'Help me return to my country with my child'

Indian woman, child sent to jail in Lalmonirhat on charges of illegal entry
5 MIN(s) ago

The real test of the education budget will be in the classroom

When I look at the proposed education budget for FY-2026-27, I don’t first think about allocations or percentages of GDP.
16 MIN(s) ago

Koeman wary of Morocco threat despite topping group

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was taking nothing for granted after his side sealed top spot in Group F with a 3-1 win over Tunisia on Thursday, warning that next opponents Morocco would provide a formidable test in the World Cup round of 32.
16 MIN(s) ago

‘Roid’ selected for review on a major US national broadcast platform

The achievement marks a historic moment for Bangladeshi cinema. NPR, one of the most influential public broadcasting organisations in the United States, operates through more than 1,000 radio stations nationwide and regularly features in-depth discussions and reviews of films by some of the world's most celebrated filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg.
16 MIN(s) ago

Noakhali Chhatra Dal activist allegedly shot following row over watching World Cup match

Family blames local Awami League activists, while police cite conflicting accounts and say the incident remains under investigation
23 MIN(s) ago

Govt failed to deliver post-uprising reforms, good governance: Jamaat chief

Institutions that enabled authoritarian rule remain unchanged, says Shafiqur Rahman
27 MIN(s) ago

Daisy Edgar-Jones to lead new adaptation of ‘Sense and Sensibility’

Daisy Edgar-Jones is set to bring one of Jane Austen’s most beloved heroines to life in a new adaptation of “Sense and Sensibility”. The first trailer for the upcoming film was released yesterday (June 25), offering audiences a glimpse of the latest retelling of the literary classic.
35 MIN(s) ago

Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s ‘Hawa’ and ‘Roid’ screen together at Star Cineplex

Audiences will have the opportunity to watch two of director Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s acclaimed films on the big screen as “Hawa” and “Roid” are set for a joint theatrical run at Star Cineplex from today.
40 MIN(s) ago

Film Artistes’ Association election set for July 3

The Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association will hold its biennial election on July 3, with voting scheduled from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).
54 MIN(s) ago

‘Bangladesh’s Purest Artist’: Remembering Safiuddin Ahmed

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s Fine Arts Department organised a commemorative discussion on Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed, one of the pioneering figures of modern Bangladeshi art and printmaking, marking his 104th birth anniversary at the Milanayatan of the National Art Gallery in Dhaka on Tuesday (June 23).
58 MIN(s) ago

‘Argentina fans trolled us’, says Brazil fan and Bangladesh keeper Zico

Being an avid Brazil fan, Bangladesh national team goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico has been enjoying every match of the Selecao, along with the other key FIFA World Cup fixtures. Zico recently spoke to The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman about Brazil's progress at the World Cup, the evolving role of goalkeepers, and his own professional future. Below are excerpts:
1 hour(s) ago

Bangladesh urges China to reduce trade gap

Dhaka is seeking to deepen ties with China, one of ​its largest trading partners and development financiers
1 hour(s) ago

Theatre troupe Palakar launches rooftop studio with play ‘Hajar Churashi’

Set in the cold confines of a government hospital morgue, the play centres on the lifeless body of a young man named Shubho, identified only by the tag number 1084 after sacrificing his life resisting oppression.
1 hour(s) ago

What's missing from the FY2026-27 climate budget

The climate budget proposed for FY2026-2027 seems good on paper but, at the same time, confusing, and has missed some obvious opportunities.
1 hour(s) ago

Madrasa teacher held over attempted rape of student in Tongi

Locals beat the 55-year-old teacher and handed him over to the police
1 hour(s) ago

SRK celebrates 34 years in Bollywood in Mangalore

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan marked 34 remarkable years in the film industry with a memorable homecoming to Mangalore, delighting thousands of fans at a special event in Karnataka.
1 hour(s) ago
2 hour(s) ago

Ashura being observed in Bangladesh

Processions, prayers and strict security mark the day of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom
2 hour(s) ago

Digital protection of data must improve

Increasingly, it seems that citizens’ personal data is the least safe with our own government.
2 hour(s) ago

