National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah, representing Cumilla-4, alleged in parliament that 28 lakh crore taka had been laundered abroad, as shown in a white paper released by the interim government. Speaking during Thursday’s budget discussion chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, he said those responsible now move freely in affluent Dhaka areas. Abdullah questioned the progress of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s case against Bashundhara Group and demanded transparency about any possible under-the-table settlements.

He criticized the government’s budget proposal, calling it contradictory for pledging to reduce essential commodity prices while increasing taxes, which he said would ultimately burden ordinary citizens. Abdullah also questioned the government’s promise to create over one crore jobs in five years, asking how many had been achieved in the past four months. He expressed concern over the lack of clear policy to depoliticize banks and recover laundered funds.

Abdullah urged strong action against loan defaulters and those accused of corruption, calling for laws to disqualify defaulters from parliament. He also demanded justice for enforced disappearances and political killings, urging the prime minister to ensure rule of law and accountability.

Law enforcement authorities have detained a Rohingya man in connection with an abduction and ransom demand inside a refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. The incident occurred on Thursday, June 25, 2026, when Mohammad Ekram, a resident of Camp-19 Block B/3, allegedly lured fellow resident Jaber Hossain from Block A/3 under the pretext of fingerprinting for passport purposes and then abducted him. The abductors later demanded a ransom of 350,000 taka from the victim’s family. The family reported the matter to the Camp-19 police camp, prompting an immediate operation that led to Ekram’s arrest.

Authorities said Ekram is being transferred from the 8 Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Camp-19 to Ukhiya Police Station for further legal action. Police sources added that another Rohingya named Shariful and four to five unidentified individuals are suspected of involvement. The APBn commander stated that a special operation is underway to rescue the abducted man and apprehend the remaining suspects.

Law enforcement operations remain ongoing in the camp area as efforts continue to locate the victim and dismantle the trafficking network.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mohammad Kamal Hossain from Dhaka-5 constituency demanded that gas supply be ensured or billing stopped if gas is unavailable. He made the statement on Thursday during the general discussion of the 13th National Parliament’s budget session. Hossain said that although his area has gas lines, residents are not receiving gas, causing severe hardship for households. He added that citizens are paying city corporation taxes but not receiving adequate services.

Earlier in the same session, opposition MP Salah Uddin from Gazipur-4 alleged that an honest deputy commissioner, Sarowar Alam, was withdrawn from Sylhet to promote corruption. He also claimed that Tk 17 crore is being embezzled weekly from the school feeding program and that new corruption reports are emerging daily in canal excavation projects.

Kamal Hossain further stated that corruption has reached such a level that bribes ranging from 10 to 15 percent are being calculated on calculators.

Khulna University authorities have reported that 39 teachers who went abroad on study leave for higher education have not returned to their posts. The university stated that some of them resigned before their leave period ended, while legal measures have been initiated against the rest. According to university policy, teachers may take up to five years of paid study leave for a PhD and up to three years for a master’s or MPhil degree, with an additional two years of unpaid leave allowed in special cases.

Registrar Professor Dr. Mahbubur Rahman said multiple letters were sent to the absent teachers, and 14 are currently facing lawsuits. Legal notices have also been issued to recover funds from those who resigned and to compel others to return. Treasurer Professor Dr. Md. Nurunnabi noted that the total recoverable amount stands at around Tk 5.67 crore, with some teachers making partial payments or requesting installments.

Vice-Chancellor (acting) Professor Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid Khan described the trend of not returning after study leave as harmful to both the state and the university, causing prolonged vacancies and teacher shortages that negatively affect students.

A two-day Universal Pension Fair was held in Chuadanga under the theme ‘Participation in the universal pension scheme ensures a secure future life’. The event began on June 24 with a colorful rally from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, followed by an inauguration ceremony at the District Shilpakala Academy, where National Pension Authority Executive Chairman Dr. Md. Suratuzzaman inaugurated the fair. He stated that the state-guaranteed universal pension scheme is a sustainable system ensuring post-retirement financial security and that pension funds are safely invested in Bangladesh Bank treasury bonds.

Dr. Suratuzzaman announced a goal to bring 40 million people under the scheme by 2030 and urged at least one member from each family to enroll. The fair featured participation from banks, financial institutions, and government offices offering information and registration support. Workshops and cultural programs were also organized to raise awareness.

