Rashed Khan Menon, a local Awami League leader in Barishal, died after jumping from the roof of his house on Sunday afternoon to avoid arrest. The incident occurred in Ward No. 1 of Barishal City Corporation. Menon served as the general secretary of the ward-level Awami League and was known as a follower of former mayor and city Awami League general secretary Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah.

According to police, Menon was a banned Awami League leader accused in multiple cases and allegedly involved in anti-government activities. When police arrived at his residence to arrest him, he reportedly jumped from the roof. Kawniya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sanjit Nath stated that police failed to detain him and later received news of his death after the fall.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding banned political activities in Barishal, though further details about the investigation or official response were not provided in the report.

Police in Singair upazila of Manikganj recovered the dismembered body of 14-year-old schoolgirl Mahi Akter six days after she went missing. The body was found on Sunday afternoon beside a bamboo grove near the Chandanagar graveyard in Jamirta Union, following a tip-off from locals. Mahi, daughter of Mizanur Dewan from Char Laxmipur village, was an eighth-grade student at Singair Sahrail High School.

According to police and family sources, Mahi and a male student had been issued transfer certificates from their school the previous Monday over a relationship-related matter. After receiving the certificate, Mahi went missing, prompting her family to file a complaint with the police. Her school bag, shoes, and uniform were found near the body, helping relatives identify her.

Singair Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mazharul Islam said the body appeared to be five to six days old and that DNA testing would be conducted to confirm identity. Police are investigating the case and working to identify those involved.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, paid a courtesy call on Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon at the Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between the two countries in education, particularly in technical and vocational training. Both sides discussed various initiatives aimed at improving educational development.

During the meeting, Minister Milon highlighted the government’s efforts to transform the population into skilled human resources by integrating technical education into the national curriculum. He noted that there are opportunities for Bangladesh and Pakistan to work together in this area. High Commissioner Haider emphasized Pakistan’s willingness to collaborate in educational advancement and invited the minister to visit Pakistan’s technical and vocational training programs.

At the end of the meeting, the Pakistani envoy presented 1,000 footballs as gifts for school and college students. Senior officials from both countries, including the education secretary and the director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, were present.

At a roundtable titled “Four Months of the Current Government: Expectations, Achievements and Tasks” held at the National Press Club on Sunday, Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan) stated that the government has yet to take any concrete steps to implement the July Charter or the referendum verdict. The organization said the implementation remains confined to formal speeches and political courtesies, warning that ignoring the spirit of the mass uprising could overshadow the government’s visible achievements.

Sujan observed that the government’s stance does not reflect respect for the 2024 mass uprising, noting silence on issues such as forming an upper house of parliament based on proportional representation or establishing a National Constitutional Council. Sujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said that under the 1972 Constitution, the next national election should be held in 2029, but many constitutional aspects have changed following the uprising. He criticized the ousted administration of Sheikh Hasina as authoritarian, citing suppression of voting rights, free speech, and institutional collapse.

Sujan leaders emphasized that reforms must ensure employment, youth engagement, and institutional integrity, warning that failure to uphold the uprising’s spirit could erode public trust.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has strongly condemned Supreme Court lawyer Chaitali Chakraborty for allegedly making separatist and inflammatory remarks calling for a separate province for Hindus. In a joint statement issued to the media on Sunday, the group’s Amir Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari and Secretary General Allama Shaikh Sajidur Rahman demanded her immediate arrest and exemplary punishment under the law. They also urged the Bangladesh Bar Council to permanently revoke her legal license.

The statement accused Chakraborty’s comments of being an act of treason and a threat to the country’s sovereignty. Hefazat leaders claimed that such remarks were part of a deeper international conspiracy to destabilize Bangladesh and undermine its communal harmony. They also criticized the construction of what was described as “Asia’s largest Ram statue” in Palashbari, Gaibandha, alleging it was provoking local unrest.

Hefazat called on the government’s intelligence agencies to identify those behind the alleged plot and urged local authorities to take firm legal action to prevent any further communal tension in the area.

State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari has announced that the viva or oral examination in Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) recruitment will continue with a total of 100 marks instead of the previous 200. He made the statement on Sunday during the 11th day of the second session of the 13th National Parliament in response to a question from Noakhali-6 MP Abdul Hannan Masud.

