Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov met with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who emphasized the importance of opening an Azerbaijani embassy in Dhaka and launching direct flights between Dhaka and Baku. He said direct connectivity would foster student exchanges in energy and textiles and facilitate trade. The deputy minister expressed Azerbaijan’s interest in building strategic ties with Bangladesh, noting the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations will be marked in two years.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is expected to return to Bangladesh next month following improvements in her health. Tareque Rahman’s wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman and Koko’s wife Syeda Sharmila Rahman may also accompany her. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain confirmed that preparations for a special air ambulance from Qatar are underway following a formal request from the BNP.

In response to militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with top defense and security officials. Modi expressed full confidence in the professionalism of the armed forces and granted them complete operational freedom to decide when and how to strike back. He reiterated that terrorism threatens India’s national resolve and must be decisively countered.

Media and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuz Alam clarified that the government did not shut down Deepto TV’s news operations. According to a statement from the Ministry of Information, the decision to suspend news broadcasts was made internally by the channel’s management. Deepto TV had earlier announced a temporary suspension of all news broadcasts citing “unavoidable reasons.”

NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan cautioned against excessive borrowing, comparing it to “Goni Mia”—a metaphor for financial mismanagement. He stressed the need for aligning expenditures with revenue to avoid burdening future generations with debt. He added that the upcoming budget should be realistic, not overly ambitious, as directed by the Chief and Finance Advisers.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed stated that Bangladesh is prepared to draft its budget independently if the IMF does not release its loan installment. He emphasized that the country is no longer dependent on the IMF or World Bank and cannot fully comply with IMF demands, such as letting the foreign exchange rate float freely. Doing so, he warned, could lead to volatility similar to Pakistan or Sri Lanka. He clarified that discussions are ongoing, and even without IMF funding, the country’s reserves remain stable.

The Chittagong University branch of Chhatra Shibir has proposed amendments to the constitution of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU). The proposal includes three new clauses under Section 2 to promote democratic, religious, and humanitarian values rooted in Bangladesh’s liberation and democratic movements. They also proposed expanding the executive council from 10 to 21 members and reducing the unilateral authority of the president, who will continue to be the university’s vice chancellor by default.

Legal scholar and adviser Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul commented on the controversy surrounding the gazette notification of Ishraq Hossain as mayor. He stated that he has no opinion on whether the move legitimizes elections held under the Awami League’s rule, calling it a matter for the Election Commission (EC). “If someone wins by altering court pleadings or filing cases, that question should be directed at them,” he said. According to Nazrul, Ishraq reportedly modified his legal pleadings at a later stage, which raised doubts about whether the EC would issue a gazette or require an appeal. Ultimately, the EC published the gazette without seeking his opinion. “It’s entirely their decision — they are a constitutional body and not obliged to consult us,” he added.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has uncovered evidence of corruption in the ‘Bangladesh Sustainable Recovery Emergency Preparedness and Response Project’ (B-Strong), a Tk 1,909 crore initiative under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). Following an inspection, ACC Assistant Director Papon Kumar Saha revealed that expenses in multiple segments of the project had been inflated. The World Bank is funding this massive recovery effort aimed at mitigating losses caused by the devastating floods of 2024. Notably, each solar streetlight has been priced at Tk 72,000, despite little need for such installations. Although 60 motorcycles were proposed, the Planning Commission approved only 36. Additionally, suspiciously high costs were reported for items like computers, laptops, and educational materials — with four laptops alone budgeted at an astonishing Tk 11 lakh.

The Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum staged a protest and rally at the Supreme Court demanding the immediate arrest of former Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haque. Speakers at the demonstration accused him of being a key architect in the destruction of democracy and human rights in Bangladesh. They called for his immediate arrest and trial, insisting that justice must be served to prevent future judges from following a similar path. The protesting lawyers also alleged that political favoritism and authoritarian tendencies still persist within both the higher and lower judiciary, urging the swift removal of such judges.

In a bid to make Dhaka more livable, DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz announced plans to cover the area with greenery through mass tree planting in the upcoming monsoon season. He also pledged to ensure transparency and accountability by publishing all project details on the DNCC website. Additionally, he announced a public hearing involving all birth registration authorities to resolve issues faced by citizens. The DNCC is also working on maximum automation of tax payments, allowing residents to pay taxes from home. A 20-day tax fair will commence on May 11.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed that all vehicles without valid stickers be barred from entering the Bangladesh Secretariat. A letter sent to all ministry secretaries stated that expired or stickerless vehicles will no longer be allowed entry. Authorities have urged all relevant officials to replace expired stickers with newly issued ones.

BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan stated that no system in the world is foolproof; otherwise, there would be no need for reform or revolution. He supported a voting process for expatriates that is logical, efficient, and cost-effective for the majority. He also questioned the accuracy of claims that 2.9 million Bangladeshis reside in India, citing the lack of official government data and reliance on YouTube sources.

Assistant Inspector General Enamul Haque Sagar reported that 1,339 individuals were arrested during a nationwide police crackdown on April 28. Among them, 799 were wanted in cases or had outstanding warrants, while 540 were arrested in connection with other incidents. Authorities also recovered illegal firearms including pistols, revolvers, and ammunition. The operation will continue.

A Dhaka court has set May 12 as the new date for submitting an arrest report against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 16 others in a corruption case involving RAJUK plot allocations. Police were supposed to file the report today but failed to do so, prompting the court to extend the deadline.