Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman has stated that the recent transfer of Sylhet Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Sarwar Alam had no connection with any shrine-related issue. He made the clarification on Tuesday during a regular press briefing at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room in the Secretariat, responding to a journalist’s question.

Dr. Rahman explained that some people online were trying to link the transfer with an incident involving a shrine, but such perceptions were unfounded. He emphasized that the government does not always provide explanations for every administrative decision, as certain matters fall under state confidentiality. He also noted that the Ministry of Public Administration had already issued a statement on the matter.

The adviser added that speculation often arises around government actions due to various interest groups on social media. He reiterated that the government’s official position remains unchanged and that there was no shrine-related issue. He further mentioned that the government supports ensuring transparency in the management of donations at shrines.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for complete adherence to the commitments made in the ongoing discussions with Washington. In a statement posted on social media platform X, he emphasized that the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation.

Pezeshkian stated that progress in this process will be measured by realistic adherence to the accepted responsibilities. He warned that statements made outside the agreed text of the deal do not help advance the negotiations. However, he did not provide further details about which specific remarks he was referring to.

The report noted that it remains unclear which comments Pezeshkian meant, though recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump have been disputed by Iranian officials. Those remarks reportedly included claims that Iran had agreed to allow nuclear inspections and would use released funds to purchase U.S. agricultural products.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to form a special taskforce under the supervision of State Minister for Local Government Mir Shah Alam to intensify field-level activities for preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. The decision was taken on June 23, 2026, at the first meeting of the National Committee on the Prevention of Dengue and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases, held at the Secretariat and chaired by Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The taskforce will oversee, coordinate, and implement urgent measures across relevant agencies.

The meeting emphasized coordinated action among government and non-government institutions, including city corporations, municipalities, and district councils. Several key decisions were adopted, such as distributing awareness materials, engaging schools and communities in prevention campaigns, strengthening cleanliness drives, monitoring mosquito control quality, and identifying and destroying breeding sites. Media and social media awareness efforts will also be expanded.

Participants stressed the need for immediate and coordinated preparations ahead of the monsoon season, highlighting the importance of accelerating field operations and ensuring adequate manpower to implement the committee’s decisions effectively.

Leaders of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee have reached a bipartisan agreement to require social media platforms to provide protective tools and safeguards for parents and children. The deal, announced on Monday by Committee Chair Brett Guthrie and top Democrat Frank Pallone, follows years of debate over how to protect minors online. While specific details were not disclosed, the lawmakers said the initiative would increase accountability for major technology companies.

The agreement excludes a proposed “duty of care” clause that would have required platforms to be designed with child safety in mind, a provision long supported by several lawmakers including Senator Marsha Blackburn. Its omission could complicate the bill’s passage. However, states will still be allowed to enact stricter social media laws, a concession seen as a win for Democrats. The bill must still pass the Senate and receive President Donald Trump’s approval before becoming law.

Major tech firms such as Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok declined to comment on the deal. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of social media’s impact on youth and ongoing lawsuits accusing major platforms of harming children’s mental health.

A severe heatwave has gripped Europe, disrupting daily life and breaking temperature records across multiple countries. On Monday, June 22, temperatures soared to unprecedented levels, with France reporting at least 18 deaths linked to the extreme heat. In Bordeaux, the temperature reached 41.9°C, surpassing previous records, while Poitiers recorded 41.2°C, breaking a 1947 record. Authorities closed or rescheduled classes in several French regions as a precaution.

The UK Met Office warned that the ongoing heatwave could break the country’s June temperature record, forecasting highs of up to 39°C. Spain also faced unusually high temperatures, with forecasts of 40°C in San Sebastián, while Italy issued red alerts in 12 cities due to the heat. Wildlife in Belgium has been affected, with birds suffering from extreme roof temperatures reaching 50–60°C.

Experts attribute the heatwave to an atmospheric pattern known as the “omega block,” which traps warm air over Europe. They note that climate change is intensifying such extreme weather events, increasing both heatwaves and heavy rainfall.

