Channel One, a popular Bangladeshi news channel shut down 16 years ago, resumed broadcasting on Monday evening, April 27, 2026. The channel had been closed in 2010 under orders from the then executive authority, allegedly due to political retaliation against its critical reporting. The relaunch was announced at a press conference held the previous Sunday at Hotel Westin in Dhaka, where the management confirmed the return to air at 6:57 p.m., the same time it was originally shut down.

At the press conference, Managing Director Gias Uddin Al Mamun recalled that Channel One began operations on January 24, 2006, emphasizing news neutrality and public welfare. He stated that the channel’s commitment to questioning power led to its popularity and eventual closure. The management credited the Supreme Court’s suspension of the 2010 Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission decision on February 24 of the previous year for clearing the final legal barriers to resuming broadcast.

Channel One’s leadership pledged to maintain editorial neutrality, objectivity, and courage in its renewed operations, aiming to rebuild audience trust and popularity.

Ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal announced that a section of citizens who had lost their voting rights will be able to vote again. He told the BBC that a second supplementary voter list has been released, including those whose names were removed during the Special Intensive Revision but later validated by the Appellate Tribunal.

Under a Supreme Court directive, 19 Appellate Tribunals led by former judges were established in West Bengal to review appeals from excluded voters. Applications resolved between April 21 and April 27, and deemed valid by the tribunals, will allow those voters to participate in the election. The Election Commission published the first supplementary list on April 22, restoring voting rights to 139 individuals while excluding 8 others. By that date, 657 appeals had been resolved.

Following the revision process, about 9.1 million names were removed from the rolls, sparking controversy, particularly in Muslim-majority areas. The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29 across 142 constituencies, with over 32.1 million registered voters.

The Ukhiya Upazila administration in Cox’s Bazar conducted a major eviction drive on Monday, April 27, 2026, removing around 200 illegal structures from the roads and footpaths of Kutupalong market. The operation, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rifat Asma and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Sharmin Sultana, ran from morning until 3:30 p.m. Law enforcement agencies, the market management committee, and local residents actively participated in the effort.

According to the administration, long-term encroachment on roads and footpaths had caused severe traffic congestion and disrupted public movement. The eviction aimed to restore normal traffic flow and reduce public suffering. Following the operation, officials instructed the market committee and relevant authorities to prevent future illegal construction and directed law enforcement to strengthen regular monitoring.

Local business leaders welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the need for continued oversight to stop future encroachments. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer confirmed that similar drives would continue to protect public interest and ensure roads remain free from illegal occupation.

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan met with Turkish Ambassador Ramis Sen at his ministry office on Monday. The meeting focused on issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and Turkey. The ambassador highlighted the long-standing relationship between the two nations and expressed interest in expanding cooperation in education, business, and university-level collaboration. The minister emphasized the government’s efforts to ensure quality education and hoped that joint initiatives would further enhance academic standards and strengthen bilateral ties.

Later, the minister also met with a Malaysian delegation led by High Commissioner Mohd Suhada Othman. Both sides discussed matters of mutual interest. During the meeting, the minister praised Malaysia’s global success in education and noted that Bangladesh could benefit from Malaysia’s experience. The Malaysian High Commissioner expressed a commitment to deepening bilateral relations.

The meetings underscored Bangladesh’s interest in expanding educational collaboration with both Turkey and Malaysia to improve quality and institutional partnerships.

The Election Commission has released the names of 49 valid candidates for the reserved women's seats in Bangladesh's 13th Parliament. The list was published on Monday. Among the candidates, 36 are from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), 12 from Jamaat-e-Islami and its allied 11-party coalition, and one independent candidate. The BNP list includes Selima Rahman, Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Fahmida Haque, and Anna Minj, while the Jamaat-led coalition nominated Marzia Begum, Sabikun Nahar, Mardia Momtaz, Tasmia Pradhan, and Mahmuda Alam Mitu.

The report also mentions that Nusrat Tabassum, a leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP), had her nomination initially rejected for being submitted after the deadline. The Election Commission upheld the rejection on appeal, but the High Court later directed the commission to accept her nomination. If this court order remains unchallenged, 13 candidates from the Jamaat-led alliance will be finalized for the reserved women's seats.

