Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan announced that an investigation is ongoing into alleged corruption during the 2022 FIFA World Cup broadcast rights process under the previous Awami League government. Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat on Sunday, he said the 2026 World Cup broadcasting rights were purchased directly from FIFA for 3.85 million US dollars, avoiding intermediaries and reducing government expenses to nearly zero through sub-licensing.

Swapan explained that in 2022, a Singapore-based company first bought the rights for 3.2 million dollars, which were later acquired by Bangladesh’s Toma Construction. Bangladesh Television then purchased the rights from Toma for about 98 crore taka, while Toma sold satellite and digital rights to two private firms for around 40 crore taka, totaling roughly 140 crore taka in transactions involving middlemen.

He emphasized that the current direct purchase model ensures transparency, saves taxpayers’ money, and protects state interests. The ministry plans to make future World Cup broadcasts more technology-driven, financially sustainable, and profitable for the state.

Two young men died after reportedly consuming methanol presented as alcohol during a wedding celebration in Gazipur. The incident occurred on July 10, and both victims later died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Sajib, aged 22 from Mymensingh’s Ishwarganj area, and Roni, aged 20, who lived in Baimail for his studies, fell ill soon after the event.

According to local accounts, the two became sick the morning after the wedding and initially took medicine from a local pharmacy. When their condition worsened, they were admitted to a clinic in Konabari and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Sajib died around 4 a.m. on Sunday, followed by Roni at 4:30 p.m. the same day. Police confirmed receiving reports of both deaths from hospital authorities.

The incident has caused shock in the local community, and police are gathering further details about the source of the toxic substance.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is reaching its conclusion with Spain and Argentina facing off in the final match at New York’s MetLife Stadium. Before the decisive game, FIFA has planned what it calls the most star-studded and expensive closing ceremony in World Cup history. The event will begin 90 minutes before kickoff, featuring American pop icon Post Malone as the main attraction and Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise in a special performance blending football and cinema. The ceremony will open with the U.S. national anthem sung by Oscar-winning artist Jennifer Hudson, followed by performances from Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and influencer IShowSpeed.

For the first time in World Cup history, a halftime show modeled after the American Super Bowl will be introduced. Curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the 11-minute musical segment will feature BTS, Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Shakira. Shakira and Burna Boy are expected to perform the official World Cup theme song “Dai Dai.”

After the performances, the final match will begin, with Lionel Messi leading Argentina and young talent Lamine Yamal representing Spain in what promises to be a memorable night for football fans worldwide.

Gono Odhikar Parishad President and State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur has said that the rise of Jamaat-e-Islami poses a threat to Bangladesh’s independence, sovereignty, and future. Speaking on Sunday at a discussion titled “Blood-soaked July: Context, Debt of Blood and Which Way Bangladesh” at the National Press Club in Dhaka, he urged young people to remain alert to Jamaat’s politics and alleged conspiracies. The event was attended by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed as chief guest and Liberation War Minister Ishraq Hossain as special guest.

Nur claimed that after the July uprising, Jamaat sympathizers were appointed to key state institutions during the interim government, influencing sectors such as police, universities, energy, and civil service. He alleged that social media was used to create a false impression of Jamaat’s political strength and that some young activists became dependent on Jamaat before forming their own political base.

He warned that Jamaat’s resurgence could lead to instability and urged national consensus to safeguard independence and sovereignty. Nur also cautioned against foreign powers exploiting Bangladesh’s political situation for their own interests.

United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) has extended humanitarian support to flood-affected residents of Bandarban. As part of its corporate social responsibility program, the bank distributed food packages to 1,000 families impacted by recent floods. The distribution event took place on Sunday morning at the District Council Rest House premises in Bandarban town, where Professor Thanzama Lushai, Chairman of the Bandarban Hill District Council, attended as the chief guest and handed over the aid packages.

During the event, Thanzama Lushai emphasized that helping disaster victims is a collective social and moral duty, noting that private organizations like UCB complement government relief and rehabilitation efforts. UCB’s Zonal Head and Senior Vice President Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury and Bandarban Branch Head Muha. Hanif Chowdhury were also present.

UCB officials stated that the food assistance was aimed at meeting the immediate needs of flood victims and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to continue such humanitarian initiatives during future natural disasters.

