Police in Sitakunda, Chattogram, have seized 124,000 yaba tablets worth about Tk 3.5 crore after uncovering a secret chamber inside a gas cylinder used by drug traffickers. The discovery was made late Monday night during a routine checkpoint on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway. Officers pursued a private car that attempted to flee the checkpoint, later finding it abandoned by the roadside. Upon inspection, the gas cylinder inside the vehicle appeared unusually light, prompting police to cut it open and find the concealed drugs. At a press briefing on Tuesday, Additional Superintendent of Police (DB) Russell PPM (Bar) said the operation was part of intensified anti-narcotics drives ordered by the Chattogram District Police Superintendent. He noted that traffickers are using increasingly sophisticated methods, but police are countering them through technology-based surveillance and intelligence. The seized yaba consignment is among the largest recent recoveries in Sitakunda. Police have launched an extensive investigation to identify the source, destination, and network behind the shipment. Efforts are underway to locate the fleeing driver and the car’s owner using digital tracking tools. A case under the Narcotics Control Act is being processed.

The United Kingdom unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) held a representative assembly in Birmingham on Monday evening, bringing together leaders and grassroots activists from 19 zonal committees under Zone-2. The event, chaired by UK BNP convener Azad Abul Kalam and conducted by member secretary Khosruzzaman Khosru, aimed to make the party’s organizational activities more dynamic and effective. Senior leaders, zonal representatives, and local activists attended the meeting, which focused on strengthening the party’s base across the UK. In his opening remarks, Azad Abul Kalam emphasized that those who had worked tirelessly during the party’s difficult times would lead the UK BNP and its affiliated bodies in the future. He announced that the convening committee had already begun organizational tours across all zones and that new committees would be restructured based on grassroots input, combining experienced and new leadership. Speakers highlighted the importance of unity, discipline, and ideological commitment, while pledging to exclude anyone linked to anti-party activities. Participants expressed optimism that the assembly marked a new phase in the UK BNP’s organizational renewal and reaffirmed their respect for late party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and deceased UK BNP leaders.

A major inconsistency has emerged between the information presented by Home Minister Salauddin Ahmed in the National Parliament and Islami Bank’s official financial report regarding the bank’s Rural Development Scheme (RDS). The minister claimed that Tk 22,000 crore had been distributed under the project, with a significant portion unaccounted for. However, Islami Bank’s latest annual report shows that the total outstanding loans under the RDS project are less than one-third of the minister’s figure. According to the 2025 annual report, the total outstanding RDS loans stood at Tk 6,789 crore at the end of 2025, compared to Tk 6,712 crore in 2024, marking an increase of only Tk 77 crore or 1.14 percent. The report also indicates that most of the loans are being repaid, with only Tk 232 crore classified as non-performing. The recovery rate was 97.50 percent at the end of 2025, slightly down from 98.49 percent in 2024. Since its inception, the RDS project has provided loans to 1.775 million families across 35,352 villages in Bangladesh, according to the bank’s report.

US Vice President JD Vance stated that a potential war involving Iran would not turn into a prolonged quagmire for Washington similar to Iraq or Afghanistan. In an interview with USA Today, he expressed strong confidence that the United States would not face renewed debates over deep involvement in Iran in the coming years. Vance emphasized that he believes the US will succeed in its current approach. He added that even if ongoing diplomatic efforts fail, the President still has alternative options available. According to him, as long as the administration remains focused on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the situation will not evolve into a long-term entanglement. The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera, reflect the administration’s assurance that its Iran policy will remain controlled and limited in scope.

