Two Bangladeshi multiplexes, Lion Cinemas in Keraniganj and Madhuban Cineplex in Bogura, have begun screening live FIFA World Cup matches instead of films to attract audiences. The initiative, launched amid a shortage of quality movies and declining viewership, has drawn strong public interest. Lion Cinemas has already shown several matches across its four screens, with most shows reportedly going houseful as fans buy multiple tickets to enjoy the games with friends and family.

Madhuban Cineplex started its large-screen broadcasts with the Argentina–Egypt match on Tuesday. Managing Director Sayekhuzzaman said the decision followed a sharp drop in cinema attendance, with some shows drawing as few as ten viewers and causing financial losses. To counter this, the cineplex priced tickets at 100 and 200 taka. If the current response continues, the management plans to screen the semifinal and final matches as well.

The move reflects a creative attempt by theater owners to sustain operations and reconnect with audiences through live sports entertainment.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told Parliament that depositors of struggling banks will receive their full money back with interest, assuring that the 'haircut' provision limiting refunds to two lakh taka will not be implemented. He urged depositors to remain patient as the process continues. The statement came in response to a notice from BNP lawmaker Rehena Akter Ranu, who raised concerns about depositors losing access to their savings and called for strict punishment of those responsible for bank fraud.

The minister said five troubled banks have been merged under the Resolution Act to form the Combined Islami Bank, aiming to stabilize the financial sector. He added that a forensic audit is underway to identify those responsible for irregular investments, and Bangladesh Bank has been empowered to seize and auction their assets to recover funds. Legal actions are also being initiated to repatriate embezzled money from abroad, with nine international law firms engaged under a 'no win, no fee' arrangement.

Chowdhury reaffirmed that depositors will get back their money with interest, though the process will take time due to the banks’ ongoing losses.

On July 8, 2026, Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party launched a fully digital selection process to send skilled women workers to Moldova through its Welfare Trust. The initiative began with 139 female members from the Dhaka Metropolitan Ansar North and East zones participating in the first phase at the Ansar headquarters. Candidates completed self-declaration forms and took live written tests using Google Forms under strict supervision, followed by physical assessments and interviews before a jury board.

The process, guided by Director General Major General Abdul Motaleb Sajjad Mahmud, aims to eliminate middlemen and ensure merit-based selection through five oversight committees. A specialized software automatically compiles evaluation results, minimizing human interference. The second phase, involving 161 candidates from the South and West zones, follows the same transparent digital procedure.

Selected candidates will receive advanced training to adapt to European work environments and enhance professional skills. The program seeks to create a sustainable model for safe, legal migration, empowering Bangladeshi women while strengthening the country’s reputation and economy through skilled labor exports.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced that Bangladesh will begin exporting jackfruit to China. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, he said that during his recent visit to China, an agreement was signed to facilitate the export. Rahman noted that Bangladeshi jackfruit is very popular in China and expressed optimism about the trade potential.

The announcement came in response to a supplementary question from Mymensingh-6 MP Kamrul Hasan Milon, who highlighted the agricultural potential of Fulbaria, where lemons, pineapples, and jackfruits are produced in large quantities. The Prime Minister also shared that during his earlier visit to Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim mentioned that Malaysia exports durian worth one billion dollars annually to China. Rahman said Bangladesh could similarly earn significant foreign currency through jackfruit exports.

He further mentioned that the government plans to reopen a closed pineapple processing factory in Fulbaria but currently has no plan to establish a separate industrial zone there.

Continuous heavy rainfall has flooded several low-lying areas in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari, disrupting road connections with Baghaichhari, Sajek, and Longadu in Rangamati. As a result, more than 450 tourists have been stranded in the hill resort town of Sajek. The flooding began on Wednesday morning when parts of the Dighinala–Sajek road, particularly the Kabakhali section, went underwater, halting all vehicular movement.

In Merung union, roads and multiple villages were submerged, cutting off direct road communication with Longadu. Rising water levels in the Maini River have started flooding nearby lowlands, raising concerns among residents. The upazila administration has opened 20 shelters to assist affected people, while the district administration has opened 135 shelters and arranged dry food and other relief measures.

According to the Sajek Cottage and Resort Owners Association, stranded tourists are being accommodated with utility bill-based lodging and discounted meals at local restaurants as authorities continue to monitor the situation.

