At least twelve people were injured, some seriously, in a clash between two groups over control of the Baluchar cattle market in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj on Friday morning. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. at Baluchar Bazar, where several victims suffered stab wounds. Some of the injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, while others received local treatment. Police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control, deploying additional forces to prevent further unrest. Local sources said the clash erupted during a meeting about managing the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha cattle market, which is scheduled to operate on May 23 and 26. The market’s leaseholder, Mohammad Zahidur Rahman, a central vice president of Gana Adhikar Parishad, had assigned security duties to two individuals. During the meeting, an argument escalated into violence between the Sarkar and Baul groups. Officials and witnesses stated that the conflict stemmed from a power struggle over market dominance. Police confirmed that the situation is now stable and that legal action is being taken against those involved.

A state-of-the-art plant tissue culture laboratory is under construction in Balaghata, Bandarban, along the Sangu River. Designed in the shape of a biological cell nucleus, the circular building combines modern architecture with eco-friendly concepts. The facility will include advanced rooms for media preparation, inoculation, culture growth, acclimatization, and research, aiming to support international-standard agricultural innovation in the hilly region. Officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension said the lab will enable rapid production of disease-free and genetically uniform seedlings, reducing costs and risks for farmers. Local farmers expressed optimism that the lab will provide improved seedlings for high-value crops such as bananas, pineapples, strawberries, dragon fruit, and orchids, encouraging youth participation in agriculture. Women farmers also hope to benefit from better access to quality planting materials and new entrepreneurial opportunities. According to project leaders and agricultural scientists, the facility will serve as a hub for research on hill-adapted crops, mother plant improvement, and climate-resilient farming technologies. With construction nearly 80 percent complete, experts view the lab as a symbol of agricultural modernization and sustainable development in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Yusuf Ashraf has condemned the Home Minister’s comment describing public execution of rapists as medieval, saying it insults religious sentiments and undermines public expectations for justice. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon while presiding over a meeting of the party’s Dhaka members of the central executive council at its Purana Paltan office. Ashraf said the minister’s statement reflects a failure to understand reality, suggesting that his long stay abroad may have distanced him from the people’s frustration with injustice and state failures. He argued that public demand for strict punishment has grown due to the justice system’s inability to curb crime effectively. Referring to the Ramisa murder case, he said the victim family’s despair mirrors widespread public distrust in the judiciary. He urged the Home Minister to withdraw his statement immediately. The meeting also strongly criticized the recent decision to abolish the Judicial Secretariat, with central executive council members attending under the direction of party Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain stated that those involved in the murder of child Ramisa Akter have been arrested and will face exemplary punishment. He made the remarks on Thursday while addressing a seminar at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club. The ministry’s public relations officer confirmed the statement through a press release on Friday. The minister described the incident as deeply painful for society and expressed prayers for Ramisa’s soul along with condolences to her family, assuring that the government stands by them. He emphasized that no one is allowed to take the law into their own hands and that the government is determined to ensure swift justice for the offenders. He reiterated that the current government maintains a zero-tolerance policy against violence towards women and children, underscoring its firm stance on preventing such heinous crimes in the future.

Students of Khulna University organized a protest rally on Friday evening in front of the 'Adommo Bangla' sculpture, denouncing rape, murder, and the prevailing culture of impunity. The demonstrators demanded prompt trials and exemplary punishment for perpetrators of such crimes. Participants voiced frustration over the lack of effective justice, claiming that repeated incidents of rape and murder continue due to delayed or absent legal action. They criticized the state and administration for failing to ensure women’s safety. Several students expressed fear about moving alone even during the day, citing insecurity both inside and outside the campus. Speakers emphasized that the government and responsible authorities must act decisively to prevent future atrocities. They urged immediate and effective measures to ensure justice and women’s safety, warning that the public no longer tolerates prolonged judicial delays.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s central secretary general, Professor Mia Golam Porwar, issued a statement on Friday condemning an attack on former Khanmarich Union Jamaat secretary and teacher Zillur Rahman in Pabna’s Bhangura upazila. According to the statement, the incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Thursday, when Rahman was allegedly attacked with sharp weapons in a premeditated attempt to kill him. Porwar described the assault as part of a pattern of violent attacks, terrorism, and assassination attempts targeting dissenting voices and leaders of Islamic movements across the country. He said the attack on Rahman, a respected teacher and social worker, was not an isolated event but a reflection of organized political violence. He urged authorities to arrest those responsible and ensure exemplary punishment, while also wishing Zillur Rahman a speedy recovery. Porwar said such incidents demonstrate a deterioration of law and order and are contrary to humanity and civilization.