SpaceX’s stock price fell sharply for three consecutive days following its announcement to issue investment-grade bonds. The company, led by Elon Musk, saw its share price drop by 16 percent on Monday to close at $154.60, marking its lowest level since trading began. Over the three-day period, SpaceX’s shares declined by a total of 23 percent, erasing more than $600 billion in market value. Despite the losses, the company remains the world’s sixth-largest by market capitalization, now slightly above $2 trillion.

The sell-off followed SpaceX’s plan to raise at least $20 billion through its first bond issuance to fund its artificial intelligence ambitions. The company also signed a multibillion-dollar deal with AI startup Reflection AI to provide computing resources. Analysts noted that while SpaceX continues to lead in space-launch and related sectors, much of its long-term value is already reflected in its current share price.

Retail investors have shown strong interest since the record $75 billion IPO, purchasing $405 million worth of shares in the first five trading days, though inflows slowed this week.

A feature article published on June 23, 2026, by Rehana Parvin Ruma in 'Amar Desh' profiles several world-renowned individuals who achieved remarkable success despite living with disabilities. The piece emphasizes that physical limitations did not deter these figures from excelling in their respective fields, offering inspiration to those who lose hope after minor failures.

The article recounts the lives of Miguel de Cervantes, who lost a hand in battle but continued writing; composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who created timeless music despite deafness; and Louis Braille, who invented the Braille reading system for the blind. It also highlights French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who continued acting after losing a leg, and inventor Thomas Alva Edison, who became deaf yet produced over two hundred inventions. Helen Keller, both blind and deaf, earned academic degrees and fought for the rights of disabled children, while U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt led his nation effectively despite being paralyzed by polio.

Through these examples, the article underscores resilience and determination as the driving forces behind extraordinary human achievement.

Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodríguez said on Monday that the arrest of former president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces has put the country on the right path. Rodríguez assumed leadership after Maduro was ousted in a U.S.-led operation in Caracas in January 2026. Since then, she has opened Venezuela to private investment and foreign interests, a process closely monitored by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking at an event in Caracas, Rodríguez celebrated the restoration of diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington, describing January 3, 2026, as a turning point in national and international politics. She noted that Venezuela could not have imagined a post-Maduro era a year earlier and said that six months into her leadership, she believes the country is moving in the right direction.

Relations between Venezuela and the United States have resumed after years of isolation, with Washington easing sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry. Maduro remains imprisoned in New York on drug trafficking charges, while his son Nicolás Maduro Guerra attended Monday’s event.

US President Donald Trump has accused NATO member states of failing to provide adequate support during the United States’ military operation in Iran. Speaking at a press conference in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said that despite Washington’s heavy spending, NATO allies were reluctant to assist when the US needed cooperation on smaller matters. He warned that the US might also withhold assistance from NATO countries in the future if such attitudes continued.

According to Trump, NATO partners often show unwillingness to help, which he described as unfair given the US’s financial contributions to the alliance. He suggested that the US could respond in kind, implying a potential shift in Washington’s approach to alliance commitments.

Despite the ongoing strain in relations with NATO, Trump is scheduled to attend the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month, signaling continued engagement amid tensions.

A Project Implementation Officer (PIO) in Debiganj upazila of Panchagarh, Babul Chandra Roy, was withdrawn a day after a video showing him allegedly calculating bribes and commissions went viral. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief issued a circular on Tuesday stating that he was removed from Debiganj and attached to the Department of Disaster Management. The order instructed him to join his new post by June 24, warning that failure to do so would result in immediate release from his current duties. The circular did not specify the reason for his withdrawal.

The video, lasting about four minutes and forty-seven seconds, reportedly showed Babul Chandra Roy using a calculator to determine commission amounts for various projects under TR, Kabikha, and Kabita allocations. The footage spread widely across social media and news outlets, sparking extensive discussion in different circles.

