A two-day Universal Pension Fair was held in Chuadanga under the theme ‘Participation in the universal pension scheme ensures a secure future life’. The event began on June 24 with a colorful rally from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, followed by an inauguration ceremony at the District Shilpakala Academy, where National Pension Authority Executive Chairman Dr. Md. Suratuzzaman inaugurated the fair. He stated that the state-guaranteed universal pension scheme is a sustainable system ensuring post-retirement financial security and that pension funds are safely invested in Bangladesh Bank treasury bonds.

Dr. Suratuzzaman announced a goal to bring 40 million people under the scheme by 2030 and urged at least one member from each family to enroll. The fair featured participation from banks, financial institutions, and government offices offering information and registration support. Workshops and cultural programs were also organized to raise awareness.

The National Pension Authority said similar fairs, workshops, rallies, and courtyard meetings will be organized across all divisions, districts, and upazilas to expand registration and awareness nationwide.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah delivered a fiery speech during the general discussion of the 13th National Parliament’s budget session on Thursday. He questioned why Bashundhara Group’s representatives, who could not enter the country during the interim government, have now returned confidently after the current government took office. Abdullah demanded updates on the Anti-Corruption Commission’s cases against Bashundhara and asked whether any under-the-table settlements had occurred.

He accused Bashundhara Group of money laundering, land grabbing, and using media to justify enforced disappearances and killings linked to the Awami League. Abdullah urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take a firm stance against those legitimizing such acts, while welcoming Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s non-retaliatory approach but emphasizing that avoiding revenge is not the same as ensuring justice.

Abdullah also criticized the lack of clear policy to recover laundered funds over the past 17 years and expressed shame over sharing parliament with loan defaulters. He alleged that some ruling party members work as advisors to Bashundhara and its media outlets, which once labeled the prime minister as a traitor.

The Parbatya Chattogram Citizens Council (PCCN) has called for a unified tax policy covering all communities in the three hill districts—Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban. The demand was made at a press conference held at the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh auditorium on Thursday. PCCN leaders argued that the current system grants undue privileges to a specific group under the 1997 peace accord and criticized a recent letter by four members of parliament seeking to retain full tax exemptions for indigenous residents under the Income Tax Act 2023.

Speakers, including PCCN Chairman Kazi Md. Mojibur Rahman and analyst AHM Faruk, said the existing tax exemption violates constitutional equality and fosters economic disparity. They claimed that since 1984, indigenous groups have benefited from tax-free advantages, becoming economically dominant while Bengali residents continue to pay taxes. The council rejected claims of underdevelopment in the hills as one-sided and protested the participation of a Bengali MP in the letter supporting tax exemption.

The organization warned that maintaining exclusive tax waivers could create powerful business syndicates and urged the government to implement the proposed amendment ensuring equal taxation for all citizens.

At least 11,000 people have been reported missing in Venezuela following a powerful earthquake, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The figure is not yet official, but the situation has left residents in deep uncertainty and fear. Many are said to be psychologically distressed as buildings collapsed and large cracks appeared on roads during the quake, which struck during a long holiday weekend when most people were at home.

Rescue operations are ongoing in the capital, Caracas. An opposition political coalition has launched an online link for citizens to report missing relatives, and so far around 11,000 names have been registered. However, this number only includes those with internet access who could submit information to the authorities.

Officials fear the actual number of missing people could be significantly higher, as many affected individuals may not have been able to report their cases due to connectivity or logistical challenges.

Bangladesh and China signed four memorandums of understanding in the presence of Prime Minister Tareq Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The signing took place between the heads of China’s Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, and Bangladesh’s Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon, who represented the Bangladesh government.

According to the agreements, the two countries will enhance bilateral cooperation in news and information exchange, develop long-term partnerships in the media sector, conduct joint research on Global South media, and expand collaboration in technology use and broadcasting. The memorandums are expected to further strengthen the existing friendly relations between Bangladesh and China and open new avenues of mutual cooperation in media and information sectors.

Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon left Dhaka for China on June 23 to join the Prime Minister’s state visit. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home with the delegation on June 26 night.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah has called for justice against media outlets that, according to him, created narratives supporting fascism. Speaking during the general discussion on the national budget session of the 13th Parliament on June 25, 2026, he questioned the status of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s case against Bashundhara Group filed during the interim government period. Abdullah noted that certain individuals linked to the group had not entered the country during that time but have since returned after the current government took office.