The publication of the list marks a key step in finalizing representation for women in the upcoming parliamentary session.

Iran’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, paid a courtesy visit to Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque, the Amir of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, at his office in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, on Monday afternoon. During the meeting, both sides discussed the ongoing US-Israeli aggression in Iran, the global energy crisis, and other international developments. They expressed concern over the global situation and emphasized the importance of peace and stability.

Maulana Mamunul Haque described the recent US-Israeli actions in Iran as aggression against the Muslim Ummah and expressed solidarity with Iran. He also requested Iran’s positive role in ensuring safe passage for Bangladeshi oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian High Commissioner assured that the issue would be addressed seriously and that a positive message would be conveyed to Tehran.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation on matters of mutual bilateral interest. The meeting was attended by Iran’s Deputy Head of Mission Amiri, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Joint Secretary General Maulana Ataullah Amin, and Foreign and International Affairs Secretary Farid Khan.

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naeem Qassem has urged the Lebanese government to continue internal dialogue regarding talks with Israel, asserting that Israel has reached a stalemate in its efforts to eliminate Hezbollah. Speaking on April 27, 2026, Qassem claimed that despite U.S.-backed Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon since September 23, 2024, the group has not been defeated.

Qassem rejected direct negotiations with Israel and outlined five preconditions for any future talks: ending aggression by land, sea, and air; Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories; release of prisoners; return of displaced residents to their towns and villages; and reconstruction. He emphasized that Lebanese authorities should resist foreign pressure and prioritize national unity and sovereignty.

Reaffirming Hezbollah’s stance, Qassem vowed not to disarm and pledged to continue defensive resistance for Lebanon and its people. He declared that the group would respond to Israeli aggression and would not retreat or surrender under any threat.

More than 130 prominent individuals, including scholars, writers, and artists, have publicly challenged the United Kingdom’s ban on the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action. They signed an open letter to the Court of Appeal ahead of a hearing in London next week, declaring their opposition to genocide and support for the group. The signatories include Irish author Sally Rooney, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, British musician Brian Eno, and academics from Oxford and Cambridge universities.

The letter, containing only a few words, has become a symbol of the “Lift the Ban” campaign, launched after the UK government banned Palestine Action under terrorism laws in July 2025. Since then, thousands of the group’s supporters have reportedly been arrested. Professor Penny Green of Queen Mary University of London criticized the government for labeling peaceful protesters as terrorists and accused the Labour government of avoiding accountability.

Human rights organizations and UN experts have also condemned the UK’s increasing crackdown on peaceful demonstrations and urged the government to lift the ban on Palestine Action.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Saint Petersburg to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussions focused on regional and international coordination and advancing joint initiatives. The visit was confirmed by Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, who said the meeting would emphasize strengthening mutual cooperation.

Russia and Iran have maintained a long-standing partnership, with Moscow serving as a key diplomatic ally for Tehran during its conflict with the United States. The two countries signed a 20-year agreement in January 2025 to deepen economic, military, and political ties. Russia has also described U.S. attacks on Iran as provocative aggression. In addition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Iran and the United States and expressed interest in contributing to the process.

According to a CNN report cited in March, Russia had provided Iran with intelligence on U.S. military movements, marking an early sign of Moscow’s involvement in the conflict. Araghchi’s trip to Russia follows meetings in Pakistan and Oman with key mediators.

Hasnat Abdullah, the Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4 and a leader of the National Congress Party (NCP), posted a short message on Facebook on Monday night that quickly went viral. In his post, he simply wrote the words “Red card.” Within just 12 minutes of posting, the message had received more than 52,000 reactions, according to the report published on April 27, 2026.

The post drew widespread attention online due to its brevity and timing, though the source did not specify the reason or context behind the message. Hasnat Abdullah’s social media activity often attracts public interest, and this instance was no exception as the post spread rapidly across platforms.

The report did not include any official explanation or reaction from Hasnat Abdullah or his party regarding the meaning of the “Red card” post.

