The Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) has submitted a proposal to Bangladesh Bank seeking approval to impose new fees on 14 banking services that are currently free of charge. The proposal also includes increases in existing charges for various services such as account maintenance, loan processing, letters of credit, bank guarantees, demand drafts, pay orders, and solvency certificates. If approved, the changes would significantly raise banking costs for depositors, businesses, importers, exporters, and borrowers.

According to the proposal, dormant account reactivation would cost 500 taka, and cash withdrawals beyond certain limits would incur new fees. Loan management, restructuring, and early settlement charges would rise, while fees for letters of credit and bank guarantees would also increase. ABB has argued that rising operational and technology costs, along with inflation, justify a revision of the current fee structure. It has requested that the proposed schedule of charges be approved as the maximum limit for all banks.

ABB also suggested allowing banks to adjust charges annually by up to 10 percent in line with operational and inflationary changes, subject to Bangladesh Bank’s approval.

Continuous heavy rainfall from Saturday night to Sunday morning has once again submerged large parts of Chattogram under water. Major roads, alleys, and low-lying neighborhoods were flooded, causing severe disruption to daily life. Residents in areas such as Chawk Bazar, Kapasgola, Katalganj CDA residential area, Tekbazar, Bahaddarhat Signal, and Hamzarbag faced knee- to waist-deep water. Many homes were inundated, leaving families trapped indoors and commuters struggling to reach workplaces.

Flooding also affected parts of the Kalurghat to Arakan Road area, where water remains stagnant in low-lying houses. Locals reported extreme difficulty in carrying out daily activities. Despite repeated promises of drainage improvement projects, residents said most of the city still goes underwater during heavy rain. They demanded effective water drainage and a permanent solution to the recurring problem.

According to the Meteorological Department, the active monsoon is likely to bring more rainfall to the Chattogram region in the coming days, raising concerns of prolonged waterlogging.

Wikipedia has come under renewed scrutiny in India after a defamation lawsuit filed by Asian News International (ANI) in 2024. The Delhi High Court warned that the platform could be banned in India if it fails to comply with national laws. This has reignited global debate over how Wikipedia operates and how reliable its information truly is.

Wikipedia, launched in 2001, is a free, open-source online encyclopedia managed by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation. It hosts over 60 million articles and receives more than 10 trillion monthly page views. Around 300,000 volunteers worldwide write and verify its content without pay, following strict editorial guidelines that require information to be based on reliable published sources. Disputed entries are reviewed by senior editors and marked accordingly.

While Wikipedia acknowledges that it should not be treated as a primary source, experts note that widely known topics tend to be more accurate due to frequent review. Critics have raised concerns about gender imbalance among contributors and ideological bias. The platform operates without ads, relying on user donations, and faces restrictions or bans in at least 13 countries, including China, Myanmar, and North Korea.

Flooding across 11 upazilas of Chattogram has persisted for a week despite reduced rainfall, as heavy upstream flow from India’s Tripura and Mizoram continues to inundate low-lying areas. According to district authorities, 759,000 people remain waterlogged, though the actual number is believed to be higher. Eleven people have died from landslides and floodwaters, and large parts of Banshkhali, Satkania, Fatikchhari, Raozan, Boalkhali, Chandanaish, Lohagara, Hathazari, Anwara, Karnaphuli, and Patiya remain submerged.

Rescue and relief operations are underway with army, BGB, police, and fire service teams deployed in seven upazilas. Many areas remain without electricity and mobile networks, leaving residents isolated. Shortages of food and drinking water persist in overcrowded shelters. Agricultural losses include 9,043 hectares of Aus crops, 960 hectares of Aman seedbeds, and 5,907 hectares of vegetables, while fish and livestock losses are estimated at Tk 40 crore and Tk 28 crore respectively.

State ministers said the prime minister is closely monitoring the situation, and that water levels are expected to recede as sluice gates have been opened and rainfall decreases.

The government of Bangladesh has approved a policy decision to introduce ration benefits for government employees in grades 12 to 20, aiming to ease financial pressure caused by rising living costs. The Finance Division and the Cabinet Division have already given their consent, and implementation activities are underway. The decision follows prolonged discussions and was initiated after a proposal from the Pirojpur Deputy Commissioner at the May 3 District Commissioners’ Conference.

