Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal declared that the practice of taking commissions or 'percentages' from contractors in development projects must end. He made the statement on Friday afternoon while addressing a gathering after inspecting the Paglar Canal excavation project in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrokona. Kamal warned that no irregularities or corruption in development work would be tolerated.

He emphasized his firm stance against corruption and mentioned that their leader Tarique Rahman has also announced a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. Addressing contractors, Kamal instructed them to complete their work within the specified time and maintain the promised quality of materials such as bricks and rods.

The event was presided over by Rangchhati Union Parishad Chairman Anisur Rahman Pathan (Babul), with Upazila Nirbahi Officer S M Mikail Islam attending as a special guest.

A college student was detained in Bogura for allegedly taking a proxy exam on behalf of a Mahila Dal leader during an ongoing SSC examination under Bangladesh Open University. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at Bogura Zilla School examination center, creating widespread local attention. The detained student, identified as 18-year-old Ishita Akter Tisha, is a second-year higher secondary student at Government Azizul Haque College and a resident of Chakshutrapur in Bogura.

According to police and examination officials, the exam for the Bangla second paper of the SSC (second year) program began at 2 p.m. in room 201, where the registered candidate was Nipa Khatun, joint general secretary of the city Mahila Dal. However, Ishita appeared instead. An invigilator noticed a mismatch between the admit card photo and the examinee’s face, leading to questioning and her eventual confession. She was handed over to the police.

Bogura Sadar Police Station’s officer-in-charge Ibrahim Ali confirmed that Ishita is in custody and admitted she took the exam for her aunt, Nipa Khatun. Legal action will follow upon receipt of a written complaint.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain announced that the current government has an adequate supply of measles vaccines and has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign. He made the statement on Friday afternoon while visiting the 250-bed General Hospital in Munshiganj.

The minister said that the previous two governments failed to conduct regular measles vaccination campaigns, which were supposed to be held every four years. As a result, a large number of children became infected with measles. He attributed the current situation to that negligence. The minister added that the present BNP government has started measles vaccination activities in 30 upazilas across 18 districts.

He also stated that Dr. Ahmad Kabir, the hospital superintendent, was temporarily withdrawn for making an irresponsible statement claiming there was no rabies vaccine. The minister said the statement was incorrect and intentional, and departmental action would be taken. During the visit, the Munshiganj civil surgeon also ordered the withdrawal of a stenotypist from the civil surgeon’s office.

Egyptian writer Hossam al-Hamalawy, in his book discussed with Middle East Eye, argues that Egypt’s 2011 revolution against Hosni Mubarak’s rule did not end dictatorship but instead paved the way for a harsher, more centralized, and violence-driven system under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. He describes how Egypt’s security apparatus evolved from Mubarak’s fragmented police state into a unified structure designed to prevent any future mass uprising.

The author, drawing from personal experience of arrest and surveillance, explains that Mubarak’s regime relied on police power to suppress dissent, while the 2011 uprising exposed the fragility of that system. The military, he notes, intervened not to support democracy but to preserve the state. Subsequent governments, including the Muslim Brotherhood under Mohamed Morsi, failed to reform the security institutions, ultimately enabling the 2013 coup.

Under Sisi, Egypt’s repressive institutions were consolidated into what Hamalawy calls a “new republic.” Military and intelligence agencies became deeply embedded in civilian administration, media, and urban planning, transforming the state into a tightly controlled security apparatus aimed at preventing collective resistance.

Maulana Ahmad Abdul Kaiyum, assistant secretary general of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and president of the party’s Dhaka South unit, expressed deep concern over reports of armed demonstrations in educational institutions expected after July. Speaking on Friday at the party’s monthly meeting in Purana Paltan, Dhaka, he said universities are meant to produce world-class citizens and researchers, not to become grounds for political confrontation.

He criticized both the government and opposition student organizations for displaying weapons over minor incidents, warning that such actions endanger the nation’s future generation. Kaiyum alleged that the government, despite winning recent elections, has pushed key state sectors, including the financial system, toward collapse. He further claimed that citizens are living in insecurity while the home minister has remained silent and both political camps have failed to control their student wings.

