A team from RAB-14 recovered a homemade pistol during a late-night operation in Purbadhala upazila of Netrokona district. The raid took place around 1:10 a.m. on Thursday in the Manushura area of Jaria Union, following intelligence that several arms traders were present for illegal arms trading. No arrests were made during the operation.

According to RAB-14 sources, the suspects attempted to flee upon sensing the presence of law enforcement. In their haste, they left behind a red market bag at the scene. RAB members later recovered the bag and, in the presence of witnesses, found a locally made pistol inside. The weapon was seized, and legal procedures were initiated.

RAB stated that efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspects who escaped. The recovered firearm has been handed over to Purbadhala Police Station for further legal action.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday. The meeting was confirmed by Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Hossain Swadhin.

During the meeting, the British High Commissioner expressed hope that relations between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom would strengthen further under the current government. Discussions included proposals for British cooperation in technical education and training sectors, as well as opportunities to expand trade and British investment in Bangladesh, which could create new employment opportunities.

Sarah Cook also conveyed British interest in investing in the aviation sector following the opening of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir were present at the meeting.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in the National Parliament building on Thursday. The meeting was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Hossain Swadhin.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chinese ambassador congratulated Bangladesh on the election of Dr. Khalilur Rahman as President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 2026–2027 session. During the discussion, both sides emphasized enhancing bilateral relations between China and Bangladesh, focusing on trade, investment, technical education, and strengthening people-to-people ties.

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir were also present at the meeting, which highlighted the ongoing commitment to deepen cooperation between the two nations.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Ali Khamenei confirmed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, stating that the initiative was driven primarily by Washington’s eagerness rather than Tehran’s. He said Iranian officials worked sincerely, but the U.S. side, led by its president, showed the most urgency and pressure to finalize the deal. Khamenei acknowledged having personal reservations but approved the agreement after Iran’s president pledged to protect national and resistance front interests.

The memorandum, titled the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” was signed during a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles following the G7 summit. Macron announced that the deal would pave the way for lasting peace and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The formal signing ceremony is still planned to take place in Geneva, Switzerland.

Under the terms, the U.S. will lift its naval blockade on Iran within 30 days and withdraw forces from surrounding areas within another 30 days, while Iran will ensure safe commercial shipping for 60 days. Both sides now have 60 days to negotiate a final agreement.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan informed the National Parliament that the government has adopted a long-term plan for the treatment, rehabilitation, employment, and monthly honorarium of fighters injured in the July uprising. He made the statement on Thursday in response to a written question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Rokeya Begum.

According to the minister, injured July fighters are receiving free medical services at government hospitals, and those seriously wounded are being sent abroad for advanced treatment based on medical board recommendations. So far, 152 fighters have been sent to Thailand, Singapore, Turkey, and Russia, with 102 returning after treatment and 50 still under care abroad. A database of 3,241 interested families and fighters has been created for welfare and rehabilitation, and 1,937 names have been forwarded to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for training and rehabilitation.

Out of 14,369 gazetted July fighters, 13,344 are currently receiving monthly honoraria directly in their bank accounts, with payments for the remaining fighters under process.

Seventeen days after losing her husband, 28-year-old Rokshana Begum of Chattogram received financial assistance from District Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam. Her husband, Suman Ahmed, a 37-year-old rickshaw puller, had died after three months of illness, leaving behind Rokshana and their two young children without any income. With savings exhausted on medical expenses, she struggled to pay rent and meet daily needs, prompting her to seek help from the district administration.

Rokshana’s written appeal described her family’s dire condition and was reviewed by the DC, known for his humanitarian initiatives. Upon receiving the application, he arranged immediate financial support for the family. Officials noted that losing the sole breadwinner often pushes families into deep uncertainty, especially affecting children’s futures.

Rokshana expressed gratitude, saying the DC personally listened to her situation and offered both financial help and encouragement for her children’s education. The DC stated that while the aid might not solve all her problems, it conveyed the message that she is not alone. The assistance provided initial relief and renewed hope for Rokshana’s ongoing struggle to rebuild her life.

