Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met with members of the human rights organization 'Mayer Dak', which represents families of victims of enforced disappearances and killings. The meeting took place on Sunday evening outside the session chamber of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. Earlier, at the Prime Minister’s invitation, the group attended the new fiscal year’s budget session.

A total of 26 members of 'Mayer Dak' observed the budget proceedings directly from the Bir Sreshtho Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf Gallery in the National Parliament on Sunday afternoon. The 13th National Parliament’s budget session was attended by Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman, with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal presiding over the sitting.

This year’s proposed national budget was presented under the slogan “Journey toward a democratic, humane, and inclusive economy,” reflecting the government’s stated focus on inclusive development and human rights engagement.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly protested and expressed deep concern over recent remarks by India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, which the party described as contrary to Bangladesh’s territorial integrity. In a statement issued to the media on Sunday, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said Bangladesh is an independent and sovereign nation whose people remain united and determined to defend their freedom and national interests.

Porwar stated that Trivedi’s comments, made after assuming his duties in Dhaka, violated diplomatic norms and international etiquette. He criticized the envoy for portraying the peoples of Bangladesh and India as a single population and for making statements that could create confusion about Bangladesh’s distinct statehood. According to Porwar, such remarks reveal an imperialist attitude and are unacceptable from a responsible diplomat.

He urged the Bangladesh government to seek clarification from Trivedi about what he meant by “India and Bangladesh becoming one,” warning that ambiguity could cause public confusion. Porwar called for maintaining bilateral relations based on mutual respect, equality, and justice, and urged the Indian envoy to use more restrained language in the future.

The Bangladesh Parliament has formed standing committees for the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Finance. Andalib Rahman Partha, Member of Parliament from Bhola-1 and chairman of the BJP, has been appointed as the chair of the committee related to the Ministry of Law. Mushfiqur Rahman, BNP lawmaker from Brahmanbaria-4, will lead the committee on the Ministry of Finance. The proposal for the committees was presented by Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal and was approved by voice vote.

The finance committee includes Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and several MPs from different constituencies, along with one member from the NCP. The law committee includes Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman and other MPs from various constituencies. Two members from Jamaat-e-Islami and one from the NCP have been included across the committees. As of Sunday, eight parliamentary committees have been formed out of a total of fifty planned.

The formation of these committees marks continued progress in organizing parliamentary oversight bodies following the earlier establishment of the planning ministry committee last Wednesday.

The Jahangirnagar University unit of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir held a protest march on Sunday night condemning parliamentary remarks by BNP lawmaker Monirul Haque Chowdhury about hijab, niqab, and purdah. The demonstration began at Murad Chattar around 10:30 p.m. and ended with a brief rally at Battala after marching through key campus roads. Participants chanted slogans defending hijab as a woman’s right and rejecting any insult toward Islamic dress.

At the rally, Shibir’s JU secretary Md. Mazharul Islam described the MP’s comments as inappropriate and disrespectful, urging authorities to take effective action and demanding a public apology. He emphasized that no woman should be demeaned for her clothing choices and called for respect toward female students’ attire in educational institutions. JU Shibir president Mostafizur Rahman accused political parties of fostering anti-Islamic sentiment and said such remarks in Parliament were unacceptable.

The protesters demanded that Monirul Haque withdraw his statement and apologize publicly, urging respect for religious values and personal freedom across society.

Member of Parliament Mobashwer Alam Bhuiyan from Comilla-10 (Lalmai-Nangalkot) constituency has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Lalmai Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nuruzzaman, declaring that he has shown the officer a 'red card'. Speaking at a meeting with local journalists at the Lalmai Upazila Auditorium on June 13, he said the OC’s conduct was unsatisfactory and that he had already spoken to senior police officials seeking the officer’s removal.

The MP alleged that since joining Lalmai Police Station, OC Nuruzzaman had not taken visible legal action against Awami League activists and had failed to play an expected role in law enforcement. Mobashwer Alam further claimed that the officer was often unavailable and uncooperative, adding that his behavior raised questions about neutrality. He stated that he had discussed the issue with the DIG and Superintendent of Police but saw no action taken, warning that he might raise the matter in Parliament.

