The Bangladesh Parliament has passed a bill abolishing the provision that allowed Members of Parliament to import vehicles duty-free. The amendment to the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) Order 1973 was passed on Sunday without any discussion or amendment proposals. Law Minister Md. Anisul Huq introduced the bill, which had been approved earlier by the Cabinet on Thursday.

With the passage of the bill, Section 3C of the existing law has been repealed. That section had entitled MPs to import one car, jeep, or microbus duty-free—excluding value-added tax, development surcharge, and import permit fees—under government-specified conditions during their tenure, and to import another after five years from the last import date.

Both ruling and opposition parties had previously stated that their members would not accept duty-free cars, signaling political consensus behind the reform.

In Debiganj of Panchagarh, State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad has forgiven a college student who was arrested after posting criticism of him on Facebook. The minister also assured legal assistance for the student’s bail. The student, identified as Rishat, was sent to jail on Saturday after being presented before the Panchagarh Chief Judicial Magistrate Court-5.

According to police and local sources, Rishat had criticized a parliamentary speech by the minister in his Facebook post. Following the post, a local leader of the Debiganj Sadar Union Jubo Dal filed a case, leading to his arrest. After learning that the accused was a minor, the minister contacted Rishat’s father, Ashraf Ali, and promised necessary legal support. Ashraf Ali confirmed that the minister had spoken to a lawyer regarding his son’s bail.

The minister stated that the student was of his own child’s age and that mistakes can happen, so he decided to forgive him. The family now awaits the court’s decision on the bail application.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington would not stop him from pursuing victory in the ongoing war with Iran. The attack occurred late Saturday night at the Hilton Hotel, and police have already detained the suspect. Speaking at a press conference afterward, Trump described the attacker as a lone wolf and said investigators shared that view.

When asked whether the incident was linked to the Iran conflict or his personal security, Trump said he did not believe so but could not confirm definitively. He added that U.S. investigators were working on the matter and would soon have more information. Trump reiterated his stance on Iran, saying the U.S. had to act to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and that he had previously canceled the Obama-era nuclear deal.

Trump emphasized that such attacks would not deter him from continuing his efforts against Iran, asserting that the incident appeared to have no direct connection to other events.

Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen met with Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan at the minister’s office in the Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in media, culture, and knowledge-based sectors. The ambassador congratulated the minister on assuming office and handed over a proposal to increase collaboration between Turkish state television and radio and Bangladesh Television and Radio.

During the discussion, the minister recalled his visit to Turkey in March to attend the Strategic Communication Summit and thanked the Turkish government for organizing the event. He described the summit as a timely initiative and emphasized the importance of establishing order and regulation in digital platforms through collective international efforts rather than by individual countries.

The report also noted that during the minister’s earlier visit to Turkey, both sides had agreed in principle to sign a memorandum of understanding on knowledge exchange and information sharing in modern information management between Bangladesh and Turkey.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Sadiq Kayem has responded to allegations made by student leader Abidul Islam Khan, describing them as part of an organized activism campaign. In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Kayem claimed that the allegations were being used to conceal the misdeeds of the BNP-affiliated student organization and to divert attention from national crises and campus unrest.

Kayem’s post cited various incidents of violence, extortion, and campus attacks allegedly committed by BNP and its student wing since August 2024. He accused the group of spreading false information through social media pages and using artificial intelligence to create fake images for propaganda. Kayem also denied that the DU Insiders page, linked to him, was involved in harassment or misinformation, asserting that a separate, fake page was responsible for objectionable content.

He further alleged that student activists had engaged in intimidation, phone checks, and assaults on journalists and student representatives. Kayem concluded that such actions reflected authoritarian tendencies and warned that the public would eventually hold the perpetrators accountable.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid announced that all Bangladesh-flagged ships, including the MV Joyjatra, will be able to pass through the Hormuz Strait despite the ongoing war situation in the Middle East. She made the statement to reporters on Sunday afternoon.