A Dhaka court has sentenced two muggers to death for the killing of Shafiqul Alam, also known as Shafik, during a mugging incident at the Kalyanpur bus stand nearly two decades ago. The verdict was delivered on Sunday, July 19, 2026, by Judge Mosaddek Minhaj of the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Court. Each convict, Md. Sohel Rana alias Kalu and Md. Nazim Uddin alias Nazim alias Nazhu, was also fined 50,000 taka. The court issued arrest warrants as both convicts remain absconding.

According to the case, on June 22, 2005, around 4:15 a.m., Shafik arrived in Dhaka from Bogura and was attacked near Asia Cinema Hall by three muggers who attempted to rob him. He was fatally stabbed and later died in hospital. The victim’s father, Md. Akbar Ali, filed the case with Mirpur Model Police Station. Police arrested Sohel Rana, who confessed in court but later absconded after securing bail. The investigation officer submitted the charge sheet in April 2006, and the trial began in September that year, with nine of fourteen witnesses testifying.

The court described the convicts as professional criminals with multiple prior cases involving weapons, explosives, and drugs.

Iran’s military has claimed that its naval air defense system shot down a US-made LUCAS drone over the country’s southern region. The announcement was made in a statement released by the Iranian army, which did not specify the exact location or timing of the incident. Iran’s state news agency IRNA also published a photo of what it said was the damaged drone.

According to the report, the LUCAS model is a low-cost, unmanned kamikaze drone designed to strike targets and self-destruct upon impact. Iran alleged that the United States has been using this type of drone since the beginning of the year. The claim was reported by Al Jazeera.

The United States has not yet commented on Iran’s statement, and no independent verification of the incident has been made available.

Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) A K M Shamsul Islam visited the Bangladesh Meteorological Department in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Sunday. During the visit, he reviewed the department’s ongoing activities in weather observation, forecast preparation, cyclone and heavy rainfall warnings, and dissemination of emergency weather information to the public. Senior officials briefed him on the use of modern technology, data collection methods, and the steps involved in preparing forecasts.

The adviser toured various divisions, including the storm warning center, forecasting, agricultural meteorology, climate, earthquake observatory, and research facilities. He emphasized the need for clear and accessible weather warnings for people in remote areas. Highlighting the growing risks from climate change, he called for transforming the department into a modern, technology-driven, and people-oriented institution. He also instructed officials to explore expanding mobile-based alert services and to strengthen coordination among disaster management agencies, local administrations, media, and telecom operators.

An ISPR press release confirmed that senior officials from the Defense Ministry, SPARRSO, and the Meteorological Department attended the visit.

A garment worker was seriously injured after jumping from a moving bus in Ashulia to escape an alleged rape attempt by the driver and helper of a vehicle operated by Itihas Paribahan. The incident occurred on July 12 when the 27-year-old woman was returning from Dinajpur to her workplace in Ashulia. Police arrested the driver, identified as Azizul Shikdar alias Raju, aged 37, from Raj Fulbaria area on Saturday and seized the bus along with the victim’s missing mobile phone. The helper remains at large.

According to the case statement, the woman boarded the local bus at Chandra intersection late at night. After other passengers got off at Sripur, the driver and helper prevented new passengers from boarding. When the woman asked to be dropped off, the driver sped up instead. Near a deserted area between Sripur and the EPZ zone, the helper allegedly assaulted her while the driver assisted. The victim jumped from the bus to save herself and later filed a written complaint with Ashulia police.

Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest the absconding helper.

Two people were killed within a week in separate shootings by U.S. immigration officers, triggering widespread protests across the country. Demonstrators questioned the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanded an end to raids in populated areas. The first victim, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was shot in Houston, Texas, while driving to work. Six days later, 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero was killed in Biddeford, Maine, near a local laundromat.

Protesters accused ICE of conducting militarized operations under President Donald Trump’s mass arrest and deportation policies. According to The Trace, ICE officers have been involved in 30 shooting incidents since Trump took office, resulting in eight deaths. Investigations revealed that neither of the two recent victims were the intended targets of the operations.

Reports also noted that another person died in Florida while fleeing ICE officers, and 22 people have died this year in ICE custody or detention centers. The incidents have intensified scrutiny of ICE’s enforcement methods and the human toll of U.S. immigration policies.