According to officials, many lower- and mid-level government employees have been struggling with inflation and relying on loans to manage expenses. The ration plan seeks to reduce living costs, ease mental stress, and improve work efficiency. The Cabinet Division instructed ministries to report monthly progress by the 10th of each month and to present an overall review after three months. Public administration experts welcomed the move as timely and positive but urged strict oversight to prevent irregularities and ensure genuine beneficiaries receive the support.

Currently, ration benefits are available to members of the armed forces, police, BGB, Ansar, prison, fire service, NSI, SSF, ACC, and narcotics control departments.

In Mirzapur of Tangail, a newly constructed 460-meter road has started to deteriorate just seven days after completion. Locals reported that the asphalt layer is peeling off under vehicle pressure, creating small potholes and causing the surface to sink. The road, stretching from the Gorai Flyover area through Jorpukur Par to Bongerteki Green City, was built by Bismillah Enterprise at a cost of 1.475 million taka. The construction was carried out hastily during adverse weather, and rain began before the asphalt could properly dry.

Residents alleged that the contractor did not clean the old surface before applying the new asphalt and used substandard materials with insufficient bitumen. These factors, combined with the rain, reportedly led to the rapid damage. The Upazila Engineer of Mirzapur LGED, Monirul Saj Rizon, confirmed awareness of the damage and stated that no payment has been made to the contractor yet.

He added that the bill will not be released until the damaged sections are properly repaired, indicating possible rework before final approval.

A powerful Typhoon Bavi struck eastern China on Saturday, marking the second major storm to hit the country within a week. The typhoon first made landfall in the coastal city of Taizhou in the evening before reaching Wenzhou around midnight. Authorities evacuated about two million people from disaster-prone areas, including over 1.7 million from Zhejiang Province alone. Flights, train services, schools, and outdoor activities were suspended as precautionary measures.

Before reaching China, Bavi had passed near Japan’s remote islands and northern Taiwan, bringing heavy rainfall, and earlier caused at least 17 deaths in the Philippines due to landslides. Although the storm weakened into a severe tropical storm, it continued to pose risks from intense rainfall and moisture. State media warned of extremely heavy rain in parts of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces on Sunday.

Officials expect the typhoon to gradually lose strength as it moves northwest. The storm follows Typhoon Maysak, which struck southern China earlier in the week, killing at least 39 people and causing significant agricultural losses.

The death toll from the powerful twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, with 16,740 people injured, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. He announced the updated figures at a press conference on Saturday, noting that 315 victims remain unidentified. Rescue teams have so far saved 6,462 people, while around 17,000 have been left homeless.

Rodríguez stated that the government will begin distributing new housing to affected families next week. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez will allocate the first 200 new homes to victims. A total of 856 buildings were damaged, including 190 that either collapsed completely or suffered severe structural damage. Authorities estimate that at least 25,000 new homes will be needed for rehabilitation efforts.

To support reconstruction, approximately 40 plots of land covering 584,000 square meters have been identified in the Osma and Chuspa areas. Rodríguez added that rescue operations remain ongoing in a few uncertain zones where teams continue searching for survivors.

Dhaka experienced heavy overnight rainfall that caused widespread waterlogging across major roads and neighborhoods on Saturday night. Areas including Dhanmondi, Mirpur, Malibagh, Karwan Bazar, Motijheel, and parts of Old Dhaka were submerged, with water levels reaching knee to waist height in some places. The flooding disrupted traffic, leaving many vehicles stalled and commuters stranded. Office-goers faced severe delays and reported that rickshaw and auto-rickshaw drivers were charging extra fares amid the transport shortage.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department forecasted more rain and thunderstorms across most parts of the country on Sunday, accompanied by gusty or squally winds blowing at 45 to 60 kilometers per hour. River ports in 13 regions, including Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, and Chattogram, were advised to hoist cautionary signal number one. The department also maintained a high-risk alert for landslides in Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Bandarban, Rangamati, and Khagrachhari due to heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Authorities urged caution for river transport and residents in hilly areas as unstable weather conditions were expected to continue.

A catla fish weighing one maund was caught in the Padma River at Rayta Pathorghat area of Veramara upazila in Kushtia on Saturday evening. The fish was sold for 46,800 taka at a rate of 1,200 taka per kilogram. Local fisherman Murad and several others caught the fish while casting their regular fishing nets in the river.

According to the fishermen, they had never before caught such a large catla fish in their nets. The fish was later purchased by local resident Ripon Ali and his friends, who divided it among themselves. Residents of the area said they had not seen such a large catla in their lifetime, nor had they heard of one being caught in that part of the Padma River before.

