A sweeping heatwave has engulfed Europe, with France, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom reporting record or near-record temperatures. Scientists have identified the recurring heatwaves as a clear sign of global warming and warned that such events will become more frequent, prolonged, and intense. In France, nearly 20 people drowned over the weekend as citizens sought relief in rivers and lakes, prompting the sports minister to urge safety compliance. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to chair an emergency cabinet meeting to address the crisis.

The heat forced the shutdown of a reactor at the Golfech nuclear power plant in southwestern France after river water used for cooling exceeded safe temperature limits. Over 1,350 schools were closed as the national average temperature reached 29.2°C, surpassing all previous June records. Belgium’s weather agency forecast that the heatwave could last a week, possibly marking the country’s hottest period on record. Germany reported at least five drowning deaths, while the UK issued its highest-level heat alert for parts of England.

Authorities across Europe have advised limiting travel and outdoor activity, particularly for vulnerable groups, as infrastructure and public health systems face mounting pressure.

The United States is set to ease sanctions on Iran worth up to $50 billion under a long-discussed agreement between the two countries, according to reports on June 23, 2026. The deal will allow the gradual release of previously frozen Iranian assets. Initial talks in Doha, Qatar, led to a policy agreement to release $12 billion in two phases of $6 billion each, followed by a final signing ceremony planned in Switzerland. An Iranian spokesperson confirmed that the process has already been completed.

Under the proposed framework, Iran will first gain access to $12 billion, with another $12 billion expected to be released after 60 days of further discussions. If a full and final agreement is reached, the total value of sanctions relief and released funds could reach $50 billion. However, the funds will not be provided as unrestricted cash. U.S. officials have expressed concerns that the money could support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, prompting strict conditions on its use.

The released funds are expected to be used mainly for importing food, medicine, and humanitarian goods through approved U.S.-linked financial channels. Analysts suggest that if fully implemented, the deal could bring significant relief to Iran’s economy and open new opportunities for improved relations with Western nations.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said Bangladesh can raise its export earnings from the current level of about $50–55 billion to $150 billion. Speaking at a consultation workshop in Dhaka’s CIRDAP auditorium on Tuesday, he emphasized that achieving this goal requires targeted planning, policy support, research, and skilled workforce development in several promising sectors. The event was organized to present the Development Project Proposal (DPP) based on a study assessing the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s private sectors.

The minister noted that Bangladesh has met all conditions for graduation from the Least Developed Country category, but the main challenge now is to remain competitive globally. He stressed the need for greater efficiency, innovation, and technology adaptation in industries. Plans include developing international-standard training centers in the leather and light engineering sectors and launching joint research with China to boost jute-based product innovation. The commerce secretary added that a Tk 3,000 crore integrated project is being planned to strengthen export capacity and align with national budget priorities.

Officials said the project will emphasize private sector participation, digitalization, and simplified procedures to build a sustainable export model after LDC graduation.

The Namar Bazar underpass on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Sitakunda upazila has become a serious safety hazard for thousands of residents. Built in 2010 under the four-lane highway development project by Chinese contractor Sinohydro Corporation, the structure was intended to ensure safe local movement. However, poor planning and lack of oversight have made it dangerously narrow and low, preventing fire service and emergency vehicles from passing through. Residents say the underpass now symbolizes daily fear and prolonged suffering.

Investigations revealed that after the project’s handover, key documents including the original design, as-built drawings, and cost records are missing from relevant offices. This disappearance has raised local suspicions about possible administrative failure or attempts to conceal irregularities. Sitakunda’s municipal administrator and the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials acknowledged design flaws and missing files. They said technical measures and renovation efforts will be taken to ease public suffering and ensure emergency access.

Authorities plan to identify structural problems, remove illegal structures, and carry out necessary repairs to make the underpass safe for emergency vehicles.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard conducted an operation on Tuesday in the Padma River near Daulatdia Ferry Ghat and surrounding areas of Goaland upazila in Rajbari district to prevent illegal fishing and river pollution. During the drive, officers seized a large quantity of banned fishing nets and publicly burned them to destroy the materials.

The operation, carried out by a four-member Coast Guard patrol team from Rajbari, targeted illegal fishing activities using current nets, China duari nets, behundi nets, and mosquito nets, as well as unauthorized dredging. Authorities confiscated 5,000 meters of illegal mosquito nets, 5,000 meters of illegal charghera nets, and various other banned nets, with an estimated market value of about 950,000 taka.

