Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus returned to Bangladesh at 9:45 AM on Saturday after completing a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom. According to his press wing, Yunus and his delegation departed London’s Heathrow International Airport at 7:15 PM local time on Friday. During the visit, Professor Yunus held meetings with several influential figures, including the Speaker of the UK House of Commons. He also met with Tarique Rahman, the Acting Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

BNP has expressed its intention to engage Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus in national development efforts if the party comes to power through the people’s mandate. BNP leader Tarique Rahman believes Dr. Yunus’s expertise will be crucial in shaping the country’s future. Although Dr. Yunus clarified that he has no interest in holding any government position, BNP wants to seek his advice on national progress. Tarique also emphasized his commitment to working with other eminent personalities for the nation’s advancement.

The ruling Awami League has expelled two local leaders from Narail’s Kalia Upazila for joining rival political parties. Mallick Monirul Islam, Organizing Secretary of the Kalia Upazila Awami League and Chairman of Iliyasabad Union Parishad, has formally joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Additionally, SM Saifuzzaman, a member of the Upazila Awami League and Chairman of Panchgram Union Parishad, has joined the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP). According to the official expulsion letter, both leaders were ousted for violating party discipline, betraying party loyalty, and acting out of personal greed despite having benefited from the Awami League government. The party described their defection as "opportunistic and treacherous."

A 14-year-old girl was reportedly gang-raped by three youths while she was herding goats in a field in Ramgati, Lakshmipur. The accused—Jewel, Azad, and Raju—have gone into hiding since the incident. The victim’s elder sister alleged that Abdur Rahman, President of the local Krishak Dal (BNP’s farmers' wing) in Ward 3 of Char Gazi Union, along with his associate Shahab Uddin, has been issuing threats to prevent them from reporting the crime. She further claimed that Abdur Rahman demanded Tk 10,000 in exchange for resolving the matter. In response, Abdur Rahman denied involvement, stating, “I am not responsible for settling such matters. That’s why the police were not informed.”

Elite police unit RAB-11 has arrested Sohel Member, widely known as 'Fancy Sohel,' along with his associate Fazlul Haque Fazlu in Araihazar, Narayanganj. Sohel, a notorious criminal and drug dealer in the area, leveraged his influence to become a local council member. RAB officials stated that Sohel had long been involved in narcotics trafficking, extortion, and public displays of armed intimidation.

Mosharraf Sheikh, once a humble cook employed at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence since 1996, is now reportedly a multimillionaire. Born to a day laborer’s family, Mosharraf started his culinary career at a local hotel before securing the prestigious job at the prime minister’s residence. Allegations suggest that during successive Awami League governments, he amassed wealth by illegally grabbing land from local farmers and harassing ordinary citizens in his village. He is currently on the run.

Multiple accidents involving 4-5 vehicles on the Jamuna Bridge have caused severe traffic congestion stretching approximately 25 kilometers—from the bridge’s eastern toll plaza to Rabna Bypass in Tangail. Passengers traveling between Dhaka and the northern districts are facing extreme hardship. Law enforcement and Jamuna Bridge authorities are working to clear the traffic and restore normalcy.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced via X (formerly Twitter) that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express India’s concerns over the escalating conflict. Modi emphasized the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region. Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the Israeli leader has been holding talks with several world leaders, including the German Chancellor, French President, and Indian Prime Minister, with further calls planned with U.S., Russian, and UK leaders.

As Iran launched a series of missile strikes targeting Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on Friday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz took refuge in a secure bunker along with top military and government officials. According to The Times of Israel, Netanyahu and his senior ministers held urgent discussions on how to respond to Iran’s missile barrage.

As debates over the U.S. role in the escalating Israel-Iran conflict intensify, former U.S. President Donald Trump finds himself in an increasingly complicated and politically risky position, reports BBC’s White House correspondent Gary O’Donoghue. While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tried to distance the administration from Israel’s offensive, labeling it a “unilateral Israeli decision,” Trump later praised the attack as “excellent” and lauded the “extraordinary American technology” used. This contrasts with Trump’s earlier promises of “ending wars, not starting new ones.”

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency has claimed that Iranian forces shot down two Israeli fighter jets during the latest round of hostilities. One of the downed aircraft reportedly had a female pilot, who has allegedly been taken into custody, according to Tasnim News. However, the Israeli military has firmly denied these claims, stating that no Israeli aircraft have been shot down and no personnel are missing or captured.

Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and former U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation on Friday, discussing the regional security situation. Both leaders expressed deep concern over the unfolding crisis and stressed the need for maximum restraint and a diplomatic resolution. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on both Israel and Iran to de-escalate immediately.

Iran has launched another attack targeting Israel, with powerful explosions reported in Tel Aviv and occupied Jerusalem around midnight on Saturday. Following the attack, Israeli authorities instructed civilians and military personnel to take immediate shelter until further notice. Footage shared by Reuters shows smoke rising in Tel Aviv after what appears to be a missile strike. Reports suggest that Iran's president and supreme leader have personally designated Israel as their direct target.

Two people were killed and at least 10 others injured when a speeding passenger bus rammed into the back of a truck on the Mawa side of the Padma Bridge. One of the deceased has been identified as Rakib, while the other remains unidentified. The accident took place near pillar number 2 of the bridge when a bus operated by Imad Paribahan collided with a stationary truck, leaving the front portion of the bus completely mangled.

In a statement, Khelafat Majlish welcomed Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s view during his London meeting with Tarique Rahman that elections could be held before Ramadan 2026 — even a week prior — provided preparations are complete. They described this perspective as timely and constructive, particularly emphasizing the need for substantial progress on reforms and justice by February. The statement added that this announcement would help ease the country’s ongoing political instability and uncertainty.