Pakistan has signed a two-year lobbying agreement worth $1.3 million with the US-based firm Arwin Graves Strategy Group LLC to improve its image in Washington. According to documents obtained by NDTV, the deal was signed on May 1 at the Pakistani embassy in Washington. The campaign aims to influence US policymakers and strengthen Pakistan’s position in South Asia-related policies. The firm will target key congressional committees, influential caucuses, policy experts, and investors to promote Pakistan as a partner in regional stability and counterterrorism, while also encouraging US investment in mining, IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and infrastructure.

Analysts view this image restoration effort as a major challenge given Pakistan’s deepening internal crises, including economic collapse, inflation, and debt burdens. The country remains under international scrutiny over allegations of enforced disappearances and excessive military force in Balochistan. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about extrajudicial killings, suppression of free expression, and misuse of anti-terror laws against dissenters, as well as discrimination against religious minorities such as Hindus, Christians, and Ahmadis.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Jahir Uddin Swapan said that the government's primary responsibility is to ensure long-term good governance rather than making populist decisions. He made the remarks on Monday at his office in the Secretariat while exchanging post-Eid greetings with journalists. Responding to questions about the recent fuel price increase, he noted that fuel-importing countries have been adjusting prices in line with international market trends.

The minister explained that Bangladesh, being import-dependent, must operate within its import capacity. He added that the government had long maintained previous fuel prices despite global increases, following the advice of an expert committee led by economist Wahiduddin Mahmud. The committee was formed by the finance and power ministries to address the ongoing energy situation.

Commenting on an alleged attack on journalists at Ad-Din Hospital, Swapan said ensuring journalists’ safety within the institution is the hospital authority’s responsibility. He emphasized transparency in media work and reiterated the government’s commitment to accountability as repeatedly highlighted by the Prime Minister.

Dipen Dewan, Minister of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, has resigned from his post citing health complications. On Monday, he submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat. The information was confirmed by Atiqur Rahman Ruman, the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary.

In his resignation letter, Dewan stated that he has been suffering from various physical ailments since assuming office, which have hindered his ability to perform regular ministerial duties. He added that, in the interest of maintaining the government’s administrative efficiency and development momentum, it was necessary for him to step down from his current position. Dewan is also a Member of Parliament representing Rangamati Hill District.

The resignation marks a change in the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, though no immediate successor has been announced in the report.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has declared that no agreement will be made with the United States until Tehran’s rights are fully protected. In a video message broadcast on state television, he said Iranian diplomats do not trust the words or promises of their adversaries. Ghalibaf emphasized that what matters most to Iran is achieving tangible results, which would then justify fulfilling its own commitments.

The statement came as The New York Times and Axios reported that US President Donald Trump had sent Iran a new draft framework for an agreement with tougher conditions. Details of the proposed terms were not disclosed in the reports. Ghalibaf’s remarks appeared to reinforce Tehran’s skepticism toward Washington’s intentions and its insistence on concrete guarantees before any deal is finalized.

The exchange highlights continuing uncertainty over the future of US-Iran negotiations, with both sides signaling hardened positions and limited trust.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep concern and strong protest over another increase in fuel prices. In a statement sent to the media on Monday, the party’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, said the decision to raise prices again after last month’s 8 to 12 percent hike was unacceptable. He described the move as a severe blow to citizens already struggling with rising living costs.

Porwar stated that the previous fuel price hike had already pushed up the prices of essentials such as rice, lentils, and oil, making them unaffordable for ordinary people. He criticized the government for breaking its earlier assurance that fuel prices would not rise this month, calling the move a clear breach of promise and deception. He warned that raising prices hastily before the national budget session would be a highly anti-public measure.

The Jamaat leader urged citizens to become aware and vocal in defending their rights and demanded that the authorities immediately withdraw the decision to raise fuel prices.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah told parliament on Sunday that both Nepal and India have occupied each other’s territories. Responding to a question, he said that after assuming office he learned Nepal also holds parts of Indian land, just as India occupies Nepali land. Shah emphasized that both sides should engage in dialogue to examine the issue and resolve it through diplomatic means.

He added that Nepal has also communicated with China and the United Kingdom regarding the border dispute. According to Shah, the UK should show interest because the problem dates back to the period when Britain left the region. Citing a report by The Kathmandu Post, the article said Nepal has already sent an official diplomatic note to India.

Shah stated that India replied by agreeing to form a joint committee of historians, surveyors, and regional experts from both governments to seek a negotiated solution.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated in a new message that Iran is eager to reach an agreement and that any future deal would be advantageous for the United States and its allies. His remarks were shared on social media, where he emphasized that Tehran truly wants a deal and that such an agreement would serve the interests of Washington and its partner nations.

Trump also criticized domestic opponents who have questioned his handling of military matters, accusing them of making unhelpful comments about his decisions. He urged critics to remain calm, assuring that everything would ultimately work out well, as it always has in the past.

The statement came amid ongoing international discussions about regional tensions surrounding Iran and the possibility of a diplomatic resolution. However, Trump did not provide any specific details about what a potential agreement might include.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke with tradition by not attending the annual Israel Day Parade held on Sunday. The event, which has taken place for decades along Fifth Avenue, typically features participation from the city’s governor, mayor, and other political leaders. This year marked the first time a sitting New York City mayor chose not to join the parade, citing solidarity with Palestinians.

Two weeks earlier, the mayor’s office released a video commemorating Nakba, an Arabic term meaning “catastrophe,” referring to the displacement of about 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. At a press conference on Thursday, Mamdani reiterated that he had pledged during his campaign not to attend the parade and had made his views on the Israeli government clear.

