Suvendu Adhikari will take oath on Saturday at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground as West Bengal’s first chief minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the ceremony. His appointment was confirmed on Friday after BJP legislators unanimously selected him in a meeting attended by Home Minister Amit Shah. Adhikari formally submitted his letter to Governor R.N. Ravi seeking to form the government.

The BJP won 207 of the state’s 294 assembly seats, ending the 15-year rule of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). Once a close ally of Banerjee, Adhikari became her main rival, defeating her twice — first in Nandigram in 2021 and again this year in Bhabanipur. His political journey began in the Congress, later joining TMC and playing a key role in the Nandigram movement before switching to the BJP in 2020.

Adhikari’s rise marks a major political shift in West Bengal, fulfilling the BJP’s long-standing goal of forming a government in the state where its ideological predecessor, the Jana Sangh, was founded.

India has appointed Lieutenant General N S Raja Subramani as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of Naval Staff. The announcement was made on May 9, 2026. Subramani will succeed General Anil Chauhan, whose term ends on May 30, while Swaminathan will replace Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, whose tenure concludes on May 31.

Upon assuming office, Subramani will also serve as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs and oversee the Army, Navy, and Air Force as the head of all three services. A graduate of India’s National Defence Academy, he joined the Garhwal Rifles in 1985 and has held several key operational and diplomatic roles, including service at the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan and as Commander-in-Chief of the Central Command in 2023.

The appointments mark a significant leadership transition in India’s defense establishment, ensuring continuity in strategic and operational command across the armed forces.

The National Citizens Party (NCP), formed by young leaders of the July uprising, has rapidly emerged as a key political force in Bangladesh. Within a year of its founding, the party has joined the opposition alliance and attracted leaders from various political and social sectors. On Friday, about 300 activists from different parties and organizations joined the NCP’s Dhaka North branch at a press conference in Banglamotor, where senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adib welcomed them. The event followed a series of mass joinings in Dhaka and Chattogram earlier in the month.

Party sources said the NCP is strengthening its structure from the central to grassroots levels, forming committees and preparing to establish an advisory council of 25–30 senior figures, including academics, businesspeople, and former military officers. The party is also expanding its affiliated bodies such as youth, student, women, and labor wings, and has launched new groups for marginalized communities and expatriates.

NCP leaders stated that the party aims to become a centrist alternative political force by uniting the July movement’s supporters and building a strong organizational foundation ahead of upcoming local elections.

The article discusses the return of divisive and accusatory politics in Bangladesh’s new parliament, only two months after the post-uprising government took office. Expectations of a tolerant and constructive political culture have faded as parliamentary debates have again turned into partisan disputes, wasting valuable legislative time. The author observes that the old political culture remains unchanged, with only new faces and seating arrangements in parliament.

The piece traces the roots of this division to the post-independence period, when political groups used the rhetoric of pro- and anti-liberation forces to discredit opponents. It highlights how successive governments have manipulated the legacy of the 1971 Liberation War for political gain, including controversies over lists of collaborators and freedom fighters. The author argues that such tactics have deepened national disunity and hindered social progress.

The commentary concludes by urging all political sides to abandon the self-destructive politics of labeling and division, and instead foster tolerance and mutual respect to achieve sustainable national unity and development.

Recent state assembly election results in India have highlighted a growing religious polarization in the country’s politics. Analysts cited by Reuters say that while a large portion of Muslim voters is increasingly aligning with the opposition Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to strengthen its position among Hindu voters. The analysis covered elections in four states and one union territory, revealing a clearer pattern of religion-based voting behavior.

Observers note that since coming to power in 2014, Modi and the BJP have made Hindutva a central political strategy, helping the party consolidate its national influence. In Assam, 18 of 19 newly elected Muslim legislators are from Congress, while the BJP won 82 seats to form the government. The Muslim-backed AIUDF saw its seats drop from 16 to two. In West Bengal, the BJP won 207 of 294 seats, emerging as a major force without fielding any Muslim candidates.

Analysts warn that this trend could deepen India’s social and political divisions, as both Hindu and Muslim voters increasingly align along religious lines.