According to the minister, the rule was implemented through a special gazette notification (S.R.O. No. 412-I/2024) issued on December 11, 2024, by the Ministry of Public Administration. The revised system has already been applied from the ongoing 47th BCS examination. The 48th and 49th special BCS exams also followed the 100-mark viva format under the amended 2014 BCS regulations published on May 27, 2025.

The minister stated that this decision aims to make the BCS recruitment process more transparent, dynamic, and free from discrimination. The 100-mark viva system will remain in effect for the upcoming 50th BCS and all subsequent examinations.

Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has announced that Bangladesh is reviewing existing treaties and agreements related to transboundary water sharing. Speaking in the National Parliament on Sunday, he said the government is committed to securing the country’s fair share of water from international rivers and has included this issue in its election manifesto. The review aims to strengthen the Joint Rivers Commission and promote integrated management with India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China.

The minister acknowledged that upstream infrastructure in neighboring countries has reduced water flow into Bangladesh during the dry season. He also cited natural and climate change factors as contributing to declining water availability. In response to parliamentary questions, he detailed ongoing and planned projects, including excavation or re-excavation of 366 kilometers of canals by June under a 180-day program and a five-year plan to excavate or re-excavate 9,046 kilometers of waterways nationwide.

Anee further emphasized the importance of the Padma Barrage Project for national interests, water resource management, agriculture, fisheries, environment, and regional economic development, noting that it has been approved after thorough evaluation.

A section of the Teesta embankment near Mahipur Bridge in Gangachara, Rangpur, began collapsing after India opened the gates of the Gajoldoba barrage, causing the river’s water level to approach the danger mark. Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday noon, about 50 meters of the embankment were washed away, creating a hole over 70 meters deep. Local residents warned that without urgent protective measures, the second Teesta Bridge and the Rangpur–Lalmonirhat regional road could face severe damage.

Around 30,000 to 35,000 people use the Mahipur Teesta road bridge daily, and the sudden erosion has caused widespread fear among locals. Over a thousand families in three villages of Lakshmitari Union are now at direct risk of isolation due to potential road disconnection. Lakshmitari Union Parishad Chairman Abdullah Al Hadi blamed previous negligence by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) for the worsening situation, saying earlier bamboo piling works had failed.

Gangachara Upazila Executive Officer Jesmin Akter said the site had been inspected and LGED was informed for necessary action.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced 13 individuals to death in seven cases related to crimes against humanity committed in July 2024. A total of 59 accused were convicted, with the remaining defendants receiving life imprisonment or varying prison terms. The information was presented by Law Minister Anisul Huq during a parliamentary question session on Sunday, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Responding to a question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Masum Mostafa of Netrakona-5, the minister stated that 80 cases had been filed over the July 2024 atrocities. Of these, verdicts have been delivered in seven cases, while proceedings in 73 others are ongoing. Among the ongoing cases, 22 are at the testimony stage and 51 remain under investigation.

According to the minister, a total of 463 individuals have been accused in these crimes against humanity cases. Of them, 174 have been arrested, 288 remain fugitives, one has died, and one has been acquitted.

Former Member of Parliament for Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati-Kamalnagar), freedom fighter, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) leader Mosharraf Hossain passed away early Saturday night at a private hospital in Dhaka. He was 78 years old. His death was confirmed Sunday morning by Professor Mahbube Elahi Sani of Lakshmipur Government College, who said the deceased was his uncle-in-law. Family sources said Hossain had been suffering from age-related illnesses and was admitted to LabAid Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment.

According to the family, his funeral prayer will be held Sunday after Asr at Alexander Pilot High School field in Ramgati upazila, followed by burial at the family graveyard. He is survived by his wife, three sons, two daughters, and numerous relatives and admirers.

Mosharraf Hossain was a valiant organizer during Bangladesh’s Liberation War, serving as the zonal commander of the Joy Bangla Bahini (BLF) in Noakhali and Hatiya. He was a former vice president of Dhaka University’s Shahidullah Hall Students’ Union and later became JASAD’s central vice president. Elected to parliament in 1988, he contributed to local development and contested again in the 2024 national election. His death has drawn widespread mourning across political, social, and cultural circles.

