Bangladesh’s National Parliament witnessed heated exchanges on Sunday during discussions on the proposed 2026–27 national budget after NCP lawmaker Hannan Masud accused the Prime Minister of making false statements. Masud alleged that the Prime Minister had delivered misleading remarks about opposition protests over price hikes of alcohol and cigarettes, and about loan-related issues. Members of the ruling party strongly objected, demanding that his comments be expunged from the record.

Opposition lawmakers countered by asking the government to specify which parts of Masud’s remarks were false, arguing that criticism of the Prime Minister’s statements was a democratic right. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, presiding over the session, said he would review the matter before making a decision. The debate also saw interventions from BNP MP Zainal Abdin Faruk, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, each defending their respective positions.

The Deputy Speaker later urged members to maintain parliamentary decorum and assured that all disputed remarks would be examined before any ruling is issued.

A national seminar titled “Feasibility Study on Legislation for Determining the Degree of Criminal Punishment” was held on Sunday at the Law Commission’s conference room in Dhaka. Organized by the Law Commission, the event aimed to develop a unified, transparent, and fair framework for determining sentencing levels in Bangladesh’s criminal justice system. Speakers discussed ways to resolve inconsistencies in verdicts under the same law and emphasized the need for clear sentencing guidelines.

Law Minister Md. Anisul Huq, attending as chief guest, said stakeholder consultations are held at the start of any lawmaking process and their opinions are valued. He highlighted that laws undergo detailed review at multiple levels before finalization, which helps make them more effective and acceptable. The minister also stressed the importance of studying sentencing guidelines from countries like the United Kingdom to build a suitable model for Bangladesh.

Speakers noted that the absence of clear legal guidance currently leads to variations in sentencing for similar offenses, undermining public trust in justice. They argued that a dedicated sentencing law could enhance transparency, consistency, and confidence in the judicial system.

Police in Nilphamari’s Jaldhaka upazila arrested Saiful Islam (Mukul), chairman of the 2 No. Dauyabari Union Parishad and president of the local Awami League, in connection with a case related to an anti-discrimination movement. The arrest took place on Sunday afternoon at the Dauyabari Union Parishad office, where police conducted an operation to detain him.

According to police sources, Saiful Islam was a named accused in the GR 12/24 case concerning the anti-discrimination movement. The case had been under judicial process for a long time, prompting the operation to bring him under legal custody. Jaldhaka Police Station’s officer-in-charge Nazmul Alam confirmed that Saiful was arrested from the Union Parishad office and later sent to court under tight security after completing legal formalities.

Local sources added that Saiful Islam is also facing trial in a separate 2013 murder case, but police clarified that the current arrest is solely related to the anti-discrimination movement case.

State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md. Nurul Haque has assured that the bodies of five Bangladeshi workers killed in a road accident in Qatar will be brought back to Bangladesh as soon as possible. He described the deaths of these expatriates, who contributed to the national economy, as deeply tragic. The statement was issued through a press release from the ministry on Sunday.

According to the ministry, the labor wing of the Bangladesh Embassy in Qatar has been instructed to prioritize financial compensation for the victims’ families. The government has pledged to stand by the bereaved families during this difficult time. The accident occurred on Sunday morning in Qatar’s Shahaniya area, claiming the lives of five expatriate Bangladeshis from Kanaighat upazila in Sylhet. The incident has cast a shadow of grief over their home community.

The ministry’s assurance aims to ensure swift repatriation and support for the affected families, reflecting the government’s commitment to the welfare of overseas workers.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. His flight landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 8:45 p.m. local time. At the VVIP terminal, he was received by Malaysia’s Minister for Religious Affairs Zulkifli Hasan and his spouse, along with Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury. Earlier in the day, Rahman departed Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a special Bangladesh Biman flight at 2:45 p.m.

According to the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumman, Rahman was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman. Several senior officials, including LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, and foreign diplomats, were present at the airport to see him off. This marks Rahman’s first foreign trip since assuming office as Prime Minister on February 17.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to complete his two-day official visit to Malaysia and begin a state visit to China on Monday night.

