A young man named Muhammad Shahadat, aged 30, was killed in an attack by masked assailants in Satkania, South Chattogram. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Sunday at Satkania Rashtar Matha area. Shahadat, a resident of Maizpara in Uttar Dhemsa Union, was critically injured and later died early Monday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

According to local sources, Shahadat was sitting at a tea stall near the Satkania Model Mosque along the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway when 10 to 15 masked attackers arrived on motorcycles and a CNG autorickshaw and launched a sudden assault with local weapons. Witnesses said locals tried to intervene, but the attackers brandished weapons and fled the scene. Shahadat was first taken to a local hospital, then to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, and finally to a private facility where he succumbed to his injuries.

Satkania Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manjurul Haque stated that police have begun efforts to identify and arrest those involved. Shahadat’s brother demanded swift justice and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.

A businessman was killed early Monday when an uprooted tree fell on his shop during a storm in Gabtali upazila of Bogura district. The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. at Lathiganj Bazar in Sukhanpukur Union. The deceased was identified as Uma Chandra, 52, a resident of Chakradhika Paschim Para village.

According to local sources, a sudden storm hit the area at dawn, causing a large banyan tree near the market to collapse onto the businessman’s shop. He died on the spot. Fire service personnel arrived quickly, cut through the fallen tree, and recovered the body from the debris.

Police from Gabtali Model Station confirmed that legal procedures related to the incident are underway.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury has urged all not to engage in disputes over the number of July martyrs. Speaking in the National Parliament on Sunday during the discussion on the President’s address, he said that while debates continue over the figures of 3 million and 300,000 martyrs from 1971, the government does not want similar controversies about July. He emphasized that no one should create disputes that could persist for decades.

The minister called for unity in working for the country’s future, warning that division could bring harmful consequences. He urged the opposition not to oppose merely for the sake of opposition. Referring to the fate of the Awami League, he cautioned that such outcomes should not be repeated. Opposition members expressed support by banging on their desks during his remarks.

He further reminded opposition lawmakers to be mindful of their own political future, noting that they too should avoid repeating similar mistakes.

A Chinese national, Chen Bao Ming, visiting Bheramara in Kushtia, Bangladesh, has faced repeated power outages during his stay. Chen, from Hebei province, arrived on April 20 to meet and marry Taslima Khatun, a 19-year-old resident of Paschim Behula village in Bheramara. The couple, who met online a year earlier, completed their court marriage in Kushtia and are now living at Taslima’s family home, where frequent load-shedding has caused discomfort amid intense summer heat.

Local residents said electricity cuts occur several times a day, leaving them without power for hours. The situation has been particularly embarrassing for the family hosting a foreign guest. Ironically, Bheramara is home to key national power infrastructure, including the 410-megawatt combined cycle power plant and facilities linked to the Bangladesh-India Maitree Super Thermal Power Project.

The contrast between Bheramara’s role as a power generation hub and its residents’ struggle with electricity shortages highlights broader questions about energy distribution and planning in Bangladesh.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief in Bangladesh has initiated a Tk 9.5 crore software project titled Integrated Disaster Management System (IDMS) to enhance transparency and accountability in disaster response. The system will operate through mobile and web applications and a website, aiming to verify beneficiary data, ensure fair distribution of relief allowances, and prevent duplicate benefits. Reliable ministry sources confirmed that the project is part of the government’s broader digital transformation in disaster management.

According to project details, about Tk 5 crore will be spent on software development, while the rest will cover training, piloting, and related activities. The system will be linked to the national ID database to verify information, with a memorandum of understanding planned between two agencies. Pilot implementation will begin in 18 upazilas, including Shyamnagar, Koyra, and Sharankhola, with user training provided. Officials said third-party testing will assess the software’s effectiveness.

While proponents see IDMS as a step toward reducing waste and improving transparency, some senior officials expressed concern over its high cost and implementation challenges, warning that it could invite controversy if not executed properly.

