Bangladesh’s State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Bobby Hajjaj, announced that the government has initiated extensive reforms to modernize the country’s primary education system. The plan aims to make education more skill-based and child-friendly by incorporating Japan’s successful experience in curriculum development, teacher training, and administrative efficiency. He made the remarks during a meeting in Dhaka with a high-level delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), led by Chief Representative Takahashi Junko.

The minister said a new curriculum is being developed with special emphasis on civic education, sports, cultural studies, mathematics, and science for grades four and five. He highlighted Japan’s globally praised civic education model as an inspiration for instilling responsibility, discipline, ethics, and civic values among Bangladeshi students. Plans were also revealed to gradually establish “Math Labs” in primary schools to make mathematics learning more engaging and technology-driven, with JICA’s technical support.

As part of broader structural reforms, Bangladesh is reviewing the education administration systems of Thailand and Turkey to enhance accountability, performance evaluation, and monitoring standards to international levels.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tareq Rahman met with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Summer Davos in China on Wednesday morning. The meeting took place at 10:15 a.m. local time, where both leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral relations and agreed to establish permanent diplomatic missions in Dhaka and Astana.

During the discussion, the two prime ministers emphasized the importance of regular meetings to enhance political, business, and people-to-people connections. Prime Minister Bektenov expressed optimism about expanding trade and investment engagement between the two countries. The meeting also covered potential cooperation in skilled labor exchange, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, technology, agribusiness, and food processing.

Bektenov sought Bangladesh’s support for Kazakhstan’s proposal to establish a specialized United Nations agency on water diplomacy, which Rahman confirmed Bangladesh supports. Bangladesh’s foreign minister, foreign affairs adviser, and additional press secretary were present at the meeting.

A new survey by think tank More in Common, shared with The Guardian, shows that three out of every five Britons aged 18 to 28 would vote to rejoin the European Union if given the chance. The poll of 440 young people found that 60 percent support returning to the EU, while only 9 percent prefer staying outside. Among those likely to vote in a potential second referendum, support for rejoining rises to 81 percent. The survey also reveals that half of Generation Z respondents believe Brexit has failed, with only 16 percent calling it a success.

More in Common’s executive director Luke Tryl said Brexit was a formative political event for many young Britons who were too young to vote in 2016 but remember the campaigns and debates vividly. He noted that while most young people see Brexit as a failure, many blame political mismanagement rather than the idea itself. The survey indicates that young Britons’ main concerns now include living costs, affordable housing, jobs, and climate change.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that demographic changes since 2016, including the replacement of older pro-Brexit voters with younger pro-EU ones, may have reduced the Brexit majority.

The Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives has launched several initiatives to ensure an easier, safer, and more affordable remittance system for Bangladeshi migrant workers. On June 23, a key meeting was held at the Bank of Maldives headquarters between Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam and the bank’s CEO and Managing Director Mohamed Shareef. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on migrant welfare, legal remittance flows, and broader economic collaboration between the two countries.

Discussions focused on developing a direct financial transaction channel between the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) and the Bangladeshi taka (BDT) to enable faster and cheaper money transfers. The meeting also explored expanding financial inclusion for Bangladeshi workers, enhancing bilateral banking ties, and establishing potential credit facilities. Both parties emphasized that a sustainable financial cooperation framework could boost trade, investment, infrastructure, and food security.

The Bank of Maldives CEO praised the contributions of Bangladeshi workers and expressed a positive stance toward providing effective and user-friendly financial services for them.

An 18-year-old youth died after being beaten by a mob on suspicion of robbery in Tongi, Gazipur. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning at the stairs leading to the Tongi-Abdullahpur BRT flyover on Station Road. Witnesses said that around 7 a.m., locals became agitated after seeing the unidentified youth and attacked him, suspecting him to be a robber. He died on the spot before police arrived.

Police later recovered the body and took it to Tongi Government Hospital. According to Md. Zillur Rahman, the investigation officer of Tongi East Police Station, an inquest report has been prepared, and the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has been informed to help identify the deceased. The process of sending the body to the morgue is underway.

Authorities are continuing efforts to confirm the victim’s identity and determine the circumstances that led to the fatal mob beating.

