The coffin of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was taken to Tehran’s Freedom Square on Monday, following a large funeral prayer held the previous day at the city’s Grand Mosalla mosque. According to Al Jazeera, millions of Iranians gathered around the coffins of Khamenei and his family members to pay their final respects, with mourners arriving from across the country.

The report described the ceremonies as more than expressions of grief, portraying them as demonstrations of national unity and institutional continuity after Khamenei’s assassination. Iranian leadership sought to signal that, despite his death, the state institutions he built remain intact and the transfer of power is proceeding smoothly. Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has succeeded him as Supreme Leader but has not yet appeared publicly.

The coffin will next be taken to Qom on July 7, then to Iraq’s Karbala and Najaf on July 8, and finally to Mashhad on July 9 for burial, marking the conclusion of the state mourning process.

Bangladesh Bank has made the use of 'Bangla QR' mandatory at all commercial outlets and merchant points from July 1, replacing older QR codes. The move aims to promote digital payments and advance the country toward a cashless economy. Customers can now make payments by scanning a single QR code through any bank or mobile banking app, eliminating the need for multiple QR stands or expensive POS machines.

However, questions have emerged among consumers and small businesses about transaction fees and potential cost increases. The central bank clarified that the merchant discount rate (MDR) is a matter between banks and merchants, not to be charged to customers. Yet, experts fear that merchants may offset these costs by raising product prices. The new directive sets a minimum MDR of 1 percent, replacing earlier lower caps.

Experts believe the system will ultimately benefit small businesses by reducing cash handling risks and helping them build digital financial identities. Bangladesh Bank expects 75 percent of all transactions to become cashless by 2027, though challenges remain regarding internet access, cybersecurity, and merchant confidence.

An opinion piece published on July 6, 2026, revisits the 2011 killing of 15-year-old Felani Khatun at the Kurigram border, whose body hung on barbed wire after being shot by India’s Border Security Force (BSF). Her father, Nurul Islam, continues to demand justice as the accused BSF member was acquitted twice, and a petition before India’s Supreme Court has remained pending since 2015. The article argues that the tragedy symbolizes a broader failure of state responsibility and diplomatic firmness in protecting Bangladeshi citizens along the border.

Citing data from rights groups, the report notes that between 2000 and 2020, at least 1,236 Bangladeshis were killed and over 1,145 injured by BSF gunfire, with deaths rising from 18 in 2021 to 34 in 2025. It stresses that border killings violate human rights and that official recognition without accountability mechanisms cannot restore public trust. The author urges formation of a national review committee to address border management, economic disparity, and regional development.

The piece concludes that Felani’s unresolved case remains a test of Bangladesh’s moral and institutional strength, calling for unity and reform to ensure no citizen’s life is treated as expendable.

A local BNP leader named Nasirul Biswas, aged 50, was shot and injured in a dispute over sand trading in the Hardinge Bridge area of Veramara upazila, Kushtia. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when unidentified assailants attacked him while he was selling sand. He sustained a gunshot wound to his back and injuries to his leg from sharp weapons. Locals rescued him and admitted him to Kushtia General Hospital, where doctors later confirmed he was out of danger.

According to police and local sources, the attack involved seven assailants, six of whom were masked. Witnesses could not identify any of them. Veramara police suspect the shooting stemmed from a business conflict over sand trading. Local BNP leaders said Nasirul, the general secretary of Ward No. 4 BNP and a sand trader, managed the party’s sand business in the area.

Police are investigating the incident to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has launched an investigation into allegations of distributing low-quality textbooks and widespread irregularities in the mosque-based child and mass education project run by the Islamic Foundation. The probe follows a report from the National Security Intelligence (NSI), which prompted the ministry to form a three-member committee led by Additional Secretary Imtiaz Hossain. The committee held a meeting on Sunday and is expected to submit its findings within ten working days.

According to the NSI report, serious corruption and financial irregularities occurred in the Islamic Foundation’s printing press, including violations of tender conditions, use of substandard paper, under-supply of materials, and alleged embezzlement of about 28.4 million taka through collusion with contractors. The report also noted that centralizing paper procurement under the printing press created opportunities for misconduct.

Complaints have emerged from various centers about poor-quality books and notebooks, particularly the use of inferior paper in drawing books and wasteful use of materials. The ongoing investigation is expected to clarify the extent of these irregularities.

