Fortune Group has officially closed its Anan Shoes factory in Gazipur’s Sripur area, citing continuous financial losses and production disruptions. The company announced the shutdown after facing severe economic challenges linked to import-export complications. Over 300 employees were affected, with some reassigned to other Fortune Group units in Barishal and Dhaka. The company began operations in 2012 with 472 workers and expanded into a group of multiple shoe factories across Bangladesh. Unnamed sources alleged that despite earning large profits, many employees had not received salaries for months, and the company’s chairman, Mizanur Rahman, allegedly laundered significant sums abroad while residing in Canada. However, a company official denied the money laundering claim, attributing the crisis to liquidity problems at Islami Bank that disrupted trade operations. Mizanur Rahman, who also holds political positions, declined to comment when contacted. The closure has left many employees struggling financially, with several months of unpaid wages. The company has expressed hope that the situation will improve once financial constraints ease.

DC Comics’ new superhero film ‘Supergirl’, released worldwide on June 26, 2026, has failed to meet expectations at the box office. Despite pre-release anticipation, the film received largely negative reviews from critics, who praised lead actress Milly Alcock but criticized the screenplay and direction. Outlets including Variety identified these as the film’s weakest aspects. The criticism has affected its commercial performance. In its first three days, ‘Supergirl’ earned 66 million US dollars globally, including 38 million from North America. With a production cost of about 170 million dollars, producers and distributors are reportedly concerned about recovering expenses. The film’s performance contrasts sharply with last year’s DC release ‘Superman’, which grossed 618 million dollars worldwide. Meanwhile, Disney and Pixar’s animated film ‘Toy Story 5’ has maintained strong momentum at the international box office. In its second weekend, it earned 89.1 million dollars, bringing its 12-day global total to 585 million. Analysts suggest it may soon surpass ‘Toy Story 4’s 1.07 billion-dollar record to become the franchise’s highest-grossing film.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that its citizens are now permitted to travel to Lebanon again. The travel ban, imposed two months earlier due to security concerns arising from the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, has been officially lifted. According to the announcement, Emirati citizens must register with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before traveling to Lebanon. On April 30, the UAE had restricted travel to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, urging all Emiratis in those countries to return home immediately. While the Lebanon ban has now been removed, restrictions on travel to Iran and Iraq remain in place. The decision marks a partial easing of the UAE’s regional travel limitations. The report also notes that, for the first time since the conflict began, air travel between Tehran and Dubai resumed on Monday, signaling a cautious normalization of regional connectivity.

The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) has again reduced gold prices in the domestic market within 24 hours. In a notice issued on Tuesday morning, BAJUS announced that the price of 22-carat gold, including VAT, has been lowered by Tk 3,324 per bhori to Tk 221,966. The new rates took effect from 10 a.m. the same day. The association said the adjustment followed a decline in the price of pure gold in the local market. According to the new pricing, 21-carat gold now costs Tk 211,993 per bhori, 18-carat gold Tk 182,075, and traditional gold Tk 148,774. BAJUS stated that these prices will remain effective until further notice, with design-based making charges applicable. VAT is included in the selling price, and customers cannot be charged separately. The association also mentioned that silver prices have been reduced by Tk 175 per bhori, setting 22-carat silver at Tk 4,491. This marks the 84th gold price adjustment in 2026, with 41 increases, 42 decreases, and one VAT revision so far. Silver prices have been adjusted 51 times this year.

In Lalmonirhat, the Teesta River’s water level, which had risen above the danger mark due to heavy rainfall and upstream flow from India, began to recede on Tuesday morning. Despite the improvement, residents in low-lying and char areas remain stranded, with many taking shelter on roads and embankments along with their livestock and belongings. Although dry food is available, people are facing an acute shortage of safe drinking water. Officials from the Water Development Board confirmed that at 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Teesta’s water at Dalia Point was flowing 30 centimeters below the danger level. The situation has improved since Sunday evening when the river overflowed, inundating nearby areas and disrupting daily life. Local farmers reported that floodwaters still cover croplands in several char regions. Authorities have started assessing damages and preparing relief measures. The district administration has allocated 220 metric tons of rice and Tk 550,000 in cash for affected upazilas. Officials expect conditions to gradually improve as water levels continue to fall.

