Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has called on information officers to strengthen their digital capabilities to align with modern communication realities. Speaking on Sunday at a training workshop titled “Implementation of Election Manifesto and Work Plan” at the Department of Information, he said that effective information management and public relations must adapt to digital transformation to prevent the state and society from falling behind. State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury was also present.

The minister emphasized that coordinated teamwork and institutional synergy are essential for efficient operations, adding that digital literacy is now a fundamental skill. He noted that the government is developing updated curricula and capacity-building programs for information cadres, public relations officers, and district information officers to create a skilled digital workforce.

Yasser Khan Chowdhury highlighted the positive role of artificial intelligence in development and public welfare while stressing the need for ethical use to counter misinformation and disinformation. Senior officials from the ministry and the Department of Information also attended the event.

Bangladesh’s Minister for Road, Rail and Water Transport Sheikh Robiul Alam said there is no risk of major schedule disruption in train services during the Eid-ul-Azha travel rush. Speaking to reporters at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka on Sunday, he stated that the railway is operating with old lines and locomotives under maximum caution. Despite a few morning delays, he expected the situation to normalize by the end of the day.

The minister noted that while daily intercity trains usually carry about 32,000 passengers, an additional 25 percent of tickets have been released to accommodate around 40,000 travelers. However, demand during Eid exceeds 100,000 passengers. He said 51 new coaches have been added and 82 to 83 meter-gauge locomotives are currently operational, with plans to increase that number to 85 or 86. Special safety measures have been taken at risk-prone areas to prevent derailments or accidents.

According to the minister, overall rail service quality has improved compared to previous years, and online ticketing has helped curb black-market sales.

A man was killed in a violent clash between neighbors in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna after a dispute over a goat eating moringa leaves. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday in Sahapur Eastpara area under Sahapur Union. The deceased, Mahabul Hossain, aged 60, was the son of Aju Pramanik of the same area.

According to local sources, an argument broke out when Mahabul’s goat ate leaves from trees belonging to neighbors Bashar Munshi and his elder brother Toslim Munshi. The quarrel escalated into a physical fight, during which the two brothers allegedly attacked Mahabul with a lychee-picking stick and bamboo rods, striking him on the neck, head, and other parts of his body. He was seriously injured and died on the way to Ishwardi General Hospital.

Police from Ishwardi station arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Additional police have been deployed in the area. One suspect, Bashar Munshi, has been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other accused.

Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the trial of the rape and murder of seven-year-old Ramisa in Dhaka’s Pallabi area is expected to conclude within five to seven days. He made the statement on Monday during a media interaction at the Secretariat organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF), emphasizing that the matter ultimately rests with the court.

The minister described the incident as a reflection of social decay and a decline in moral values, stressing the need for social reform based on religious and cultural principles. He said the government’s focus is on ensuring swift legal action and justice for such heinous crimes. According to him, the accused was arrested within seven hours of the crime, confessed in court, and implicated his wife as an accomplice. DNA and post-mortem reports were completed within three days, and the charge sheet was prepared and submitted promptly.

Ahmed added that a special public prosecutor has been appointed for the case and that the Chief Justice is considering canceling court holidays to expedite the trial.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday ordered the formal arrest of Awami League leader Rifat Niloy Joardar, known as the cashier of former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, in a case concerning crimes against humanity related to enforced disappearances at the DGFI’s Joint Interrogation Centre, also known as the ‘Aynaghar’. The tribunal also set July 23 for submission of the investigation report. Rifat was produced before the tribunal from prison earlier in the day, following a prosecution request to show him arrested in the case.

According to prosecution sources, Rifat Niloy allegedly directed and facilitated the abduction and secret detention of several victims, including Moshiur Rahman, in DGFI-controlled facilities, where they were subjected to physical and psychological torture. The preliminary investigation suggests these acts constitute crimes against humanity. The allegations also extend to systematic disappearances and killings across Bangladesh between 2009 and 2024, reportedly under directives from senior Awami League figures.

Rifat, currently imprisoned in another case filed with Dhanmondi Police Station, was responsible for managing several Dhaka apartments owned by Benazir Ahmed and collecting rent on his behalf, reflecting his close association with the former police chief.