Gas supply in Bogura city and surrounding areas will remain suspended for 24 hours due to urgent maintenance and gas commissioning work. According to the West Zone Gas Company Limited (PGCL), the suspension will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, and continue until 6 p.m. on Friday, July 10. The interruption is required for tie-in operations connected to the Bogura District Regulating Station (DRS) under the SASEC-2 project.

The project involves relocating and removing existing gas pipelines from Bonani Mor to Tinmatha Railgate in the Bogura region. The tie-in work will be carried out at both ends of the pipeline and at the Bogura DRS. During this period, gas supply will remain halted for all categories of consumers, including industrial, captive power, CNG filling stations, commercial, and residential users.

PGCL stated that tie-in work will take place at about 12 points, including Bonani, Tinmatha Mor, Shakpala Bus Stand, Millennium School, Bogura Jahangirnagar Cantonment, Palli Bidyut, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, PGCB, GTCL, and Agathi CNG Filling Station. The company assured that gas supply will be restored as soon as the work is completed.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given policy approval to relocate Dhaka’s Sayedabad inter-district bus terminal to Kanchpur in an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the capital. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury at the Secretariat. The move follows a directive from Prime Minister Tareq Rahman to modernize traffic management in Dhaka.

According to the Local Government Division, Dhaka South City Corporation has been instructed to complete necessary infrastructure and operational preparations within four months to make the proposed Kanchpur terminal functional. The project will be implemented by state-owned Chittagong Dry Dock Limited under the Bangladesh Navy through direct purchase due to state emergency needs.

The estimated cost of the project is Tk 6.88 crore. It includes construction of a 4,012-square-meter platform, installation of tiles, a shed using 15,573 kilograms of profile sheets, 120 ticket counters, 32 toilets, and office rooms. Officials expect the new terminal to significantly reduce traffic pressure in eastern Dhaka and improve overall traffic management.

Continuous rainfall over the past three days has inundated more than a hundred homes in Eidgaon upazila of Cox’s Bazar, leaving over twenty villages waterlogged. Poor drainage has worsened the situation, while heavy downpours have raised fears of landslides and bridge collapses in several areas, including key roads and residential zones. Local residents warned that without prompt administrative action, lives could be at risk.

Union Parishad chairmen from Eidgaon, Jalalabad, Islampur, Islamabad, and Pokkhali reported widespread flooding, with some areas facing severe waterlogging and erosion threats. The Himchhari Bridge on the Eidgaon–Eidgar–Baishari road, a vital link for around two lakh people, has developed a large cavity due to hill runoff, prompting fears of a total collapse. Local officials confirmed awareness of the issue and said emergency measures were underway.

The upazila administration stated that while water has receded in some areas, drainage work continues in others. Concerned citizens urged swift action to prevent waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and dengue if stagnant water persists.

Abdur Rahman Khan, the recently retired chairman of Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR), is set to be appointed as the country’s next executive director at the World Bank. He will succeed Sharifa Khan, the former senior secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), who currently holds the position. Once the official government notification is issued, Abdur Rahman Khan will represent Bangladesh on the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors.

According to relevant sources, the Prime Minister’s Office has already approved the file related to his appointment. The executive director represents member countries on the World Bank’s board, participating in key decisions regarding loans, grants, development projects, policy matters, and other financial operations. The alternate executive director performs duties in the absence of the executive director and assists in board activities.

The appointment marks a continuation of Bangladesh’s representation in the World Bank’s decision-making body, ensuring the country’s participation in shaping global development and financial policies.

A free shuttle service has been launched at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to ensure safe, convenient, and comfortable transport for arriving and departing passengers. The initiative, funded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), was inaugurated by Group Captain S M Ragib Samad, Executive Director of the airport, at a ceremony held in front of the airport canopy.

The service operates under the guidance of the Minister and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism and the CAAB Chairman. Initially, the buses will run between the airport and key nearby points including the Airport Bus Stand, Jasimuddin Mor, Airport Railway Station, and Kawla. The service aims to provide free, fast, and secure travel between major connection points for passengers, particularly benefiting senior citizens, women, children, physically challenged travelers, and those carrying heavy luggage.

