Beginning in August, the government will provide 30 kilograms of rice per month to 5.5 million poor and low-income families for six months, announced Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder. The rice will be sold at a subsidized rate of Tk 15 per kilogram under the government's food-friendly program. The rice distribution will occur in two phases: from August to November, and again in February and March, with a pause in December and January. To mitigate the impact of recent floods, the government plans to import 400,000 metric tons of rice and has instructed the Ministry of Commerce to facilitate the import of an additional 500,000 metric tons through private channels.

BNP and affiliated organizations allegedly attacked a police station to release an extortionist caught red-handed, according to political advisor Asif Mahmud. The incident followed the brutal killing of scrap dealer Lal Chand near Mitford Hospital, sparking nationwide outrage. Asif criticized the government's failure to maintain law and order, saying the situation was only brought under control after reinforcements from Comilla. Though seven individuals were arrested, all were reportedly released on bail within a month. He claimed most of the administration is subservient to power.

In response to a recent surge in criminal activities—including mugging, theft, and extortion—police from Tongi East and West police stations conducted a joint combing operation over the past 24 hours, resulting in the arrest of 60 individuals. Of the total, 37 were detained by Tongi East Police and 23 by Tongi West Police. Local police officials confirmed that the operation was conducted solely to apprehend criminals and was free from any political influence. Authorities also stated that such drives will continue in the coming days to restore law and order in the area.

The Election Commission has identified deficiencies in the applications of 144 aspiring political parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In the initial stage, 62 parties have been notified and given 15 days to correct the issues, while the remaining 82 will be contacted in the next phase. Failure to comply within the deadline will result in rejection. Currently, Bangladesh has 50 registered political parties.

Iran has warned that it will respond proportionately if European countries attempt to reinstate UN sanctions using the 2015 nuclear deal’s "snapback" mechanism. The Iranian Foreign Ministry criticized the efforts of the UK, France, and Germany as politically motivated and hostile. It argued that recent U.S. and Israeli attacks have undermined the legal basis for such measures. While Iran remains formally committed to the deal, it has gradually reduced compliance in response to violations by the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Beijing. The two leaders discussed strengthening regional security, economic cooperation, and counter-terrorism measures. Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace and integration and discussed UN Security Council matters in a phone call with Secretary-General António Guterres. He confirmed Pakistan’s continued support for SCO’s stability and economic growth.

Iran has declared that it will not engage in new nuclear talks with the United States if halting uranium enrichment is set as a precondition. Senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Velayati, stated this amid a stalled negotiation process that included five rounds of talks earlier this year. The sixth round was canceled due to Israeli military actions. Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, and the IAEA has found no evidence of weapons development.

In a high-level diplomatic move, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing for the first time since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Jaishankar was in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. He conveyed greetings from Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed recent progress in bilateral relations.

Bangladesh's Appellate Division has scheduled a hearing for this Thursday in the appeal against the verdicts in the August 21 grenade attack case. The appeal challenges the acquittal of all accused, including the life sentence for BNP’s Tarique Rahman and the death sentence for Lutfozzaman Babar. A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refat Ahmed will hear the case. Senior BNP lawyers including Barrister Jamir Uddin Sarkar and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon will represent the defendants.

A growing number of young people globally, including in Bangladesh, are losing interest in marriage and parenthood due to career pressures, financial instability, and the desire for personal freedom. According to a recent UNFPA and YouGov survey revealed during the 2025 World Population Day observance, 40% of youth no longer desire children, and 18% lack access to family planning services. Health Adviser Noorjahan Begum and other speakers called for youth empowerment, improved education, gender equality, and awareness. Experts also forecast that the global population may begin to decline by 2098.

The World Bank provided over $3 billion in funding to Bangladesh in the last fiscal year and has committed to maintaining similar support over the next three years. During a meeting in Dhaka with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Vice President for South Asia Johannes Zutt praised the interim government's financial sector reforms and reaffirmed the Bank’s support for inclusive growth in Bangladesh. Zutt commended Yunus's leadership in youth engagement and women’s empowerment. Yunus emphasized harnessing youth for industrial growth and envisioned Bangladesh as a major economic force.

An Israeli soldier has died by suicide at a military base in the occupied Golan Heights, marking the third such incident in just 10 days. The soldier had reportedly participated in military operations against Palestinians in Gaza. The spate of suicides has raised concerns within the Israeli Defense Forces. Opposition leader Yair Lapid described it as a result of an “unbearable reality.” So far in 2025, at least 15 Israeli soldiers have taken their own lives. Since Israel’s assault on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed, with over 100,000 injured.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has directed authorities to urgently fill over 32,000 vacant head teacher positions in government primary schools across Bangladesh. In a meeting held Monday at the Jamuna State Guest House, he emphasized the need for a transparent recruitment process, categorization based on experience and age, and hiring qualified individuals. He also instructed authorities to clarify transfer policies and prioritize gender-friendly school infrastructure, involvement of women engineers, and the integration of internet and multimedia classrooms.

Professor Dr. Ali Riaz, Vice Chair of the National Consensus Commission, has urged political leaders to cooperate in finalizing a national charter by the end of July. Speaking on the 14th day of the Commission’s second round of dialogues with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, he emphasized the urgency of swift decision-making due to limited time. Representatives from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and other parties participated. Key discussion topics included the introduction of a bicameral legislature, constitutional amendments, and ensuring greater female representation. Dr. Riaz stressed that failure is not an option and called political cooperation essential to deliver the national charter.

The Teesta Master Plan is expected to be finalized by the end of 2025, according to Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser on Water Resources and Environment in Bangladesh's interim government. Responding to journalists’ questions in Saidpur on July 15, she said the project requires joint approval from China and Bangladesh, though fieldwork has been completed. A final round of discussions with experts on five key issues is scheduled for July 17, after which the plan will be submitted to the Chinese authorities for approval. Implementation will begin after the approval process is complete.