Two truck drivers were seriously injured in a head-on collision between two trucks on the Barishal-Dhaka highway at Rahmatpur Kathaltala area on Sunday morning. The accident occurred around 7 a.m. when a brick-laden truck heading toward Barishal collided with an empty truck coming from the opposite direction toward Dhaka after losing control. The front sections of both vehicles were severely damaged, and locals rushed to the scene to rescue the injured.

The injured drivers were taken to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for treatment. One of the drivers was identified as Jahirul, while the identity of the other driver was not immediately known. The collision temporarily disrupted traffic on the highway, which later returned to normal after the damaged vehicles were removed with the help of locals and law enforcement.

Police officials confirmed that officers were dispatched to the scene promptly and that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.

Nutritionist Israt Jahan Priyana emphasized that moderate consumption of red meat can help control health risks, especially during Eid when meat intake often increases. She noted that red meat from beef, mutton, buffalo, and lamb provides essential nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, copper, vitamin B-12, and selenium. However, excessive or uncontrolled intake may raise levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and protein, leading to digestive issues and other health concerns.

According to the guidance, a healthy adult can safely consume about 350–500 grams of cooked red meat per week, ideally spread over two to three days. Choosing lean cuts, removing visible fat, and cooking with less oil are recommended to reduce saturated fat. Healthier cooking methods include boiling, stewing, or grilling instead of deep-frying or heavy barbecuing, which can produce harmful compounds. Including vegetables, salads, and fiber-rich foods helps digestion and balances nutrition.

Individuals with high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, or kidney problems should be particularly cautious, limiting intake and avoiding processed meats. Maintaining dietary balance with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is essential for overall health.

A tourist who went missing in the Guliakhali Sea of Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram, was found dead 16 hours after disappearing. The body of Rifat, 18, from Daudkandi in Cumilla, was recovered by a Fire Service diving team at around 9 a.m. on Sunday. He had gone to the beach with four friends on Saturday afternoon, and while bathing in the sea, they were swept away by a strong tide. Locals rescued four of them alive, but Rifat remained missing despite immediate search efforts.

According to Sitakunda Fire Service officials, the rescue operation continued from early morning with assistance from the Navy and Coast Guard. After recovery, the body was handed over to the police. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fakhrul Islam stated that the body would be returned to the family and that safety measures would be strengthened to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authorities plan to install warning signs in risky areas and enhance beach monitoring through the local beach committee to ensure tourist safety.

A shooting occurred at the Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Court premises on Sunday morning, injuring one person. According to police and eyewitnesses, a group of five to six armed assailants arrived on motorcycles and opened fire targeting Liaquat Ali Sikder, the general secretary of the Jhilongja Union BNP. Although Sikder was unharmed, another man named Moin Uddin was shot and later transferred from Cox’s Bazar District Hospital to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Police, with the help of bystanders, detained two suspects immediately after the incident and recovered a pistol and a magazine from one of them. The attackers reportedly took one person away on a motorcycle, but his identity remains unknown. The shooting took place around 11:30 a.m. at the west gate of the court complex. Additional Superintendent of Police Ohidur Rahman confirmed the incident and said further details would be provided later.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify the remaining suspects and determine the motive behind the attack.

An Awami League leader in Cumilla’s Brahmanpara upazila has been accused of illegally occupying a key road to set up a temporary cattle market ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The market was reportedly established at Alua Chowmuhani in Malapara Union, defying government restrictions. Locals complained that the market has severely disrupted traffic and caused hardship for residents, particularly students, patients, and traders.

According to local sources, the market was set up directly on a busy road, obstructing vehicle movement. Residents questioned how a school employee could obtain the lease for the market. The accused, Md. Yunus Mia, serves as the assistant organizational secretary of the Malapara Union Awami League, a union council member, and a night guard-cum-office assistant at a local high school.

Brahmanpara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahmuda Jahan stated that setting up a cattle market on a school playground or road is illegal and that authorities will take necessary action after investigation. Local residents have demanded the immediate removal of the illegal market to restore normal movement.

Protests continue in Dhaka’s Mirpur area following the rape and murder of seven-year-old Ramisa Akter, with demands for swift justice. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has met the victim’s family and assured them of a speedy trial. However, many in Bangladesh question whether the case will avoid the long delays that have plagued similar trials over the past two decades.

