Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Minister, Zahir Uddin Swapan, emphasized the need to strengthen technological cooperation, information exchange, and content sharing in the digital era. He also highlighted the importance of international collaboration to combat misinformation and disinformation. The minister made these remarks at the opening ceremony of the 5th China Media Group (CMG) conference held in Chongqing, China, known as the country’s artificial intelligence hub.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the conference’s theme this year is the use of artificial intelligence in media. Around 300 representatives from various countries, international organizations, and media outlets are participating in the event, where AI-based media initiatives are being showcased. Swapan underscored the importance of responsible journalism and effective information management for development, peace, and public welfare, and called for increased training, skill exchange, and joint ventures between media institutions of both countries.

Participants expressed hope that the conference would open new opportunities for global media cooperation, technology-driven information management, and cultural exchange. The minister is expected to return to Bangladesh tonight after attending the event.

China has inaugurated the world’s first wind-powered underwater data center off the coast of Shanghai, marking a new milestone in addressing rising energy and water demands driven by artificial intelligence expansion. The 24-megawatt facility, named the Shanghai Lingang Undersea Data Center Demonstration Project, began operations in May 2026. It was jointly developed by HiCloud Technology and state-owned China Communications Construction and is located about 10 kilometers offshore, 10 meters below sea level, powered by a nearby offshore wind farm.

According to Chinese government data, the underwater center consumes over 20 percent less electricity than conventional land-based data centers. Experts note that using seawater for natural cooling significantly reduces energy needs, as traditional centers spend up to 40 percent of electricity on cooling. The project also helps cut freshwater use, a growing concern as global data centers’ water consumption could reach 9.3 trillion liters by 2030, according to the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

China has invested about 1.6 billion yuan in the project, aligning with its national AI plan to expand clean energy infrastructure by 2030. Experts caution that environmental monitoring will be essential to manage potential marine ecosystem impacts.

Bangladeshi film actor and road safety activist Ilias Kanchan is currently receiving the second phase of chemotherapy treatment in London for a brain tumor. According to Liton Ershad, vice chairman of the ‘Nirapad Sarak Chai’ movement, Kanchan’s physical condition remains unstable, showing periods of slight improvement and deterioration. The ongoing treatment phase is expected to continue until July.

Liton stated that no final decision has been made about bringing Kanchan back to Bangladesh before his treatment is completed. Depending on medical advice, he may return temporarily in August after the second phase ends. Liton also mentioned that the actor’s prolonged illness has affected his mental state, leaving him somewhat weak and forgetful, though he continues to communicate normally.

Kanchan, who has been staying at his daughter’s residence in London since April last year, has requested prayers from the public and urged continued support for the ‘Nirapad Sarak Chai’ movement, which he founded after losing his wife in a 1993 road accident.

Renowned Bangladeshi singer Syed Abdul Hadi, who has enriched Bengali music for over six decades, will receive a special state honor from the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The award ceremony, titled “Kaljoyi Kontho: Shraddha O Bhalobasay Syed Abdul Hadi,” will take place on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the National Theatre Hall. The event is being organized under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

Syed Abdul Hadi is celebrated for his timeless voice and numerous popular songs that have become part of Bangladesh’s musical heritage. Over his long career, he has been recognized five times with the National Film Award for Best Male Singer and received the Ekushey Padak in 2000, the country’s second-highest civilian honor.

The upcoming ceremony aims to pay tribute to his lifelong contribution to Bangladeshi music and to celebrate his enduring influence on the nation’s cultural landscape.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that the government is preparing amendments to the Cyber Security Act to counter misinformation, defamatory content, and AI-generated deceptive materials spreading on social media. He said the revised law will include provisions requiring international technology platforms, including Meta, to remove harmful content within a specified timeframe. The announcement came in response to a parliamentary notice raised by MP Helen Zerin Khan regarding fake accounts, bot networks, and online harassment.

Helen Zerin Khan highlighted the growing use of fake identities, AI-generated content, and organized bot networks to manipulate public opinion and spread targeted disinformation against individuals and institutions. In reply, the minister noted that misleading content targeting political leaders and their families has recently increased and suggested redefining the boundaries of freedom of expression in the digital space.