Bangladesh has formally begun work on its first integrated National Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP), marking a major step in long-term aviation sector planning. The initiative was launched on Sunday at a workshop titled “Civil Aviation Master Planning Overview” held at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka. Organized by the ICAO Gold-certified Civil Aviation Academy under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and with technical support from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the event was inaugurated by Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam (Rita).

According to the workshop, the proposed master plan will outline development goals, priorities, and strategic directions for the next 20 to 30 years or more. It will cover airport infrastructure upgrades, modernization of air navigation services, airline expansion, human resource development, safety improvements, and environmental sustainability. Minister Afroza Khanam said the government aims to make Bangladesh a leading aviation hub in South and Southeast Asia by 2034 under its “Bangladesh First” election manifesto.

Officials stated that the plan is expected to be finalized within the next one to one and a half years, with the workshop’s guidance contributing to sustainable aviation growth, trade, tourism, and economic progress.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra has expressed solidarity with Ad-Din Medical College Hospital after its operations were halted, saying the closure has deprived low-income people of affordable healthcare. The organization called for the hospital’s normal activities to resume promptly, describing Ad-Din as a patient-friendly institution serving limited-income communities. The statement was issued through a letter signed by Gonoshasthaya Kendra Chairperson Shireen Parvin Haque.

In the letter, Gonoshasthaya Kendra noted that Ad-Din Hospital has long provided low-cost medical services to millions of poor and lower-income patients. It described the government’s decision to suspend the hospital’s operations following a recent accident as regrettable and lacking prudence. The organization affirmed its support for Ad-Din during this difficult time and urged all concerned authorities to act wisely and constructively to resolve the situation.

The letter concluded with a call for the lawful and swift reopening of Ad-Din Hospital to ensure continued healthcare for underprivileged people and uphold the institution’s commitment to humanitarian service.

Chief Prosecutor Md. Aminul Islam of the International Crimes Tribunal has identified retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan as responsible for the abduction of BNP leader Ilias Ali during the Awami League government. He made the statement on Sunday at a press briefing held at his office, asserting that evidence and investigation findings confirmed Ahsan’s involvement in the disappearance.

Earlier, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 had accepted charges against Ziaul Ahsan in a case involving enforced disappearances and the killing of over a hundred people. The charges include three specific murder incidents in Gazipur and Barguna’s Patharghata area, as well as staged gunfights in the Sundarbans under the guise of anti-bandit operations.

In the same case, former army officer Imrul Kayes testified before a two-member judicial panel led by Justice Md. Shafiul Alam Mahmood, describing the abduction of Ilias Ali. The testimony was recorded by the tribunal as part of the ongoing proceedings.

Sylhet’s Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md. Sarwar Alam has been suddenly withdrawn from his post and attached to the Ministry of Public Administration as a deputy secretary. The decision was issued on Sunday through an order signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Jeti Pru, confirming his removal from the Sylhet DC position. The order did not specify the reason for the withdrawal or name his replacement. Sarwar Alam stated that he has been asked to join the ministry on Monday.

After taking charge in Sylhet, Sarwar Alam initially received praise for his administrative activities. However, he recently faced criticism following administrative actions aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the income and expenditure of the Hazrat Shahjalal (R.) shrine. It is believed that this controversy may have influenced the decision to transfer him.

Earlier, Sarwar Alam had sealed the shrine’s donation cauldron and installed a donation box under district administration supervision, with Ansar guards and CCTV cameras deployed for monitoring.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir announced that the government is enhancing an online one-stop service system to streamline licensing and approval processes for investors. Speaking at a meeting with a delegation from the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI) in Dhaka, he said the initiative aims to eliminate the need for investors to visit multiple offices. The minister noted that while physical inspections for industrial or factory establishments cannot always be completed within 15 days due to safety and environmental checks, provisional licenses will be introduced to prevent delays in investment activities.

He explained that sector-specific licensing procedures are being developed, as requirements differ across industries such as power generation and textiles. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) will coordinate inspection schedules among relevant agencies to ensure a single, integrated inspection process. Muktadir also highlighted the government’s interest in promoting electric and hybrid vehicles to reduce fuel dependency and enhance transport sustainability.

JBCCI representatives emphasized the importance of simplifying licensing, expanding trade, and adopting sustainable technologies. The minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to creating a transparent and efficient business environment for Japanese investors.