Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has reported that extortion and land grabbing have continued across the country since the current government took office. The organization stated that such practices have persisted since August 5, 2024, posing a major obstacle to good governance. The remarks were made by TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman at a press conference held at the organization’s headquarters in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said the government’s decision to repeal three ordinances related to judicial independence signals a retreat from its commitment to ensuring an independent judiciary. He also noted that irregularities in recruitment at Islami Bank have created disorder and that the Bank Resolution Act remains flawed. Additionally, he pointed out that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) remains without commissioners, sending a wrong message to the public that corruption may go unpunished.

Other TIB officials, including directors Mohammad Touhidul Islam and Muhammad Badiuzzaman, and research fellow Razia Sultana, were present at the event.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to France on an official visit accompanied by his wife Jennifer Hegseth and their six children. The trip began on Friday to mark the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and to honor the thousands of American soldiers who landed on Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944.

According to one current and two former members of his security detail, bringing the entire family on an official trip has placed additional pressure on his personal protection team. A former official from the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division said he had never seen such a family-inclusive official trip before. A spokesperson for Hegseth stated that the defense secretary is covering his family’s travel expenses but did not clarify whether the cost of extra security personnel required for the family is included.

The report, sourced from The Washington Post, highlights questions about the balance between personal and official expenses during high-level government travel.

At a United Nations General Assembly discussion, Pakistan declared that India has illegally occupied Kashmir. Gul Kaisar Sarwani, Counselor at Pakistan’s Mission to the UN, stated that Jammu and Kashmir was never, is not, and will never be an integral part of India. Her remarks came in response to India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish, who had earlier asserted that Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Sarwani emphasized that India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognized unresolved issue. She added that no ambiguity can alter the historical, legal, and international nature of this dispute. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, also noted that the UN Security Council’s annual report highlights the continued relevance of both the Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine disputes, which must be resolved in line with relevant UN resolutions.

The statements underscore Pakistan’s continued stance on the Kashmir issue at the UN, reiterating its call for resolution through international mechanisms.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local villagers have jointly prevented an illegal push-in attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the Aditmari, Hatibandha, and Patgram borders in Lalmonirhat. A total of 33 people, including women and children, were stopped from entering Bangladesh. Villagers have joined BGB patrols to help secure the frontier and prevent further unauthorized crossings.

Residents of Durgapur in Aditmari expressed their determination to resist any illegal infiltration from India, stating that they would continue to support BGB in protecting the border. According to the 15 BGB media cell, all individuals brought for the push-in were taken back by Indian authorities, and the situation at all three border points is now normal. BGB has maintained strict surveillance and patrol operations to prevent future incidents.

A press release from the Rangpur Sector Headquarters stated that attempts to enter Bangladesh through unfenced areas or gates without following legal repatriation procedures violate international border management norms and existing bilateral agreements.

A group of Awami League leaders and activists, whose political activities are currently banned, organized a sudden procession in the Premtola area of Shariatpur town on Saturday afternoon. The march took place along the Dhaka–Shariatpur road, where participants carried party banners and the national flag while chanting slogans. Selim Sheikh, a member of the Palong Union Parishad’s Ward No. 1, was seen leading the procession and broadcasting it live on his personal Facebook account.

According to local sources and video footage, the demonstrators demanded the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the withdrawal of restrictions imposed on the Awami League. They also chanted slogans in the names of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, and former MP Iqbal Hossain. Attempts to reach Selim Sheikh for comment were unsuccessful. An unnamed Jubo League leader said the protest was against what they viewed as harassment of party members and part of ongoing political programs.

Palong Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shah Alam stated that the police had not received any official report of a banned organization’s procession but were investigating the matter and would take action if any illegal activity was confirmed.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has strengthened patrols and surveillance along the Sunamganj border to prevent illegal push-ins from India. On Sunday midnight, BGB personnel conducted patrols in the Bishwambharpur upazila border area and used loudspeakers to alert and raise awareness among local residents.

