Republican Congressman Tom Barrett from Michigan has introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives seeking to restrict and eventually end ongoing American military operations in Iran. The bill, presented last Thursday, authorizes limited military actions only until July 30 and imposes strict conditions on their scope. It effectively challenges President Donald Trump’s earlier claim that the 'Iran war is over.' Barrett, a former military officer, said the proposal aims to uphold Congress’s constitutional authority and ensure transparency in the conflict.

The bill prohibits any large-scale ground operations in Iran, allowing force only to destroy nuclear facilities, counter imminent threats to US forces, maintain naval blockades at ports, and secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Barrett emphasized that while the president holds command authority, Congress must define the war’s objectives and timeline. Despite Trump’s assertion that the conflict ended with an April 7 ceasefire, thousands of US troops remain deployed in the region, and recent skirmishes have occurred.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has also announced plans to draft a similar measure, reflecting growing unease among Republicans over the prolonged military engagement in Iran.

National Citizens Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam said that if the July Charter issue is not resolved in Parliament, the movement could shift to the streets. He made the remarks on Thursday night at the Chittagong University Journalists Association office while responding to reporters. Nahid Islam emphasized that despite the tense international situation, energy crisis, and measles outbreak, he does not want political instability.

He criticized the BNP for not providing a clear stance on holding a referendum for constitutional reform while calling for the implementation of the July Charter. He noted that the opposition has acted responsibly in Parliament and has not rendered it ineffective. Nahid Islam added that the BNP’s two-thirds majority in Parliament has narrowed the opposition’s political space, and the next steps depend largely on BNP’s position.

Regarding local government elections, he said the NCP remains in an electoral alliance and may contest jointly or independently depending on the situation. He also met with Chittagong University’s vice-chancellor and student leaders during his visit.

The Bangladesh government has announced a continuous seven-day public holiday for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting held on Thursday at the Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. According to a Cabinet Division press release, the holiday will run from May 25 to May 31, 2026. To accommodate the extended break, government offices will remain open on May 23 and 24, including Saturday, which is normally a weekly holiday.

In the same meeting, the cabinet approved the draft of the National Public Toilet Policy 2026, initiated by the Local Government Division. The policy aims to raise public awareness about the use, maintenance, and cleanliness of public toilets, ensuring hygienic and accessible facilities across the country. It emphasizes user-friendly toilets for women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and marginalized groups.

The policy also includes measures for effective management, financing, and long-term sustainability of public toilet systems, along with monitoring, evaluation, and timely reform. It mandates separate toilets for women in infrastructure projects and requires safety tanks to prevent waste from polluting water bodies.

Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip, said that post-election violence against Muslims and other communities in West Bengal could have repercussions in Bangladesh. Speaking on Thursday in Chattogram at a ceremony where over a thousand leaders and activists from various political parties joined the NCP, he urged all citizens to act responsibly and ensure the safety of people of all faiths in Bangladesh.

Nahid emphasized that while West Bengal’s election is an internal matter for India, reports of disenfranchisement of several hundred thousand citizens, mostly Muslims and members of the Matua community, were concerning. He said Bangladesh must demonstrate that it remains the safest country in South Asia for minorities. He also called on the government to be more vigilant in preventing measles outbreaks and to hold those responsible accountable.

Calling for unity to resolve current national crises, Nahid urged political forces to work together both in parliament and on the streets to achieve reforms and justice, and to create a safe environment for women in politics.

The Governor of West Bengal, R.N. Ravi, has dissolved the state assembly, formally ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year tenure as Chief Minister. The decision follows the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweeping victory in the recent state elections, where it won over 200 seats, paving the way for its first government in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee, who had led the state since 2011 through three consecutive terms, reportedly showed reluctance to submit her resignation to the Governor, raising concerns about a potential constitutional impasse.

Following the announcement of election results on May 4, widespread violence erupted across the state. Police reports confirm at least four deaths and 433 arrests, with more than 200 cases filed. Clashes between supporters of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have been reported in several districts, including Kolkata. Both parties are blaming each other for the unrest.