The National Pension Authority said similar fairs, workshops, rallies, and courtyard meetings will be organized across all divisions, districts, and upazilas to expand registration and awareness nationwide.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah delivered a fiery speech during the general discussion of the 13th National Parliament’s budget session on Thursday. He questioned why Bashundhara Group’s representatives, who could not enter the country during the interim government, have now returned confidently after the current government took office. Abdullah demanded updates on the Anti-Corruption Commission’s cases against Bashundhara and asked whether any under-the-table settlements had occurred.

He accused Bashundhara Group of money laundering, land grabbing, and using media to justify enforced disappearances and killings linked to the Awami League. Abdullah urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take a firm stance against those legitimizing such acts, while welcoming Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s non-retaliatory approach but emphasizing that avoiding revenge is not the same as ensuring justice.

Abdullah also criticized the lack of clear policy to recover laundered funds over the past 17 years and expressed shame over sharing parliament with loan defaulters. He alleged that some ruling party members work as advisors to Bashundhara and its media outlets, which once labeled the prime minister as a traitor.

The Parbatya Chattogram Citizens Council (PCCN) has called for a unified tax policy covering all communities in the three hill districts—Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban. The demand was made at a press conference held at the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh auditorium on Thursday. PCCN leaders argued that the current system grants undue privileges to a specific group under the 1997 peace accord and criticized a recent letter by four members of parliament seeking to retain full tax exemptions for indigenous residents under the Income Tax Act 2023.

Speakers, including PCCN Chairman Kazi Md. Mojibur Rahman and analyst AHM Faruk, said the existing tax exemption violates constitutional equality and fosters economic disparity. They claimed that since 1984, indigenous groups have benefited from tax-free advantages, becoming economically dominant while Bengali residents continue to pay taxes. The council rejected claims of underdevelopment in the hills as one-sided and protested the participation of a Bengali MP in the letter supporting tax exemption.

The organization warned that maintaining exclusive tax waivers could create powerful business syndicates and urged the government to implement the proposed amendment ensuring equal taxation for all citizens.

At least 11,000 people have been reported missing in Venezuela following a powerful earthquake, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The figure is not yet official, but the situation has left residents in deep uncertainty and fear. Many are said to be psychologically distressed as buildings collapsed and large cracks appeared on roads during the quake, which struck during a long holiday weekend when most people were at home.

Rescue operations are ongoing in the capital, Caracas. An opposition political coalition has launched an online link for citizens to report missing relatives, and so far around 11,000 names have been registered. However, this number only includes those with internet access who could submit information to the authorities.

Officials fear the actual number of missing people could be significantly higher, as many affected individuals may not have been able to report their cases due to connectivity or logistical challenges.

Bangladesh and China signed four memorandums of understanding in the presence of Prime Minister Tareq Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The signing took place between the heads of China’s Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, and Bangladesh’s Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon, who represented the Bangladesh government.

According to the agreements, the two countries will enhance bilateral cooperation in news and information exchange, develop long-term partnerships in the media sector, conduct joint research on Global South media, and expand collaboration in technology use and broadcasting. The memorandums are expected to further strengthen the existing friendly relations between Bangladesh and China and open new avenues of mutual cooperation in media and information sectors.

Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon left Dhaka for China on June 23 to join the Prime Minister’s state visit. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home with the delegation on June 26 night.

Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah has called for justice against media outlets that, according to him, created narratives supporting fascism. Speaking during the general discussion on the national budget session of the 13th Parliament on June 25, 2026, he questioned the status of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s case against Bashundhara Group filed during the interim government period. Abdullah noted that certain individuals linked to the group had not entered the country during that time but have since returned after the current government took office.

He demanded transparency regarding whether any under-the-table settlement had occurred and urged that any legal obstacles to action against the group be made public. Abdullah accused Bashundhara Group of money laundering, asset grabbing, and legitimizing enforced disappearances and killings through its media outlets. He also urged the BNP to take a firm stance against those who justified such acts, while welcoming the prime minister’s non-retaliatory approach but emphasizing that avoiding revenge is not the same as ensuring justice.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Bangladesh signed separate agreements with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), and the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) on Thursday to strengthen skills in the country’s ready-made garment industry. The signing ceremony, chaired by EPB Vice-Chairman and CEO Mohammad Hasan Arif, took place at the EPB conference room. The three-year training program, covering fiscal years 2026–27 to 2028–29, aims to train 22,815 workers, employees, and mid-level officials.

