At the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday, former ICT minister Zunaid Ahmed Polok, sentenced to death in a war crimes case related to the July uprising, requested permission to personally cross-examine a witness. The case also involves Sajib Wazed Joy, son of Sheikh Hasina. So far, seven witnesses have testified. On the day set for the cross-examination of the seventh witness, Kabir Hossain Mridha, Polok’s lawyer Liton Ahmed sought more time, citing the recent appointment of a new defense lawyer who could not attend. The tribunal denied the request.

Polok was brought to the dock and asked to conduct the questioning himself, but the prosecution objected, arguing that only defense lawyers are allowed to cross-examine witnesses. Liton countered that Polok is a lawyer and understands legal procedures, yet the tribunal refused permission. Liton then proceeded with the cross-examination, during which the witness denied participating in a victory rally after Sheikh Hasina’s fall in August 2024 and described seeing bodies, including his son’s, at a hospital that night.

The exchange highlighted tensions between the defense and prosecution over procedural rights in the ongoing high-profile trial.

Leaders of the National Citizens Party (NCP) are scheduled to visit Kulaura in Moulvibazar on June 26 to protest the continued killings by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the Kulaura frontier. This will be the first visit of the party’s central leadership to the area, and local NCP members have expressed enthusiasm about the event.

According to Ibrahim Mahmud, joint member secretary of Kulaura NCP, the visiting delegation will include northern region organizer Sarjis Alam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patowary, and joint convener Ashraf Mahdi. They will first attend Friday prayers at Robirbazar Jame Mosque, then join a protest program at the Sharifpur border at 4 p.m. Later in the evening, at 7 p.m., they will participate in a discussion meeting at the local auditorium in Kulaura town.

The protest and meeting are being organized by the Moulvibazar district branch of the National Citizens Party (NCP).

The National Democratic Party (JAGPA) has announced a 35-member partial committee for its Dhaka Metropolitan unit. The committee was approved by JAGPA Vice President and party spokesperson Rashed Pradhan. SM Ziaul Anwar has been named president and Sabbir Ahmed general secretary. The announcement was made at the party’s metropolitan office on Thursday evening, where newly elected members were greeted with flowers. JAGPA General Secretary Professor Iqbal Hossain was also present at the event.

The committee includes several vice presidents, joint general secretaries, and organizational secretaries from both northern and southern regions of Dhaka. Other positions such as office, publicity, religious, finance, education and culture, relief, and information and media secretaries were also filled. The list concludes with several members appointed to general posts.

The formation of this partial committee marks an organizational step for JAGPA’s Dhaka unit as it continues to strengthen its local leadership structure.

The government has temporarily suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Biplob Bijoy Talukder of Rajarbagh Police Telecom for being absent from his workplace without permission for eight consecutive months. The suspension order was issued on Wednesday, June 24, under the signature of Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, by order of the President. The ministry confirmed the matter on Thursday, June 25.

According to the official notification, Talukder had been absent from duty since October 6 of the previous year without authorization. His actions were categorized as misconduct and desertion under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules. The order stated that his suspension would take effect from the date he first went absent.

Biplob Bijoy Talukder joined the Bangladesh Police in 2001 through the 20th BCS as an Assistant Superintendent of Police and was promoted to the rank of DIG in 2023.

Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon announced that teachers who moved from rural schools to cities over the past 20 years will have to return to their original rural postings. He said the ministry has already issued letters to prepare a list of such teachers. The minister made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with exam center secretaries at the Khulna Divisional Commissioner’s auditorium ahead of the upcoming HSC and equivalent examinations.

He also stated that from July, all primary schools will introduce both school uniforms and a mid-day meal program. Additionally, examinations under the madrasa and technical boards will be conducted with uniform question papers. The minister warned against digital cheating in exam centers and said that any negligence by hall supervisors or staff would result in punishment. He emphasized that fake question papers shared on social media would be investigated, and those responsible would face action.