The unusual catch has become a topic of local interest, highlighting the continued livelihood of fishermen in the Padma River region.

Students of the 105th batch of Dhaka University have announced an emergency public relief fund campaign to assist flood-affected residents in Chattogram, which is experiencing one of the most severe floods in recent memory. The initiative will begin on Sunday, July 12, with two collection booths set up at the TSC and Arts Building on campus. Relief items and cash donations will also be collected from residential halls, classrooms, and nearby areas.

According to organizers, a representative team from the 105th batch is maintaining constant communication with local volunteers and officials in the affected low-lying areas. Once the collection phase ends, the gathered funds will be used to purchase dry food, clean water, saline, polythene sheets, and essential medical supplies, which will be distributed directly to stranded residents through coordination with local volunteers.

Coordinator Ifthekhar Islam Tanvir said the campaign aims to ensure broad participation through faculty-based teams, hall-level promotion, and crowdfunding. He described the effort as a collective act of humanity, urging everyone to contribute within their means.

Continuous heavy rainfall has submerged large areas of Pekua upazila in Cox’s Bazar, leaving homes, roads, and fields underwater. In response, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rafiqul Islam personally waded through waist-deep water to deliver food relief to stranded residents. From early morning until late night on Thursday, he distributed dry and cooked food, including rice, lentils, oil, and biscuits, to isolated families.

Local residents said it is rare to see an administrative officer working directly in the field during such disasters. Rafiqul Islam stated that daily wage earners and low-income families were the hardest hit, as work stopped and many households could not cook due to soaked fuel. He emphasized that the administration is monitoring every area and delivering aid wherever shortages are reported.

Several low-lying villages remain waterlogged. The upazila administration has opened shelters and a control room to ensure continuous assistance, while local representatives and volunteers are also working to support affected residents.

Bangladeshi actress Pori Moni has alleged that her 2021 arrest by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was carried out unlawfully and to serve the interests of certain influential groups. In a Facebook post published late on July 10, 2026, she recalled being detained from her Banani residence and later charged under the Narcotics Control Act. She stated that the incident severely damaged her personal, social, and professional life, and questioned whether the state could ever restore her lost dignity and peace of mind.

In her post, Pori Moni thanked former RAB intelligence chief Lt. Col. (Retd.) Khairul Islam for recently acknowledging certain truths about the operation during an online talk show. She reiterated that she was unjustly arrested under the direction of then RAB chief and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun. The actress emphasized her desire for justice, accountability, and the protection of innocent citizens from similar experiences.

Pori Moni expressed hope that the court would soon grant her relief from the case but lamented that the time and respect she lost could never be recovered.

Bollywood singer, composer, and pianist Adnan Sami has released a special four-song musical project dedicated to Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The project, unveiled on Friday, July 10, 2026, has already drawn significant international attention. Each of the four original songs explores themes of leadership, resilience, endurance, and remembrance, marking a distinctive addition to Sami’s extensive musical repertoire.

According to the official X handle of the Iranian Embassy in Australia, the Padma Shri award-winning artist created this project as a tribute to Khamenei, with one of the songs titled “Ya Allah” shared through the embassy’s post. Over his three-decade career, Sami has performed across South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, blending Indian classical, pop, and orchestral styles to build a unique musical identity.

The new project is viewed by observers as another exceptional chapter in Adnan Sami’s long artistic journey, further expanding his creative legacy in international music circles.

UNESCO has reported that in 2025, 113 developing countries spent more on foreign debt repayments than on education. The agency’s latest report highlights that sub-Saharan African nations, on average, allocated 3.6 times more funds to debt servicing than to education, undermining education systems and threatening long-term economic growth. The report warns that the situation could worsen as low and lower-middle-income countries have already lost 21 percent of international education aid compared to 2023, with projections of a further 30 percent decline by 2027.

Debt Justice, a UK-based campaign group, attributed the growing debt burden to the COVID-19 pandemic, rising energy prices, higher interest rates, and climate-related disasters. In 2024, poor countries’ debt repayments reached a 35-year high, with 56 nations spending about one-fifth of their total government income on debt servicing. UNESCO noted that the funding shortfall has disrupted school operations, delayed teacher salaries, and hindered educational activities.

UNESCO called for reforms in global debt restructuring mechanisms and urged the creation of long-term debt-assistance frameworks to help developing countries maintain investment in education and essential public services while managing debt obligations.