The renewed attention has brought back discussion of Rasu Khan, a convicted serial killer from Chandpur accused of murdering 11 women after raping them. Although lower courts and the High Court upheld his death sentences in two cases, the executions remain pending due to prolonged legal procedures. Lawyers and rights activists cite complex judicial processes and delays in preparing case documents as key reasons for such backlogs.

A joint study by the Supreme Court and BRAC found that conviction rates in women and child abuse cases are only three percent, with most cases taking years to conclude. Officials expect Rasu Khan’s appeal hearing to take place within months, but many similar cases remain unresolved in Bangladesh’s courts.

Five people were killed in a head-on collision between a BRTC bus and a patient-carrying ambulance in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur on Sunday morning. The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on the Faridpur–Bhanga highway near the Shankarpasha area. Police said the Dhaka-bound BRTC bus from Faridpur and the ambulance coming from Madaripur towards Faridpur Medical College Hospital collided, leaving the ambulance badly damaged and all five occupants dead on the spot.

The deceased were identified as ambulance driver Kawser, 25, of Saidarbali in Madaripur; Jahangir Molla, 62; Alomgir Hossain Molla, 58; Khurshida Begum, 45; and Majeda Akter, 48, all from Madaripur district. Following the accident, Nagarkanda police, Bhanga Highway Police, and Fire Service personnel arrived at the scene, conducted rescue operations, and restored traffic on the highway.

Police confirmed that the bodies were recovered and inquest reports prepared. The damaged bus and ambulance were taken into police custody, and legal procedures regarding the incident are underway.

Police have submitted a charge sheet to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court against Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter in connection with the rape and murder of a child named Ramisa Akter in Pallabi, Dhaka. The charge sheet was filed on Sunday afternoon by Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman, the investigating officer of Pallabi Police Station. Deputy Police Commissioner Ashis Bin Hasan of the prosecution department confirmed the submission. Both accused were presented before the court earlier in the day and later kept in the custody of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court.

According to the case details, police recovered Ramisa’s body from a flat in Pallabi’s Section 11 on May 19. Investigators allege that Sohel killed the child after raping her and then fled by cutting through a window grill, while his wife remained at home. Ramisa’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, filed the case the same day naming both as accused. The Dhaka Bar Association has decided not to provide legal assistance to the defendants.

A hearing on the court’s acceptance of the charge sheet is scheduled to take place shortly.

Villagers in Gopinathpur of Tukuria Union, Pirganj, Rangpur, have protested after a government project signboard was suddenly placed on a culvert they claim to have built with their own money and labor about two years ago. The incident has sparked anger and tension in the area, with residents accusing the local Union Parishad chairman of attempting to misappropriate funds by labeling their community-built structure as a government project. The chairman, Ataur Rahman Mondal, has denied all allegations.

According to local residents, the culvert was constructed to improve water drainage in the area. They allege that the signboard, claiming the culvert was built under a government allocation, was installed secretly at night. Many villagers said they fear speaking publicly due to the chairman’s influence. Ataur Rahman Mondal, a long-time Awami League leader, stated that the culvert was built under the Local Government Ministry’s Development Assistance Fund in the 2022–23 fiscal year with a budget of 225,000 taka.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Popi Khatun said the Development Assistance Fund is no longer active and that the allegation will be investigated, with legal action to follow if wrongdoing is confirmed.

Former interim government adviser Farida Akhter has expressed grave concern over the growing number of child rape and murder cases in Bangladesh, linking the rise to delays in the judicial process. Writing in a commentary published on May 24, 2026, she cited the recent killing of eight-year-old Ramisa and the earlier 2025 case of seven-year-old Asiya, both victims of brutal sexual violence. In both incidents, family members of the perpetrators were accused of aiding the crimes.

Akhter noted that despite public outrage and legal reforms following Asiya’s case, including a 2025 amendment to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Ordinance, such crimes have not declined. Data from January 1 to May 20, 2026, show 118 children raped, 46 attempted rapes, and 14 murders following rape. She criticized the slow execution of verdicts, including the pending death sentence of Asiya’s killer, and questioned whether current laws adequately protect children.

She urged swift trials and enforcement of punishments, emphasizing that repeated delays undermine justice and embolden offenders. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has reportedly assured Ramisa’s family of prompt legal action.