A Dhaka court has ordered former Awami League lawmaker and singer Momtaz Begum to be shown arrested in an attempted murder case linked to the July anti-discrimination student movement. The order was issued on Wednesday afternoon by Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam after the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Md. Azizul Haque of Mirpur Model Police Station, submitted a petition. Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruki supported the petition, while Momtaz’s lawyers opposed it.

According to the case, on August 4, 2024, during the July movement, complainant and victim Mukhtar Hossain joined a protest in Mirpur where police and Awami League supporters allegedly attacked demonstrators. Mukhtar was injured by rubber bullets and later filed an attempted murder case. Investigators claimed evidence linked Momtaz to the incident, making her arrest necessary for further questioning.

Momtaz was previously detained by the Detective Branch on May 12, 2025, from a residence in Dhanmondi and has remained in custody since her four-day remand was approved by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court.

A man named Shahid Matubbar, aged 32, was killed and two others were injured in a road accident at Pona Bus Stand area on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway in Kashiani, Gopalganj. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday when an unidentified speeding vehicle collided with a Nosimon. Police from Bhatiapara Highway Station recovered the body and sent the injured to Kashiani Upazila Health Complex.

The deceased was the son of Rustam Matubbar from Uttar Kandi village in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur. The injured were identified as Emdadul Fakir, 32, from Dofa village in Nagarkanda, and Sekendar Molla, 32, from Yusufdia village in Saltha upazila of the same district. According to Kashiani Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, the collision was caused by a fast-moving unidentified vehicle.

Dr. Aminul Islam, Residential Medical Officer of Kashiani 100-bed Health Complex, said the injured were in critical condition and were referred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Three Italian human rights activists detained in Libya while participating in a land convoy delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza have been released, according to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The freed individuals were identified as Domenico Centrone, Leonarda Alberizia, and Matias Alvarez Rodriguez, the latter also holding Uruguayan citizenship. Tajani said they were held for about a month and are now under the custody of the Italian consul in Benghazi, with plans to return to Italy the same day.

The activists were members of the Global Sumud Land Convoy, which began its journey from Mauritania to deliver aid to Gaza. At the same time, a related maritime mission, the Global Sumud Flotilla, faced obstruction by Israeli forces in international waters. According to the convoy organizers, ten members from eight countries were detained near the Libyan city of Sirte, including four men and six women.

No details were released regarding the charges or reasons for their detention, leaving the circumstances of the arrests unclear.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon announced that if cheating is found at any examination center, the head of the institution or the center chief will also be brought under legal action. He made the statement on Wednesday, June 24, during a meeting with central secretaries of the Dhaka, Mymensingh, Madrasa, and Technical Education Boards at Azimpur Girls School and College.

The minister said that the 'Examination Act' has been amended, and any student caught with cheating materials in the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations will face detention or legal measures. He also stated that the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations for 2027 will be held in January, and the curriculum will be revised in 2027 and changed in 2028. Additionally, teachers who have not received retirement benefits since 2022 will begin receiving them from mid-July.

The announcement reflects the ministry’s focus on ensuring exam integrity and improving the education system through curriculum reform and administrative accountability.

Residents along the Teesta and Dharla rivers in Lalmonirhat are struggling to survive on limited government and NGO relief as recurring floods and river erosion devastate their livelihoods. Many families, including those in the char areas, depend entirely on aid, yet say it is insufficient to sustain them. Locals repeatedly express a single demand: they want work opportunities rather than relief handouts.

The situation has worsened due to fluctuating water levels caused by heavy rainfall in India’s upstream regions and the opening of the Gajoldoba Barrage gates in West Bengal. This has led to flooding across several northern districts of Bangladesh, submerging roads, croplands, and putting flood control embankments at risk. The Water Development Board reports that Teesta’s water flow at Dalia Point rose above danger level on Tuesday but slightly receded the next day.

Officials say the situation is being closely monitored, with warnings issued to low-lying residents. Locals remain hopeful that the long-promised Teesta Master Plan will be implemented to create employment and resolve chronic water management problems.

Chinese technology giant Alibaba Group has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense after being labeled a 'Chinese military company' and placed on a blacklist. The company argues that the designation was arbitrary and lacked proper legal procedure. The case was filed on Monday in a federal court in San Francisco, according to AFP. Alibaba claims the Pentagon’s decision has no factual or legal basis and violates its constitutional rights.

