Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad has strongly opposed the government’s initiative to make music, dance, drama, and fine arts compulsory in the primary school curriculum. In a statement issued to the media on Thursday, he called for the cancellation of the plan, arguing that it disregards the religious values, family culture, and social realities of the country’s Muslim-majority population.

Ahmad stated that the main goal of education should be to build morally upright, responsible, and patriotic citizens, not to impose controversial cultural practices. He pointed out that the primary education system still faces teacher shortages, infrastructural weaknesses, and quality challenges, and that introducing new subjects could divert attention from these fundamental issues.

He emphasized that moral and religious education should be prioritized to ensure children’s holistic development. Ahmad urged the government to respect public religious sentiments and cultural identity when formulating education policy and called on parents, scholars, educators, and social organizations to remain vigilant and vocal on the issue.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis expressed deep concern at a central executive meeting in Dhaka, alleging that India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has been pushing people illegally into Bangladesh over the past month. They said that India is bypassing established legal and diplomatic procedures for repatriation, such as prisoner exchange agreements and citizenship verification, and instead engaging in unlawful border intrusions. The leaders described this as an unfriendly act and contrary to international law.

The meeting emphasized that Bangladesh, as a sovereign state, cannot accept any unilateral push-in arrangement. The leaders urged India to respect existing bilateral agreements and refrain from forcing individuals into Bangladesh based on language or religion. They called on Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take a stronger diplomatic stance, lodge a formal protest with the Indian government, and, if necessary, raise the issue at international forums. The leaders also praised the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for its vigilance in addressing the situation.

In addition, the meeting voiced concern over rising crimes, inflation, power shortages, and instability in the banking sector, urging collective efforts to restore stability in the country.

Abdus Sabur Fakir, central executive member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Naib-e-Ameer of Dhaka South, said that if the upcoming national budget imposes additional tax burdens on the public, people will immediately reject it. Speaking at an Eid reunion and unit leaders’ gathering organized by the party’s Wari West Thana unit on Wednesday night, he alleged that signs of an anti-poor budget were already visible and that ruling party-linked traders had begun stockpiling goods ahead of expected price hikes.

Fakir also criticized the government’s handling of Islami Bank, accusing it of allowing politically connected individuals to loot depositors’ money. He claimed that those who once took control of the bank under the ruling party were now trying to do so under the opposition’s influence. He urged the government to cancel the appointment of the current Islami Bank chairman, Khurshid Alam, and replace him with an honest and competent person to restore public confidence.

Other Jamaat leaders at the event, including Dr. Abdul Mannan, also criticized the home minister for focusing on bank control instead of improving law and order and border security.

Abeer Kawas, a Palestinian-American activist, is running as a Democratic Socialist candidate in the June 23 primary election for New York State Senate District 12, representing Queens. If successful, she would become the first Palestinian elected to the New York Senate. Her opponent is Filipino-American legislator Steven Raga, with the winner advancing to the November election and assuming office in Albany next January. Kawas has received the endorsement of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who previously ran a progressive campaign emphasizing housing and transit reforms and a strong stance on Palestine.

Kawas’s candidacy reflects her long-standing community activism and her personal history as the daughter of a Palestinian immigrant detained and deported after the September 11 attacks. She has worked with organizations focused on immigrant rights, language access, and police reform. Her campaign emphasizes the need for diverse, progressive voices in the Democratic Party and legislative system.

The race takes place amid heightened anti-Muslim incidents in the United States, with advocacy groups reporting a sharp rise in attacks on Muslim Americans and institutions under the Trump administration.

India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka tomorrow morning via Kolkata, according to officials from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Upon arrival, he will formally begin his duties by presenting his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin. Trivedi received his appointment papers from Indian President Droupadi Murmu on June 5 and will replace outgoing High Commissioner Pranay Verma.

Trivedi’s arrival comes at a time of heightened tension between Bangladesh and India over the issue of cross-border movement. Before departing for Dhaka, he visited Netaji Bhavan in Kolkata, where he paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and told reporters that Bose’s ideals had deeply influenced his public service outlook. He emphasized the shared democratic aspirations of the people of both countries.

A former Indian Railways Minister and BJP leader, 75-year-old Trivedi previously served in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a member of the Trinamool Congress before joining the BJP in 2021.