Following approval from Goaland Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Anwarul Islam Pilot, the seized nets were burned. He confirmed that similar operations will continue regularly to protect the river’s ecological balance and conserve jatka fish, with strict measures against illegal fishing and the use of prohibited nets.

The Teesta River has risen 1 centimeter above the danger level at Dalia point in Lalmonirhat following heavy rainfall and the opening of all gates at India’s Gajoldoba Barrage. The Water Development Board (WDB) is keeping 44 sluice gates open to control the flow and is monitoring the situation continuously.

According to WDB sources, heavy rainfall and upstream inflow may continue for the next two to three days, raising concerns of worsening flood conditions in Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, and Kurigram. Local residents expressed frustration over India’s water management, saying that water is withheld during dry seasons but released excessively during monsoon, causing hardship.

Officials from the WDB and Teesta Barrage confirmed that low-lying areas along the river have already been flooded and urged residents to remain alert as water levels continue to rise.

Continuous heavy rainfall over the past two to three days has raised serious fears of landslides in Teknaf, a border upazila of Cox’s Bazar. Thousands of residents living at the foot of hills are now at risk, prompting local administration and forest officials to issue special warnings and conduct loudspeaker announcements urging people in vulnerable areas to move to safer shelters.

According to local sources and officials, the downpour began on the night of June 21 and continued until the afternoon of June 22, softening the soil and increasing the risk of hill collapse. Areas including Hnila, Whaikyang, Sabrang, Baharchhara, and parts of Teknaf Sadar have been identified as highly vulnerable. More than five hundred houses in low-lying areas have become waterlogged, disrupting road communication and submerging agricultural land and shrimp enclosures.

Officials confirmed that evacuation efforts are underway, with coordination between forest workers and local representatives. The Teknaf Upazila administration is monitoring the situation and preparing relief for affected families while ensuring the safety of those trapped by floodwaters.

A severe heatwave has gripped Europe, disrupting daily life and breaking temperature records across multiple countries. On Monday, June 22, temperatures soared to unprecedented levels, with France reporting at least 18 deaths linked to the extreme heat. In Bordeaux, the temperature reached 41.9°C, surpassing previous records, while Poitiers recorded 41.2°C, breaking a 1947 record. Authorities closed or rescheduled classes in several French regions as a precaution.

The UK Met Office warned that the ongoing heatwave could break the country’s June temperature record, forecasting highs of up to 39°C. Spain also faced unusually high temperatures, with forecasts of 40°C in San Sebastián, while Italy issued red alerts in 12 cities due to the heat. Wildlife in Belgium has been affected, with birds suffering from extreme roof temperatures reaching 50–60°C.

Experts attribute the heatwave to an atmospheric pattern known as the “omega block,” which traps warm air over Europe. They note that climate change is intensifying such extreme weather events, increasing both heatwaves and heavy rainfall.

Bangladesh will no longer send workers to Malaysia through syndicates, according to Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury. He announced the decision after returning from Malaysia and said that Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister is scheduled to visit Dhaka in July. During that visit, both sides are expected to finalize a transparent and low-cost process for sending workers.

The minister stated that discussions between the two countries on labor recruitment were positive and that both governments share the same position on eliminating syndicates. The announcement follows Prime Minister Tarek Rahman’s two-day official visit to Malaysia, where he met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and senior business leaders.

During the visit, Bangladesh and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation and exchanged documents on counterterrorism research and investment collaboration. Both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, labor, defense, energy, digital economy, and regional issues to elevate their longstanding bilateral relationship.

After years of global and domestic challenges, Chattogram’s shipbuilding industry is showing renewed momentum. Western Marine Shipyard, one of Bangladesh’s largest private shipbuilders, has overcome the pandemic and economic downturn to resume full-scale operations. Located on 34 acres along the Karnaphuli River in Patiya, the company is currently constructing 15 vessels for both domestic and international clients, including oil tankers, landing crafts, cargo ships, and fishing vessels.

Western Marine has exported 39 ships to countries such as Finland, Denmark, the UAE, and India, earning Bangladesh about 141 million US dollars in foreign exchange. The company employs around 1,000 workers and is listed on both the Dhaka and Chattogram stock exchanges. Industry representatives say the shipyard’s revival could strengthen Bangladesh’s position in the global market and stimulate local employment.

Stakeholders have urged the government to provide policy support and incentives for the sector in the 2026–2027 budget. They believe that with proper financing and modern technology, Bangladesh could further expand its shipbuilding exports and reduce import dependence.