Dr. Milon further mentioned that retired teachers who have not received their welfare and retirement allowances since 2022 will be paid soon.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah delivered a strong statement during the general discussion of the 13th National Parliament’s budget session on Thursday. He alleged that during the interim government period, legal actions were taken against Bashundhara Group by the Anti-Corruption Commission, but questioned the current status of those cases. Abdullah demanded transparency regarding any possible under-the-table settlements and called for legal action if no compromise had been made. He criticized the group for alleged money laundering, asset grabbing, and using media to justify political violence.

Abdullah further expressed disappointment that lawmakers must share the parliament with loan defaulters, calling it a matter of shame. He also noted that some ruling party members work as advisors to media outlets that previously portrayed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as a traitor. He urged the ruling party to take a firm stance against those legitimizing enforced disappearances and killings, emphasizing that avoiding revenge should not mean avoiding justice.

He added that despite years of money being laundered abroad, no clear policy has been presented on how to recover those funds.

Thirty-two eminent citizens have called for the immediate appointment of a trusted individual from the indigenous communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts as a full minister to lead the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs. Their joint statement, released to the media on Thursday, followed the resignation of the acting minister, which they said had caused frustration among the hill communities. The signatories noted that the minister, who had been elected with the highest votes from the region, resigned citing personal reasons, raising questions and doubts among local residents.

The statement suggested that some believe the minister may have faced undue obstacles during his tenure, undermining the confidence that hill communities had placed in the new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The citizens emphasized that the hill peoples have long faced discrimination and that the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord was a product of cross-party consensus. They also recalled that the accord’s provisions include appointing a minister from indigenous groups.

The signatories urged the prime minister to reconsider the matter promptly and restore confidence by appointing a full minister from the indigenous population to oversee the ministry’s operations.

National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah, representing Cumilla-4, alleged in parliament that 28 lakh crore taka had been laundered abroad, as shown in a white paper released by the interim government. Speaking during Thursday’s budget discussion chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, he said those responsible now move freely in affluent Dhaka areas. Abdullah questioned the progress of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s case against Bashundhara Group and demanded transparency about any possible under-the-table settlements.

He criticized the government’s budget proposal, calling it contradictory for pledging to reduce essential commodity prices while increasing taxes, which he said would ultimately burden ordinary citizens. Abdullah also questioned the government’s promise to create over one crore jobs in five years, asking how many had been achieved in the past four months. He expressed concern over the lack of clear policy to depoliticize banks and recover laundered funds.

Abdullah urged strong action against loan defaulters and those accused of corruption, calling for laws to disqualify defaulters from parliament. He also demanded justice for enforced disappearances and political killings, urging the prime minister to ensure rule of law and accountability.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mohammad Kamal Hossain from Dhaka-5 constituency demanded that gas supply be ensured or billing stopped if gas is unavailable. He made the statement on Thursday during the general discussion of the 13th National Parliament’s budget session. Hossain said that although his area has gas lines, residents are not receiving gas, causing severe hardship for households. He added that citizens are paying city corporation taxes but not receiving adequate services.

Earlier in the same session, opposition MP Salah Uddin from Gazipur-4 alleged that an honest deputy commissioner, Sarowar Alam, was withdrawn from Sylhet to promote corruption. He also claimed that Tk 17 crore is being embezzled weekly from the school feeding program and that new corruption reports are emerging daily in canal excavation projects.

Kamal Hossain further stated that corruption has reached such a level that bribes ranging from 10 to 15 percent are being calculated on calculators.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah delivered a fiery speech during the general discussion of the 13th National Parliament’s budget session on Thursday. He questioned why Bashundhara Group’s representatives, who could not enter the country during the interim government, have now returned confidently after the current government took office. Abdullah demanded updates on the Anti-Corruption Commission’s cases against Bashundhara and asked whether any under-the-table settlements had occurred.

He accused Bashundhara Group of money laundering, land grabbing, and using media to justify enforced disappearances and killings linked to the Awami League. Abdullah urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take a firm stance against those legitimizing such acts, while welcoming Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s non-retaliatory approach but emphasizing that avoiding revenge is not the same as ensuring justice.

Abdullah also criticized the lack of clear policy to recover laundered funds over the past 17 years and expressed shame over sharing parliament with loan defaulters. He alleged that some ruling party members work as advisors to Bashundhara and its media outlets, which once labeled the prime minister as a traitor.

The Parbatya Chattogram Citizens Council (PCCN) has called for a unified tax policy covering all communities in the three hill districts—Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban. The demand was made at a press conference held at the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh auditorium on Thursday. PCCN leaders argued that the current system grants undue privileges to a specific group under the 1997 peace accord and criticized a recent letter by four members of parliament seeking to retain full tax exemptions for indigenous residents under the Income Tax Act 2023.

Speakers, including PCCN Chairman Kazi Md. Mojibur Rahman and analyst AHM Faruk, said the existing tax exemption violates constitutional equality and fosters economic disparity. They claimed that since 1984, indigenous groups have benefited from tax-free advantages, becoming economically dominant while Bengali residents continue to pay taxes. The council rejected claims of underdevelopment in the hills as one-sided and protested the participation of a Bengali MP in the letter supporting tax exemption.

The organization warned that maintaining exclusive tax waivers could create powerful business syndicates and urged the government to implement the proposed amendment ensuring equal taxation for all citizens.

Bangladesh and China signed four memorandums of understanding in the presence of Prime Minister Tareq Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The signing took place between the heads of China’s Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, and Bangladesh’s Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon, who represented the Bangladesh government.

According to the agreements, the two countries will enhance bilateral cooperation in news and information exchange, develop long-term partnerships in the media sector, conduct joint research on Global South media, and expand collaboration in technology use and broadcasting. The memorandums are expected to further strengthen the existing friendly relations between Bangladesh and China and open new avenues of mutual cooperation in media and information sectors.

Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon left Dhaka for China on June 23 to join the Prime Minister’s state visit. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home with the delegation on June 26 night.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah has called for justice against media outlets that, according to him, created narratives supporting fascism. Speaking during the general discussion on the national budget session of the 13th Parliament on June 25, 2026, he questioned the status of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s case against Bashundhara Group filed during the interim government period. Abdullah noted that certain individuals linked to the group had not entered the country during that time but have since returned after the current government took office.

He demanded transparency regarding whether any under-the-table settlement had occurred and urged that any legal obstacles to action against the group be made public. Abdullah accused Bashundhara Group of money laundering, asset grabbing, and legitimizing enforced disappearances and killings through its media outlets. He also urged the BNP to take a firm stance against those who justified such acts, while welcoming the prime minister’s non-retaliatory approach but emphasizing that avoiding revenge is not the same as ensuring justice.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook met Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at his office in Dhaka on June 25, 2026. The meeting, held in a cordial atmosphere, covered issues including law and order, security, the Rohingya situation, prevention of illegal migration, and organized immigration crimes. Both sides discussed the upcoming Bangladesh-UK Joint Working Group meeting.

Sarah Cook said the second Bangladesh-UK Joint Working Group meeting will take place in London on July 7–8, 2026, where two agreements are expected to be signed. The minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to the orderly repatriation of its citizens from the UK under the 2024 Standard Operating Procedure and noted that the UK’s proposed “UK Letter” is being reviewed positively.

Bangladesh sought UK cooperation in preventing migration-related crimes, implementing the Police Referral Program, and identifying and recovering illicitly transferred funds and assets. The minister also thanked the UK for its humanitarian support in addressing the Rohingya crisis.

President Md. Shahabuddin stated that the eternal message of the holy Ashura teaches people to stand against injustice, oppression, and abuse of power, guiding them toward truth and enlightenment. He made the remarks in a message issued on Thursday ahead of Ashura, which will be observed tomorrow, the 10th of Muharram.

In his message, the President paid deep respect and sorrow to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his family members, and all martyrs of Karbala. He said Ashura is a significant and mournful day for the Muslim Ummah, commemorating many important events in Islamic history, with the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions giving the day unique dignity and deep human appeal.

The President expressed hope that the noble teachings of Ashura would enlighten everyone’s life and called for building a just, humane society based on equality and unity within the Muslim Ummah.