Thousands of people demonstrated in Albania’s capital, Tirana, on Wednesday against a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Protesters gathered outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office, carrying placards reading “Albania is not for sale,” and their march extended about half a mile along one of the city’s main roads.

The planned $5.8 billion resort, to be built in the southern coastal village of Zvërnec, has sparked widespread anger because of its proximity to a protected wetland that serves as a nesting and resting site for flamingos, seals, and sea turtles. Critics have also raised concerns about a lack of transparency surrounding the project.

The protest, dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution,” originated in Zvërnec, where the resort is planned. Demonstrators said the project reflects long-standing issues in Albania’s governance and environmental protection.

A column published on June 11, 2026, in the newspaper Amar Desh claims that the Awami League has lost its ability to recover politically after losing power. The writer, Minar Rashid, argues that the party’s earlier capacity to regain influence, described as political buoyancy, has eroded due to loss of ideological foundation, public trust, and moral legitimacy. The article criticizes Sheikh Hasina and her associates, alleging that their actions and alignment with foreign interests have permanently damaged the party’s credibility.

The piece contrasts the Awami League’s current state with its earlier revival in 1996, suggesting that the social and media environment of 2026 makes such a comeback impossible. It further discusses how the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami retain political buoyancy through their ideological bases—nationalism and religious values—and argues that cooperation between these two parties could strengthen opposition politics.

The column concludes that sustainable political strength in Bangladesh depends on maintaining ideological integrity and public connection rather than relying on state power or external influence.

The 57th Director General–level border conference between Bangladesh’s Border Guard (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) concluded in New Delhi on June 11, 2026, without any tangible progress on Bangladesh’s seven major concerns. Despite Dhaka’s expectations for realistic solutions, no effective commitments emerged on issues such as border killings, forced push-ins, drug and arms smuggling, or the presence of anti-Bangladesh armed groups inside India. The four-day meeting, which began on June 8, was the first under Bangladesh’s new BNP-led government and carried high diplomatic and security importance.

Bangladesh’s delegation, led by Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, raised eight key agendas, including ending border killings and push-ins. However, India’s side, led by BSF Director General Praveen Kumar, responded mainly with general diplomatic language and avoided firm pledges. Dhaka expressed frustration as India denied allegations of illegal push-ins and drug production near the border while offering no concrete action against armed separatist groups allegedly operating from Indian territory.

The conference ended with growing public discontent in Bangladesh, as analysts warned that India’s lack of commitment could prolong border tensions and force Dhaka to rely solely on BGB vigilance for security.

Two powerful presidents, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, are described as being trapped in conflicts they cannot win, yet unable to concede defeat. Both leaders, driven by a belief in their own infallibility, are struggling to end wars that have brought immense costs without tangible national gains. The analysis links Putin’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s confrontational stance on Iran as examples of strategic miscalculations rooted in pride and denial.

In Russia, the war in Ukraine has dragged on far longer than expected, consuming vast resources and lives while failing to deliver promised victories. Domestic discontent is rising as drone attacks reach deep into Russian territory, inflation erodes wages, and even national celebrations lose their grandeur. Meanwhile, in the United States, Trump’s refusal to acknowledge the limits of American power complicates Washington’s handling of the Iran crisis and reduces attention to Ukraine.

European nations are stepping up their diplomatic and military engagement with Kyiv. Following Hungary’s election shift, new peace initiatives are emerging under EU leadership, signaling a potential rebalancing of influence in the ongoing conflicts.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has thwarted several attempts by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push people into Bangladesh through river routes along the Sundarbans coastal border in Satkhira. According to BGB sources, between June 8 and the early hours of June 10, members of BSF’s 74th and 77th battalions gathered around 18 to 20 men, women, and children near the border to send them across by river and other points. The attempts failed due to BGB’s strict surveillance and immediate preventive measures in the Nildumur area under BGB-17 Battalion.

To prevent further incidents, BGB-17 has implemented special measures, including deploying additional personnel at border outposts, strengthening night patrols with motorcycles and ATVs, and conducting awareness campaigns through loudspeakers. High-speed boats are patrolling the rivers to block illegal crossings, and local residents are being engaged in awareness meetings. A Quick Response Force remains on standby at the battalion headquarters to handle any situation.

