Three people were killed in separate lightning strikes in Khaliajuri upazila of Netrakona on Monday. The incidents occurred in the morning and noon of April 27, 2026. A fisherman named Abdul Motaleb, 55, from Maizpara union of Ishwarganj upazila in Mymensingh, died while fishing near the Dhanua River at the Jagannathpur ferry ghat. Later, a farmer named Monaem Khan died while drying paddy in front of his house in Satgaon village, and a farm laborer named Shubho Mondol from Sirajganj died while harvesting paddy in Krishnapur village.

Police confirmed the deaths and stated that inquest reports would be prepared before handing over the bodies to the families. The confirmation came from Hafizul Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police (DSB) of Netrakona. The lightning strikes occurred in open areas during regular agricultural and fishing activities.

Authorities have not reported further injuries or property damage related to the incidents, and no additional details on weather conditions were provided in the report.

The High Court has directed the Election Commission (EC) to accept the nomination papers of Nusrat Tabassum, a leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP), for the reserved women’s seat in the national parliament. The order was issued on Monday by a High Court bench comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar. Nusrat Tabassum had earlier filed a writ petition seeking to restore her candidacy after the EC rejected her nomination.

According to the report, the Election Commission had canceled Nusrat Tabassum’s nomination papers because they were submitted after the deadline on April 22. The final submission time was 4:00 p.m., but she submitted her papers at 4:19 p.m. The EC also suspended the candidacy of Monira Sharmin, the joint convener of the same party. The election for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th National Parliament is scheduled for May 12.

The High Court’s directive now allows Nusrat Tabassum to participate in the upcoming election, pending the EC’s compliance with the order.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told Parliament that the government plans to begin the local government election process soon after completing necessary preparations. Responding to a question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Zahirul Islam during Monday’s parliamentary session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the minister said the matter is under active consideration by the government.

In response to another question from independent MP Rumin Farhana, the minister explained that local government elections are held in phases, requiring 10 months to a year to complete all levels. Preparations include voter list updates, collection of election materials, scheduling around religious festivals and public exams, weather considerations, and training of election officials. At least 45 days are needed for pre-schedule preparations.

The minister also informed Parliament that the Election Commission has decided not to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in any upcoming national or local elections. The EVMs, purchased under a project completed in June 2024, are currently stored in various facilities while audit and anti-corruption investigations continue.

The Gede-Darshana border checkpoint between Bangladesh and India will remain closed for three days due to the legislative assembly election in India’s Nadia district. According to Darshana Immigration In-Charge SI Tuhin, the closure will be in effect from 9:20 a.m. on April 27 until 6:00 p.m. on April 29, 2026. The decision follows an official order from the Indian central government. During this period, passport holders will not be able to cross through the Darshana Integrated Check Post.

However, Indian citizens currently staying in Bangladesh will be allowed to return to India during the closure. Normal operations at the checkpoint are scheduled to resume on April 30, 2026. The temporary suspension aims to facilitate smooth conduct of the election process in the adjacent Indian district.

The closure affects cross-border travelers and trade activities through the Darshana-Gede route, a key land connection between Chuadanga in Bangladesh and Nadia in India.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has completed the testimony phase in a war crimes case against Obaidul Quader and six other accused linked to killings during the July uprising. The tribunal scheduled May 17 for the start of closing arguments. The order was issued on Monday, April 27, 2026.

A total of 26 witnesses provided statements in the case. The other accused include Awami League Joint General Secretary A F M Bahauddin Nasim, former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League President Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, and the banned Chhatra League’s President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Wali Asif Enan.

The tribunal’s next session on May 17 will focus on presenting legal arguments before proceeding toward a verdict in the case.

An Israeli soldier was killed and six others were injured in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli military. The incident occurred during an Israeli military operation in the area. The deceased soldier was identified as Sergeant Idan Fuchs of the 77th Battalion, Seventh Armored Brigade. The wounded soldiers were taken to a hospital, and their families have been notified.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that one officer and three soldiers were seriously injured in the attack. Hezbollah claimed responsibility, stating that it targeted Israeli troops in the southern Lebanese city of Taybeh in response to alleged ceasefire violations.

The report, citing the Times of Israel, highlights continued hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire in the region.

Comilla University in Bangladesh has been without electricity for 18 consecutive hours, severely disrupting academic and administrative activities. The outage began at 6 p.m. on Sunday and continued until at least 1 p.m. on Monday, leaving students unable to study or complete assignments and halting office work. Several departments have postponed scheduled classes, exams, and even semester finals due to the prolonged power failure.

Students reported difficulties charging devices and preparing presentations, while residential halls also faced water shortages. University officials said the outage was caused by trees falling on power poles and damaging equipment in the Shalban area. The Power Development Board (PDB) confirmed repair work was underway and expressed hope to restore supply by evening.

The university’s examination office stated that its digital operations were paralyzed and one department had already postponed a semester final exam. Limited generator backup was available but insufficient to support all activities until full power restoration.

Police in Netrokona’s Purbadhala have arrested three people, including the upazila unit member secretary and a former joint convener of the Chhatra Dal, in connection with an attack and vandalism on a Member of Parliament’s private car. The arrests were made in separate operations by the district detective branch and local police on Sunday night and early Monday.

The detainees are Saju Ahmed, Solaiman Kabir Pappu, and Aiyub Ali. Saju Ahmed is the third accused and serves as the upazila Chhatra Dal member secretary, while Solaiman Kabir Pappu is the tenth accused and a former joint convener. Aiyub Ali, the fortieth accused, is the ward president of the Krishak Dal in Laujana village. Police said the arrested individuals will be produced before court, and operations are continuing to detain others involved.