Hasnat Abdullah, Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4 (Debidwar) and a senior leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has donated most of his first month’s salary to support the education of children from the marginalized Bede community. In a video message posted on Facebook early Friday, he announced that the donation was made under a special initiative titled “Let’s Meet Gypsy Genius.” Through this program, 34 Bede students received cash scholarships from his first month’s salary.

The initiative also includes a monthly scholarship of 2,500 taka for Bede students pursuing higher education after completing higher secondary school. Bede community president Alaudin Ojha welcomed the move, saying it would help their children move beyond a nomadic lifestyle and build a better future through education. Abdullah stated that his goal is to ensure that financial hardship does not hinder any child’s education.

Local observers believe the MP’s personal initiative will positively influence education among disadvantaged groups and inspire others to take similar social responsibility.

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has congratulated Suvendu Adhikari, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who won the West Bengal assembly election. The message was conveyed on Friday through a statement issued on behalf of the Awami League.

According to the statement, Hasina, who is also the president of the Awami League, extended her greetings to all victorious BJP representatives in the West Bengal assembly election. Although the statement mentioned only Suvendu Adhikari by name, it noted that Hasina wished success to all who achieved victory in the polls.

The announcement reflects a gesture of goodwill from the former Bangladeshi leader toward the newly elected leadership in the neighboring Indian state, emphasizing political courtesy and regional diplomatic civility.

Widespread communal violence broke out across West Bengal just hours before Suvendu Adhikari was to be sworn in as the state’s first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief minister. The epicenter of the unrest was a mosque in Cooch Behar, known locally as the ‘Chhoto Mosque,’ where alleged BJP-backed assailants vandalized the premises and desecrated copies of the Quran. Local worshippers were seen in tears amid the destruction, describing the attack as unimaginable.

Witnesses said that after election results were announced, groups of men wearing saffron powder gathered outside the mosque, shouting provocative slogans before storming inside. Reports of attacks on Muslim-owned shops and homes have also emerged from several districts, including Cooch Behar and Birbhum. Allegations have surfaced that Adhikari’s divisive rhetoric during the campaign emboldened perpetrators.

Meanwhile, incidents of arson at Trinamool Congress offices in Kolkata and threats to close meat and biryani shops have raised concerns about growing intolerance. Observers fear that West Bengal’s communal harmony may face a severe crisis if the violence continues unchecked.

Jamaat-e-Islami central executive council member and Dhaka South Ameer Md. Nurul Islam Bulbul MP said the government is misleading the public by promising to fully implement the July Charter while actually avoiding necessary reforms. Speaking on Friday at a Jamaat-e-Islami training camp for non-members and associates in the Motijheel-Shahjahanpur zone, he accused the government of reviving old fascist practices instead of pursuing reform and change.

Bulbul argued that those who sought a ‘yes’ vote in the pre-election referendum but later ignored its outcome cannot bring about state reform or implement the July Charter. He questioned why ruling party lawmakers had not taken the oath of the constitutional reform council if they truly intended to follow the charter. He urged the government to implement the July Charter peacefully and said Jamaat-e-Islami was ready to cooperate if the government accepted the referendum’s verdict.

The event was chaired by Muhammad Shamsur Rahman, assistant secretary of Dhaka South Jamaat, and attended by several local leaders.

A security guard at Dhaka University’s Curzon Hall has been listed as the joint general secretary of the Dhaka Metropolitan East unit of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), prompting internal discussions and criticism within the organization. The appointment appeared in a committee list approved on April 4, 2026, by the JCD central leadership and published on May 2 on the group’s official Facebook page. The listed individual, Julhas Mia, said he was not fully certain whether the name referred to him.

Julhas, currently employed as a fourth-class security guard at the university’s main gate, stated that he had long been involved with the student organization and had submitted his CV about six months earlier seeking an honorary position. However, he expressed uncertainty about how his name appeared in the final committee. The Dhaka Metropolitan East JCD president confirmed Julhas’s identity, saying he had participated in various programs and was believed to be a current student.

Other JCD leaders, including the vice president and general secretary of the same unit, said they were unaware of Julhas’s professional background. The central general secretary of JCD said such inclusion should not have occurred and promised to review the matter.

A protest rally was held in Anwara, Chattogram, after allegations surfaced that Mohammad Ali, an Awami League leader, made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on Facebook. The demonstration took place on Friday at 5 p.m. at Kala Bibi Dighi intersection, organized by Tanzim-e-Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Anwara branch and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Anwara branch. The event was presided over by Maulana Kazi Akhtar Hossain Anwari and attended by several local religious leaders.

