Former BBC journalist and ex-UK press minister Akbar Hossain has compared Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif with State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam. In a Facebook post on Friday, Hossain remarked that Shah Alam reminded him of Hanif, describing both as figures who gained prominence only during Awami League’s tenure in power.

The comparison comes amid growing controversy in Bogura over the formation of four new unions following a gazette notification issued on June 11. Local residents have alleged that three of the newly created unions—Mirbari, Simanto, and Digonto—bear names linked to the minister’s family. According to locals, Mirbari reflects the minister’s ancestral home, while Simanto and Digonto correspond to the names of his two sons.

The administrative restructuring affected Shibganj and the newly formed Mokamtola upazilas, sparking political debate and criticism over alleged nepotism in naming the unions.

A diplomatic dispute has emerged between the United States and Italy following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to U.S. media reports, Trump told Italy’s La-7 television that Meloni had “begged” him for a photo during the recent G7 summit. He claimed she was desperate to take the picture, and he agreed only out of pity.

Meloni swiftly responded on social media, calling Trump’s remarks “completely fabricated.” She said neither she nor Italy ever “begs” for anything and expressed surprise at the U.S. president’s behavior toward allies. Meloni questioned why Trump treats his allies this way while showing greater tolerance toward adversaries of the Western world and the United States.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also condemned Trump’s comments as insulting to Italy and announced the cancellation of his planned U.S. visit scheduled for June 21–22. The exchange has stirred political debate in both countries and added strain to transatlantic relations.

A proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Education to rename the historic Shibganj Pilot Girls’ High School in Bogura as ‘Shibganj Mir Shahe Alam Pilot Girls’ High School, Shibganj, Bogura’. The proposal, dated June 9 and signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Shirin Akter of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, has triggered local discussions and controversy. The school, established in 1973, is the only pilot girls’ school in Shibganj upazila.

According to the ministry’s letter, the proposal will be reviewed under Article 14.5 of the 2023 amendment to the Private Educational Institutions Policy 2022. Authorities have been instructed to conduct an on-site inspection to assess the rationale, necessity, and local opinion regarding the name change and to submit a comprehensive report with recommendations.

Separate letters have been sent to the Chairman of the Rajshahi Education Board and the Deputy Commissioner of Bogura for investigation and opinion. The ministry will make a final decision based on their findings. Local sources report mixed reactions, with some supporting the change and others urging preservation of the school’s traditional name.

Nasir Uddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP), declared that his party would not make any compromise with the current government over the issue of state reform. He made the statement on Friday, June 19, 2026, while speaking to journalists before visiting the shrine of Khan Jahan Ali in Bagerhat. Patwari said the government was not implementing necessary reforms, prompting his party to take to the streets. He also commented that if the BNP government denied 75 percent of the people, its downfall would not take long.

After visiting the shrine, Patwari planted two trees in the premises of the Sixty Dome Mosque and joined the Friday prayers there. During his interaction with reporters, he elaborated on his party’s stance regarding state reform, ongoing judicial processes against Awami League members, and issues concerning loan defaulters. He also discussed various aspects of national politics and urged collective efforts to preserve Bagerhat’s historical and religious heritage.

Local NCP leaders, administrative officials, and other participants were present during his visit and discussions.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint United States and Israel attack. The funeral ceremonies will begin on July 4 in Tehran, followed by additional events in Qom on July 7, and burial in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9, according to Iranian state media.

Khamenei’s burial was initially scheduled for March but was postponed due to the prolonged conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The revised schedule outlines three days of official mourning ceremonies in Tehran before the final interment in Mashhad. Khamenei, aged 86, was killed in February at his residence during the joint attack.

Ayatollah Khamenei had led Iran since 1989 after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who spearheaded the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ended the Pahlavi monarchy. Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has assumed leadership but has remained out of public view since the onset of the war.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, central executive member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation, has accused the ruling party of creating division within the July unity by not pledging constitutional reform at the start of governance. He made the remarks on Friday while addressing the Unit Presidents’ Conference organized by the Comilla Metropolitan Jamaat.