OC Nuruzzaman declined to comment on the issue. The MP’s remarks have sparked widespread discussion in local political and administrative circles, with observers noting concern over the public dispute between an elected representative and a police officer.

Residents of Chanpur village in Latifpur Union, Mirzapur upazila of Tangail, staged a unique protest on Sunday afternoon by planting rice seedlings on a muddy road in front of the Khandakar Para Mosque. They said the 1.5-kilometer stretch from Chanpur Bridge to Bhuluya Bridge has remained unpaved for 55 years since independence, despite repeated appeals to authorities.

Locals explained that the road, built on a Water Development Board embankment, has deteriorated due to heavy truck traffic carrying soil and bricks. The uneven surface becomes muddy and impassable during rain, making it difficult to transport patients or even carry the dead to burial grounds. Residents, including Fazle Rabbi and several youths, joined the symbolic protest demanding immediate paving of the road.

Latifpur Union Parishad Chairman Ali Hossain Rony said five brick kilns nearby cause constant heavy vehicle movement, worsening the road’s condition. He added that a project proposal has been sent to the LGED headquarters for approval, after which the road will be paved.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis has announced protest programs opposing the government’s initiative to make music, dance, and drama compulsory in primary education. Party chief Maulana Mamunul Haque criticized the move as contrary to the religious and social values of the majority population. He demanded the cancellation of the initiative and called for strengthening moral and religious education at the primary level. The party will hold a protest in Dhaka on June 18 and nationwide demonstrations on June 19.

Speaking at the party’s central executive meeting in Purana Paltan, Dhaka, Mamunul Haque also criticized the proposed 2026–27 national budget, saying it lacks solutions to people’s basic problems and may increase public debt and taxes. He expressed concern over rising prices, unemployment, corruption, and irregularities in the banking sector.

The meeting also condemned recent remarks by the Indian High Commissioner and urged the government to take a stronger stance on border killings, water-sharing issues, and national security. Party leaders called for ending alcohol production, gambling, and activities they described as socially harmful.

A Feni court has issued a public notice ordering former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 177 other absconding accused to appear within ten days in the murder case of student Mahbubul Hasan Masum, who was killed during the July uprising in Feni. The notice, signed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Salamat Ullah, was published in a national daily on Saturday. It warns that if the accused fail to appear within the stipulated time, the trial will proceed in their absence.

The case was filed on 4 September 2024 by the victim’s brother, Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan, following the death of Masum after being shot during a student protest in Feni’s Mohipal area. Police submitted a charge sheet against 221 individuals on 31 July 2025, and arrest warrants were issued for 171, including Sheikh Hasina, on 14 January 2026. So far, 51 accused have been arrested, and some have given confessional statements.

The case remains under trial, with legal proceedings continuing against the absconding accused under relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj announced that the process of transferring primary school teachers will now be managed by local administrations. Speaking at a UNICEF-organized workshop titled “Bangladesh Education Sector Analysis” in Banani, Dhaka, he said the move follows directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and aims to decentralize the transfer system.

Hajjaj explained that teacher transfers had long been plagued by syndicates and corruption, hindering education quality. To ensure transparency and accountability, the government has introduced a new decentralized mechanism. Under the policy, separate committees will be formed at upazila, district, divisional, and city corporation levels to review and approve transfer applications periodically.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon, speaking at the same event, highlighted the government’s increased education budget and initiatives such as free school uniforms, mid-day meals, and inclusion of sports and cultural education to improve learning outcomes and reduce dropout rates.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired a meeting on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project at the Cabinet Division in the Prime Minister’s Office at Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting reviewed the progress, implementation process, and potential benefits of the BRT route stretching from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Joydebpur in Gazipur.

Experts at the meeting shared their opinions on various aspects of the project, including design, station management, passenger services, operational structure, and overall efficiency. The discussion focused on ensuring effective implementation and improving service quality for commuters.

The meeting was attended by Road Transport and Bridges and Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, State Minister for Road Transport and Railways Habibur Rashid Habib, senior officials from relevant ministries, and teachers from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

The Bangladesh Parliament witnessed heated exchanges on Sunday after Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed delivered two statements under Rule 300, one of which concerned the arrest of expelled Islami Chhatra Shibir central leader Zisan Mia Pradhan. Zisan was arrested by police on charges of rape and forced abortion. Opposition Deputy Leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher questioned the minister’s decision to make two statements and to raise a sub judice matter in Parliament, demanding that the remarks be expunged. The session turned noisy as both government and opposition members stood up and shouted, prompting Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal to intervene and promise a review of the issue.