‘Not a pushover’: Japan coach reminds their win over Brazil in previous game before WC clash

Brazil are one of the world's top teams but Japan will not be pushovers when the two sides meet in Houston in their World Cup last-32 clash, coach Hajime Moriyasu said on Thursday after his side finished runners-up in Group F.
2 hour(s) ago

Venezuelans search for survivors after quakes kill at least 235

7.2m and 7.5m quakes hit northern Venezuela within less than a minute of each other on Wednesday night
2 hour(s) ago

Turkey beat US 3-2 with last-gasp winner

Substitute Kaan Ayhan scored the winner for the already-eliminated Turks eight minutes into added time against a much-changed USA team, who move into the last 32.
2 hour(s) ago

Tarique joins meeting with Xi Jinping

The prime minister arrived in Beijing yesterday, where he was accorded the highest state honours, including a ceremonial red-carpet reception
3 hour(s) ago

Australia reach World Cup knockouts after goalless draw with Paraguay

In a stop-start game fraught with wayward tackles and poor finishing, it was Australia who had most of the chances, with Cristian Volpato and Jackson Irvine forcing saves from the keeper and Jordan Bos twice going painfully close late in the game.
3 hour(s) ago

How reading initiatives in my school made me a better reader

Bishwo Shahitto Kendro's book-reading programme and the British Council’s reading challenge introduced me to many classic novels.
3 hour(s) ago

Does Bangladesh really have a box office?

The term “box office hit” is familiar to most filmgoers. But what exactly is a box office, and does Bangladesh’s film industry truly have one?
3 hour(s) ago

We need stronger medico-legal capacity to handle custodial torture cases

Earlier this week, the death of a young man in police custody in Faridpur raised allegations of torture by agitated locals.
4 hour(s) ago

FIFA World Cup: Worst group-stage performances from Bolivia to Tunisia

Tunisia's miserable World Cup campaign ended with zero points and a minus-10 goal difference after three Group F games following a 3-1 defeat by the Netherlands on Thursday.
4 hour(s) ago

Disappearing middle class and the decline of Dhaka's club culture

Explore the structural decline of Dhaka's middle class and how political patronage and globalization emptied our clubs.
4 hour(s) ago

Why does the bride always leave? Rethinking South Asian marriage

The question of why families have historically invested less in a daughter's education stops being a story about backward attitudes and becomes a story about incentives.
4 hour(s) ago

What lies behind the Jamaat chief's 'civil war' remark?

It is customary for politicians to campaign against the other side: the opposition speaks against the government and the government against the opposition.
5 hour(s) ago

Pride flags allowed at Egypt-Iran World Cup clash: FIFA

Friday's game is part of city-wide events to celebrate Pride in Seattle, and was designated as the "Pride Match" by local officials before the identities of the teams involved was known.
5 hour(s) ago

Dutch march into knockouts as group winners to book Morocco date

The Netherlands overcame sorry Tunisia 3-1 on Thursday to top World Cup Group F, avoiding a tricky encounter with Brazil in the last 32.
6 hour(s) ago

Japan to play Brazil in knockouts after nervy Sweden draw

Japan through to World Cup last 32 after 1-1 draw with Sweden
6 hour(s) ago

Plata, Pepe dream bigger after Ecuador, Ivory Coast clinch historic knockout berths

Ecuador hero Gonzalo Plata said his side's dramatic route to the World Cup knockout rounds made the achievement even more special, while Ivory Coast forward Nicolas Pepe insisted the Elephants are "setting no limits" after reaching the last 32 for the first time in their history.
6 hour(s) ago

FIFA World Cup 2026 sets all-time attendance record

With 48 matches remaining in the World Cup, total attendance could conceivably nearly double the 1994 record, which came during an era in which the World Cup contained only 52 matches. Stadiums have been more than 99% full on average.
6 hour(s) ago

The night Ecuador refused to fall

This gallery captures the raw, kinetic energy of a giant-killing.
8 hour(s) ago

Pepe brace sends Ivory Coast to first-ever knockouts

Pepe's somewhat unlikely brace in this Group E finale helped the Ivorians (2-1-0, 6 points) finish second while eliminating debutants Curacao from contention. Les Elephants finished third in their group in their three previous World Cup appearances from 2006-14.
8 hour(s) ago