Two people, including a woman, were killed and two others injured in separate lightning strikes in Chapainawabganj Sadar and Shibganj upazilas on Friday evening. The incidents occurred during rainfall accompanied by thunder. One victim was struck while collecting mangoes in a garden, and the other while harvesting paddy. The injured were taken to the district hospital for treatment. The deceased were identified as Manowara Begum, wife of Mainul Islam Bishu of Gidhnipara in Sadar upazila, and Abdul Malek, son of the late Mohbul Islam of Chhalokipara village in Shibganj upazila. According to local administrative officer Tanzimul Islam, Manowara Begum was injured by lightning while collecting mangoes during the storm and died on the way to the hospital. Abdul Malek died in a separate incident while working in a paddy field during the rain. Authorities confirmed both deaths and said the injured victims are receiving medical care at the district hospital.

Armed assailants attacked the house of former central Jubo Dal member Haji Billal Hossain in Tongi, Gazipur, on Friday night, reportedly over a land inheritance dispute. The attackers, numbering between 150 and 200, vandalized the property and fired several blank shots. At least four people, including Billal’s son Abir Hossain Alok, were injured. Police from Tongi East Station visited the scene after receiving reports of gunfire. According to Billal Hossain, the conflict stemmed from a long-standing dispute over inherited land. A settlement and registration were scheduled for Thursday, but the opposing party did not appear. Later, a group led by local men identified as Adnan Khan, Khokon Patowary, and Kawsar allegedly carried out the attack using local weapons and explosive-like devices. The injured were taken to Tongi Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital, while one victim was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. Tongi East Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mehedi Hasan confirmed that police were dispatched to the scene and that legal procedures are underway.

A man in Cox’s Bazar’s Chakaria upazila allegedly hacked his disabled father to death on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. in the Moulvirkum area. The victim, identified as Khalilur Rahman Saudagar, 65, died at the scene after his son, Minarul Islam Russell, 30, attacked him with a sharp weapon, severing one of his hands. Locals detained the suspect immediately after the attack and handed him over to police. According to local sources, family members and neighbors took the victim to the Chakaria Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. A local rural physician said Russell had been quarrelling frequently with family members since separating from his wife several years ago. Chakaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Monir Hossain confirmed that the accused was arrested with the help of residents and that the body was being sent to the Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue. Police stated that legal action would be taken once a written complaint is received from the family.

Tulsi Gabbard, the United States Director of National Intelligence, resigned from her post on Friday amid the ongoing Iran war. Her resignation came at a time of heightened tension over US military activity and the broader Middle East crisis. Reports from international media indicated that Gabbard had policy disagreements with the Trump administration regarding its approach to Iran. In a post on social media platform X, Gabbard explained that she decided to step down after her husband, Abraham Williams, was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. In her resignation letter, she expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for allowing her to lead the intelligence office for the past one and a half years. Trump confirmed her resignation on his Truth Social account, praising her performance and saying she would be missed. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 before leaving the Democratic Party to support Trump and take the intelligence post. Her resignation had been rumored for some time, though she had previously denied it.