Chief reporters from various national newspapers, news agencies, and online media outlets in Bangladesh have called for the professional development of journalists, expansion of welfare activities, implementation of the wage board, and modernization of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). The appeal was made on Sunday during a views-exchange meeting at the DRU’s Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium, presided over by DRU President Abu Saleh Akon and conducted by General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel. Participants emphasized the need for effective DRU action to protect journalists’ rights and dignity, and to build skilled manpower in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology-driven journalism.

Speakers including M Abdullah of Amar Desh, Siddiq Islam of Financial Express, and others stressed aligning journalists’ pay with the new government pay scale, ensuring retirement benefits and free healthcare, and providing AI-based training. They also urged maintaining DRU’s non-political image and strengthening coordination among journalist organizations. The DRU leadership announced plans to establish a modern mosque complex, health corner, and the Dhaka Reporters Unity Training Institute to offer training in AI, data journalism, and digital security.

The DRU’s upcoming training institute will also provide language and technology courses for members and their children, aiming to enhance professional and digital skills.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the national unity formed against fascism and in support of Hasina must be strengthened to ensure democracy in Bangladesh. Speaking at a discussion titled “Blood-soaked July: Context, Debt of Blood and the Path for Bangladesh” organized by Gana Adhikar Parishad at the National Press Club on Sunday, he declared that fascism would never again be allowed to rise and that the country must avoid any situation requiring bloodshed for democracy.

Ahmed emphasized that July belongs to everyone and should not be used for personal or political gain. He recalled that those who sacrificed their lives during the July movement sought a free and equal society. He urged unity on national issues to prevent the return of autocracy and called for strengthening parliamentary and democratic politics.

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraq Hossain and Gana Adhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur also spoke, warning against actions that could endanger democracy or national sovereignty and calling for vigilance regarding Jamaat’s political influence.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus participated in the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, held at the Vatican’s Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo. The three-day conference concluded on July 16, 2026, at Rome’s Capitoline Hill with the signing of a declaration titled “Humanity at the Crossroads.” Nobel laureates including Romano Prodi, Jody Williams, Maria Ressa, Denis Mukwege, and Juan Manuel Santos joined Yunus in endorsing the statement.

The declaration warned that the convergence of artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons poses an unprecedented threat to humanity’s future. It compared the dawn of the nuclear age with the current AI era, cautioning that the world is entering an AI arms race that could intensify existing nuclear tensions. The document further noted that AI weakens human decision-making in nuclear command systems, increases cyber threats to critical infrastructure, and fuels information warfare that undermines international trust.

The event also featured addresses by senior Vatican officials and scientific leaders, including Cardinal Fabio Bazzio and Professor Daniel Holz, emphasizing the urgency of global cooperation on AI and nuclear safety.

The Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister stated that ensuring taxpayers’ money is spent for public welfare remains a core commitment of the government. Speaking on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at an event in Magura District Auditorium organized by Sadar Upazila Parishad, he distributed bicycles to students, sewing machines to rural women, and saplings to local residents.

The minister said that in the past, funds allocated for public welfare were often lost to corruption and irregularities, but the current administration has established accountability for every taka and is delivering government assistance directly to genuine beneficiaries. He reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption and ongoing investigations into misappropriated development funds, with legal action being taken against those responsible.

He added that the government is steadily implementing its electoral pledges, including initiatives such as family, agriculture, and imam cards to extend financial and social support. The minister emphasized the government’s determination to uphold the rule of law, prevent judicial corruption, and build an equitable, prosperous, and inclusive Bangladesh through public participation.

National Citizen Party (NCP) South Regional Organizer and Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah stated that those who enter parliament with businessmen’s money do not represent the people. He made the remarks on Sunday evening at a rally in Rajapur, Jhalakathi, where he recalled the July movement that saw participation from all sections of society, including students, professionals, and workers. Abdullah urged citizens to take responsibility for national reform just as they had once removed long-standing authoritarian rule.

Addressing Rajapur residents, Abdullah reminded them of the NCP’s election promise to represent the people in parliament and said voters should judge whether the party had fulfilled that pledge. He claimed that NCP representatives had spoken in parliament against media manipulation, vote rigging, and bank corruption without fear or pressure.

Other NCP leaders, including Md. Ali Ahsan Junaid, Dr. Mahmuda Alam Mitu, and Advocate Tarikul Islam, also spoke at the event, which was attended by local party officials and activists.