He demanded transparency regarding whether any under-the-table settlement had occurred and urged that any legal obstacles to action against the group be made public. Abdullah accused Bashundhara Group of money laundering, asset grabbing, and legitimizing enforced disappearances and killings through its media outlets. He also urged the BNP to take a firm stance against those who justified such acts, while welcoming the prime minister’s non-retaliatory approach but emphasizing that avoiding revenge is not the same as ensuring justice.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Bangladesh signed separate agreements with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), and the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) on Thursday to strengthen skills in the country’s ready-made garment industry. The signing ceremony, chaired by EPB Vice-Chairman and CEO Mohammad Hasan Arif, took place at the EPB conference room. The three-year training program, covering fiscal years 2026–27 to 2028–29, aims to train 22,815 workers, employees, and mid-level officials.

Under the program, BGMEA and BKMEA will organize five-day training sessions for workers, while BUFT will conduct six-month postgraduate diploma courses for officials. The initiative will be financed by the Ministry of Commerce’s training fund. The program seeks to improve productivity, promote modern machinery use, ensure compliance with international standards, and raise awareness of EU and other export market requirements. BGMEA and BKMEA representatives emphasized updating training modules to include circular machinery and compliance topics.

EPB’s vice-chairman stressed the need for modernizing training modules, strengthening monitoring, and evaluating how the acquired knowledge benefits the garment sector. The program is expected to enhance modernization and export competitiveness in Bangladesh’s apparel industry.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook met Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at his office in Dhaka on June 25, 2026. The meeting, held in a cordial atmosphere, covered issues including law and order, security, the Rohingya situation, prevention of illegal migration, and organized immigration crimes. Both sides discussed the upcoming Bangladesh-UK Joint Working Group meeting.

Sarah Cook said the second Bangladesh-UK Joint Working Group meeting will take place in London on July 7–8, 2026, where two agreements are expected to be signed. The minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to the orderly repatriation of its citizens from the UK under the 2024 Standard Operating Procedure and noted that the UK’s proposed “UK Letter” is being reviewed positively.

Bangladesh sought UK cooperation in preventing migration-related crimes, implementing the Police Referral Program, and identifying and recovering illicitly transferred funds and assets. The minister also thanked the UK for its humanitarian support in addressing the Rohingya crisis.

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, editor of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN), has called for the establishment of a dedicated ministry for the Haor region to ensure sustainable development and good governance. Speaking as the chief guest at a press conference organized by SUJAN’s Sunamganj district committee at Dhaka Reporters Unity, he said the nation’s interests are tied to the development of the Haor areas and that governance problems, corruption, and lack of coordination must be addressed.

Presenting the keynote paper, SUJAN Sunamganj general secretary Fazlul Karim Saeed said multiple ministries currently handle Haor-related issues, leading to duplication, weak accountability, and poor coordination. He argued that a separate Haor ministry could ensure integrated planning, research, budgeting, and project implementation. The paper also highlighted environmental degradation, poor water management, and biodiversity loss as major threats to the region.

Speakers emphasized that protecting the Haor ecosystem is essential for Bangladesh’s food security, environment, and economy, as the area supports boro rice cultivation, native fish breeding, and migratory bird habitats.

Four European countries—France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland—have announced the deployment of rescue teams, search dogs, and heavy equipment to Venezuela following a devastating earthquake. According to the report, French President Emmanuel Macron said an 85-member expert team would be sent immediately and expressed solidarity with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez. Spain’s defense ministry confirmed that a 54-member military emergency unit, equipped with trained dogs and modern rescue tools such as cameras and geophones, is ready for deployment.

The Netherlands announced both the dispatch of a rescue team and an allocation of about two million euros for personnel, dogs, and equipment. Switzerland stated that under its “Swiss Rescue Chain” program, an 80-member team, eight search dogs, and 18 tons of rescue materials would be sent as soon as possible.

Television footage on Thursday showed rescuers using electric machinery to clear debris from collapsed buildings in Caracas, where frightened residents fled their homes after the quake.