The minister added that the draft, to be known as the Cyber Security Act 2026, will empower agencies such as the BTRC and cyber security bodies to block or remove harmful content. He also mentioned that a new law to combat online and offline gambling is in its final stage and may be introduced in the current parliamentary session.

Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) A.K.M. Shamsul Islam visited the Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO) in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Monday. During the visit, he toured various departments and was briefed on their research and innovations. He instructed SPARRSO to take necessary steps to launch a domestically developed satellite into space to strengthen the country’s defense and national security capabilities.

The adviser emphasized the close link between modern defense and space technologies, urging SPARRSO to enhance its role in border monitoring, strategic mapping, and geospatial intelligence. He also called for faster integration of SPARRSO’s satellite data into the operational and research activities of the army, navy, and air force. He highlighted the importance of incorporating advanced technologies such as satellite image processing, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing to improve technical capacity and human resources.

Given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to natural disasters, the adviser directed SPARRSO to use remote sensing more effectively for early warnings and damage assessments, and to provide accurate data on crops, soil moisture, forests, and water resources to support national food security.

Video editing platform CapCut is set to integrate with Google’s AI platform, Google Gemini, according to an announcement published on June 8, 2026. The partnership will allow users to access CapCut’s advanced video and image editing tools directly from the Gemini app. Tasks such as video cutting, auto captioning, background removal, color correction, and AI effects—previously requiring manual effort—are expected to become faster and easier through Gemini’s AI capabilities.

Experts cited in the report believe this integration could transform how content creators work. Beyond CapCut, Google has also introduced major AI updates across its services, including the addition of Gemini AI to Google Maps. The new “Ask Maps” feature enables conversational queries for location and travel information, while “Immersive Navigation” offers real-time 3D navigation experiences.

The report notes that the CapCut-Gemini integration may not launch simultaneously in all countries. Due to restrictions related to ByteDance apps, the feature could remain limited in certain regions.

AB Bank has launched the pilot phase of its AI-driven digital loan service, 'AB e-Loan', integrated into the AB Direct app. The service is operated by flxCred and developed in collaboration with UAE-based fintech infrastructure company Fylps Limited. It enables customers to obtain loans easily, instantly, and without hassle through a fully automated approval process powered by artificial intelligence. Once approved, the loan amount is directly credited to the customer’s account via the AB Direct app.

To mark this milestone, AB Bank organized an inauguration ceremony at its head office. The event was attended by Acting Managing Director Riazul Islam, Additional Managing Directors Mahadev Sarkar Suman FCA and Z M Babar Khan, along with Fylps Limited’s Chief Strategy Officer Daniel Shrestha and Country Manager (Bangladesh) Tushar Hasan.

The launch marks a significant step in AB Bank’s digital transformation journey, aiming to enhance customer convenience and streamline loan processing through AI-based automation.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing a proposal to release about 64 million bacteria-infected mosquitoes in California and Florida under Google’s life sciences project, Debug. The initiative aims to introduce a natural bacterium called Wolbachia into lab-bred male mosquitoes and release them into the wild to curb the population of the Southern House Mosquito, a species known for spreading the West Nile virus.

The process exploits a biological mechanism called cytoplasmic incompatibility, which prevents reproduction when Wolbachia-infected males mate with uninfected females. Since male mosquitoes do not bite humans, the project poses no risk of disease transmission. Scientists from the University of California and the University of Florida have expressed support, describing the method as safer and more environmentally friendly than chemical pesticides.

Google is using robotics and artificial intelligence to automate mosquito breeding and sex separation, ensuring only males are released. The system employs AI-driven cameras and sensors to identify and exclude females before drones and automated devices distribute the insects into the environment.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has emphasized that Bangladesh must move away from certificate-based education and adopt a skills-oriented, technology-driven, and practical learning system to cope with the ongoing technological revolution. He made the remarks on Sunday at noon while inaugurating a teacher training program on skills-based education under the National University curriculum at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

Rahman noted that automation and AI-driven technologies have put many traditional jobs at risk or made them obsolete, while simultaneously creating new employment opportunities in emerging sectors. He highlighted the National University’s crucial role in expanding modern, technology-based higher education, as it has over 2,000 affiliated colleges with more than 4 million students currently enrolled.

