The national task force formed to combat mosquito-borne diseases will carry out regular inspection and monitoring operations in residential and institutional areas of Dhaka to eliminate Aedes mosquitoes during the monsoon season. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam announced the initiative while visiting several establishments on roads 107 and 112 in Gulshan-2 as part of the task force’s anti-dengue campaign.

During the visit, the minister urged city residents to keep their balconies, flower pots, rooftop gardens, and surroundings clean to prevent mosquito breeding. Dhaka North City Corporation’s Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes said the corporation has launched a three-month program focusing on awareness and cleanliness in every household. He also requested public cooperation in removing stagnant water from homes and rooftops.

As part of the operation, Executive Magistrate Marufa Akter Neli fined the owner of Choice Restaurant on road 107 Tk 50,000 for finding mosquito larvae, with a two-month jail term in default. Awareness activities including loudspeaker announcements, leaflet distribution, and sticker campaigns were also conducted.

The Australian government has signed a humanitarian assistance agreement with UNICEF to improve the living standards of Rohingya refugees and local communities in Bangladesh. The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka, where Australian High Commissioner Susan Ryle and UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, Sheldon Yett, signed the $16 million (approximately 1.37 billion taka) agreement. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed attended the event and expressed gratitude to Australia for its continued support.

According to the report, the agreement is part of Australia’s 2026–2028 humanitarian aid package worth 370 million Australian dollars (about 31.62 billion taka) for Rohingya and local populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Since 2017, Australia has provided a total of 1.26 billion Australian dollars (around 107.7 billion taka) in humanitarian assistance to address the regional crisis. UNICEF will use the new funds to support education, nutrition, child protection, and safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services for Rohingya and host communities.

The Home Minister expressed hope that such international cooperation would continue until the voluntary, safe, and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar becomes possible.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that a certain group is attempting to destabilize the country. Speaking to the media on Wednesday at the BNP central office in Naya Paltan, Dhaka, he said the government will counter such efforts with the support of the people. Rizvi also stated that those accusing others of new fascism are themselves exhibiting fascist tendencies through their actions.

He added that the judicial process concerning the July massacre is progressing at its own pace and that the government is committed to completing the trial. Referring to the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to China, Rizvi highlighted the BNP’s historical ties with China and expressed optimism that the visit would help reduce the investment gap. He said the Prime Minister would make timely decisions prioritizing national interests in investment matters.

The remarks came amid ongoing political discussions on governance, justice, and foreign investment priorities, as reported from the BNP headquarters.

Mercantile Bank Limited held its 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually from its head office on Wednesday. The meeting approved the balance sheet for the year ending December 31, 2025. Chairman Md. Anwarul Haque presided over the session, while Managing Director Matiul Hasan delivered the welcome address. Senior directors, independent directors, deputy managing directors, and shareholders joined the meeting online.

In his remarks, the chairman credited the bank’s 2025 achievements to customer trust, regulatory support, and collective efforts. He highlighted progress in technology adoption, improved risk management, and a significant reduction in non-performing loans. He also emphasized strengthening financial foundations and adopting forward-looking policies to safeguard shareholder interests.

Managing Director Matiul Hasan presented the bank’s 2025 performance and 2026 plans, reaffirming a commitment to reduce default loans and expand cashless banking. The bank reported an earnings per share (EPS) of Tk 1.10, a net asset value per share (NAVPS) of Tk 24.35, and a net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) of Tk 5.95 for 2025.

The traditional Dashahara Ganga Bath festival of the Sanatan Hindu community was held on the banks of the Pagla River at Kansat in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. From early Wednesday morning, thousands of devotees from different districts gathered to take part in the ritual bath seeking purification and spiritual renewal. The daylong event featured worship of Goddess Ganga, prayers, recitation of the Gita, and devotional songs.

As in previous years, the festival took place at the end of the Bengali month of Jaishtha, drawing large crowds to the Ganga Ashram and Gujarghat areas. Alongside the bathing rituals, a rural fair was organized featuring stalls selling cosmetics, wooden furniture, clay items, religious materials, and food. The kirtan performances added a festive atmosphere to the occasion.

