The Washington Post reported on June 23, 2026, that former U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard may have received political guidance from individuals linked to the Hindu religious organization Science of Identity Foundation, which she has known since childhood. The report was based on more than 25,000 pages of documents provided by former member Rebecca Saltzberg. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who later joined the Republican Party, served as national intelligence director under President Donald Trump and resigned on May 22 citing her husband’s health issues.

According to the report, Gabbard had long-standing ties with the foundation and previously referred to its leader, Chris Butler, as her “guru.” The Washington Post said Butler influenced followers’ major life decisions and sought political influence, though the organization denied being a cult. Documents linked to Butler’s office reportedly contained memos advising Gabbard on congressional work, policy positions, and media appearances.

Some memos included advice on opposing U.S. efforts to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2016. The report claimed similarities between those recommendations and Gabbard’s later political actions. Gabbard has denied that Butler directed her politically, and her representatives accused the newspaper of targeting her Hindu identity.

Police in Natore have solved the mystery behind a major robbery at Sajid Jute Mill in Sriramgari area of Arjanpur-Bormahati Union under Lalpur upazila. In a joint operation, the district detective branch and Lalpur police arrested six active members of an inter-district robbery gang. Authorities recovered part of the looted goods and several tools used in the crime.

According to police, around 12 to 14 armed robbers entered the mill on May 30 at about 12:30 a.m., assaulted four staff members including a mechanical engineer, and tied them up before looting machinery parts and copper wires worth about 8.36 million taka. The robbers used sharp weapons, iron rods, and a truck to transport the stolen items. Following the incident, the mill owner Sajid Mallik filed a case with Lalpur Police Station.

Acting on intelligence, police conducted raids in different areas of Atgharia and Sadar upazilas of Pabna district, recovering 300 kilograms of copper wire, vehicles used in the robbery, mobile phones, and 50,000 taka in cash. Legal action has been taken against the arrested suspects, while efforts continue to capture the remaining gang members and recover the rest of the stolen goods.

Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) organized a protest and motorcycle rally in Tongi, Gazipur, on Tuesday afternoon against what they described as the anarchy, subversive activities, and conspiracies of the banned Awami League. The demonstration was led by BNP leader Sarkar Shahnoor Islam Roni, with separate processions also organized by local units of the party’s volunteer and youth wings.

The rallies started from various points including Tongi Station Road, Asia Petrol Pump, College Gate, and Tongi Bazar, and moved through key areas such as Tongi Bazar, Anarkali Road, Mill Gate, Cherag Ali, College Gate, Hossain Market, Ershadnagar, and Gazipura. Each procession ended with brief gatherings at different locations. Speakers at the rallies accused the Awami League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League of spreading propaganda and destabilizing the country.

According to the organizers, BNP, Jubo Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal members in Tongi have taken to the streets to resist these alleged acts of violence and disorder.

University student Md. Sakib Ahmed Tulon testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 as the first witness in a case against Awami League leader Kamrul Islam and Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon over alleged crimes against humanity during the July uprising. In his statement on Tuesday, Sakib described how police and Border Guard Bangladesh opened fire on protesters near Brac University and Rampura Bridge on July 18 and 19, resulting in multiple casualties.

Sakib recounted that his friend Maruf was shot in the abdomen during the protest and later died while being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after delays caused by police and BGB at Rampura Bridge. He said hospital authorities confirmed Maruf’s death and initially refused to release the body, citing higher orders. Sakib also described further gunfire in the Brac University area on July 20.

The testimony forms part of the tribunal’s proceedings against the two political leaders, whose parties were banned in connection with the July uprising, as the court examines allegations of crimes against humanity during that period.

Former Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Mohammad Tazul Islam, described June 23 as a day of sorrow, recalling the loss of Bengal’s independence in 1757 at the Battle of Plassey. In a Facebook post, he said that although the country is now independent, the successors of Mir Jafar, symbolizing betrayal, remain active.

The source recounts that on June 23, 1757, Bengal lost its independence for 200 years due to the conspiracy of local traders, traitors, and the British. Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah was defeated in a brief battle because of Mir Jafar’s betrayal, making his name synonymous with treachery in history. The text notes that history did not forgive those who betrayed the nation, as they faced tragic ends.