A sudden surge of water from upstream caused the Teesta embankment to collapse, flooding large areas across northern Bangladesh. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre issued a new alert on Monday, warning that within 72 hours, short-term flooding could occur in low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Sylhet, and Sunamganj districts, with temporary inundation possible in parts of Netrakona, Mymensingh, and Sherpur. Local residents and water experts attributed the flooding to heavy rainfall in India and uncoordinated water releases from upstream.

Abdullah Al Hadi, chairman of Lakshmitari Union in Rangpur’s Gangachara, said the sudden flood broke the Teesta embankment, submerging vast farmland and damaging crops of about 50,000 people. He blamed India’s unilateral water management for repeated losses in Teesta basin areas. The Water Development Board confirmed that the floods were caused by heavy rainfall in India’s upstream regions, not domestic rain, and warned that the situation could persist for five days.

Meteorologists forecast below-average rainfall in June but expect heavier rain in Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet from June 27, which could worsen flooding in affected regions.

Bangladesh Bank’s latest statistics reveal that 4,899 large borrowers, each with loans exceeding Tk 50 crore, collectively hold Tk 5.75 trillion—over 32 percent of the country’s total bank loans. This concentration has grown from 27.6 percent in March 2024, indicating a rising dominance of large corporate clients in the banking sector. Each of these accounts now averages around Tk 117 crore in loans.

The report highlights that this growing concentration poses significant risks to the banking system, as defaults by a few large borrowers could directly affect banks’ capital, liquidity, and profitability. Despite existing exposure limits, many large industrial groups have exceeded them, and Bangladesh Bank has recently relaxed these limits further, allowing banks to lend up to 25 percent of their capital to a single client until June 2028.

Meanwhile, small borrowers remain largely excluded. Over 93 percent of loan accounts hold less than Tk 10 lakh, yet together they receive only 9.19 percent of total loans. State-owned banks face the highest risk, with nearly half their loans concentrated among about 1,000 clients.

The government of Bangladesh is moving toward implementing a new national pay scale for public servants after more than a decade, following the 2026–27 budget announcement. Although the pay scale is set to take effect on July 1, the full implementation strategy has not yet been finalized, leaving government employees both hopeful and anxious. A secretary-level committee led by the cabinet secretary has discussed recommendations from the National Pay Commission and other bodies, but no final decision has been reached. Another meeting is scheduled for June 24 to determine the next steps.

According to official sources, employees may not receive the increased salary until September or October due to administrative preparations such as regulation updates and software adjustments. Discussions are ongoing about whether to implement the pay scale in phases, with an initial 50 percent adjustment possible in the first year. Employee groups are demanding full implementation from July, citing rising living costs. The government has allocated Tk 89,836 crore for salaries and allowances in the new budget, with a significant portion reserved for pay scale implementation.

Analysts note that the main challenge for the government is balancing employee expectations with fiscal capacity amid inflationary pressures.

The United States has granted Iran permission to sell oil in US dollars for the first time in several decades, enabling Tehran to export crude to American buyers. According to The Wall Street Journal, the decision has already led to a decline in global oil prices. US Vice President JD Vance stated that Iranian officials have agreed to allow nuclear inspectors to return to the country this week, a move seen as a major concession by Iran.

The report added that optimism over progress in ongoing talks to end the US-Iran conflict contributed to a 3.3 percent drop in Brent crude prices, bringing them below 78 dollars per barrel. The development marks a significant shift in the long-strained economic and diplomatic relations between the two nations.

If sustained, the easing of restrictions could reshape global energy markets and signal a broader thaw in US-Iran relations, though the long-term impact remains to be seen.

Unplanned waste management and long-neglected drainage cleaning have caused severe waterlogging at Maona intersection, the central hub of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur. Drains on both sides of the highway are clogged with garbage, polythene, plastic, and decomposable waste, leading to foul-smelling black water overflowing onto the road even after light rain. This has disrupted traffic and created serious public health risks.

Although the Sreepur municipal administration has recently started cleaning the drains, the removed waste has been piled up beside the highway, drawing criticism from locals. Residents complain that rainwater washes the waste back into the drains, nullifying the cleaning effort and spreading stench across the area. Business owners and transport workers report losses and traffic jams due to the persistent waterlogging.

Sreepur’s Upazila Nirbahi Officer and municipal administrator Md. Nahid Bhuiyan acknowledged the long-standing problem and said waste removal is ongoing despite difficulties during the monsoon. He added that long-term plans are being developed for a permanent solution.