The White House has requested nearly $1.5 trillion for defense spending in the 2027 fiscal year budget proposal submitted to Congress. The proposed amount represents a 42 percent increase from the previous year and would mark the highest defense budget in modern US history. The proposal comes as the Iran war continues, underscoring the Trump administration’s focus on expanding military capabilities.

According to the proposal, the funds would strengthen ammunition reserves, expand the US Navy, and initiate construction of President Donald Trump’s planned ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system. It also includes a 5 to 7 percent pay raise for all military personnel to support recruitment and retention. Of the additional $445 billion requested, $350 billion would be passed through a new law allowing Senate Republicans to approve it by majority vote without Democratic support.

The budget also emphasizes defense-related priorities across other agencies. The Department of Energy proposed over $3.5 billion in additional funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration to develop new nuclear warheads, modernize existing ones, and advance technologies for future naval forces.

BNP Standing Committee member and Prime Minister’s political adviser Mirza Abbas is showing signs of recovery after being admitted to Singapore General Hospital. On Friday morning, he was moved from the Coronary Care Unit to a cabin as his condition improved. BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan confirmed that Abbas is gradually recovering under medical supervision and is now able to speak with others to a limited extent.

Another BNP Standing Committee member and Prime Minister’s adviser, Nazrul Islam Khan, also traveled to Singapore on Tuesday for medical treatment at the National University Hospital. Party leaders and activists have expressed their wishes for the quick recovery of both senior leaders.

Mirza Abbas had lost consciousness during iftar on March 11 and was initially admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where he underwent two brain surgeries before being transferred to Singapore on March 15 for advanced treatment.

Sixty-eight leaders from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami are serving as members of the 13th National Parliament, many of whom hold key party positions such as amir, nayebe amir, and central executive members. These MPs are finding it difficult to manage both their parliamentary and organizational duties, though they continue to perform their responsibilities diligently. Constituents’ expectations have also risen, with people frequently seeking assistance from their representatives.

Jamaat leaders, including Dhaka-12 MP Saiful Alam Khan Milon and Chapainawabganj-3 MP Nurul Islam Bulbul, acknowledged the challenges of balancing parliamentary work, party organization, and public service. They said administrative irregularities and long-standing complications make their work more difficult, but they remain committed to addressing them. MPs are also maintaining communication with constituents through local party leaders when parliamentary sessions keep them in Dhaka.

Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, who also serves as Leader of the Opposition, faces the heaviest workload. A team has been formed to assist him in managing constituency affairs while he fulfills his dual responsibilities in parliament and the party.

Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies are responsible for maintaining order. He made the remarks on Friday night at a Haribasar event held at the Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Sarbajanin Durga Temple premises in Aldadpur village of Joypur Union, Nawabganj upazila, Dinajpur.

During his address, the minister also stated that everyone has the right to practice their own religion and that no one should obstruct others in religious activities. The event was attended by local leaders including the president of the Upazila Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Front, Gojen Chandra Barman, and several local BNP leaders. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Zillur Rahman and Officer-in-Charge Mintu Dey were also present.

The minister’s remarks highlighted the importance of communal harmony and adherence to legal processes in resolving disputes, reinforcing the government’s stance on maintaining peace and religious freedom.

Comilla-5 Member of Parliament Haji Jasim Uddin declared a firm anti-drug stance, saying that drug trading would only continue over his dead body. He made the statement on Friday afternoon at a meeting organized by the Youth and Expatriate Development Organization in Kodalia area of Bakshimul Union, Burichang upazila.

During his speech, the MP said he was aware that some people advised him to be cautious, but he viewed his parliamentary duty as a sacred trust given by voters. He added that he would have no regrets even if fulfilling that duty cost him his life. Addressing drug dealers, he warned that there would be no leniency and expressed his determination to see who was stronger—them or the law.

On development issues, Jasim Uddin announced major road improvement projects for Burichang and Brahmanpara upazilas, promising quick repairs to unusable roads and the launch of development works worth hundreds of millions of taka soon.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, has accused the BNP of violating its pledge to the people by abandoning its earlier proposal for a referendum after securing a two-thirds majority. Speaking on Friday afternoon at a Jamaat-organized gathering in South Keraniganj, he said the BNP’s reversal created a political crisis and amounted to a breach of public trust.

Dr. Rahman argued that although the constitution identifies the people as the source of all power, their opinions are being disregarded. He warned that ignoring popular will marks the beginning of fascism and urged unity among all who have suffered oppression, including current and former political groups. He also criticized the government for concealing the real situation of the fuel crisis, alleging artificial shortages and inflated prices, and called for open dialogue with all political parties.

He further opposed the appointment of administrators in local government, calling it a violation of elected representatives’ rights, and warned that the new “home class” initiative could increase children’s device addiction. He announced that an eleven-party alliance would begin field-level programs from April 4 to continue the struggle for people’s rights.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam has assured that the government will extend the visas of expatriate workers stranded in Bangladesh due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. She made the statement on Friday, April 3, while receiving the body of Bangladeshi worker S M Tarek, who died in Bahrain, at Shahjalal International Airport. The minister said that visa validity has already been extended by one month and will be further extended as needed for affected countries.

She added that efforts are underway through relevant embassies to ensure the safety of expatriate workers both in Bangladesh and abroad. Regarding the repatriation of deceased workers, she said that three of the six bodies have been brought back to Bangladesh, and efforts continue to return the remaining ones.

The minister also warned against illegal migration, noting that many lives have been lost due to human trafficking. She stated that the government is working to bring back those stranded abroad and to bring traffickers to justice.