Tazul Islam emphasized that Bangladesh continues to face challenges from those who act against national interests, warning that the influence of modern-day traitors threatens the country’s independence and identity. He urged citizens to remain vigilant against such conspiracies.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard conducted an operation on Tuesday in the Padma River near Daulatdia Ferry Ghat and surrounding areas of Goaland upazila in Rajbari district to prevent illegal fishing and river pollution. During the drive, officers seized a large quantity of banned fishing nets and publicly burned them to destroy the materials.

The operation, carried out by a four-member Coast Guard patrol team from Rajbari, targeted illegal fishing activities using current nets, China duari nets, behundi nets, and mosquito nets, as well as unauthorized dredging. Authorities confiscated 5,000 meters of illegal mosquito nets, 5,000 meters of illegal charghera nets, and various other banned nets, with an estimated market value of about 950,000 taka.

Following approval from Goaland Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Anwarul Islam Pilot, the seized nets were burned. He confirmed that similar operations will continue regularly to protect the river’s ecological balance and conserve jatka fish, with strict measures against illegal fishing and the use of prohibited nets.

The Teesta River has risen 1 centimeter above the danger level at Dalia point in Lalmonirhat following heavy rainfall and the opening of all gates at India’s Gajoldoba Barrage. The Water Development Board (WDB) is keeping 44 sluice gates open to control the flow and is monitoring the situation continuously.

According to WDB sources, heavy rainfall and upstream inflow may continue for the next two to three days, raising concerns of worsening flood conditions in Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, and Kurigram. Local residents expressed frustration over India’s water management, saying that water is withheld during dry seasons but released excessively during monsoon, causing hardship.

Officials from the WDB and Teesta Barrage confirmed that low-lying areas along the river have already been flooded and urged residents to remain alert as water levels continue to rise.

Continuous heavy rainfall over the past two to three days has raised serious fears of landslides in Teknaf, a border upazila of Cox’s Bazar. Thousands of residents living at the foot of hills are now at risk, prompting local administration and forest officials to issue special warnings and conduct loudspeaker announcements urging people in vulnerable areas to move to safer shelters.

According to local sources and officials, the downpour began on the night of June 21 and continued until the afternoon of June 22, softening the soil and increasing the risk of hill collapse. Areas including Hnila, Whaikyang, Sabrang, Baharchhara, and parts of Teknaf Sadar have been identified as highly vulnerable. More than five hundred houses in low-lying areas have become waterlogged, disrupting road communication and submerging agricultural land and shrimp enclosures.

Officials confirmed that evacuation efforts are underway, with coordination between forest workers and local representatives. The Teknaf Upazila administration is monitoring the situation and preparing relief for affected families while ensuring the safety of those trapped by floodwaters.

The first round of the National Vitamin A Plus Campaign 2026 will be held in Cox’s Bazar on June 28. Acting Civil Surgeon Dr. Titu Chandra Shil announced the plan during a briefing, stating that children aged 6–11 months will receive a blue vitamin A capsule, while those aged 12–59 months will receive a red capsule. The campaign aims to reach 300,000 children across the district.

According to the health department, 1,824 centers have been set up across eight upazilas, one municipality, 72 unions, and 216 wards to implement the program. A total of 486 health workers and 3,160 volunteers will participate. The district’s overall target is to provide vitamin A capsules to 493,315 children, including 61,835 aged 6–11 months and 431,480 aged 12–59 months.

Dr. Shil emphasized that vitamin A plays a vital role in children’s normal growth and development, helps protect eyesight, strengthens immunity, and reduces the risk of complications and deaths from infections such as diarrhea and measles.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon is set to leave Dhaka for Beijing tonight to join Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s ongoing state visit to China. According to a press release from the ministry on Tuesday, the minister will depart at 10:30 p.m. on an Air China flight for a three-day official trip.

During the visit, Swapon will attend several high-level bilateral meetings between the Bangladeshi Prime Minister and China’s President and Premier. A key focus of the trip will be the signing of multiple bilateral agreements aimed at advancing cooperation in the media and information technology sectors, witnessed by the leaders of both nations.

