Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon announced that a transfer system for teachers of non-government MPO-listed schools, colleges, and madrasas will soon be introduced. He said all preparations have been completed and committees are being formed to begin the process shortly. The minister made the remarks on Friday afternoon at the prize-giving ceremony of the Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament finals held at Kachua Government Pilot High School field in Chandpur. Milon added that 14,300 teachers who passed the examination were recruited in a short time despite mixed reactions, and their appointments will follow the existing employment regulations. He emphasized that the government is working to make education enjoyable for students and to develop them as capable citizens through both study and sports. The minister also noted that the government is increasing the education budget to improve quality. During the event, Kachua Government Primary School and Ashrafpur Government Primary School won the boys’ and girls’ football finals respectively, and the minister handed trophies to the winning and runner-up teams.

The United States announced sanctions on three Iranian foreign exchange companies—Opal Exchange, Radin Exchange, and Tahayori Guarantee Society—on May 2, 2026. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, these firms allegedly helped convert proceeds from Iranian oil sales into currencies that could be more easily used by Iran’s military forces. The sanctions include asset freezes within the United States and prohibit American individuals and businesses from conducting transactions with the targeted entities. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant stated that the move reflects Washington’s commitment to disrupting Iran’s financial networks. He emphasized that the United States would continue to target the Iranian government’s ability to raise, transfer, and repatriate funds. The announcement underscores ongoing U.S. efforts to limit Iran’s access to international financial systems. The sanctions are expected to further strain Iran’s financial operations and restrict its military funding channels, though the broader economic impact remains to be seen.

A group of Indian sailors stranded at Iran’s Khorramshahr port during the ongoing war involving the United States and Israel returned to Mumbai on Friday. They described their ordeal of being trapped without internet access and witnessing missiles flying overhead. One sailor from Haryana said they were unaware of the war until they saw missiles, while another from Uttar Pradesh recounted sleepless nights as frequent strikes made survival difficult. Only three Indian crew members remained at the port until their eventual return. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) has urged the Indian government to intensify efforts to evacuate other sailors still stuck in the conflict zone. FSUI General Secretary Manoj Kumar Yadav called the situation extremely serious and alleged that sailors were facing exploitation and financial distress. India, one of the world’s top three suppliers of seafarers, employs over 300,000 people in the profession. According to India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, 2,680 sailors have been repatriated from Iran since the conflict began. Three Indian sailors have died so far, and on April 18, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on two India-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The first session of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament, which concluded on Thursday, has been described as highly significant due to its political context. Convened nearly two years after a mass uprising that ended the Awami League government, the session drew wide public attention both inside and outside the parliament. It featured heated exchanges between government and opposition members over the president’s address, the Liberation War, and the controversial July Charter, while remarks by the Speaker and Deputy Speaker also sparked discussion. According to the Parliament Secretariat, the 25-day session presented 133 ordinances, passed 91 bills, and approved a total of 94 by its final day, setting a new record for legislative activity. The question-and-answer segment was notably active, with 93 questions submitted to the prime minister, who responded to 35, and 2,509 questions to ministers, of which 1,778 were answered. Eight topics dominated the session’s discourse, including the president’s speech, the July Charter debate, Liberation War discussions, accountability in question time, opposition walkouts, the Speaker’s role, parliamentary dynamics, and the record number of bills passed.

Iran has announced that it will engage in talks with the United States only if Washington stops what Tehran describes as provocative actions and threats. The statement came from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi through an official post on the ministry’s Telegram account. He said Iran is ready to continue discussions once the US abandons its expansionist approach and hostile rhetoric. The post also emphasized that Iran’s armed forces are fully prepared to respond to any threat, underscoring both military readiness and diplomatic openness. Araghchi made these remarks during his visit to Turkey, where he met with the foreign ministers of Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, and Azerbaijan. During the meeting, Araghchi reiterated that Iran did not initiate the ongoing conflict and warned that if the United States breaks the ceasefire and resumes attacks, Iran is fully prepared to respond. The statement reflects Tehran’s dual stance of deterrence and conditional willingness for dialogue.

The United States has announced new sanctions targeting individuals and organizations that pay tolls to Iran for using the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump reiterated that his administration’s economic pressure strategy on Tehran will succeed, claiming that the blockade of the strait is already costing Iran millions of dollars daily. The move is part of Washington’s broader effort to force Iran into negotiations on American terms. According to the US Treasury Department, any entity making toll payments to Iran for passage through the strait will face sanctions. The measure is described as a serious threat. Meanwhile, the US State Department unveiled a new maritime framework called the “Maritime Freedom Construct,” to be operated under US Central Command. Under this system, a coalition of ships complying with US conditions will be escorted by American naval vessels and exempted from paying tolls. The strategy aims to maintain global oil supply stability while sustaining the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption in oil flow has already had significant effects on the global economy, according to the report.

Police in Lalpur, Natore arrested five active members of a hacking group involved in breaching Facebook, WhatsApp, Imo, and Messenger accounts and conducting online fraud. The arrests took place on Friday evening during a special operation led by Sub-Inspectors Munsup Ali and Al Masum, assisted by ASI Ansar Ali and other officers. The suspects were detained from the bedroom of Rafiz Mondol’s house in Pansipara village under Durduria Union. According to Lalpur police, the detainees used Android phones and internet access to hack expatriates’ WhatsApp accounts. They then illegally accessed Facebook, Messenger, and Imo IDs, changed passwords, and took control of the accounts to defraud victims of money. The arrested individuals are all residents of Lalpur upazila. Lalpur Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam stated that a case is being processed against the suspects and that similar operations will continue to curb cybercrime and online fraud in the area.