According to BGB sources, the Sunamganj border spans 120 kilometers, with 90 kilometers under the jurisdiction of the 28 BGB Battalion and the remaining 30 kilometers under the 48 BGB Battalion in Sylhet. The 28 BGB Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel A K M Zakaria Kadir, stated that six points within the 90-kilometer stretch lack barbed wire fencing, making them relatively vulnerable. Additional security measures have been implemented in these unprotected areas, alongside awareness campaigns urging border residents to remain vigilant.

The initiative reflects BGB’s ongoing efforts to enhance border security and community cooperation in preventing unauthorized cross-border movements.

Bangladesh and Turkey have agreed to establish a joint ministerial committee to strengthen defense and strategic political cooperation. The understanding was reached during a courtesy meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Saturday, according to statements from the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Press Wing. Both countries also agreed to hold annual foreign office consultations and a 2+2 dialogue involving their foreign and defense ministers to deepen strategic ties.

The meeting covered issues including the Rohingya crisis, climate change, trade and investment, joint production, and regional and international matters of mutual interest. Fidan conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and described his visit as the first step toward elevating bilateral relations to a strategic level. Prime Minister Rahman thanked Turkey for its continued support, particularly for backing Bangladesh’s candidate for the presidency of the 81st UN General Assembly.

Before leaving Dhaka, Fidan reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to strengthening ties with Bangladesh and praised the country’s efforts in hosting over one million Rohingya refugees. His three-day official visit included meetings with government and opposition leaders and a field visit to refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has reached its 100th day, but remains deeply unpopular among Americans. The conflict has become a political liability for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, as public opinion surveys continue to show widespread opposition to the war. Many U.S. voters view the campaign as unnecessary and harmful to national interests.

A poll conducted by the University of Maryland’s Department of Peace and Development, led by Professor Shibley Telhami, found that only 16 percent of American voters believe the United States has won or is winning the war. The survey also revealed that 33 percent of Republicans and a majority of voters overall think the conflict has had more negative than positive effects on U.S. interests. Telhami described the findings as “remarkable,” noting that even Republicans increasingly see the war as damaging.

Experts cited in the report suggest that the lack of public support could politically weaken Trump ahead of the November midterm elections, where Democrats hope to regain control of Congress.

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will make his first official foreign visit to Malaysia on June 21–22, 2026, at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The trip, followed by a visit to China from June 23–26, is being viewed as a reflection of the new government’s balanced geopolitical outlook. The main agenda for the Malaysia visit includes reopening the long-stalled labor market, expanding trade and investment, and enhancing cooperation in education.

Analysts see the choice of Malaysia as a strategic move to maintain diplomatic equilibrium amid regional competition between India and China. By selecting a neutral and friendly Muslim-majority nation as his first destination, Rahman’s government signals its focus on national economic interests and people’s welfare over geopolitical alignments. The visit also carries symbolic importance for strengthening ties with ASEAN and the Muslim world.

If successful, the visit could help revive Malaysia’s labor market for Bangladeshi workers, boosting remittance inflows and stabilizing Bangladesh’s economy. It may also advance ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement aimed at expanding Bangladesh’s export access to Southeast Asian markets.

The second session of Bangladesh’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad begins today, Sunday, marking the first budget session of the current government. The session starts at 3 p.m., with the 2026–27 fiscal year budget scheduled for presentation on June 11. Opposition parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the 11-party alliance, are preparing to raise key issues such as electricity and fuel price hikes, law and order, and controversial appointments in Islamic Bank during the session.

The 11-party alliance, led by Jamaat-e-Islami, is also resuming its divisional rallies after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays, demanding implementation of the July Charter and referendum verdict. The alliance has announced a series of rallies across major cities through July, alongside meetings with professionals to build public support. Several opposition parties have already held protests in Dhaka against recent energy price increases.

Government sources indicate that a 17-member special committee on constitutional amendment may be formed during this session. However, opposition parties have yet to submit their nominees, raising questions about the committee’s composition if formed without them.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Jeff Bartos has threatened to cut funding to the UN, accusing the organization of harboring anti-Israel bias. In a post on social media platform X, Bartos said Washington is pursuing reforms to address what he described as an 'unreasonable prejudice' against the United States and its ally Israel. He highlighted previous reform measures, including the elimination of 3,000 bureaucratic positions and a $570 million reduction from the current year’s budget.

