Bangladeshi footballers have revised their earlier demands regarding the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) quota following a meeting with Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) representatives on April 26, 2026. Initially, the players had called for the cancellation of the SAFF quota in a letter sent on April 15, but after discussions with BFF members Amirul Islam and Shakhawat Hossain Bhuiyan, they withdrew that demand and submitted two new proposals.

During the meeting at the BFF headquarters, the players proposed allowing each club to field a total of four foreign players—two under the SAFF quota and two under the general foreign quota. The delegation, led by former national team captain Mamunul Islam, argued that this arrangement would balance the interests of both clubs and players while maintaining regional cooperation. Currently, the Bangladesh Football League allows five SAFF-region players to play as locals and three additional foreign players.

BFF media committee chairman Amirul Islam said the meeting was productive and that the players’ proposal would be presented to the federation president and discussed at the next executive committee meeting for a final decision.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of at least 14 people caused by sudden lightning strikes in different districts of the country. The party’s Assistant Secretary General and Secretary of the Central Publicity and Media Department, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, conveyed the condolences in a message sent to the media on Sunday. He said that five of the victims were from Gaibandha district and several others were seriously injured.

In his statement, Zubair described the incident as tragic and painful, offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a quick recovery for the injured. He emphasized the need to raise public awareness and take preventive measures to deal with natural disasters like lightning. He also urged the authorities to ensure safety during such hazardous conditions and to provide financial assistance to the affected families.

Zubair prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and for patience and strength for their grieving families.

Shahadat Khondaker Manju has been appointed as the Barishal Divisional Organizing Secretary of Jatiyo Juboshokti. The announcement came during the organization’s first national council, where nine divisional organizing secretaries were selected. Tariqul Islam was named president, Engineer Farhad Sohel became general secretary, and Rifat Rashid was appointed as the central organizing secretary.

Other divisional organizing secretaries include Saiduzzaman Babu for Rangpur, Abu Sufian for Cumilla, Imandozza Ahmed for Sylhet, Iftekhar Sarkar Shawon for Rajshahi, Mahmudul Hasan Rakib for Mymensingh, Nazmul Haque for Khulna, Junayed Jitu for Faridpur, and Irfat Ibrahim for Chattogram. Several assistant organizing secretaries were also appointed.

Manju, a former central organizer from Bhola district, was active in the July mass uprising and currently serves as chief coordinator of the National Citizens’ Committee’s Tejgaon unit. Upon assuming his new role, he stated that he would focus on strengthening the organization’s grassroots structure through the formation and reorganization of district and upazila committees.

A construction accident in the BISIC industrial area of Maria, Kishoreganj Sadar upazila, left one worker dead and four others seriously injured on Sunday evening. The incident occurred when a section of an under-construction gate collapsed during concrete casting at the entrance of the industrial zone. The deceased was identified as Rasel, 26, son of Manik Mia from Sholpo Maria village in Maria Union. The injured workers were taken to Kishoreganj 250-bed General Hospital for treatment.

According to local and eyewitness accounts, a loud noise was heard as part of the main gate structure suddenly gave way, trapping Rasel and several others under the debris. Fire service personnel later rescued the victims from the collapsed structure. The identities of the injured workers were not immediately confirmed.

Authorities have not yet provided details on the cause of the collapse or whether safety measures were in place at the construction site.

A mobile court in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, fined a company one lakh taka for illegally hoarding edible oil with the intent to create an artificial market crisis. The operation took place on Sunday afternoon at a warehouse named Abdullah Food Products in the Jalakuri area.

According to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Abdullah Food Products had been storing edible oil illegally for a long time and labeling it under various brands for sale. During the raid, officials found about 5,000 liters of edible oil bottled in containers of different sizes. The mobile court imposed the fine after confirming the illegal stockpiling.

The RAB-11 team conducted the operation as part of its ongoing drive against illegal hoarding and the production of adulterated food products in the region.