Ecuador fight back to shock Germany and reach knockout stage

Needing a win -- or a miracle -- to keep their hopes alive, the South Americans suffered the worst possible start when already-qualified Germany struck in the second minute, with Leroy Sane opening his account at a major international tournament in his 15th appearance at one.
9 hour(s) ago

Latham, Conway break 96-year-old record before Stokes breakthrough

The two 34-year-olds' partnership was the highest for any New Zealand wicket in a Test against England, surpassing the 276 shared by Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills at Wellington back in 1930.
9 hour(s) ago

Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball heads to auction as collectables soar

The item, which the auctioneers describe as the “holy grail” for collectors, could fetch a price comparable to the $9.2 million paid in 2022 for Maradona’s match-worn shirt from the same game, according to the auction house.
11 hour(s) ago

Schick retires from international football after World Cup exit

The 30-year-old played 56 times for the national team, scoring 26 goals.
11 hour(s) ago

Neymar inspires, Vinicius delivers

If not Neymar, then who? The answer to that question, often asked whenever doubts emerge around Brazil, is being delivered by Vinicius Junior at this World Cup -- perhaps without the attention he deserves, but certainly with greater conviction than ever before.
26 June 2026, 00:30 AM
26 June 2026, 00:19 AM

The fault in ‘Brazilliance’, and CR7’s evolving character arc

If observed closely enough, post-goal rituals can serve as a Rorschach test for a squad’s internal dynamics, occasionally revealing hairline cracks in the armour that a flashing scoreboard tries to hide.
26 June 2026, 00:13 AM

Weak business models stall agricultural insurance: experts

The key challenge facing agricultural insurance in Bangladesh is not a lack of demand, but the absence of viable business models and risk-sharing mechanisms needed to scale the sector, experts said yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Man held for throwing dog into Meghna

Police in Narsingdi have arrested a man for allegedly tying a brick around a dog’s neck and throwing it into a river after a video of the incident circulated on social media.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Trump teases F-35 access for Turkey

US President Donald Trump said his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be “very happy” when asked Wednesday about giving Turkey access to F-35 fighter jets.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Keep freedom fighters’ allowance above all others

Kishoreganj-4 BNP MP and freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman yesterday demanded that the allowance for freedom fighters be set at least one taka higher than that provided to any other group, including July uprising activists and the families of those martyred in the movement.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

IFIC Bank clients to get benefits on Transcom Electronics products

IFIC Bank PLC on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Transcom Electronics Limited, an electronics manufacturer, distributor and multi-brand retailer in Bangladesh, to offer discounts and other benefits on Transcom Electronics products to its customers.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

‘Invest in women-led climate adaptation’

Youth groups, women and community-based organisations from the coastal belt yesterday placed a 10-point declaration, calling for loans on easy terms for vulnerable communities and special investment in women-led climate adaptation and the blue economy.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Baking heatwave gives Europe no respite

At least 101 million Europeans were expected to experience temperatures of over 35C yesterday, in an increasingly deadly heatwave hotter than weather in parts of Africa.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Editors’ Council demands probe into assault on journalists

The Editors’ Council has demanded a swift, impartial and credible investigation into the attack on journalists covering a political programme in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

MetLife settles Tk 669cr claims in Q1 2026

MetLife Bangladesh settled more than Tk 669 crore in insurance claims during the January-March quarter of 2026, the highest among all life insurance companies in the country for the period.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

CCC scraps Tk 30,000cr monorail plan

The Chattogram City Corporation has cancelled a proposed Tk 30,000 crore monorail project after the Egyptian embassy warned that the person behind the initiative had no affiliation with the two leading Egyptian construction firms with which the city corporation had signed an MoU.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

‘Everything collapsed’

In Catia La Mar on Venezuela’s coast, residents awoke yesterday to scenes of devastation after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck west of Caracas.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

BSF ‘takes back 16 after failed push‑ins’

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has reportedly taken back at least 16 people after it failed to push the individuals into Bangladesh in two districts since Wednesday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Prime Bank honours 7 entrepreneurs ahead of World MSME Day 2026

