Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said that if the verdict of the referendum is not respected, the struggle will continue both inside and outside parliament. He made the remarks on Saturday, April 25, at a Jamaat-e-Islami rally held at Suhrawardy Udyan. Rahman criticized the BNP for allegedly forgetting its 31-point agenda after coming to power and accused the party of following a path of fascism.

He stated that while the BNP accepts the verdict of 51 percent of voters, it refuses to accept the decision of 70 percent, calling this attitude regrettable. Rahman also said that Jamaat had raised demands in parliament from the first day, but others had failed to take their oaths, thereby betraying the nation. He emphasized that unless certain laws are amended and ordinances implemented, the fascist system will not change.

Rahman concluded by expressing his vision for a safer and more just Bangladesh, where citizens, including children and women, can move freely without fear and where educational institutions remain peaceful and focused on learning.

Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the newspaper Amar Desh, has presented a four-point reform proposal aimed at ending the long-standing culture of custodial torture and impunity in Bangladesh. Speaking on April 25, 2026, at a national consultation held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, he alleged that despite existing laws against torture, enforcement has been weak and often misused. Rahman also stated that he himself had been subjected to torture by state agencies and imprisoned for nearly five years for running a newspaper and publishing the truth.

He outlined four key reforms: political will from the highest level of government, judicial independence and oversight of police remand, modern training for law enforcement to replace physical coercion, and compensation and rehabilitation for victims of state or police torture. Rahman emphasized that structural reforms and a change in mindset are essential for real progress beyond signing international conventions or passing laws.

The event was part of a two-day national consultation organized by human rights group Odhikar with support from the international organization OMCT, focusing on implementing the UN Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol in Bangladesh.

A coordination meeting between Member of Parliament Md. Akhtaruzzaman Bachchu and district and upazila-level officials was held in Gafargaon, Mymensingh. The event took place on Friday afternoon at the auditorium of Abdur Rahman Degree College. The meeting focused on local development issues and was attended by officials from various government departments and public representatives.

The session was presided over by Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Md. Saifur Rahman and conducted by Gafargaon Upazila Nirbahi Officer N M Abdullah-Al Mamun. Police Superintendent Md. Kamrul Hasan and other officials also spoke at the event. MP Bachchu delivered the main address, emphasizing development matters concerning the Gafargaon area.

The meeting reflected ongoing coordination between administrative authorities and elected representatives to advance local development agendas in Mymensingh district.

Palestinians are casting ballots in the first election held since the Gaza war began. Voting is taking place in a central area of the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, where municipal elections opened at 7 a.m. local time. According to the Ramallah-based Central Election Commission, about 1.5 million people are registered to vote in the West Bank and 70,000 in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah area.

This marks the first Palestinian election since Israel launched its war in Gaza in October 2023. The conflict has left much of the population struggling to meet basic needs. At least 72,568 people have been killed and more than 172,338 Palestinians injured in the Gaza Strip since the fighting began.

The vote is seen as a significant political event amid the ongoing devastation, though the source does not specify the participating parties or the expected outcomes.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that the July-August 2024 mass uprising once again proved that the true owners of the state are its people. He said this on Saturday morning while inaugurating the third building of the BIAM Foundation in New Eskaton, Dhaka. Rahman described the current government as a reflection of the people's long-standing desire for an accountable, just, and welfare-oriented administration.

He emphasized that the government is committed to developing a confident, creative, and merit-based human resource system. According to him, building a citizen-friendly administration is essential for achieving the nation’s aspirations. The prime minister also urged the bureaucracy to become more people-oriented and highlighted the importance of training to help officials serve citizens better.

Before his speech, Rahman laid the foundation stone of the BIAM Foundation’s third building, toured its activities, and exchanged views with officials.

Rokeya Khanam, mother of Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (Raksu) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar, posted an emotional message on Facebook on Friday night, April 24, 2026. In her post, she described herself as the mother of a proud revolutionary and recounted her son’s political struggles and the persecution faced by their family. She reflected on years of political repression, including incidents involving her husband and brother, and expressed her continued support for her son’s activism despite threats and confinement.