Four Bangladeshi pilgrims have died in Mecca while performing Hajj, according to a daily bulletin from the Hajj IT Helpdesk of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Religious Affairs. The deaths, all male pilgrims, occurred in Mecca, with no reports of fatalities in Medina, Jeddah, or Mina as of Monday.

By Sunday, a total of 35,766 Bangladeshi pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. Among them, 3,284 traveled under the government’s management and 32,482 under private arrangements. The pilgrims reached Saudi Arabia on 89 flights operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia, and Flynas. Biman carried 15,748 passengers, Saudia 12,469, and Flynas 7,549.

To support pilgrims, medical centers in Saudi Arabia have issued 2,850 automated prescriptions, and the IT Helpdesk has provided 6,922 services, according to the ministry’s bulletin.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Anisul Huq inaugurated a mobile legal aid camp in Karail, Dhaka, on Monday morning. The initiative aims to provide free legal assistance to underprivileged and helpless individuals. During the event, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that no one is deprived of legal support and urged people to report if they face any barriers in accessing these services.

At the inauguration ceremony, the minister personally offered immediate legal advice to two women from the Karail slum. He also listened to the legal problems faced by slum residents and suggested possible solutions. The mobile camp is part of the government’s broader effort to expand access to justice for marginalized communities.

The event underscores the government’s focus on strengthening legal aid delivery at the grassroots level, aiming to make justice more accessible to all citizens.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has initiated a new plan to improve mobile network and internet quality inside homes across the country. The regulator is preparing to allocate spectrum from the ‘e-GSM’ band to mobile operators to enhance network capacity. Currently, about 40 percent of mobile users live in cities and 60 percent in suburban and rural areas, where weak signals, call drops, and slow internet remain major issues. BTRC has already allocated 700 MHz spectrum to Grameenphone and is now moving forward with the e-GSM band initiative.

BTRC currently holds 8.4 MHz of e-GSM spectrum, with Robi and Banglalink each requesting 3.4 MHz. Before final allocation, a one-month trial has begun to check for possible interference with the 850 MHz band near border areas. Robi stated that its infrastructure is ready for e-GSM deployment, while Banglalink said it will decide on further investment based on test results.

If successful, the initiative is expected to strengthen indoor mobile signals, reduce call drops, and improve internet speed and stability, particularly in rural and remote regions.

A Dhaka court has ordered a fresh three-day remand for former army officer and ex-MP Masud Uddin Chowdhury in a murder case. The order was issued on Monday afternoon by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Monirul Islam after Chowdhury was discharged from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment.

According to the case file, Detective Branch SI Kofil Uddin presented Chowdhury before the court in connection with the killing of Delwar Hossain during a student protest in Mirpur on 19 July 2024. The prosecution sought a seven-day remand, arguing that further interrogation was needed to obtain complete information. The defense opposed the request, citing Chowdhury’s health issues and previous eight days of remand without clear investigative results.

The court granted three days of remand after hearing both sides. Earlier, on 11 April, Chowdhury had been placed on a four-day remand but was hospitalized the next day due to illness. He was arrested on 23 March from Baridhara in Dhaka in connection with the same case.

Three members of a family were killed when a large tree fell on their house during a storm in Melandah upazila of Jamalpur early Monday. The victims were identified as Khuki Begum, 65, and her daughters Farida Akter, 40, and Fate Akter, 37, all residents of Purbadagi area under Nayanagar Union. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when strong winds uprooted a mahogany tree that crashed onto their tin-roofed house while they were asleep.

According to local and fire service sources, the storm struck suddenly during the night, causing the tree to collapse on the house. Due to darkness and heavy winds, rescue operations could not begin immediately. In the morning, police and fire service personnel, assisted by locals, recovered the bodies from under the debris.

The tragedy cast a pall of grief over the Purbadagi area. Melandah Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jinnatul Ara said the administration took necessary measures at the site and would provide assistance to the bereaved family.

