Dhaka district administration has launched a cleanup and beautification drive along the Aminbazar-Hemayetpur road after nearly 20 years. The initiative, directed by the Prime Minister, aims to remove garbage dumps, eliminate foul odors, and enhance the area’s appearance. The program was inaugurated on Saturday at Hemayetpur by State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, with senior district and upazila officials present.

The Prime Minister issued the directive after observing the long-standing waste piles and stench along the road during a recent visit to Singair, Manikganj. Following her instruction, the State Minister ordered the Dhaka district administration to act swiftly. The ongoing project includes transferring waste to designated landfills, filling and stabilizing roadside areas, planting trees such as neem, betel nut, and coconut, and constructing fences to prevent future dumping. Continuous monitoring and legal enforcement will also be strengthened.

Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam stated that the administration, local government division, and related agencies are working jointly to complete the project within the set timeframe and ensure the area remains clean and visually appealing.

The United Nations has reported that the rate of Palestinian displacement in the occupied West Bank has doubled due to a sharp rise in demolitions of homes and structures by Israeli authorities. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 67 Palestinians were newly displaced this month after 24 structures were demolished by Israeli forces.

OCHA stated that the demolitions were carried out on the grounds of lacking building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain from Israeli authorities. The UN agency also reported that more than 3,200 Palestinians have been displaced this year due to settler violence and demolitions linked to permit issues. On average, 17 Palestinians are being displaced daily, double the rate recorded over the past three years.

The data, cited from Al Jazeera, underscores a worsening humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank, with displacement trends showing no sign of slowing.

French authorities have arrested a senior associate of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang, marking a new phase in the global crackdown on the India-based criminal network. The arrest in France is linked to a shooting incident outside comedian Kapil Sharma’s café in Canada. Canadian police have also detained another suspect and ordered the deportation of a different Bishnoi gang member to India. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed that gangster Garinder Dev, also known by several aliases, was arrested in France and will be extradited to Canada.

According to a U.S. Justice Department complaint, Dev allegedly financed the Bishnoi gang and conspired to traffic large quantities of cocaine and heroin across the United States. His name surfaced in connection with a 2025 drug shipment that was intercepted by U.S. agencies. In a separate case, Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Tribunal ordered the deportation of Jashandeep Singh, accused of hiding a weapon used in the same shooting, though no criminal charges have been filed against him.

Authorities in the United States, France, and Canada describe these actions as part of a coordinated international effort to dismantle the Bishnoi gang’s global operations.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain stated that a doctor’s smiling conversation can make a patient half cured. He emphasized that along with medicine, ensuring kind and respectful behavior toward patients is essential. The minister made these remarks on Saturday, July 11, during the 81st founding anniversary celebration of Dhaka Medical College.

Addressing doctors and medical students, the minister urged them to work with humanity, ethics, and a spirit of service. He reminded that the medical profession is not just a job but a noble service dedicated to saving lives. He added that when people face their most difficult times due to illness, they place their greatest trust, after God, in doctors.

The minister’s remarks highlighted the importance of compassionate communication in healthcare and the moral responsibility of medical professionals to uphold patient trust and dignity.

China is constructing one of the world’s largest hydroelectric dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, sparking environmental concerns in Bangladesh and India, as the river flows downstream into both countries. A group of Chinese geologists recently warned that the project site lies directly above an active fault line, posing potential structural risks to the dam.

According to a study supervised by the state-owned China Geological Survey, the Paizhen fault runs through the reservoir area of the project, which began construction last year. Researchers from Chengdu University of Technology and other institutions found that the fault has been active since the Pleistocene era and continues to threaten the stability of dams, bridges, and tunnels in the region. The study also noted that the dam’s foundation and surrounding slopes could weaken, increasing the risk of landslides or collapses during earthquakes or prolonged submersion.

The researchers recommended reinforcing mountain slopes, building retaining walls, and implementing additional safety measures during construction to mitigate seismic and landslide risks.

The counting of donations from the boxes at the historic shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R.) in Sylhet resumed on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., following a 19-day break. The process is being conducted in the shrine premises in the presence of committee members, shrine authorities, madrasa students, and media representatives.

