The family of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, killed during the July 2024 uprising in Uttara, Dhaka, has voiced deep frustration over delays in the ongoing war crimes trial against 26 accused. Mugdho’s brother, Mir Mahmudur Rahman Dipto, told Amader Desh that although the charge sheet, warrants, and public notices were completed under the interim government, hearings have been postponed twice since the new government took office. He questioned the tribunal’s purpose, saying it was meant for swift justice but is now moving slowly without explanation.

Dipto said the family had collected CCTV footage and prepared a detailed report showing how Mugdho was shot, submitting it to investigators. Despite strong evidence, he alleged that the accused’s links to the administration were influencing the process. The family continues to receive threats through social media and phone calls, warning them to remain silent. Dipto described the family’s ongoing grief and said justice could ease their pain.

He added that although people have gained courage to resist injustice since the July movement, the system itself remains unchanged beneath a new facade.

Major (retired) Mozzafar Hossain, convicted in the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman, was transferred on July 17, 2026, from Dhaka Cantonment to military custody at Chattogram Cantonment. The move followed his dramatic arrest by Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police in Banani DOHS after 45 years in hiding. Authorities said the transfer was made because the 1981 assassination and subsequent trial had taken place in Chattogram.

According to military sources, Mozzafar will first face trial for desertion before the previously declared death sentence for his role in the assassination is carried out under court-martial procedures. Investigations revealed he had fled to India after the killing and lived under aliases with alleged support from Indian intelligence until returning to Bangladesh in 1996. His arrest reportedly followed leads from the call records of retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury.

Security sources indicated that Mozzafar’s interrogation could help uncover deeper conspiracies behind the 1981 events. The government is considering forming a national investigation commission involving military and civilian agencies to pursue a comprehensive inquiry into the historical case.

Human rights organizations have warned that anti-Muslim violence in the United Kingdom has reached an emergency level, calling for urgent government intervention. The Muslim Council of Britain documented 18 incidents of violence against Muslims across the country in June alone, including stabbings, mosque arson, vehicle fires, hate graffiti, and harassment of worshippers. Amnesty International described the rising trend of hate crimes as having reached a critical stage.

The British Muslim Trust had earlier warned of a worrying increase in anti-Muslim attacks, reporting 27 assaults on mosques between July and October of the previous year. Rights groups have criticized the government for failing to take sufficient measures to address the escalating situation. Amnesty International urged the government to publish a comprehensive national strategy to combat Islamophobia and to take immediate action against far-right networks inciting violence both online and offline.

Critics have questioned why the government has not yet convened an emergency “Cobra” meeting, despite some of the attacks being investigated as acts of terrorism.

The US Department of Justice has announced a major international crackdown called 'Operation Hard Ball', aimed at dismantling Indian-run criminal networks operating across North America, Europe, and Asia. Conducted jointly by law enforcement agencies from the US, Canada, and Europe, the operation led to charges against 37 suspects and the arrest of 24 individuals from several countries. Authorities seized about one thousand kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine, along with heroin, weapons, and large sums of cash. The investigation identified three major syndicates based in India, including one allegedly controlled by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

The operation has reignited attention on the 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, which had earlier triggered a diplomatic rift between India and Canada. A US federal indictment now accuses Bishnoi and his associate Goldy Brar of orchestrating the murder, indirectly implicating Indian networks but not the government itself. India has consistently denied involvement, calling such claims baseless.

The case has intensified scrutiny of alleged state-backed transnational repression, with Western governments expressing concern over cross-border targeting of dissidents. The outcome of ongoing legal proceedings may influence India’s global image and its relations with democratic allies.

At least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in new US airstrikes across Iran since June 27, according to the Iranian Ministry of Health. The ministry’s public relations chief, Hossein Kermanpour, stated on social media that the victims include five women and two minors under 18. Among the injured are 32 women and 18 children or adolescents.

The attacks come amid escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran, with both sides carrying out strikes targeting each other’s interests across the Middle East. Despite a memorandum of understanding signed in June under Pakistan’s mediation aimed at ending the conflict and achieving a lasting peace agreement, military confrontations have continued.

In response to the US strikes, Iran’s military has launched missile and drone attacks on US allies in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman for seven consecutive days, causing significant damage to oil and gas facilities in those countries.