In the same briefing, the minister said Bangladesh has demanded a proper investigation and justice over the killing of two Bangladeshi students in the United States. She added that the process of bringing back the body of student Jamil to Bangladesh is underway.

The announcement comes as regional tensions have raised concerns about maritime safety and the security of international shipping routes, though the minister confirmed that Bangladeshi vessels will continue their passage through the strategic strait.

The Republican Party in the United States is reorganizing its campaign strategy ahead of the November midterm elections. The move comes as rising fuel prices and a sharp decline in President Donald Trump’s popularity have created new challenges for the party. Economic pressure stemming from the ongoing war with Iran has become a major concern for voters.

Party strategists are now emphasizing economic messaging and policy achievements to regain voter confidence. They are also working to prevent the midterm elections from turning into a direct referendum on Trump’s leadership. According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump’s approval rating has dropped to just 36 percent.

The party’s renewed focus on economic issues suggests an effort to stabilize voter sentiment before the elections, though it remains uncertain whether these adjustments will reverse the downward trend in public support.

A Rajshahi University student leader has been accused of threatening the university’s student adviser, Professor Dr. Amirul Islam Konok, through a Facebook comment. The incident surfaced on April 24, 2026, when screenshots of the comment circulated online, sparking criticism across the campus. The accused, Shariful Islam, a vice president of the university’s Chhatra Dal unit and an anthropology student from the 2013–14 session, allegedly wrote, “Teachers should behave like teachers, or they will be slapped.”

Professor Konok stated that he deleted his original post after receiving the comment, explaining that he did not know Shariful personally or his political affiliation. He described the incident as unpleasant and said he was disappointed that a student would use such language. Konok added that he decided not to take legal action, considering the matter trivial.

Shariful Islam later claimed that his comment followed a heated exchange with the professor and acknowledged that his words were inappropriate. He also alleged past mistreatment by the professor and political bias within the university.

Monira Sharmin, the nominee of the 11-party alliance for a reserved women's seat in the 13th National Parliament, is set to appeal to the Election Commission after her candidacy was canceled. According to the National Citizen Party’s media cell, she will submit her appeal application at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Election Commission office in Agargaon.

Sources said Monira Sharmin joined Bangladesh Krishi Bank as a general officer in October 2023 and resigned in 2025 after nearly two years of service. Her nomination was suspended because, under the Representation of the People Order, a person must wait three years after leaving government service before becoming eligible for parliament. On April 23, Returning Officer and Joint Secretary of the Election Commission Moin Uddin Khan confirmed that her nomination was canceled for not meeting this requirement.

The appeal will now be reviewed by the Election Commission, which has the authority to uphold or overturn the earlier decision based on the legal provisions cited.

Nurul Amin, Member of Parliament for Chattogram-1 (Mirsharai), alleged that the Awami League had plundered the country for 17 years, leaving widespread damage. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon at a rally marking the inauguration of new buildings at Abutorab Government Primary School and Maghadia Anjumernesa Government Primary School, as well as the Abutorab-Hasemnagar-Charsharat road project in Mirsharai.

Amin claimed that during the Awami League’s tenure, little progress was made in infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and culverts, while billions of taka were smuggled abroad. He asserted that the BNP’s time in power saw development despite economic challenges. Addressing religious slogans, he said “Naraye Takbir Allahu Akbar” belongs to Muslims, not any political party, and should not be used for violence or wrongdoing.

On fuel prices, Amin stated that domestic prices had been raised less than in the international market, but lower prices compared to India had created smuggling risks, prompting a price adjustment. Several local BNP and allied leaders attended the event.

Large-scale demonstrations took place across Israel, including Tel Aviv, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Protesters also called for the establishment of a formal commission to investigate the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. Thousands gathered at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square under heavy police presence, while hundreds more protested in Jerusalem and about a thousand assembled at Haifa’s Horev Center. Similar demonstrations were reported in other parts of the country.

