The Department of Women Affairs in Rangpur has issued a show-cause notice to Mosammat Mallika Parvin, the officer responsible for Pirganj and Taraganj upazilas, for being absent from her workplace. The notice, signed by Deputy Director (Additional Charge) Shahnaz Farhana Afroze, was issued on April 26, 2026. It alleges that Parvin was not present at either her primary office in Pirganj or her additional duty station in Taraganj on the morning of April 26, and had also been absent from both offices on April 23.

According to government regulations, all officials and employees must be present at their workplaces between 9:00 and 9:40 a.m., and leaving without permission is prohibited. The notice requires Parvin to provide a satisfactory written explanation within three working days, clarifying why she was absent and under whose authorization.

When contacted by phone, Mallika Parvin stated that she had not yet received the notice and would review it before giving an official response.

Israel has deployed an Iron Dome missile defense battery and troops to the United Arab Emirates following the outbreak of war with Iran, according to reports citing Israeli and American officials. Axios reported on Sunday that this marks the first time Israel has sent the system outside its own territory or the United States. The deployment followed a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

During the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, the UAE’s defense ministry said Tehran launched repeated attacks on Emirati territory, firing about 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones. Although most were intercepted, some struck military and civilian targets, prompting Abu Dhabi to request allied assistance. The Times of Israel reported that the Iron Dome system intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles.

Axios noted that allowing Israeli troops into the UAE was politically sensitive, but a senior Emirati official said the country would not forget Israel’s assistance during the conflict. Israel and the UAE normalized relations in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, partly driven by shared concerns over Iran.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said a certain group is trying to obstruct Bangladesh’s progress by spreading fear and confusion. Speaking as the chief guest at a public rally organized by the Jessore District BNP at the central Eidgah on Monday, he stated that similar attempts to mislead people were made in 1971 and 1996. He emphasized that while some spread confusion, his government remains focused on nation-building, backed by the people’s trust.

Earlier in the day, Rahman inaugurated the re-excavation of the historic Ulashi-Jadunathpur canal in Sharsha upazila and laid the foundation stone for a 500-bed hospital near Jessore Medical College. He reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the July Charter and highlighted several initiatives, including family cards for women, free education for girls up to the graduate level, LPG cards for households, and honorariums for religious leaders. He also announced the waiver of agricultural loans up to ten thousand taka and plans to reopen closed factories to create jobs.

Rahman said these measures aim to improve livelihoods, empower women, and ensure food self-sufficiency through agricultural development.

At the International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Dhaka, Nargis Akter, aunt of slain Rita Akter, gave her testimony as the eighth witness in the case against Sheikh Hasina’s adviser Salman F Rahman and former law minister Anisul Huq. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Golam Murtuza Mojumdar, heard her account of the events during the July Revolution-related unrest. Nargis stated that on August 5, 2024, during the quota reform movement near Mirpur-2 Stadium, her niece Rita was shot in the back of the head and died on the spot.

She testified that Awami League supporters and police opened fire during the protest. Nargis said she took Rita to Suhrawardy Hospital, where doctors declared her dead, and later buried her in Joypurhat. She held Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Anisul Huq, and Salman F Rahman responsible for the killing, claiming she heard they were close to Hasina. Nargis demanded justice for her niece’s death.

The tribunal proceedings are part of ongoing trials concerning crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the July Revolution period.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a special meeting, according to reports from Russian state media cited by Al Jazeera. During the talks, Putin said Russia would do everything necessary to establish peace as quickly as possible in the interests of Iran and the region’s people. He expressed hope that the Iranian people would draw strength from their courage and desire for independence to overcome current difficulties and achieve peace.

In response, Araghchi thanked Moscow for its support and praised the relationship between Russia and Iran, expressing optimism that bilateral ties would continue to strengthen. He reaffirmed Iran’s determination to continue resisting the United States, saying the Iranian people had proven their ability to withstand American aggression through resilience and bravery.