An opinion article published on July 19, 2026, highlights Bangladesh’s persistent struggle to eliminate brokers from the overseas employment process. Despite having formal institutions such as BMET, BOESL, DEMO offices, technical training centers, and digital tools like the OIM-BMET platform and Ami Probashi app, the system remains inaccessible to many rural job seekers. The article notes that in 2023, over 1.1 million workers went abroad, but only 1.3 percent used the state recruiting agency BOESL, reflecting a major gap between policy and field reality.

The author cites findings from the World Bank, CPD, and ITUC showing that weak data integration, limited outreach, and informal recruitment practices allow brokers to dominate the process, often charging excessive fees and exploiting workers. To address this, the article proposes embassy-based Labor Market Development Cells, one-stop support for foreign employers, performance-based incentives for officials, and integrated upazila-level assistance centers combining existing agencies.

It further calls for transparent cost disclosure, verified contracts, expanded training linked to real labor demand, and direct access to low-interest loans. The author argues that investing a small portion of remittance income in these reforms would strengthen worker safety and national economic stability.

Major General Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters, issued a stern warning to the United States, saying any act of aggression or brutality would be met with a decisive and destructive response. In a statement published by Iranian state media, he described the United States as the 'Great Satan' and an 'enemy that is criminal, treacherous, and deceitful.'

Abdollahi emphasized strengthening unity among Iran’s armed forces, citizens, and government officials. He pledged that the United States would be forced to pay a higher price than in past conflicts. According to him, after repeated failures in military confrontations, the enemy is now attempting to create division and discord between the Iranian people and their leadership.

He further stated that Iran’s defense capabilities form the solid foundation of peace and security for the nation’s courageous people across all regions, from south to north and east to west.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly expressed his support for Argentina ahead of the FIFA World Cup final against Spain, scheduled to take place today at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. According to a report by The Times of Israel, Netanyahu conveyed his message of goodwill during a meeting with Rabbi Shimon Axel Wanisch, Argentina’s ambassador to Israel. The ambassador delivered a special message from Argentine President Javier Milei, to which Netanyahu responded by calling Milei a true and close friend and wishing Argentina success in the upcoming match.

The final has drawn symbolic attention due to the contrasting political positions of Madrid and Buenos Aires on issues related to Israel. The match has also sparked online discussions, including critical comments about Argentine star Lionel Messi and the spread of antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media.

The event underscores how global sports competitions can reflect broader political and social undercurrents, particularly when national alignments and diplomatic relations intersect with popular culture.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the United States would face an “unforgettable lesson” from Tehran and its regional allies. His statement, broadcast on state television and reported by Al Jazeera on Saturday, accused Washington of violating last month’s memorandum of understanding, calling President Donald Trump’s signature “worthless and ineffective.” Khamenei said repeated breaches by the “Great Satan” proved that pressure and dominance were inherent to American policy.

The warning came as US forces intensified attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure, including bridges, railways, and water treatment plants, despite the Islamabad agreement. Since February 28, US strikes have reportedly targeted a school in Minab, killing over a hundred children, and also hit Iran’s nuclear facilities. In retaliation, Tehran launched successful strikes on Kuwaiti infrastructure, prompting Kuwait to urge residents to conserve electricity.

The US Central Command confirmed on social media that its operations in Iran had continued for seven consecutive nights under President Trump’s orders, now entering the eighth day. Iranian officials have demanded an immediate halt to air raids, warning that continued attacks could trigger a full-scale war across the Gulf region.

Authorities at the Kaptai Dam in Rangamati opened 16 spillway gates by six inches each at 11:20 a.m. on Saturday to release about 9,000 cusecs of water into the Karnaphuli River. The decision followed heavy rainfall and mountain runoff that rapidly raised the water level of Kaptai Lake. The measure aims to manage upstream and downstream water flow and prevent potential flooding.

According to the manager engineer of the Karnaphuli Hydropower Station, the lake’s water level reached 104.08 feet MSL at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Five power generation units are currently operating, producing an average of 222 megawatts of electricity while discharging around 32,000 cusecs of water through turbines. The lake’s maximum capacity is 109 feet MSL, and authorities may open more gates if necessary.