National Parliament Whip and Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati and Komolnagar) MP ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan said that wealthy individuals and those under government protection contribute less revenue compared to ordinary and poor citizens. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon while addressing the 'Komolnagar Pride Award', meritorious student reception, and wheelchair distribution ceremony organized by Sunrise Club at the Surjomukhi Kindergarten field in Char Lawrence, Komolnagar.

Nizan emphasized that the fight against drugs requires collective action, not just words. He urged teachers to focus on their professional duties rather than politics, suggesting that political activities be limited to the pre-election period. Responding to organizers’ requests to make the awards government-recognized, he cautioned that transferring such initiatives to government control could limit community autonomy, though the government could provide support.

The event honored nine distinguished individuals, six meritorious students, and distributed wheelchairs to fourteen persons with disabilities, recognizing contributions in education, social work, and entrepreneurship.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam visited the dilapidated bridge over the Bairan River in Gopalpur, Tangail, on Friday. During the inspection, he announced an allocation of Tk 4.5 crore for the construction of a new bridge and directed officials to begin work immediately. The bridge, built in the 1980s at Hatbairan area, has long been in a dangerous condition, forcing thousands of people to cross it daily at great risk.

The issue gained attention after a report was published in the newspaper Amar Desh on January 19, prompting authorities to take notice. The inspection was attended by Tangail-2 Member of Parliament Abdus Salam Pintu, local administration officials, and political leaders. Local residents and community representatives expressed relief that the long-neglected infrastructure problem was finally being addressed.

Residents hope that once the new bridge is completed, it will ease long-standing suffering and improve local communication and economic activities in the region.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and Rangpur-3 MP ATM Azharul Islam has accused the government of adopting fascist tendencies by questioning the legitimacy of a national referendum. Speaking as the chief guest at a ward-level leadership conference organized by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka North on Friday in Vatara, Dhaka, he said the July Revolution was aimed at establishing good governance and justice, not merely changing power. He criticized the government for refusing to fully implement the July Charter and for opposing constitutional reforms promised in it.

Azharul claimed that the government’s stance on the referendum reflected ideological bankruptcy and a betrayal of the July spirit. He alleged that despite a major public mandate in the last election, election engineering prevented full reflection of the people’s will. He urged the government to act wisely and implement the July Charter immediately.

In his closing remarks, Dhaka North Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin said the government’s denial of the July Charter contradicted the will of 48 million voters who supported constitutional reform, warning that the people would compel its implementation through mass movements.

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Dr. Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy Bir Bikram, convener of the National Committee for Implementation of the July Charter Movement, warned that people would return to the streets if the government failed to implement the July Charter in line with the referendum verdict. He made the statement on Friday during a human chain and rally organized by the committee in front of the National Press Club.

Speakers at the event accused the government of deceiving the people and urged immediate implementation of the referendum’s outcome. They asserted that the referendum represented the supreme will of the people, which all state institutions, including parliament and the judiciary, must uphold. The speakers warned that failure to do so would provoke a strong public response and severe consequences for the government.

Committee member secretary Ahmed Karim announced that a nationwide movement would soon be launched to build public opinion in favor of implementing the July Charter.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States could easily open the Strait of Hormuz and generate substantial revenue by extracting oil from the area. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that with a little more time, the US could open the strait, extract oil, and earn huge profits. He described the potential as a major 'gusher' for the entire world.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes, carrying a significant portion of global oil supplies. Recently, Iran has banned the passage of ships belonging to the United States, Israel, and their allies through the strait following US-Israeli attacks on Iranian territory. The situation has heightened tensions in the region, with energy security and freedom of navigation emerging as key concerns.

Trump’s remarks come amid ongoing geopolitical friction in the Gulf, where control over the Strait of Hormuz remains a central issue for global oil markets and regional stability.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s joint secretary general and spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman has accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of betraying the July mass uprising. In a statement issued on Friday, April 3, he said the uprising aimed to permanently eliminate autocracy, and the interim government had issued several ordinances to ensure constitutional balance and strengthen democratic institutions.

Rahman alleged that although BNP came to power through the path paved by the July uprising, it has now proposed to repeal or amend ordinances that could prevent the return of autocracy. He said BNP’s actions contradict the sacrifices of students and citizens who fought for democracy. The ordinances in question include those strengthening the National Human Rights Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and ensuring judicial independence.

He urged the government not to betray the blood of the people and to approve the ordinances issued to permanently abolish autocracy, emphasizing that BNP itself had once suffered under authoritarian rule.

Dr. Tasnim Jara, a former leader of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), has sharply criticized the BNP government’s initiative to repeal the Enforced Disappearance Prevention Ordinance. In a Facebook post on Friday, she questioned the rationale behind the decision and warned that it could further institutionalize a culture of impunity.

Jara stated that the government intends to cancel the ordinance, arguing that prior approval from the government would be required to investigate or arrest members of law enforcement agencies. She questioned whether fair justice is possible if permission must be sought from the same government to investigate its own forces. According to her, families of disappearance victims have previously been denied justice due to such procedural barriers.

She emphasized that the state’s primary duty is to ensure citizens’ safety, and requiring prior approval for investigations against security forces places the state above accountability. Jara described this as a clear violation of the constitutional principle that all are equal before the law.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh has called on the government to replace plans for appointing music teachers in primary schools with the recruitment of religious teachers. In a statement issued to the media on Friday, the organization’s president, Shaikhul Hadis Maulana Ubaidullah Faruq, and secretary general, Maulana Manjurul Islam Afendi, emphasized the importance of religious education in nurturing moral and ethical values among children.

The statement argued that the government had pledged before the election to strengthen religious education, but that promise has not been reflected in current initiatives. The group described the move to appoint music teachers as contradictory to that commitment. It further stated that the primary education system should focus on developing morality, humanity, and religious values among students.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh urged the government to reconsider its decision promptly and to fulfill its electoral promise regarding religious education.