The Kolkata High Court has upheld a state government notification maintaining a ban on the slaughter of bulls, oxen, cows, calves, and buffaloes in West Bengal ahead of Eid al-Adha. The division bench of Chief Justice Joy Pal and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen ruled that the May 13, 2026 notification merely implemented a 2018 court directive and therefore did not warrant suspension or cancellation. The court also stated that cow sacrifice is not a mandatory religious practice in Islam.

According to the state notification, these animals cannot be slaughtered without certification declaring them unfit and may only be slaughtered in authorized abattoirs. Following the ruling, reports from India’s Aaj Tak media indicated that Hindu men and women in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, protested the decision, rejecting the restriction on cow sacrifice and demanding permission to sell cattle.

The court’s decision reinforces earlier judicial restrictions on cattle slaughter in the state, while the protests highlight ongoing tensions surrounding religious and cultural practices linked to animal sacrifice.

The Indian central government has decided to bring back several individuals who were previously sent to Bangladesh to verify their Indian citizenship status. The decision was disclosed to the Supreme Court on Friday, following a case filed by the central government challenging a September 2025 Calcutta High Court ruling that had declared the deportation of Sonali Khatun and others to Bangladesh illegal.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had allowed Sonali Khatun and her eight-year-old child to re-enter India on humanitarian grounds after they had been sent to Bangladesh. The court also directed the West Bengal government to ensure their care and medical support. The case stems from the detention of several families in Delhi’s Rohini area in June 2025, who were suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals and subsequently deported.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant that the government would repatriate the individuals within eight to ten days and verify their citizenship before deciding on further action. The next hearing is scheduled for July.

State Minister for Shipping Md. Rajib Ahsan MP conducted surprise inspections at offices under the Ministry of Shipping in Barishal and Dhaka. During the visits, he found several officials and employees absent without prior permission and others arriving late. Expressing strong dissatisfaction, the minister directed authorities to take administrative action for negligence and breach of discipline.

Following his instructions, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) transferred 13 officials and employees from its Barishal office, including nine from the dredging division, two from the vessel maintenance and operations division, one from the port and transport division, and one from the accounts division. Additionally, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) transferred three officials and employees.

The State Minister instructed all ministry and agency staff to maintain punctuality and perform duties with dedication and responsibility. He also announced that similar surprise inspections would continue to ensure discipline, accountability, and service quality in government offices.

Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam has acknowledged state failure in preventing road accident deaths. Speaking on Friday, May 22, 2026, at the Cumilla District Shilpakala Academy, he said the government accepts responsibility for these fatalities and will remain alert to the needs of affected families. The event distributed compensation checks to victims’ families and promoted road safety awareness.

The minister stated that no state can fully compensate for the loss of loved ones but assured that families of victims will receive priority in employment, education, and services. He also discussed preparations for the upcoming Eid travel rush, describing the safe transport of 15 million people and 10 million sacrificial animals within three days as a major challenge. He expressed hope for smooth travel if citizens cooperate and weather conditions remain stable.

Referring to a recent accident in Cumilla’s Paduar Bazar area, the minister announced plans to upgrade the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway to eight lanes with additional service lanes, and to build underpasses and overpasses to improve safety.

Nasiruddin Patwari, chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP), was attacked in Jhenaidah on Friday afternoon after attending Juma prayers at the Old DC Court Jame Mosque. According to his Facebook post, members of the Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal allegedly launched the assault in the presence of police, throwing eggs and bricks before striking with hockey sticks. Several people were injured, including three with head wounds, and attackers reportedly took mobile phones, cameras, and wallets.

Following the incident, NCP leader Sarjis Alam claimed on Facebook that Chhatra Dal activists carried out the sudden attack, leaving several people bloodied and hospitalized. Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah also alleged in a Facebook post that BNP-linked assailants attacked Patwari and other NCP leaders in Jhenaidah.

The posts reflect growing tension between political groups in the area, though no official statement from law enforcement was mentioned in the source.

Nasiruddin Patwari, the chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP), was attacked by activists of the Chhatra Dal in Jhenaidah on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. in front of the Old Collectorate Mosque in the city, where eggs were thrown at him and a physical assault took place. Witnesses said Patwari was leaving the mosque after Friday prayers when Islami University Chhatra Dal convener Sahed Ahmed approached him for a conversation, during which several activists attacked from behind. Some local NCP supporters were injured in the incident.

Following the attack, NCP leaders organized a protest procession in Jhenaidah. During the demonstration, they demanded the resignation of the home and law ministers and called for the immediate arrest of those involved in the assault.

The report did not mention any official response from the authorities or from the Chhatra Dal leadership regarding the incident.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) forced India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to remove a bamboo post that had been placed at the zero line of the international border in the Kolsir Muk area of Kuchlibari, Patgram upazila, Lalmonirhat. The incident occurred on a Thursday morning when a BSF team allegedly violated border laws by installing the post. Upon noticing the activity, local residents and a BGB patrol team immediately lodged a strong protest, demanding the post’s removal.

According to BGB sources, the Rangpur Battalion 51 issued a firm objection and instructed BSF to comply with international border regulations. Following BGB’s strict stance, BSF members admitted their mistake and removed the bamboo post. BGB officials reaffirmed that they remain vigilant against any illegal intrusion or breach of international law along the border.

Lieutenant Colonel Md. Najiur Rahman, commander of Rangpur Battalion 51, confirmed the incident and stated that BSF occasionally attempts similar actions but withdraws after BGB’s firm response.

A new satirical political group called the National Parasitic Front (NPF) has emerged in India following the rise of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Both groups stem from a political satire movement that uses humor to address serious issues such as politics, inflation, and unemployment. The NPF was formed mainly by members of Generation Z, who are using satire as a form of protest and social commentary.

The movement began after Chief Justice Surya Kant’s controversial remark comparing some unemployed youth to cockroaches, which he later clarified was misquoted and not intended as criticism. The comment sparked widespread online outrage, leading to the formation of the CJP as a satirical response. The CJP quickly gained popularity on social media, amassing nearly ten million followers on Instagram, surpassing the official handle of the ruling BJP government.

The newly formed NPF positions itself as a platform for dissenters who challenge societal norms. Its messaging portrays “parasites” as citizens surviving within a fragile system, using irony to critique elitist political rhetoric while emphasizing reform from within.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, a central executive council member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Ameer of Dhaka North, has called on the new generation to accept global challenges and work for worldwide transformation based on the ideals of the Quran and Sunnah. He made these remarks on Friday morning at a reunion of former members of the student Islamic movement organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka North’s Hatirjheel region.

Selim Uddin emphasized that human welfare cannot be achieved through man-made laws and that establishing the faith (Deen) is the ultimate purpose of life. He urged unity and perseverance in the mission of upholding Islam, noting that the path of Islamic movements has historically been difficult and filled with oppression. He accused the current Awami League government of killing Jamaat’s top leaders and called on the youth to fulfill the dreams of those he described as martyrs.

The event was presided over by regional director Hemayet Hossain and conducted by assistant regional director Ataur Rahman Sarkar, with several local leaders also addressing the gathering.

The Delhi government has announced strict restrictions on animal sacrifice ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra stated that sacrificing cows, calves, camels, or any other prohibited animals within the city is completely illegal. Sacrifices are only permitted in authorized and designated slaughterhouses, and performing them in open spaces, streets, or public areas is strictly banned. Violations will lead to criminal cases and legal action.

The government has also prohibited the disposal of blood or waste from sacrifices into drains or streets, requiring all waste to be managed only at approved sites. Additionally, setting up or operating unauthorized livestock markets on roads or in alleys has been declared illegal. To ensure enforcement, Delhi’s administration has instructed the police to remain vigilant and urged citizens to report any violations directly to the police or the city’s development department.

These measures aim to maintain public order and hygiene during the festival period, according to the official announcement.

Construction of a barbed wire fence along the Bangladesh-India border has begun, according to the report. The work started from the Phansidewa area near Siliguri after the West Bengal state government formally handed over 27 kilometers of land to the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) for the project.

