A political controversy erupted during Barcelona’s championship parade in May 2026 when young Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal was seen waving a Palestinian flag amid celebrations in the city. The event, attended by around 750,000 fans, followed Barcelona’s 2–0 victory over Real Madrid that secured their second consecutive La Liga title. Yamal’s gesture, alongside a playful jab at Real Madrid, drew international attention.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reacted sharply on social media, accusing Yamal of inciting hatred and arguing that displaying the Palestinian flag sent the wrong message while Israel was at war with Hamas. Katz referenced the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, alleging atrocities against Jewish civilians.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez swiftly defended Yamal, calling Katz’s remarks misguided and asserting that showing solidarity with Palestinians reflected the feelings of many Spaniards. Spain’s government has long criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, and public sympathy for Palestinians remains strong across Spanish society and sports. Yamal’s act has since inspired widespread support online, with many praising his humanitarian stance.

Ahmad Abdul Kaiyum, Assistant Secretary General of Islami Andolon Bangladesh and president of its Dhaka South unit, has said that the persecution of Muslims in West Bengal reflects the extremism of Hindutva ideology. He made the remarks on Friday during the party’s regular monthly meeting at its Purana Paltan office in Dhaka. Kaiyum stated that Muslims worldwide practice their faith peacefully, but since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in West Bengal, Muslims there no longer feel safe in their homeland.

He alleged that after Narendra Modi assumed power, BJP leaders and activists have engaged in anti-Muslim actions, including denying Muslims the right to pray in mosques and turning places of worship into battlegrounds. Kaiyum called on the United Nations to take effective measures to stop what he described as inhumane acts by the BJP. He also urged Muslim world leaders to demand punishment for Modi and called for direct intervention by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to end the persecution of Muslims in India.

The meeting was conducted by city secretary Abdul Awal Majumdar and attended by several senior party officials.

U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed Iran’s latest proposal regarding its nuclear program, calling it unacceptable. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said the first sentence of Iran’s proposal could not be accepted, claiming Tehran had previously agreed to completely halt its nuclear activities but has now backtracked. He added that Iran had once agreed to abandon enriched uranium or nuclear dust but later reversed that decision, though he expressed hope that Tehran would eventually agree again.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the issue of uranium enrichment is not currently on the negotiation agenda, according to semi-official Tasnim News Agency, adding that it will be discussed in the next phase. Iran maintains that it does not seek to build nuclear weapons but continues to refuse relinquishing its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Trump also commented on the ongoing truce, saying it lasted about a month and was made possible by the effectiveness of U.S. blockades. Earlier on Friday, he hinted on social media that military operations against Iran could resume, suggesting renewed tensions despite the fragile ceasefire.

Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said that Bangladesh is facing many problems along its borders and that new challenges are emerging. He expressed hope for divine assistance to confront these issues with courage. Rahman made the remarks on Friday afternoon while addressing a gathering of dignitaries in Rangpur.

During his speech, Rahman emphasized his party’s commitment to the country, saying that they love Bangladesh and wish to contribute to its betterment. He stated that they have not left the country because of their devotion to it and expressed belief that the nation will eventually change for the better. He also urged his followers to fulfill their responsibilities properly, suggesting that being in the opposition might be a divine test that they must overcome.

Earlier in the day, Rahman arrived in Rangpur for a one-day visit and received a guard of honor from the metropolitan police at the Circuit House.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and Member of Parliament Professor Mujibur Rahman stated that if the referendum verdict is implemented, no one will be able to become an autocrat again. Speaking as the chief guest at a Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat educational camp on Friday, he said those aspiring to authoritarian rule cannot accept the verdict. He warned the government that no administration opposing the people’s will has ever survived and urged respect for the referendum outcome.

Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, the main discussant at the event, said Jamaat has endured severe repression but earned a place in the people’s hearts. He claimed that before the February 12 election, citizens voted hoping to bring Jamaat to power, but election engineering and vote rigging deprived them of that outcome. He cautioned that such manipulation could recur and called on supporters to remain vigilant.

The event, held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers auditorium in Dhaka, was chaired by MP Nurul Islam Bulbul and attended by several central and city-level Jamaat leaders.