Organizers said the event has been celebrated at this site since ancestral times, maintaining religious tradition and community participation. Local authorities and police ensured maximum security, deploying volunteers, village police, and law enforcement teams to manage the crowd and maintain order throughout the festival.

Omar Faruk, a 26-year-old from Ukhrashal village in Katiadi upazila of Kishoreganj, died in a gas cylinder explosion in Albania. His body arrived in Bangladesh on Wednesday morning and was buried in the family graveyard after funeral prayers. Faruk had gone to Albania about two years ago seeking better financial prospects and worked as a factory worker at NCP Company. The fatal explosion occurred on May 24 in the Sihadcity area of Albania.

Family sources said Faruk was the youngest of four brothers and two sisters and a key support for his family. His sudden death has cast deep sorrow over relatives and neighbors, with the entire village mourning his loss.

The incident highlights the risks faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad and the emotional toll on families who depend on them for livelihood and hope.

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Bobby Hajjaj, announced that the government has initiated extensive reforms to modernize the country’s primary education system. The plan aims to make education more skill-based and child-friendly by incorporating Japan’s successful experience in curriculum development, teacher training, and administrative efficiency. He made the remarks during a meeting in Dhaka with a high-level delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), led by Chief Representative Takahashi Junko.

The minister said a new curriculum is being developed with special emphasis on civic education, sports, cultural studies, mathematics, and science for grades four and five. He highlighted Japan’s globally praised civic education model as an inspiration for instilling responsibility, discipline, ethics, and civic values among Bangladeshi students. Plans were also revealed to gradually establish “Math Labs” in primary schools to make mathematics learning more engaging and technology-driven, with JICA’s technical support.

As part of broader structural reforms, Bangladesh is reviewing the education administration systems of Thailand and Turkey to enhance accountability, performance evaluation, and monitoring standards to international levels.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tareq Rahman met with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Summer Davos in China on Wednesday morning. The meeting took place at 10:15 a.m. local time, where both leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral relations and agreed to establish permanent diplomatic missions in Dhaka and Astana.

During the discussion, the two prime ministers emphasized the importance of regular meetings to enhance political, business, and people-to-people connections. Prime Minister Bektenov expressed optimism about expanding trade and investment engagement between the two countries. The meeting also covered potential cooperation in skilled labor exchange, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, technology, agribusiness, and food processing.

Bektenov sought Bangladesh’s support for Kazakhstan’s proposal to establish a specialized United Nations agency on water diplomacy, which Rahman confirmed Bangladesh supports. Bangladesh’s foreign minister, foreign affairs adviser, and additional press secretary were present at the meeting.

An 18-year-old youth died after being beaten by a mob on suspicion of robbery in Tongi, Gazipur. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning at the stairs leading to the Tongi-Abdullahpur BRT flyover on Station Road. Witnesses said that around 7 a.m., locals became agitated after seeing the unidentified youth and attacked him, suspecting him to be a robber. He died on the spot before police arrived.

Police later recovered the body and took it to Tongi Government Hospital. According to Md. Zillur Rahman, the investigation officer of Tongi East Police Station, an inquest report has been prepared, and the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has been informed to help identify the deceased. The process of sending the body to the morgue is underway.

Authorities are continuing efforts to confirm the victim’s identity and determine the circumstances that led to the fatal mob beating.

A Dhaka court has ordered former Awami League lawmaker and singer Momtaz Begum to be shown arrested in an attempted murder case linked to the July anti-discrimination student movement. The order was issued on Wednesday afternoon by Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam after the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Md. Azizul Haque of Mirpur Model Police Station, submitted a petition. Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruki supported the petition, while Momtaz’s lawyers opposed it.

According to the case, on August 4, 2024, during the July movement, complainant and victim Mukhtar Hossain joined a protest in Mirpur where police and Awami League supporters allegedly attacked demonstrators. Mukhtar was injured by rubber bullets and later filed an attempted murder case. Investigators claimed evidence linked Momtaz to the incident, making her arrest necessary for further questioning.