According to the report, Mohammad Ali, a former adviser to the Anwara Upazila Awami League and currently residing in the United States, allegedly made the offensive comment under a post by Islamic speaker Rafiqul Islam Madani. The incident sparked anger among local Muslims and widespread criticism on social media. Following the backlash, Ali apologized and expressed regret for his remarks.

Speakers at the rally described the comment as an unpardonable offense and demanded legal action against the accused, stating that mere apology was insufficient. They also called for exemplary punishment to prevent similar incidents in the future.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has emphasized the need to ensure regular attendance of doctors in government hospitals and to improve healthcare services in Sitakunda, Chattogram. Speaking at a social event in Sitakunda on Friday, he said the region remains behind in education, healthcare, and employment despite its industrial and tourism importance. He also met with industrialist and political figure Aslam Chowdhury MP during the event.

Nahid Islam stated that he would discuss with the government and relevant authorities to make healthcare more accessible for people in remote areas. He called for increasing hospital bed capacity if necessary and urged the government to take effective steps to create more employment opportunities for local youth. He also highlighted Sitakunda’s potential in tourism and industry.

According to local sources, the meeting between the two leaders included discussions on national politics, social harmony, and regional development. Attendees viewed the interaction positively, expecting it to contribute to local progress and stability.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has proposed the establishment of four new police stations to strengthen citizen security and improve policing services in the rapidly expanding capital. Acting DMP Commissioner Md. Sarwar stated that the proposal for the new Rayerbazar Police Station is currently under review at the ministry. He shared the information while speaking to journalists during the inauguration of the newly built Khilkhet police outpost building in the 300 Feet area on Friday afternoon.

According to the DMP, the restructuring aims to reduce pressure on existing stations and ensure faster service delivery to residents. Plans include forming a new station covering parts of Mohammadpur, Adabar, and Hazaribagh, another named Bashundhara Police Station combining parts of Vatara, Badda, and Khilkhet, and an additional one in the Khilgaon area. The commissioner added that the expansion of Dhaka’s population, housing projects, and commercial activities has made new administrative structures essential for maintaining law and order.

He further mentioned that as the Purbachal New Town project and nearby areas come under Dhaka North City Corporation, proposals have been made to establish four new police stations and six outposts as part of advance planning.

Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP), called on Muslims to strengthen their faith to confront emerging ideological challenges. Speaking before Friday prayers at Masdair Central Jame Mosque in Fatullah, Narayanganj, on May 8, 2026, he warned that the 'saffron flag' was approaching Bangladesh and urged vigilance. Local NCP leaders, including Zubair Ahmed Sardar, Zubair Hossain Tamjid, and Nirab Raihan, were present during his address.

In his brief speech before the sermon, Patwari emphasized social transformation, political awareness, and skill development among expatriates. He advocated for mosque-centered community building as a means of achieving societal change and criticized the previous 15 years of governance for alleged repression of religious scholars. He also highlighted the importance of Arabic language skills for Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Middle East, suggesting that language proficiency could significantly increase their earnings.

A brief commotion occurred at the mosque during his visit, with witnesses reporting pushing and shouting that led to a broken glass door. The situation was later brought under control.

Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon stated that the government will not allow any crime in Bangladesh to lapse, regardless of who committed it. Speaking on Friday at the National Museum auditorium in Dhaka during an event organized by the Shapla Smriti Sangsad, he said this includes crimes from the 1971 Liberation War genocide to the Shapla Chattar killings. He emphasized that the current government, led by Tarique Rahman, has already honored the victims of the Shapla incident in the first parliamentary session.

Swapon noted that the government’s recognition of the Shapla victims was intended to send a message that no crime will go unaddressed. He called for collective cooperation to ensure justice. The event’s speakers demanded justice, truth disclosure, and state recognition for those killed in the 2013 Shapla Chattar incident. Swapon assured that these demands would be conveyed to the Prime Minister and the BNP Chairperson.

Other speakers, including leaders from various Islamic and political organizations, described the Shapla movement as a historic struggle and urged national unity to honor the martyrs and protect the country’s sovereignty and religious values.