The post detailed how the family was allegedly confined between July 16 and August 4, 2024, and how her husband was denied access to medicine. Rokeya wrote that she no longer asks her son to stop his political activities and prays for his safety. She also mentioned that she might file a general diary not for protection but as a historical record of their experiences. Her message concluded with a call for positive politics beyond party divisions and a vision of a prosperous Bangladesh built on the sacrifices of martyrs.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami organized a national rally of July martyrs’ families and July fighters at Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday, demanding full implementation of the referendum verdict. The event began at 10 a.m. with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Qari Enayet Ullah Saifi, followed by its translation by Sharif Bayjeed Mahmud and Islamic songs performed by artist Mashiur Rahman. July fighter Kamrul Hasan inaugurated the rally, calling for the July Charter to be implemented without any alteration and warning that Parliament would be besieged again if the demand was ignored.

The rally was attended by opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman MP, senior leaders of the 11-party alliance, Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, assistant secretaries general, central executive and working committee members, Dhaka city leaders, women’s wing officials, MPs from Jamaat and the 11-party alliance, as well as families of July martyrs and injured July fighters from across the country.

Participants emphasized respect for the people’s mandate and warned that political struggle would continue inside and outside Parliament if the referendum result was not honored.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to implementing all election pledges and every clause of the July Charter. He made the remarks on Saturday morning while inaugurating the third building of the BIAM Foundation in New Eskaton, Dhaka.

Rahman said the mass uprising of July–August 2024 had once again demonstrated that the people are the true owners of the state. He emphasized that citizens had long aspired to an accountable, just, and welfare-oriented governance system, and that the current government represents that aspiration. The prime minister also stressed the importance of building a confident, knowledge-based, and creative human resource to achieve national development goals.

He further noted that bureaucracy must become more people-oriented to build a modern and prosperous state. Rahman underscored the need for training to help public servants act as true servants of the people. Before his speech, he laid the foundation stone of the new BIAM Foundation building and visited its activities while exchanging views with officials.

At least ten people were injured in a violent clash between two factions of the Jubo Dal in Lalpur upazila of Natore on Friday afternoon. The confrontation, which took place at Godhra Bazar in Kadimchilan Union, stemmed from a dispute over local dominance. Police were deployed to the scene to bring the situation under control after reports of arson and a highway blockade.

According to police and local sources, the conflict involved supporters of Nadim Hossain Doha, a local Jubo Dal leader, and Majnu Patwari, the upazila Jubo Dal joint convener. Tensions escalated after a video about Majnu Patwari circulated on social media, leading to arguments earlier in the week. During the clash, rural physician Rashedul Islam was among those injured, and protesters blocked the Natore–Pabna highway by placing tree trunks and setting a motorcycle on fire.

Police later restored order and reopened the road. One injured person, Mokhles Patwari, was admitted to Lalpur Upazila Health Complex, while others received primary treatment. Authorities confirmed receiving a written complaint and said legal action would follow after investigation.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the foundation work of the third building of the BIAM Foundation on Saturday morning in New Eskaton, Dhaka. The ceremony took place around 10 a.m., marking a new phase in the foundation’s infrastructure development. Following the inauguration, the Prime Minister visited the foundation’s activities and exchanged views with its officials. Senior government officials, cabinet members, and distinguished guests attended the event.

The BIAM Foundation operates under the Ministry of Public Administration and is primarily responsible for training Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) officers and conducting other administrative programs. The new building is expected to enhance the foundation’s capacity to deliver training and administrative services more effectively.

The event underscores the government’s continued focus on strengthening administrative institutions and improving the professional development of civil servants through expanded facilities and modern infrastructure.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to authorize alternative methods for carrying out federal executions, including firing squads, electric shock, and gas-induced suffocation. The announcement was made on Friday, outlining the new procedures for those convicted of the most serious federal crimes.