A fire broke out at the substation of the 350-megawatt Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) power plant in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, on Friday around 5:30 p.m. The incident was confirmed by Miron Mia, station master of the Adamjee Fire Service. Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise from inside the substation before thick smoke appeared and flames spread to part of a transformer. Panic spread in the surrounding area as plant staff took safety measures and alerted the fire service. Two units from the Adamjee EPZ Fire Service arrived promptly and managed to bring the fire under control within a short time, preventing a major accident or explosion. Authorities said security was tightened around the power plant and substation after the incident. The exact cause and extent of damage were not immediately known, though initial assessments suggested a technical fault or overheating in the transformer. Fire service officials stated that about 100,000 liters of oil were stored in the transformer, and quick action helped save equipment worth around Tk 300 crore. The situation has since returned to normal.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that it might be better for the United States not to reach any agreement with Iran after the latest round of discussions between the two countries stalled again. He made the comment on Friday during an event in Florida, emphasizing that the issue had dragged on for too long and could not continue in the same way. Before leaving for Florida, Trump told CNN that he was not satisfied with Iran’s latest proposal aimed at resolving ongoing tensions. Speaking to reporters about his options, he questioned whether to launch a severe attack on Iran or to continue pursuing a possible agreement. The remarks highlight renewed uncertainty in U.S.-Iran relations as negotiations remain deadlocked, with no clear path forward indicated in Trump’s statements.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the United States might 'take over' Cuba after concluding its military operations in Iran. Speaking at an event in Florida last Friday, Trump made the remark in a joking tone while introducing a friend from Cuba, saying the country could be seized almost immediately. He indicated that action against Cuba could follow soon after the Middle East campaign ends. Trump added that he prefers to finish one task before starting another, referring to the ongoing conflict with Iran. He further joked that a large U.S. warship, possibly the USS Abraham Lincoln, could approach the Cuban coast, prompting Cuban leaders to surrender. The audience reportedly laughed at his comments. Just before making these remarks, Trump had signed an executive order expanding U.S. sanctions on the Cuban government and related institutions, according to the report sourced from CNN.

The BNP-backed Nationalist Lawyers Unity Panel, known as the Blue Panel, won all 23 posts in the Dhaka Bar Association election. The results were announced just after midnight on Friday by Chief Election Commissioner Advocate Md. Borhan Uddin. Anwar Zahid Bhuiyan was elected president and Mohammad Abul Kalam Khan became general secretary, defeating Jamaat and NCP-backed candidates S.M. Kamal Uddin and Abu Bakkar Siddique. No independent candidates or the rival Green Panel secured any positions. Other winners from the Blue Panel include Rezaul Karim Chowdhury as senior vice president, Abul Kalam Azad as vice president, and Mohammad Anisuzzaman as treasurer. The election took place on April 29 and 30, with 7,169 of 20,785 registered voters casting ballots. The complete victory of the BNP-supported panel underscores their dominance in the Dhaka Bar Association’s leadership for the upcoming term, following a competitive election process.

The United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has condemned Iran’s attacks on telecommunication infrastructure across several Middle Eastern countries. According to an AFP report, the ITU has been monitoring the impact on regional communication systems since the war between Iran, Israel, and the United States began in February. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Jordan called for ITU intervention following attacks on networks in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. The ITU Council’s governing body adopted a draft resolution on the issue last Friday. An ITU spokesperson told AFP that the organization will prepare a detailed report on the causes of the disruptions and their broader effects on regional and global connectivity. During the same meeting, Iran submitted a separate proposal seeking assistance to rebuild its own telecommunication infrastructure damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes. However, a diplomatic source said no decision was reached on Tehran’s request due to a lack of consensus among council members.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Sylhet today, marking his first trip to the region since assuming office. He is expected to arrive at Osmani International Airport at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, he will visit the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Shahjalal (R.), followed by the foundation laying of a city corporation project to address waterlogging near Chandnighat by the Surma River. At 11:35 a.m., he will lay the foundation stone of the Bangladesh Overseas Center Sylhet. Later in the day, at 12 p.m., the Prime Minister will inaugurate a canal excavation program at Kandigaon Union in Sylhet Sadar Upazila. In the afternoon, at 3 p.m., he will launch the 'Notun Kuri Sports' initiative at Sylhet District Stadium, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to identify young athletic talent. He is scheduled to attend a party meeting at 5 p.m. before returning to Dhaka. The visit includes multiple development and youth engagement programs, reflecting the government’s focus on infrastructure and sports promotion in Sylhet.

China has called on Israel to immediately stop its bombings in Lebanon, describing the situation as one of continuing low-level conflict rather than a true ceasefire. The statement came from Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday. China assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for May, and Fu used the occasion to clarify Beijing’s stance on the Lebanon situation. According to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA, Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon have caused a rising death toll, with at least 44 people killed in the past two days. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that since the new round of fighting began on March 2, Israeli strikes have killed at least 2,618 people. The information was cited from Al Jazeera. The Chinese envoy’s remarks highlight Beijing’s call for restraint and its concern over escalating violence in the region, as civilian casualties continue to mount.

Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has made Iran’s nuclear program the central issue in any future discussions with Tehran, according to Al Jazeera’s Washington correspondent Mike Hanna. The report states that Trump has identified several non-negotiable positions, describing them as his ‘red lines,’ though the exact details remain unclear. What is certain, however, is that Trump seeks a firm assurance that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. Trump’s position emphasizes that Iran must permanently refrain from pursuing nuclear arms, rejecting any temporary suspension or time-limited agreement. While other expectations from Iran have not yet been publicly disclosed, the nuclear issue stands as the core of his administration’s approach to Tehran. Observers believe that Trump’s uncompromising stance could reshape the future of U.S.–Iran relations, potentially setting a new tone for diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran.