Homayra Akter Antora and Marzan Akter Priya, who previously won gold at the South Asian Games in Nepal, secured gold medals again at the National Karate Championship held at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday. Antora, representing Ansar, triumphed in the women’s under-61 kg category, while Priya, representing the Army, won in the under-68 kg division.

The championship also saw several other winners across different weight categories. In the men’s division, Md. Azad from Khagrachhari won the under-55 kg event, Siam Hossain from BKSP won under-60 kg, Monirul Islam from the Army won under-67 kg, Sajib Mondol from Ansar won under-75 kg, Mintu Dey from the Army won under-84 kg, and Arafat Enayet from the Police won in the above-84 kg category. In the women’s division, Deepa Rani Saha from the Army claimed gold in the above-68 kg category.

The results highlighted the continued dominance of experienced athletes and institutional teams such as the Army, Ansar, and Police in national-level karate competitions.

Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4, Hasnat Abdullah, has issued a stern warning against any form of land syndicate operating in Debidwar upazila. He made the statement on Saturday afternoon during a public hearing organized by the upazila administration to raise awareness about land services, improve service quality, and address existing problems.

During the hearing, Abdullah listened to complaints from land service seekers and noted that a powerful syndicate was forcing ordinary people to pay extra money in land transactions. He said those involved would be identified and brought under legal action. The MP also mentioned that many expatriates face harassment from brokers when trying to buy small plots of land with their hard-earned money. He urged victims to file direct complaints and to inform him if issues remain unresolved through land officials.

The event was presided over by Debidwar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rakibul Islam, with other local officials and residents in attendance.

BNP’s former joint secretary general and Chattogram-4 Member of Parliament Professor Aslam Chowdhury has called on farmers to unite to secure their rights. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon at his residence in Sitakunda during a courtesy meeting with leaders of the Mirsharai Upazila unit of the Krishak Dal.

During the meeting, Chowdhury discussed the current political situation, farmers’ fair rights, crises in the agricultural sector, fertilizer and irrigation issues, and ensuring fair prices for agricultural products. He emphasized strengthening the organization at the grassroots level to make it more active and effective.

A delegation led by Mirsharai Upazila Krishak Dal convener Ashraf Uddin and member secretary Abu Dawood attended the meeting. On behalf of the Krishak Dal, Aslam Chowdhury was presented with floral greetings and a crest of honor.

Students at the University of Chittagong staged separate protests after a student was injured in an attack allegedly carried out by local residents. The demonstrations were organized by the university’s central student council (Chakshu) and the campus unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir. The protests took place at the university’s Zero Point area on Friday midnight and again at noon.

Chakshu’s communication and housing affairs secretary Ishaq Bhuiyan criticized the absence of police presence at the campus police outpost, noting that in the past, hundreds of officers were deployed to prevent internal conflicts. He demanded swift justice for those involved in the attack. Mohammad Parvez, secretary of the campus unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, accused a local syndicate in Jobra village of repeated assaults on students and urged the university administration to dismantle the group.

Both student bodies called for immediate action to ensure student safety and restore a secure environment on campus.

A plastic factory in Shahdaulatpur village of Burichang upazila, Comilla, was completely destroyed by fire on Saturday afternoon after a dispute over sharing octane led to an accidental ignition. Witnesses said that during a scuffle among several people over the octane, a burning cigarette ember fell into the fuel, causing flames that quickly spread to the nearby plastic factory. Three young men sustained burn injuries in the incident.

Fire service units rushed to the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control, but by then goods worth approximately 1.5 to 1.7 million taka had been reduced to ashes across two factories. The injured—identified as Md. Sulaiman, Tanvir Hossain, and Md. Shubho—were sent to Dhaka in critical condition for treatment.

Factory owners Billal Hossain and Nazrul Islam said they narrowly escaped the fire after hearing shouts of “fire” and running outside, but their entire business was destroyed.