Earlier, on June 12, the first public counting of the donation boxes took place under an initiative by then Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam to ensure financial transparency. On June 18, four new donation boxes were installed, while three traditional donation cauldrons and one box were sealed. The initiative drew nationwide attention, and Sarwar Alam was later reassigned on June 21. The next day, the sealed boxes were opened and counted, revealing a total of Tk 1,765,559, which was deposited in a new Sonali Bank account.

To modernize and ensure accountability in the shrine’s financial management, a 13-member high-level committee was formed on June 26 under Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir. The committee decided on Thursday to resume counting, with officials pledging full transparency and proper deposit of the funds.

At least 15 people have been killed in landslides caused by Typhoon Bavi in the southern Philippines, one of the strongest storms in decades. The typhoon, spanning nearly 1,000 kilometers across the Pacific, is moving toward Taiwan and expected to bring heavy rainfall to northern and eastern Taiwan and parts of Japan before striking southeastern China on Saturday. Hundreds of flights have been canceled, schools closed, and residents have stocked up on supplies as the storm approaches.

In Mindanao, several families were buried overnight as landslides swept through villages, and rescue teams continue searching for the missing. Philippine officials warned that moderate to heavy rain will persist through the weekend. Taiwan’s authorities forecast up to one meter of rainfall and have mobilized 29,000 soldiers for relief operations. The island’s weather bureau described Bavi as the largest storm since 1987.

China has issued warnings of severe impact in Fujian province and beyond, while Japan’s remote islands remain on high alert. Airlines across the region have suspended hundreds of flights, affecting tens of thousands of passengers.

After being closed for one month and 22 days, stone extraction at the Maddhapara hard rock mine in Dinajpur resumed on Saturday morning. Operations had been suspended 52 days earlier when the supply of ammonium nitrate explosives used for underground rock extraction ran out. The resumption followed the import and delivery of new explosive materials, confirmed Md. Amjad Hossain, Managing Director of Maddhapara Granite Mining Company Limited (MGMCL).

According to MGMCL, 88 metric tons of ammonium nitrate have now reached the mine, sufficient for about two and a half months of extraction work. The company has requested a total of 300 metric tons, with the remaining quantity expected to arrive in phases. The mine has faced similar disruptions in previous years due to shortages of explosives, storage constraints, and mechanical issues.

Maddhapara Granite Mining Company Limited, the country’s only underground hard rock mine, began commercial production in May 2007. Around 750 workers currently operate in three shifts, and under a renewed six-year contract with contractor GTC, the mine produces an average of 5,500 metric tons of stone daily.

The Forest Department has constructed five ropeway bridges at different points along the Tangail-Mymensingh regional highway passing through Madhupur National Park. The initiative aims to reduce wildlife deaths caused by animals attempting to cross the busy road that divides the forest into two parts. The ropeways, installed between trees, allow monkeys, langurs, and other arboreal species to move safely across the highway.

According to forest officials, many animals, including monkeys and nocturnal species, were frequently killed by speeding vehicles while crossing the paved road in search of food. Warning signs urging drivers to slow down have not been effective. Local journalist Liton Sarkar noted that the highway sees heavy traffic daily and that animals often die while approaching visitors for food. He suggested creating designated visitor zones and increasing the number of ropeways, as the current five are insufficient for the large forest area.

Officials hope the ropeways will help ensure safer movement for wildlife and reduce fatalities caused by habitat fragmentation and food scarcity in the shrinking Madhupur forest.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that his mother received exceptional human-centered care from Bangladeshi doctors that could not have been found abroad. He made the remarks on Saturday at the 80th founding anniversary celebration of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Rahman explained that although foreign hospitals might offer better technical support and equipment, the compassion and dedication shown by local doctors during his mother’s final days were unmatched. He expressed personal gratitude to those who cared for her.

The Prime Minister described Dhaka Medical College as a living witness to the nation’s history, highlighting its contributions to the Language Movement, the Liberation War, and the anti-autocracy movements. He praised the institution for producing not only skilled physicians but also teachers, researchers, social leaders, and freedom fighters.