The ministry’s action followed widespread media coverage of the alleged 15 percent commission demand linked to project allocations in Debiganj.

The United States has agreed to partially lift oil sanctions on Iran and release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets. The decision followed an 18-hour negotiation in Switzerland, led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The U.S. Treasury Department announced that Iran will be allowed to sell oil and petrochemical products until August 1.

According to negotiators, the move came after Iran showed serious commitments on nuclear issues and agreed to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). President Donald Trump stated that the released funds would be used to purchase U.S.-made goods, a claim rejected by Iran’s central bank, which insisted Tehran has no obligation to buy American agricultural products.

Ghalibaf defended the talks amid domestic criticism, saying the delegation went to Switzerland to help stop bloodshed in Lebanon. Vice President Vance noted that Iran had made significant concessions, including allowing nuclear inspectors into the country for the first time in years.

Bangladesh will no longer send workers to Malaysia through syndicates, according to Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury. He announced the decision after returning from Malaysia and said that Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister is scheduled to visit Dhaka in July. During that visit, both sides are expected to finalize a transparent and low-cost process for sending workers.

The minister stated that discussions between the two countries on labor recruitment were positive and that both governments share the same position on eliminating syndicates. The announcement follows Prime Minister Tarek Rahman’s two-day official visit to Malaysia, where he met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and senior business leaders.

During the visit, Bangladesh and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation and exchanged documents on counterterrorism research and investment collaboration. Both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, labor, defense, energy, digital economy, and regional issues to elevate their longstanding bilateral relationship.

Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under the administrative supervision of the Islamic Republic of Iran in accordance with international law. His remarks came after the first round of talks between Iran and the United States held in Switzerland, according to Iranian state media.

Following the discussions, both countries agreed to establish a direct communication system to keep the vital maritime route open and to work toward ending the conflict in Lebanon. Ghalibaf described the talks at Switzerland’s Burgenstock resort as productive, citing progress on issues including the Hormuz Strait, the Lebanon conflict, easing of sanctions on Iranian oil, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The United States temporarily suspended some oil sanctions after the talks, while Tehran agreed to allow UN nuclear inspectors back into the country.

Ghalibaf emphasized that this was only the beginning of further efforts. After the Swiss meetings, he also visited Oman, another coastal state bordering the Strait of Hormuz.

Bangladesh’s opposition party Jamaat-e-Islami has finalized its mayoral candidates for eight city corporations ahead of the upcoming local government elections. The decision was made at the party’s central executive council meeting held on Monday at its headquarters in Moghbazar, Dhaka, presided over by party chief and opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Party sources said the selected candidates have been instructed to begin groundwork, and the full list will be officially announced after the election schedule is released.

The finalized candidates include Selim Uddin for Dhaka North, Sadiq Kayem for Dhaka South, Muhammad Shamsuzzaman Helali for Chattogram, Muazzam Hossain Helal for Barishal, Mahfuzur Rahman for Khulna, ATM Azam Khan for Rangpur, Abdul Jabbar for Narayanganj, and Hafizur Rahman for Gazipur. The meeting also reviewed the party’s 2025 organizational report and discussed political, parliamentary, and local election issues.

According to a party statement, the council discussed national political and law-and-order issues, the proposed 2026–2027 budget, border concerns, and the 11-party alliance’s programs, adopting several policy decisions.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman said the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Malaysia was fruitful and that the labor market between the two countries is expected to reopen soon. He made the remarks at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, noting that local government elections could begin in September and all elections would be completed within a year.

According to the adviser, Bangladesh and Malaysia have signed a free trade agreement, which he described as significant. He added that Malaysia will assist Bangladesh in addressing the Rohingya crisis and in joining the ASEAN regional bloc. The adviser also commented on political matters, saying that decisions regarding the Awami League would be made by the International Crimes Tribunal.

The statements indicate that bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and Malaysia is set to expand in trade and labor relations, with potential implications for Bangladesh’s foreign employment sector and regional engagement.