Bangladesh’s State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Boby Hajjaj, announced that four new subjects—music, drama, dance, and fine arts—will be added to the primary school curriculum. Starting in 2027, a new textbook titled ‘Art and Culture’ will be introduced for fourth-grade students, and by 2028, these subjects will be fully integrated into the national primary education curriculum. The announcement was made during a ministry meeting attended by university faculty members and senior officials.

According to the ministry, the initiative aligns with the government’s educational philosophy of developing students as global citizens equipped with essential life and career skills. The inclusion of arts and culture is expected to play a key role in students’ holistic development. The expansion of arts and sports-based education will also create a significant demand for specialized teachers and trainers.

The ministry estimates that around 50,000 to 60,000 new jobs could be generated in the next five years. Discussions are underway to align university curricula with teacher training programs to prepare graduates for teaching roles in primary schools.

Two men were caught red-handed by locals while attempting to steal an electric transformer in Jorarganj area of Mirsharai upazila, Chattogram, on the night of June 9. The suspects were handed over to Jorarganj police, who later confirmed their arrest and recovered one stolen transformer from them.

Police sources said the area had been facing repeated transformer thefts, causing concern among residents. In response, police increased surveillance and urged locals to remain alert. The arrested individuals were identified as Mehedi Hasan alias Akash, 21, from Uttar Hajishorai, and Md. Sayed Sheikh, 22, originally from Pirojpur but currently living in Madhyam Sonapahar, Jorarganj.

Preliminary investigation suggests the theft was part of an organized gang involving seven to eight members. Police have launched operations to identify and arrest the remaining suspects. Jorarganj Police Officer-in-Charge Abdul Halim stated that strict legal action is being taken against those involved in such organized crimes.

Bangladesh cricketers Mushfiqur Rahim and Taijul Islam have been shortlisted for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Player of the Month award for May 2026. The ICC announced the nominees on Wednesday evening, naming the two Bangladesh players alongside Nepal’s all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee in the men’s category.

Mushfiqur earned his nomination after an outstanding performance in Bangladesh’s historic 2–0 Test series win over Pakistan. He scored 253 runs at an average of 63.25, including a match-winning 137 in the second Test, and was named Player of the Series. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam also played a decisive role, taking 13 wickets at an average of 19.61 across the two matches, including six wickets in the second innings of the final Test.

Dipendra Singh Airee was nominated for his all-round performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup League-2 matches in Kirtipur, where he scored 249 runs at an average of 49.80 and took eight wickets. In the women’s category, England’s Lauren Bell, Pakistan’s Gull Feroza, and New Zealand’s Maddy Green were nominated.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a partial five-member committee for its Bogura Metropolitan unit. The announcement was made through a press release signed by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday. According to the release, Advocate Hamidul Haque Chowdhury (Hiru) has been appointed president, Md. Moshior Rahman Shamim senior vice-president, Md. Moniruzzaman Moni general secretary, Md. Mahmudul Hasan Tuhin joint general secretary, and Md. Sulaiman Ali organizational secretary.

The press release stated that the partial committee has been approved and that a full committee will be announced soon. The formation marks a step in reorganizing the party’s local leadership structure in Bogura Metropolitan area.

The BNP indicated that the complete committee will be declared shortly, signaling ongoing internal organizational activities within the party’s regional units.

Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Minister, Zahir Uddin Swapan, emphasized the need to strengthen technological cooperation, information exchange, and content sharing in the digital era. He also highlighted the importance of international collaboration to combat misinformation and disinformation. The minister made these remarks at the opening ceremony of the 5th China Media Group (CMG) conference held in Chongqing, China, known as the country’s artificial intelligence hub.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the conference’s theme this year is the use of artificial intelligence in media. Around 300 representatives from various countries, international organizations, and media outlets are participating in the event, where AI-based media initiatives are being showcased. Swapan underscored the importance of responsible journalism and effective information management for development, peace, and public welfare, and called for increased training, skill exchange, and joint ventures between media institutions of both countries.

Participants expressed hope that the conference would open new opportunities for global media cooperation, technology-driven information management, and cultural exchange. The minister is expected to return to Bangladesh tonight after attending the event.

