A Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) operation in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, led to the seizure of 140,000 yaba tablets and the arrest of one suspected drug trafficker. The detainee, identified as Md. Kader, 38, from Shialipara village in Ukhiya, was apprehended early Friday, June 19, 2026. The operation was confirmed by Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commander of the 64 BGB Battalion.

According to BGB, the special patrol team from Balukhali Border Outpost conducted the raid around 3 a.m. based on intelligence. The team intercepted a man entering from the Myanmar side near the Chaudhury’s Gher area and recovered 14 cartons containing 140,000 blue yaba tablets from a bundle he was carrying. During initial questioning, the suspect reportedly admitted to purchasing the drugs from across the Myanmar border for resale inside Bangladesh.

BGB officials stated that surveillance has been intensified to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the smuggling network. The Ukhiya Battalion continues its operations under the Ramu Sector to maintain border security and combat illegal activities.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued four fishermen who had been adrift for two days in the deep sea west of Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, after their fishing boat’s engine failed. The rescue took place on Friday afternoon, confirmed by Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan. The boat, named “FB Saurav,” had departed from Cox’s Bazar for Sandwip in Chattogram on June 18 when the engine broke down around 2 p.m.

The fishermen contacted the national emergency service number 999 on Friday morning to seek help, prompting a Coast Guard patrol vessel to launch a rescue operation. All four fishermen and their disabled boat were recovered alive and given initial medical care and necessary assistance. The process of handing them and the boat over to the owner is underway.

According to the Coast Guard, the force remains ready to provide humanitarian assistance and conduct rescue operations in emergencies, with similar efforts to continue in the future.

Water Resources Minister Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anny said the government is working to approve the Teesta Master Plan as soon as possible. He stated that the project is in its final stage of evaluation to ensure maximum benefits for people in the Teesta basin. The minister made the remarks on Friday while visiting the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat and exchanging views with local residents. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad were also present.

Anny emphasized that the government is committed to public welfare and is proceeding with the project to ensure long-term national and local benefits. He noted that the government has already approved the Padma Barrage Project and revived the canal excavation program initiated by late President Ziaur Rahman. Plans are underway to excavate and re-excavate about 20,000 kilometers of rivers, canals, and reservoirs over the next five years.

State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad said local and foreign experts are reviewing the Teesta project, which will be submitted to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval once evaluations are complete.

A motorcyclist named Zahid Mia, aged 35, was killed after being hit by a passenger bus in the Madhabpur area of Habiganj district. The accident occurred on Friday afternoon near the Badsha Gate area along the Dhaka–Sylhet Highway when a Dhaka-bound Mamun Paribahan bus ran over his motorcycle. Zahid Mia was a resident of Dharmondol village in Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria district.

Police from Shayestaganj Highway Police Station arrived at the scene, recovered the body, and sent it to Habiganj District Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. The officer-in-charge of the station, Shubho Ranjan Chakma, confirmed the incident and stated that necessary legal procedures had been initiated. An investigation into the accident is currently underway.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the cause of the collision or whether the bus driver has been detained as part of the ongoing investigation.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the party has lost a guardian-like leader with the death of former state minister and BNP Vice Chairman Advocate Harun-al-Rashid. He made the remarks on Friday while attending the second funeral prayer of Harun-al-Rashid in front of the BNP central office at Naya Paltan in Dhaka. Harun-al-Rashid passed away on Thursday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the capital.

Rizvi described Harun-al-Rashid as a nationally respected and wise politician who served with honesty and dedication as a whip in parliament, chairman of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, and as a state minister. He noted that Harun-al-Rashid had been involved in nationalist politics since his student life and remained steadfast in his principles until his death. BNP leaders and activists, including senior figures and local leaders from Brahmanbaria, attended the funeral.

Harun-al-Rashid was elected five times as a Member of Parliament from Brahmanbaria-3 constituency and held key positions in the BNP, including vice chairman and joint secretary general. He was widely regarded as a guardian figure among party members for his long-standing contributions to democracy and organizational activities.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that stopping extortion across Bangladesh would restore one-third of the people’s peace. He made the comment on Friday afternoon at the party’s annual member conference in Munshiganj district. Rahman emphasized that any political party unable to restrain its own activists from social misconduct has no right to govern the country, adding that only disciplined parties can ensure good governance.

