A Jamalpur court has sentenced seven men to death for the gang rape of a housewife in Bakshiganj. Each convict was also fined 100,000 taka, while another accused, Idris Ali, was acquitted. The verdict was delivered on Monday afternoon by Judge Abdur Rahim of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 under the Jamalpur District and Sessions Judge’s Court.

According to court sources and the prosecution, the incident occurred on May 25, 2025, when the victim was forcibly taken from an autorickshaw and gang-raped. The next day, she filed a case naming six individuals and several unidentified suspects. After investigation, a charge sheet was submitted on April 15, 2026. The court examined seven of nine witnesses before finding the seven accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

State prosecutor Advocate Fazlul Haque expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that the verdict would play an important role in upholding justice.

Police have requested the list of all personnel involved in operating a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from which nearly 19 kilograms of gold were seized at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The request, made through an official letter on Monday, also sought permission to inspect the aircraft. The investigation officer, Inspector Sharif Hossain of Airport Police Station, confirmed the move and said the list includes pilots, cabin crew, engineers, and cleaners.

Authorities said the investigation aims to uncover who used the national carrier for gold smuggling. The police suspect insider involvement but declined to name anyone until the inquiry progresses. Once the list is received, questioning of those involved will begin. The joint operation that recovered 18.72 kilograms of gold on July 2 involved DGFI, Aviation Security, Customs, and Biman’s security division.

Officials noted that a similar incident occurred in March when about 18 kilograms of gold were found on another Biman flight, suggesting the same network may be attempting repeated smuggling operations using similar methods.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman, Vice-President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, addressed children at the Government Shishu Paribar (Girls) in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on Monday. She encouraged them to study diligently and contribute to the nation’s progress, expressing hope that they would bring pride to Bangladesh. During her visit, she toured the day-care centers at Bhumi Bhaban and Pani Bhaban, cut a cake with the children, and attended a workshop on early childhood care and development as the chief guest.

Dr. Rahman emphasized that early childhood is a crucial stage in life, where the foundation for learning and social development is laid. She noted that day-care centers not only provide safe spaces but also play a vital role in shaping the country’s future. She expressed gratitude to caregivers for their compassionate and demanding work.

At the same event, Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Prof. Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain highlighted that Bangladesh’s first six day-care centers were established in 1992 under Begum Khaleda Zia’s initiative. He reiterated the government’s goal of building an inclusive society guided by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s vision.

A court in Khulna has ordered the exhumation of the body of Mohammad Mohibuzzaman Kochi, a former office secretary of the city BNP, five months after his death on national election day. Kochi, aged 60, died on February 12 while serving as an election agent at the Alia Kamil Madrasa polling center in Khulna-2 constituency. The body was exhumed from Tutpara graveyard on Monday under the supervision of Executive Magistrate Nazmus Sakib and sent for a fresh autopsy following a request by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).

According to the case record, Kochi was allegedly assaulted during a dispute with rival supporters at the polling center, leading to his death. The complaint accused the then acting principal of the madrasa, Abdur Rahim Sardar, and others of attacking him. However, opposing political candidates gave conflicting statements—BNP’s candidate claimed Kochi was killed in an attack, while a Jamaat candidate said he died of heart failure. Initial medical reports found no major external injuries, and police on duty reported no major clashes.

The case was filed under sections 302/34 of the Penal Code, and PBI is now investigating to determine the true cause of death.

A Dhaka court has granted permission to Bashundhara Group Vice Chairman Safwan Sobhan and Afroza Begum, wife of the group’s Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, to travel abroad for three months. The order was issued on Sunday by Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Shahjahan Kabir after a hearing on their petition. The Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) prosecution division confirmed the decision on Monday.

During the hearing, ACC lawyers opposed the petition, arguing that Safwan Sobhan holds dual citizenship and might not return if allowed to leave the country. They also noted that ongoing investigations into allegations of money laundering, tax evasion, loan fraud, embezzlement, and illegal wealth acquisition could be disrupted. Despite these objections, the court approved the travel request.

