Tongi police have arrested Aleya Begum on charges of hacking her two children—Maliha Akter (6) and Md. Abdullah Ibn Omar (4)—to death. She confessed to the killings in her statement before the court. Earlier, on Friday evening, police recovered the blood-soaked bodies of the two children from a flat. A blood-stained machete was also found in the room. Following court proceedings, Aleya Begum has been sent to jail.

Barisal University Vice-Chancellor Professor Suchita Sharmin removed several officials and appointed unqualified individuals, ignoring the Academic Council and Syndicate meetings. She also expelled one professor and two teachers due to disagreements. Students protested, accusing her of retaining authoritarian figures in departments despite repeated demands for change.

Jamaat Secretary Golam Parwar condemned the Arakan Army's intrusion into Bangladesh's territory on April 16-17, where armed soldiers from the group crossed the border into Bandarban's Remakri area. They celebrated a water festival with local indigenous people, an event that was shared on social media. Parwar labeled this as a grave threat to Bangladesh's sovereignty and independence. He raised questions about the government's response, asking why the government, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the military failed to act. He demanded accountability from the current government and military for this failure.

BNP leader Abdus Salam stated that despite fighting for independence, they are still struggling for the right to vote. He expressed regret that if they have to protest against this government again, it would be unfortunate. He warned that long-term rule without elections leads to fascism and called for immediate elections under Dr. Yunus's leadership to protect the country from instability.

Five Chittagong University students abducted in Khagrachhari five days ago remain missing, causing distress among their families. Tribal students demand their immediate rescue and return. Supradip Chakma has urged for their safe return and called for an end to extortion. The authorities are continuing their efforts to locate them. The United People's Democratic Front denies involvement in the incident.

Umama Fatema, spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, called for justice in Zahidul Islam Parvez’s murder. She accused Chhatra Dal of shifting focus to political dissection and hiding the real culprits. Fatema clarified that those seen attacking in the first CCTV footage have no ties to the Anti-Discrimination movement, while the second footage showed Anti-Discrimination members and Chhatra Dal activists. She condemned media trials and called for an unbiased investigation.

The BGB Swimming Complex in Pilkhana has been named "Shaheed Nurul Islam Swimming Complex" in honor of Martyred Subedar Major Nurul Islam, who sacrificed his life during the 2009 Pilkhana massacre to save army officers. His son, Ashraful Alam Hannan, expressed gratitude to the BGB. On August 20, 2009, Nurul Islam was honored with state recognition and awarded the highest BGB medal.

BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince said that BNP believes in the principle of "Religion is for Individuals, The State Belongs to All." He emphasized that BNP is a religion-friendly party, committed to building an inclusive nation. He also assured that BNP, under Tarique Rahman, will fulfill its 31-point plan to create an egalitarian and discrimination-free state.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam stressed the importance of vigilance, as democracy has not yet progressed. He called for reforms and elections to be resolved through dialogue among political parties. Fakhrul condemned the murder of Zahidul, stating that those responsible were not part of Bangladesh's change movement and expressed disappointment over the lack of focus on reforms for farmers and workers.

To ease the pressure on the Siliguri Corridor, India initiated a rail project worth around ₹5,000 crore, which includes significant projects like Akhaura-Agartala, Khulna-Mongla, and Dhaka-Joydevpur. However, the development train from Delhi to Dhaka has come to a halt. The Indian government has suddenly suspended ongoing and planned rail projects, citing political instability in Bangladesh and concerns over the safety of Indian workers. As a result of this setback, Delhi is now turning its attention to Bhutan and Nepal.

Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group, has claimed responsibility for attacks on two military bases in northern Benin, reportedly killing 70 soldiers. This marks one of the deadliest assaults in the region in recent years. Jihadist violence in the Sahel began after a Tuareg uprising in Mali in 2012 and has since spread to Burkina Faso, Niger, and more recently, coastal nations like Benin, leading to thousands of deaths and mass displacement.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Mohammad Moin said the institution must also be held accountable. “If we engage in corruption, you should expose it, and we will work to correct ourselves,” he stated during a public hearing in Nilphamari. He emphasized the need for society to strongly condemn corrupt individuals and highlighted that the focus should shift toward preventing future corruption rather than only addressing past incidents. Of 81 complaints presented at the hearing, two are in court, several were deemed irrelevant, and 57 were resolved.

During a meeting on Sunday with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam called for an increased deployment of Bangladeshi police and armed forces personnel in peacekeeping missions. Lacroix praised Bangladeshi contingents for their talent, professionalism, and significant contributions to global peace. He acknowledged efforts to place more Bangladeshi officers in leadership roles. The Adviser also requested the deployment of Bangladesh’s Formed Police Units in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs has announced that victims of politically motivated cases filed between January 6, 2009, and August 5, 2024, can now apply directly to the Solicitor at the Law and Justice Division for case withdrawal. This new provision is aimed at providing relief to those persecuted for political reasons.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has expressed shock over the Women’s Reform Commission’s report, saying that some recommendations clearly violate the Qur’an and Hadith. He stated that instead of reinforcing moral and religious values to address growing social and familial problems, the recommendations introduce harmful elements that could destabilize society. He warned that these suggestions would destroy the moral fabric of all religions and that the people of Bangladesh would overwhelmingly reject them.