Prime Bank PLC yesterday honoured seven entrepreneurs from different regions of the country in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector marking the World MSME Day 2026.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Youth beaten to death over alleged mobile phone theft

A youth was allegedly beaten to death by a mob over accusations of stealing mobile phones from worshippers during Fajr prayers at a mosque in Munshiganj’s Sreenagar upazila yesterday morning.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Upazila health complexes: 880 diagnostic machines lying dysfunctional

Nearly 485 X-ray and about 395 ultrasound machines at upazila health complexes across the country are currently out of order, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain told parliament yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

60% e-return filers show no taxable income: Salehuddin

Some 60 percent of people who filed e-returns reported no taxable income, former finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said yesterday, describing the finding from his tenure under the interim government.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

No precise data on imams, muezzins

Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain yesterday told parliament that the government does not have precise statistics on the number of imams and muezzins currently serving in Bangladesh.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

‘We hugged each other and ran’

Scenes of panic, collapsing buildings and desperate rescues are the scenes described by Venezuelans caught in magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck the country within seconds of each other.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Sanem flags budget imbalance between power, energy divisions

Bangladesh’s latest national budget heavily favours power generation over energy, with the Power Division receiving more than six times the allocation of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD).
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

‘Prove graft claim against me, I’ll resign’

National Citizen Party (NCP) MP Hasnat Abdullah yesterday declared in parliament that he would resign if any investigation proves his involvement in corruption.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

No govt free of custodial deaths since 2001

Custodial deaths have occurred under every government over the past two and a half decades, speakers said at a discussion marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

The orphan CEO

My office is slowly becoming a corporate emergency ward. CEOs walk in not with ECG reports, but with bruised egos, unsigned exit letters and bonuses that have developed a terminal illness.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

21,988 river grabbers in 64 districts

At least 21,988 illegal occupiers of the country’s rivers have been identified nationwide, Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told parliament yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Any new Hormuz route ‘unacceptable’

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps yesterday warned shipowners that any new transit route through the Strait of Hormuz established without coordination with Tehran is “unacceptable and dangerous,” threatening actions against vessels that ignore its instructions.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Oil slide softens dollar’s inflationary bite

When the US dollar jumps, the rest of the world holds its breath, awaiting the bout of imported inflation that often follows. The sound you hear now, however, may be a collective sigh of relief.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

July anniversary: 11-party declares 36-day event

The Jamaat-led 11-party alliance yesterday announced a 36-day programme from July 1 to mark the second anniversary of the July uprising.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Claire Adam on ‘Love Forms’, memory, and going home

In Love Forms (Faber, 2025), acclaimed Trinidadian-British writer Claire Adam explores motherhood, memory, loss, and belonging through the story of a woman searching for the daughter she was forced to give up as a teenager.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Scientists study 3 sisters over 100 for longevity clues

What is the secret to a long life? Three Brazilian sisters with a combined age of 316, who were named by Guinness this month as the oldest living trio of siblings in the world, may help researchers find out.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Sreemangal BSCIC estate draws just one factory in 7 years

A Tk 50 crore industrial estate in tea capital Sreemangal has remained almost abandoned for seven years, with high plot prices, a lack of basic utility services and administrative complications keeping investors away.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Keepers of stories, guardians of secrets

Attributes that we associate with grandma would usually be kind, loving, pious, obedient, modest, patient, nurturing, always the one to create wonders in the kitchen; keeper of family recipes and secrets, the one who knows when you need a hug and when a white lie to save you from your parents’ wrath won’t really harm anyone.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

China pledges full support for Teesta management

China has pledged its full support for the management of the Teesta and other rivers in Bangladesh as the two countries signed at least 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) yesterday covering political, economic, and strategic cooperation.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Cargo villages should be built outside airports

Separate cargo villages should be built outside airports with modern storage facilities to tackle the ongoing cargo backlogs, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Bring paramedics into health system

Government officials, researchers, and public health experts yesterday called for formal recognition and integration of community paramedics into the national health system.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