The case stems from an incident last Friday evening when MP Mashum Mostafa’s car was attacked and vandalized at a filling station in Atkapara area. The MP was briefly confined before being rescued by police and administration. So far, twelve people have been arrested in the case, nine of whom are currently on bail.

A Dhaka court has ordered the imprisonment of Dhaka University professor Sudip Chakraborty in connection with a case alleging his involvement in the suicide of student Munira Mahjabin Mimo. The order was issued on Monday afternoon by Metropolitan Magistrate Ripon Hossain after police presented the arrested teacher before the court. The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Kazi Iqbal Hossain of Badda Police Station, requested that Sudip be kept in custody until the investigation is complete.

Defense lawyer Ful Mohammad sought bail, claiming the accused was innocent and being harassed, but state prosecutors opposed the plea. After the hearing, the court denied bail and sent Sudip to jail. Police reported that Sudip was detained in Uttara Badda on Sunday based on secret information and that preliminary investigation indicated his involvement in the incident.

Earlier, police recovered Mimo’s hanging body from her home in Uttara Badda, along with a note mentioning Sudip and a financial reference. Following this, Mimo’s father filed a case accusing Sudip of abetment to suicide.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that peace talks in Islamabad failed due to what he described as excessive demands from the United States. He made the remarks to local journalists after arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he said he would discuss the Middle East conflict with Russia, a key ally.

Araghchi explained that the discussions in Islamabad involved mediators and included talks on the conditions under which further negotiations might continue. He also highlighted Iran’s ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, calling safe passage through the strategic waterway a global concern. The minister urged neighboring countries, including Oman, to work closely together in their mutual interests.

Araghchi added that further discussions with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz are planned, signaling continued diplomatic engagement on regional maritime security.

Prime Minister Tareq Rahman inaugurated the construction of a 500-bed medical college hospital in Jashore on Monday afternoon. The project, located on 75 bighas of land in Harinar Beel, had been approved in 2006 but remained stalled for years. The new initiative marks the formal start of hospital construction under the current government’s renewed efforts.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved the project on August 29, 2023, and contractor recruitment began in June 2025. According to the Public Works Department, the project will cost Tk 676 crore and include a ten-storey hospital building, hostels for students and interns, a nursing college, dormitories, residential facilities, a 500-seat auditorium, a mosque, and an electrical substation. Completion is expected by June 2028.

Students said the hospital’s establishment beside the college will improve education quality and provide advanced medical services to about eight million people across Jashore, Jhenaidah, Magura, and Narail districts.

Two Bangladeshi students of the University of South Florida, Jamil Ahmed Limon and Nahida Sultana Brishti, were killed in what prosecutors described as a planned murder. According to a report by local outlet Tampa Bay 28, the accused, 26-year-old Hisham Abugarbiyah, has been charged with murder, and prosecutors have requested that he be held without bail.

Court documents state that Hisham attacked Limon and Brishti inside his apartment using a sharp weapon, inflicting multiple fatal injuries. After the killings, he allegedly attempted to erase evidence by placing Limon’s body in a black plastic bag and dumping it near the Howard Frankland Bridge. Investigators found that Hisham destroyed the victims’ belongings and that his phone and car GPS data placed him at the crime scenes.

Forensic tests confirmed the victims’ DNA on recovered blood samples. The autopsy found multiple stab wounds on Limon’s body, which was in a decomposed state, and his death was officially ruled a homicide.

Low-cost airline Transavia, part of the Air France-KLM Group, announced on Sunday that it will cancel some flights scheduled for May and June due to rising jet fuel prices linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The company said the cancellations represent about 2 percent of its total scheduled flights. Passengers affected by the cancellations will be offered free rescheduling, vouchers, or full refunds.

The report noted that the fuel crisis is spreading across Europe, which imports nearly half of its energy from Gulf countries. Disruptions in supply through the vital Strait of Hormuz have intensified market pressure since late February, following attacks in Iran by the United States and Israel. Around 20 percent of the world’s hydrocarbons pass through this route.

European Union Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen warned that Europe is heading toward a deeper energy crisis, which could further raise fuel prices and force more airlines to cancel flights. Transavia has already increased average round-trip fares by about 10 euros.

An Israeli soldier was killed in southern Lebanon amid ongoing tensions despite a ceasefire that has been in place since mid-April. Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have accused each other of violating the truce, with both sides claiming the other is responsible for renewed hostilities. Lebanese media reported Israeli airstrikes in several southern areas following evacuation orders, resulting in casualties.

Hezbollah rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations, saying its actions were legitimate responses to repeated ceasefire violations. Netanyahu warned that Hezbollah’s conduct threatens the truce and vowed strong retaliation. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow after returning to Pakistan from Oman, as diplomatic efforts continue.

The Iranian judiciary announced the execution of a member of the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl for attacks on security forces, a day after another execution for alleged espionage for Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump said a recent shooting incident in Washington would not distract him from his goal of victory in the Iran conflict.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has handed Pakistan a 'red line' list intended for the United States, according to Iran’s state media Fars. The report said the list includes issues related to nuclear matters and the Strait of Hormuz. The message exchange was described as unrelated to any Iran–U.S. negotiations and aimed instead at clarifying Iran’s regional positions and boundaries.

Fars added no further details about the content or implications of the list. Araghchi is currently in St. Petersburg, where he is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Over the weekend, he held meetings in Pakistan and Oman with key intermediaries. Upon arriving in Russia, he told Iran’s state news agency IRNA that discussions in Pakistan focused on conditions under which Iran–U.S. talks might resume.

The development highlights Iran’s ongoing diplomatic activity across the region, involving Pakistan, Oman, and Russia, as it seeks to define its stance amid complex regional and international dynamics.