Momtaz was previously detained by the Detective Branch on May 12, 2025, from a residence in Dhanmondi and has remained in custody since her four-day remand was approved by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court.

A man named Shahid Matubbar, aged 32, was killed and two others were injured in a road accident at Pona Bus Stand area on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway in Kashiani, Gopalganj. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday when an unidentified speeding vehicle collided with a Nosimon. Police from Bhatiapara Highway Station recovered the body and sent the injured to Kashiani Upazila Health Complex.

The deceased was the son of Rustam Matubbar from Uttar Kandi village in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur. The injured were identified as Emdadul Fakir, 32, from Dofa village in Nagarkanda, and Sekendar Molla, 32, from Yusufdia village in Saltha upazila of the same district. According to Kashiani Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, the collision was caused by a fast-moving unidentified vehicle.

Dr. Aminul Islam, Residential Medical Officer of Kashiani 100-bed Health Complex, said the injured were in critical condition and were referred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon announced that if cheating is found at any examination center, the head of the institution or the center chief will also be brought under legal action. He made the statement on Wednesday, June 24, during a meeting with central secretaries of the Dhaka, Mymensingh, Madrasa, and Technical Education Boards at Azimpur Girls School and College.

The minister said that the 'Examination Act' has been amended, and any student caught with cheating materials in the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations will face detention or legal measures. He also stated that the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations for 2027 will be held in January, and the curriculum will be revised in 2027 and changed in 2028. Additionally, teachers who have not received retirement benefits since 2022 will begin receiving them from mid-July.

The announcement reflects the ministry’s focus on ensuring exam integrity and improving the education system through curriculum reform and administrative accountability.

Residents along the Teesta and Dharla rivers in Lalmonirhat are struggling to survive on limited government and NGO relief as recurring floods and river erosion devastate their livelihoods. Many families, including those in the char areas, depend entirely on aid, yet say it is insufficient to sustain them. Locals repeatedly express a single demand: they want work opportunities rather than relief handouts.

The situation has worsened due to fluctuating water levels caused by heavy rainfall in India’s upstream regions and the opening of the Gajoldoba Barrage gates in West Bengal. This has led to flooding across several northern districts of Bangladesh, submerging roads, croplands, and putting flood control embankments at risk. The Water Development Board reports that Teesta’s water flow at Dalia Point rose above danger level on Tuesday but slightly receded the next day.

Officials say the situation is being closely monitored, with warnings issued to low-lying residents. Locals remain hopeful that the long-promised Teesta Master Plan will be implemented to create employment and resolve chronic water management problems.

Police in Pekua upazila of Cox’s Bazar have detained a woman accused of impersonating a member of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) to commit fraud. The arrest took place around 11 p.m. on Tuesday at the Magnama Union Parishad office. The detainee, identified as Hasina Akter, 37, is a resident of Gachbaria in Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram and had been living in a rented house near the Magnama submarine base area.

According to Magnama Union Parishad Chairman Yunus Chowdhury, the woman had long been introducing herself as a DGFI officer posted in Pekua and had repeatedly tried to mislead him on various matters. When she again attempted to exert influence on Tuesday, he became suspicious and informed the Pekua police. Officers then arrived at the Union Parishad office and detained her.

Pekua Police Station’s investigation officer Imrul Hasan said the woman is being interrogated to determine her motives and whether others were involved. Legal action will follow if the allegations are verified.

SM Lablur Rahman, a member (administration) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), has filed a case alleging that his signature was forged to create a fake contract and consent letter. The case was lodged at the Airport Police Station on Sunday, June 22, and confirmed by Officer-in-Charge Kamrul Hasan Talukder. According to the case statement, the forged contract falsely presented Rahman as the first party and one Fahad Hossain as the second party, promising payment if Hossain were appointed chairman of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.

The complaint states that Rahman’s signature was falsified on both the contract and a separate consent document. Rahman said he took legal action to protect his reputation and professional integrity, claiming a group deliberately attempted to defame him. He denied any involvement in unethical activities and urged for a fair investigation to identify those responsible.

Police confirmed that an investigation is underway, including document verification and questioning of relevant individuals to uncover the full circumstances behind the alleged forgery.