Earlier, on October 21, 2024, the court had imposed a travel ban on Safwan Sobhan and others following an ACC request. Several previous petitions to lift the ban were rejected, including one in May 2026. The latest approval allows only Safwan Sobhan and Afroza Begum to travel abroad for three months.

Indonesia and Singapore jointly announced that the Malacca Strait will remain safe, open, and accessible for all nations. The declaration came after Iran’s move to impose fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement was made following a meeting in Jakarta between Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

President Subianto stated that both countries share a common interest in keeping the Malacca Strait an open maritime route and will continue coordination with Malaysia and Thailand. Prime Minister Wong reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to China said ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz would be charged fees, though “friendly” nations would receive special treatment. The Hormuz Strait handles about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making the Malacca Strait’s openness strategically significant.

Abdul Barek Akand, also known as Majnu Munshi, aged 53, was stabbed to death by unidentified assailants on Chandrapara Road in Gauripur upazila of Mymensingh on Sunday night. The attack occurred around 9:45 p.m. while he was returning home from Boyra Bazar. Locals rescued him in a critical condition and took him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead around 11:30 p.m. Police later conducted inquest and autopsy procedures.

According to the victim’s family, the attackers used his snatched mobile phone to call his daughter, Mahia Akter Brishti, and admitted over the call that they had not intended to kill him but had stabbed him multiple times. The call was then disconnected, and the phone was switched off. The victim’s son, Majharul Islam Akash, said his father recognized the robbers, prompting them to stab him before fleeing.

Gauripur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Habibur Rahman confirmed the incident and said efforts to identify and arrest those involved are ongoing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Israel protects Christians and that some Christian villages in Lebanon have sought annexation for protection. He made the remarks during an interview on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing, asserting that Israel safeguards its friends, particularly Christians in the Middle East, from Hezbollah. His comments came amid reports of Israeli strikes on churches and Christian sites in Lebanon, sparking new controversy.

Analysts noted that Netanyahu’s statements contradict reports from international human rights groups and media outlets documenting Israeli attacks that damaged or destroyed churches, convents, and other Christian religious institutions in Lebanon. In May, a French organization reported that Israeli forces demolished a convent in Yaroun, while videos circulated in April showed Israeli soldiers desecrating Christian symbols. The destruction of a church in Deir Dghaya village last year was also cited.

The remarks followed a recent statement by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who wrote that all of Lebanon should burn. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The Directorate of Madrasa Education in Bangladesh has issued a directive requiring all madrasas under its jurisdiction to organize daily assemblies and sports activities. The instruction, sent on Monday from the directorate’s Training and Physical Education Branch, was signed by Director (Training and Development) Md. Abul Kalam Talukder. It emphasizes that the government is committed to expanding sports practices at grassroots and educational levels to build a youth-driven, prosperous Bangladesh.

According to the directive, assistant teachers of physical education in each madrasa must ensure daily assemblies and sports with active student participation. In institutions where the physical education assistant teacher post is vacant, the head of the madrasa must temporarily assign a qualified and sports-proficient teacher from among existing staff to carry out these duties. The directorate also instructed that necessary steps be taken to fill the vacant posts according to regulations.

The directive reflects the government’s broader initiative to promote physical education and youth engagement across educational institutions nationwide.

A Dhaka court has rejected the bail petition of television actor Niamat Ullah Bhuiyan, known as Zaher Alvi, in a case filed over the alleged incitement of his wife Ikra’s suicide. The order was issued on Monday, July 6, by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Shahjahan Kabir after hearing arguments from both sides. State counsel Harun Or Rashid confirmed the court’s decision, while Alvi’s lawyer Sheikh Robayet Islam had argued for bail.

Earlier, on June 24, the court had granted a two-day remand for Alvi following his surrender on June 18, when his initial bail plea was denied and he was sent to jail. The Detective Branch later sought a ten-day remand for further questioning. Alvi’s mother, Nasrin Sultana Shiuli, a co-accused in the case, surrendered on June 4 and was granted bail.

The case stems from the March 1 incident when Ikra was found hanging from a ceiling fan at their Mirpur residence. Her uncle Sheikh Tanvir Ahmed filed the case that night, alleging that prolonged family disputes and abuse had driven her to suicide.