He further said that Jamaat’s goal is not to amass wealth but to ensure the well-being of citizens. Rahman noted that if the current parliament loses legitimacy, his party would not remain in it, as parliament must serve the people’s needs. He urged the ruling party to demonstrate good governance by ending extortion and said the opposition is willing to give the government time, but not indefinitely.

Referring to the newly announced national budget, Rahman criticized that despite tax reductions, prices of essential goods have not fallen due to syndicates linked to political parties, which survive under political patronage.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu announced that the BNP government is committed to implementing the long-awaited Teesta Master Plan for the people of Rangpur’s Teesta basin. Speaking at a public rally after inspecting the Teesta Bridge area in Kaunia upazila on Friday, he said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had already made a clear declaration on the issue, and the government is working to fulfill its promise to the people. Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad, senior officials, and local leaders were present.

Dulu recalled that on February 18 of the previous year, Tarique Rahman expressed solidarity with the Teesta residents during the “Jago Bahe Teesta Bachai” movement. He said the government’s current activities are a continuation of that commitment. Speakers at the rally emphasized the urgent approval and implementation of the Teesta Master Plan, highlighting its potential to control river erosion, expand irrigation, boost agricultural production, and improve livelihoods in the Teesta basin.

Local residents reiterated their demand for swift implementation, noting that the project could bring positive economic, agricultural, and environmental changes to northern Bangladesh.

A human chain and protest rally were held in Chhagalnaiya upazila of Feni demanding exemplary punishment for a youth named Srijon Das, accused of making derogatory comments about Islam, Allah, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on social media. The demonstration took place on Friday at the Zero Point area under the banner of 'people from all walks of life' and drew participation from various sections of the community.

According to local sources, the controversial post spread widely on Thursday night, prompting strong reactions and anger among residents. Srijon Das, son of Pritilal Das from West Chhagalnaiya, later went live on Facebook to apologize for his actions. However, the incident continued to stir widespread discussion in the area. Locals subsequently detained him and handed him over to law enforcement, who have taken him into custody and initiated legal proceedings.

Speakers at the rally stated that any act hurting religious sentiments is unacceptable and called for a fair investigation and appropriate punishment if the allegations are proven. The local police officer-in-charge confirmed that the matter is under investigation and legal action will follow.

State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad announced that the Teesta Master Plan will soon be submitted to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval after receiving opinions from local and foreign experts. He made the statement on Friday during a visit to the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat, where he met with local residents. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and Water Resources Minister Md. Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie were also present.

Minister Annie said the government is working to secure quick approval of the Teesta Master Plan to ensure maximum benefits for people in the Teesta basin. He added that final technical, economic, and environmental assessments are underway to guarantee the project’s effectiveness. The government, he noted, has the capacity to implement the project with domestic funding if necessary.

Local residents urged the government to approve and implement the project quickly, expressing hope that it would help control river erosion, improve irrigation, prevent floods, and enhance the overall economic condition of the Teesta region.

Bangladesh Khilafat Chhatra Majlis organized a protest rally in Dhaka on Friday, June 19, 2026, condemning the Speaker of the National Parliament’s remarks about Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Amir Allama Mamunul Haque. The demonstration took place after Friday prayers at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, followed by a procession that circled Dainik Bangla intersection and ended at the mosque’s east gate.

The rally was presided over by Muhammad Aminul Islam, president of the organization’s Dhaka Metropolitan East unit, with central president Mohammad Abdul Aziz attending as chief guest. Aziz criticized the Speaker’s comments as politically motivated and disrespectful to a popular religious leader, demanding a public apology. He described the remarks as a continuation of authoritarian behavior and accused the Speaker of ignoring a settled court verdict.

Other speakers, including Maulana Rakibul Islam and several city leaders, called for legal accountability for the Speaker’s alleged indecent comments. The event drew participation from various levels of the organization’s Dhaka leadership.

Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Ekushey Padak-winning poet Al Mujahidi. In a Facebook post on Friday afternoon titled “Responding to the call of the Almighty, poet Al Mujahidi departs,” he announced that the poet, born on January 1, 1943, had passed away earlier that day.

Dr. Rahman noted that Al Mujahidi served for more than three decades as the literary editor of the daily Ittefaq and actively participated in the Liberation War of 1971. He highlighted the poet’s significant contributions to various branches of literature, including poetry, fiction, essays, criticism, and children’s literature. He described Mujahidi as a poet of faith and values whose creative works would remain memorable in Bengali literature.

Offering prayers for the deceased, Dr. Rahman asked for divine forgiveness and eternal peace for the poet, and strength for his family, colleagues, and admirers to bear the loss with patience.

A woman named Rina Khatun from Natun Kola village in Maheshpur, Jhenaidah, has alleged that her husband divorced her after she gave birth to twin daughters. According to Rina and her family, she was married to Rakibul Islam about two years ago, and their relationship deteriorated after medical tests confirmed she was expecting twin girls. She claimed that her husband and in-laws began abusing her physically and mentally, eventually sending her back to her parents’ home, where she later delivered the babies by cesarean section.

Local residents said that community leaders held two arbitration meetings to resolve the issue, but Rakibul and his family refused to accept Rina or the children. Rakibul reportedly sent a divorce letter afterward. Attempts to contact Rakibul’s family were unsuccessful, as locals said he and his father had gone into hiding.

Maheshpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sajjad Hossain described the incident as deeply regrettable and a reflection of social decay, confirming that a written complaint has been received and an investigation is underway.

Former BBC journalist and ex-UK press minister Akbar Hossain has compared Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif with State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam. In a Facebook post on Friday, Hossain remarked that Shah Alam reminded him of Hanif, describing both as figures who gained prominence only during Awami League’s tenure in power.

The comparison comes amid growing controversy in Bogura over the formation of four new unions following a gazette notification issued on June 11. Local residents have alleged that three of the newly created unions—Mirbari, Simanto, and Digonto—bear names linked to the minister’s family. According to locals, Mirbari reflects the minister’s ancestral home, while Simanto and Digonto correspond to the names of his two sons.

The administrative restructuring affected Shibganj and the newly formed Mokamtola upazilas, sparking political debate and criticism over alleged nepotism in naming the unions.

The Bangladesh Association of Journalists (BAJ) has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Ekushey Padak-winning journalist, poet, researcher, and freedom fighter Al Mujahidi. He passed away on Friday afternoon at the age of 83 while undergoing treatment at United Hospital in Dhaka. The condolence statement, signed by BAJ’s publicity and publication secretary Mahmudul Hasan, was issued by president M Abdullah and general secretary Ahmad Matiur Rahman.

In their statement, BAJ leaders described Al Mujahidi as one of the leading literary voices of the 1960s and a shining figure in journalism. They said his death marked an irreparable loss for the country’s literary and media sectors. Mujahidi served for decades as the literary editor of the daily Ittefaq, where he played a vital role in nurturing new generations of writers and journalists.

The BAJ leaders also noted that Mujahidi was a valiant freedom fighter and received the Ekushey Padak in 2003 for his outstanding contributions to journalism and literature. They prayed for the salvation of his soul and extended condolences to his bereaved family.

An eleven-year-old domestic worker named Rifa, also known as Rikta, died after falling from a multi-storey building on Road 9/A in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area early Friday, June 19, 2026. Security guards rescued her in a critically injured state and took her to a private hospital in Dhanmondi, where doctors declared her dead. Rifa, originally from Kishoreganj, had started working at the apartment only two months earlier through an agency due to her family’s financial hardship.

Police have begun investigating whether the death was an accident, suicide, or caused by other factors. Local residents said there had been previous allegations of mistreatment and abuse of domestic workers in the same flat, though the apartment owner’s statement was not available. A police team visited the scene, collected CCTV footage, and examined parts of the building.

The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Investigators said the cause of death will become clearer after reviewing the post-mortem report and technical evidence.