Recent research cited by Amar Desh Online on April 27, 2026, indicates that smoking poses greater health risks for women than for men. The report highlights that while smoking rates among men have slightly declined, the habit is increasing among women, leading to heightened concerns about its long-term effects on female health and fertility.

According to the findings, women who smoke face a higher likelihood of developing lung cancer compared to men and non-smokers. Smoking also negatively affects skin, teeth, and gums, accelerates aging, and contributes to anxiety, depression, and reduced bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. The most alarming impact is on reproductive health, as smoking can reduce fertility and raise the chances of miscarriage, premature birth, and stillbirth.

The article urges women to reconsider smoking habits, emphasizing that it is not a symbol of modernity or sophistication but a destructive addiction that undermines physical and mental well-being. It calls for awareness and lifestyle changes to protect health and motherhood.

A severe traffic jam stretching about eight kilometers formed on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Cumilla Cantonment area on Monday morning. The congestion occurred on the Chattogram-bound lane after a covered van broke down near Kabirla Eastern Medical College and ongoing road repair work slowed vehicle movement. As the day progressed, the line of vehicles continued to grow longer.

Passengers stranded in the jam reported being stuck for over an hour, with buses unable to move forward between Nimsar and the Cantonment area. The situation caused significant delays for commuters traveling toward Chattogram.

According to Moynamoti Highway Police Station officer-in-charge Abdul Momin, efforts were underway to remove the broken-down van using a wrecker from Eliotganj to ease the traffic situation.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mufti Amir Hamza, representing Kushtia-3 constituency, has filed a petition with the High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a defamation case. The hearing on his petition may take place on Monday before a bench led by Justice Zahid Sarwar Kajol. The case stems from allegations that Hamza made defamatory remarks about State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku.

On April 21, a Sirajganj court issued an arrest warrant against Amir Hamza after he failed to appear despite being summoned earlier. The case was filed on April 2 by Humayun Kabir, Additional Public Prosecutor of Sirajganj District and General Secretary of the District Bar Association. He accused Hamza of calling Iqbal Hasan Mahmud an atheist and making offensive comments about Islam.

The allegations arose from a March 26 speech by Iqbal Hasan Mahmud honoring the 1971 Liberation War and freedom fighters, which Hamza later criticized during a sermon at a mosque in Kushtia.

A confrontation erupted at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) on April 27, 2026, when students affiliated with the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and general students faced off in front of Zia Hall. The clash followed a protest march triggered by tensions over wall writings opposing covert political activities on campus, which has officially banned politics since August 10, 2024.

The dispute began after wall writings appeared on April 23 criticizing secret political activities under the name of the nationalist student group. The next day, general students wrote slogans against both covert and open politics and hung a banner near the central library, which was later allegedly burned by Chhatra Dal supporters. The incident spread on social media, sparking anger among students.

University officials, including the deputy and assistant directors of the student welfare office, arrived at the scene to monitor the situation. Following the protest, students surrounded the administrative building, demanding strict enforcement of the campus ban on politics. The campus remains tense and anxious following the confrontation.

In Kurigram’s Rajarhat upazila, clashes broke out on Sunday, April 26, 2026, following an attack on two Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders allegedly by activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. Later that evening, BNP and Chhatra Dal members reportedly attacked the local Jamaat office, injuring six people including one Shibir activist. The violence began after disputes over wall writings and social media posts led to assaults and counter-chases between the rival groups.

Witnesses said Shibir’s upazila president Sujon Mia and district school division treasurer Mahin Mia were attacked, leaving Sujon hospitalized. As tensions escalated, both sides engaged in repeated chases. Jamaat and Shibir members later held a protest march, while BNP and Chhatra Dal organized a counter rally that turned violent near the Jamaat office. Stones were thrown, injuring several, including Shibir activist Habibur Rahman.

Local leaders from both Jamaat and BNP blamed each other for the unrest. Police confirmed stone-throwing from both sides but said the situation was now under control.