Bangladeshi journalists are observing "Black Day" today, recalling June 16, 1975, when the BAKSAL regime shut down all newspapers except four aligned with the government. The move left thousands of journalists jobless and marked a dark chapter in the country's media history. Journalist unions are holding commemorative events nationwide. Critics say recent years under the Hasina government echoed similar repression, with media outlets closed and journalists persecuted. The day serves as a reminder of the enduring struggle for press freedom in Bangladesh.

Following the Eid holidays, government employees have resumed protests demanding the repeal of the controversial Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance-25. Both cadre and non-cadre officers from the Secretariat gathered at Badamtoli before marching around the Secretariat premises. The protesting employees plan to submit memorandums to three advisers—responsible for Home Affairs, Social Welfare, and Housing & Public Works—later today. Demonstrators vowed to continue their movement until all repressive and undemocratic laws are repealed.

Three people, including a father and his 9-year-old son, died when a passenger bus collided with a covered van in Ramu, Cox's Bazar. The accident occurred around 9 AM in the Jetirghata area of Rashid Nagar Union. A young woman was also among the deceased, and 10 others sustained injuries. The bus overturned after the crash. Emergency services rescued the injured by cutting through the wreckage. Authorities have sent the bodies to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital and seized both vehicles involved.

BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, like her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, attempted to reintroduce a one-party system in Bangladesh. In a statement, he claimed that both leaders pursued their true ideological goal of one-party rule by enforcing various draconian laws to suppress journalists and the media. Tarique further said that it was later President Ziaur Rahman who restored multi-party democracy in the country, abolishing the autocratic laws of the BAKSAL regime and reestablishing press freedom. He argued that although the fall of the fascist regime on August 5 allowed partial media freedom, the press is still not entirely free from authoritarian forces. Ensuring full press freedom, he said, is essential to safeguard democracy and its permanence.

Israeli forces have killed at least 59 more Palestinians in Gaza, with at least 17 of them shot while trying to collect food from a relief center run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the US and Israel. Reporting from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum said, “Locals told us that Israeli troops did not issue any warning before opening fire on the starving crowd, leading to horrifying civilian casualties.” The attack adds to the mounting toll of civilian deaths amid the ongoing assault on Gaza.

Authorities in Subarnachar, Noakhali, have shut down a 15-day Eid fair following allegations of obscene dance performances and illegal gambling. Organized by Jamal Uddin Sentu near Shomir Hat Bazaar, the fair drew criticism as young people gathered in large numbers for late-night shows and gambling sessions. After public outcry on social media, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer intervened and ordered the closure. The administration warned that future events without proper permission will face legal action through mobile courts.

For the first time, the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has been allowed to visit Bangladesh to observe cases of enforced disappearances.

A two-member delegation from the UN group arrived in Dhaka on Sunday to begin their visit. During their stay, the team will hold meetings with legal expert Asif Nazrul, the acting foreign secretary, members of the commission related to disappearances, law enforcement agencies, and families of the victims.

Sources confirm that the delegation has not come to conduct an official investigation. Instead, their primary objective is to observe the situation on the ground and make recommendations based on their findings.

In a horrifying incident, a college student was gang-raped on a moving bus while traveling from Sylhet to Nabiganj. Acting swiftly, a joint operation by the army and police rescued the teenage victim and arrested the bus driver late Sunday night. According to police, the victim, an 11th-grade student from Farmgate, was assaulted by the bus helper Liton Mia and later by the driver Shah Sabbir Mia. The incident has sparked outrage across the region.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has initiated multiple surveys to select candidates for Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th parliamentary election. Party sources indicate that priority will be given to those who have actively participated in the pro-democracy struggle, demonstrated personal integrity, and maintained strong popularity in their constituencies. BNP leader Hafiz Uddin stated that through these surveys, deserving candidates will emerge and receive nominations.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has urged the global community to take Israel’s unregulated nuclear capabilities seriously. Highlighting that Israel has never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Asif called it a major threat to global security. He reiterated that Pakistan’s nuclear program strictly adheres to international standards for national defense, while warning that the ongoing Israeli aggression could destabilize the entire region, exacerbated by biased Western support.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook met with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations, upcoming elections, and political reforms. The meeting, held at BNP Chairperson’s political office, also included senior BNP leaders Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan and Shama Obaid. Both sides shared their views on Bangladesh’s political situation and the path to democratic reforms.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General, former MP Prof. Mia Golam Porwar, has pledged to protect press freedom and the interests of journalists if his party comes to power. Speaking on Bangladesh’s ‘Black Day of Journalism,’ he accused both Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s and Sheikh Hasina’s governments of suppressing the media through censorship and restrictive laws like the Digital Security Act and Cyber Security Act. Porwar vowed that Jamaat would defend freedom of speech and work for the betterment of journalism in Bangladesh.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has admitted that military strikes alone are insufficient to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Describing Iran as a nation on the “nuclear threshold,” Barak said even U.S. intervention could delay Iran’s program by only a few months. He stressed that either a comprehensive diplomatic agreement or a regime change would be required to permanently stop Iran’s nuclear progress.

Iran’s Health Ministry has reported that Israeli airstrikes over the past 65 hours have claimed 244 lives, with over 1,277 people injured, including women and children. More than 90% of the casualties are civilians. The deadly air raids began after Israel launched a surprise offensive on June 13, plunging the two nations into a full-scale war.

Iran has launched hypersonic missiles targeting Israel’s major cities including Haifa, Tel Aviv, and the Negev airbase, triggering widespread fires. Explosions were captured in various media footage, showing significant destruction. Israel’s national emergency service confirmed at least four injuries in Haifa, with rescue operations underway at a building directly hit by the missile. Meanwhile, Israel’s Iron Dome defense system is reportedly struggling to intercept these advanced projectiles.