Hefazat-e-Islam Dhaka District North held a protest rally and procession in Hemayetpur, Savar, on Saturday, demanding the trial of those responsible for the killings at Shapla Chattar. The group also called for the withdrawal of what they described as false cases against Islamic scholars and the implementation of their 13-point demands.

During the rally, Hefazat’s Dhaka District North president, Hafiz Maulana Ali Akbar Kasemi, said it was deeply regrettable that even after a long time, there had been no fair and acceptable trial for the Shapla genocide. He stated that the absence of justice had caused frustration and anger among the public and deprived victims’ families of justice. Kasemi urged the formation of an independent and impartial investigation commission to uncover the truth and the establishment of a special tribunal to ensure exemplary punishment for those involved.

Following the rally, a large procession led by Kasemi marched along the Dhaka-Aricha highway, chanting slogans demanding justice for the Shapla killings.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Amir Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque stated that the future of national politics will be built upon the spirit of Shapla. Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the exhibition titled ‘Shaplar Shahidchitra: Adekha Sattwer Frame’ at the Nalinikanta Auditorium of the Shahbagh Museum in Dhaka, he honored those who lost their lives in 2013, calling them the true sons of the nation. He emphasized the importance of seeking historical truth and passing it on to future generations.

The event was attended by several political and social figures, including reserved seat MP Sanjida Islam Tuli, who described the exhibition as timely and praiseworthy. She said that ongoing discussions and research surrounding the Shapla incident are crucial for uncovering the truth and ensuring justice. Other attendees included writers, researchers, and leaders from various organizations.

Organizers said the exhibition aimed to promote research-based historical discussions and raise awareness among the youth. They expressed hope that similar initiatives would be held on a larger scale in the future.

BNP Chairperson’s adviser and former DUCSU assistant general secretary Nazim Uddin Alam said that all political parties should work together through dialogue to resolve any national crisis. He made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing a discussion at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club in Dhaka. The event, organized by Ziaur Rahman Samaj Kalyan Parishad (ZISP) on the occasion of International Workers’ Day, was titled “Democracy, Good Governance and People’s Expectations.”

Nazim Uddin Alam emphasized that both ruling and opposition parties must engage in constructive criticism and cooperation to overcome economic and political challenges. He said BNP, Jamaat, and NCP jointly contributed to ending fascism and pledged to ensure social security, rule of law, and economic freedom under the leadership of Tarique Rahman. He also mentioned initiatives such as family and farmer cards and the revival of Ziaur Rahman’s canal-digging program.

He further stated that Bangladesh now has a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and criticized external comments on the country’s politics, asserting that Bangladesh’s people will remain united and vigilant.

Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Raihs Uddin has called for breaking the 13-year silence surrounding the Shapla Chattar incident and uncovering the truth. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a discussion organized by the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) marking Shapla Genocide Day, held at the Department of Public Administration seminar room. The VC described the long silence as painful and said the event carried both deep sorrow and important lessons for the future. He termed the incident, which occurred amid state security and political suppression, as a deep wound for the nation.

Teacher and writer Ali Hasan Usama, the main discussant, reviewed the events of May 5, 2013, when Hefazat-e-Islam held a rally at Shapla Chattar. He highlighted the 13-point demand, the night operation, and subsequent repression, expressing concern over the lack of accurate casualty data and insufficient attention to affected families. Treasurer Professor Dr. Sabina Sharmin noted that the incident drew international attention and emphasized the need for research on the roles of law enforcement, political parties, and the media.

Speakers urged collective efforts to reveal the truth and prevent the resurgence of authoritarian or fascist forces in the future.

National Citizen Party (NCP) member secretary Akhtar Hossain stated that the July Movement emerged from accumulated anger over impunity in Bangladesh. Speaking at a seminar titled “From Shapla Massacre to July” held on Tuesday at Rupayan Trade Center in Banglamotor, Dhaka, he demanded that those who supported or masterminded the Shapla Chattar killings be brought to justice. He emphasized the need to ensure that citizens can speak safely and called for accountability for crimes against humanity.

