National Security Advisor Dr. Khalilur Rahman has said the government is actively engaging with all stakeholders to ensure Rakhine becomes a safe zone for Rohingya repatriation. He hopes the process will begin before the upcoming Eid. Speaking after a visit to a Rohingya camp where he met and prayed with residents, he urged them to advocate for repatriation on international platforms. Commenting on a Rakhine cultural event, Dr. Khalil noted that Bangladesh is a land of diverse faiths and traditions. He also hailed Myanmar’s agreement to repatriate 180,000 Rohingyas as a diplomatic success.

BNP leader Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas stated that had the July 24 movement failed, the fascist Sheikh Hasina regime would have erased all opposition. He emphasized that the ideals of the July Revolution must guide the vision for a future Bangladesh. Over 2,000 people lost their lives in that struggle, the majority being impoverished workers. “Their blood ensured the revolution’s success,” he said. Biswas added that Bangladeshis have never been subservient to India, but Sheikh Hasina forcibly aligned the nation under Indian dominance. He called for unity among the 73.5 million workers in Bangladesh to build a labor-friendly nation.

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Manch, declared that the Awami League’s end will come as long as the “July Warriors” live. He warned that AL has no chance of running electoral campaigns without state protection. “They’ll have to flee to Delhi or end up floating in the Bay of Bengal,” he said. Hadi demanded trials for the July, Pilkhana, and Shapla Chattar massacres and called for Awami League to be banned for committing mass killings. He urged nationwide participation in the April 25 rally at Shahbagh demanding the party’s ban.

Former Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam claimed the 2024 election in Magura-1, where cricketer Shakib Al Hasan became MP, was entirely staged. He said Shakib knew beforehand he would win, as there was no real competition. Alam criticized the Awami League as a corrupt and violent party and questioned how someone like Shakib could join such an entity. He also held Shakib accountable for not speaking out after protest-related killings occurred in his constituency.

Jamaat-e-Islami Naib-e-Ameer Mujibur Rahman warned the interim government that failure to restore the party’s registration and electoral symbol will lead to mass democratic protests. He criticized the government’s selective releases of political prisoners and demanded the immediate release of ATM Azharul Islam. He accused the Awami League of political revenge and orchestrated judicial killings of Jamaat’s senior leaders.

In a recent Foreign Secretary-level meeting, Bangladesh and Pakistan reaffirmed their shared commitment to reviving bilateral relations. The discussions covered political, economic, cultural, educational, and strategic cooperation. Emphasis was placed on shared history and people-to-people ties. Pakistan stressed finalizing pending agreements, enhancing trade and connectivity, and resolving the Kashmir issue through peaceful means based on UN resolutions. Both sides also condemned Israeli aggression in Gaza and called for protection of human rights.

Religious Adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hussain said, “People become obsessed with power, even to the point of killing thousands. But remember, God does not accept the Hajj of thieves, robbers, and the corrupt.” He clarified that the responsibility for implementing Qawmi certification lies with the Education Ministry, not his office, though he has received assurances from other advisers. He noted that this year’s Hajj cost was reduced by BDT 100,000 and reiterated that no one can now perform Hajj at the government’s expense.

Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam organized a protest in front of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka condemning the passage of India’s Waqf Bill and the ongoing persecution of Muslims there. Protesters labeled Indian Prime Minister Modi the “Butcher of Gujarat” and accused him of systematically stripping Muslims of their rights, destroying their homes, and displacing them. The group also called for a united resistance against what they termed as genocidal acts by occupiers.

BNP leader Shamsuzzaman Dudu alleged that the interim government is protecting those responsible for destroying democracy in Bangladesh over the past 15 years. He criticized the lack of justice for missing BNP leader and former MP Ilias Ali, and said key advisers have ignored the matter. Dudu claimed that fair elections are being intentionally avoided to prevent BNP from gaining popular support. He also demanded the execution of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

On Friday, Awami League activists organized a flash rally in Uttara’s Dhaka-18 parliamentary constituency. Chants like “Who are you, who am I – we’re all Bengalis,” “Our identity is Padma, Meghna, Jamuna,” and “Sheikh Hasina returns, Bangladesh smiles” echoed through the streets. The rally was led by Atikur Rahman Milon, General Secretary of the Awami League’s Uttarkhan Union branch under Dhaka North city.

Poet and political thinker Farhad Mazhar has called the recent wave of protests a “mass uprising,” not a revolution, emphasizing that the struggle now is cultural and constitutional. “What we are witnessing is the people rising to complete what remains unfinished. The real battle ahead lies in drafting a new constitution for Bangladesh,” he said. Mazhar highlighted that students have been vocal from the outset about the need for a new constitutional framework—not just new laws. “A constitution is not merely a set of laws. While laws are made by governments, constitutions are made by the people themselves. A true constitution emerges from public participation and consensus on how people want to live together,” he said. Mazhar stressed that Bangladesh must move away from its colonial legacy and create a people-centric system.

Wearing symbolic funeral shrouds, students from various Polytechnic Institutes across the country staged a massive protest march on Friday after Jumu’ah prayers, starting from Tejgaon Polytechnic. The demonstration, organized under the banner of “Technical Student Movement Bangladesh,” was announced late Thursday night. Earlier in the evening, students held torch processions in Dhaka and other cities. Protesters accused the Ministry of Education of betraying them through staged meetings and condemned the attack on fellow demonstrators in Cumilla.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Tawhid Hossain has identified the Arakan Army as the primary obstacle to the repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. “We are stuck — we cannot directly negotiate with them, nor can we completely ignore them,” he said. On the broader issue of overseas migration, Hossain noted that 80% of the problems faced by migrant workers originate in Dhaka, while the remaining 20% occur in destination countries. Despite staff shortages at Bangladeshi embassies, he stressed the need to address 100% of expatriate issues. Citing economic progress, he noted that Bangladesh’s exports have grown from $1 billion in the 1980s to $60 billion today, crediting the diplomatic corps for playing a role. He also highlighted the contributions of foreign service officers in shaping international public opinion during the Liberation War.

In a disturbing incident in Tangail’s Madhupur, a woman named Laboni Akhter sold her four-month-old son for 40,000 BDT to buy a mobile phone, a nose ring, and ankle bells. The mother admitted her actions, saying she was not in a stable state of mind. Her husband, Robiul Islam, reported the incident to the police after learning the truth. Authorities have begun efforts to recover the child, who was sold with the help of an accomplice named Monir to a buyer in Sirajganj.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has stated that his party is ready to participate in national elections only after comprehensive reforms and legal proceedings against Sheikh Hasina. “There will be no elections before justice and reform. The Ameer has already called for a national unity. A self-reliant new Bangladesh cannot be built without it,” he said. Porwar added, “In trying to ban Jamaat, Hasina has been politically outlawed by the people themselves.” Referring to the July movement, he emphasized the blood debt of over 2,000 lives lost and 30,000 injured, asserting the party’s responsibility to them. He also stressed the need for a justice-based and inclusive Bangladesh. “The key challenge for the interim government will be to restore the people’s right to vote,” he concluded, vowing that Jamaat and BNP would continue to stand united on future national issues as they have over the past 16 years.