Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told Parliament on Thursday that the prime minister’s chair may appear comfortable, but sitting on it feels like enduring burning fire. He made the remark during a parliamentary session while reflecting on the responsibilities and challenges of leadership.

At the beginning of his speech, the prime minister paid tribute to the martyrs of 1971 and those who died on May 5, 2013, at Shapla Chattar. Earlier in the session, opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman demanded justice for the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, calling for accountability for all injustices committed against them.

The session also highlighted the government’s commitment to allocate a large portion of GDP to education and health sectors, as well as upcoming national events such as Police Week starting on May 10, during which 107 officers will receive medals.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee delivered a strong message to the people of the state amid an intense election atmosphere on April 30, 2026. Expressing deep gratitude to voters who braved the heat to cast their ballots, she said the election was not just a political contest but a fight to protect Bengal’s autonomy and dignity. Her remarks reflected strong confidence in the Trinamool Congress’s victory.

Banerjee accused sections of the central forces and administration of bias and alleged that Trinamool workers and ordinary voters faced harassment. She dismissed exit polls circulated by the opposition, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling them part of a conspiracy to manipulate the stock market. She urged party workers to remain alert on counting day to prevent any tampering with electronic voting machines or irregularities during counting.

Reminding supporters of Bengal’s heritage of resistance, Banerjee said the people of Bengal would decide their own fate. She concluded with the belief that Bengal’s victory would be confirmed once counting ends on May 4.

An Indigenous Australian senator, Lidia Thorpe, has called for action against growing anti-Palestinian racism in Australia. Her remarks followed a new report by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, which claimed that anti-Palestinian sentiment is increasing across the country. Thorpe accused the government, institutions, and media of actively fueling such racism, warning that this trend is contributing to a broader climate of intolerance.

She linked the tightening of protest laws to efforts to silence those speaking out against the situation in Gaza and alleged genocide there. Thorpe emphasized that Australia must confront all forms of racism if the nation hopes to heal its divisions.

The report and Thorpe’s comments highlight rising tensions in Australia’s political and social discourse concerning Palestine, with calls for stronger institutional accountability and protection of free expression.

The Bangladesh Parliament has passed the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Amendment) Act, aimed at enhancing oversight of the capital market, protecting investors’ interests, and promoting the development of the securities sector. The bill, recommended by a special committee, was approved on Thursday at 11:25 a.m.

Opposition leader Dr. Shafiqul Rahman had called for the bill’s postponement, but the motion was rejected through a voice vote. Alongside this, two additional amendment bills were passed to remove the age limit for appointments to top positions at the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA).

The legislative changes are expected to provide greater flexibility in leadership appointments and reinforce regulatory capacity in Bangladesh’s financial and insurance markets.

After two phases of voting in the West Bengal assembly election, the Trinamool Congress has expressed confidence that it will win more than 230 seats. Party sources said internal analyses indicate such a result, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that her party expects to secure a two-thirds majority.

According to the party, the election discourse centered on the BJP’s campaign around infiltration and public dissatisfaction over the SIR issue. Trinamool leaders argued that the BJP’s ‘outsider’ attacks and warnings backfired. Reports suggested that in Nandigram, the ruling party holds a slight advantage based on internal assessments. Party sources also mentioned that both Rabindra Sangeet and DJ music will be played on May 4, the counting day, echoing earlier campaign remarks by Abhishek.

Trinamool sources further claimed that a warning video by Ajaypal Sharma created a negative impression among voters, and threats allegedly made by outsiders from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat were poorly received. The party believes it successfully mobilized women voters and benefited from migrant workers’ support in weaker districts.

Iran carried out extensive attacks on US military bases and other facilities across seven Middle Eastern countries, causing significant damage, according to a report by NBC News. The strikes followed US and Israeli attacks on February 28, and targeted warehouses, command centers, aircraft hangars, satellite communication systems, runways, advanced radar systems, and aircraft. The report indicated that the visible damage was far less than the actual scale of destruction.

Repairing the affected installations is expected to cost several billion dollars. Despite the activation of US air defense systems, an Iranian F-5 aircraft managed to strike a target, exposing weaknesses in the defense network. The Pentagon has not released a full account of the damage, and the US Central Command declined to comment on the wartime loss assessment.

The report underscores the intensity of the confrontation and the vulnerability of US assets in the region, though official confirmation of the full extent of losses remains pending.

Romania has introduced a new conditional legalization program for foreign workers who have become irregular despite initially entering the country legally. The government issued Emergency Ordinance No. 32 on April 23, which was published in the official gazette on April 27. This measure allows non-EU workers meeting specific conditions to regain legal status. The initiative has been welcomed by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Romania, which said it could help many Bangladeshi workers regularize their stay.

The provision mainly targets those who entered Romania with valid work visas but later became irregular due to employer-related issues, such as job loss or administrative lapses. Workers must contact Romanian immigration authorities within 60 days of the law’s enactment, secure a valid employer, obtain a work permit, and then apply for a temporary residence card. Those who entered illegally or have received a return decision are excluded from the program.

The special legalization opportunity will remain effective until December 31 of the current year, and the Bangladeshi embassy has advised affected workers to seek its assistance if needed.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has accepted a proposal from the Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman to provide additional allowances to parliament officials and employees. The announcement came during a parliamentary session on Thursday, where the prime minister expressed full support for the opposition leader’s demand.

During his speech, Prime Minister Rahman reflected on the challenges of leadership, noting that the prime minister’s chair may appear comfortable but feels like sitting on fire. He began his address by paying tribute to the martyrs of 1971 and those who died on May 5, 2013, at Shapla Chattar. Earlier in the session, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman had called for justice in the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi and demanded accountability for all injustices committed against them.