The situation intensified after the shooting death of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The BJP has called it a planned political killing, while the Trinamool Congress accuses BJP-backed groups of inciting violence. The state now faces both political transition and deep instability.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed officials to take swift action to assist farmers affected by heavy rainfall in the haor region. He emphasized the need for a transparent and accurate list of affected farmers to ensure proper distribution of financial aid. The directive was issued during a meeting held on Thursday afternoon at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The meeting was convened to review the progress of financial assistance programs for farmers impacted by flooding in the haor areas. Rahman instructed that only genuinely affected farmers be identified and included in the list, which will serve as the basis for providing financial support over the next three months. The meeting also discussed advancing the paddy planting and harvesting seasons to reduce future losses from heavy rainfall.

Ministers and lawmakers from haor constituencies attended the meeting, including Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Aminur Rashid Yasin. The Prime Minister had earlier informed the National Parliament on April 29 about the government’s plan to support affected farmers for three months.

The High Court has made significant progress in resolving a large number of long-pending cases. Acting under the directive of Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, the Criminal Motion Bench and the Writ Motion Bench of the High Court Division have taken steps to expedite the disposal of old criminal miscellaneous and writ cases. On Thursday, the Criminal Motion Bench disposed of 3,247 old criminal miscellaneous cases, while the Writ Motion Bench resolved 1,765 old writ cases.

Following the Chief Justice’s instructions, the concerned benches prioritized the settlement of old cases and implemented effective measures to reduce the backlog. This initiative is part of an ongoing effort to ensure justice for litigants, reduce procedural delays, and enhance the efficiency of the judicial system.

Since the current Chief Justice assumed office, the High Court has continued this special initiative every Thursday, enabling faster justice for those affected by long-standing civil and criminal cases.

A new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), released on May 7, 2026, reveals that 58 percent of West Bengal’s 292 newly elected legislators face serious criminal cases. The report shows that 170 lawmakers are accused of grave offenses such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, crimes against women, rape, corruption, and misuse of public funds. In total, 190 legislators, or about 65 percent, have some form of criminal case pending against them. The number of serious cases has risen significantly from 113 in 2021.

The ADR analysis also highlights major disparities among political parties. Of 206 BJP legislators, 141 face serious charges, compared with 25 of 80 from the Trinamool Congress. All winning candidates from CPI(M), All India Secular Front, and Aam Janata Unnayan Party have serious cases, while Congress’s two legislators have none. The report further notes a sharp rise in declared assets, with 178 lawmakers owning over one crore rupees each and average wealth increasing from 2.5 crore in 2021 to 3.7 crore.

ADR concludes that the growing number of criminally accused legislators and their rising wealth raise new concerns about transparency and ethics in West Bengal politics.

China’s court has sentenced former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death on corruption charges, with the sentences suspended for two years. According to the state news agency Xinhua, such suspended sentences are often later commuted to life imprisonment. The verdict, announced on Thursday, underscores the intensifying anti-corruption drive within China’s military establishment.

President Xi Jinping launched a sweeping campaign against corruption across the state and military apparatus after taking power in 2012. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been a central focus of this effort. In 2023, the campaign extended to the elite Rocket Force, which oversees China’s nuclear and conventional missile programs, marking a significant move for Beijing.

Analysts cited in the report view the harsh ruling against the two former ministers as a demonstration of Xi Jinping’s strengthened control over the military hierarchy and his administration’s zero-tolerance stance toward corruption.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan announced that individuals falsely claiming to be freedom fighters and receiving government benefits will be identified and brought under legal action. He made the statement on Thursday at a meeting organized by the Central Command Council of the Freedom Fighters’ Parliament in Eskaton, Dhaka. The minister also urged those who are not genuine freedom fighters to voluntarily remove their names from the official list to avoid harsher penalties.

Khan emphasized that including non-freedom fighters in the list of recognized heroes was unethical and illegal. He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the honor of genuine freedom fighters and ensuring that those who unlawfully received benefits face justice. He assured that allowances for poor and genuine freedom fighters would not be affected.

The minister further mentioned that the review of the Freedom Fighters’ Parliament constitution is ongoing and that necessary arrangements for the upcoming council meeting must be completed by the end of May, with the council to be held by the end of June.

