After the fall of the Awami League government, hooligans who had been in hiding in the Daulatpur char region of Kushtia have resurfaced. These criminals are instilling fear in the area through sporadic gunfire, bomb attacks, extortion, robbery, and even murder. The residents of the char areas are living in constant fear.

On September 30, in broad daylight, Philipnagar Union Parishad Chairman Noim Uddin Sentu was shot dead in his office. On the night of November 2, businessman Nurul Islam was beaten and robbed of five lakh taka, gold jewelry, and his mobile phone. A few days later, a woman was also targeted in a similar mugging incident. Numerous such crimes continue to take place, while the police claim that operations against the criminals are ongoing.

According to an Al Jazeera report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shut down humanitarian aid access to Gaza following the expiration of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement—just as Ramadan begins.

Earlier, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Avi Berkowitz, proposed a ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of all hostages, but only for the duration of Ramadan. Israel agreed to the proposal, but Hamas rejected it, insisting on a permanent ceasefire instead.

Due to this disagreement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has taken this controversial and harsh measure, cutting off vital aid to the war-torn region.

Two leaders of the BNP-affiliated student organization, Chhatra Dal, were arrested in Mirpur with cocktails and a toy gun. A joint force operation apprehended them late Friday night from an attic in Mirpur-1. Following their arrest, both were expelled from Chhatra Dal. The expelled leaders are Imran Hossain, former Secretary of Environment and Climate Affairs for Dhaka Metropolitan West Chhatra Dal, and Rajib Biswas, Joint Convener of the newly formed committee at Government Bangla College. Police stated that they acted on intelligence reports indicating the presence of criminal elements in the area.

Professor Dr. Shahida Rafiq, wife of BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam and an adviser to Khaleda Zia, passed away at Ibn Sina Hospital in Dhanmondi on Sunday morning. She had suffered an injury after falling into a ditch at a BNP event last Thursday. Following initial treatment, she was admitted to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed their condolences.

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division will hear the leave-to-appeal petitions against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s acquittal in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case on Monday. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the appeal after the High Court overturned her seven-year prison sentence on November 27 last year. Both the state and the ACC had challenged the ruling in the Appellate Division on February 23. The ACC originally filed the case against Khaleda Zia in August 2011.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has approved a 217-member convening committee. The announcement was made in a message sent by party Secretary Akhtar Hossain early Sunday. The party stated that despite the overthrow of a fascist regime through a mass uprising, the abolition of the fascist system and the establishment of a new political order are yet to be realized. The new party was formed to fulfill the aspirations that remained unmet since the historical events of 1947 and 1971. The convening committee will work towards these goals over the next year.

The Democratic Student Council (DSC) has officially begun its organizational activities. The event was attended by central secretary of the organization Zahid Ahsan, Dhaka University convener Abdul Kader, secretary Mahir Alam, and chief organizer Hasib Al Islam, among others. Zahid Ahsan remarked that in the 54 years since the Liberation War, Bangladesh has not seen any effective political process. Instead, under the guise of student politics, there has been an attempt to destabilize campuses through tagging culture and implementing the agenda of the ruling party. He emphasized that the DSC is committed to establishing politics based on intellect, values, responsibility, and care, aiming to lead the country beyond these issues. Abdul Kader stated that the foundation of the Democratic Student Council lies in the dreams of martyrs and the youth.

Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned and expressed deep concern over the killing of a Bangladeshi youth, Al Amin, by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and the severe injury of another, Bilal. In a statement, the party denounced the killing at the Kasba border and the brutal attack on Bilal at the Jhenaidah border on February 27. Jamaat criticized repeated border killings despite promises to reduce them to zero. The party highlighted that eight Bangladeshi citizens have been killed by BSF in the last three months, calling the situation a serious threat to friendly bilateral relations.

Jessore University of Science and Technology (JUST) has renamed five key landmarks on its campus. The “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Academic Building” is now the “Kabi Nazrul Academic Building,” while “Sheikh Hasina Hall” has been renamed “Taposi Rabeya Hall.” The “Sheikh Russell Gymnasium” is now the “Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman Gymnasium,” and the “Wazed Miah Higher Education and Research Center” has been renamed the “Institute for Higher Studies and Research.” Additionally, the student hall of the university’s Veterinary College in Jhenaidah has been renamed “Kabi Golam Mostafa Student Hall.” The university’s highest decision-making body, the Regent Board, made these changes in a meeting on Friday night.

In observance of Ramadan, BNP leader Aminul Haque distributed iftar packages to the families of party activists who were victims of enforced disappearances and killings. Acting on the instructions of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Aminul presented these relief items to the families of Nur Alam, former general secretary of Pallabi Thana Jubo Dal, Tariqul Islam Tara, former joint convener of the Thana Chhatra Dal, and Md. Sani, a martyr of the anti-discrimination movement from Ward No. 5 of Pallabi. Aminul emphasized that these families should not feel abandoned and reiterated BNP’s commitment to ensuring justice for the victims if they come to power.

As the holy month of Ramadan begins, BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, extended his greetings, emphasizing that Ramadan is a time for spiritual discipline and self-restraint. He highlighted that Muslims dedicate themselves to seeking the mercy and satisfaction of the Almighty. He further noted that by abstaining from food and drink throughout the day, believers strive to attain Allah’s love. Calling for peace and harmony, he urged everyone to refrain from injustice, hatred, and discord to foster a more peaceful society.

At a protest rally demanding the implementation of BNP’s 31-point national reform plan and immediate elections, former BNP youth leader Golam Mawla Shaheen declared that conspiracies and misinformation would not distance BNP from the people. He emphasized that BNP remains the people’s party despite 15 years of severe repression under a fascist regime. “The people of Bangladesh and its youth have been deprived of voting rights for too long. Certain conspirators and agencies are meddling in the interim government to manipulate the national election,” he warned.

BNP has apologized for a statement by its Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, claiming that a bomb attack at the BCS Administration Welfare Association building caused casualties. The party later admitted the statement was based on incorrect information. Initially, Fakhrul blamed miscreants for creating instability, but BNP now clarifies that no such attack occurred. Instead, the casualties resulted from an air conditioner explosion. The party expressed regret for the misunderstanding and acknowledged the error in its previous statement.

Under the directive of BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, the “We Are BNP Family” organization will distribute Eid gifts to the families of party members who were abducted, killed, or disabled. Additionally, families of those killed or injured in the 2024 mass uprising will receive similar support. The organization’s secretary stated that this initiative has been in place since 2016, reaching approximately 1,200 families annually. This year, the number of beneficiaries is expected to rise to 1,700-1,800.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has criticized the National Citizen Party for lacking a clear political philosophy, despite making grand statements about the state. He dismissed comparisons between BNP’s formation under military rule and other political narratives, stating that Ziaur Rahman established a new ideological framework distinct from past regimes. Rizvi asserted that Zia was the pioneer of multi-party democracy and did not seize power by dismantling democratic governance. Instead, he restored democracy after the one-party BAKSAL system.