Iran has agreed to allow international nuclear inspectors back into the country, according to US Vice President JD Vance. Speaking in Switzerland, Vance said the first round of talks between the United States and Iran made significant progress toward a final peace agreement. A 14-point memorandum signed last week by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian includes commitments to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon.

A joint statement from mediators Qatar and Pakistan confirmed that both sides agreed on a 60-day roadmap to reach a final deal. Vance described the talks as a strong foundation and called the nuclear progress a major milestone for the American people and a first step toward permanently halting Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are peaceful. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to resume inspections this week.

The memorandum also involves IAEA oversight of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the establishment of a permanent communication line to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. A special cell has been formed to coordinate efforts to halt military operations in Lebanon.

After being stranded for more than three and a half months, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC)-owned vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra has successfully crossed the Hormuz Strait. The passage occurred around 3 a.m. on Monday night, confirmed BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek. The ship, carrying 31 Bangladeshi sailors and crew, crossed the strait safely, as also confirmed by Additional Chief Officer Pronoy Saha through a message.

The vessel had been stuck in the Persian Gulf since February 28 due to the Iran-Israel conflict. Earlier, while unloading cargo at Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates, an Iranian missile struck nearby, narrowly missing the crew. The ship, built in 2018 with a capacity of 38,894 deadweight tons, was preparing to sail to South Africa with about 37,000 tons of fertilizer but repeatedly failed to depart due to lack of clearance to cross the strait.

Following multiple diplomatic and operational efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Shipping, and BSC, the vessel succeeded on its fourth attempt and is now heading toward Fujairah Port in the UAE for bunkering and clearance procedures.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon informed the National Parliament that Bangladesh currently has a total of 1,969 registered media outlets. He provided the information while responding to a question from ruling party member Dewan Mohammad Salauddin, representing Dhaka-19 constituency.

According to the minister, the country has 59 television channels, including four state-owned and 55 privately approved ones. Out of these, 39 channels, including the four state-owned, are currently broadcasting. Regarding print media, there are 1,436 daily newspapers published nationwide, with 593 based in the capital and 843 from other districts. Additionally, there are 474 registered online news portals, categorized as 282 general, 131 daily newspaper-affiliated, and 61 regional portals.

The data presented in Parliament outlines the current structure of Bangladesh’s media landscape, reflecting the distribution of television, print, and online news outlets across the country.

Unplanned waste management and long-neglected drainage cleaning have caused severe waterlogging at Maona intersection, the central hub of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur. Drains on both sides of the highway are clogged with garbage, polythene, plastic, and decomposable waste, leading to foul-smelling black water overflowing onto the road even after light rain. This has disrupted traffic and created serious public health risks.

Although the Sreepur municipal administration has recently started cleaning the drains, the removed waste has been piled up beside the highway, drawing criticism from locals. Residents complain that rainwater washes the waste back into the drains, nullifying the cleaning effort and spreading stench across the area. Business owners and transport workers report losses and traffic jams due to the persistent waterlogging.

Sreepur’s Upazila Nirbahi Officer and municipal administrator Md. Nahid Bhuiyan acknowledged the long-standing problem and said waste removal is ongoing despite difficulties during the monsoon. He added that long-term plans are being developed for a permanent solution.

A violent mob attack occurred in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur on Monday evening when locals, suspecting a man of drug dealing, beat him and set his private car on fire. The incident took place in the Malikhali Bazar area of Parameshwardi Union. Police later arrived at the scene, brought the situation under control, and rescued the injured man, identified as Mamun Molya, before taking him to the police station.

Mamun’s father, Manik Molya, said his son had returned home after attending a court hearing in a drug case in Faridpur and was on his way to Dhaka when the attack occurred. He claimed no drugs were found on Mamun, and neither locals nor police recovered any. Manik criticized the mob action, saying that punishment should be left to law enforcement and the courts.

Boalmari Police Station’s officer-in-charge confirmed that Mamun has a previous drug-related case but no drugs were recovered during this incident. He added that legal action would be taken if complaints are filed regarding the assault and arson.

