In Sreepur, Gazipur, armed assailants attacked police multiple times to snatch Suman Mia, an accused involved in several cases. During the incident near Tengra Road, seven officers were injured, and attackers also targeted two police vehicles. Suman was initially detained by the Detective Branch near Trimohoni Bridge but forcibly taken after repeated assaults in Bormi, Satkhamair, and Tengra Dibar Par areas. Local BNP and Jamaat activists protested the incident, alleging links between the criminal and NCP leaders, while police intensified efforts to recapture him.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained 122 boatmen and crew members in the Naf River for allegedly fishing in Myanmar’s territorial waters. The operation, conducted from Mohona to Jaliapara on Friday morning, involved 19 fishing boats. Among those detained, 29 were local residents and 93 were Rohingya.

Officials noted that Bangladeshi fishermen are often detained by the Arakan Army for crossing maritime boundaries, prompting heightened vigilance and strict enforcement by the Coast Guard.

Lisa Cook, a governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, challenging his attempt to remove her from office. In her legal petition, Cook has requested the court to declare Trump’s dismissal order “illegal and null.”

The lawsuit also names Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell as a co-defendant. Trump has accused Cook of providing false information regarding her mortgage records and claims that the Constitution gives him the authority to remove her from her position.

Cook has previously stated that there is no “legitimate legal basis” for her dismissal under U.S. law. According to reports from the BBC, the move by Trump comes amid his dissatisfaction with the Federal Reserve’s reluctance to lower interest rates. As a member of the board responsible for setting U.S. interest rates, Cook’s role places her at the center of this high-stakes confrontation.

Amid rising U.S. tariff pressures, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Tokyo to attend the two-day annual summit beginning Friday.

The visit is expected to strengthen strategic relations between Japan and India, with discussions focusing on rare mineral partnerships and Japanese investment in high-value sectors in India. Meanwhile, both countries plan to discuss enhanced cooperation under the regional security alliance framework. Modi’s visit is also seen as a key step in strengthening the Quad alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.

A Tk 35.5 crore project in Bhangaura Municipality, Pabna, aimed at providing arsenic-free drinking water, remains non-functional more than a decade after its launch. Substandard materials and widespread corruption prevented its operation, yet six employees continue to receive salaries, costing the municipality nearly Tk 20 lakh annually. Investigations confirmed irregularities, but no actions were taken. Residents remain deprived of clean water, while authorities cite lack of funds to repair pump houses and continue other municipal duties.

The United Kingdom has repatriated 15 Bangladeshi nationals accused of violating immigration laws. The returnees were sent on a special charter flight from London’s Stansted Airport via Islamabad, arriving in Dhaka on Friday. The passengers included both men and women, some with valid passports and others with expired ones, hailing from districts such as Sylhet, Comilla, and Dhaka. The UK authorities, coordinating with Bangladesh, are taking strict measures against illegal immigrants, with repatriation forming part of their enforcement efforts.

The Directorate of Madrasa Education has issued an urgent directive requiring full cooperation in the recruitment, joining, and MPO inclusion process of NTRCA-recommended teachers at private madrasas. Letters have been sent to principals, acting heads, and other officials of MPO-registered institutions. Complaints have emerged about delays due to absent committees or heads. Institutions must follow proper procedures through acting principals, ad hoc committees, or local administration. Non-compliance may result in suspension of MPO benefits and legal action under relevant regulations.

A sudden cloudburst late Thursday night unleashed massive landslides in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts, sweeping away houses and flooding villages. The Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers are flowing above danger levels, inundating temples and homes. Several people are missing, while rescue efforts by NDRF, SDRF, and the army face challenges due to collapsed mountain roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured ongoing relief measures. Authorities issued an orange alert in multiple districts, warning of more heavy rain and worsening conditions.

The University of East Anglia (UK), in collaboration with MH Global Group, plans to open a branch campus in Bangladesh, supported by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The initiative, backed by the Bangladesh Army, will also introduce joint and dual degree programs with Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) and the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST). The project aims to enhance higher education quality, offer opportunities in emerging tech fields, and support students’ global exposure and employability, including provisions for financially disadvantaged talent.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain has said that young people will be the driving force behind political and qualitative transformation in Bangladesh’s future.