Despite his absence, Mamdani assured that the parade would proceed peacefully and without disruption. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, attended the event.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in the ongoing Iran–US peace talks, saying a genuine friendship is developing between the United States and Pakistan. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Hegseth commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiation table. He described the current progress between the two countries as unexpected and sincere.

Pakistan has been acting as a formal mediator between Washington and Tehran since the Iran–US ceasefire on April 8. Hegseth’s remarks followed questions about Pakistan’s missile capabilities and India’s Agni-6 program. He emphasized that the US does not view either India or Pakistan as threats, noting that both nations are nuclear powers concerned with their own security. Hegseth also recalled that President Donald Trump mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May 2025, despite later denials from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hegseth reiterated that the US remains committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and is prepared for military action if diplomacy fails.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency has dismissed rumors that President Masoud Pezeshkian has resigned. In a report published on Sunday, the agency stated that Pezeshkian had not submitted any resignation letter and continued performing his official duties as scheduled.

According to a source cited by Tasnim, the rumors were spread to collect intelligence, create division, and harm Iran’s social harmony. The source also alleged that the so-called sources mentioned by the Iran International network were based on imagination and false assumptions by that network’s officials.

Earlier, social media and various outlets circulated claims that President Pezeshkian had formally submitted his resignation to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s office. Tasnim’s report directly refuted those claims, emphasizing that the president’s activities were proceeding normally.

Multiple international and regional media outlets have reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has resigned. According to the reports, he submitted his resignation letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s office, citing long-standing internal disagreements and political tensions over the country’s power structure. The reports claim that Pezeshkian’s decision follows growing frustration over the shrinking role of the government and presidency in key policy decisions.

According to Iran International, Pezeshkian’s resignation letter alleged that hardline factions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had become increasingly dominant, limiting the government’s ability to function effectively. Sources said the president found it difficult to fulfill his constitutional duties under the current political circumstances and requested immediate approval of his resignation. However, there has been no official confirmation or comment from Khamenei or his office.

Media reports also noted that tensions between the government and military-security institutions had been escalating for months, with the IRGC gradually expanding its influence. This situation has reportedly led to administrative paralysis and obstacles to the government’s reform and diplomatic initiatives.

In Brahmanbaria’s Nabinagar upazila, BNP’s upazila general secretary Nazmul Karim was allegedly assaulted by his own party members on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred in Saharpara village of Shibpur union, reportedly over his refusal to sign approval for the union BNP president post. The accused, Md. Mahbub Rahman, a district Jubo Dal member and candidate for the vacant post, allegedly led the assault. A video of the incident spread on Facebook, drawing widespread criticism and condemnation across Nabinagar.

According to reports, the Shibpur union BNP president’s post became vacant after the death of Hossain Ahmed in February 2025. Mahbub Rahman sought the position and obtained approval from the upazila BNP president but not from the general secretary. Nazmul Karim claimed Mahbub and others attacked him to force his signature and that he is preparing a written complaint to police. Mahbub denied the assault allegation, saying the dispute arose after he refused to pay money allegedly demanded for the approval.

Central Krishak Dal leader K.M. Mamunur Rashid, who witnessed the incident, condemned it as premeditated and damaging to party discipline, urging organizational action against those involved.

Mainul Islam Manna, the Jhalakathi district convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has resigned from his position. He submitted his resignation letter to the party’s central convener, citing personal and family reasons. Manna confirmed the resignation to the newspaper Amar Desh on Sunday night, stating that he had earlier informed NCP’s reserved seat MP Mahamuda Mitu about his decision on May 23 in Jhalakathi.

He also notified the Barishal divisional convener about his decision. However, despite a week passing since he sent his resignation letter, the central committee had not accepted it, prompting him to make the matter public on Sunday. Manna had been appointed as the first district convener of Jhalakathi after the formation of the NCP.

The report did not mention any official response from the NCP central committee regarding the resignation or any plans for appointing a successor.

On June 1, 2026, the Bangladeshi daily newspaper Amar Desh marked the sixteenth anniversary of its first forced closure in 2010. That night, armed police raided the Tejgaon printing press, halted production, seized printed copies, and sealed the premises after showing an order canceling the paper’s declaration. Simultaneously, hundreds of police surrounded the newspaper’s Karwan Bazar office, where editor Mahmudur Rahman and journalists resisted for hours before he was arrested at dawn. Several journalists were injured during the confrontation.

The 2010 shutdown followed Amar Desh’s investigative reports on alleged corruption involving senior government figures, which led to multiple lawsuits and attacks on its staff. The paper, founded in 2004, had gained popularity for its critical reporting under Rahman’s editorship. After ten days, a court order allowed it to resume publication, but Rahman remained imprisoned for months and faced repeated arrests and torture allegations.

Amar Desh was again closed in 2013 and resumed publication in December 2024 after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. The anniversary article recalls the events as a symbol of press repression and resilience in Bangladesh’s media history.

Reserved seat Member of Parliament Beethika Binte Hossain stated that leaders and activists of the ruling party have significant responsibilities toward the people. She emphasized that they must refrain from extortion and other unethical activities. Speaking at a roadside meeting in Melgate area of Dalal Bazar Union under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila on Sunday, May 31, she said that party members should conduct business fairly without demanding illegal payments and ensure that government allocations are spent for the welfare of citizens.

Beethika Binte Hossain further highlighted the importance of building a merit-based young generation. She urged political leaders to monitor educational institutions to ensure proper learning environments and to keep youth away from drugs. She also stressed the need to encourage sports and mental development among young people, describing these as essential duties of responsible politicians.

Her remarks underscored a call for ethical governance and community-focused leadership within the ruling party structure.