Women and Children Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain told the national parliament that the government has initiated steps to set up One Stop Crisis Centers (OCCs) in all government medical college hospitals across Bangladesh. He made the announcement while responding to a parliamentary notice on violence against women and children, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. The centers aim to provide integrated medical, legal, psychological, and rehabilitation support to victims of abuse.

The minister said OCCs were first launched in eight medical colleges and later expanded to six more, bringing the total to 15 centers currently in operation. Each center is staffed with 22 personnel, including doctors, nurses, police officers, a clinical psychologist, and legal officers. So far, 81,928 victims have received services, including those affected by physical and sexual violence and burn injuries. There are also 95 One Stop Crisis Cells operating in districts and upazilas.

The government plans to gradually expand these centers to all 64 districts and every upazila. A Quick Response Team has also been introduced to assist victims promptly and ensure legal action against perpetrators.

Residents of Khairbona area in Rajshahi city formed a human chain on Wednesday afternoon demanding the arrest and exemplary punishment of a Swechchhasebak Dal leader and several others accused of attacking the house of local resident Haji Md. Anarul Bhandari. The demonstration took place on the Khairbona footpath near Sahebbazar Road.

According to the complaint, on the night of May 31, a group led by Shakil Ahmed Ali, convener of the Boalia Thana East unit of Swechchhasebak Dal, allegedly attacked Bhandari’s house, vandalized property, and looted valuables. Bhandari claimed that his younger brother Sanarul was seriously injured in the assault and later admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He also alleged that the accused had long been involved in drug dealing, extortion, and land grabbing in the area.

Boalia Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Robiul Islam said police were conducting operations to arrest the accused and would bring them to justice soon. Attempts to reach Shakil Ahmed Ali for comment were unsuccessful.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain stated that the government aims to make persons with disabilities self-reliant and integrate them into mainstream society through education, skill development, and rehabilitation. He made the remarks on Wednesday after visiting the National Foundation for the Development of the Disabled in Dhaka.

The minister said the foundation operates colleges and separate schools for children with hearing, visual, and neurodevelopmental disabilities, with residential facilities for both men and women. He emphasized that the government is working to expand such institutions beyond Dhaka to ensure inclusive education and services nationwide. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, he added, the government is committed to building a humane Bangladesh by empowering marginalized communities.

According to the minister, there are about 14 to 16 million persons with disabilities in the country, and 103 centers are currently providing services at district and upazila levels. The goal is to extend disability services to every upazila, offering therapies and training to help transform this population into a productive national resource.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Rokeya Begum has called for justice for all unresolved murder cases, including the Pilkhana massacre, the Sagar-Runi killings, and the deaths of Osman Hadi and July. She made the demand in the Bangladesh Parliament on Wednesday, urging authorities to accelerate the judicial process for these cases. Rokeya Begum is the mother of Jabir Ibrahim, a child who was killed during a student protest.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, addressing a separate event at the Parliament Secretariat’s oath room, stated that the national budget represents not only the state’s income and expenditure but also the people’s aspirations, development priorities, and future economic direction. He inaugurated the Budget Helpdesk 2026, which aims to provide research-based data and information to assist lawmakers in their parliamentary duties.

Jabir Ibrahim, known as the July martyr, was a young boy who lost his life during an anti-discrimination student movement in July-August 2024, shot by police in front of his family.

BNP Member of Parliament Abdul Moin Khan has been appointed as the chair of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Planning. The committee was formed on Wednesday in the National Parliament. Other members include State Minister for Planning Junaid Saki, Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Kazi Rafiqul Islam, Mainul Islam Khan, Fakhrul Islam, Shawkatul Islam, Farida Yasmin, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Saiful Alam, and Rashedul Islam.

The proposal to form the committee was placed by Chief Whip Nurul Islam on behalf of Leader of the House Tareq Rahman, and it was later passed by voice vote. The formation marks a new parliamentary arrangement concerning oversight of the Planning Ministry’s activities.