He added that over 10 million students have already received higher education in Bangladesh. The National University, established in 1992 by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, was designed to ensure access to higher education for both urban and rural students as the world enters the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Bangladeshi-origin Australian billionaire Robin Khuda’s company AirTrunk will invest more than $30 billion in India’s data center projects by 2030. The announcement followed Khuda’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other government officials. According to a statement released on Friday, AirTrunk plans to build around five gigawatts of data center capacity across India.

Prime Minister Modi said on social media that such investments would strengthen India’s position as a global hub for cloud computing and artificial intelligence, while creating jobs, supporting local supply chains, and accelerating innovation-driven growth. The largest project under this plan will be developed in the western state of Maharashtra.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that AirTrunk would invest about two trillion rupees to build a three-gigawatt data center hub in the state. AirTrunk is expanding its operations across the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has called for a draft of a National Action Plan, or e-Safety Plan, to address fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and growing digital risks. He made the call on Saturday at a roundtable titled “Policy, Technology and Accountability in Combating Fake News in Bangladesh,” organized by the Nationalist ICT Forum at the Engineers Institution in Dhaka.

The minister emphasized that policymakers must first enhance their knowledge and capacity to tackle misinformation challenges effectively. He said that proper policy formulation, a strong regulatory framework, and technology-based implementation structures are essential for managing these issues. Highlighting the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, he noted its potential long-term impacts on civilization, the economy, and employment, urging balanced consideration of both its benefits and risks.

Swapan added that digital infrastructure and data security have become strategic priorities globally and called for strengthening both digital capacity and protection frameworks. He expressed hope that the proposed plan would help build a safe, technologically capable, and inclusive Bangladesh.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan announced that the area surrounding Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been declared a silent zone effective immediately. He stated that no noise pollution will be tolerated in the area and that law enforcement agencies will strictly implement government policies against violations. The announcement was made on Friday following a rally at Gulshan-2 Circle marking World Environment Day.

The DNCC administrator added that Gulshan, Banani, Niketan, and Baridhara have also been designated as silent zones. With the cooperation of local societies, DNCC aims to create an environment free from noise and air pollution. He emphasized that while complete elimination may not happen overnight, progress is achievable through collective effort.

In response to a question from journalists, the administrator said that the Dhaka Metropolitan Traffic Division is successfully operating AI-based traffic signal control, and this initiative will continue in the future.

Uber has announced a major initiative to advance its autonomous vehicle technology by deploying 500 specially equipped data collection cars across global roads this year. According to a TechCrunch report, these vehicles will gather real-world driving information to support Uber’s self-driving technology partners. The company has developed a customized version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car fitted with numerous sensors, including 14 cameras, 8 lidar units, and 9 radar systems.

Uber stated that the fleet is expected to collect data covering about two million miles each month. The company aims to have at least 50 of these vehicles operational by the coming summer. The collected data will not only be stored but also analyzed to train autonomous driving software, which Uber believes will make robotaxi technology more advanced and reliable.

Uber’s broader goal is to build the world’s most diverse autonomous driving database, incorporating real experiences from different countries, cities, and environments. Its current partners in autonomous vehicle development include Waymo, WeRide, and Avride.

Bangladeshi-origin American musician and DJ Sanjoy has been selected to perform at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2026. He is also featured on the tournament’s official album, marking a proud moment for Bangladesh. Sanjoy shared the news on his social media, describing it as the realization of a long-cherished dream. Raised in San Jose, United States, he said he spent countless hours practicing music while growing up between two cultures.

Sanjoy expressed pride in being part of the official World Cup album, saying one of his songs will be included in the soundtrack of the world’s biggest sporting event. He described the achievement as incredible and viewed it not only as a personal success but also as an inspiration for young dreamers. The song, titled “Sir Sir,” features Bollywood star Nora Fatehi and French artist Vezedric.

With this inclusion, Bangladesh’s name will be represented on the global stage of football and music through Sanjoy’s contribution.