BGB officials stated that no individual or group will be allowed to enter Bangladesh illegally and that all push-in attempts are being strictly resisted.

Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has turned to the Congress party as her organization faces severe internal turmoil. Following a wave of defections after the state assembly elections, twenty Trinamool MPs in the Lok Sabha have declared support for the ruling NDA alliance. In the Rajya Sabha, senior leaders such as Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev have resigned, with Dev also quitting the party and meeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, fueling speculation of her joining the BJP. In the state assembly, 64 legislators led by Ritabrata have rebelled, leaving the party’s parliamentary and legislative strength in crisis.

Amid this upheaval, Mamata Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday and again on Tuesday for a private discussion. The next day, Trinamool’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi for a one-and-a-half-hour meeting described as positive. Sources indicate discussions focused on uniting against the BJP and addressing the party’s internal collapse. Sonia Gandhi reportedly offered Mamata a vice-president role in Congress and Abhishek a general secretary post.

Analysts suggest these developments could reshape India’s political landscape ahead of the 2029 general election.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to make his first official foreign visit to Malaysia, as confirmed by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed in the National Parliament on Wednesday. This will be Rahman’s first overseas trip since forming a BNP-led government in February 2026, ending weeks of speculation about his initial diplomatic destination.

Traditionally, newly appointed Bangladeshi prime ministers begin their foreign engagements with a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. However, the recent conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has created instability in the Middle East, leading to the cancellation of that plan. The government also considered Bhutan, a SAARC member state, as a possible first destination before ultimately selecting Malaysia.

Analysts have described the decision to choose Malaysia for the first state visit as both positive and timely, reflecting a pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy under the new administration.

Police in Shariatpur detained two Awami League activists following a raid on a gathering allegedly organized under the pretext of a khichuri event. The operation took place on Wednesday night, June 10, in the Bildeonia area of Rajnagar Union under Naria upazila. Acting on a tip-off, Naria police arrived at the scene, prompting many participants to flee, leaving behind cooked food and other items. Two individuals, identified as residents Saiful Islam, 22, and Zobayer Islam Onik, 21, were arrested.

According to police sources, both detainees are believed to be involved in Awami League politics. Authorities stated that the raid was part of ongoing surveillance on political gatherings in the area. The local police chief confirmed that legal action against the detainees is in process.

The incident has sparked widespread discussion in the locality, and police said further investigation is underway to determine the nature of the gathering and take necessary legal measures.

Sri Lanka’s government has officially acknowledged for the first time that its former intelligence chief was directly involved in planning the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament on Wednesday that then–intelligence head Major General Suresh Salle guided the attacks that killed 279 people. Salle was arrested in February on charges of aiding and abetting terrorism and allegedly met with Muslim men weeks before the bombings to gather details about a Catholic church target.

According to the minister, Salle conspired with Islamist extremists and strategically directed them to carry out the attacks. He has denied all allegations through his lawyer and began a hunger strike in prison before being hospitalized. Opposition activists in Colombo have been protesting for his release.

Following Salle’s interrogation, a court imposed a travel ban on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who had appointed Salle as intelligence chief in 2019. The Criminal Investigation Department has not yet named Rajapaksa a suspect but may question him soon, as the 2019 bombings remain Sri Lanka’s deadliest terrorist attack on civilians.

Tension flared along the Bakshiganj border in Jamalpur on Wednesday following allegations of an attempted push-in involving a man near pillar 1082 of the Ramrampur border area. Local sources said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and residents prevented the attempt, leaving the man stranded on the zero line. Later, when he tried to enter Bangladesh again, BGB and locals stopped him, prompting him to return to the zero line.

A flag meeting between BGB and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) was held but ended without immediate resolution. In the afternoon, a heated exchange between locals from both sides escalated into a chase after some Indian youths allegedly threw stones at Bangladeshis. The situation prompted heightened alert along the border, with BGB maintaining control to prevent further unrest.

BGB’s Jamalpur 35 Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Hasanur Rahman urged locals not to cross the zero line and to cooperate with border guards to maintain calm. The situation is currently under control, though communication between the two border forces continues.