The development reflects the ongoing structuring of parliamentary committees following the latest session, ensuring representation from multiple political parties within the legislative oversight framework.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase has approved a proposal to buy 212 double-cabin pickup vans for the Bangladesh Police at a total cost of Tk 182.32 crore. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at the Secretariat. The vehicles will be supplied by state-owned Pragoti Industries Limited under the direct purchase method during the 2025–26 fiscal year.

According to the proposal, the pickups are being procured to strengthen the police’s operational capacity across the country. The vehicles will support law enforcement, patrol duties, crime prevention, and emergency operations. The Finance Division has already given its consent to the purchase.

Officials expect that the addition of these new vehicles will enhance police mobility and make field operations more efficient, particularly in maintaining law and order in different regions.

Police in Matlab North, Chandpur, have arrested a local Volunteer Party leader and a woman on charges of raping an eighth-grade student and causing her to become pregnant. The arrests took place on Wednesday, with the accused identified as Md. Kaiyum Mal, 36, general secretary of the Kolakanda Union Volunteer Party, and Mosammat Tania Akter, 28, both residents of Paschim Hanirpara village.

According to the police and the case statement, the incident occurred on October 12, 2025, when Kaiyum, with the direct and indirect assistance of the female accused, allegedly raped the student multiple times under threats. The case came to light after the victim, recently married, fell ill and was found to be 28 weeks pregnant during medical examination. Upon questioning, she disclosed the assault to her family.

Matlab North Police Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Kamrul Hasan confirmed that the accused were sent to court and that the investigation is ongoing. Assistant Superintendent of Police Jabir Husnain Sanib described the case as a severe example of moral and social degradation, noting that the victim’s elder sister allegedly assisted in the crime.

Sarjis Alam, chief organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has praised the bravery of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for their actions at the border. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he emphasized that relations should be based on equality and dignity, asserting that there should be no compromise on independence, sovereignty, and national honor.

The remarks came after tension erupted at the Ramrampur border in Bakshiganj upazila of Jamalpur district, where an attempt to push in a stateless person led to a confrontation between BGB and India’s Border Security Force (BSF). A 30-minute flag meeting failed to resolve the issue, prompting both BGB and local residents to take positions along the border. A video of the incident went viral on social media, showing a verbal altercation between the two forces.

During the exchange, BGB members reportedly pushed the individual back toward Indian territory after BSF attempted to push him into Bangladesh. When a BSF member mentioned firing, BGB personnel responded with a warning, asserting their readiness to defend if provoked.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has announced plans to create a permanent stakeholder dialogue platform aimed at identifying and resolving academic and administrative challenges in the country’s universities. The initiative was revealed by UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed during a meeting held at the UGC office in Agargaon, Dhaka. The meeting was attended by vice-chancellors from public and private universities under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project.

According to Dr. Ahmed, the platform will facilitate regular discussions among teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders to promote collaboration and experience sharing across universities. He emphasized that the initiative will strengthen professional relationships among faculty members and improve institutional efficiency. The meeting also discussed introducing continuous training programs for university teachers, including management training for senior faculty and foundational training for new teachers.

The UGC plans to link training with promotions and develop a pool of local and international trainers. These programs will be implemented under the HEAT project through residential and hybrid formats, aligning with the government’s strategic vision for transforming higher education.

Police in Mirzapur upazila of Tangail have arrested two local leaders of the Awami League and Chhatra League in connection with a case filed over a protest incident that left a young man blind in both eyes. The arrests took place on Tuesday night around 10:30 pm at Mirzapur Old Bus Stand and Garail Trimohon areas. The detainees are Sohel Rana, 48, organizational secretary of Mirzapur Upazila Awami League, and Abdur Rabby Saad, 25, a member of the upazila Chhatra League convening committee.

According to police and case sources, on August 4, 2024, during a student and public demonstration on the Dhaka–Tangail highway near Gorai Highway Police Station, Himel of Lalbari village was seriously injured by police shotgun pellets and later lost his eyesight. His mother, Nasima Begum, filed a case in Tangail court naming 100 individuals, including police officers, journalists, and Awami League leaders, with 400–500 unnamed accused.

Police said the two were arrested after their names appeared in the investigation. They were sent to Tangail court on Wednesday, and the investigation is ongoing.