A key road in the Damudya bus stand area of Shariatpur became unusable, causing severe hardship for residents. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Atikur Rahman Kabir led an initiative to repair the damaged section after local appeals. The road, connecting Damudya bus stand to Damudya port, had developed numerous potholes and large craters over the past six months, worsened by heavy rainfall.

Local residents said neither public representatives nor the upazila administration took notice of the problem. The collapse of the road made it impassable for vehicles, forcing passengers to cross the damaged section on foot. Responding to community requests, Atikur Rahman Kabir, the Jamaat-e-Islami amir of Damudya municipality, visited the site with a team and decided to repair it.

The repair work was completed last Friday night with funding from Jamaat-e-Islami, restoring the road to a usable condition. According to Kabir, the effort was part of the party’s ongoing welfare activities and was carried out through voluntary labor.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members in Thakurgaon are struggling to conduct patrols due to long-neglected unpaved and damaged roads across the district’s 370-kilometer border area. In Ranishankoil’s Dhamorgor border outpost, a six-kilometer stretch has become nearly impassable, especially during rain, disrupting patrols, anti-smuggling operations, and emergency responses.

Local residents report severe difficulties in movement during the monsoon, with vehicles and even motorcycles facing danger on muddy roads. They expressed frustration that the force responsible for national border security must operate under such poor conditions. Residents and BGB officials alike have called for immediate paving of the connecting roads to ensure smoother patrols and better community access.

According to Thakurgaon’s executive engineer, a proposal to upgrade the 370 kilometers of unpaved border roads has been submitted under the Border Road Development Project. The initiative aims to strengthen border security, curb smuggling, and improve local livelihoods and agricultural transport once implemented.

Police in Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar arrested Jamaat-e-Islami leader Khizir Ahmed on Friday night from Alveen Restaurant in Barlekha Bazar. Authorities said he was wanted in a murder case filed during the previous Awami League government. The case dates back to February 28, 2013, when violence erupted after Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Crimes Tribunal. One Jamaat activist, Lokman Ahmed, was killed in the clashes, and police later filed a murder case naming Khizir Ahmed and others.

Khizir’s brother, Tarek Ahmed, claimed the arrest was based on a politically motivated case, saying his brother had been living in Qatar for years and regularly visited Bangladesh. Former Barlekha upazila Jamaat chief Emadul Islam also criticized the arrest, calling it harassment and expressing disappointment that police acted on a 13-year-old warrant. Several locals echoed similar sentiments, describing the arrest as unjust.

Barlekha police officer-in-charge Moniruzzaman Khan confirmed the arrest, stating that Khizir Ahmed was sent to jail under a court-issued warrant in case number GR 62/2013.

In Shariatpur, a new controversy has emerged following several flash processions by Awami League activists. Leaders and members of the party’s affiliated organizations, including Jubo League and Chhatra League, have been accused of putting up posters and festoons across various areas of Sadar upazila ahead of the party’s 77th founding anniversary. A video showing the poster campaign went viral on social media, drawing widespread local attention.

According to local sources, the posters were placed in Angaria Union to mark the anniversary on June 23 and to demand the release of detained party activists. The video reportedly shows local Jubo League leader Saiful Islam Molla leading the campaign, with participation from members of the banned Chhatra League. Posters were allegedly placed on public buildings, including the Angaria police outpost and the union council office, prompting administrative discussions.

Police said they are investigating the matter after seeing the video online. The officer in charge of Palong Model Police Station stated that the person named in the posters is currently abroad, while the individual seen posting them is not a resident of the district. Authorities have pledged legal action if wrongdoing is confirmed.

Residents of Jamalpur’s Bakshiganj and Dewanganj border areas are spending sleepless nights guarding the frontier to prevent any push-in incidents. Groups of young men stand watch at night with flashlights and bamboo sticks, exchanging information via mobile phones. Even during the day, they remain on alert as tension along the border with India’s Meghalaya and Assam continues. The atmosphere in these villages resembles a state of constant vigilance, with hundreds gathering within minutes whenever rumors or signs of unusual activity appear.

Most locals depend on farming, day labor, fishing, or small businesses, but their livelihoods are being disrupted by the need to patrol the border. Many report physical and mental exhaustion from balancing work and night watch duties. Families, especially women and children, are living in anxiety as men spend nights guarding and rush to the border during the day when alerts arise.