According to the administration, the move comes in response to difficulties in obtaining the drugs required for lethal injections. A report from the Department of Justice recommended these methods as part of efforts to fulfill Trump’s campaign pledge to reinstate federal executions during his second term. The Justice Department is leading the initiative.

Trump had previously reinstated federal executions in 2021, just days before the end of his first term, ending a 20-year hiatus. The new plan continues that policy direction, expanding the range of approved execution methods at the federal level.

A local BNP leader was reportedly injured in an attack by Awami League supporters in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur on Friday night. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. in Kadmi village under Rupapat Union. The injured were identified as Abdur Rahman, assistant agriculture affairs secretary of the upazila BNP, and Suman Sheikh, 27, joint convener of the Rupapat Union Swechchhasebak Dal. Locals rescued them and took them to the upazila health complex, from where they were referred to Faridpur Hospital.

According to local sources, supporters of Md. Firoz Molla, general secretary of the Union Krishak League, carried out the attack. Firoz Molla, however, stated that he was in Gopalganj at the time and only heard about the assault. Boalmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Anwar Hossain said no written complaint had been filed yet and that legal action would be taken upon receiving one.

Police are awaiting a formal complaint to initiate legal proceedings regarding the incident.

Residents of eight northern districts in Bangladesh have intensified their movement demanding the construction of a second Jamuna Bridge connecting Fulchhari in Gaibandha to Bahadurabad Ghat in Jamalpur. Local people, led by the Fulchhari Development Forum, have formed a bridge implementation committee and are organizing rallies and public meetings to press their demand. They believe the bridge would open new economic opportunities and improve connectivity across the region.

The demand stems from decades of hardship faced by residents who rely on unsafe and unreliable boat crossings between Balashi and Bahadurabad. Ferry services that once operated on the route were suspended about 25 years ago, leaving thousands to cross the river daily under risky conditions. The lack of a bridge has severely affected agriculture, trade, education, and healthcare in the area, with farmers unable to transport goods efficiently to markets.

Local leaders and residents argue that a bridge would transform communication and trade between northern and southern Bangladesh, saving time and cost while boosting employment and regional development. The issue gained renewed attention after local MP Abdul Warech raised it in the national parliament.

The United States Army has officially increased the maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42 years, effective April 20, 2026, under a revised version of Army Regulation 601-210. The change applies to the Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard. The new directive also removes the waiver requirement for individuals previously convicted once for possession of marijuana or other controlled substances. The adjustment aims to expand the pool of eligible recruits as the Army faces one of its most severe manpower shortages since 1973.

According to official data, the Army met its recruitment goals in 2024 and 2025 but failed to do so in 2022 and 2023, and has consistently missed targets for the Army Reserve. Analysts attribute the shortfall to factors such as public opposition to wars, particularly against Iran, and declining interest among younger Americans. The Army Recruiting Command cited labor market shifts, limited awareness of military service, obesity, drug use, and mental health issues as key barriers to youth enlistment.

Military analysts note that the policy aligns the Army’s age limit more closely with other service branches and may help offset declining youth participation in the armed forces.

Sarba Mitra Chakma, an executive member of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), has called on Islami Chhatra Shibir to leave behind its secretive political activities and participate openly in politics. He made the remarks in a Facebook post on Friday, April 24, 2026, stating that it was his personal wish for Shibir to engage in transparent political practices.

In his post, Chakma questioned the need for Shibir’s covert politics, noting that the Awami League was no longer in power. He highlighted that, despite the absence of any state ban on the organization, Shibir activists are often treated as if they are “killable beings,” with society and the state having normalized such attitudes over the past seventeen years. He also referred to a recent statement by a former Islami University Chhatra Dal leader who threatened violence against Shibir members.

Chakma concluded that before Shibir can fully enter open politics, society must first ensure their human rights and end the perception that their lives are expendable.