Presided over by Comilla Metropolitan Ameer Kazi Din Mohammad and conducted by Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, the event was attended by several central and local Jamaat leaders. Selim Uddin said his party aims to build humane cities where no one remains unemployed or hungry, emphasizing welfare-oriented activities such as free medical services for thousands.

Earlier in the morning at a youth gathering in Uttara, he pledged that if elected, Jamaat would prioritize building a safe and corruption-free city within five years through modern surveillance systems. He also urged young people to engage in sports and avoid drugs and crime to contribute to national development.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for his far-right stance, declared that the entire Lebanon should be burned following a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon that killed four Israeli soldiers on Friday night. In a post on social media platform X, Ben-Gvir said that for every tear shed by an Israeli mother, thousands of Lebanese mothers should cry, adding that Lebanon should be completely burned.

Despite former U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Israel to halt its military operations, Ben-Gvir has continued to push for intensified attacks on Lebanon. He stated that Israel must make it clear to the world that the blood of its children and the safety of its citizens are not negotiable. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right figure, also urged harsher strikes on Lebanon, writing on X that it was time to speak through fire and open the gates of hell.

Israeli forces currently occupy a large area of southern Lebanon, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that he has no intention of withdrawing from the region.

The youth wing of the Conscious Consumers Society (CCS), known as Consumer Youth Bangladesh (CYB), has formed a new committee for its Dhaka College branch. The announcement was made on Friday, June 19, 2026, approving a 25-member committee for a one-year term. Philosophy student Md. Mahdiuzzaman Mahmud has been appointed president, while Khandaker Abu Zar from the Department of Islamic History and Culture will serve as general secretary. The approval came from CYB’s central president Mohammad Delowar Hossain and general secretary Md. Sultan Mahmud.

The newly announced committee includes vice presidents Ibrahim Ali Jibon and Yamin Galib, joint general secretaries Mehrab Hossain Ratna and Sumon Fakir, and several other members responsible for organizational, media, cultural, and financial affairs. The committee also includes six executive members.

The Conscious Consumers Society, established in 2013, works to raise awareness about food adulteration and consumer rights across Bangladesh. The organization operates in 350 police stations, 64 districts, and 79 major educational institutions with over 200,000 volunteers actively engaged in its initiatives.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that those who do not respect the people's verdict cannot claim to be supporters of democracy. He made the remarks on Friday morning at a workers’ conference organized by Narayanganj Metropolitan Jamaat at the central Eidgah ground. The event was chaired by city Jamaat Ameer Maulana Abdul Jabbar and attended by several central and local leaders. During the conference, Dr. Rahman announced Abdul Jabbar as Jamaat’s candidate for the Narayanganj City Corporation election.

Dr. Rahman said Jamaat’s stance during the election was clear in favor of a referendum, accusing the government of covertly campaigning against it. He claimed that despite 67.8 percent voter participation, the referendum’s outcome was not properly valued. He criticized the government for appointing loyalists to key institutions, including the central bank and universities, as part of an attempt to establish one-party rule. He also lamented the loss of Narayanganj’s industrial reputation, citing unresolved cases like the Taqi murder and the seven killings.

He urged the government to respect the referendum results and warned against creating new political godfathers in Narayanganj.

Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon announced that digital cheating has been incorporated into the Public Examination Act in Bangladesh. The amendment introduces penalties of up to five years in prison and fines for hacking or illegally altering examination results or merit lists. He made the announcement on Friday, June 19, at a Leaders Training Seminar organized by Rotary Bangladesh at the Krishibid Institution auditorium.

The minister emphasized that students should be developed to lead globally and that the current government is shaping the education system accordingly. He also stated that the government is prioritizing technical and vocational education to reduce unemployment, making technical education compulsory from grade six.

The new provision aims to strengthen the integrity of public examinations and ensure accountability in the digital era, aligning with broader educational reforms highlighted by the minister.

Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Chaitali Chakraborty has warned that a separate province could be established for Hindus in Bangladesh if communal tensions continue to rise. In an interview published on Friday by a private media outlet, she said that if the situation worsens, appeals for international support might be made to form a distinct province for the Sanatan community, though she emphasized that such a move is not desired.

Chakraborty stated that Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists have historically lived together in harmony and expressed a wish to maintain that unity. She urged people not to engage in actions that could provoke communal violence, warning that such unrest would harm everyone. Her remarks come amid broader discussions about religious coexistence and social stability in Bangladesh.

The statement has drawn attention to concerns about interfaith relations and the potential consequences of rising communal tensions within the country.

Nearly 100 guerrillas surrendered their weapons in a jungle area of southern Colombia’s Putumayo department, following an agreement with President Gustavo Petro’s government. The disarmament was carried out by members of the National Coordinating Committee of the Bolivarian Army, a group that split from the FARC rebels who had fought the government for nearly five decades. The event took place just three days before the country’s presidential runoff election.

The surrender is being described as the most significant achievement of Petro’s “Total Peace” initiative, which seeks to end armed conflict through negotiation and reintegration. Guerrillas dressed in camouflage placed their rifles in a large container marked with a message pledging commitment to peace. Government peace representative Armando Novoa said the move sends a powerful message to Colombian society amid ongoing tensions over war and peace.

The future of Petro’s peace policy remains uncertain, as the upcoming election will determine whether the next president continues or reverses his approach. Petro is scheduled to hand over power on August 7.

Police in Dhamrai, Dhaka, have submitted an investigation report favoring four influential Awami League leaders accused in the murder case of Shaheed Sad during the July Revolution. In response, members of the National Citizen Party (NCP) central convening committee held a press conference protesting the report and demanding a reinvestigation.

The four leaders named in the case are Khaled Masud Khan Laltu, former chairman of Sanora Union Parishad; Md Awlad Hossain, former chairman of Somvag Union Parishad; Masum Khan, vice president of Dhamrai Upazila Awami League; and Ahmad Al Zaman, a member of the same unit. NCP leader Asadul Islam Mukul alleged that the police report sought to exempt these influential figures instead of uncovering the truth, raising questions among victims’ families and locals about the fairness of the investigation.

The NCP demanded removal of the current officer-in-charge, investigating officer, and circle SP from the case, and called for a fresh, impartial investigation by a higher authority. They urged the administration and law enforcement agencies to review the disputed report to ensure justice.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have taken heightened security measures ahead of the Awami League’s founding anniversary on June 23. At a press conference held at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road, Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) S N Nazrul Islam said police are on alert to ensure public safety. Security checkpoints have been set up across the city, and these operations will continue as part of the preventive measures.

Nazrul Islam also addressed questions regarding a recent case involving an accused named ‘Kailla Faruk,’ who was arrested for extortion in Mohammadpur and later released on bail. He stated that bail decisions are under the jurisdiction of the court, but police will continue their duties to arrest criminals, collect information, and send them to court.

The DMP reiterated that there is no cause for concern surrounding the anniversary event, emphasizing that necessary steps have been taken to maintain order and safety in the capital.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who had declared at the start of the Iran invasion that no deal would occur without Tehran’s unconditional surrender, signed an agreement on Wednesday that appeared to contradict his earlier stance. The newly released document allows Iran to access billions of dollars in oil revenue previously frozen by the United States. Observers described the deal as resembling an American concession rather than a victory, while Iran reportedly viewed it as a cause for celebration after months of conflict.

The agreement, referred to as a memorandum of understanding, includes provisions that could enable Iran to strengthen its position over the Strait of Hormuz, contradicting earlier statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had said such control would be unacceptable. Trump justified the release of Iranian funds as a reward for “good behavior,” a move similar to one made by former President Barack Obama, which Trump had long criticized.

Following the deal’s publication, hardliners within Trump’s party voiced objections, and Israeli officials expressed concern that the accord might interfere with their ongoing operations against Hezbollah.