The meeting was attended by several senior leaders of Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Dhaka South unit, including Abdul Awal Majumdar, Altaf Hossain, and others.

An SSC examination at Abul Kashem Nur Jahan Chowdhury High School in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, was conducted with the wrong question paper, leading to the expulsion of four individuals including the center secretary, Lutfor Rahman Manik. The incident occurred on Thursday during the Bangla Second Paper exam. Thirteen irregular candidates were mistakenly given the 2025 question paper instead of the 2026 version, and despite their protests, the exam continued for three hours.

After the exam, students reported the issue to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the Secondary Education Officer. Following an investigation, the UNO permanently expelled the center secretary and three others. Nurul Alam was later appointed as the new center secretary, and Mohammad Harunur Rashid was assigned as the new superintendent.

According to Ukhiya Upazila Secondary Education Officer Mohammad Ullah, the exam could not be retaken since it had already been completed, but communication with the education board was underway to ensure proper consideration of the matter.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam warned that if necessary, parliament and the streets would merge in their movement to implement the referendum verdict. He made the remarks on Friday at a public rally organized by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, demanding the execution of the referendum’s public mandate.

Nahid Islam alleged that Allama Mamunul Haque was prevented from entering parliament through conspiracy but could not be stopped on the streets. He said the NCP was in parliament to speak for the July certificate and referendum implementation, while Mamunul Haque and Nasiruddin Patwari were active on the streets. He criticized the government for repeated breaches of promises, rising commodity prices, fuel and vaccine crises, and attempts to politicize institutions and the judiciary.

He further warned that rejecting the referendum’s verdict would have dire consequences and that the people of Bangladesh would not tolerate fascism or authoritarianism. The NCP leader vowed to continue the struggle until the government accepted the public mandate.

The Indian government has strongly condemned former U.S. President Donald Trump for sharing a social media post that described India as a 'hellhole'. The Ministry of External Affairs called the remark 'inappropriate' and 'distasteful'. Trump had reposted a statement from conservative host Michael Savage on his Truth Social account criticizing birthright citizenship in the U.S. The post falsely claimed that Indian immigrants in the tech sector discriminate against white Americans and mocked their English proficiency.

Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the comments were baseless and did not reflect the true nature of India-U.S. relations, which are built on mutual respect and shared interests. India’s opposition Congress Party also labeled the post as 'deeply insulting and anti-India'. In the U.S., the Hindu American Foundation called it 'racist and hateful', while Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera described it as offensive and ignorant.

The controversy comes just weeks before U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s planned visit to India, raising concerns about renewed strain in bilateral ties already affected by disputes over oil imports from Russia and trade tariffs.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis has announced a three-month program in Dhaka demanding the implementation of a referendum verdict and the resolution of ongoing national crises. The announcement was made by the party’s Amir, Mamunul Haque, during a public gathering held on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Suhrawardy Udyan.

According to the declaration, the program will include citizen assemblies in every district during May, June, and July, followed by a mass rally in Dhaka on August 5. The event was presided over by Maulana Mamunul Haque and attended by several political leaders, including Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, opposition Chief Whip and National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col. (Retd.) Oli Ahmed, and Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) Chairman Mojibur Rahman Manju.

The gathering reflected a coalition of opposition and Islamist political figures emphasizing collective action to address political and social challenges through public mobilization.

Islami Chhatra Andolan Bangladesh has called for a united stand against terrorism to ensure safe and peaceful educational institutions. The organization’s central president, Muntasir Ahmad, made the appeal on Friday after Juma prayers at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka, during a pre-rally gathering for an anti-terrorism march. He said that dominance struggles among student groups were polluting the academic environment and urged students and authorities to reject violence.

Ahmad described educational institutions as the conscience-building centers of a nation, lamenting that weapons, fear, and violence were darkening campuses. He accused some groups of turning campuses into centers of terror under the guise of student politics. The organization reaffirmed its uncompromising stance for a terrorism-free academic environment and pledged to continue peaceful protests if necessary.

As part of its anti-terrorism campaign, Islami Chhatra Andolan announced a nationwide human chain program to be held across all campuses on Sunday. Leaders also urged all student organizations to abandon revenge politics and promote tolerance and welfare-oriented student activities.