A woman named Nasima Begum, wife of expatriate Al Amin, was hacked to death by assailants at her home in Sharif Sardar Bari, Ward 6 of Shibpur Union under Bhola Sadar, around midnight on Friday. Her eight-year-old son Abir was also attacked and seriously injured but survived by pretending to be dead. Police recovered Nasima’s body on Saturday and sent it for autopsy. Based on Abir’s statement, police detained Jihad, son of former union council member Jamal Uddin, for questioning.

According to police, locals, and the injured child, the attackers entered the house after Nasima and her son had gone to sleep, using a mobile phone light to identify and repeatedly strike her. When Abir woke up, he was also stabbed. After the attackers left, Abir came outside at dawn and called for help. Neighbors informed police through the emergency hotline and took the injured boy to Bhola Sadar Hospital.

Police said legal procedures and post-mortem formalities are underway while the child continues to receive treatment.

Super Star Sporting Club Sualak won the Bandarban Hill District Council T20 Cricket Tournament by defeating Rhythm Royal Club by three wickets in a tense final held on Saturday afternoon at Bandarban Stadium. Rhythm Royal Club scored 129 for 8 in 20 overs, while Super Star Sporting Club reached 130 for 7 in 18.5 overs, led by Rafi’s 66 runs and Dr. Tarek’s 25.

Following the match, a prize-giving ceremony was held under the chairmanship of Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Md. Saniul Ferdous, with Member of Parliament Saching Prue Jerry attending as chief guest. In his speech, the MP emphasized that sports help people avoid negative habits and called for expanding annual sports competitions in educational institutions. He also announced plans to arrange advanced sports training for boys and girls in collaboration with the administration to nurture emerging athletes from Bandarban.

Other speakers included the Superintendent of Police Abdur Rahman, former BCB director Dr. Siraj Uddin Mohammad Alamgir, and district council members. The winners received trophies and awards from the guests.

Bangladesh’s opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said workers’ earnings are falling due to a nationwide fuel shortage. Speaking on Saturday at the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Federation’s district and metropolitan leaders’ conference in Dhaka, he claimed transport workers wait three to five hours daily for limited fuel, losing valuable work time. He added that fuel stations are receiving only half their usual supply, worsening workers’ financial hardship.

Rahman alleged that the government’s policies have deepened the crisis and that opposition voices are being silenced in parliament. He also criticized the new banking law, saying it hands public deposits to “bank robbers.” Addressing labor leaders, he urged them to continue fighting for workers’ rights peacefully and to avoid unrest that could harm both owners and workers. He called on the government to establish specialized hospitals in labor-intensive areas and ensure education for workers’ children.

Jamaat’s deputy leader A.N.M. Shamsul Islam echoed the need for dialogue-based solutions to labor issues, saying workers have long been exploited for political gain.

At least 20 people were injured in a violent clash between residents of two villages in Kushtia over local dominance. The confrontation took place on Saturday morning in Ujan and Gajanbipur areas under the Islamic University police station in Kushtia Sadar upazila. During the violence, around 30 houses were reportedly vandalized, and several of the injured were admitted to Kushtia General Hospital for treatment.

According to local sources, two rival groups from six nearby villages, including Ujangram and Gajanbipur, have long-standing disputes over influence in the area. The clash began in Gajanbipur and later spread to Ujangram, escalating into widespread violence. Police were deployed to restore order, and the Islamic University police confirmed that army patrols were active in the area throughout the day to maintain control.

Authorities said the situation was brought under control by evening, though tensions remained high in the affected villages.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) in Brahmanbaria has solved the murder of six-year-old schoolgirl Nishat, whose body was found in a sack near her home on April 17, 2026. PBI Superintendent Sachin Chakma stated that neighbor Isha Mia, an autorickshaw driver, confessed to killing Nishat after failing in an attempt to sexually assault her. The suspect was taken into custody from Mohanpur village on April 18.

According to police, Nishat went missing on April 15 after leaving home to buy chips. Isha lured her to a park in Rasulpur, then brought her to his house at night, where he attempted to assault her. When Nishat threatened to tell her mother, he suffocated her with his shirt. The next day, he hid the body in his house and later dumped it in an open area near the home.

Following Isha’s arrest, local residents protested demanding his execution and set fire to his house.

National Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has urged opposition parties not to stage walkouts without valid reasons. He also called on the ruling party to allow the opposition adequate space to function and to maintain coordination with them. The Speaker made these remarks on Saturday afternoon while speaking to journalists after exchanging greetings with leaders of the Barishal Chamber of Commerce and Industries at the Barishal Circuit House.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed stated that walkouts are a legitimate political practice for the opposition, but prolonged boycotts harm the Parliament and deprive citizens of their rights. He emphasized the need for unity among those who fought against autocracy, warning that disunity could allow exiled figures to return and reestablish misrule. Reflecting on the past sixteen years, he described that period as one of darkness marked by sham elections and the absence of public rights.

Expressing optimism, the Speaker said political parties should remain united against autocracy to ensure democracy endures and citizens retain their right to choose their government freely.

Newly elected Member of Parliament Advocate Emran Ahmad Chowdhury from Sylhet-6 has announced the construction of a long-demanded bridge over the Korti Canal in Alinagar Union, Beanibazar upazila. The announcement came after 55 years of unfulfilled promises since Bangladesh’s independence. On Saturday afternoon, the MP visited the proposed site between Patan and Fulmalik villages along with the Upazila Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) to initiate the project.

Local residents expressed gratitude to the MP, noting that previous representatives had ignored their demand. Around ten villages, including Fulmalik, Ghagwa, Gobindasree, Deulgram, Patan, Chandragram, Kotlipara, and Angura, currently rely on a risky bamboo bridge to cross the canal for daily activities, schooling, and healthcare access. The area hosts six primary and three secondary schools, and students often face accidents while crossing.

Once completed, the bridge is expected to ease travel between Beanibazar and Golapganj upazila centers and significantly improve local living conditions.

Police recovered the body of a brick kiln worker named Mintu Mia, aged 48, from a paddy field in Akartoma area along the Paniyala road in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur district on Saturday afternoon. The discovery was made around 2 p.m. after local police received information and arrived at the scene. Mintu Mia was a resident of Char Motua village in Noakhali Sadar upazila and worked at Fahad Bricks Manufacturer in Ramganj.

According to police and local sources, the landowner found the body while inspecting his paddy field. The victim’s mouth was found tied with a towel. Ramganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Firoz Uddin Chowdhury confirmed the incident and said the body had been sent to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital morgue for examination.

Further details about the cause of death or possible suspects were not mentioned in the report.

A total of 34 bodies of Bangladeshi expatriate workers were brought back to the country on Saturday. According to the Expatriate Welfare Desk at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, 30 of the bodies arrived from Kuwait on a chartered Kuwait Airways flight in the evening. Four more bodies, two each from Malaysia and Libya, arrived on separate flights the same day.

Officials from the Expatriate Welfare Desk said that repeated flight cancellations caused by the ongoing war situation in the Middle East had delayed the repatriation of the deceased workers. The bodies had been scheduled to return earlier but were stranded due to the disruptions. Later, arrangements were made to bring them back on special flights.

An assistant director of the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board confirmed that the flight problems linked to the regional conflict had caused the delay, and the bodies were eventually transported on separate flights to Bangladesh.

BNP activists in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar have accused their own union leadership of attempting to rehabilitate a former chairman allegedly aligned with the Awami League. The allegations were made at a press conference held on April 18 at the Cox’s Bazar Press Club, where local BNP and affiliated organization members demanded the dissolution of the current Rashidnagar Union BNP committee and the formation of a new one.

Speakers at the event claimed that current union BNP president Mosleh Uddin and acting general secretary Ahmad Nabi were creating divisions within the party and damaging its image through unethical activities. They alleged that the two leaders were trying to reinstate former chairman Shah Alam, who was previously removed amid accusations of violence, land grabbing, and drug-related crimes. The activists said Shah Alam’s past actions, including alleged attacks and cases against BNP-Jamaat members, had caused deep resentment among grassroots workers.

The participants urged the party’s central leadership to cancel the current committee and stop any move to reinstate Shah Alam, warning that larger protests would follow if their demands were ignored.