The parliamentary exchange highlighted a rare moment of agreement between the government and opposition benches, focusing on welfare measures for parliamentary staff and remembrance of national sacrifices.

A bridge over the GK irrigation canal in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila collapsed in June 2025 due to heavy rainfall, halting all vehicle movement. For the past nine months, around 50,000 residents from 37 villages have been forced to cross the canal using a bamboo walkway built by locals. The bridge, constructed about 45 years ago, had been unstable for several years, and locals allege that heavy trucks from nearby brick kilns contributed to its collapse.

The damaged bridge lies on the Bhabanipur–Defolbari section of the Bishoykhali–Jisingar Bathan GC via Defolbari road, a key route connecting Kumrabaria and Maharajpur unions. The bamboo structure now used for crossing has also become shaky, leaving school students and farmers particularly affected. Auto-rickshaws, vans, and motorcycles remain unable to pass, severely disrupting transport between Jhenaidah, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, and Chuadanga.

Local LGED executive engineer Abul Kalam Azad said two separate project proposals for rebuilding the collapsed bridge have been submitted for approval, and construction will begin once approval is granted.

Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman called for firm action against extortion during a discussion in the National Parliament on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, he stated that he does not want to hear who the extortionists are, and if he himself is one, he should be handcuffed. The session was presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Dr. Rahman emphasized that extortionists cannot belong to any political party and that the people of the country must be freed from their oppression. He also noted that about 80 percent of the parliamentary discussions since the 12th have been focused on historical topics, which he said is important for understanding the nation’s path forward.

His remarks highlighted a call for accountability and transparency in political and social conduct, urging collective responsibility to eliminate extortion from all sectors.

The Dhaka Bar Association election for the 2026–27 term concluded peacefully and in a festive atmosphere on Thursday. Voting began at 9 a.m. and continued until 5 p.m. Over two days, a total of 7,069 votes were cast out of 20,727 registered voters, marking a 34 percent turnout. The Chief Election Commissioner, Alhaj Mohammad Borhan Uddin, confirmed that vote counting will take place on Friday.

The election schedule was announced on March 29, and 54 candidates contested for 23 posts, including 13 editorial and 10 executive positions. The main competition was between the BNP-backed Blue Panel, led by Anwar Zahid Bhuiyan and Md. Abul Kalam Khan, and the Jamaat-backed Green Panel, led by S.M. Kamal Uddin and Abu Bakar Siddique. Six independent candidates also contested for various posts. No Awami League candidates participated due to a state restriction.

According to the election commission, adverse weather and voter hesitation contributed to the lower turnout, though the overall process remained peaceful and orderly.

Opposition Deputy Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Nayebe Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has alleged that the current ruling party is speaking against Jamaat in the same tone once used by the Awami League. Speaking in parliament on Thursday, he said that the government benches now sound like the Awami League, while the opposition side seems to represent Jamaat-BNP members. He expressed concern that the parliamentary atmosphere has become heated and divisive.

Dr. Taher recalled the joint movements of BNP, Jamaat, and other parties against the Awami League in the past, emphasizing that they had once agreed to work together for good governance after the fall of the Awami League. However, he said the post-election scenario has disappointed many, as the expected unity and reform have not materialized. He also warned that a two-thirds majority has historically led to negative outcomes in the subcontinent and urged the government to avoid repeating such mistakes.

He further defended Jamaat’s political stance, rejected allegations linking the party to anti-liberation forces, and called for mutual respect and constructive politics in parliament.

Law enforcement officials in Banshkhali, Chattogram, seized 100,000 yaba tablets valued at approximately Tk 30 million during an operation on Wednesday evening. The raid was conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) near Banshkhali Girls College, where officers set up a checkpoint and searched a CNG-run auto-rickshaw used for drug transport. Three suspected drug traffickers were detained, and the vehicle was confiscated.

According to RAB-7 Assistant Director and Assistant Superintendent of Police A.R.M. Mozzafar Hossain, the operation was based on secret intelligence. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the detainees had allegedly been involved in collecting drugs from border areas and distributing them across different parts of the country. Legal proceedings against the suspects are currently underway.

The arrested individuals were identified as Salim Ullah from Sonapara in Cox’s Bazar, Hasan Murad from Kutubjum in Maheshkhali, and Majid Alam alias Morjan from the same area.

In a parliamentary session held on Thursday, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the Leader of the Opposition and Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, called for justice over the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. Speaking before lawmakers, he demanded accountability for all forms of injustice and specifically urged that those responsible for Hadi’s death be brought to trial.

The statement came during a regular sitting of the national parliament, where Dr. Rahman reiterated his party’s stance on addressing past injustices. His remarks centered on the need for fair trials and justice for victims of political violence, including the case of Hadi, whom he referred to as a martyr.

Further details about the case or government response were not provided in the session, and the report indicated that more information would follow.

Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, announced that 42 commercial vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports have been redirected. He praised the effectiveness of the naval blockade against Iran, stating that 41 tankers carrying 69 million barrels of oil, valued at over six billion dollars, remain unsold by the Iranian authorities. Cooper reaffirmed the US military’s commitment to fully enforcing the blockade.

The situation has intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of oil and gas tankers and cargo ships are stranded. Approximately 20,000 sailors are reportedly stuck in the Persian Gulf, unable to cross the strait due to the US blockade and heightened security risks.

The ongoing maritime standoff underscores the growing tension in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, with significant implications for global oil transport and regional stability.