A protest rally and gathering were held in Singair, Manikganj, on Friday afternoon to denounce reported attacks, intimidation, and persecution of Muslims in West Bengal, India. The event took place at the Sahrail Central Eidgah field under the banner of the Sayesta Union Ulama Parishad and Tawhidi Janata. It was presided over by Mufti Sulaiman, with several local religious and political leaders addressing the crowd.

Speakers at the gathering described the incidents in West Bengal as clear violations of human rights and urged effective measures to stop communal violence and provocation. They emphasized that Bangladesh remains a country of communal harmony where people of all faiths coexist peacefully, and warned against any attempts to create religious division.

Participants also called on the international community to take effective action regarding the reported persecution of Muslims. The program concluded with a special prayer for peace, safety, and the freedom of the oppressed.

A protest rally and gathering were held in Khulna on Friday, May 15, 2026, condemning alleged persecution of Muslims in India’s West Bengal and the reported anti-Bangladesh remarks by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The event took place at Dakbangla Square under the initiative of the Khulna District Imam Parishad and later turned into a procession through several city streets. Speakers at the rally demanded that Adhikari publicly apologize to Muslims, warning that failure to do so would not make Muslims responsible for any resulting tensions.

The gathering, presided over by Maulana Golam Kibria, general secretary of the Khulna District Imam Parishad, featured several religious leaders including Maulana Abu Bakar Siddiq, Maulana Nur Said Jalali, Maulana Hekmat Ali, Sheikh Md Nasir Uddin, and Maulana Abdullah Al Mamun. They urged Bangladesh’s parliament to adopt a motion condemning Adhikari’s remarks and cautioned that government silence could be interpreted as support for anti-Muslim sentiment.

The protest procession ended near the Baitun Nur Mosque Complex adjacent to New Market after starting from Dakbangla intersection.

Five leaders and activists of the BNP’s student wing and Jamaat-e-Islami were injured in an attack following a banned Awami League flash procession in Brahmanbaria. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday night in the Suhilpur Bazar area of Sadar upazila. The injured include district Chhatra Dal joint convener Rahim Uddin, district Nabin Dal joint convener Javed, activists Jasim and Shahinul Islam Shahin, and district Jamaat publicity secretary and former Shibir president Md. Rokon Uddin.

According to local sources and party activists, Awami League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League members organized a motorcycle flash procession in Suhilpur Union, allegedly attempting to create panic in the area. BNP and Jamaat activists followed them on motorcycles. When they reached Malihata Shantinagar in the neighboring Budhal Union, several attackers ambushed them, injuring five people who were later treated at Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital.

District Council Administrator and BNP General Secretary Sirajul Islam visited the injured at the hospital on Friday morning and claimed the attack was premeditated, demanding that those responsible be identified and brought to justice.

Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran has alleged that Muslims in West Bengal are facing systematic persecution under the guise of secularism in India. Speaking on Friday at the party’s Nayapaltan office in Dhaka, he claimed that after the recent elections, armed groups linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have carried out violent attacks, looting, and arson against Muslim communities with the support of the new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He also said that cow and buffalo slaughter had been banned in the state, targeting the Muslim community.

Dr. Iran stated that Muslims in various Indian states are facing threats to their civil rights, religious freedom, and security. He urged international human rights organizations to investigate incidents of minority persecution in West Bengal and other parts of India and to take effective action. The event was organized to mark the 30th death anniversary of Maulana Abdul Matin, the party’s founder.

During the event, Dr. Iran also recalled Maulana Matin’s political legacy, describing him as a strong voice against oppression and a key figure in Bangladesh’s nationalist movements.

Khelafat Majlis organized a protest rally and gathering in Dhaka on Friday after Jumu'ah prayers, condemning the persecution of Muslims in India and the killing of Bangladeshi citizens by India’s Border Security Force (BSF). The rally, arranged by the party’s Dhaka North unit, started from the north gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque, marched through several streets, and returned to the same spot for a concluding assembly.

At the event, Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader accused the BSF of repeatedly violating international law and human rights by shooting Bangladeshi citizens along the border. He alleged that India seeks to intimidate Bangladesh and destabilize border areas through illegal activities such as drug trafficking and forced push-ins. Kader demanded that India immediately stop border killings, compensate victims’ families, and end persecution of its Muslim minority.