Three people died in separate lightning strikes in Kendua and Madan upazilas of Netrokona on Thursday morning. The incidents occurred between early dawn and morning hours. The victims were identified as Shamsul Huda, 55, of Digli village in Kendua; Ashraful Islam, 25, of Dauki village in the same upazila; and Rajib, 24, of Kaital village in Madan. All three were struck by lightning while engaged in outdoor activities near their homes.

According to police and local sources, Shamsul Huda was fishing in a nearby wetland when lightning struck, killing him instantly. Around the same time, Ashraful Islam was hit near a canal in Dauki area, while Rajib was electrocuted by lightning while checking a fishing trap near his house. Police and local representatives visited the sites, recovered the bodies, and began legal procedures. Kendua Police Station’s officer-in-charge confirmed the deaths and said the bodies would be handed over to the families after completing formalities.

Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious during thunderstorms as the region continues to experience unstable weather conditions.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud bin Harun said the ongoing energy shortage, particularly in gas supply, has become the biggest challenge for investors in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Thursday during a workshop titled “Investment Flow and Facilities in Bangladesh,” organized by BIDA with participation from journalists. Mahmud noted that resolving the crisis is urgent but cannot be achieved overnight, estimating it may take one and a half to two years even if work begins immediately.

He explained that much of his official time is now spent coordinating with the Ministry of Energy, as renewable energy alone cannot meet industrial electricity demand. Mahmud added that new power stations would still require gas, which current infrastructure cannot adequately supply. He also stated that foreign investment proposals have increased by about 40 percent since last year’s investment summit, though implementation is delayed due to election-related uncertainty and global conflicts affecting fuel supply.

Mahmud further mentioned plans to prioritize domestic investors this year and highlighted upcoming cooperation with China, including economic zones in Anwara and Mongla. He also discussed reforms such as the new “BanglaBiz” one-stop gateway and a unified business identification number to simplify investor services.

Dhaka University has once again been named the top university in Bangladesh in the ‘QS World University Rankings 2027: Top Global Universities,’ published by UK-based education and research organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) on June 18, 2026. The university also maintained its position among the world’s top 600 institutions. This year, QS evaluated a total of 1,504 universities worldwide based on nine indicators, assigning each a maximum score of 100 to determine final rankings.

Dhaka University achieved an overall score of 28.3, with the same score in Academic Reputation, reflecting its longstanding contribution to higher education and research. It performed strongly in Employment Outcomes with a score of 95.0, and in Employer Reputation with 50.8, indicating strong graduate acceptance in the job market. The university also scored 61.1 in International Research Network and 60.6 in Sustainability, highlighting progress in global collaboration and social responsibility.

However, the university scored lower in Citations per Faculty (8.0), Faculty-Student Ratio (8.0), International Faculty Ratio (2.0), and International Student Ratio (1.4), suggesting room for improvement in research output and internationalization.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has suspended South African midfielder Themba Zwane for three matches following his red card in the World Cup opening match against Mexico. The decision was announced after reviewing the severity of the foul committed during the game at Azteca Stadium, where South Africa lost 2–0 to the host nation. Zwane, aged 36, was sent off in the 84th minute for striking Mexican defender Roberto Alvarado in the face, just 20 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

The match saw two red cards for South Africa, with midfielder Sphelele Sithole also dismissed earlier in the game, leaving the team with nine players. South Africa’s coach Hugo Broos accepted Sithole’s red card but expressed mild disagreement over Zwane’s dismissal, suggesting the incident might not have warranted such a severe punishment.

Under World Cup regulations, a red card typically results in a one-match suspension. However, FIFA extended Zwane’s ban to three matches due to the foul’s intensity, while confirming that the South African Football Federation retains the right to appeal the decision.

