Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway line to show solidarity with job seekers on hunger strike at Dhaka University. Their eight-point demand includes punishment for those involved in the 46th BCS written exam question leak, assurances against cancelling the exam, raising viva-voce slots to 100 in the 45th BCS, and timely announcements of BCS results. They also demanded increasing the number of PSC members and ensuring employment for those who pass the viva exams.

In Agra, members of the extremist Hindu group ‘Gau Raksha Dal’ opened fire on two Muslim brothers, killing one and injuring another while they were closing their family biryani shop. Gulfan Ali died on the spot, while Saif Ali was injured. In a video released the following day, two youths claiming to be members of the group confessed to the murder and threatened to kill 2,600 Muslims in retaliation for earlier incidents. Despite this, Agra police are framing the incident as a case of personal rivalry, although the group is known to have ties to the RSS.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser, paid his last respects to Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square, alongside leaders from over 130 countries. During the ceremony, Yunus exchanged greetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, EU President Ursula von der Leyen, former U.S. President Joe Biden, and leaders from Finland, Kenya, Montenegro, Ecuador, East Timor, Honduras, Iceland, Portugal, and Belgium, among others.

Amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine, former U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that harsher sanctions could be imposed on Russian President Vladimir Putin, including banking restrictions. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met privately at Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, signaling continued U.S. pressure on Russia. Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin for a fourth round of talks in Moscow.

Lamya (17), daughter of July Uprising martyr Jasim Uddin, committed suicide by hanging at her home in Shekhertek on Saturday night. She had recently been a victim of gang rape and was scheduled to travel to her village for university entrance exams preparation. Family members allege that threats and harassment, possibly via phone, led her to take her life. The rapists had reportedly been released on bail.

Kashmiri students across India, including Punjab and Uttarakhand, are facing threats, harassment, and eviction from their homes. After an incident on April 22, Kashmiri student Asif Dar recounted being verbally abused and targeted due to his ethnicity. Across India, landlords are expelling Kashmiri tenants, and shopkeepers are refusing to serve them, with right-wing mobs targeting Muslim students.

Following Israel’s example in Gaza, Indian forces in Kashmir have begun demolishing Muslim homes under the pretext of fighting “suspected militants.” Over two days, seven homes were demolished. Since 1947, Indian forces have destroyed 110,498 structures in Kashmir.

A major failure in the national grid caused a blackout across 21 districts in southern Bangladesh, including Khulna and Barisal, starting at 5:48 PM Saturday. Power was gradually restored in Khulna by 8 PM and in other areas soon after. Officials attributed the blackout to a sudden surge in load due to high temperatures, causing a malfunction at the Amin Bazar substation.

At least 406 people were injured following a massive explosion on Saturday afternoon at Shahid Rajaei Port in Iran’s Hormozgan Province. Al Jazeera reported that the port primarily handles container shipments and also houses oil tanks and petrochemical facilities. Preliminary investigations suggest that negligence in the storage of flammable materials caused the explosion. Notably, five years ago, the port was the alleged target of a cyberattack blamed on Israel.

The Ex-Forces Association expressed hope that the death sentences handed down by the trial court for those convicted in the murder of Major (Retd.) Sinha Md. Rashed Khan will be upheld by the higher court and demanded the execution within one week of the verdict. The association highlighted that Pradeep Kumar Das, who served as an Officer-in-Charge, was responsible for at least 145 extrajudicial killings under the guise of “crossfire” and had amassed significant wealth through this practice. They also noted that in 2004, while stationed in Chattogram, Pradeep was suspended for attempting to seize a woman’s property. The association expressed satisfaction with the progress of the case.

Malaysian immigration authorities have detained 49 illegal immigrants, including seven Bangladeshis, in a recent operation. The detainees include six Indonesians, 14 from Myanmar, four Nepalese, nine Indians, five Pakistanis, and two each from Nigeria and Yemen. All detainees have been placed in the Lenggeng Immigration Depot for investigation and further action.

Battery-operated auto-rickshaw drivers staged a roadblock protest on Saturday morning in Kasba, protesting against extortion practices. The blockade was lifted following assurances from the Upazila administration. According to reports, the municipality had leased two auto-rickshaw stands in Kasba, with the leaseholders collecting 15 taka from each rickshaw daily. Drivers have been opposing this collection since last year. Multiple meetings have been held between the drivers and officials including UNO and municipal administrator Mohammad Shamiul Islam.

At the convocation ceremony of Central Women’s University, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan called on students to actively resist the encroachment of wetlands and forests, as well as combat plastic pollution, noise pollution, deforestation, and the climate crisis. She emphasized that education is not just about earning degrees but about a deep commitment to truth, justice, and environmental protection. She urged students to apply their education not just for earning a livelihood but to drive social change, nation-building, and to stand by marginalized communities. Rizwana highlighted that women are the most affected by climate change, framing the environmental struggle as inherently a feminist movement.

Adviser Asif Mahmud has stated that there is no reason to assume he will join a new political party. “When I decide to formally enter politics, I will choose the best option available for myself,” he said. Asif Mahmud clarified that he has not made any decisions yet. Following his leadership role during the July uprising, there is a growing public expectation that he and his associates will work for the country’s long-term interests. However, he emphasized that the time to commit to any political party has not yet arrived. Meanwhile, on Friday, Asif Mahmud appeared for the entrance exam to enroll in the Master’s program at North South University.

Adviser Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan assured that power outages during the upcoming summer would remain within manageable limits. “We have projected a demand of 18,000 MW and are confident we can meet it,” he said during a seminar on overcoming the energy crisis. He pointed out that electricity supply during Ramadan was also largely satisfactory.