The Home Minister detailed that Zisan had developed a relationship with a woman through Facebook, allegedly raped her multiple times under false promises of marriage, and later forced her to terminate her pregnancy. He said some social media users had misrepresented Zisan’s disappearance to blame the government, prompting him to clarify the facts in Parliament. Taher accused the minister of using the issue to target a political group and questioned why neither the accused nor the victim was accessible to the media.

Deputy Speaker Kamal urged all members to act responsibly and said the matter would be examined to determine if parliamentary norms were breached before moving on to the supplementary budget discussion for fiscal year 2025–26.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan told Parliament that the government is considering establishing permanent centers for public examinations across Bangladesh. Responding to a question from Naogaon-4 MP Ikramul Bari Tipu, he said a feasibility study proposal is under approval to assess the possibility of setting up separate or permanent exam centers. Once the study is completed, decisions will be made based on student numbers, geography, infrastructure, land availability, and financial capacity.

During the same session chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal, the minister also discussed ongoing initiatives to build new residential halls in public universities to ease accommodation shortages. He noted that student union elections have been held in several universities and that the government continues to provide guidance for remaining institutions. Additionally, he mentioned that the government is actively considering funding to settle pending retirement benefit applications for MPO-listed teachers and staff.

The minister further stated that the government is committed to maintaining a peaceful academic environment and coordinating with law enforcement to prevent campus unrest.

A new political dispute has erupted in Israel following reports of a ceasefire in Lebanon. Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s own governing coalition, along with opposition parties, are strongly opposing the decision to halt attacks in areas such as Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiya. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have publicly called for continued military action in Lebanon.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that the growing distance between Netanyahu and other politicians is driven by the upcoming general election. Netanyahu had promised the Israeli public certain strategic goals that remain unfulfilled, and his rivals are portraying the ceasefire as a “strategic failure.” Even coalition partners are now claiming that Netanyahu has become politically weak and less accepted by the U.S. administration. All sides are reportedly seeking to exploit this situation ahead of the October election.

Some political analysts believe Netanyahu might resort to his old tactics, possibly delaying the election by escalating military actions or creating new tensions to regain political leverage.

Journalist leaders issued a stern warning to the management of the Daily Janakantha during a sit-in protest held on Tuesday in front of the newspaper’s office in Dhaka. The protest was organized by the Janakantha Journalists, Officers, and Employees Unity Council in response to mass layoffs, show-cause notices, alleged harassment, and the closure of the newspaper’s office. Speakers demanded the immediate withdrawal of termination and show-cause letters, payment of overdue salaries and benefits, and reopening of the office.

Dhaka Union of Journalists acting general secretary Didarul Alam accused Janakantha of continuing to act in favor of authoritarian forces and taking illegal decisions against patriotic journalists and employees. Dhaka Reporters Unity president Abu Saleh Akon alleged that Janakantha had a history of controversial activities and that many journalists had suffered mentally and physically due to its management’s actions. Other speakers claimed that individuals close to the ruling Awami League and Indian influence were still active in the newspaper’s management.

The participants warned that if their demands were not met, they would declare the head of human resources unwanted, besiege the office, and launch a larger movement.

Bangladesh’s Parliament postponed a scheduled discussion on the border push-in issue, prompting strong dissatisfaction from Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem. The proposal, accepted earlier for Sunday’s session under Rule 147, aimed to address alleged illegal push-ins and border killings by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and related actions by the West Bengal government. Kasem questioned the justification for delaying what he described as a matter of national importance concerning citizens’ safety and sovereignty.

According to parliamentary sources, Kasem had received official notice that his proposal was accepted and forwarded to the Home and Foreign Ministries. However, he was later informed that the discussion was postponed due to unavoidable reasons. Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal clarified that the postponement was temporary, citing time constraints during the ongoing budget session, and expressed hope that the discussion would take place later.

The proposal sought effective diplomatic and state measures to stop the alleged push-in trend and protect Bangladesh’s sovereignty and human rights along the border.