Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case worth approximately Tk 34.69 crore against online travel company Flight Expert. The case was lodged at Motijheel Police Station based on findings from CID’s Financial Crime Unit, according to a notice signed by CID Special Superintendent (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan. The case, filed on July 11 under sections 4(2) and 4(4) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 (amended 2015), names seven accused including Flight Expert’s Managing Director and CEO Salman Bin Rashid Shah Sayem.

CID’s investigation found that Flight Expert, which began operations in 2016, collected large advance payments from customers and sub-agents for airline tickets but failed to deliver them. The company allegedly transferred funds between accounts under the names Flight Expert and FEBD, concealing the origin and ownership of the proceeds. Sayem reportedly left the country on August 1, 2025, after which other directors continued to withdraw and transfer funds.

Preliminary evidence suggests that Tk 34.69 crore was embezzled and laundered through multiple bank transactions. CID will continue its investigation and related actions.

Sadik Kayem, the outgoing International Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir and Vice President of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), has posted an emotional message following his formal departure from the organization. The announcement came on Monday, July 13, during Shibir’s biannual setup meeting, where nine central secretaries, including Kayem, officially stepped down, according to the group’s publicity secretary S M Forhad.

In his personal Facebook post, Kayem described Shibir as his beloved organization and expressed gratitude for the years he spent there. He reflected on his experiences, saying the organization taught him leadership, courage, and spiritual growth. He also prayed for the continued success of Shibir’s movement and for its members to remain steadfast in their mission.

The other departing secretaries include Mu’tasim Billah Shahedi, Sharif Mahmud, Muhibur Rahman Muhib, Riazul Islam, Nurul Huda, Arafat Hossain Milon, Habibur Rahman Arman, and Shaheen Ahmed.

A police sub-inspector in Dhunot, Bogura, has been withdrawn after an audio clip of him allegedly making indecent proposals to a migrant worker’s wife went viral on social media. The officer, identified as Mostafizar Rahman, was attached to the police lines following the incident. The audio spread after local journalists obtained recordings made by the woman, who had documented the officer’s inappropriate phone conversations.

According to local and police sources, the woman’s husband had gone to Saudi Arabia about six months earlier through two local brokers who took six lakh taka from his parents but failed to provide him with work. When the migrant’s mother complained to police about the brokers, Mostafizar Rahman was assigned to investigate. During the inquiry, he allegedly took money from the accused brokers and made repeated indecent advances toward the complainant’s daughter-in-law.

Bogura’s superintendent of police took the matter seriously and ordered the officer’s withdrawal. The Dhunot police officer-in-charge confirmed that higher authorities would take action under police service regulations.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told parliament on Monday that the ministry will be directed to investigate how the cost of model mosque projects rose from 130 million to 210 million taka during the previous Awami government. He described the actions taken in the name of Islam and mosques as reprehensible and said other government agencies might also be involved. The statement came during a parliamentary question session chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal, where Salahuddin responded on behalf of the Religious Affairs Minister.

Earlier, ruling party MP Zainul Abedin Faruk had raised concerns about wasteful spending on model mosques, citing examples of poor construction and unusable facilities. The Deputy Speaker supported his remarks, noting similar issues in his own constituency. In response, the Home Minister reiterated that while the model mosque initiative was good in principle, the cost escalation and project delays warranted scrutiny.

The Religious Affairs Minister also informed parliament about the recovery of 27.53 acres of illegally occupied Waqf property and the government’s ongoing program to provide honorariums to religious leaders across different faiths.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sharply criticized India’s central government for failing to restore full statehood to the region, even two years after the national elections. Speaking at a public rally in Jammu on Sunday, Abdullah questioned the Modi government’s repeated delays and shifting explanations. Expressing frustration, he rhetorically asked whether the demand for statehood should now be taken to U.S. President Donald Trump and whether a protest should be staged outside the White House.

Abdullah announced that his party would hold demonstrations in the national capital until the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government clarifies its position on the issue. He said protests would begin in New Delhi on the first day of the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled for July 20.

Jammu and Kashmir lost its statehood on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was revoked, splitting the region into two union territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The central government had promised to restore statehood at an appropriate time, but the pledge remains unfulfilled.