The meeting underscored the growing alignment between Moscow and Tehran amid regional tensions, with both sides emphasizing mutual support and shared opposition to US influence.

Channel One, a popular Bangladeshi news channel shut down 16 years ago, resumed broadcasting on Monday evening, April 27, 2026. The channel had been closed in 2010 under orders from the then executive authority, allegedly due to political retaliation against its critical reporting. The relaunch was announced at a press conference held the previous Sunday at Hotel Westin in Dhaka, where the management confirmed the return to air at 6:57 p.m., the same time it was originally shut down.

At the press conference, Managing Director Gias Uddin Al Mamun recalled that Channel One began operations on January 24, 2006, emphasizing news neutrality and public welfare. He stated that the channel’s commitment to questioning power led to its popularity and eventual closure. The management credited the Supreme Court’s suspension of the 2010 Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission decision on February 24 of the previous year for clearing the final legal barriers to resuming broadcast.

Channel One’s leadership pledged to maintain editorial neutrality, objectivity, and courage in its renewed operations, aiming to rebuild audience trust and popularity.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam has called on students to work for the welfare of society and humanity. He made the remarks on April 27, 2026, at the orientation program for first-year undergraduate students held at the university’s Teacher-Student Centre auditorium. The event was organized by the Office of Student Guidance and Counseling.

The session was presided over by Professor Dr. Mehjabeen Haque, Director of the Office of Student Guidance and Counseling, and attended by faculty members including Professor Dr. Mohammad Moinul Islam, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman Khan, Director of the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies. The Vice-Chancellor emphasized equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of economic or social background and urged them to become skilled and responsible citizens through hard work and participation in co-curricular activities.

Students from several institutes, including Social Welfare and Research, Modern Languages, Health Economics, Information Technology, Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, and Leather Engineering and Technology, took part in the orientation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Saint Petersburg on Monday, where he pledged that Russia would do everything possible to help ensure peace in the Middle East. During the meeting, Putin expressed hope that the Iranian people would overcome the current difficult period and that peace would be restored in the country.

According to Russian state media, Putin assured Araghchi that Russia would take all actions necessary to protect both Iran’s interests and those of all people in the region, aiming for peace as soon as possible. The meeting underscored Moscow’s stated commitment to regional stability amid ongoing tensions.

The report also noted that Iran is seeking military and diplomatic support from Russia, indicating a deepening of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

Ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal announced that a section of citizens who had lost their voting rights will be able to vote again. He told the BBC that a second supplementary voter list has been released, including those whose names were removed during the Special Intensive Revision but later validated by the Appellate Tribunal.

Under a Supreme Court directive, 19 Appellate Tribunals led by former judges were established in West Bengal to review appeals from excluded voters. Applications resolved between April 21 and April 27, and deemed valid by the tribunals, will allow those voters to participate in the election. The Election Commission published the first supplementary list on April 22, restoring voting rights to 139 individuals while excluding 8 others. By that date, 657 appeals had been resolved.

Following the revision process, about 9.1 million names were removed from the rolls, sparking controversy, particularly in Muslim-majority areas. The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29 across 142 constituencies, with over 32.1 million registered voters.

Professor Dr. Md. Ziaur Rahman Chowdhury has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Sylhet Medical University. The appointment was announced on Monday, April 27, 2026, through a notification signed by Rahela Rahmat Ullah, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Dr. Chowdhury currently serves as the Principal of MAG Osmani Medical College and is a pediatrician as well as a professor in the hospital’s pediatrics department.

According to the official notification, the appointment was made under Section 11(1) of the Sylhet Medical University Act, 2018, with the approval of the President and Chancellor. His tenure as Vice-Chancellor will last four years, and he must resign from government service before assuming the new role. He will receive salary and benefits equivalent to his current position and perform duties as defined by law.

The notification also states that the President and Chancellor reserve the right to cancel the appointment at any time if deemed necessary in the public interest. The order will take effect from the date he assumes office.