Protesters criticized the government’s handling of detainees held in the Gaza Strip and voiced frustration over the refusal to form a state inquiry into the October 7 events. Netanyahu has declined to establish such a commission. The protests follow the International Criminal Court’s November 2024 arrest warrants for Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The growing demonstrations reflect mounting domestic pressure on the Israeli leadership amid ongoing scrutiny of its wartime decisions and accountability demands.

Bangladesh Labour Party chairman Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran has sent an open letter to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, expressing concern over a reported BNP position to politically eliminate Jamaat-e-Islami. The letter, released to the media on Sunday, followed a newspaper report quoting Mirza Fakhrul as saying that Jamaat should be politically eradicated.

In his letter, Dr. Iran urged Mirza Fakhrul to abandon the politics of elimination in the new Bangladesh that emerged after the July uprising. He recalled that former President Ziaur Rahman had restored the right of all political parties, including the Labour Party, to operate after the BAKSAL era. Dr. Iran also reminded that BNP founder Khaleda Zia had previously formed governments with Jamaat’s support in 1991 and 2001.

The Labour Party chairman cautioned that following a path of political exclusion would mirror the authoritarian tendencies of the Awami League. He called on BNP to uphold democratic unity and work with all anti-fascist forces, including Jamaat, to implement the people’s mandate and avoid division.

Former deputy education minister and ex-MP for Manikganj-4, Golam Sarwar Milon, passed away early Sunday, April 26, 2026, at around 4:45 a.m. He is survived by his wife, one daughter, one son, and numerous well-wishers. His first funeral prayer will be held after Zuhr at Singair High School field in Manikganj, followed by a second prayer after Maghrib at Kabiraj Jame Mosque on Nazimuddin Road in Dhaka.

Milon was the first elected president of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal during 1981–82 and had earlier been involved with the National Student League supported by Bhasani-NAP. In 1986, he joined the Jatiya Party and became a presidium member. He was elected to parliament from Manikganj-4 in the third and fourth national elections and served as deputy minister for education in the cabinet of Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

After the 2007 political change known as One-Eleven, Milon joined the Progressive Democratic Party led by Ferdous Ahmed Qureshi but later returned to the Jatiya Party. Before the 11th national election, he joined AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury’s Bikalpa Dhara and contested from Manikganj-2 with the 'kulā' symbol but was defeated.

Maulana Abdul Qayyum Subhani has been elected as the new central executive Ameer of the Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party. The decision was made unanimously at the party’s Majlis-e-Shura session held on Saturday and was officially announced on Sunday. The meeting was presided over by party Ameer Allama Sarwar Kamal Aziz and conducted by Secretary General Musa bin Izhar, with leaders from various levels of the organization in attendance.

Subhani was born in 1965 in Gobind village of Hanar Char Union, Chandpur district, into a respected religious family. He is the son of noted scholar Maulana Abdus Sobhan. His education began at Jamia Arabia Imdadul Ulum Faridabad in Dhaka and continued at Darul Ulum Hathazari in Chattogram and Darul Ulum Deoband in India, where he completed his Dawra-e-Hadith in 1984–85. He has served in various religious and educational roles, including as a member of the Islamic Foundation’s editorial board.

Currently, Subhani serves as the Khatib of Segunbagicha Mosque in Dhaka and heads the Madrasa-tul-Qur’an wa Sunnah in Khilgaon. He has also held leadership positions in several religious organizations before assuming his new role as executive Ameer.

A gun attack occurred at a Washington hotel during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night. Following the incident, U.S. President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance were quickly evacuated to safety. In a subsequent White House press conference, President Trump described the shooter as a 'lone wolf' and confirmed the suspect’s arrest. He praised the security forces for their rapid and courageous response, noting that one officer was shot but survived due to a bulletproof vest.

The attack adds to a series of security threats faced by Trump over the past few years. In July 2024, he was grazed by a bullet in his right ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one person in the crowd was killed. Later that year, in September, an armed suspect was spotted near his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, prompting his evacuation. In February 2026, an armed intruder was shot dead after breaching security at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Washington.

Trump stated that the dinner will be rescheduled within 30 days, while security forces continue their investigation.