Bangladesh and China have reaffirmed their commitment to the One-China policy and to strengthening bilateral cooperation. The reaffirmation came during a meeting in Beijing on Thursday between Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. Both sides emphasized expanding collaboration in connectivity, trade, investment, multilateral platforms, and regional issues.

During the high-level talks, Dhaka and Beijing reviewed their longstanding friendship and discussed ways to deepen ties across multiple sectors. The meeting highlighted the importance of enhancing connectivity and mutual engagement in areas of shared interest. Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister also presented Prime Minister Tareq Rahman’s vision of building a connected, economically vibrant, and globally engaged Bangladesh.

The discussions underscored both nations’ intent to maintain close cooperation and mutual understanding in regional and global affairs, reflecting continuity in their diplomatic relationship.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified patrols and heightened alert along the 148-kilometer Lalmonirhat border following concerns of possible push-in attempts from India. The alert comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive victory in the West Bengal state assembly elections, which has reportedly triggered fears of violence and attacks on Muslim minorities in the region. Local sources indicated that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) might attempt to push Bengali-speaking Muslims, Rohingyas, or Indian citizens into Bangladesh.

To prevent illegal entry and maintain border security, BGB has set up special checkposts at key and sensitive points, expanded day and night patrols, and increased intelligence surveillance. Closed-circuit cameras have been installed for continuous monitoring, and suspicious individuals and vehicles are being searched. Residents of border villages expressed deep anxiety over the situation, citing increased BSF activity and uncertainty about potential cross-border movements.

Lieutenant Colonel Syed Fazle Munim, commanding officer of the 61 BGB Battalion, confirmed that patrols and inspections have been strengthened to ensure no illegal infiltration from India, emphasizing BGB’s commitment to maintaining national peace and order.

Religious Affairs Minister Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad announced that rents for Waqf properties across Bangladesh will be redefined according to current market rates. Speaking to journalists at his office in the Secretariat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, the minister said widespread irregularities and corruption have left about 614,000 acres of Waqf land in poor condition. He noted that only nominal rents are being collected through corrupt practices.

The minister detailed that Waqf properties include 212,099 acres under Waqf-e-Aulad and 377,120 acres under Waqf-e-Lillah. He attributed the current state of neglect to administrative weakness, corruption, and inefficiency over the past 17 years. According to him, the Prime Minister wants the original charitable intentions of the donors to be properly implemented, ensuring transparency and eliminating wrongdoing.

Kaykobad explained that Waqf-e-Aulad properties generate income for descendants, while Waqf-e-Lillah properties direct income entirely toward religious or public welfare purposes, sometimes with shared allocations between family and charitable uses.

The Attorney General of Bangladesh has directed Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General serving in the High Court Division not to attempt to influence cases in other benches. The instruction follows allegations that some government law officers have been trying to exert influence in various cases beyond their assigned courts. The directive was issued through an official notice released on Thursday by administrative officer Md. Nasir Uddin from the Attorney General’s office.

According to the notice, the Attorney General became aware that certain Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General were leaving their designated courts during sessions to appear in other courts and attempt to influence proceedings. The notice formally requested all concerned officials to refrain from visiting or intervening in any court other than their own during court hours.

The order aims to ensure discipline and impartiality among government law officers and to maintain the integrity of judicial proceedings within the High Court Division.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis have expressed deep concern over recent violence in India following state assembly elections, claiming that extremist Hindu groups have intensified attacks on Muslims. In a press release issued on Thursday, the party said Muslims in border states such as West Bengal and Assam are being branded as Bangladeshis and subjected to brutal persecution. The group condemned the attacks and demanded an immediate end to extremist assaults on minority Muslims.

The statement, released after a central executive meeting chaired by Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and conducted by Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader in Dhaka’s Paltan area, alleged that mosques, homes, and businesses in India have been attacked and vandalized, leaving many injured and displaced. It also noted that even Hindu workers of opposition parties have faced violence, accusing the ruling BJP governments of irresponsibility.

Khelafat Majlis called on the Indian government to ensure the safety of its minority communities and urged the Bangladesh government to formally express concern to India over the incidents.