According to CAAB, the initiative is expected to reduce dependence on private vehicles, ease traffic congestion around the airport, and promote an environmentally friendly transport system while improving overall passenger service quality.

Global oil prices rose sharply after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire with Iran was over. The declaration came following overnight retaliatory attacks between the United States and Iran, triggering volatility in energy markets. On Wednesday, international benchmark Brent crude increased by 6 percent to reach 78 dollars per barrel, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 5.95 percent to 74.60 dollars per barrel. In contrast, European share prices fell by 1.6 percent.

Earlier, oil prices had already climbed more than 2 percent on Wednesday following renewed U.S. strikes and the reinstatement of trade sanctions against Iran. On Tuesday, prices had risen by nearly 3 percent. The developments reflect heightened geopolitical tensions affecting global energy markets.

Speaking at the NATO summit alongside Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said the memorandum of understanding with Iran was “over” and described it as a waste of time, signaling a further deterioration in U.S.-Iran relations.

On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, nearly 99 percent of the global population will experience daylight at the same time due to the Earth's tilt and the ongoing summer in the Northern Hemisphere. For about one minute, most of the planet’s densely populated regions will be illuminated by the sun, leaving only a small fraction of people in darkness. Around 5:10 p.m. Bangladesh time (11:10 a.m. GMT), approximately 8.2 billion people will be under daylight or twilight.

Daylight will cover most parts of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, where the majority of the world’s population resides. Nighttime will prevail only in Australia, New Zealand, parts of Southeast Asia, Antarctica, and nearby oceanic areas.

This phenomenon is not unique to this year. Between May 18 and July 17 each year, there is a brief daily period when about 99 percent of people on Earth experience daylight or twilight simultaneously, coinciding with the Northern Hemisphere’s longest days in June before the sun gradually shifts southward.

A landslide in the Khajurtala area of Jungle Salimpur, Sitakunda, Chattogram, killed a 10-month-old child and injured his mother on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. when a portion of a nearby hill collapsed onto the house of local resident Mohin Uddin, destroying the dwelling and burying the family under debris. The deceased child was identified as Ashraful Islam Tanvir, son of Mohin Uddin. The injured mother received initial medical treatment following the accident.

Local sources reported that the landslide struck suddenly, leaving little time for the family to react. In response to the incident, authorities have urged residents living in vulnerable hillside areas to relocate to safer locations to prevent further casualties. Attempts to contact the in-charge of the Faujdarhat police outpost, Md. Rubel, for additional information were unsuccessful.

The event highlights ongoing risks faced by communities residing near unstable slopes in the region, prompting renewed calls for precautionary measures and relocation efforts.

Six fishermen from Patuakhali’s Galachipa upazila remain missing three days after their fishing trawler capsized in the Bay of Bengal. The incident occurred on the night of July 5, about 60 kilometers south of Maudubi in Rangabali upazila, when the vessel was struck by a sudden storm. Five crew members were rescued alive, two of whom are receiving treatment at Galachipa Upazila Health Complex. The Coast Guard and local fishermen have continued search operations, but no trace of the missing men has been found as of Wednesday afternoon.

The missing fishermen are residents of Gazalia, Panpatti, and Sadar unions, while the rescued include trawler owner Imadul Sikder and four others. According to Sikder, the trawler overturned suddenly, trapping three men inside the cabin. The survivors clung to floating debris and buoys for hours before being rescued by another fishing boat early Monday. A general diary has been filed with Galachipa Police Station regarding the incident.

Local authorities have sought assistance from the Navy to support the ongoing rescue efforts.

A landslide in Renchang village of Dangchang County, located in China's northwestern Gansu province, has killed 21 people. The incident occurred at 6:56 a.m. on Tuesday, when 33 people were buried under debris. Rescue teams quickly arrived at the site and launched an operation, which has now concluded, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.

Following the disaster, the Chinese government allocated 30 million yuan for reconstruction in the affected area. On the same day, severe storms and heavy rainfall in southern and central China killed about 17 people and injured hundreds. In Guangxi, flooding occurred in around 40 rivers and waterways, and a reservoir dam collapsed under water pressure, forcing thousands to evacuate.

President Xi Jinping has instructed authorities to make maximum efforts in rescue and relief operations, as multiple regions continue to face extreme weather conditions.