A tea vendor named Arafat, aged 23, died after being struck by lightning in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali on Sunday, April 27, 2026. The incident occurred around noon in Gamchakhali village of Char Ishwar Union’s Ward 6, leaving the local community in mourning. Arafat, son of Md. Afsar Uddin, earned his living by running a tea stall in a nearby market.

According to local sources, Arafat had gone to inspect a peanut field near his home when a sudden Kalbaishakhi storm began. He was struck by lightning on his way back and died instantly at the scene. Hatiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Russell Iqbal confirmed the death and reminded residents that lightning strikes increase during the Baishakh–Jaistha months, urging people to stay indoors and seek shelter during storms.

Authorities have advised residents to remain cautious during seasonal storms to prevent further casualties from lightning incidents.

Bangladesh’s Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan met with Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider and his delegation at the ministry office on Monday. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries in education and cultural development.

During the discussion, the Pakistani High Commissioner stated that Pakistan is offering scholarships to Bangladeshi students in fields such as biotechnology, business administration, artificial intelligence, computer engineering, and fashion design. He also mentioned ongoing collaboration under the Pakistan Technical Assistant Program and training for civil service officials. Both sides expressed optimism about expanding cooperation in education, sports, and technology.

The education minister highlighted opportunities to enhance teacher training and exchange programs between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner Md. Wasif was also present at the meeting.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that the United States is facing embarrassment in its ongoing conflict with Iran. Speaking in Marsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Merz remarked that the U.S. appears to be humiliated by Iranian leadership and lacks a clear exit strategy from the conflict. His comments were reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters on April 27, 2026.

Merz stated that he does not see any strategy from the United States for withdrawing from the war with Iran. He added that Iran is conducting negotiations with great skill and has proven to be stronger than expected. The remarks came during a discussion with students, where Merz reflected on the geopolitical situation and the balance of power between Washington and Tehran.

The statements highlight growing European concern over the direction of U.S. policy in the Middle East and the effectiveness of its approach toward Iran, as perceived by a key European leader.

Bangladesh claimed a six-wicket victory against New Zealand in Dhaka on April 27, 2026, taking a lead in the series. Chasing a target of 183, the hosts stumbled early, losing three wickets for 77 runs in 10.1 overs. However, Towhid Hridoy, Parvez Hossain Emon, and Shamim Hossain turned the match around with aggressive batting, guiding Bangladesh to victory in 18 overs.

Hridoy and Parvez added 57 runs off 28 balls, with Parvez scoring 28 from 14 deliveries before departing. Shamim then joined Hridoy to add another 49 runs in just 21 balls. Hridoy remained unbeaten on 51 from 27 balls, while Shamim finished on 31 from 13. A dramatic 17th over from Fisher, in which Shamim scored 17 runs off a single delivery sequence due to extras, sealed the win.

For New Zealand, Sodhi took two wickets for 40 runs, while Kelly and Cleaver-Clark both scored 51. Hridoy was named player of the match for his match-winning fifty.

A Mymensingh court has sentenced three people to death and three others to life imprisonment for the 2014 murder of farmer Ashrab Ali in Phulpur upazila. The verdict was delivered on Monday afternoon by Judge Farhana Ferdous of the Mymensingh Special Judge Court. The death sentences were handed to Nur Hossain, his son Ujjal Mia, and Shahidul, while Sohrab Ali, his wife Sworupa Khatun, and Rehena Khatun received life imprisonment. Each convict was also fined 30,000 taka, with an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment in case of non-payment.

According to the case details, the victim and the accused were neighbors engaged in a long-standing land dispute. On January 18, 2014, the accused attacked Ashrab Ali with local weapons following a plan allegedly led by Sohrab Ali, resulting in his death. The next day, the victim’s son Julhas Uddin filed a murder case against six people at Phulpur Police Station.

After examining 15 witnesses and hearing arguments from both sides, the court found the accused guilty and issued the verdict. Advocate Mohammad Akram Hossain represented the state, while Advocate A.H.M. Khalekuzzaman defended the accused.