Independent Member of Parliament Rumin Farhana expressed frustration in the Bangladesh National Parliament, stating that no party—neither the ruling nor the opposition—was willing to take responsibility for her. She made the remarks on Thursday while participating in the general discussion on the proposed 2026–2027 national budget. During the session, which was chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal, she requested additional time from the Speaker to discuss issues concerning her constituency.

Farhana explained that she needed a few extra minutes to highlight development matters in her area, emphasizing that she belonged to neither the government nor the opposition. Addressing the Speaker directly, she appealed for the use of his special discretion to grant her the extra time. Her comments underscored the challenges faced by independent lawmakers in securing procedural support within parliamentary discussions.

The exchange took place during the ongoing budget debate, reflecting the procedural and representational difficulties encountered by non-affiliated members in Bangladesh’s parliamentary system.

A group of activists from the banned Awami League, along with its prohibited student and youth wings, staged a sudden procession in Dhaka’s Mohakhali area on Thursday morning and detonated several crude bombs. The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. near the Mohakhali Bus Terminal, spreading panic among locals. Police later detained three individuals identified as Mizanur Rahman Hawlader, Shamim Ar Baby, and Shamim Hossain.

Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mahbubur Rahman confirmed the incident, stating that the group set off four to five explosive devices before fleeing. Law enforcement launched an immediate operation and arrested three suspects from the scene. Authorities said legal action would be taken against those detained and that an investigation was underway to determine who was involved and the motive behind the explosions.

The report also noted that a similar flash procession by Awami League activists in Dhaka last Friday led to the arrest of eight people, who were later placed on four-day remand by the court.

Bangladesh-linked deposits in Swiss banks increased by 41 percent in 2025, reaching 834.2 million Swiss francs, equivalent to about 12,759 crore taka. The data, released by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) on Thursday, showed that deposits had been 589.5 million francs in 2024. This marks the second-highest level after 2021, when deposits peaked at 871.1 million francs.

According to the SNB’s annual report “Banks in Switzerland,” the sharp rise in 2025 was mainly driven by deposits from Bangladeshi banks, which grew 43 percent to 822.7 million francs. These accounted for 98.6 percent of total Bangladesh-linked deposits, up from 97.8 percent in 2024. Bank officials in Bangladesh said such placements are part of normal banking operations and not indicative of illicit assets. Personal deposits, however, fell by about 10 percent to 11.4 million francs.

The SNB report also noted that Switzerland now exchanges financial account data with 101 countries under the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework, but Bangladesh has yet to commit to joining. Among South Asian nations, Bangladesh ranked second after India in total deposits for 2025.

Dr. Md. Mohibul Ahsan has been elected president and Md. Golam Dastagir general secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Officers Association in its 11th executive committee election. The voting took place on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UGC auditorium, and the results were announced by Chief Election Commissioner Mosammat Jesmin Parvin, Director of the International Cooperation Division. The newly elected 11-member committee will serve for the next two years.

Dr. Ahsan currently serves as Additional Director of the Public University Management Division, while Dastagir is Deputy Director of the Public Relations and Publications Division. Other elected members include two vice presidents, a joint secretary, and several departmental secretaries. The election was conducted in a festive and cordial atmosphere, according to the chief election commissioner, who urged stronger cooperation among officers.

In his post-election remarks, Dr. Ahsan pledged to represent all UGC officers, implement his election commitments, and promote a discrimination-free and merit-based work environment.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that no member of the current parliament is a loan defaulter. He clarified that while some members may have outstanding loans, none have been declared defaulters by a court. The minister made these remarks on Thursday in response to a point of order raised by Opposition Chief Whip and National Citizens Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam.

Ahmed explained that under the Representation of the People Order and related regulations, anyone declared a loan defaulter by a court is deemed ineligible to contest parliamentary elections. Therefore, those who have been elected to parliament cannot be considered loan defaulters under the law.

He further noted that any claim suggesting that loan defaulters were nominated in the current parliament contradicts the legal interpretation of eligibility criteria for members of parliament.