Local youths are voluntarily collecting and sharing information with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) when they notice suspicious movements. The prolonged tension has reduced productivity and affected normal life across the border villages.

Islami Chhatra Shibir’s central president Nurul Islam warned that if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) does not immediately abandon what he called a 'politics of murder,' the people will drive them out of the country as they did with the Awami League. He made the remarks on Sunday night at a protest rally in Dhaka organized by Shibir’s city unit, following the killing of union president Saifullah in Gaibandha. The rally began at the Central Shaheed Minar and ended at Shahbagh.

During his speech, Nurul Islam condemned the killing, accusing BNP and its youth wing of carrying out a cowardly and brutal attack. He demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those responsible, warning that students would launch a strong movement if justice was not served. Other Shibir leaders, including central office secretary Azizur Rahman Azad, also criticized BNP and the administration, alleging widespread corruption and violence.

Speakers at the rally expressed condolences for Saifullah’s death and urged the government to ensure justice for the killing.

Leaders and activists of the banned Awami League organized a flash procession in Barishal city on Sunday afternoon to mark the party’s 77th founding anniversary. The event took place in the Bogura Road area under the banner of the Barishal Metropolitan Awami League and moved through several city streets. Participants carried banners featuring former Barishal City Corporation mayor and the party’s metropolitan general secretary Sadiq Abdullah, chanting slogans celebrating the anniversary and expressing support for Sheikh Hasina.

According to the report, there was no visible police patrol during the procession, allowing the participants to disperse quickly after the march. Soon after the event, police from Kotwali Police Station launched a large-scale operation across the city. Similar drives were also initiated in the areas under Kaunia, Airport, and Bandar police stations, as confirmed by local police sources.

The incident reflects renewed attempts by the banned Awami League to organize publicly despite restrictions, prompting immediate law enforcement action in Barishal.

The Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of the BNP, organized a rally in Dhaka on Sunday evening to welcome Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first foreign trip. The procession was led by JCD central vice president Manjurul Alam Riad and joint general secretary Faruk Hossain. Leaders, activists, and supporters from various units of the organization joined the event.

Participants chanted slogans expressing support for BNP chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and called for the success of his foreign visit. They also voiced warnings against what they described as conspiracies by the banned Awami League and its student wing. The rally began at the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan and concluded in front of the National Press Club.

The event reflected the JCD’s public show of support for the new prime minister’s international engagement and its continued opposition stance toward rival political groups.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced that he will discuss the release of Bangladeshi citizens detained in Malaysian prisons with the Malaysian government. He made the statement on Sunday, June 21, during a meeting with expatriate Bangladeshis in Malaysia, marking his first official visit to the country as prime minister. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman.

Rahman emphasized that the government is prioritizing modern training and language education to enhance the skills of overseas workers. He said steps are being taken to modernize technical and vocational institutions in Bangladesh to prepare workers for global labor market competition. The government is also planning to identify countries where demand for Bangladeshi workers may increase over the next decade.

During the visit, discussions are expected to cover issues faced by Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, opportunities for new labor recruitment, and potential cooperation in trade, investment, and technology. The foreign secretary earlier indicated that a memorandum of understanding on a free trade agreement and cultural cooperation may be signed during the trip.

Sarjis Alam, the chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP) for the northern region, criticized the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament in a Facebook post on Sunday. He said their tone when saying 'this is not Shahbagh' diminishes the significance of the July street movement that began at Dhaka University and spread across Bangladesh. Alam argued that such remarks belittle the movement that enabled the current political leadership to return to power and hold key positions.

In his post, Alam reminded the Speaker that the public had previously lost trust in major political parties due to election controversies and failures to sustain street movements. He emphasized that the July movement was driven by students and citizens seeking change, not by partisan politics. He urged the parliamentary leaders to correct any procedural violations according to rules rather than mock the Shahbagh or July movements.

