The people of Gaza faced significant hardship during the first Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) of Ramadan due to cold weather and heavy rain. Many were unable to eat properly as rainwater flooded their makeshift tents, soaking personal belongings. With no alternative shelter, displaced families, especially women and children, endured extreme difficulties. Those who returned to their partially destroyed homes also suffered, as rainwater seeped through damaged walls and roofs, making their first night of Ramadan particularly distressing.

A van driver in Rajshahi was killed over a dispute involving his rickshaw van. On Friday, a joint team of police and detectives arrested four individuals in Chapainawabganj in connection with the murder. The arrested suspects are Habibur Rahman alias Arif (26), Shayon Islam (28), Deborsish Saha (22), and Anwar Hossain (30). The decomposed body of Abdul Malek (42) was recovered from a pond in Boraail village, Mohanpur, on February 25. According to police, Malek had been missing since February 21. Investigators revealed that he was given an overdose of sleeping pills in a soft drink before being strangled to death, after which his rickshaw van was stolen and sold.

Fisheries Adviser Farida Akhtar addressed concerns over rising prices during Ramadan, explaining that supply chain inefficiencies—such as multiple layers of middlemen—contribute to price hikes. To counter this, eggs, milk, poultry, and beef are being sold at fair prices, not as subsidies but at actual production costs. She noted that while fish is typically in high demand, this Ramadan, meat consumption is higher, prompting adjustments in supply. Akhtar also emphasized that controlling prices requires a multi-faceted approach rather than relying solely on crackdowns and punitive measures.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam expects to receive the investigation report on several key cases, including the one against Sheikh Hasina, within this month. He stated that once the report is available, trial proceedings could commence within one to one and a half months. He further noted that the duration of the trial will depend on the evidence and witness testimonies presented in court. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to bring Hasina back with Interpol’s assistance.

Despite strict Israeli restrictions, thousands of Palestinians gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday evening to perform the first Tarawih prayer of Ramadan. Israeli forces harassed and intimidated children, conducted searches, and obstructed worshippers from entering the mosque. Men under 55 and women under 50 were barred from entering, as part of measures aimed at limiting Palestinian access during the holy month. Even recently released Palestinian detainees were denied entry.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has urged the government to take effective measures against interest-based financial practices, bribery, obscenity, pornography, and immoral activities during Ramadan. The organization’s Secretary General, Maulana Sajidur Rahman, called for the closure of hotels and restaurants during daylight hours and urged authorities to control the prices of essential commodities. Emphasizing the sanctity of Ramadan, he appealed to the government to monitor markets throughout the month to ease public hardship. He also extended his solidarity with oppressed Muslims in Gaza and Sudan.

Police recovered the hanging body of former Assistant Attorney General Titus Hillol Rema (55) from his residence in Dhaka’s Kalabagan area on Saturday. He served under the Awami League government from 2009 to 2014. His wife stated that he had been suffering from depression and had been taking sleeping pills for a week. On Saturday morning, his daughters found him unresponsive. Police have sent his body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for an autopsy. Authorities suspect suicide but await official confirmation.

The ongoing nationwide joint operation, “Devil Hunt,” has led to the arrest of 569 more individuals. Including other recent raids, the total number of arrests has reached 1,231. According to police headquarters, over 13,000 people have been arrested since the operation began on February 8. In the last 24 hours, law enforcement has seized two locally made single-barrel shotguns, 10 rounds of ammunition, 62 grams of gunpowder, three machetes, a metal cleaver, a dagger, two iron rods, and a wooden club.

Russia carried out 154 drone strikes on Ukraine overnight, with Kharkiv suffering the most damage. Two civilians were killed, and several others were injured. Ukraine’s emergency services reported fires in at least four locations in Kharkiv, including residential areas, shops, a shopping mall, and a gas station. A three-story hospital was destroyed, but rescue teams managed to pull 63 survivors—56 of them women and children—from the rubble. Kyiv claimed that its air defenses intercepted 103 drones, while 51 drones failed to hit their intended targets.

Following claims on Facebook that buses transporting National Citizen Party (NCP) members from Pirojpur to their launch event in Dhaka were requisitioned by the government, Shafiqul Alam dismissed the allegations as exaggerated. He clarified that the government had no role in arranging transportation. According to him, local leaders requested the Deputy Commissioner (DC) to provide transportation for two families affected by the July incidents of injury and death. In response, five vehicles were arranged, but neither rent nor fuel costs were covered by the government. He accused the media of overblowing the issue.

Former Supreme Court Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and retired Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail were interrogated at the jail gate regarding the 2012 murder of journalists Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. A high-powered task force conducted the questioning, and the information provided is being verified. The investigation, initially handled by police, DB, and RAB, is now under PBI. Despite a decade passing, no conclusive report has been submitted, with 115 extensions granted. The High Court has set April 6 for the next hearing.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus emphasized that the holy month of Ramadan provides a unique opportunity for self-purification through restraint, seeking Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness. In a message marking Ramadan, he extended greetings to the nation and the global Muslim community, highlighting the role of fasting in promoting compassion, harmony, and brotherhood. He urged people to renounce indulgence, envy, and conflict while embracing patience and moderation. He also encouraged increased Quran recitation and worship, praying for peace and divine blessings for all.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) will launch an “all-out action” against known criminal gangs in the city, according to Additional Commissioner Rezaul Karim Mallik. He emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for all crimes, big or small. Given the increase in financial transactions during Ramadan, DB officers will conduct undercover surveillance to maintain law and order. Mallik noted that recent incidents of robbery and snatching involved criminals aged 15-30, many of whom were influenced by incitement from fallen fascists.

Dr. Muhammad Mofizur Rahman, coordinator of the Inter-Cadre Disparity Resolution Council, announced that 25 cadres will observe a full-day strike nationwide on Sunday. Only emergency services will remain operational. The strike demands the withdrawal of dismissal orders against 12 officials penalized for social media posts and the resolution of inter-cadre inequalities. Rahman warned that if the issues remain unaddressed within a week, stricter measures will follow. He urged authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the matter.

Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Mazumdar, has dismissed media reports of a robbery on 40 vehicles in Pabna as exaggerated. According to the statement from Santhia Police Station, unidentified robbers blocked the Sathia-Bera road in Karomja Union with fallen trees on Friday night and intercepted a single HiAce van. The robbers held five passengers at gunpoint, seizing 7.14 tolas of gold, a laptop, an iPad, a small suitcase, a diamond nose pin, 502 dinars, and 50,000 taka in cash. They also took mobile phones from a CNG driver and a motorcyclist before fleeing the scene.