A sudden surge of water from upstream caused the Teesta embankment to collapse, flooding large areas across northern Bangladesh. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre issued a new alert on Monday, warning that within 72 hours, short-term flooding could occur in low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Sylhet, and Sunamganj districts, with temporary inundation possible in parts of Netrakona, Mymensingh, and Sherpur. Local residents and water experts attributed the flooding to heavy rainfall in India and uncoordinated water releases from upstream.

Abdullah Al Hadi, chairman of Lakshmitari Union in Rangpur’s Gangachara, said the sudden flood broke the Teesta embankment, submerging vast farmland and damaging crops of about 50,000 people. He blamed India’s unilateral water management for repeated losses in Teesta basin areas. The Water Development Board confirmed that the floods were caused by heavy rainfall in India’s upstream regions, not domestic rain, and warned that the situation could persist for five days.

Meteorologists forecast below-average rainfall in June but expect heavier rain in Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet from June 27, which could worsen flooding in affected regions.

Bangladesh Bank’s latest statistics reveal that 4,899 large borrowers, each with loans exceeding Tk 50 crore, collectively hold Tk 5.75 trillion—over 32 percent of the country’s total bank loans. This concentration has grown from 27.6 percent in March 2024, indicating a rising dominance of large corporate clients in the banking sector. Each of these accounts now averages around Tk 117 crore in loans.

The report highlights that this growing concentration poses significant risks to the banking system, as defaults by a few large borrowers could directly affect banks’ capital, liquidity, and profitability. Despite existing exposure limits, many large industrial groups have exceeded them, and Bangladesh Bank has recently relaxed these limits further, allowing banks to lend up to 25 percent of their capital to a single client until June 2028.

Meanwhile, small borrowers remain largely excluded. Over 93 percent of loan accounts hold less than Tk 10 lakh, yet together they receive only 9.19 percent of total loans. State-owned banks face the highest risk, with nearly half their loans concentrated among about 1,000 clients.

Law enforcement agencies have taken strict security measures in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi 32 area and its surroundings. From Tuesday morning, additional personnel from the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch (DB), and other security units have been deployed to maintain order and prevent any acts of sabotage.

The heightened security comes in connection with the 77th founding anniversary of the banned Awami League. Authorities have set up barricades at entry points to Dhanmondi 32, with officers stationed nearby to monitor movement. Public access in the area has been restricted as part of the precautionary measures.

These steps are aimed at ensuring stability and preventing any disruption to law and order during the politically sensitive period.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has suspended the oral examination for clearing and forwarding (C&F) agent licenses, which was scheduled between June 21 and 24, 2026. The suspension came a day after the schedule was announced, citing unavoidable reasons. Earlier, the Customs, Excise and VAT Training Academy (CEVTA) conducted the first-ever written test for the licenses in Chattogram, where 2,521 candidates participated out of nearly 3,000 shortlisted applicants. Only 210 passed, and most politically affiliated candidates reportedly failed, leading to pressure on NBR.

Officials involved said the written test was part of the new C&F Agent Licensing Rules 2026, designed to ensure transparency in the licensing process. They alleged that political influence had previously dominated license distribution. After the results excluded most ruling party activists, discontent spread among political circles, and attempts were made to alter the results. A list of 110 candidates was reportedly sent to CEVTA for inclusion, but officials refused to comply.

The CEVTA director confirmed that the oral test was postponed following NBR’s directive but said he was unaware of the specific reasons. The NBR chairman did not respond to requests for comment.

The government of Bangladesh is moving toward implementing a new national pay scale for public servants after more than a decade, following the 2026–27 budget announcement. Although the pay scale is set to take effect on July 1, the full implementation strategy has not yet been finalized, leaving government employees both hopeful and anxious. A secretary-level committee led by the cabinet secretary has discussed recommendations from the National Pay Commission and other bodies, but no final decision has been reached. Another meeting is scheduled for June 24 to determine the next steps.

According to official sources, employees may not receive the increased salary until September or October due to administrative preparations such as regulation updates and software adjustments. Discussions are ongoing about whether to implement the pay scale in phases, with an initial 50 percent adjustment possible in the first year. Employee groups are demanding full implementation from July, citing rising living costs. The government has allocated Tk 89,836 crore for salaries and allowances in the new budget, with a significant portion reserved for pay scale implementation.