A Dhaka court has granted bail to Dhaka University Deputy Registrar Lavlu Molla Shishir, who was arrested as a suspect in the case over the attack on former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia’s motorcade. The order was issued on Sunday, April 26, 2026, by the 17th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Wahiduzzaman after a hearing. Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Prosecution Division Deputy Commissioner Mia Mohammad Ashis Bin Hasan confirmed the decision, noting that Shishir had served as president of the Masterda Surya Sen Hall unit of the Chhatra League during his student years. The bail bond has not yet been submitted to the court.

According to the case, on April 22, 2015, Khaleda Zia’s motorcade was attacked at the Banglamotor signal in Shahbagh while campaigning for BNP-backed mayoral candidate Tabith Awal in the Dhaka North City Corporation election. Vehicles were vandalized and several people were injured. Shishir was earlier detained after posting a social media image with the caption “I don’t care” following a verdict sentencing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a crimes against humanity case.

The court’s decision allows Shishir temporary release, though his bail completion remains pending until the bond is filed.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) conducted a special operation in the Palongkhali border area of Ukhiya upazila in Cox’s Bazar, recovering 282 rounds of rifle and machine gun ammunition along with a local machete. The operation was carried out on Saturday by a special patrol team from the Palongkhali Border Outpost under the 64 BGB Battalion. According to BGB officials, the armed suspects fled the scene after sensing the presence of the patrol team, leaving behind the ammunition and weapon.

Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of the 64 BGB Battalion, confirmed the recovery on Sunday night. He stated that despite efforts, no suspects were immediately detained. Intelligence surveillance has been intensified to identify and apprehend those who escaped. BGB reiterated its firm stance against illegal arms, drugs, and smuggling activities along the border and announced that similar operations will continue in the future.

Fourteen people, including a child, were killed by lightning strikes across seven districts in Bangladesh on Sunday, according to local reports. The fatalities occurred in Gaibandha, Thakurgaon, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Panchagarh, Bogura, and Natore. Gaibandha recorded the highest number of deaths, with five people killed in separate incidents in Sundarganj and Saghata upazilas. Victims included farmers, laborers, and residents caught outdoors during sudden storms.

In Thakurgaon, two people died in Pirganj upazila, while Sirajganj and Jamalpur each reported two deaths. One tea worker was killed in Panchagarh, a young man in Bogura, and a seasonal farm laborer in Natore. Several others were injured, and livestock deaths were also reported. The incidents occurred in the afternoon amid sudden thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Authorities and locals rescued the injured and took them to nearby hospitals. The report highlights the recurring danger of lightning during seasonal storms across rural Bangladesh, often affecting people working in open fields or near their homes.

Two leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir were reportedly attacked by activists of Chhatra Dal in Rajarhat, Kurigram, on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred in front of Rajarhat School and College, leaving both Shibir leaders injured, one with a head wound. Locals alleged that police officers present at the scene did not intervene. The injured were admitted to Rajarhat Upazila Health Complex for treatment.

The victims were identified as Sujon Mia, president of Rajarhat Upazila West Thana unit of Shibir, and Samid Saki Mahin, Baitul Mal secretary of the Kurigram district school division. The clash reportedly stemmed from tensions over Facebook posts and comments, as well as an allegation of confining a leader of the Workers Welfare Federation. According to the complaint, several Chhatra Dal leaders, including Upazila convener Rubel Patwari and member secretary Mizanur Rahman Saddam, were involved.

Rajarhat police officer-in-charge Mamunur Rashid confirmed that the incident was linked to disputes over Facebook activity and said the situation was now under control, with no written complaint received yet.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar visited injured student Ashraful Islam at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Pangu Hospital) in Dhaka’s Shyamoli area on Sunday evening. Ashraful was injured in an armed attack at Chittagong City College on April 21 and is currently receiving treatment in Dhaka.

During the visit, Mia Golam Porwar spoke with doctors about Ashraful’s medical progress and spent some time by his bedside. He expressed sympathy to the student’s family and relatives, wishing Ashraful a quick recovery and encouraging them to remain patient and trust in God.