Two people were killed in a head-on collision between a truck and an auto-van in Domar upazila of Nilphamari district on Thursday evening. The accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. in front of Sonaray Bazar on the Domar-Debiganj highway. The deceased were identified as Mominul Islam, 38, son of the late Mofiz Uddin of Chilahati Sabujpara area, and pedestrian Bikash Chandra, 25, son of Okindra Chandra Roy of Mahiganj area. According to police and local sources, a truck traveling from Debiganj toward Nilphamari collided head-on with an auto-van. The auto-van driver, Mominul Islam, died on the spot. The truck then lost control and hit pedestrian Bikash Chandra, who was standing by the roadside. He was rescued by Domar Fire Service and taken to Domar Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Police and traffic officers arrived at the scene shortly after the incident and brought the situation under control. Despite the accident, traffic on the highway remained normal. Domar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Habibullah confirmed the deaths.

Police in Rajarhat, Kurigram detained a young man named Maidul Islam Manik on Friday afternoon for allegedly posting offensive remarks about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his wife Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) on Facebook. The arrest took place in Nowdabash Barobari village under Umormajid Union after the post spread online and drew public anger. According to police and local sources, the post shared from Manik’s personal Facebook account contained objectionable content that quickly circulated on social media, sparking outrage among local worshippers and residents. Fearing unrest, Rajarhat police promptly reached the area, brought the situation under control, and took the accused into custody. Rajarhat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Mamunur Rashid stated that the man was detained for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. He confirmed that the suspect had been interrogated and that a case was being processed. The situation in the area is currently calm and stable.

Police in Jhenaidah have filed a case over an attack on NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwari. The case was lodged on Friday night by local NCP leader Tarek Reza, naming eight individuals including Islami University Chhatra Dal convener Shahed Ahmed, district Chhatra Dal president Imran Hossain, former president S.M. Somenuzzaman Somen, and general secretary Shahriar Russell, along with 115 unidentified persons. The filing followed a seven-hour sit-in at Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station by NCP activists demanding registration of the case. After the case was recorded, Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal activists surrounded the police station, throwing bricks when the main gate was closed. They later gathered in front of the station and allegedly attempted a second attack on Patwari, who was inside under police protection. Police blocked the entrance with vehicles, and Patwari left Jhenaidah under police escort. Later that night, activists held a sit-in at Payra Chattar, vowing to continue until the case was withdrawn. District BNP leaders addressed the gathering, while police officials declined to comment on the incident.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Maulana Abu Talib, representing Jhenaidah-4 constituency, attended the wedding ceremony of the daughter of a listed accused in a Shibir activist murder case in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah. The event, held on Thursday at Bogergachi village, drew leaders and activists from various political parties and sparked widespread discussion and criticism in the area after photos and videos circulated on social media. According to the report, the bride is the daughter of former union chairman and Awami League general secretary of Rakhalgachi Union, Mohidul Islam Montu, who is an accused in the 2016 murder of Shibir activist Shamim. Shamim was allegedly abducted by plainclothes men on March 24, 2016, and his bullet-riddled body was found on April 13 that year in Jashore. His father filed a case in September 2024 naming 12 individuals, including Montu, and 15 unidentified others. Maulana Abu Talib stated that he attended the event due to social ties in his home area and assured that the victim’s family would receive proper justice.

Norway has announced its 26-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, marking the country's return to the tournament after 28 years. In a rare move, King Harald V of Norway personally revealed the team through a social media video message, a role traditionally performed by the coach. The announcement included a surprise call-up for 23-year-old goalkeeper Sander Tangvik, who replaced injured Mathias Dyngeland. Midfielder Martin Ødegaard has been named captain of the team, which also features star striker Erling Haaland, along with Oscar Bobb and Jørgen Strand Larsen. Norway’s World Cup campaign will begin on June 17 in Boston against Iraq, followed by matches against Senegal in New Jersey on June 23 and France on June 26. The announcement reflects Norway’s renewed ambition on the global football stage, with a balanced squad combining Premier League experience and emerging domestic talent.