NCP joint convener Sarowar Tushar claimed that the Awami League government had committed a series of crimes against humanity from the Pilkhana incident to the Shapla Chattar events. He urged the government to officially recognize those killed in the Shapla incident as martyrs. Other NCP leaders, including Ali Ahsan Junayed and Abdul Hannan Masud, also spoke at the seminar.

The speakers collectively argued that Bangladesh cannot escape historical responsibility by denying the Shapla Chattar events and called for state recognition of victims from past movements.

Post-election unrest has persisted across West Bengal despite repeated warnings from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership. Scattered incidents of violence have been reported in multiple districts, with BJP supporters holding victory processions using bulldozers and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) losing ground in North Bengal. In Jalpaiguri’s Maynaguri block, BJP members were accused of forcing Muslim-owned shops to close. Reports of clashes also came from both North and South 24 Parganas, where several deaths occurred.

In Kolkata’s Beleghata area, the body of TMC worker Biswajit Pattnayak was found under suspicious circumstances, prompting a police investigation. Violence also erupted in New Town after a BJP worker was allegedly beaten to death, while in Bolpur’s Santoshpur village, a TMC member named Abir Sheikh was killed. BJP supporters reportedly took control of several TMC offices in Nandigram and Falta, replacing TMC flags with BJP ones.

State BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya warned party members against seizing offices of other parties and said disciplinary action would follow if such incidents continued.

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Iran to make what he called a wise decision, warning that the country’s economy is heading toward failure. Speaking on May 5, 2026, he said U.S. sanctions have played a major role in Iran’s economic decline and described them as the toughest ever imposed. Trump praised Treasury Secretary Scott Besent for effectively implementing the sanctions.

Trump claimed that Iran’s currency has become nearly worthless and that inflation may have reached 150 percent. Despite his harsh economic assessment, he expressed reluctance to pursue military action, saying he does not want to kill people in Iran and calling the issue very difficult.

Expressing sympathy for the Iranian people, Trump said he knows many Iranians in New York and elsewhere and described them as wonderful people. He concluded by emphasizing that Iran should act wisely to avoid further deterioration of the situation.

Bangladesh Labor Party Chairman Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran has described the killings that took place on May 5, 2013, at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka’s Motijheel area as a disgraceful chapter in the country’s political history. In a statement signed by the party’s office secretary Md. Miraj Khan, he said that the state-sponsored operation by law enforcement agencies against unarmed religious scholars, devout citizens, and ordinary people was a severe violation of human rights and democratic values.

Dr. Iran emphasized that the state’s duty is to ensure the safety and security of its citizens, but the midnight operation at Shapla Chattar created deep concern and anger among the public. He stated that justice cannot be established in national life without a proper investigation into the incident.

He prayed for the souls of those killed and expressed sympathy for the injured and affected families. Dr. Iran also urged the government to guarantee human rights, freedom of expression, and democratic rights to prevent such incidents in the future.

Post-election violence has spread across several districts of West Bengal, including South 24 Parganas, Birbhum, Nadia, Howrah, and Bankura. Reports indicate incidents of murder, assault, vandalism, and party office takeovers, leading to rising tension in multiple areas. In a particularly brutal case in Nanur, Birbhum, a Muslim Trinamool Congress worker named Abir Sheikh was killed. His family alleged that BJP supporters attacked him with sharp weapons when he was alone. Police have been deployed to control the situation.

In another incident, tension flared in Champahati under the Baruipur East constituency of South 24 Parganas. Allegations surfaced that BJP workers blocked the entrance of a panchayat office with bamboo poles after hoisting their party flag. The BJP has completely denied these accusations.

Authorities are maintaining a heightened presence in affected areas to prevent further escalation, as political unrest continues following the election results.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed authorities to urgently repair the roads in Pirojpur district to make them suitable for traffic. The instruction came during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting reviewed the progress, challenges, and next steps of various development projects under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Pirojpur.

During the discussion, the Prime Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to maintaining a smooth and functional road communication system across the country. He particularly stressed the need to bring long-neglected and severely damaged roads under immediate repair programs to reduce the suffering of local residents. Relevant departments were instructed to take prompt and effective measures.

