Two individuals, including Ranjan Chandra, have been arrested in connection with the theft of the red telephone wire from the Prime Minister’s Office located inside the Secretariat during the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. The arrests were confirmed by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md. Musleh Uddin Ahmed at a press conference held on Thursday afternoon at the DMP headquarters on Minto Road in the capital.

During the briefing, the DMP Commissioner also stated that 70 AI cameras have been installed at 57 points across Dhaka, which has helped restore order on the city’s roads. He added that more AI cameras will be installed in the future to strengthen surveillance and improve traffic management.

The commissioner further mentioned that initiatives are underway to make Dhaka’s police stations more service-oriented, reflecting a broader effort to enhance public service delivery within the city’s law enforcement system.

Concrete brick and block manufacturers across Bangladesh are facing a severe crisis due to inadequate government support and limited use of eco-friendly materials in public and private construction projects. Despite a 2019 government plan to phase out traditional clay bricks and fully adopt concrete blocks in public works by the 2024–25 fiscal year, production and use of clay bricks continue nationwide, harming both the environment and investors in sustainable industries.

Entrepreneurs and environmental officials say that concrete blocks, produced with modern technology using stone chips, Sylhet sand, and high-quality cement, are durable, heat- and sound-resistant, and environmentally safer. However, many factories are struggling or closing due to lack of policy enforcement, awareness, and incentives. Local engineers and business owners note that using hollow and uni blocks reduces construction costs, time, and maintenance expenses while improving durability.

Environmental experts warn that without stronger policy execution and incentives, Bangladesh may fail to meet its sustainability targets and risk discouraging future investment in eco-friendly construction materials.

A Dhaka tribunal has set June 7, Sunday, for delivering the verdict in the case over the rape and murder of eight-year-old schoolgirl Ramisa Akter in Pallabi. The date was fixed by Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Tribunal for Suppression of Violence Against Children after hearing closing arguments from both prosecution and defense. The prosecution argued that evidence and witness testimonies proved the charges beyond doubt against accused Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Khatun, seeking the death penalty for both. Defense lawyers appointed by the state pleaded for justice and claimed innocence on behalf of the accused.

Earlier, Sohel Rana and Swapna Khatun were produced before the court. Sohel confessed to the crime in his statement, while Swapna denied involvement. The case stems from the May 19 discovery of Ramisa’s body in a Pallabi apartment, where police said Sohel killed and dismembered the child after assaulting her. The investigation concluded on May 24 with a charge sheet against both accused, later transferred to the special tribunal for trial.

The verdict will conclude a fast-tracked trial that began after the completion of witness testimonies and arguments earlier this week.

The chairman and commissioners of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) have resigned unexpectedly, ending weeks of speculation. The resignations were submitted on Thursday morning to the Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance. The outgoing chairman, Khondkar Rashed Maksud, and commissioners Md. Mohsin Chowdhury, Md. Ali Akbar, Farzana Lalarukh, and Md. Saifuddin stepped down from their positions.

Two days earlier, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury had announced at an Economic Reporters Forum event that new appointments for the BSEC chairman and commissioners would be made within two weeks. Following this announcement, the resignations came sooner than anticipated. A scheduled Eid reunion event at the BSEC office, organized by the chairman, was also canceled after the resignations.

According to sources connected to the invited guests, the chairman and commissioners were advised to resign. The developments mark a significant leadership change at the country’s capital market regulatory body.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has been elected president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), defeating Cyprus’s ambassador Andreas Kakouris in a closely contested secret ballot. The election, held on Tuesday, saw Rahman secure 99 votes, eight more than his rival, out of 190 total ballots cast. No votes were invalid or abstained. Under UN rules, the presidency rotates annually among five regional groups, and this term fell to the Asia-Pacific group. Rahman will serve a one-year term beginning on September 8.

His presidency coincides with the upcoming process to select a successor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends later this year. Rahman, a career diplomat who joined Bangladesh’s foreign service in 1979, became foreign minister in February after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the first election following the 2024 student-led uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina. He previously served as national security adviser and high representative on Rohingya affairs.

Outgoing UNGA president Annalena Baerbock highlighted growing pressure on multilateralism, noting that the Assembly’s leadership role has become increasingly critical amid global challenges.