The 10th China-South Asia Expo and the 30th China Kunming Import and Export Fair 2026 will begin tomorrow in Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province, and continue until June 16. Bangladesh will participate as the theme country this year, marking its largest-ever representation with 101 companies and 175 delegates supported by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the Consulate General in Kunming. The event will host 2,300 exhibitors from 68 countries at the Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center. The opening day will feature the inauguration of both the Bangladesh Pavilion and the main fair, while the second day will be celebrated as “Bangladesh Day.” Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir MP will attend as chief guest, alongside the Governor of Yunnan and other international dignitaries. EPB Vice Chairman and CEO Mohammad Hasan Arif will deliver the keynote speech on Bangladesh Day. Bangladesh’s pavilion will showcase products from textiles, ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, handicrafts, jute goods, and leather sectors. Participating companies expect that business-to-business networking will strengthen Bangladesh’s position in the Chinese market and open new export opportunities.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. In a social media post, Trump said he was informed by the US military that one of their advanced Apache helicopters was brought down by Iranian fire the previous night. He confirmed that both pilots aboard were safe and unharmed. Trump added that the United States would take necessary action in response to the incident. Earlier reports indicated that a US Army Apache helicopter had crashed near the coast of Oman on June 8, and both crew members were rescued. However, it remains unclear what caused the helicopter to go down. Iran has not issued any immediate comment regarding Trump’s claim or the reported incident. The situation adds to existing tensions in the region, though no official confirmation or reaction from Iran was available at the time of reporting.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, a café named Post Modern Times has gained attention for abandoning traditional pricing and allowing customers to pay what they can—or nothing at all. Owner Dylan Alverson, who ran the café under the name Modern Times for 15 years, made the change earlier this year after violent incidents during a federal anti-immigration operation. As a protest against paying sales tax, he declared the restaurant would operate entirely on a free and donation-based model. Initially a political statement, the move evolved into a social and economic experiment. Alverson reports that 40 to 50 percent of customers now eat without paying, yet business performance has improved. The café maintains its quality with homemade bread and locally sourced ingredients, attracting both supporters of social solidarity and those in need. Some neighbors have expressed concern that free meals could attract crime, but the management emphasizes safety and community support. The new model has expanded the café’s income sources through merchandise sales and donations, turning Post Modern Times into a symbol of community unity and alternative economic thinking.

A 14-year-old school student named Minhaj died after being struck by lightning in Simarkanda area of Debidwar upazila, Cumilla, on Tuesday evening, June 9, 2026. Minhaj was an eighth-grade student at Elahabad High School. The incident occurred while he was returning home from agricultural fields after planting paddy. According to local sources, the lightning strike hit suddenly, leaving Minhaj critically injured and causing his death on the spot. His unexpected death has plunged his family, relatives, and classmates into deep mourning, and the entire area is reported to be in grief. Debidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Moniruzzaman confirmed the death and said the body has been handed over to the family.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Sadiq Kayem has publicly questioned why the Home Ministry is intervening in the Islamic banking system instead of focusing on its official duties. In a Facebook post on Tuesday night, he described the move as an unwarranted interference and criticized the ministry for assuming authority over defining what qualifies as Islamic banking. Kayem argued that the Islamic banking system is an internationally recognized and balanced economic model, supported by global Islamic scholars and economists. He accused the government of neglecting pressing national issues such as crime, rising fuel and gas prices, and extortion, while allegedly attempting to manipulate the banking sector and destabilize the economy. The post reflects growing criticism from student leadership regarding government involvement in financial and religious economic matters, though no official response from the ministry was mentioned in the report.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Md. Nazmul Huda Mintu, the prime accused in the killing of Hasan Sardar in Khulna’s Paikgacha upazila. The arrest took place on Tuesday afternoon at a motorcycle showroom on Khan Jahan Ali Road in Khulna city. According to RAB, a special team from RAB-6 conducted the operation based on secret information and detained Mintu, who had been listed as the first fugitive accused in the case. The case stems from an incident on June 7 in Chandkhali cattle market area, where Hasan Sardar was beaten for several hours after a dispute over urinating near a shop. Following a call from Kudddus Gazi, Mintu—identified as a former student leader and leaseholder of the market—allegedly led the assault. Hasan lost consciousness and was declared dead upon arrival at Paikgacha Upazila Health Complex. After the post-mortem at Khulna Medical College Hospital, Hasan was buried in his village. His father, Abdul Malek Sardar, filed a case naming ten individuals and several unidentified persons as accused.

