Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus emphasized that the holy month of Ramadan provides a unique opportunity for self-purification through restraint, seeking Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness. In a message marking Ramadan, he extended greetings to the nation and the global Muslim community, highlighting the role of fasting in promoting compassion, harmony, and brotherhood. He urged people to renounce indulgence, envy, and conflict while embracing patience and moderation. He also encouraged increased Quran recitation and worship, praying for peace and divine blessings for all.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) will launch an “all-out action” against known criminal gangs in the city, according to Additional Commissioner Rezaul Karim Mallik. He emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for all crimes, big or small. Given the increase in financial transactions during Ramadan, DB officers will conduct undercover surveillance to maintain law and order. Mallik noted that recent incidents of robbery and snatching involved criminals aged 15-30, many of whom were influenced by incitement from fallen fascists.

Dr. Muhammad Mofizur Rahman, coordinator of the Inter-Cadre Disparity Resolution Council, announced that 25 cadres will observe a full-day strike nationwide on Sunday. Only emergency services will remain operational. The strike demands the withdrawal of dismissal orders against 12 officials penalized for social media posts and the resolution of inter-cadre inequalities. Rahman warned that if the issues remain unaddressed within a week, stricter measures will follow. He urged authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the matter.

Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Mazumdar, has dismissed media reports of a robbery on 40 vehicles in Pabna as exaggerated. According to the statement from Santhia Police Station, unidentified robbers blocked the Sathia-Bera road in Karomja Union with fallen trees on Friday night and intercepted a single HiAce van. The robbers held five passengers at gunpoint, seizing 7.14 tolas of gold, a laptop, an iPad, a small suitcase, a diamond nose pin, 502 dinars, and 50,000 taka in cash. They also took mobile phones from a CNG driver and a motorcyclist before fleeing the scene.

China has fired flares at an Australian reconnaissance aircraft over the disputed South China Sea, triggering fresh tensions. According to Australian officials, a Chinese J-16 fighter jet released flares near an Australian P-8 surveillance aircraft in contested waters.

Australia’s defense department has lodged a formal complaint, expressing concerns over the incident. Beijing, however, defended its actions, stating that the Australian aircraft had entered its territory illegally, and the response was a restrained yet professional enforcement of its sovereignty.

Chinese geologists have claimed to have discovered a massive energy source that could potentially sustain the country for the next 60,000 years. According to reports from the Daily Mail, scientists in Beijing have identified a vast deposit of thorium in the Bayan Obo mineral complex, located in Inner Mongolia.

The thorium reserves found are so abundant that they could theoretically supply every household in China with unlimited energy. Thorium is a mildly radioactive element that can be used in nuclear reactors to generate electricity. Scientists believe that a molten-salt reactor, powered by thorium, could produce an almost infinite amount of energy.

Experts estimate that if the entire thorium deposit in the mine is extracted, it could amount to one million tons, marking a groundbreaking discovery in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.

A gang of robbers looted at least 30 vehicles, including buses and trucks, by blocking the Pabna-Santhia road with a fallen tree on Friday night. The incident has been confirmed by Saidur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Santhia Police Station, and Mostafizur Rahman, OC of Madhpur Highway Police Outpost.

According to local sources, the gang first stopped a cargo truck by placing a tree trunk on the road, causing a massive traffic jam with over a hundred vehicles, including buses, trucks, private cars, CNGs, and microbuses, stranded on both sides. Moments later, a group of 40 to 50 armed robbers launched an attack, targeting at least 30 vehicles. The criminals looted valuables and left at least ten people injured.

At a press conference on Saturday, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that the government is determined to create a level playing field for free and fair elections. Addressing concerns about Ramadan market conditions, he noted that essential food prices remain at a reasonable level compared to last year. The government will make every effort to keep prices stable throughout Ramadan, taking steps to increase supply. He expects the situation to improve further, ensuring affordability. He also acknowledged a shortage of both loose and packaged soybean oil but assured that regular monitoring has helped reduce the crisis in loose oil supply.

The holy month of Ramadan begins tomorrow. In light of this, metro rail passengers will be allowed to carry up to 250 milliliters of water for iftar throughout the month at station platforms and inside trains. However, authorities have urged passengers to ensure that no water spills on the platform and to dispose of empty bottles in designated dustbins.

According to the official notice, consuming any other food or drink inside metro stations, concourses, or trains will remain strictly prohibited. The metro rail schedule will remain unchanged.

In Maharashtra, India, a Muslim businessman’s shop was bulldozed after he was accused of chanting “Pakistan Zindabad” during an India-Pakistan cricket match on Sunday. The incident led to heightened tensions, resulting in the arrest of two individuals. Following the incident, Sindhudurg MLA Nilesh Rane directed the Malvan Municipality to take strict action. Subsequently, the businessman’s shop was demolished in the presence of police officials. Images of the bulldozed shop have gone viral on social media, with Rane labeling the shop owner as an “outsider.”

Following Syed Jamil Ahmed’s resignation, Cultural Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has strongly refuted his claims, calling some of them outright falsehoods.

“Jamil is a talented artist, and I have written extensively in praise of his work,” Farooki stated. “However, being skilled in art and being professionally competent are not the same.”

While expressing his respect for Jamil, Farooki insisted that many of the allegations were not entirely true. “Some of what he said is completely false, and some of it stems from frustration over his inability to manage certain situations,” he added.

Farooki also hinted that he would write a detailed response addressing the allegations in full.

Syed Jamil Ahmed has announced his resignation as the Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, citing bureaucratic complications and interference from the Ministry of Culture and its advisors.

He stated that prolonged bureaucratic delays, the appointment of the academy’s secretary as the focal person—hindering his official responsibilities—the slashing of budgets, the disappearance of important files, and internal disruptions instigated by certain officials all contributed to an environment unsuitable for artistic work. Additionally, he claimed that he faced resistance when attempting to use the term “Adivasi” (Indigenous).

“These issues, along with the activities of corrupt groups within the institution, have forced me to step down,” Jamil said in his resignation statement.

Tensions have flared once again in India’s Manipur state. On Friday, a group of devotees visited Kongba Maru, a sacred site for the Meitei community. Security officials reported that as the devotees arrived under security escort, armed Kuki militants fired seven rounds at them from a nearby hill.

Following the incident, additional security forces were deployed to the area. Local residents took to the streets in protest, demanding the dismantling of bunkers in the hills to ensure the safety of the Meitei community.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, an armed Meitei group in Manipur voluntarily surrendered 246 weapons to security forces, signaling an effort toward de-escalation.

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, has stated that while Europe should develop independent defense capabilities, it cannot replace the U.S. in safeguarding Ukraine. His party secured victory in the February 23 elections.

Experts argue that France and the U.K. collectively hold more military power than Russia. However, Europe's lack of political unity has hindered its strategic effectiveness. Meanwhile, Kyiv has warned that without U.S. military assistance, continuing the war will become extremely difficult. Even with collective efforts, Europe alone cannot fully compensate for the loss of American support.

The Trump administration is considering halting all military aid to Ukraine following an unprecedented verbal clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday.

A senior White House official told The Washington Post that the confrontation overshadowed planned mineral trade agreements, which ultimately fell through. No joint press conference was held following the dispute. If the aid suspension proceeds, it could have significant implications for Ukraine’s defense capabilities.