An albino buffalo named Donald Trump has become the main attraction at Bangladesh’s National Zoo since last week. The 700-kilogram animal, known for its golden hair, drew nationwide attention after a viral social media video compared its tuft of hair to that of the U.S. president. Originally sold for sacrifice during the upcoming Eid al-Adha festival, the buffalo was moved to the zoo on government orders citing security concerns. Visitors have been gathering in large numbers despite the heat to see the animal, taking photos and videos near its enclosure.

Local media reported that the zoo initially displayed a signboard reading “Donald Trump,” which was later removed. The zoo curator was dismissed on Saturday, though no official reason was given. Some visitors criticized naming the animal after a world leader, calling it disrespectful, while others viewed it as a harmless curiosity. The buffalo’s buyer was refunded after the Home Minister ordered police to take the animal into custody.

The buffalo’s popularity continues to grow, with visitors traveling from across the country to witness the unusual attraction firsthand.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has decided to remove the requirement for candidates to submit pledges in the upcoming local government elections. The decision, discussed in a recent EC meeting, is part of a broader revision of election regulations. The commission believes the presence or absence of such pledges does not significantly affect candidacy eligibility. Preparations are underway to begin the local government elections, likely starting with Union Parishad polls in October 2026.

According to EC sources, the draft regulations are expected to be finalized by June 10 and sent to the government for approval within the month. The new proposals include raising deposits for various positions: Union Parishad chairmen from 5,000 to 20,000 taka, members from 1,000 to 10,000 taka, and municipal and city corporation posts with proportional increases. The EC also plans to adjust campaign spending limits for certain posts.

Local Government State Minister Mir Shah Alam stated that a detailed election roadmap will be announced after budget allocations are confirmed. Most local government bodies are currently run by administrators, and the EC has developed election calendar software to streamline scheduling and data management.

A five-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the Modonhat area of Dighapatia Union under Natore Sadar upazila on Tuesday evening. The accused, identified as 48-year-old Shariful Islam, allegedly lured the child into a nearby cornfield with food and assaulted her. Locals said the child was threatened with a sharp weapon to keep silent. When her family noticed unusual behavior, she revealed the incident, and she was later hospitalized due to excessive bleeding.

The incident became known on Wednesday night, prompting angry residents to capture Shariful from his home, beat him, and hand him over to the police. The victim’s father, a day laborer, demanded exemplary punishment for the accused. Natore Police Station Officer-in-Charge Monsur Rahman confirmed the arrest and said legal action would follow based on the family’s complaint.

Police have taken the accused into custody, and further legal procedures are underway according to the report.

Police in Ghatail upazila recovered the body of Jubo Dal activist Mintu Khan, aged 45, from Kauntar Beel around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, four days after he went missing. Mintu, son of Majid Master from Amuabaid village, had been missing since Sunday morning after leaving his home. He was known as a former Chhatra Dal worker and an active member of the local Jubo Dal.

According to Ghatail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Moksedur Rahman, the body was sent to Tangail morgue for autopsy. Police detained five suspects the same night for questioning in connection with the incident. The report also notes that Majid Master, Mintu’s father, is a well-known BNP leader in the hilly area of Ghatail.

Further details about the cause of death or motive behind the incident were not disclosed in the report.

Police in Haimchar, Chandpur, have arrested seven people, including five women and two teenagers, in connection with the killing of Omar Faruk, who was found with his throat slit. The arrests were made following a murder case filed by the victim’s father, Abdul Khalek Rarhi, under relevant sections of the Penal Code. The detainees were sent to court on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Haimchar Police Station, the arrests were carried out under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Nazmul Hasan and led by Sub-Inspector Priolal Ghosh. The women arrested are Akhi Akter, Nazma Begum, Laki Begum, Sonia Begum, and Toymunnesa, all residents of Chhoto Laxmipur village in Uttar Algi Durgapur Union. The two teenage suspects are named Jumman and Abdullah.

Police said operations are continuing to identify and apprehend others involved in the brutal killing.

An inmate named Mokbul Hossain, aged 54, died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Wednesday, June 3. He was a prisoner from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj. According to prison and hospital sources, Mokbul suddenly fell ill inside the prison around noon. Following instructions from the prison authorities, guards including Nazmul Islam took him to the hospital’s emergency department, where doctors conducted several tests before declaring him dead at 4:45 p.m.