Under the program, BGMEA and BKMEA will organize five-day training sessions for workers, while BUFT will conduct six-month postgraduate diploma courses for officials. The initiative will be financed by the Ministry of Commerce’s training fund. The program seeks to improve productivity, promote modern machinery use, ensure compliance with international standards, and raise awareness of EU and other export market requirements. BGMEA and BKMEA representatives emphasized updating training modules to include circular machinery and compliance topics.

EPB’s vice-chairman stressed the need for modernizing training modules, strengthening monitoring, and evaluating how the acquired knowledge benefits the garment sector. The program is expected to enhance modernization and export competitiveness in Bangladesh’s apparel industry.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook met Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at his office in Dhaka on June 25, 2026. The meeting, held in a cordial atmosphere, covered issues including law and order, security, the Rohingya situation, prevention of illegal migration, and organized immigration crimes. Both sides discussed the upcoming Bangladesh-UK Joint Working Group meeting.

Sarah Cook said the second Bangladesh-UK Joint Working Group meeting will take place in London on July 7–8, 2026, where two agreements are expected to be signed. The minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to the orderly repatriation of its citizens from the UK under the 2024 Standard Operating Procedure and noted that the UK’s proposed “UK Letter” is being reviewed positively.

Bangladesh sought UK cooperation in preventing migration-related crimes, implementing the Police Referral Program, and identifying and recovering illicitly transferred funds and assets. The minister also thanked the UK for its humanitarian support in addressing the Rohingya crisis.

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, editor of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN), has called for the establishment of a dedicated ministry for the Haor region to ensure sustainable development and good governance. Speaking as the chief guest at a press conference organized by SUJAN’s Sunamganj district committee at Dhaka Reporters Unity, he said the nation’s interests are tied to the development of the Haor areas and that governance problems, corruption, and lack of coordination must be addressed.

Presenting the keynote paper, SUJAN Sunamganj general secretary Fazlul Karim Saeed said multiple ministries currently handle Haor-related issues, leading to duplication, weak accountability, and poor coordination. He argued that a separate Haor ministry could ensure integrated planning, research, budgeting, and project implementation. The paper also highlighted environmental degradation, poor water management, and biodiversity loss as major threats to the region.

Speakers emphasized that protecting the Haor ecosystem is essential for Bangladesh’s food security, environment, and economy, as the area supports boro rice cultivation, native fish breeding, and migratory bird habitats.

Four European countries—France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland—have announced the deployment of rescue teams, search dogs, and heavy equipment to Venezuela following a devastating earthquake. According to the report, French President Emmanuel Macron said an 85-member expert team would be sent immediately and expressed solidarity with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez. Spain’s defense ministry confirmed that a 54-member military emergency unit, equipped with trained dogs and modern rescue tools such as cameras and geophones, is ready for deployment.

The Netherlands announced both the dispatch of a rescue team and an allocation of about two million euros for personnel, dogs, and equipment. Switzerland stated that under its “Swiss Rescue Chain” program, an 80-member team, eight search dogs, and 18 tons of rescue materials would be sent as soon as possible.

Television footage on Thursday showed rescuers using electric machinery to clear debris from collapsed buildings in Caracas, where frightened residents fled their homes after the quake.

President Md. Shahabuddin stated that the eternal message of the holy Ashura teaches people to stand against injustice, oppression, and abuse of power, guiding them toward truth and enlightenment. He made the remarks in a message issued on Thursday ahead of Ashura, which will be observed tomorrow, the 10th of Muharram.

In his message, the President paid deep respect and sorrow to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his family members, and all martyrs of Karbala. He said Ashura is a significant and mournful day for the Muslim Ummah, commemorating many important events in Islamic history, with the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions giving the day unique dignity and deep human appeal.

The President expressed hope that the noble teachings of Ashura would enlighten everyone’s life and called for building a just, humane society based on equality and unity within the Muslim Ummah.