Myanmar’s government has declared a state of emergency across 60 townships in nine states and regions, according to local media reports on Friday. The measure, announced by the President’s Office on Thursday, aims to suppress armed unrest, restore stability, and reestablish law and order. Under the order, administrative and judicial powers have been transferred to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, who has delegated authority to regional commanders to directly oversee security operations.

Officials stated that commanders may further distribute responsibilities among subordinate officers as needed. The move effectively places the affected townships under military control, significantly expanding the army’s influence over civil administration and the judiciary. Civilian trials may now be conducted in military tribunals, where penalties could range from long-term imprisonment to capital punishment.

Earlier in the week, President Min Aung Hlaing set a 100-day deadline for peace talks with anti-government armed groups, inviting both signatories and non-signatories of the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement to participate.

The 125-megawatt Unit 1 of the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant in Parbatipur, Dinajpur, resumed electricity generation on Friday night after a two-day suspension caused by a mechanical fault. According to plant officials, the unit began supplying power to the national grid at around 10 p.m., following boiler firing activities that started at 4 p.m. earlier that day. The unit had been offline since Wednesday night due to a burst boiler tube.

The Barapukuria plant has three units, with Units 1 and 2 each capable of generating 125 megawatts and Unit 3 producing 275 megawatts. However, Unit 2 has remained non-operational since November 2020 due to mechanical issues. Chief Engineer Md. Abu Bakkar Siddique stated that the shutdown occurred because stones had mixed with the coal supply.

With Unit 1 back in operation, electricity supply in Parbatipur and eight northern districts is expected to improve, easing load-shedding conditions in the region.

ATM Azharul Islam, Naib-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, warned that the outcome would not be good if people take to the streets to demand their rights. Speaking on Friday afternoon at a Jamaat-organized assembly in Badarganj High School auditorium, Rangpur, he urged the government to quickly implement the July Charter as approved by the people, saying constitutional excuses would not suffice.

He stated that citizens had overwhelmingly voted in favor of the July Charter through a referendum, but the government had forgotten its promises after coming to power. He accused the authorities of dismissing opposing views under the pretext of constitutional justification. Azharul Islam also criticized rising commodity prices, severe load-shedding lasting up to 16 hours in some areas, and the spread of extortion, claiming the government was indifferent to these issues.

He reiterated that every provision of the July Charter should be implemented as endorsed by the people, warning that ignoring public sentiment could lead to unrest.

The ongoing war between Iran and the Israel-United States alliance has severely disrupted the global energy market. Within just 50 days of conflict, the world has lost oil production worth about 50 billion dollars. Analysts estimate that the financial loss equals the entire economy of countries like Estonia or Latvia.

Following the outbreak of the crisis, fuel prices in the United States have risen above four dollars per gallon, while Europe faces energy rationing in its industries. Emerging economies are also suffering from acute supply shortages. According to energy analysts and Reuters data, since the war began at the end of February, around 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been removed from the market, marking one of the largest supply shocks in modern history.

Energy expert Johannes Robl noted that with oil prices hovering near 100 dollars per barrel, the conflict has triggered massive revenue losses and intensified global inflation and transport costs. Experts warn that even if the war ends soon, the energy market may take months or even years to recover.

Rezaul Hossain and Iarul Islam have been re-elected as chairman and secretary general of Bangladesh Congress. The announcement was made on Friday during the party’s 4th National Council held at Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club. Shafiqul Islam and Abdullah Al Mamun were elected as vice-chairmen, while Mizanur Rahman, Ziaur Rashid, and M Taher Uddin were chosen as joint secretaries. The oath for the newly elected leaders was administered by Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party.

In his remarks, chairman Kazi Rezaul Hossain warned that the government’s rising debt and fuel price increases would negatively affect public life by driving up commodity prices and reducing purchasing power. He also criticized the government’s consensus commission, claiming that despite spending about 15 million taka, Bangladesh Congress was excluded from participation. Additionally, he alleged that funds from canal excavation projects were being misused by local leaders.

The newly elected leaders pledged to strengthen and organize the party further. Representatives from various political parties, including JAGPA, Bangladesh Muslim League, and Bangladesh Labour Party, attended the council.