The decision to transfer land was made after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the West Bengal state assembly elections, under the leadership of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. To strengthen border security, two types of land were provided: 32 acres of government-owned land across nine districts and 43 acres of privately purchased land from five districts. The entire cost of the land acquisition will be borne by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.

The initiative aims to reinforce security along the international boundary between Bangladesh and India, with construction activities now underway in the designated areas.

A Turkish appeals court in Ankara has annulled the 2023 party congress that elected Ozgur Ozel as chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), declaring the vote invalid. The ruling effectively removes Ozel from his position and reinstates former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as interim head. The court cited allegations of electoral fraud and inducements used to secure Ozel’s victory. The decision is seen as politically advantageous for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Under Ozel’s leadership, the CHP had grown in popularity, nearly matching Erdogan’s ruling AK Party. Ozel became a prominent opposition figure after the 2025 arrest and imprisonment of Istanbul’s former mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, which triggered nationwide protests. A lower court had previously dismissed the allegations against the 2023 congress, but the appeals court overturned that ruling.

Following the verdict, the CHP called an emergency meeting at its Ankara headquarters, where hundreds of supporters protested. The Istanbul BIST 100 stock index dropped more than six percent, prompting a temporary suspension of trading. The next presidential election in Turkey is scheduled for 2028.

The recently concluded West Bengal assembly election brought a historic shift as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 207 of 294 seats, ending nearly fifteen years of Trinamool Congress rule under Mamata Banerjee. BJP’s rise, led by new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, marks its first government in the state and signals a deep ideological transformation in eastern India’s political landscape. The election outcome, influenced by long-term organizational planning, voter list revisions, and strategic use of citizenship and security narratives, has raised concerns about the future of West Bengal’s Muslim population and cross-border relations.

The article highlights that BJP’s governance could alter border management, citizenship verification, and communal dynamics, directly affecting Bangladesh’s 2,216-kilometer shared frontier. Analysts warn that administrative policies invoking terms like “illegal infiltrators” may heighten risks of pushback incidents and humanitarian crises. Bangladesh faces potential diplomatic and security pressures, requiring coordinated national strategies, stronger intelligence along border sectors, and clear diplomatic communication with both Delhi and Kolkata.

The commentary concludes that Bangladesh must maintain vigilance, strengthen its strategic coordination council, and safeguard sovereignty amid evolving regional power equations shaped by West Bengal’s political transformation.

Leaders of the Editors’ Council held a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, where they submitted a list of 282 journalists allegedly accused in false cases. The article criticizes the council for not presenting such a list to previous governments despite widespread repression of journalists between 2009 and 2024. It names several journalists who were reportedly victims of harassment, imprisonment, or disappearance during that period.

Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon responded that many of those listed were political figures posing as journalists and accused the council of supporting individuals involved in incitement and violence. Former press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan also condemned the council, accusing it of hypocrisy for remaining silent during earlier crackdowns on journalists.

The article further alleges that the Editors’ Council, formed around 2013, historically acted to protect the government rather than press freedom. It describes the council’s media network as politically biased and claims that its members previously engaged in propaganda against opposition leaders, including Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman.

Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahil Baqi, the chief imam of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, has been appointed as the new Director General (Grade-1) of the Islamic Foundation. The appointment was announced on Thursday through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration. For the first time in Bangladesh, a professional Islamic scholar and mosque imam has been appointed to such a high administrative position. Under the Islamic Foundation Act of 1975, he will serve on a one-year contractual basis, effective from the date of joining, subject to leaving all other professional or institutional affiliations.

Mufti Baqi is known as a moderate scholar and Islamic researcher, educated in Qawmi, Alia, and general education systems. He studied at Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari, Darul Ulum Nadwatul Ulama in India, and the Department of Arabic at the University of Dhaka, where he earned first-class results in all degrees, including topping his master’s program.

He has taught at the International Islamic University Chittagong and other institutions, served as imam and khatib at major mosques, and held key roles in Shariah supervisory boards of several banks. He is fluent in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, English, and Bengali.