President Md. Shahabuddin stated that the eternal message of the holy Ashura teaches people to stand against injustice, oppression, and abuse of power, guiding them toward truth and enlightenment. He made the remarks in a message issued on Thursday ahead of Ashura, which will be observed tomorrow, the 10th of Muharram.

In his message, the President paid deep respect and sorrow to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his family members, and all martyrs of Karbala. He said Ashura is a significant and mournful day for the Muslim Ummah, commemorating many important events in Islamic history, with the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions giving the day unique dignity and deep human appeal.

The President expressed hope that the noble teachings of Ashura would enlighten everyone’s life and called for building a just, humane society based on equality and unity within the Muslim Ummah.

Economists and anti-tobacco advocates have called for the introduction of a specific tax on all tobacco products in Bangladesh’s final 2026–27 national budget. Speaking at a post-budget press conference at the National Press Club, organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), they argued that lowering cigarette price tiers, introducing a specific tax, and raising tobacco prices could simultaneously improve public health and increase government revenue.

Speakers cited Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data showing a 10.27 percent rise in per capita income in 2026 compared to 2025, while prices of essential goods rose by 30 to 89 percent. However, the price of low-tier cigarettes, which dominate 75 percent of the market, increased by only 3.33 percent. They warned that unchanged tax rates would allow tobacco companies to retain a larger share of profits. They also criticized the unchanged tax on bidi, jarda, and gul, and the new duty on nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, which they said legitimizes new tobacco forms.

PROGGA estimated that adopting their proposed tax structure could generate an additional 440 billion taka in revenue, prevent 400,000 premature deaths, and encourage millions to quit or avoid smoking.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that Islam has no place for division, violence, hatred, or social hostility. In a message issued on Thursday ahead of the observance of Ashura on Friday, he emphasized that the holy day reminds Muslims that the core teachings of Islam are founded on peace, justice, compassion, and human welfare. He called on all to strengthen harmony, mutual respect, tolerance, and brotherhood in society and to dedicate themselves to building a just, peaceful, and welfare-oriented community.

Rahman described Ashura, observed on the 10th day of Muharram, as a day of profound significance in Islamic history, symbolizing truth, justice, patience, sacrifice, and moral steadfastness. He recalled the tragedy of Karbala, where Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions embraced martyrdom rather than submit to tyranny and injustice, turning Karbala into an eternal symbol of the struggle for truth and righteousness.

In his message, the Prime Minister paid deep respect to Imam Hussain (RA), his family, and companions, and expressed sympathy to the global Muslim community on this solemn occasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed solidarity with Venezuela following devastating earthquakes that struck the country. According to a Kremlin statement cited by Al Jazeera, Putin conveyed deep sympathy and support to the people of Venezuela during what he described as a difficult time.

The twin earthquakes, which occurred on Thursday, caused severe destruction in several regions of Venezuela. Rescue operations have been intensified in the worst-affected areas as authorities continue to search for survivors. Official reports indicate that at least 164 people have been killed and nearly one thousand others injured, while many remain trapped under debris.

The Kremlin’s message underscores Russia’s expression of friendship and support for Venezuela as the country grapples with the aftermath of the disaster.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was warmly received by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall in Beijing on Thursday afternoon. The welcome ceremony followed Rahman’s arrival from the state guesthouse Diaoyutai in a motorcade. After exchanging greetings and introductions between delegations, Li Qiang escorted Rahman to the red-carpeted reception stage where both leaders received an armed salute from a ceremonial guard as the national anthems of both countries were played. A gun salute was also fired in honor of the visiting prime minister, followed by an inspection of the parade by the two leaders.

According to Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, the two prime ministers are scheduled to lead a high-level meeting at the Great Hall to discuss bilateral relations, trade, investment, infrastructure development, and other issues of mutual interest. This marks Rahman’s first official visit to China since assuming office on February 17 after his party’s victory in the thirteenth national election. Before arriving in Beijing, he attended the World Economic Forum in Dalian following a two-day official visit to Malaysia.

The visit underscores the continuation of Bangladesh’s diplomatic engagements in Asia, with emphasis on strengthening economic and strategic cooperation with China.