Rashed Khan Menon, a local Awami League leader in Barishal, died after jumping from the roof of his house on Sunday afternoon to avoid arrest. The incident occurred in Ward No. 1 of Barishal City Corporation. Menon served as the general secretary of the ward-level Awami League and was known as a follower of former mayor and city Awami League general secretary Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah.

According to police, Menon was a banned Awami League leader accused in multiple cases and allegedly involved in anti-government activities. When police arrived at his residence to arrest him, he reportedly jumped from the roof. Kawniya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sanjit Nath stated that police failed to detain him and later received news of his death after the fall.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding banned political activities in Barishal, though further details about the investigation or official response were not provided in the report.

Police in Singair upazila of Manikganj recovered the dismembered body of 14-year-old schoolgirl Mahi Akter six days after she went missing. The body was found on Sunday afternoon beside a bamboo grove near the Chandanagar graveyard in Jamirta Union, following a tip-off from locals. Mahi, daughter of Mizanur Dewan from Char Laxmipur village, was an eighth-grade student at Singair Sahrail High School.

According to police and family sources, Mahi and a male student had been issued transfer certificates from their school the previous Monday over a relationship-related matter. After receiving the certificate, Mahi went missing, prompting her family to file a complaint with the police. Her school bag, shoes, and uniform were found near the body, helping relatives identify her.

Singair Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mazharul Islam said the body appeared to be five to six days old and that DNA testing would be conducted to confirm identity. Police are investigating the case and working to identify those involved.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, paid a courtesy call on Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon at the Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between the two countries in education, particularly in technical and vocational training. Both sides discussed various initiatives aimed at improving educational development.

During the meeting, Minister Milon highlighted the government’s efforts to transform the population into skilled human resources by integrating technical education into the national curriculum. He noted that there are opportunities for Bangladesh and Pakistan to work together in this area. High Commissioner Haider emphasized Pakistan’s willingness to collaborate in educational advancement and invited the minister to visit Pakistan’s technical and vocational training programs.

At the end of the meeting, the Pakistani envoy presented 1,000 footballs as gifts for school and college students. Senior officials from both countries, including the education secretary and the director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, were present.

At a roundtable titled “Four Months of the Current Government: Expectations, Achievements and Tasks” held at the National Press Club on Sunday, Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan) stated that the government has yet to take any concrete steps to implement the July Charter or the referendum verdict. The organization said the implementation remains confined to formal speeches and political courtesies, warning that ignoring the spirit of the mass uprising could overshadow the government’s visible achievements.

Sujan observed that the government’s stance does not reflect respect for the 2024 mass uprising, noting silence on issues such as forming an upper house of parliament based on proportional representation or establishing a National Constitutional Council. Sujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said that under the 1972 Constitution, the next national election should be held in 2029, but many constitutional aspects have changed following the uprising. He criticized the ousted administration of Sheikh Hasina as authoritarian, citing suppression of voting rights, free speech, and institutional collapse.

Sujan leaders emphasized that reforms must ensure employment, youth engagement, and institutional integrity, warning that failure to uphold the uprising’s spirit could erode public trust.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has strongly condemned Supreme Court lawyer Chaitali Chakraborty for allegedly making separatist and inflammatory remarks calling for a separate province for Hindus. In a joint statement issued to the media on Sunday, the group’s Amir Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari and Secretary General Allama Shaikh Sajidur Rahman demanded her immediate arrest and exemplary punishment under the law. They also urged the Bangladesh Bar Council to permanently revoke her legal license.

The statement accused Chakraborty’s comments of being an act of treason and a threat to the country’s sovereignty. Hefazat leaders claimed that such remarks were part of a deeper international conspiracy to destabilize Bangladesh and undermine its communal harmony. They also criticized the construction of what was described as “Asia’s largest Ram statue” in Palashbari, Gaibandha, alleging it was provoking local unrest.

Hefazat called on the government’s intelligence agencies to identify those behind the alleged plot and urged local authorities to take firm legal action to prevent any further communal tension in the area.

State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari has announced that the viva or oral examination in Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) recruitment will continue with a total of 100 marks instead of the previous 200. He made the statement on Sunday during the 11th day of the second session of the 13th National Parliament in response to a question from Noakhali-6 MP Abdul Hannan Masud.