Analysts note that the main challenge for the government is balancing employee expectations with fiscal capacity amid inflationary pressures.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced that the banned Awami League’s alleged terrorist activities would be resisted with public support. He made the statement on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after leading a protest march in front of the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan, Dhaka. The march was organized to protest what BNP described as provocative actions by Awami League members marking the party’s founding anniversary.

The procession, led by Rizvi, began in front of the BNP’s central office, circled the Nightingale intersection, and ended at the same location. In a brief address following the march, Rizvi said that fallen fascism would not be allowed to return to Bangladesh. He accused the Awami League of attempting to destabilize the country using laundered money and of depriving citizens of their rights and normal life during its rule.

Rizvi emphasized that BNP and its supporters would continue to resist any attempts to create unrest or revive authoritarian practices in the country.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has issued a public notice prohibiting the carrying of weapons and the use of fireworks during the observance of the holy Ashura. The directive, signed by DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, was announced on Tuesday morning. It states that on Friday, June 26, Tazia processions will take place at various locations across Dhaka, and the ban will remain in effect throughout the duration of these events.

According to the notice, participants in previous processions have sometimes carried sharp or blunt weapons such as machetes, knives, scissors, spears, lances, swords, and sticks, which have occasionally led to unwanted incidents and caused fear among residents. The DMP emphasized that such actions pose a threat to public safety and disrupt the solemnity of the religious occasion.

The order, issued under sections 28 and 29 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance (Ordinance No. III/1976), also bans the lighting of fireworks and firecrackers during the Muharram period, as these are deemed inconsistent with the spiritual atmosphere of Ashura.

A four-year-old girl named Ayesha Khatun was killed after being hit by a van in Bhurungamari upazila of Kurigram district. The accident occurred on Monday evening in Paschim Chat Gopalpur village. Ayesha, daughter of Aminur Rahman, ran onto the road from her home and was struck by a goods-laden van traveling from Dhamerhat Bazar toward Bhurungamari. Family members rescued her in a severely injured condition and took her to Bhurungamari Hospital.

As her condition worsened, doctors at Bhurungamari Hospital referred her to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. However, she died on the way to Rangpur. Tilai Union Parishad Chairman Kamruzzaman confirmed the incident. Bhurungamari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Azim Uddin said he learned about the accident through local village police and that action would be taken if a complaint is filed.

The report did not mention whether the van driver was identified or detained following the incident.

Khairul Islam Sajib, son of Narayanganj-3 MP Azharul Islam Mannan, was detained on extortion allegations and released hours later from Detective Branch (DB) custody. He was handed over to his family late Sunday night after signing a bond, confirmed Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner (DB) Shafiqul Islam. Sajib had been accused by an industrial group of extortion in Narayanganj, leading to his detention from his Bashundhara residence for questioning.

According to DB sources, Sajib was first held by Narayanganj police and later transferred to Dhaka DB for interrogation. He was expelled from his position as senior joint convener of the Narayanganj district Jubo Dal following his arrest. Officials said there were multiple allegations but no formal case, so he was released on a bond under legal provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. Anonymous DB officers noted that complainants feared filing a case due to Sajib’s political influence.

Sources added that lobbying for Sajib’s release reached senior police and political levels, with one leader from Cumilla reportedly active in securing his release. The DB later summoned the complainants, who requested police vigilance to prevent future incidents.

After being stranded for more than three and a half months, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC)-owned vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra has successfully crossed the Hormuz Strait. The passage occurred around 3 a.m. on Monday night, confirmed BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek. The ship, carrying 31 Bangladeshi sailors and crew, crossed the strait safely, as also confirmed by Additional Chief Officer Pronoy Saha through a message.

The vessel had been stuck in the Persian Gulf since February 28 due to the Iran-Israel conflict. Earlier, while unloading cargo at Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates, an Iranian missile struck nearby, narrowly missing the crew. The ship, built in 2018 with a capacity of 38,894 deadweight tons, was preparing to sail to South Africa with about 37,000 tons of fertilizer but repeatedly failed to depart due to lack of clearance to cross the strait.