In Mirzapur upazila of Tangail, a family already devastated by two separate road accidents has now lost its final means of livelihood to theft. Ripon Hossain, who worked as an operator at a garment factory in Gorai, lost his right leg in a road accident on the Dhaka–Tangail highway. His father, Arfan Hossain, suffered the same fate while rushing to visit him at Kumudini Hospital. Despite their disabilities, the family continued to survive through a small mobile financial service business that Ripon started four years ago near their home in Salimnagar.

On the night of June 24, unidentified thieves broke into their house and stole about 350,000 taka and five mobile phones used for the business. Ripon filed a written complaint with Mirzapur Police Station the next day. Sub-Inspector Pradip Chandra Sarker confirmed that a case had been filed against unknown suspects and that efforts were underway to recover the stolen money and phones.

The family, now left without any source of income, is seeking quick administrative action and community support to rebuild their lives.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku has emphasized the need to ensure high-quality medicines and modern services in animal healthcare. Speaking as the chief guest at a meeting with officials of institutions located on the Central Veterinary Hospital campus in Dhaka, he instructed that no expired medicines be used in hospitals and that the highest standards of veterinary care be maintained.

He described the Central Veterinary Hospital as a trusted institution for animal treatment and noted that the number of pets in the country has increased significantly alongside population growth. In this context, he stressed the importance of expanding and modernizing veterinary services nationwide. The minister said the government would prioritize enhancing hospital capacity, ensuring quality services, and expanding necessary infrastructure to make animal healthcare more effective and accessible.

Earlier, the minister inaugurated the distribution of 90 types of medicines and chemicals and 40 types of modern equipment and surgical tools purchased for the 2025–2026 fiscal year to field-level livestock offices.

Barrister Rumin Farhana, Member of Parliament for Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail-Ashuganj), stated that there is no legal obstacle preventing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from returning to Bangladesh. She said that upon her return, Sheikh Hasina would surrender before the court as per existing law and then apply for bail. Rumin made these remarks on Monday afternoon while speaking to journalists after attending a Rural Development Day event organized by the Sarail Upazila administration.

She explained that under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the process of surrender and bail would follow the standard legal procedure. Rumin also welcomed the opposition party’s announcement of a shadow cabinet, saying she viewed it positively. The event was chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Saiful Islam and attended by local representatives, government officials, and journalists.

The statements highlight that any future legal steps regarding Sheikh Hasina’s return would proceed through established judicial channels, according to Rumin Farhana’s interpretation of the law.

Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, Secretary General of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, said in a recent private television talk show that India suffered a humiliating defeat in the military conflict known as ‘Operation Sindure’. He claimed that during the conflict, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar sought help from U.S. President Donald Trump to negotiate and calm the situation.

Fuad criticized the Awami League government’s foreign policy of ‘friendship to all, malice toward none’, calling it bogus and meaningless. He argued that neighboring countries like India and Myanmar continuously challenge Bangladesh’s sovereignty and that India is working to reduce Bangladesh’s importance on the international stage. As an example, he cited India’s opposition to Bangladesh in the United Nations General Assembly presidential election and its campaign for Cyprus.

He further stated that China’s stance on the Teesta project sends a strong message to Delhi and that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s assurance to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reflects China’s commitment to defend Bangladesh’s sovereignty if external interference occurs.

At least 25 inmates have been killed and around 100 injured following a violent clash between two groups of prisoners at a jail in Negombo, a coastal city about 35 kilometers north of Colombo. The incident began on Sunday between convicted prisoners and those awaiting trial, according to police and hospital sources cited by Reuters on Monday.

Authorities said searches inside the prison are ongoing as officials work to confirm the full number of casualties. The Sri Lankan Army spokesperson, Waruna Gamaga, stated that the military has been instructed to remain on standby to assist police if necessary, though they have not yet been deployed.

Local broadcaster Derana TV aired footage showing a heavy police presence outside the prison and a police bus carrying injured inmates away from the facility. The cause of the clash and the current condition of the injured prisoners were not immediately detailed in the reports.