Rahman emphasized preventive healthcare, noting that prevention costs the state less than treatment. He announced plans to provide special training for healthcare workers who will visit homes to raise awareness and reduce disease prevalence.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Saturday for discussions focused on bilateral relations and the current regional situation. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, senior Omani officials welcomed him upon arrival. Although the detailed schedule of the visit has not been released, IRNA reported that the tense situation in the Strait of Hormuz is expected to be one of the main topics of discussion.

The visit comes amid renewed tensions between Iran and the United States following recent attacks on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which both sides have blamed on each other. In response to a U.S. strike last Thursday, Tehran launched missile and drone attacks targeting American military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan. These developments follow a memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June, brokered by Pakistan, aimed at reducing military conflict and establishing a lasting peace agreement between Iran and the United States.

Araghchi’s trip to Oman takes place against this backdrop of escalating hostilities, suggesting diplomatic efforts may be underway to ease the crisis.

Nine people were killed in an anti-terror operation in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, according to reports published on July 11, 2026. The operation, ongoing since July 5, has brought the total number of deaths to 88. Pakistan’s army, Frontier Corps, and police have intensified coordinated air and ground actions targeting militant hideouts across the region.

Security sources told Pakistan TV that nine militants were killed in the latest phase of the operation. Authorities stated that the campaign will continue until all militants are eliminated. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti affirmed that the state’s authority will be maintained at any cost and warned that no terrorist will be allowed to escape.

The continued operation underscores the government’s determination to assert control in Balochistan, where security forces are working jointly to dismantle militant networks.

Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, a prominent Bangladeshi scholar, writer, and public intellectual, has passed away. Known for his humility and intellectual rigor, he was deeply engaged in social and political thought, emphasizing the responsibilities of intellectuals toward society. Throughout his career, he inspired students and readers to think critically about the state, society, and human rights. His writings, including nearly thirty books such as 'Bangladesher Prabandha Sahitya' and 'Rastrochintay Bangladesh,' reflected his lifelong commitment to literature, culture, and human liberation.

Haque served as president of the Swadesh Chinta Sangha, an organization founded by Dr. Ahmad Sharif to promote progressive and rational thought. His ideas were shaped by Marxist and socialist influences, and he consistently opposed imperialism and neocolonialism. He was a vocal critic of Western military presence in the Middle East and advocated for global movements against such dominance. His intellectual stance combined nationalism, humanism, and rationalism.

In his later years, Haque proposed a 28-point plan for Bangladesh’s liberation and development, focusing on democracy, secularism, and the upliftment of working people. His death marks the loss of a steadfast voice for justice and free thought in Bangladesh.

In Mirzapur of Tangail, the asphalt layer of a 460-meter road began peeling off just seven days after construction, with small potholes forming and sections sinking under vehicle pressure. Locals alleged that the road, stretching from Gorai Flyover through Jorpukur Par to Bongerteki Green City, deteriorated quickly due to rushed work during bad weather.

According to the Upazila Engineering Office, Bismillah Enterprise was contracted to complete the project for Tk 1.475 million. The company carried out the work hastily amid rain, and the asphalt failed to dry properly before vehicles began using the road. Residents claimed that the contractor did not clean the old surface and used substandard materials with insufficient bitumen.

Bismillah Enterprise owner Tarek Khan said the damage occurred because the work was done during rain and promised to repair the affected parts. Upazila LGED engineer Monirul Saj Rizon confirmed that the contractor has not yet been paid and will not receive payment until proper repairs are completed.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on Iran and the United States to adhere to their previously announced commitments and the memorandum of understanding signed between them. The appeal came during a recent phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, where Sharif expressed deep concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East.

During the discussion, Sharif emphasized the urgent need to restore regional peace and stability, stressing that both Washington and Tehran must uphold the pledges made in last month’s memorandum. According to the report, Pakistan has long served as a key mediator in behind-the-scenes diplomacy between the two nations.

Islamabad has urged both sides to exercise restraint to maintain peace in the current volatile situation, reflecting Pakistan’s continued role in promoting dialogue and stability in the region.