BNP Standing Committee member and Prime Minister’s political adviser Nazrul Islam Khan stated that whenever the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had the opportunity to govern, it worked for the people and in favor of democracy. He made the remarks on Monday morning after offering prayers and floral tributes at the grave of Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq near Dhaka University’s Doel Chattar, marking the 64th anniversary of the late leader’s death.

Nazrul Islam Khan emphasized that BNP has always fought for democracy and that late President Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia worked with the nation’s good people to build the country. He added that Tarique Rahman’s government continues to lead the nation following that path.

Remembering Sher-e-Bangla, the senior BNP leader said his contributions benefited people from all walks of life and urged everyone to work together to preserve his legacy.

The High Court has issued a rule directing authorities to explain why 57 former Upazila Program Officers of the Basic Literacy Project (64 districts) under the Bureau of Non-Formal Education should not be made permanent. The bench of Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md Asif Hasan issued the rule after a preliminary hearing on Monday, following a writ petition seeking directives for their inclusion in permanent posts.

According to the petition, the officers were recruited through written, practical, and oral examinations under 2016 and 2018 circulars and have been serving for years. The project ended in 2022, but the government created 491 Upazila Non-Formal Education Officer posts in 2020 to maintain continuity. The petition claims that a summary sent to the Prime Minister on October 25, 2023, seeking approval for their absorption, was returned without proper presentation, allegedly violating constitutional and legal provisions.

The petitioners argue that not making them permanent is discriminatory and contrary to constitutional equality principles. They also expressed concern that new recruitment for 351 posts announced in December 2025 could harm their prospects if 57 positions are not reserved for them.

Two dismissed officials of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro have been on a hunger strike for three consecutive days at the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus. They allege that they were terminated for protesting financial irregularities and corruption within the organization. The protesters, former Assistant Director of the Mobile Library Project Toukir Ahmed and former officer Mohammad Erfanul Haque, began their strike on April 25 and are demanding reinstatement and an impartial investigation into the alleged irregularities.

According to the protesters, the government-funded Mobile Library Project has long suffered from mismanagement, including halted library vehicles, irregular book purchases, and inadequate reader services. They also claim that provident fund payments were mishandled, half salaries were paid for six months in 2023 despite full government funding, and readers’ refundable deposits were locked in fixed deposits. They further allege misuse of project funds and fake vouchers.

The dismissed employees have vowed to continue their hunger strike until their demands for reinstatement and financial transparency are met. Reports also suggest that 65 to 70 of about 180 project staff were recently dismissed, with new appointments made simultaneously.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of ministers and some members of parliament during a parliamentary session on Monday, emphasizing that no matter is more important than attending the session. He noted that MPs raise issues from their constituencies that ministers should hear. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni responded that the absent ministers were accompanying the Prime Minister on an important state visit.

The Speaker also pointed out that several MPs scheduled to speak on the motion of thanks for the President’s address were either absent or unprepared. Chief Whip Moni explained that many MPs prefer to deliver their speeches in the presence of the Prime Minister, describing her as the “life of Parliament.” He assured that efforts would be made to convey MPs’ remarks to her.

During the discussion, opposition members supported the Speaker’s call for ministers to attend sessions regularly. The Speaker reiterated that attending parliamentary sessions is of utmost importance, as MPs often raise critical issues such as health and infrastructure conditions in their constituencies.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Ataur Rahman, representing Narail‑2, sharply criticized the President during a parliamentary discussion on the thank‑you motion for the President’s speech on Monday. He remarked that the President’s backbone was either too stiff or bent, implying a lack of independence. Rahman also condemned ruling party MPs for thanking the President, suggesting their praise was misplaced.

He argued that the President had previously legitimized fascist activities and the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, saying that offering thanks to such a figure would cause her spirit deep pain. Rahman urged his colleagues to speak with accountability. Referring to a past comment by late MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, he reiterated doubts about the President’s autonomy, citing an incident where the Home Minister claimed the President was forced to approve an order against his will.

Rahman concluded that the President’s actions and speeches lacked credibility, asserting that a leader who changes stance with shifting power cannot be genuinely thanked.