Amir Hamza, a top leader of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been hospitalized in Lahore under ISI protection after sustaining serious injuries in an attack at his residence. The identity of the attackers and the motive behind the incident remain unclear. Hamza hails from Gujranwala in Punjab province and is known to have close ties with Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed and Abdul Rehman Makki.

Heavy rains and upstream runoff have raised water levels in the Teesta River, submerging croplands in Ulipur and Rajarhat of Kurigram. Farmers have suffered crop losses worth several crores as paddy, peanuts, and other crops remain underwater. Professor Shafiqul Islam Bebu stated that although crops worth thousands of crores are grown annually on Teesta’s banks, authorities remain indifferent to repeated seasonal damages due to riverbed siltation.

More than 51,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia for Hajj—4,583 under government management and 47,364 through private agencies. Tragically, nine pilgrims (eight men and one woman) have died so far, with four passing away in Mecca and five in Medina.

In India, voicing opinions on Kashmir increasingly results in state persecution under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ultra-nationalist government. Writers, academics, and cultural activists are being silenced with sedition charges. Recently, academic Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrested, while British-Kashmiri author Nitasha Kaul has been barred from her homeland. Even singing works by Pakistani poet Faiz has led to punitive actions.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy informed the Israeli Ambassador that due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israeli obstruction of aid, the UK is suspending all new free trade discussions with Israel. Lammy described the starvation of millions in Gaza as “horrific and heartbreaking” and warned that continued blockades would prompt the UK to take even stronger measures.

According to Bangladesh Bank, looters have depleted nearly Tk 2 trillion in capital from 20 banks over the past 15 years. Beyond hostile takeovers, massive loans were misappropriated. As of Q4 2024 (Oct–Dec), capital shortfalls in these banks reached Tk 1.72 trillion, up from Tk 532.53 billion in Q3. Despite some banks having surplus capital, the net sector-wide deficit now stands at Tk 1.18 trillion. Additionally, total non-performing loans (NPLs) have risen to Tk 3.46 trillion by the end of December 2024.

The Election Commission (EC) will now facilitate campaign opportunities for all parliamentary candidates, including organizing joint platforms for manifesto announcements and allowing banners, posters, and leaflets in electoral areas—at candidates’ own expense. The revised draft code of conduct also includes guidelines for social media campaigning. Candidates or their representatives must submit names, accounts, and IDs to returning officers before conducting online campaigns. Any personal character attacks will be penalized under the Cyber Security Act or Digital Security Act.

Islami Front Secretary General Abdus Samad has warned that the people of Chattogram will not tolerate foreign powers establishing control over the port under the guise of foreign investment, likening it to the East India Company’s historical colonization. He expressed concern that if Bangladesh supports the Arakan Army or provides a corridor through Rakhine, it could be dragged into a dangerous conflict. Samad noted that Rakhine is an area of strategic interest for China, India, and Russia.

Continuous rainfall and upstream water flow from the hills are causing the Someshwari River in Durgapur, Netrakona to rise rapidly. Heavy rain in India’s Meghalaya region has led to near-overflow conditions along both banks of the river. Residents of Gaokandia and Kullagara unions say the approaching Eid-ul-Azha lacks any festive spirit due to the looming flood threat. If the rain continues, more low-lying areas are likely to be submerged. Many agricultural lands, including vegetable gardens and ripened paddy fields in Gaokandia, Kullagara, Bakaljora, and Durgapur Sadar unions, are already underwater.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an operation at Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) over allegations of corruption and irregularities in promotions. The investigation was triggered after Rupak Chandra Dash, who had failed the examination for Assistant Engineer (Electrical), was controversially promoted to the position of Sub-Assistant Engineer. Once the incident came to light, the promotion was revoked. The involvement of CCC Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain—whose signature appears on all related documents—has raised public concerns over the transparency of the administration. The ACC has collected relevant records and statements from the mayor, CEO, and secretary and is expected to submit a full report soon.

Following the recent blockade in Dhaka’s Kakrail area by workers of TNZ Garments demanding overdue wages, the Ministry of Labour held an emergency meeting and reached five critical decisions:
1. The workers’ dues will be paid within seven working days through the sale of the owner’s house and the company’s washing plant.
2. Labour leaders will withdraw their siege of the Labour Building.
3. As the TNZ Group owner is currently abroad, the government will initiate a red alert through Interpol for his return.
4. A travel ban has been imposed on directors and management personnel associated with TNZ.
5. The company’s finance director will remain under government custody until workers’ payments are cleared.

Adviser Sharmin S. Murshid has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. She called for more effective activities from the Department of Social Services and the Department of Cooperatives in these areas. Murshid emphasized that the government is working for the welfare of marginalized women and urged all officials to actively contribute to establishing women’s rights across society.

Indian authorities have arrested 11 individuals on charges of spying for Pakistan. According to officials, nine of the suspects were detained from the northern states of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav stated on Monday that two of those arrested were involved in leaking sensitive military information. These individuals were allegedly involved in sharing classified intelligence related to a planned New Delhi strike deep inside Pakistani territory on the night of May 6–7. In Haryana, a travel blogger was also arrested last week on similar charges. Among the other detainees are a student, a security guard, and a businessman.

In 2024, Bangladesh and Pakistan ranked among the top countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates. Citizens of Comoros faced the worst rejection rate at 62.8%, with 1,754 out of 2,853 applications denied. Bangladeshi applicants fared poorly as well—out of 39,345 applications, 20,957 were rejected, marking a rejection rate of 54.9%, up from 42.8% in 2023. Pakistani citizens filed 78,362 applications in 2024, of which 35,139 were rejected—a rejection rate of 47.5%.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus chaired a high-level security meeting on board the Jamuna, focusing on the country’s law and order situation. Key participants included Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Army Chief Gen. Wakar-uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan, and Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan. Senior security officials presented detailed reports on the current situation.