A Dhaka court has ordered the arrest of Selim Pradhan, a figure previously linked to the casino scandal, as a suspect in a case filed under the Explosives and Attempted Murder Act at Gulshan Police Station. The order was issued on Monday, July 13, 2026, by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Sefatullah. The prosecution confirmed the decision, stating that Pradhan’s involvement was suspected based on evidence of incitement and financial support related to the incident.

According to the case documents, the allegations stem from an attack on August 5, 2024, during an anti-discrimination student movement in the Bashatala area of Gulshan. Protesters were reportedly fired upon, injuring victim Touhid Mia, who later filed the case. The case names 88 identified and 100 to 200 unidentified individuals as accused. The defense opposed the arrest, but after hearing both sides, the court denied bail and ordered Pradhan’s detention.

The court’s decision allows investigators to proceed with questioning Pradhan as part of the ongoing probe into the violent incident.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain announced that modern pathological laboratories will be established in every upazila hospital across Bangladesh within this year. He made the statement on Monday, July 13, at the inauguration of the ‘Sustaining Play, Learning and in Humanitarian Contexts (SPLASH)’ program organized by BRAC and the LEGO Foundation at the Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. The minister said necessary equipment for the labs will be imported this month.

He added that dialysis centers with 50 beds in medical college hospitals, 10 beds in district hospitals, and 10 beds in upazila hospitals are being set up to expand dialysis services. The government has also taken steps to ensure healthcare at the grassroots level, including deploying midwives and caregivers equipped with screening machines to conduct home visits. As part of family planning efforts, a nationwide birth control campaign will be launched to reduce the rising population growth rate.

The minister highlighted the historical development of upazila hospitals and said modernization under current leadership will include breastfeeding corners, prayer spaces, pathology units, and dialysis centers.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has formed a new subcommittee focusing on media, publicity, and branding. The announcement was made on Sunday night, July 12, through a notice signed by Sadia Farzana Dinar from the party’s office cell. The subcommittee is led by Sarowar Tushar, who serves as the party’s joint convener and a member of its political council.

According to the notice, NCP convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain approved the formation of the subcommittee to make the party’s public communication, publicity activities, branding, media coordination, and digital communication system more organized, effective, and modern. The committee includes members responsible for various areas such as print and web media, electronic media, social media, branding, fact-checking, AI, and digital investigation.

The new subcommittee is expected to enhance the NCP’s outreach and coordination across traditional and digital platforms, aligning its communication strategy with contemporary needs.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on United States military bases across several Middle Eastern countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. In a statement released on July 13, 2026, the IRGC said the operations targeted multiple facilities, asserting that the United States had failed to learn from its recent defeats by Iranian forces.

According to the statement, fuel storage tanks and a Patriot air defense system were destroyed at Kuwait’s Ali Al-Salem Air Base, while a radar system at Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base was also reportedly demolished. The IRGC further claimed that missile launchers and ammunition depots were hit at another US site in Kuwait. In Jordan, the group said it struck the Prince Hassan Air Base, igniting fuel and ammunition depots. In Bahrain, the IRGC alleged that US drone fleets and maintenance centers at Sheikh Isa Air Base were destroyed.

The statement framed the attacks as retaliatory operations against longstanding US military actions in the region.

A report from Bangladesh highlights the difficulties faced by families of deceased expatriate workers when collecting bodies from airports. One case involved Omar Faruk from Gaibandha, whose body arrived in Dhaka from Riyadh but was handed over to relatives after a 14-hour delay due to paperwork complications. Families often allege harassment and corruption during the release process, particularly when they lack proper documentation.

Officials from the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board have denied these allegations, stating that bodies are handed over without unnecessary delay and that each family receives an immediate payment of 35,000 taka for burial expenses. The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment recently reported that 34 bodies arrived from Kuwait, Malaysia, and Libya after being delayed by conflict in the Middle East, and all families received financial support. The ministry has also arranged free transport of bodies from Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet airports and added two new ambulances for this service.

According to government data, 4,813 expatriate workers’ bodies were repatriated in 2024, compared to 4,552 in 2023.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault stated that sanctions on Iran will not be lifted as long as Tehran continues its nuclear program. He emphasized that France will review the terms of any potential agreement between Iran and the United States before supporting the removal of United Nations sanctions. France, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, holds veto power over such decisions.