A US federal court in Boston has struck down former President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, ruling that the president lacked constitutional authority to levy such a charge. District Judge Leo Sorokin issued a 42-page decision declaring the fee illegal, stating that it functioned as a tax rather than a regulatory fee, and that only Congress has the power to impose taxes under the US Constitution. The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic attorneys general after the Trump administration introduced the fee in September of the previous year. The court found that the administration’s reliance on the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) did not grant authority to impose taxes. Judge Sorokin also referenced a 2026 Supreme Court precedent that questioned the legal basis of Trump’s earlier tariff policies. The Trump administration had justified the fee as a measure to protect American workers from foreign competition under the H-1B program. The decision is viewed as a relief for the US technology sector, which depends heavily on skilled foreign workers. Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta had secured thousands of H-1B visas in early 2025, underscoring the program’s importance to the industry.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has assured that the future of Islami Bank Bangladesh is completely safe under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Speaking on Tuesday afternoon during a general discussion under Rule 68 in the second (budget) session of the National Parliament, he said that previous BNP governments maintained strong macroeconomic stability and that the current administration is working to restore that financial discipline. The discussion was initiated by Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, who proposed ensuring the return of Islami Bank shares to their legitimate owners and ending undue interference in its management to protect the interests of millions of customers. The finance minister accused certain groups of deliberately destabilizing the bank for political gain, adding that no global precedent exists for depositors withdrawing funds simply because of a change in chairmanship. He further noted that Bangladesh Bank’s investigation found no wrongdoing by the bank’s chairman and alleged that those withdrawing funds were attempting to create instability to exploit the situation politically.

China has inaugurated the world’s first wind-powered underwater data center off the coast of Shanghai, marking a new milestone in addressing rising energy and water demands driven by artificial intelligence expansion. The 24-megawatt facility, named the Shanghai Lingang Undersea Data Center Demonstration Project, began operations in May 2026. It was jointly developed by HiCloud Technology and state-owned China Communications Construction and is located about 10 kilometers offshore, 10 meters below sea level, powered by a nearby offshore wind farm. According to Chinese government data, the underwater center consumes over 20 percent less electricity than conventional land-based data centers. Experts note that using seawater for natural cooling significantly reduces energy needs, as traditional centers spend up to 40 percent of electricity on cooling. The project also helps cut freshwater use, a growing concern as global data centers’ water consumption could reach 9.3 trillion liters by 2030, according to the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. China has invested about 1.6 billion yuan in the project, aligning with its national AI plan to expand clean energy infrastructure by 2030. Experts caution that environmental monitoring will be essential to manage potential marine ecosystem impacts.

A woman named Abuni Rajbhor, also known as Ruksi, aged 50, was killed by her son in Netrakona Sadar upazila on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred near the Challisha Union Parishad area when her son, Shyamal Rajbhor, 24, attacked her with a shovel after she asked him to wait for his meal. Locals detained the accused and handed him over to the police following the incident. According to police and local sources, the family lived in a tin-shed house by the Magra River. Residents said Shyamal had long been addicted to drugs and was mentally unstable. When his mother delayed serving food, he became enraged and struck her on the head with a metal shovel. Abuni collapsed on the ground and died before she could be taken to the hospital. Police officials, including the Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Sajal Kumar Sarkar and the Officer-in-Charge of Netrakona Model Police Station, visited the scene. The body was sent to Netrakona District Hospital morgue for autopsy, and legal proceedings are underway.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser A.K.M. Shamsul Islam on Tuesday at the Armed Forces Division office in Dhaka Cantonment. The meeting was attended by a three-member delegation, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) release issued the same day. During the discussion, both sides reviewed the existing strong bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. They focused particularly on enhancing military cooperation, sharing experiences, and expanding training programs between the two countries. The Defense Adviser recalled the long-standing friendship between Bangladesh and the United States and expressed optimism that defense cooperation would further strengthen in the coming days. The US Ambassador praised the professionalism of the Bangladesh Armed Forces and their contributions to peacekeeping missions.