According to the minister, the rule was implemented through a special gazette notification (S.R.O. No. 412-I/2024) issued on December 11, 2024, by the Ministry of Public Administration. The revised system has already been applied from the ongoing 47th BCS examination. The 48th and 49th special BCS exams also followed the 100-mark viva format under the amended 2014 BCS regulations published on May 27, 2025.

The minister stated that this decision aims to make the BCS recruitment process more transparent, dynamic, and free from discrimination. The 100-mark viva system will remain in effect for the upcoming 50th BCS and all subsequent examinations.

Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has announced that Bangladesh is reviewing existing treaties and agreements related to transboundary water sharing. Speaking in the National Parliament on Sunday, he said the government is committed to securing the country’s fair share of water from international rivers and has included this issue in its election manifesto. The review aims to strengthen the Joint Rivers Commission and promote integrated management with India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China.

The minister acknowledged that upstream infrastructure in neighboring countries has reduced water flow into Bangladesh during the dry season. He also cited natural and climate change factors as contributing to declining water availability. In response to parliamentary questions, he detailed ongoing and planned projects, including excavation or re-excavation of 366 kilometers of canals by June under a 180-day program and a five-year plan to excavate or re-excavate 9,046 kilometers of waterways nationwide.

Anee further emphasized the importance of the Padma Barrage Project for national interests, water resource management, agriculture, fisheries, environment, and regional economic development, noting that it has been approved after thorough evaluation.

A section of the Teesta embankment near Mahipur Bridge in Gangachara, Rangpur, began collapsing after India opened the gates of the Gajoldoba barrage, causing the river’s water level to approach the danger mark. Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday noon, about 50 meters of the embankment were washed away, creating a hole over 70 meters deep. Local residents warned that without urgent protective measures, the second Teesta Bridge and the Rangpur–Lalmonirhat regional road could face severe damage.

Around 30,000 to 35,000 people use the Mahipur Teesta road bridge daily, and the sudden erosion has caused widespread fear among locals. Over a thousand families in three villages of Lakshmitari Union are now at direct risk of isolation due to potential road disconnection. Lakshmitari Union Parishad Chairman Abdullah Al Hadi blamed previous negligence by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) for the worsening situation, saying earlier bamboo piling works had failed.

Gangachara Upazila Executive Officer Jesmin Akter said the site had been inspected and LGED was informed for necessary action.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced 13 individuals to death in seven cases related to crimes against humanity committed in July 2024. A total of 59 accused were convicted, with the remaining defendants receiving life imprisonment or varying prison terms. The information was presented by Law Minister Anisul Huq during a parliamentary question session on Sunday, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Responding to a question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Masum Mostafa of Netrakona-5, the minister stated that 80 cases had been filed over the July 2024 atrocities. Of these, verdicts have been delivered in seven cases, while proceedings in 73 others are ongoing. Among the ongoing cases, 22 are at the testimony stage and 51 remain under investigation.

According to the minister, a total of 463 individuals have been accused in these crimes against humanity cases. Of them, 174 have been arrested, 288 remain fugitives, one has died, and one has been acquitted.

Former Member of Parliament for Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati-Kamalnagar), freedom fighter, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) leader Mosharraf Hossain passed away early Saturday night at a private hospital in Dhaka. He was 78 years old. His death was confirmed Sunday morning by Professor Mahbube Elahi Sani of Lakshmipur Government College, who said the deceased was his uncle-in-law. Family sources said Hossain had been suffering from age-related illnesses and was admitted to LabAid Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment.

According to the family, his funeral prayer will be held Sunday after Asr at Alexander Pilot High School field in Ramgati upazila, followed by burial at the family graveyard. He is survived by his wife, three sons, two daughters, and numerous relatives and admirers.

Mosharraf Hossain was a valiant organizer during Bangladesh’s Liberation War, serving as the zonal commander of the Joy Bangla Bahini (BLF) in Noakhali and Hatiya. He was a former vice president of Dhaka University’s Shahidullah Hall Students’ Union and later became JASAD’s central vice president. Elected to parliament in 1988, he contributed to local development and contested again in the 2024 national election. His death has drawn widespread mourning across political, social, and cultural circles.