A total of 250 cargo containers have gone missing from Chattogram Port despite being under customs lock due to smuggling and tax evasion suspicions. The Chattogram Custom House had restricted their release through the ASYCUDA World system, but the containers could not be located. Officials suspect a large syndicate exploited system weaknesses and breached port security to remove the containers. Over seven months, the customs authority sent five letters to the port authority seeking clarification, but no response was received.

According to customs sources, the containers were imported between 2021 and 2024 and were never cleared by importers. The issue surfaced after a company failed to locate two auctioned containers in 2025, prompting a wider investigation. Security analysts warned that the disappearance poses a serious national security threat, recalling past incidents of arms and drug smuggling through the same port. Customs officials emphasized that the port authority is responsible for container custody.

Port officials have not provided direct comments, though the port chairman recently acknowledged attempts by a syndicate to manipulate documents and digital systems. Experts said both customs and port authorities share responsibility for the security lapse.

An article by Muhammad Abdul Awal, president of the Rajshahi Union of Journalists, published on July 6, 2026, highlights the growing crisis and disunity within Bangladesh’s journalism sector. It stresses that journalism, as a profession rooted in truth and public interest, now faces threats from political and corporate pressure, low pay, job insecurity, and internal divisions. The author calls for stronger unity among journalists to defend professional rights, ensure safety, and uphold independent reporting.

The piece outlines that unity is not merely organizational but a collective commitment to truth, justice, and professional ethics. It identifies political polarization, leadership conflicts, and inequality between national and local journalists as major barriers to solidarity. The article also warns that disunity weakens journalists’ ability to resist injustice and undermines democracy.

Awal urges journalist leaders to rise above personal and political interests, strengthen professional organizations, and promote training, digital security, and fair labor practices. He concludes that only a united and responsible journalist community can safeguard press freedom, public trust, and democratic accountability in Bangladesh.

Questions have emerged over the accuracy of rainfall data collected by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), as several of its rain gauge stations were found to be installed under large trees or in shaded areas, violating international standards. Field inspections revealed discrepancies of 21 to 43 millimeters between BWDB and Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) readings in the same regions, including Sylhet, Kurigram, and Netrokona. Experts warned that such flawed data could undermine climate research, flood forecasting, and disaster management, though BWDB officials claimed the impact was limited.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, rain gauges must be placed at least twice the height of nearby obstacles to ensure accurate readings. Despite spending about 700 million taka under the BWCSRP project to modernize weather stations in 2020–21, many installations failed to meet basic standards. BWDB engineers cited land constraints, tree growth, and security issues as reasons for noncompliance. Meanwhile, experts from BUET emphasized that inaccurate rainfall data could distort infrastructure design and research outcomes.

Specialists urged the government to strengthen data quality control, noting that reliable rainfall information is essential for effective water and climate management.

Three fugitive Bangladeshi generals—Lt Gen (dismissed) Md Mujibur Rahman, Lt Gen (retired) Md Akbar Hossain, and Maj Gen Kabir Ahmed—are reportedly residing in a secured military residential area in Kolkata, India. According to security sources cited by the newspaper, the Indian government recently moved them from civilian residences in Salt Lake and New Town to a protected army zone near the Hooghly Bridge. The generals fled Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government and face allegations of involvement in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other crimes.

The report states that the three maintain contact with Sheikh Hasina and Awami League leaders and hold meetings in Kolkata. Analysts quoted in the article described their relocation and protection by India as a serious threat to Bangladesh’s national security, alleging that India may use them to influence Bangladeshi politics. They urged the Bangladeshi government to expedite legal proceedings against the accused officers and raise the issue internationally.

Intelligence Bureau records in India reportedly include detailed data on these generals and their families, confirming their presence in Kolkata.

Eight people, including women and children, were killed in separate landslides at three Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Monday night following heavy rainfall. The incidents occurred at the Jamtoli, Kutupalong, and Balukhali camps when soil from nearby hills collapsed onto residential shelters, burying the victims. Local administration and fire service officials confirmed that the landslides began after intense rain since the previous night.

Rescue teams from the Fire Service and 8 Armed Police Battalion (APBn) recovered all eight bodies from the affected sites. The victims included members of several families, with one person reported seriously injured. Officials said continuous heavy rain caused the landslides and that efforts were underway to relocate residents living at the base of vulnerable hills to safer areas.

Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Panna Akter confirmed the deaths and said that authorities had been warning residents through loudspeakers to move to safe shelters. She urged all camp residents to follow administrative instructions and evacuate risky zones immediately.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, son and successor of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not appeared in public since the February U.S.-Israeli airstrike that killed his father. Despite a six-day state funeral underway in Tehran, he has been absent from the ceremonies. Iranian state media, citing officials, reported that he was kept away due to severe security risks and ongoing assassination threats from Israel.

Reports indicate that Mojtaba was seriously injured in the same attack that killed his father, which also claimed the lives of four family members, including his wife, sister, brother-in-law, and a 14-month-old niece. Although unseen, state media have released several of his written statements and directives, suggesting he continues to control state affairs from hiding.

In messages dated June 18 and June 28, Mojtaba approved a bilateral memorandum with the U.S. while calling for accountability for his father’s killing. Analysts believe he is operating from a highly secure and undisclosed location, overseeing Iran’s political and military decisions remotely.

Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. announced his retirement from international football after Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in New Jersey. The forward, who scored Brazil’s only goal from a penalty in added time, broke down in tears at the final whistle. Speaking to broadcaster GE TV, Neymar said his journey with the national team had come to an end, marking the close of a significant chapter in his career.

Neymar first joined the Brazil national team in 2010 under coach Mano Menezes and played in four World Cups—2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. Despite winning the Confederations Cup and Olympic gold, he never managed to lift the World Cup trophy. His farewell came 16 years after his international debut, on the same U.S. soil where his journey began.

As Brazil’s all-time top scorer and one of the defining figures of his generation, Neymar’s departure marks the end of an era for the Seleção and leaves a lasting legacy in Brazilian football.

U.S. President Donald Trump has thanked FIFA for suspending striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban, allowing him to play in the United States’ upcoming World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium in Seattle. The decision came after FIFA’s disciplinary committee announced that Balogun’s suspension would be deferred for one year under Article 27 of its disciplinary code. The committee did not provide a specific reason for the move.

Balogun had received a straight red card in the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for a foul following a VAR review. Normally, such a red card carries an automatic one-match suspension with no appeal. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier urged FIFA to overturn the red card before the decision was made. The ruling mirrors a previous case in which Cristiano Ronaldo’s suspension was partially deferred during World Cup qualifiers.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and captain Christian Pulisic welcomed the decision, saying it boosted team confidence. The U.S. Soccer Federation also expressed relief and confirmed full focus on the Belgium match.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sent three letters to the current president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requesting documents related to alleged irregularities, corruption, and money laundering involving former minister and ex-BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon. The letters, signed by ACC Deputy Director Md. Saiduzzaman and sent on July 1, were confirmed by the commission’s public relations deputy director Md. Akhtarul Islam.

According to the ACC, the allegations include embezzlement of funds from the cricket board and government institutions, accumulation of undeclared wealth in Bangladesh and abroad by Papon and his family, and money laundering through hundi with the help of Beximco Pharmaceuticals officials. The requested documents cover a wide range of records, including consultancy contracts for the Purbachal stadium project, procurement orders, audit reports from 2012–13 to 2025–26, and details of BPL ticket sales and expenditures.

The ACC has asked the BCB to submit all requested information to its headquarters within five working days. Papon previously served as a member of parliament for Kishoreganj-6 and as managing director of Beximco Pharmaceuticals.

Brazil’s bid for a sixth World Cup title ended on July 6, 2026, with a 2-1 loss to Norway in New Jersey. Erling Haaland scored twice in the second half, first with a header in the 79th minute and then with a left-footed volley, sealing Norway’s place in the quarterfinals. Neymar converted a stoppage-time penalty, but it was too late to change the outcome. The defeat extended Brazil’s run of six consecutive World Cups without a title.

Brazil had early chances to take control but failed to capitalize. Bruno Guimarães missed a penalty in the 14th minute, and Vinícius Júnior, Martinelli, and Endrick squandered several clear opportunities. Despite dominating possession, Brazil struggled with slow build-up play and defensive gaps, which Norway exploited through quick transitions and disciplined tactics. Haaland’s finishing and Andreas Schjelderup’s assists proved decisive.

The result marked a historic moment for Norway, emerging as a new force in world football. For Brazil, the loss deepened a long-standing pattern of underachievement, highlighting their inability to convert talent and chances into decisive victories on the biggest stage.