He also criticized Bangladesh’s foreign ministry for not summoning the Indian High Commissioner after recent border deaths and urged the government to take effective action. Additionally, he condemned Israel for drone attacks that killed two Bangladeshi expatriates in Lebanon and called for stronger protection of Bangladeshi workers abroad.

Water Resources Minister and BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie stated that his party had suffered 17 years of deprivation but has now proven its ability to overcome neglect through the formation of Chandraganj Upazila. He made the remarks on Friday, May 15, during a meeting with leaders of the newly formed Chandraganj Upazila BNP and its affiliated organizations in Lakshmipur, where he attended as the chief guest.

Annie, who is also the Member of Parliament for Lakshmipur-3 (Sadar) and convener of the district BNP, said the region had been deprived of development in roads, drainage, and educational institutions for years. He emphasized the need to move beyond this neglect and announced plans to establish a university, a medical college, and an economic zone in Lakshmipur.

The event was attended by several local leaders, including the Lakshmipur District Council administrator, district BNP joint convener, and representatives from the Nationalist Lawyers Forum.

A protest rally was held in Dhaka on May 15, 2026, following visits to the graves of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and martyr Sharif Osman Hadi. The event took place after Friday prayers at the Dhaka University Central Jame Mosque, led by Nasiruddin Patwary, chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP). Patwary shared details of the event through a Facebook post.

According to the post, the protest was organized in response to recurring incidents of Bangladeshi citizens being killed by Indian border forces. After the grave visits, participants gathered in front of the national poet’s grave to demand an end to such killings. The rally called for a strong and effective foreign policy to protect Bangladeshi citizens along the border.

The demonstration was attended by members of the public and NCP supporters, emphasizing national unity and diplomatic action to address cross-border violence.

Selim Reza, a Member of Parliament from Sirajganj-1 constituency elected with the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol, has donated his entire one-month salary to the Paichgachi Madhyapara Mosque in Kazipur upazila. The donation was handed over on Friday after the Jumu’ah prayer by Nazrul Islam, a former member of the Sonamukhi Union BNP and assistant professor, on behalf of the MP.

The mosque committee’s treasurer and BNP leader Abdus Samad Mondal formally received the donation. Several local BNP and affiliated organization leaders, including Dola Sarkar, Abdus Salam Tota, Shahidul Islam Shikdar, and Majnu Mia, were present during the handover ceremony. The donation follows an earlier announcement made by Selim Reza on May 8, when he personally visited the mosque and pledged the contribution.

The event highlighted the MP’s engagement with his constituency’s religious institutions and local party members, emphasizing community support through charitable acts.

A media report about two orphaned children, Raihan and Rohan, struggling to survive after losing both parents, drew the attention of Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman. Upon learning of their situation, he instructed his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman to ensure necessary assistance for the children.

Following the directive, a delegation from the organization 'Amra BNP Poribar' visited the children’s home in Ekdala village of Ratan Kandi Union, Sirajganj Sadar, on Friday. The team, led by the group’s Member Secretary Moksedul Momin Mithun and attended by adviser Abul Kashem, conveyed the Prime Minister’s message of sympathy to the family.

The delegation initiated measures to provide food, education, healthcare, and safe housing for the children. On behalf of the Prime Minister, they also announced a one-time education grant and a monthly stipend to support their studies.

Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh organized a protest rally and march in Dhaka on Friday after Juma prayers, opposing alleged persecution of Muslims in West Bengal and the proposed United States–Bangladesh trade agreement. The gathering took place at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, where speakers condemned ongoing violence and restrictions on religious freedom in West Bengal. They demanded immediate measures to ensure the safety of Muslim communities and to stop human rights violations.

The protest was presided over by the organization’s senior vice president Maulana Abdur Rab Yusuf, with several senior leaders addressing the event. Speakers expressed concern that aspects of the US–Bangladesh trade deal could undermine national interests, economic independence, and citizens’ rights. They urged the government to act cautiously in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and public welfare.

Jamiat leaders also called for unity among citizens against any oppression of the Muslim community and actions contrary to national interests. The subsequent protest march included scholars, students, and activists, who paraded through major streets of the capital.