Officials present at the meeting reported on the previous progress of LGED projects in Pirojpur and noted that irregularities and corruption had occurred during the previous Awami League government’s tenure. The Prime Minister underscored the importance of transparency and accountability in implementing development activities going forward.

Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro met with Brigadier General Dr. A K M Shamsul Islam, the Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser, on Tuesday afternoon in Dhaka. The meeting took place at the office of the Defense Adviser in the Armed Forces Division within Dhaka Cantonment, with a four-member Italian delegation present.

During the meeting, both sides exchanged greetings in a cordial atmosphere and held productive discussions on strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in the area of defense cooperation. They emphasized deepening the existing friendship between Bangladesh and Italy and making it more multidimensional.

The discussions also covered expanding collaboration in defense training, capacity building, and experience sharing, as well as enhancing cooperation in the context of regional and global security. Both parties stressed the importance of elevating mutual trust, cooperation, and strategic partnership to a new level.

Islami Chhatra Shibir Central President Nurul Islam has alleged that the Awami government carried out the Shapla Chattar killings as part of a plan to eliminate Islam and its leaders. Speaking at a human chain organized by the Dhaka South unit of Chhatra Shibir at Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar, he demanded the immediate publication of a white paper on the incident and the trial of those responsible in an international crimes tribunal.

Nurul Islam claimed that after the 2013 incident, many Islamic scholars were unjustly arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for years. He also alleged that several television channels were shut down to conceal the events of May 5. He urged the government to reveal the actual death toll, compensate affected families, and punish those who planned and executed the killings. He further called for a blasphemy law to prevent anti-Islamic activities.

Special guest Maulana Abdul Halim of Jamaat-e-Islami also demanded justice, claiming that some former RAB and military officials were directly involved. He reminded that the opposition alliance led by Begum Khaleda Zia had protested the killings the following day.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called on district administrators to engage closely with citizens and lead alongside them. Speaking as chief guest at the sixth session of the 2026 Deputy Commissioners’ Conference held Tuesday at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, he emphasized the administrators’ vital role in nation-building and urged them to focus on genuine public welfare. He also announced that the government would organize local government elections soon and stressed decentralization as key to strengthening democracy.

State Minister Mir Shah Alam, attending as special guest, highlighted the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment, noting that among 64 district commissioners, 18 are women, and one of eight divisional commissioners is female. He instructed authorities to ensure coordinated waste removal within 12 hours during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. The session, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, included presentations and discussions among divisional commissioners and district administrators on local challenges and development priorities.

The event underscored the government’s focus on administrative innovation and effective local governance to advance national development goals.

Hefazat-e-Islam organized a rally in Narsingdi on Tuesday afternoon demanding justice for the killings at Shapla Chattar. The gathering took place at Darul Ulum Dattapara Madrasa and was attended by leaders of the organization’s Narsingdi district branch, including President Hafiz Maulana Shawkat Hossain Sarkar, Organizing Secretary Maulana Sadekul Islam, and several other clerics and activists.

Speakers at the rally alleged that people devoted to Islam were brutally killed during the incident and compared the violence to extreme acts of brutality. They accused the government of supporting anti-Islamic activities through the Shahbagh Gonojagoron Mancha movement. The speakers also announced the formation of the Shapla Foundation and demanded that the events of Shapla Chattar be included in school textbooks.

The rally reflected Hefazat-e-Islam’s continuing demand for official recognition and judicial action regarding the Shapla Chattar incident, which the group describes as a massacre.

Army Chief General Walker-Uz-Zaman has described the recent national election as the most remarkable in the country’s history. Speaking on Tuesday at the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, he said the election demonstrated that both military and civilian forces can successfully complete even the most challenging tasks when working together. Before his remarks, the chiefs of the navy and air force, along with the prime minister’s defense adviser, also addressed the event.

The army chief thanked the deputy commissioners for their role in organizing the election, noting that while the army provided support, the responsibility for conducting the polls rested entirely with the civil administration. He added that despite earlier doubts about whether the election would take place, the process had restored the nation to a democratic path. He assured the officials that the army would remain ready to assist them promptly in any emergency, disaster, or other critical situation.

His comments underscored the military’s commitment to supporting civil authorities and maintaining stability following the election.