The minister is also scheduled to sign several memorandums of understanding with China Media Group (CMG) and Xinhua News Agency to strengthen media collaboration. The delegation, led by Swapon, is expected to return to Dhaka on June 26.

On June 23, 2026, the United Kingdom marked ten years since the Brexit referendum that took it out of the European Union. The political fallout continues as Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation after two years in office, citing a sluggish economy, government inefficiency, and voter fatigue—issues linked to Brexit’s lingering effects. The country is now preparing for its seventh prime minister since the 2016 vote.

The 2016 referendum, called by then-Conservative leader David Cameron, split the nation 52–48 in favor of leaving the EU. Successive leaders, including Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak, struggled to manage the consequences of the separation. Analysts say Brexit’s promises of control over laws, borders, and spending quickly collided with economic and political realities, leaving Britain divided and disillusioned.

Public regret over Brexit is growing, with recent polls showing a majority now favor rejoining the EU. Yet politicians remain wary of reopening the debate, as the country faces economic stagnation, rising political cynicism, and sporadic anti-immigrant unrest rooted in the unresolved legacy of Brexit.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman has stated that the recent transfer of Sylhet Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Sarwar Alam had no connection with any shrine-related issue. He made the clarification on Tuesday during a regular press briefing at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room in the Secretariat, responding to a journalist’s question.

Dr. Rahman explained that some people online were trying to link the transfer with an incident involving a shrine, but such perceptions were unfounded. He emphasized that the government does not always provide explanations for every administrative decision, as certain matters fall under state confidentiality. He also noted that the Ministry of Public Administration had already issued a statement on the matter.

The adviser added that speculation often arises around government actions due to various interest groups on social media. He reiterated that the government’s official position remains unchanged and that there was no shrine-related issue. He further mentioned that the government supports ensuring transparency in the management of donations at shrines.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for complete adherence to the commitments made in the ongoing discussions with Washington. In a statement posted on social media platform X, he emphasized that the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation.

Pezeshkian stated that progress in this process will be measured by realistic adherence to the accepted responsibilities. He warned that statements made outside the agreed text of the deal do not help advance the negotiations. However, he did not provide further details about which specific remarks he was referring to.

The report noted that it remains unclear which comments Pezeshkian meant, though recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump have been disputed by Iranian officials. Those remarks reportedly included claims that Iran had agreed to allow nuclear inspections and would use released funds to purchase U.S. agricultural products.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to form a special taskforce under the supervision of State Minister for Local Government Mir Shah Alam to intensify field-level activities for preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. The decision was taken on June 23, 2026, at the first meeting of the National Committee on the Prevention of Dengue and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases, held at the Secretariat and chaired by Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The taskforce will oversee, coordinate, and implement urgent measures across relevant agencies.

The meeting emphasized coordinated action among government and non-government institutions, including city corporations, municipalities, and district councils. Several key decisions were adopted, such as distributing awareness materials, engaging schools and communities in prevention campaigns, strengthening cleanliness drives, monitoring mosquito control quality, and identifying and destroying breeding sites. Media and social media awareness efforts will also be expanded.

Participants stressed the need for immediate and coordinated preparations ahead of the monsoon season, highlighting the importance of accelerating field operations and ensuring adequate manpower to implement the committee’s decisions effectively.

Leaders of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee have reached a bipartisan agreement to require social media platforms to provide protective tools and safeguards for parents and children. The deal, announced on Monday by Committee Chair Brett Guthrie and top Democrat Frank Pallone, follows years of debate over how to protect minors online. While specific details were not disclosed, the lawmakers said the initiative would increase accountability for major technology companies.

The agreement excludes a proposed “duty of care” clause that would have required platforms to be designed with child safety in mind, a provision long supported by several lawmakers including Senator Marsha Blackburn. Its omission could complicate the bill’s passage. However, states will still be allowed to enact stricter social media laws, a concession seen as a win for Democrats. The bill must still pass the Senate and receive President Donald Trump’s approval before becoming law.

Major tech firms such as Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok declined to comment on the deal. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of social media’s impact on youth and ongoing lawsuits accusing major platforms of harming children’s mental health.