The Appellate Division of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has cancelled BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury’s candidacy for the Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, citing loan default allegations. The verdict, announced on June 30, 2026, prevents him from taking oath as a Member of Parliament. The four-judge bench, led by the Chief Justice, delivered the ruling following a final hearing on June 15. The case originated after a bank challenged the Election Commission’s earlier decision validating Chowdhury’s nomination. Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Monir described the verdict as a landmark decision, stating it proves that loan defaulters cannot contest elections. He emphasized that loan defaulters have harmed the banking sector and that the Election Commission must now take necessary steps to enforce the law. Monir also noted that the Commission could declare the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate, who received the second-highest votes, as the winner or act according to the full judgment once it is released. The Election Commission has yet to publish the final gazette for the constituency, pending the court’s directive.

Smuggling trends at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport have shifted sharply over the past year, with foreign cigarettes now replacing gold bars as the most trafficked item. Customs intelligence reports that traffickers earn over Tk 3,500 profit per carton, paying nearly Tk 17 in duty per stick if imported legally. The high profit and comparatively low legal risk have driven this shift. Airport authorities say most contraband cigarettes now arrive on flights from Dubai, with smaller volumes from other Middle Eastern routes. Officials confirmed that in the past six months, more than 25,000 cartons of cigarettes and large quantities of banned cosmetics were seized. The same networks previously involved in gold smuggling are now focusing on cigarettes. Customs officers suspect some airport security guards and contractors are linked to the syndicate, which uses complex methods to bypass checks, including switching passengers mid-route between Chattogram and Dhaka. Airport management has introduced 100% scanning on Dubai flights to curb the trade, though smugglers are adapting tactics. Authorities pledged continued vigilance and coordination among agencies to prevent illegal imports and protect airport integrity.

Iran and Oman have reached a general understanding on toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz following the first meeting of their joint committee. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the agreement, stating that Oman, as a sovereign coastal state, supports the arrangement and believes fees should be charged for services provided. A technical committee will be formed, and experts are expected to prepare a draft within seven to eight days and hold a special meeting to discuss navigation routes. The future of the strait has been a major point of contention between Iran and the United States. Tehran, in coordination with Oman, seeks to impose a new service fee, while Washington opposes any form of toll collection. Oman’s position had been unclear, as the two countries recently announced they were reviewing management costs of the strait. Oman later clarified that it had no plan to impose a transit fee and instead launched a temporary UN-coordinated maritime corridor near its coast. In response, Iran attacked ships using that route and reiterated that only routes along its own coastline are authorized.

A lighter vessel named MV Bay Harbor-2 sank in the Karnaphuli Channel of the Bay of Bengal near Chattogram after colliding with another ship early Monday around 3 a.m. The incident occurred between buoys 2 and 3 of the channel. Following the collision, the Bangladesh Coast Guard launched an immediate rescue operation and successfully saved all 12 sailors on board alive. According to Coast Guard sources, eight sailors were rescued initially, while four others drifted toward Parki Beach and were later recovered. The vessel remains submerged, and salvage operations are ongoing. Coast Guard media officer Aminul Islam confirmed the rescue details. Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Nasir Uddin stated that the sunken vessel belongs to Bay Harbor Limited. He added that the accident has not disrupted vessel movement in the port channel, which remains fully operational and safe. The type of cargo carried by the vessel and its destination were not immediately confirmed.

