Israeli airstrikes killed another 56 Palestinians in Gaza within a single day, injuring over a hundred others. The death toll in the besieged enclave has now risen to approximately 51,500, with more than 117,524 injured. Many victims remain trapped under rubble or abandoned on the streets, unreachable by rescuers. Since the breakdown of the ceasefire 38 days ago, 2,060 Palestinians have been killed and 5,375 injured.

The UN Security Council strongly condemned the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, India. In a press statement, Council members called for accountability and international cooperation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s National Security Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, issued a press release expressing Pakistan’s willingness to support a neutral international investigation into the Pahalgam attack.

Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov announced during a video conference with President Putin that Russian forces have liberated the last Ukrainian-held village, Gornal, in the Kursk region. Putin declared Ukraine’s counter-offensive “a total failure.” Ukraine’s senior staff, however, dismissed Russia’s claims as mere propaganda, admitting that battlefield conditions in the area have become increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, Russia praised North Korean soldiers, with around 10,000 troops reportedly engaged in combat.

Workers and representatives from 22 affected factories staged a protest in front of the Australian High Commission, demanding the return of embezzled funds from Australia’s Mosaic Brands and justice at an international court. Taslima Akhter stated that Bangladeshi workers hope the Australian government will promptly act through its High Commissioner to ensure their dues and protect 22 factories. She urged immediate efforts to recover nearly 2.5 billion BDT owed to workers and factories.

Former Chhatra Shibir president Manjurul Islam said, “Under Sheikh Hasina’s orders, leaders and activists of Awami League and the banned Chhatra League committed unprecedented massacres during the mass uprising.” He asserted that Sheikh Hasina and her accomplices must be brought back and tried to fulfill the aspirations of the July martyrs. He added, “We witnessed how killings were carried out at Pilkhana and Shapla Chattar. In previous years, educational institutions had no proper environment for learning, turned instead into hubs of terror and drugs by Chhatra League and their allies. Through immense sacrifices during the July Revolution, that situation was changed. Now, we must ensure the presence of all political and Islamic student organizations on campuses to maintain a healthy educational environment.”

ShahiduI Fahim, a leader of the Gono Odhikar Parishad, stated that Lamia’s mother, Ruma Begum, wife of martyred Jashim Uddin, has fallen ill and been hospitalized. He said, “Lamia was from my area; I spoke with her many times. She was mentally strong. After the incident of rape, she personally filed a complaint at the police station. What happened so suddenly that led her to take her own life? This must be investigated.” Fahim emphasized that the state cannot shirk responsibility in such cases. He also pointed out that although justice for rape cases is supposed to be delivered within 90 days, it is rarely seen. “We must rise again to demand justice for all victims like Lamia and Ashia.” Notably, Lamia, daughter of a July Movement martyr, was gang-raped on her way back from visiting her father’s grave on March 18, and took her own life on Saturday night.

Mahmud Hasan Khan, panel leader of Forum for the 2025-27 BGMEA election, pledged to turn the BGMEA into a transparent and accountable organization. Speaking at a campaign event, he emphasized that the Forum is composed of experienced and committed businesspeople. General Secretary Dr. Rashid Ahmed Hosaini added that their goal is to ensure BGMEA is protected from future corruption and inefficiency.

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam confirmed that Bangladesh’s national election will be held between December and June. He emphasized that ongoing reforms will continue during this period and that political party opinions regarding election timing are irrelevant. Alam assured that once reforms are completed, an election date will be announced without unnecessary delays.

In the interest of national security, the Indian government has directed media outlets to avoid real-time coverage or broadcasting of defense and security operations. They warned that live reporting could jeopardize ongoing missions by alerting targets. Media outlets and social media users have been instructed to strictly adhere to existing regulations when reporting defense-related news.

The Search Committee tasked with restructuring Bangladesh’s sports federations has been granted an extension until May 10. Initially expected to complete their work by April 20, the committee requested more time to finalize new leadership proposals for the federations. So far, 31 out of 52 federations have had ad-hoc committees formed, with the remaining expected to be completed by early May.

Students at United International University (UIU) staged a fresh protest, accusing the administration of conspiring to cripple the university through mass resignations. Students locked in the VC, deans, and department heads, demanding that all resignation letters—except those of VC Prof. Dr. Abul Kashem Mia and CSE department head Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nurul Huda—be withdrawn. Earlier, students had launched protests demanding the dismissal of Prof. Huda for alleged mistreatment.

DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz announced a citywide crackdown on unauthorized autorickshaws, workshops, and charging stations. DNCC, in collaboration with DMP, has already compiled a list of targets. Residents and homeowners’ associations have been urged not to permit illegal vehicles into their neighborhoods, emphasizing that a proactive local community would make it easier to eliminate such unauthorized operations.

Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud criticized the practice of appointing election-losing candidates as mayors through court verdicts, calling it an endorsement of rigged elections under Sheikh Hasina’s rule. Citing the cases of BNP candidates Shahadat Hossain and Ishraq Hossain, Mahmud urged political parties to refrain from legitimizing such elections. He clarified that they were not official parties to the lawsuits.

BNP leader Hasan Uddin Sarkar accused the Awami League government of turning educational institutions into hubs of corruption over the past 16 years. Speaking at a rally, he said teaching is a noble profession and that corruption among educators tarnishes the dignity of the profession. Sarkar praised private schools for their role in employment and education and urged teachers to uphold the integrity of their profession.

NCP leader Abdul Hannan Masud criticized activists for spreading false information without verification. He mentioned that after seeing a misleading thumbnail by Kaler Kantho, many activists posted false claims about him, such as receiving a lifetime gift of a car, when in reality it was a temporary arrangement during his stay in Hatia. Masud called on activists like Elias Hossain, Zulkarnaine Sayar, and Boni Amin to verify facts before spreading misleading narratives.