Alam concluded by expressing hope that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker would refrain from disparaging the July movement in the future, calling it the epicenter of change in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and Member of Parliament for Rangpur-2 (Badarganj-Taraganj) ATM Azharul Islam visited the Fire Service and Civil Defence Station in Badarganj on Sunday morning. Upon arrival at around 8:30 a.m., he was welcomed by members of the Fire Service. During the inspection, he observed various firefighting and rescue equipment and urged personnel to ensure prompt and effective service delivery to accident victims.

Following the inspection, the MP signed the station’s visitor book and held discussions with officials about existing operational challenges and requirements. He assured them that necessary steps would be taken to address these issues. The visit was attended by Badarganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Anjuman Sultana, local Jamaat leaders including Maulana Kamruzzaman Kabir, Shah Muhammad Rustam Ali, and Maulana Minhajul Islam, along with other community representatives.

The visit highlighted the MP’s engagement with local emergency services and his commitment to improving their operational capacity through responsive measures.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has embarked on his first official foreign visit since taking office in February 2026. He departed Dhaka on Sunday afternoon aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before continuing to China. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the departure through its verified Facebook page.

A 25-member delegation is accompanying the Prime Minister on this trip. His wife Zubaida Rahman, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Labour and Employment Minister Arifur Rahman Chowdhury, and several advisers and state ministers are part of the delegation. The itinerary includes meetings in Malaysia on June 21–22 and in China from June 23–26.

During his Malaysia visit, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on June 22, followed by a bilateral session between high-level delegations. Discussions will focus on trade, investment, energy cooperation, halal economy, semiconductor industry, agriculture, education, and public communication, aiming to strengthen bilateral collaboration in these sectors.

Dr. Mahamuda Mitu, leader of the Nagorik Party (NCP) and a member of parliament, told Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal that although he had said the parliament was not Shahbagh, she and her colleagues had risen from Shahbagh and stood there with its spirit. She made the remarks on Sunday during a parliamentary session.

Earlier in the session, Nilofar Chowdhury Moni criticized opposition members’ comments on the national budget. She referred to a claim by an opposition MP that no allocation had been made for Qawmi madrasas, responding that Qawmi refers to a group and that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) does not work for any specific group or individual. She said BNP leader Tarique Rahman works for the entire country and noted that eight young representatives in parliament do not speak for youth issues but focus only on the referendum.

Moni also alleged that one MP falsely claimed to be the child of a freedom fighter while their father is still alive, adding that being a freedom fighter is not a requirement to serve as an MP, as working for the people is what matters.

A total of 61 new officers joined the Bangladesh Navy through a commissioning ceremony held on Sunday at the Bangladesh Naval Academy in Chattogram. The event, conducted under traditional military protocol, marked the commissioning of 54 midshipmen from the 2023-B batch and seven direct entry officers from the 2026-A batch. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan attended as the chief guest, reviewed the parade, and received the salute.

In his address, Admiral Hassan highlighted the Navy’s progress under the government’s “Made in Bangladesh” defense policy, emphasizing domestic shipbuilding and technological development. He noted ongoing projects to enhance naval capabilities, including the construction of patrol craft, survey vessels, and the installation of coastal surveillance and electronic warfare systems. The Navy’s role in safeguarding maritime sovereignty, combating sea crimes, and providing humanitarian assistance was also underscored.

The ceremony was attended by the Chattogram City Mayor, members of parliament, senior military and civil officials, university vice-chancellors, foreign defense attachés, and families of the new officers. Among the newly commissioned officers were five women and two foreign nationals.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, criticized the proposed national budget for 2026–27, saying it lacks direction on reducing inequality, resolving industrial and gas crises, reforming financial, administrative, and judicial systems, creating employment, and ensuring healthcare. He made these remarks on Sunday at a seminar titled “Populist Budget Review; Welfare State Perspective on Budget 2026–27,” organized by Nagorik Oikya at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital.

Manna argued that the budget offers no concrete measures for the middle and lower-income groups and fails to ensure any real benefits for citizens. He warned that without reform, the government would lose public support. He also highlighted the need for structural changes in the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to meet revenue targets, noting that last year’s deficit remained unresolved. He further called for improving the quality of the National Parliament and its members to ensure meaningful budget discussions.

Other speakers at the seminar included former senior secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan, researcher Altaf Parvez, former acting vice-chancellor of IBAIS University Dr. Arifur Rahman, and journalist Hasan Mamun.