Indian authorities have detained more than 550 illegal Bangladeshi migrants during overnight raids across Gujarat, with over 100 individuals apprehended in Surat alone. The detainees reportedly entered India without valid documentation and were living using forged papers. After investigations are complete, they will be deported back to Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has warned that the world should be concerned about the possibility of a full-scale conflict between two nuclear-armed nations. “Any clash between two nuclear powers is always a cause for concern. If the situation worsens, it could have tragic consequences,” he said. Tensions have already rattled the Indian stock market. Asif emphasized that serious cross-border firing incidents could escalate tensions into a “full-fledged war” with India. He assured that the Pakistan Army is fully prepared for any eventuality but expressed hope that diplomatic dialogue could still resolve the crisis.

DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz announced that separate roads will be built for the entry and exit of inter-district buses at Gabtoli Terminal. Buses to and from North Bengal will specifically use the new routes through the BRTC depot, aiming to ease congestion at the terminal.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus visited Bangladesh House in Rome on Friday, signing the official visitors’ book. He is currently in Italy to attend Pope Francis’ funeral, which will be held Saturday at Vatican City. Although the Pope’s tomb was intended to be modest, it will be located beneath the Basilica.

Commenting on renewed tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India following the Pahalgam attack, Donald Trump said such tensions are “nothing new.” He remarked, “Border skirmishes have been happening for 1,500 years; they will eventually find a solution one way or another.” Cross-border firing has reportedly increased since the attack.

In Jashore, a woman working at a brickfield was raped by one man while another assisted in the crime. The arrested suspects are Akram Hossain and Rabbi Hossain. The woman, who had been working with her husband at the site for several months, was assaulted inside a brick-molding area. Both suspects have been sent to jail.

Bangladesh’s delegation, led by Economic Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed, held multiple meetings with World Bank and IMF officials. The U.S. has asked Bangladesh to detail its plans for resolving tariff issues and trade deficits by increasing imports from America, including offering tariff-free access to select products. The IMF has demanded clear actions on making the currency exchange rate more flexible, increasing revenue collection, and reforming the banking sector before releasing further loan installments.

Executive Magistrate Sheikh Naushad Hasan led a raid at Kutkutitala Market in Naogaon, seizing 29.31 tons of government rice illegally stored by traders across two warehouses. Bags marked for food aid programs were also found. The accused traders, including Jahangir Babu, fled during the operation.

During Comilla University’s 2024-25 undergraduate admission tests, teenage gang members staged a violent show of force near Comilla Victoria College. Armed with rods, hockey sticks, bamboo poles, and local weapons, they created panic among candidates and guardians. Three gang members have been detained, according to local police.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Zahid Hossain, 27, from Naogaon for masterminding the abduction of 27 Bangladeshis in Libya. Victims were confined in a house, tortured, and ransom demands were sent to their families via videos. In one case, a ransom demand of 5 million taka was made, with 3.5 million paid through various bank accounts. Zahid has confessed to his crimes.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Saudi Arabia would soon join the Abraham Accords — a normalization agreement between Israel and several Arab countries brokered during his first term. Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia next month, marking his second foreign trip of his second campaign after attending Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican. Trump also noted that Saudi Arabia has pledged to invest one trillion dollars into the U.S. economy, and he plans visits to Qatar and the UAE as well.

Following an armed attack in Pahalgam, India blamed Pakistan without presenting any concrete evidence and took steps like suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. In response, Pakistan’s Senate unanimously passed a resolution rejecting India’s allegations. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who presented the motion, said Pakistan is fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any aggression, whether it be “water terrorism” or military provocations.

The Ministry of Education has issued separate notifications removing KUET Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Masood and Pro-VC Professor SK Shariful Alam. The decision, approved by the President and Chancellor, comes after prolonged student protests and hunger strikes demanding their ouster. They have been instructed to return to their respective departments.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus paid respects to the late Pope Francis upon arriving in Rome, where he was welcomed by Bangladesh’s ambassador to Italy and Vatican City. Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Mazumdar noted that Pope Francis had been an admirer of Yunus’s work, particularly his “Three Zeros” vision. The Vatican had also collaborated with Yunus on launching the “Three Zero Initiative” in Rome.

Adviser Supradip Chakma emphasized the government’s commitment to protecting the rights of all communities and building a secular nation. Speaking at an event, he highlighted the government’s open-door policy for development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He stressed the need for economic progress and expanding coffee and cashew nut cultivation in the region, even bringing experts from the plains if needed. Supradip called for overcoming past grievances, like the Kaptai Dam displacement, and working toward shared prosperity.