Barrault had earlier expressed France’s interest in playing a role in discussions related to Iran’s nuclear activities. Western nations, including the United States, have been pressuring Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, while Iran maintains that its program is entirely peaceful and insists it will not give up nuclear capabilities.

The statement underscores France’s firm stance within the broader international effort to restrict Iran’s nuclear development and signals potential diplomatic friction if the upcoming US-Iran deal fails to meet French expectations.

Drug addiction in Israel has surged sharply since the Gaza war began in October 2023, with one in four Israelis now using harmful narcotics or addictive substances, according to a report by Haaretz citing the Israel Center for Addiction and Mental Health. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, one in ten Israelis used drugs; during the pandemic, the rate rose to one in seven, and after the Gaza conflict, it reached about 25 percent.

The study found that the use of sleeping pills has increased 2.5 times, while consumption of opioids and stimulants has nearly doubled. Alcohol and cannabis use have also risen, and 54.2 percent of those with post-traumatic stress disorder are now misusing drugs. Professor Shauli Lev-Ran, the center’s founder, warned that repeated crises have entrenched stress-related habits, making drug use persistent even after immediate stress subsides.

Interviews revealed that Israelis and Palestinian citizens alike are turning to substances such as ketamine, cocaine, amphetamines, and prescription sedatives to cope with trauma, fear, and daily violence. Experts warn that ongoing war and constant alertness could deepen the crisis further.

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, Bangladesh reflects on five decades of bilateral relations that have shifted from post-war aid to a multifaceted partnership rooted in trade, technology, and innovation. The relationship, formally established in 1972, now spans sectors including apparel exports, agriculture, health, education, and climate resilience. In 2025, bilateral trade reached about 11.8 billion US dollars, with Bangladesh exporting roughly 9.5 billion dollars’ worth of goods to the US.

The article highlights how cooperation once centered on development assistance through USAID has expanded into investment, research, and knowledge exchange. US programs have supported Bangladesh’s progress in public health, agriculture, disaster management, and women’s empowerment. Educational exchanges such as Fulbright and Humphrey fellowships have fostered leadership and institutional capacity.

This evolving partnership is increasingly defined by mutual economic interests and shared goals in innovation, human capital, and sustainable growth. The shift from “aid to trade” symbolizes a new era of collaboration, positioning Bangladesh as a key Indo-Pacific partner in global supply chains and technology-driven development.

The Kaptai-Karnaphuli Hydropower Plant in Rangamati achieved its highest electricity production of the year following heavy rainfall and upstream water flow that raised the Kaptai Lake level. On Monday morning, the lake’s water level reached 100.60 feet mean sea level, surpassing Sunday night’s 99.15 feet. As a result, the plant’s five units generated a total of 206 megawatts of electricity by 9 a.m. Monday, marking the highest output so far in 2026.

According to plant manager engineer Mahmud Hasan, the increase in water level directly contributed to the surge in power generation. The control room engineers reported that units 1, 3, 4, and 5 each produced 40 megawatts, while unit 2 generated 46 megawatts. The combined capacity of the five units is 240 megawatts.

Last year, electricity generation exceeded 200 megawatts until November but dropped below that level from December due to reduced water levels in the lake.

Continuous monsoon rains and upstream water flow have worsened flooding across Bangladesh’s northeastern and southeastern districts, affecting more than one million people. According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, water levels in several major rivers, including the Surma, Kushiyara, and Someshwari, have risen above danger levels at multiple points. The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry reported 51 deaths from floods and landslides so far, with about 267,000 families trapped by floodwaters and 44,000 people taking shelter in 1,131 relief centers.

Heavy rainfall was recorded in multiple regions, including 209 millimeters in Jamalpur and over 150 millimeters in Sunamganj, while upstream rainfall in India’s Meghalaya has intensified the situation. Seven districts—Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj—remain severely affected, with disrupted transport and power outages in many areas.

Meteorologists forecast continued heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours in Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh divisions, raising short-term flood risks in low-lying areas. However, a slight improvement is expected in the Chattogram region as rainfall decreases and water drainage improves.