Speaking at the Bengal Delta Conference 2025, he emphasized the need to strengthen the country’s constitutional and institutional structures, which he said have remained weak despite decades of independence.

“Politics is not merely about holding office. We must build strong institutions if we are to bring meaningful change,” Hossain said.

He also warned that failure to repatriate Rohingya refugees would prolong the region’s suffering well into the next decade.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin has called on election officials to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and neutrality during the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

Speaking on Friday at the closing of a two-day core training workshop, the CEC stressed that law and order remains the biggest challenge ahead of the polls. “Every day we face new and evolving challenges. Election commissioners must remain focused on addressing these effectively,” he said.

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar echoed this concern, warning that the 13th National Election could be “the most high-risk election in Bangladesh’s history.” He urged the commission and all those involved in the electoral process to remain vigilant.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Md. Sanaullah highlighted that the voter turnout may exceed expectations, noting that many expatriates are eagerly waiting to cast their votes with great enthusiasm.

Bangladesh has been ranked as the world’s second most air-polluted country, just after India, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 report published by the University of Chicago. The study warns that air pollution is robbing Bangladeshis of an average of 5.5 years of life expectancy.

The report highlights that air quality in Bangladesh is far worse than both the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and the country’s own national standards. Alarmingly, all 166.8 million people in the country live in areas where the air is classified as severely polluted compared to WHO thresholds.

Between 1998 and 2023, the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Bangladesh increased by more than 66%, cutting life expectancy by an additional 2.4 years. Researchers note that the impact of air pollution on public health now exceeds the combined effects of smoking, malnutrition, and unsafe water.

For residents of Dhaka, the situation is particularly dire. If air quality in the capital met WHO standards, the average lifespan of its residents could increase by nearly 6.9 years. Even if only Bangladesh’s national standards were met, Dhaka residents could still gain at least 4 years in life expectancy.

Experts point to brick kilns around Dhaka as one of the city’s long-standing major sources of air pollution, yet effective regulation remains elusive. Adding to the crisis, seasonal smog drifting in from neighboring countries further deteriorates air quality, making the problem not just domestic but regional in scale.

Venezuela has launched a massive military drill in response to the deployment of a U.S. naval fleet in Latin American and Caribbean waters. President Nicolás Maduro accused Washington of eyeing Venezuela’s natural resources and seeking to fragment the nation.

Maduro said a formal complaint has been lodged with the United Nations over the U.S. violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Under his direct supervision, thousands of Special Revolutionary Operations Forces participated in the exercise, showcasing advanced combat maneuvers, mountain warfare, and live-fire drills with modern weaponry.

“The Venezuelan people are ready to resist imperialism. The gringos want our wealth; they want to break our country into pieces,” Maduro declared. He announced that another nationwide drill will take place later this week.

Earlier, the U.S. had dispatched three destroyers, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, and 4,500 naval troops to Venezuelan waters in a mission officially described as countering drug trafficking. In retaliation, Venezuela deployed warships along its coasts and mobilized militias across the country.

A Dhaka court has ordered the imprisonment of former minister Abdul Latif Siddique and 15 others in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh Police Station.

On Friday morning, the accused were produced before the court, where the investigating officer, Taufiq Hasan, sought their detention in jail. In his submission, he stated that Siddique, under the banner of “Manch 71,” had delivered speeches allegedly inciting armed rebellion to destabilize the country and overthrow the current government.

According to the case details, Siddique’s remarks provoked attendees to chant slogans branding the Awami League as “fascists.” Investigators argued that detaining the accused until the probe is completed is essential to verify their identities and addresses. Police also indicated that a remand petition would be filed soon.

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar has declared that the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Elections will be “the most risk-prone” in Bangladesh’s history. “There will be no scope for irregularities. This is the Commission’s greatest challenge, and we cannot afford to fail,” he stressed.

He urged election officials and all stakeholders to remain vigilant. Commissioner Sanaullah noted that voter turnout may exceed expectations, with expatriates also showing strong interest in casting their votes.

Other commissioners echoed that there is no chance for this election to be marred by irregularities. They also called for “moderation, not extravagance” in election spending.