Bartos credited former President Donald Trump’s leadership for enabling these reforms, which he said were once thought impossible. He emphasized that the US will continue its reform process across the UN system and dismantle structures that, in his view, support bias against the US and Israel.

The statement underscores Washington’s ongoing pressure on the UN to align its operations with US and Israeli interests, signaling potential financial consequences if perceived bias persists.

Police in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, arrested five activists of the Awami League and Jubo League during a special operation conducted from late Friday night to Saturday, June 6. The arrests followed a rally reportedly organized by members of the banned Jubo League on the Shimrail-Demra road earlier on Friday afternoon.

According to police, the detainees are Jibon (34), Md. Alam (30), Md. Sohel (44), Ainal Mia (45), and Jahangir Alam Bidyut (35). Among them, Jibon is a worker of Ward No. 7 Jubo League, Ainal Mia is the joint general secretary of Ward No. 8 Jubo League, and Jahangir Alam Bidyut is a member of the same ward unit. Md. Alam and Md. Sohel are identified as active Awami League workers. Police stated that the arrested individuals face multiple cases, including those related to anti-discrimination movements.

Siddhirganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Emdadul Haque said the operation was launched after gathering information about the rally, and the detainees have been sent to court.

The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has reportedly elevated its assessment of Israeli espionage against the United States from “high” to “critical,” according to reports by NBC News and The New York Times. The change, made in recent weeks, was attributed to concerns over increasingly aggressive Israeli intelligence activities linked to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran. Anonymous sources cited by both outlets said the DIA acted amid fears that Israel is attempting to monitor senior US officials to gain insight into internal White House discussions about ending the conflict.

The reports noted that US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have diverged publicly on the war’s direction, with Trump seeking to conclude it and Netanyahu urging its continuation despite an April 8 ceasefire. The New York Times said Israeli espionage activity intensified from late 2024, continuing into 2025 as Trump returned to office. Alleged incidents include attempts to surveil Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Pentagon officials Elbridge Colby and Michael DiMino IV.

While a Defense Department spokesperson reportedly denied the claims as “false,” the reports have raised questions about the depth of intelligence cooperation between the two allies, particularly as Congress debates deeper defense integration.

A violent clash broke out in Noakhali Sadar upazila on Saturday evening between activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and supporters of the Awami League and its affiliated groups. The incident occurred in West Shullukia village of Kaladarap Union, where a JCD motorcycle was set on fire and at least six people, including a city labor leader named Hridoy, were injured. Law enforcement personnel were deployed in large numbers following the confrontation.

According to police and local sources, the conflict followed a banned Chhatra League rally held the previous day in Noannoi Union. In response, the JCD organized a protest led by district president NBS Russell, while Islami Chhatra Shibir also held a separate demonstration. Tensions escalated when JCD activists, returning from their program, encountered supporters of Kaladarap Union chairman Shahadat Hossain Selim near his residence. A dispute broke out, and an announcement over a mosque loudspeaker alleging an attack on the chairman prompted Awami League supporters to gather, leading to stone-throwing and arson.

Police and Rapid Action Battalion members were present at the scene, and authorities said further details would be provided later.

The European Union has imposed new sanctions on four organizations and three individuals linked to violence and illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Among those targeted are the far-right group Regavim, co-founded by Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and the Amana Cooperative Association, which provides logistical and financial support for settlements. Regavim described the sanctions as a “badge of honor,” while Daniella Weiss, leader of the Nachala movement, dismissed them as “ridiculous.”

The EU’s move follows similar measures by the United Kingdom, Canada, and other Western nations against senior Israeli officials, including Smotrich, for allegedly inciting and supporting violence in the occupied territories. Analysts note that these sanctions highlight direct backing from Israel’s top leadership for settlement projects on Palestinian land.

Observers suggest that the defiant reactions from sanctioned individuals and groups indicate the EU’s measures are unlikely to curb settlement expansion or violence. Instead, the sanctions may inadvertently boost the domestic standing of extremist leaders within Israel’s political landscape.