Mobarak Hossain Imon, an associate of fugitive Sajjad Ali Khan alias Boro Sajjad, was arrested from a hotel in Dhaka’s Gulshan area on Monday night. The arrest took place around 10:30 p.m. at room 91 of Amari Dhaka, confirmed Chattogram Police Commissioner Hasan Md. Shawkat Ali. Intelligence officials said Imon had been under surveillance for a long time, and his social media activity led to his capture.

According to police, Imon, son of Md. Musa from Kanchannagar in Fatikchhari, is accused in at least seven cases, including a double murder in Baklia on March 30, 2025, and the killing of terrorist Dhakaiya Akbar at Patenga beach on May 23 of the same year. He is known to have handled 15–20 firearms and is considered skilled in weapon use.

Police sources said Imon currently leads Sajjad’s criminal network in Chattogram along with Mohammad Raihan, as former leader Chhoto Sajjad is in jail. The group reportedly includes around 50 shooters and associates who extort money through threats, though police had struggled to locate them until now.

A 20-year-old autorickshaw driver named Yasin Arafat Akash was killed after a speeding bus hit his vehicle in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Monday, June 22, around 11:30 a.m. The accident occurred in the Dakshin Bypass area when a CDM Paribahan bus, bearing registration number Dhaka Metro-B-14-9967, struck the autorickshaw. Akash, the eldest son of Md. Ibrahim from Mirerhat in Syedpur union, was taken to Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex and later referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, but he died in the ambulance on the way.

According to family sources, Akash had left school early to support his family by driving an autorickshaw. Witnesses said the bus was moving at high speed when it hit the autorickshaw as Akash tried to turn it. Police arrived at the scene, recovered the injured driver with local help, and later confirmed his death.

Kumira Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Nurul Afsar stated that the bus had been seized, the driver detained, and a case filed over the incident.

Police in Ramganj, Lakshmipur, have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of Mehedi, an eighth-grade student of Farid Ahmad Bhuiyan Academy. The arrests were made on Monday night during a police operation. The detainees include Md. Shariful Islam, 48, an assistant professor and residential hall superintendent who was serving as acting principal, and Sajidul Islam Mojumdar, 19, a resident of South Bhatra village in Ramganj.

According to Ramganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Firoz Uddin Chowdhury, both individuals were named as suspects in the case’s First Information Report. After their arrest, they were sent to court under police escort for further legal proceedings.

The case has drawn attention in the local community due to the involvement of a senior academic figure and the nature of the crime, which has been described as sensational in the report.

A longstanding design flaw in Sitakunda, a key industrial area and gateway to Chattogram, is severely hampering emergency response operations. The local Fire Service and Civil Defence station, located beside the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, faces a permanent road divider directly in front of it. The absence of an emergency crossing, pocket gate, or U-turn prevents fire trucks from quickly reaching incidents on the opposite side of the highway, forcing them to take long detours or drive against traffic.

Residents and experts describe the issue as a serious public safety failure rather than a mere design oversight. The opposite side of the highway contains densely populated residential zones, markets, and factories, yet no effective access route exists for emergency vehicles. Fire safety specialists emphasize that the first five to ten minutes after a fire outbreak are critical, but delays caused by this obstruction often allow fires to spread uncontrollably.

Local citizens and business owners are urging authorities to create a controlled emergency pocket gate through coordination among the Roads and Highways Department, Highway Police, Fire Service, and local administration to prevent further risk to lives and property.

Five bodies have been recovered following a violent spear clash between two rival groups in Nilaksha Union of Raipura upazila, Narsingdi. The conflict erupted early Tuesday between groups led by Nazim Uddin alias Mister and Alal Munshi alias Joba Member over local dominance. The fighting, involving spears, homemade weapons, and firearms, continued for several hours, leaving multiple houses vandalized and set on fire.

The deceased were identified as Anik Mia, Kawsar Ahmed, Latif Molla, Mostafa Mia, and Bulbul. Bodies were recovered from different locations along the Meghna River over several days, while Mostafa Mia died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after five days in intensive care. Police confirmed that Bulbul’s body was the latest to be found floating in the river near Araihazar, Narayanganj.

Two murder cases have been filed at Raipura Police Station in connection with the killings, naming several suspects and many unidentified individuals. However, no arrests have been made so far, according to police.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in China on Monday, June 22, 2026, after completing a two-day official visit to Malaysia. His aircraft landed at Dalian International Airport at 8:55 p.m. Bangladesh time. Earlier that day, he departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 5 p.m. local time on a special Bangladesh Biman flight. His wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, is accompanying him on the trip.