‘The Emperor of Gladness’: On living only once

I didn’t want to finish reading The Emperor of Gladness. This feeling invariably revisits me when I deeply enjoy reading a book, becoming completely attached to the characters through a surrender to the ‘willful suspension of disbelief’. This novel deals with the expansive forms of love, loss, belonging and the impulses that shape the fragile lives of people left at the edges of America.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

India to resume issuing tourist visas from Sunday

India has announced the resumption of tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens from June 28, nearly two years after they were suspended following the 2024 political changeover.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

BB steps up Bangla QR push

The Bangladesh Bank yesterday organised a day-long campaign at its headquarters to promote the use of Bangla QR codes for digital payments, with the interoperable system set to become mandatory from July 1 for all merchant payment points.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Raise revenue, curb waste to avoid debt risk

Bangladesh must broaden its tax base, improve public spending, and reduce dependence on borrowing to avoid rising fiscal risks, speakers said at a discussion yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

France shuts down nuclear reactors in heatwave precaution

France’s main energy provider yesterday shut down two nuclear reactors as an environmental protection measure to avoid discharging too much hot water into rivers already warming in a record-breaking heatwave.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Bribes rose 15.9% during interim govt

As much as Tk 12,633.2 crore was paid in bribes during the period of the interim government in service sectors, up 15.9 percent from 2023, found the Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) latest National Household Survey.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Debt repayment a major challenge, says Khosru

Repaying a huge amount of accumulated debt has become one of the biggest challenges in rebuilding the country’s economy and creating a new financial framework, as the government’s fiscal space remains limited, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Vitamin A target far exceeds measles drive

The government is set to launch its nationwide Vitamin A Plus Campaign on June 28, targeting 2.40 crore children aged six months to under five years -- 58 lakh more than the target set for the measles-rubella campaign for the same age bracket earlier this year.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Mother, three daughters killed in Lakshmipur

A woman and her three daughters were killed in an attack at their rented home in Lakshmipur’s Raipur upazila yesterday, while the suspected attacker was later beaten to death by a mob, police said.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Business leaders oppose 0.2% AIT on retail supplies

Business leaders have urged the government to withdraw the proposed 0.2 percent advance income tax (AIT) on supplies made to retailers, saying it would create complications for businesses and increase compliance costs.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Nearly 82 lakh people addicted to illicit drugs

Nearly 82 lakh people in Bangladesh are addicted to illicit drugs, accounting for 4.88 percent of the country’s population, said Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

ADP spending in Jul-May lowest in 5 years

Bangladesh’s Annual Development Programme (ADP) expenditure fell to a five-year low of 48.23 percent in the July-May period of the current fiscal year due to poor project readiness, procurement and land acquisition delays, and weak coordination among implementing agencies.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Lanka arrests ex-justice minister’s son

Sri Lankan authorities yesterday arrested the son of a former justice minister for allegedly accepting a bribe to secure the release of a suspected drug kingpin extradited from Madagascar.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Venezuela twin quakes kill 188

Desperate Venezuelans battled yesterday to rescue loved ones trapped alive beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings after two major earthquakes killed at least 188 people.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

PM invites China firms to join Bangladesh’s growth story

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has invited Chinese companies to expand their manufacturing and supply networks into Bangladesh and co-author the “next great Asian economic miracle.”
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Taliban bans use of smartphones for officials

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has ordered a nationwide ban on civil servants’ smartphone use, a military court order showed, prompting warnings from rights activists that the move could further restrict access to information.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

The forest mothers

A mother Asian Paradise Flycatcher feeds an insect to her hungry fledgling beneath the cool canopy of a tree in Poba, Rajshahi.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Private firms to buy bad loans, take over companies

The government has proposed a new law that would allow private firms to buy bad loans from banks, seize mortgaged assets and take control of indebted companies.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Ukraine drone attacks kill 5 in Russia, Crimea

Ukrainian drone strikes killed five people, including two children, in Russia and on the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula, in attacks that also triggered a fire at a major oil depot in the country’s south, local officials said yesterday.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM

Holy Ashura today

Holy Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), is being observed in the country today with due religious fervour and solemnity.
26 June 2026, 00:00 AM