Sub-Inspector Md. Mahmudul Hasan of Shahbagh Police Station, who is stationed at the hospital police camp, confirmed the death and said the body has been kept in the hospital morgue for autopsy. After completing legal procedures, the body will be handed over to the family.

Prison sources said Mokbul Hossain had been serving a sentence under Section 86 in case number CR 2877/26. He was a resident of Mirhajirbagh in Jatrabari, Dhaka, and the son of the late Ali Ahmed.

A recent survey by Caritas Bangladesh revealed that 58.2 percent of children living in slums and on the streets lack birth certificates, leaving them excluded from education, healthcare, and social safety programs. The study, conducted in 2025 across Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi, covered 667 street children and 1,246 slum-dwelling families. It found that 91.7 percent of these families are outside government social protection schemes, and over half of the children are not attending school.

Officials from the Registrar General’s Office acknowledged that floating and addressless families face major challenges in birth registration despite daily progress nationwide. Caritas representatives described the lack of birth certificates as a human rights crisis, noting that many parents do not know their national ID numbers, making registration nearly impossible. They also highlighted weak coordination between health facilities and registration offices, which prevents newborns from being registered.

Caritas recommended simplifying registration for parentless children, introducing hospital-based registration, and expanding conditional cash programs to improve child welfare and education access among marginalized groups.

Bangladesh’s leather industry is undergoing a major downturn despite strong global demand. The sector has been hit by poor management, lack of environmental compliance, and absence of international certification such as the Leather Working Group (LWG) standard, which has discouraged major global brands from purchasing Bangladeshi leather. Production and exports have fallen sharply, forcing local businesses to rely on imported leather. Large companies like Bata and Apex have reduced direct leather purchases, while many entrepreneurs cannot export despite having government-allotted plots.

The crisis deepened after tanneries were relocated from Hazaribagh to Savar in 2017, where the central effluent treatment plant (CETP) remains only partially functional. Business leaders and officials acknowledge that mismanagement, substandard equipment, and corruption have crippled the CETP, driving away European and Korean buyers. Export earnings reached USD 1.145 billion in 2024–25, far below the sector’s potential in the USD 440 billion global market.

Industry associations urge urgent modernization of the CETP, enforcement of environmental standards, and acquisition of LWG certification. They also call for action against misuse of government plots and for joint public-private investment to restore competitiveness.

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced a record electricity price hike of nearly 20 percent at the consumer level, effective from June 2026 and payable in July. Wholesale rates will rise by 19.85 percent, while retail prices for middle-income households in the fourth usage tier will increase by 19.95 percent. The average increase for low-tension users is 18.21 percent. BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed announced the decision at a press conference, stating that the adjustment was made after reviewing current conditions. The government will still provide Tk 41,000 crore in subsidies to the power sector.

The decision follows public hearings held on May 19 and 20, where consumer groups strongly opposed the proposal. Despite earlier assurances from the energy minister that prices would not rise for two years, the commission approved the increase within four working days of the hearings. Consumers fear the hike will severely affect nearly 49.8 million users, raising living costs and impacting small industries, businesses, and households.

The new rates also affect irrigation, religious institutions, and battery charging, with higher peak-hour tariffs. Critics argue that corruption and inefficiency in the power sector, rather than subsidies, are driving the need for such increases.

A member secretary of the Sadar Upazila unit of the Swechchhasebak Dal, Rakibul Islam, was allegedly beaten and injured inside Rangpur Metropolitan Kotwali Police Station on Wednesday night. The assault was reportedly led by the station’s officer-in-charge (OC) Azad Rahman and several police members. Following the incident, three officers on duty—female constable Lima Soren, duty officer Meherunnesa, and sub-inspector Masud Rana—were withdrawn from their posts. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the action in a midnight press release.

According to the statement, Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud ordered an inquiry to uncover the facts. A three-member investigation committee was formed, headed by Additional Police Commissioner (Administration and Finance) Naresh Chakma, with DC (Crime) Mahfuzur Rahman and AC Kotwali Sukumar Roy as members. The committee will conduct an impartial investigation and recommend legal and departmental measures.

Rakibul Islam claimed that he was beaten with a rifle despite identifying himself as a BNP-affiliated leader. The OC denied the assault allegation, saying he only intervened in a scuffle between two families. Rakibul was later taken to hospital for treatment.