendum.

Northern Ireland: The Question of Irish Unity

Northern Ireland’s constitutional debate is different from Scotland’s. The central issue is not independence as a separate state, but whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom or become part of a united Ireland.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement provides the constitutional framework for Northern Ireland and allows for a border poll if it appears likely that a majority would support Northern Ireland leaving the United Kingdom.

Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said earlier this month that she believes a border poll will take place at some point in the future and that both Ireland and the UK should be prepared for it. She also emphasized that the decision ultimately belongs to the people of Northern Ireland.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, meanwhile, has said he will adhere fully to the Good Friday Agreement and that a referendum would only become relevant if public opinion demonstrated a clear shift toward Irish unity.

Trump’s Intervention Adds to the Tension

The debate gained additional international attention after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for Irish reunification during his visit to Ireland on September 12. Speaking in Dublin, Trump said he would “love” to see Ireland unified and suggested that reunification would eventually happen and might as well happen now. The comments prompted criticism from pro-UK politicians in Northern Ireland and drew a cautious response from London.

Trump’s remarks, however, do not represent a formal change in U.S. policy toward Northern Ireland. They were made in response to questions from reporters and differed from the traditional U.S. approach of maintaining neutrality on the island’s constitutional future.

Wales: Growing Support Among Younger Voters

Wales has also entered a new phase of constitutional debate following the 2026 Senedd election. A recent Survation poll commissioned by the pro-independence group YesCymru found that 32% of likely referendum voters in Wales would vote for independence, compared with 68% who would vote against it, after undecided and refused responses were excluded. The poll surveyed 1,023 people aged 16 and over and was conducted online between August 13 and 24.

The figures reveal a striking generational divide. Among likely voters aged 18 to 24, 59% said they would vote for independence. Support stood at 54% among those aged 25 to 34 and 57% among voters aged 35 to 44. Support dropped sharply among older voters, reaching 27% among those aged 45 to 54 and 55 to 64, and just 15% among those aged 65 and over. Despite the growing interest, independence does not currently command majority support across Wales.

What Comes Next?

The Cardiff agreement is unlikely to produce an immediate constitutional breakup of the United Kingdom. Each of the three nations faces different legal, political and public-opinion realities. For Scotland, the immediate battle is over whether Westminster will grant the powers needed for another independence referendum.

For Northern Ireland, the key question is whether public opinion will eventually reach the threshold required for a border poll on Irish reunification. In Wales, support for independence remains below a majority, although the strong backing among younger voters suggests that the issue could become increasingly important over the longer term. Taken together, however, the developments point to a growing constitutional challenge for Westminster.

For decades, the United Kingdom’s territorial integrity was largely treated as a settled political question. That assumption is now facing renewed pressure from nationalist movements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Cardiff meeting does not mean that the United Kingdom is about to disappear. But it does signal that the question of how long the current constitutional structure can remain intact without major reform is becoming increasingly difficult for Westminster to ignore.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a major overhaul of the international system, saying the institutions created after the Second World War must change to reflect the growing economic and geopolitical influence of emerging economies. Speaking to leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, Guterres said the world of today is fundamentally different from that of 1945 and that global institutions must reflect current economic, demographic and geopolitical realities.

“Today’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities are not those of 1945,” Guterres said. “Our institutional structures must reflect it.”

He said the countries represented at the summit reflected the changing balance of global power and pointed to the emergence of an increasingly multipolar world. Guterres argued that multipolarity can bring greater balance and equity to international institutions, but said that would require reforms to bodies including the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions.

The UN chief outlined four priorities for what he described as inclusive global growth: financing, technology, climate justice and peace. On development financing, Guterres said developing countries need substantial international support to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He urged multilateral development banks to become “bigger, better and bolder” to help meet the scale of financing required. Turning to artificial intelligence, he warned that the benefits of the technology remain concentrated among a relatively small number of companies and countries.

“Unchecked, the AI divide will widen every other divide — in income, in opportunity, in security, and in sovereignty,” Guterres warned.

Climate change was another major focus of his address. Guterres pointed to extreme heat, melting glaciers, wildfires and devastating floods as signs of the worsening climate crisis and warned that a stronger El Niño could make conditions even more difficult as the world approaches the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels.

He called on wealthy nations to honor existing climate-finance commitments, including increased adaptation financing and stronger support for countries facing loss and damage. He also criticized the exploitation of critical minerals, calling for an end to what he described as “plundering.”

On peace and security, Guterres highlighted conflicts and crises in Gaza, the wider Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. He urged countries to uphold the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Guterres said reforming the international system should be viewed as a shared responsibility rather than a concession to emerging powers.

“As we move irreversibly to a multipolar world, all countries must work to strengthen and safeguard a multilateral system that delivers for all with the United Nations at its centre,” he said.

The BRICS summit, hosted by India, brought together leaders of major emerging economies and senior international officials as discussions focused on global governance, economic cooperation, development, technology, climate change and international peace and security.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Iran has said the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz will remain closed despite efforts to revive regional diplomacy, as a planned meeting between Iran and Gulf states was postponed and concerns over global energy supplies continued to grow.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an agreement reached with Oman over arrangements for maritime traffic through the strait would not mean the waterway would be reopened. Tehran has linked any reopening to the United States returning to commitments made under an earlier peace understanding.

The planned meeting in Oman, which was expected to bring together Iran, Iraq and Gulf Arab states to discuss navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, was postponed on Monday. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the delay was intended to allow more time to build consensus among the participating countries.

The diplomatic setback comes as tensions around the region’s major energy routes continue to rise. Shipping traffic through Hormuz has fallen sharply, with only a small number of commodity vessels recorded passing through the waterway over the weekend, well below the recent daily average.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, carrying a significant share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Disruption to the route has already contributed to a sharp increase in oil prices, with Brent crude rising above $107 a barrel on Monday.

Iran has also warned vessels that violate its maritime protocols. Its Strait Authority issued an updated list of 77 vessels accused of violating Iranian rules and warned that sanctioned ships could face penalties including fines, detention or confiscation.

The stalled diplomacy has increased fears that the disruption could persist, putting further pressure on global energy markets, shipping costs and economies dependent on Gulf oil and gas.