Following multiple diplomatic and operational efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Shipping, and BSC, the vessel succeeded on its fourth attempt and is now heading toward Fujairah Port in the UAE for bunkering and clearance procedures.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon informed the National Parliament that Bangladesh currently has a total of 1,969 registered media outlets. He provided the information while responding to a question from ruling party member Dewan Mohammad Salauddin, representing Dhaka-19 constituency.

According to the minister, the country has 59 television channels, including four state-owned and 55 privately approved ones. Out of these, 39 channels, including the four state-owned, are currently broadcasting. Regarding print media, there are 1,436 daily newspapers published nationwide, with 593 based in the capital and 843 from other districts. Additionally, there are 474 registered online news portals, categorized as 282 general, 131 daily newspaper-affiliated, and 61 regional portals.

The data presented in Parliament outlines the current structure of Bangladesh’s media landscape, reflecting the distribution of television, print, and online news outlets across the country.

Unplanned waste management and long-neglected drainage cleaning have caused severe waterlogging at Maona intersection, the central hub of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur. Drains on both sides of the highway are clogged with garbage, polythene, plastic, and decomposable waste, leading to foul-smelling black water overflowing onto the road even after light rain. This has disrupted traffic and created serious public health risks.

Although the Sreepur municipal administration has recently started cleaning the drains, the removed waste has been piled up beside the highway, drawing criticism from locals. Residents complain that rainwater washes the waste back into the drains, nullifying the cleaning effort and spreading stench across the area. Business owners and transport workers report losses and traffic jams due to the persistent waterlogging.

Sreepur’s Upazila Nirbahi Officer and municipal administrator Md. Nahid Bhuiyan acknowledged the long-standing problem and said waste removal is ongoing despite difficulties during the monsoon. He added that long-term plans are being developed for a permanent solution.

A violent mob attack occurred in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur on Monday evening when locals, suspecting a man of drug dealing, beat him and set his private car on fire. The incident took place in the Malikhali Bazar area of Parameshwardi Union. Police later arrived at the scene, brought the situation under control, and rescued the injured man, identified as Mamun Molya, before taking him to the police station.

Mamun’s father, Manik Molya, said his son had returned home after attending a court hearing in a drug case in Faridpur and was on his way to Dhaka when the attack occurred. He claimed no drugs were found on Mamun, and neither locals nor police recovered any. Manik criticized the mob action, saying that punishment should be left to law enforcement and the courts.

Boalmari Police Station’s officer-in-charge confirmed that Mamun has a previous drug-related case but no drugs were recovered during this incident. He added that legal action would be taken if complaints are filed regarding the assault and arson.

Mobarak Hossain Imon, an associate of fugitive Sajjad Ali Khan alias Boro Sajjad, was arrested from a hotel in Dhaka’s Gulshan area on Monday night. The arrest took place around 10:30 p.m. at room 91 of Amari Dhaka, confirmed Chattogram Police Commissioner Hasan Md. Shawkat Ali. Intelligence officials said Imon had been under surveillance for a long time, and his social media activity led to his capture.

According to police, Imon, son of Md. Musa from Kanchannagar in Fatikchhari, is accused in at least seven cases, including a double murder in Baklia on March 30, 2025, and the killing of terrorist Dhakaiya Akbar at Patenga beach on May 23 of the same year. He is known to have handled 15–20 firearms and is considered skilled in weapon use.

Police sources said Imon currently leads Sajjad’s criminal network in Chattogram along with Mohammad Raihan, as former leader Chhoto Sajjad is in jail. The group reportedly includes around 50 shooters and associates who extort money through threats, though police had struggled to locate them until now.

A 20-year-old autorickshaw driver named Yasin Arafat Akash was killed after a speeding bus hit his vehicle in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Monday, June 22, around 11:30 a.m. The accident occurred in the Dakshin Bypass area when a CDM Paribahan bus, bearing registration number Dhaka Metro-B-14-9967, struck the autorickshaw. Akash, the eldest son of Md. Ibrahim from Mirerhat in Syedpur union, was taken to Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex and later referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, but he died in the ambulance on the way.

According to family sources, Akash had left school early to support his family by driving an autorickshaw. Witnesses said the bus was moving at high speed when it hit the autorickshaw as Akash tried to turn it. Police arrived at the scene, recovered the injured driver with local help, and later confirmed his death.

Kumira Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Nurul Afsar stated that the bus had been seized, the driver detained, and a case filed over the incident.