Officials have advised residents in low-lying areas along the Karnaphuli River to remain alert. The situation is being continuously monitored, and Rangamati’s deputy commissioner and other local officials visited the dam to observe the water release operation.

A section of the embankment in Talukdar village under Char Ishwar Union of Hatiya upazila, Noakhali, collapsed on Friday afternoon under pressure from an unusually high tide, flooding three villages. The sudden inundation swept away household furniture, fish from ponds, livestock, and crops. Local residents fear the situation may worsen during the next high tide at night, with further damage expected.

According to local sources, continuous rainfall and high tides had weakened several parts of the embankment before it gave way. Floodwaters rose two to three feet in some areas, submerging rural roads, homes, and farmlands. Union Parishad member Asar Uddin said authorities had been warned earlier but no preventive action was taken. Residents accused officials of negligence and urged immediate repair using geo-bags or sandbags to block water entry.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rasel Iqbal confirmed that the Water Development Board had been alerted earlier, and emergency repairs are planned. Sub-divisional engineer Jamil Uddin Patwary said repair work would begin as soon as weather conditions allow.

Authorities are preparing a new case against former Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana for allegedly leaving the country without immigration clearance. The case, based on the 2013 Immigration Act, accuses them of illegally departing from Dhaka’s Bir Uttam AK Khandaker Air Base on August 5, 2024, using diplomatic and British passports without completing formal procedures. Investigators have completed their inquiry and may include those who assisted in the escape as co-accused.

According to the investigation, Hasina personally decided to flee to India amid the student and public uprising that forced her resignation. Audio evidence and testimonies from officials who accompanied her have been collected. Legal experts cited in the report said both sisters violated Bangladeshi and Indian immigration laws. Indian officials confirmed Hasina is under legal process in India and cannot leave voluntarily.

The current Bangladeshi government has requested Hasina’s extradition to enforce her death sentence handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal. Ministers have reiterated their commitment to bring her back and execute the court’s verdict.

US energy company HKN Energy has suspended all operations in Iraq’s Kurdistan region due to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. The decision was reported by Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, citing a company official. It came only days after HKN signed an agreement with Iraq’s oil ministry to develop the Hamrin oil field in Salahuddin province. The deal, signed on July 9, aimed to raise daily oil output to 140,000 barrels and gas production to 40 million cubic feet.

The suspension follows a series of drone attacks in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces that killed nine members of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The deteriorating security situation prompted the company to halt its activities. Earlier, UAE-based Dana Gas had also temporarily suspended operations at the Khor Mor gas field near Sulaymaniyah, citing credible threats.

The back-to-back suspensions highlight growing instability in northern Iraq’s energy sector as regional tensions intensify.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have sharply escalated, raising fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East. Both countries have withdrawn from a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2026 to halt hostilities and ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The US has conducted seven consecutive days of airstrikes on Iranian targets, while Iran has retaliated by attacking American military facilities across the Gulf region.

Iranian officials accused Washington of repeatedly violating the agreement, calling the US president’s commitments meaningless. Tehran suspended all obligations under the deal and warned of a “comprehensive operation” if attacks continue. The US Central Command confirmed strikes on Iranian surveillance systems, underground arsenals, and naval sites, while Iran claimed civilian infrastructure such as airports and bridges were also hit, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched counterstrikes on US-linked sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Analysts warned that the conflict is expanding regionally, with limited international intervention and growing concern over the absence of effective diplomatic measures.

Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department has forecast intensified rainfall across the country starting from July 20 or 21, with heavy to very heavy showers expected particularly in the northern divisions. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre warned that the combined effect of heavy rain and upstream water from India could worsen the overall flood situation. On Saturday, Nilphamari’s Dimla recorded 137 millimeters of rain, while Rangpur, Sylhet, and Noakhali also experienced significant rainfall.

According to the latest forecasts, active monsoon conditions will bring widespread rain and thunderstorms to Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet, and moderate rain to other regions. Water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara, Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers are rising, with some points already above danger levels. Short-term flooding may occur in low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, and Kurigram.

Authorities have issued local weather alerts for coastal ports and advised fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal to remain near shore. The extent of flooding this week will depend on rainfall intensity and the inflow of water from India.