According to the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumman, the Prime Minister will spend two busy days in Dalian before traveling to Beijing, where the main programs of his state visit to China will begin. During his stay in Dalian, he will attend the Annual Meeting of the World International Economic Forum. At Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Bunga Raya Complex VIP terminal, Malaysian Minister of Religious Affairs Zulkifli Hasan bid farewell to the Bangladeshi leader. Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Manjurul Karim and Deputy High Commissioner Shahanara Malika were also present.

The visit marks the start of a multi-day engagement in China, beginning with international economic discussions in Dalian before moving to official meetings in Beijing.

A mobile court in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj fined a landowner Tk 50,000 for illegally extracting sand from farmland in the Tatipara Kolagachia area. The operation, conducted on Monday afternoon, was led by Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mostafizur Rahman Imon. The court also removed and destroyed dredger pipes used in the illegal activity.

According to court sources, sand was being extracted by cutting the topsoil of agricultural land using a dredger machine without approval from the district administration. Upon verification of the allegation, the landowner, identified as Mst. Nargis, was penalized under relevant laws.

The executive magistrate stated that the administration will continue operations against illegal soil and sand extraction that damages farmland fertility and will take strict legal action to protect the environment and agricultural land.

During Monday’s general discussion on the proposed 2026–27 national budget in Bangladesh’s parliament, several lawmakers raised concerns over drug trafficking, terrorism, and lingering authoritarian influence. NCP MP Abdullah Al Amin questioned whether the country’s drug crisis was being fueled by external forces, urging the Home Minister to clarify the promised post-Eid joint anti-drug operation. NCP MP Nusrat Tabassum said that despite the fall of dictatorship after the July uprising, its violent influence and threats persist.

BNP MP Reza Ahmed demanded strong action against armed groups operating in the Padma river char areas across Kushtia, Natore, and Rajshahi, citing murders linked to land and sand disputes. He also called for more police vehicles to control rampant drug smuggling along border areas. Other MPs discussed issues including port management policy, the disappearance of historical figures from textbooks, expatriate harassment, and worsening power shortages.

Jamaat-e-Islami MP Mahbubur Rahman Belal criticized the budget as unrealistic and warned that ignoring the results of a recent referendum could destabilize the country if reforms are not implemented soon.

Sylhet city Jamaat-e-Islami leaders have demanded the cancellation of the withdrawal order of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sarwar Alam, calling for his reinstatement. The demand was made by central working committee member and Sylhet city Ameer Muhammad Fakhrul Islam during a city Jamaat meeting on Monday. He alleged that the current BNP-led government, which came to power through the July uprising, is operating in an authoritarian manner and removed the popular DC to clear the way for unethical activities.

According to Fakhrul Islam, DC Sarwar had earned public admiration through initiatives such as anti-drug drives, welfare funds for imams and muezzins, housing plans for expatriates, and restoring order on city footpaths. He also mentioned that Sarwar sealed three donation pots at the Shahjalal shrine and installed official donation boxes to ensure financial transparency, which allegedly led to his removal. The decision has reportedly sparked public anger and street protests in Sylhet.

Jamaat leaders warned that such actions could discourage honest officials and harm public trust. They urged the government to reverse the decision and restore Sarwar Alam to his position.

A two-day cultural program organized by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy concluded on June 22, marking World Music Day. The event featured colorful performances by renowned Bangladeshi artists, including solo and group renditions of Nazrul songs and folk music. The academy arranged processions, discussions, and concerts on June 21 and 22 to celebrate the occasion.

At the closing ceremony, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister on political and cultural affairs, said that music has historically played a powerful role in movements for freedom, democracy, and rights. He cited examples from Bangladesh’s past, including the 1952 language movement, the 1969 mass uprising, and the 1971 Liberation War, emphasizing music’s enduring influence in social and political struggles.

The event was attended by Mymensingh Zila Parishad Administrator Emran Saleh Prince as special guest and JASAS Member Secretary Zakir Hossain Rokon as honored guest. Cultural Affairs Secretary Kaniz Mowla presided over the ceremony, which concluded with performances by several bands and invited artists from various embassies.