Swapna Khatun, sentenced to death for her role in the murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter, is spending her days in the condemned cell of Kashimpur Women’s Central Jail. In an interview with Amar Desh, she expressed deep regret over marrying her drug-addicted husband, Sohel Rana, who was the main perpetrator of the crime. Swapna, originally from Singra in Natore, has been in prison since May 20 following the tribunal’s verdict. According to court documents, Sohel raped and murdered Ramisa inside their Mirpur flat, later dismembering the body before fleeing through a window. Swapna was found guilty of aiding the crime by helping her husband escape and concealing evidence. Witnesses and investigators confirmed her involvement, leading the Dhaka Child Violence Prevention Tribunal to sentence both Sohel and Swapna to death. Swapna reportedly spends most of her time crying in her cell, haunted by memories of her son and mother. The case has drawn attention for its brutality and the couple’s direct participation in the killing.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung announced that 24 of the 26 South Korea-linked vessels previously trapped in the Hormuz Strait have successfully exited the area. The ships had been stranded since February 28, following a joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran that escalated tensions in the region. Only two vessels remain in the strait, according to the president’s statement. The conflict had initially left around 11,000 sailors stranded aboard 600 ships. Under an operation led by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), approximately 115 ships carrying 2,500 crew members managed to leave the strait last week. However, renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran forced the UN-affiliated organization to temporarily suspend the rescue mission. The situation underscores the continuing volatility in the Hormuz Strait, a critical global shipping route, as international efforts to ensure maritime safety remain disrupted by regional tensions.

Fresh violence erupted in Brahmanbaria’s Sarail upazila on Monday evening following a previous fatal clash over unpaid dues. Residents of Surjakandi and Dharanti villages engaged in a bloody confrontation at Kalikachchha Bazar area from around 5:30 p.m. until night. At least 25 people, including Sarail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manjur Kader Bhuiyan, were injured during the three-hour-long conflict. According to police and local sources, the dispute began when Mosharaf Mia of Surjakandi claimed that Khadim Mia, Alal, and Ashik of neighboring Dharanti owed him one lakh taka for sold mats. Khadim’s refusal to pay led to a clash on Sunday night, resulting in his death. The following day, after Khadim’s funeral prayer, villagers from both sides again engaged in violent clashes. Police brought the situation under control around 8:30 p.m. after deploying additional forces and detained three individuals. No formal case had been filed as of the report’s publication regarding Sunday’s fatal incident.

Venezuela has been struck by two powerful earthquakes that killed at least 1,719 people and injured more than 5,000, according to official reports released Monday night. The quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit the northern La Guaira state just 39 seconds apart, destroying around 800 buildings and leaving thousands missing. Rescue teams continue to work tirelessly to locate survivors trapped under the rubble. Authorities described the disaster as the most catastrophic natural event in the country’s history. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said over 25,000 emergency workers, police, and soldiers are assisting affected communities. Despite international aid arriving, hopes of finding survivors are fading as critical hours pass. A 21-year-old man was rescued alive after being trapped for more than 100 hours. Reports indicate limited government presence in some of the hardest-hit areas, where residents are relying on local farmers and volunteers for essential supplies. A mild aftershock of magnitude 4.6 was felt Monday in Caracas and La Guaira, though no new damage was reported.

A young man named Mosle Uddin Jony, aged 23, was detained in Feni on Monday evening for posting offensive and indecent remarks about Zaima Rahman on Facebook. Local residents of Rajapur Union in Daganbhuiyan upazila surrounded and handed him over to police after the post spread in the area. The incident occurred around 7 p.m. near Box Ali Moulvibari in Purba Joy Narayanpur. According to locals, Jony had previously made similar objectionable comments on social media. Upon receiving information, police led by the officer-in-charge of Daganbhuiyan Police Station, Muhammad Fayzul Azim, arrived at the scene and took him into custody. The officer stated that preparations were underway to file a case based on the complaint and that authorities would investigate whether others were involved. Police are currently examining the incident to determine the extent of involvement and any potential violations of law related to online conduct.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that petrol stations and other fuel retailers immediately lower prices following a decline in global oil rates. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that retailers could face serious consequences if they fail to reduce prices for consumers. He noted that oil prices had dropped to 68 dollars per barrel and were continuing to fall, yet retail fuel prices remained high. Trump emphasized that retailers must act quickly to adjust prices and avoid overcharging, which he described as illegal. His warning comes after a period of sharp increases in oil prices triggered by the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, during which Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supply. Oil prices have since declined as Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding and moved toward a potential final agreement, easing market tensions and prompting Trump’s call for lower domestic fuel prices.