On June 8, the Pentagon released a new blacklist naming 80 companies and affiliates allegedly supporting Chinese military activities, including Alibaba, Baidu, and electric vehicle maker BYD. Under the decision, the Defense Department will be barred from entering new contracts with these firms or their subsidiaries from June 30. Alibaba’s lawsuit also contends that the restrictions hinder its ability to hire lobbying firms in the US, violating the First Amendment.

In response, China imposed export controls on ten US companies in the defense and rare minerals sectors, escalating trade tensions despite recent efforts by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to stabilize relations.

Police in Pekua upazila of Cox’s Bazar have detained a woman accused of impersonating a member of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) to commit fraud. The arrest took place around 11 p.m. on Tuesday at the Magnama Union Parishad office. The detainee, identified as Hasina Akter, 37, is a resident of Gachbaria in Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram and had been living in a rented house near the Magnama submarine base area.

According to Magnama Union Parishad Chairman Yunus Chowdhury, the woman had long been introducing herself as a DGFI officer posted in Pekua and had repeatedly tried to mislead him on various matters. When she again attempted to exert influence on Tuesday, he became suspicious and informed the Pekua police. Officers then arrived at the Union Parishad office and detained her.

Pekua Police Station’s investigation officer Imrul Hasan said the woman is being interrogated to determine her motives and whether others were involved. Legal action will follow if the allegations are verified.

SM Lablur Rahman, a member (administration) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), has filed a case alleging that his signature was forged to create a fake contract and consent letter. The case was lodged at the Airport Police Station on Sunday, June 22, and confirmed by Officer-in-Charge Kamrul Hasan Talukder. According to the case statement, the forged contract falsely presented Rahman as the first party and one Fahad Hossain as the second party, promising payment if Hossain were appointed chairman of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.

The complaint states that Rahman’s signature was falsified on both the contract and a separate consent document. Rahman said he took legal action to protect his reputation and professional integrity, claiming a group deliberately attempted to defame him. He denied any involvement in unethical activities and urged for a fair investigation to identify those responsible.

Police confirmed that an investigation is underway, including document verification and questioning of relevant individuals to uncover the full circumstances behind the alleged forgery.

Several recent earthquakes have been recorded in and around Dhaka, Bangladesh, with epicenters located unusually close to the capital. The latest tremor, on June 22, measured 4.4 on the Richter scale and originated about 16 kilometers east of Dhaka in Rupganj, Narayanganj. Earlier, a 3.2-magnitude quake struck Kaliakair in Gazipur on February 1, while a stronger 5.7-magnitude quake in November 2025 near Narsingdi caused casualties and injuries across multiple districts.

Experts from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department and universities note that these quakes may be linked to tectonic activity or reactivation of old faults. Bangladesh lies at the junction of the Eurasian, Indian, and Burmese plates, making it seismically active. Researchers highlight that while Dhaka itself has no major fault line, nearby regions such as Narsingdi and Mymensingh are crossed by active or “blind” faults that are difficult to detect.

Specialists caution that although recent quakes are moderate, the city remains vulnerable due to dense construction and variable soil conditions. They emphasize the need for structural assessments and public awareness to mitigate risks from potential future large earthquakes.

Bangladesh’s river-dependent economy and ecology continue to face challenges due to India’s upstream water management decisions. The country has 57 transboundary rivers, 54 shared with India, and disputes over water sharing have persisted since independence. The article highlights how India’s unilateral projects, including dams and barrages such as Farakka, have caused water scarcity and environmental degradation in Bangladesh. The 1996 Ganges Water Treaty between the two countries expires in December 2026, and uncertainty remains over whether it will be renewed or replaced. India’s proposal to base a new framework on water flow at the Farakka point is described as unfair to Bangladesh.

The Teesta River remains another unresolved issue, with India’s upstream control through the Gajoldoba Barrage reducing dry-season flow into Bangladesh. The 2011 Teesta agreement was never implemented due to opposition from West Bengal. Similarly, the 2019 memorandum allowing India to draw water from the Feni River for Tripura residents has sparked controversy, with allegations of excessive withdrawal affecting Bangladeshi farmers.

The article urges Bangladesh to adopt stronger water diplomacy and advocate internationally for equitable transboundary river management under global conventions such as the UN Watercourses Convention and the Helsinki Rules.