The visit highlighted Jamaat’s concern for the injured student following the reported attack at the college, which left Ashraful hospitalized for ongoing treatment.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar said that many who tried to eliminate Jamaat in the past were themselves eliminated or forced to flee the country. Speaking as chief guest at a Jamaat member training camp organized by the Sabujbagh-Mugda zone in Dhaka on Saturday night, he warned that those who attempt to destroy the party now or in the future will face the same fate. He accused BNP Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir of signaling a shift toward fascism by declaring the intent to eliminate Jamaat.

Other Jamaat leaders, including Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan MP, Executive Council Member Advocate Matiur Rahman Akand, and Dhaka South Amir Md. Nurul Islam Bulbul MP, echoed similar sentiments. They described Jamaat as a disciplined ideological organization committed to defending people’s rights and accused both the Awami League and BNP of targeting it out of fear of its popularity.

Speakers also alleged that the government and BNP were moving toward fascism by ignoring public opinion and constitutional norms, while Jamaat vowed to continue its struggle for democratic rights.

Two female students were seriously injured by lightning in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla monument at Dhaka University on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred around 5 p.m. during a storm and rain. The injured students, identified as Sufia Akter and Farah Akter, both 22 years old and students of East West University, were rescued unconscious and taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

According to eyewitness and fellow student Aglina, the group was standing in the area when the lightning struck, injuring Sufia and Farah. They were immediately transported to the new building of the hospital’s emergency department for treatment.

Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police camp, confirmed the incident and said both students are receiving necessary medical care and are under observation.

Police in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, arrested a local BNP leader named Salauddin, aged 55, on Sunday following allegations of extortion and vandalism. Salauddin, who serves as the general secretary of Ward No. 1 BNP, was detained after police verified the complaint and later sent to court, according to Siddhirganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Emdadul Haque.

The arrest followed a written complaint filed on Friday by fruit seller Md. Azizul Haque, who alleged that Salauddin and several others assaulted him for failing to pay extortion money during his illness. The group allegedly damaged his shop and destroyed fruits worth about 80,000 taka. Azizul Haque also claimed that the accused threatened to kill him and his son, leaving him in fear.

Police stated that preliminary investigation confirmed the validity of the complaint, leading to Salauddin’s arrest and court appearance.

A three-member delegation from the United States Embassy in Dhaka met with Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh, on Sunday. The meeting focused on finalizing policies to facilitate dual degree programs, joint research initiatives, and faculty and student exchange programs between universities in Bangladesh and the United States.

Discussions also covered the participation of a UGC delegation in the upcoming Association of International Educators Convention in the United States, online verification of Bangladeshi university certificates, and expanding opportunities for Bangladeshi students under the jointly funded Fulbright Program. The U.S. delegation included Public Affairs Counselor Monica Sai, American Center Public Engagement Director Scott Hartman, and Public Diplomacy Specialist Rayhana Sultana.

Both sides expressed that enhanced cooperation would benefit the higher education sectors of Bangladesh and the United States.

A Dhaka court has sentenced Sayed Ahmed to death for killing his wife Rehana Begum over dowry demands in Kamrangirchar about fifteen years ago. The verdict was delivered on Sunday, April 26, 2026, by Judge Munshi Md. Moshiar Rahman of Dhaka’s Fourth Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Along with the death penalty, the court imposed a fine of two lakh taka and ordered that the amount be realized by selling Sayed’s movable and immovable property to be given to the victim’s son.

According to the case details, Sayed married Rehana on June 25, 2010, and soon began pressuring her for dowry and property transfer. On September 29, 2012, Rehana’s mother found her daughter dead at home with red marks on her face. Despite initial police refusal to register a case, she later filed one with the tribunal. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) later investigated and charged Sayed, while his brother Shafi Ahmed was cleared of involvement.

The tribunal heard testimony from eleven witnesses before delivering the judgment, concluding a prolonged legal process that began in 2012.