The recently concluded West Bengal assembly election brought a historic shift as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 207 of 294 seats, ending nearly fifteen years of Trinamool Congress rule under Mamata Banerjee. BJP’s rise, led by new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, marks its first government in the state and signals a deep ideological transformation in eastern India’s political landscape. The election outcome, influenced by long-term organizational planning, voter list revisions, and strategic use of citizenship and security narratives, has raised concerns about the future of West Bengal’s Muslim population and cross-border relations.

The article highlights that BJP’s governance could alter border management, citizenship verification, and communal dynamics, directly affecting Bangladesh’s 2,216-kilometer shared frontier. Analysts warn that administrative policies invoking terms like “illegal infiltrators” may heighten risks of pushback incidents and humanitarian crises. Bangladesh faces potential diplomatic and security pressures, requiring coordinated national strategies, stronger intelligence along border sectors, and clear diplomatic communication with both Delhi and Kolkata.

The commentary concludes that Bangladesh must maintain vigilance, strengthen its strategic coordination council, and safeguard sovereignty amid evolving regional power equations shaped by West Bengal’s political transformation.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group, stationed in the Arabian Sea, is maintaining peak combat readiness amid the ongoing war with Iran. CENTCOM shared images on social media showing F-35 stealth fighter jets taking off from the carrier’s deck, underscoring the high operational alert of US forces in the region.

According to CENTCOM, US forces are fully prepared while enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports. The statement came as Pakistan continues mediation efforts aimed at ending the conflict between the United States and Iran. The timing of the announcement highlights the heightened military posture despite diplomatic initiatives.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face severe consequences if it refused to hand over its uranium stockpile to the United States, further intensifying tensions between the two nations.

Leaders of the Editors’ Council held a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, where they submitted a list of 282 journalists allegedly accused in false cases. The article criticizes the council for not presenting such a list to previous governments despite widespread repression of journalists between 2009 and 2024. It names several journalists who were reportedly victims of harassment, imprisonment, or disappearance during that period.

Information Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon responded that many of those listed were political figures posing as journalists and accused the council of supporting individuals involved in incitement and violence. Former press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan also condemned the council, accusing it of hypocrisy for remaining silent during earlier crackdowns on journalists.

The article further alleges that the Editors’ Council, formed around 2013, historically acted to protect the government rather than press freedom. It describes the council’s media network as politically biased and claims that its members previously engaged in propaganda against opposition leaders, including Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman.

Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, millions of people are expected to travel home, but concerns are rising over possible traffic chaos due to poor road conditions and ongoing development works across Bangladesh. A highway police report has identified 94 congestion-prone spots, with Gazipur, Abdullahpur, Baipail, and Chandra marked as the most vulnerable. The Dhaka–Tangail–Rangpur and Dhaka–Chattogram highways each have 25 high-risk points, followed by Dhaka–Sylhet with 21. Temporary cattle markets, potholes, and unfit vehicles are cited as major causes of congestion.

Authorities have pledged to halt construction during the holiday and repair potholes, while deploying additional police forces and surveillance cameras. Over 220 roadside cattle markets have been marked for monitoring to prevent traffic disruption. The government will operate 69 mobile courts to curb overcharging, passenger harassment, and unfit vehicles. However, planners warn that short-term fixes will not suffice without long-term infrastructure improvements and better transport management.

Experts recommend completing repairs before the holiday, restricting roadside markets, and expanding rail and river transport to ease pressure on highways.

Bangladesh’s National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has announced a comprehensive revision of primary and secondary education curricula in line with the government’s election manifesto. The plan includes refining 601 textbooks and introducing several new subjects to make learning more engaging and relevant. NCTB Chairman Mahbubul Haque Patwary said the revision work is underway, with printing expected to begin by July so that students can receive updated books at the start of 2027. A total of 320 experts from universities and research institutes are participating in the process.

From the 2027 academic year, three new subjects—‘Sports and Culture’ for grade four, ‘Learning with Happiness’ for grade six, and ‘Life and Work-Oriented Education’ for grade seven—will be added. The ICT curriculum for grades six to nine will include artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, and modern technology topics. The revised history books will feature more balanced accounts of Bangladesh’s liberation war, political movements, and key national figures. The government aims to introduce a fully new, experience-based curriculum gradually from 2028.

Officials said the changes are designed to promote students’ mental development, reduce digital addiction, and align education with future job market demands.

The United States has temporarily suspended a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in order to conserve ammunition for its ongoing conflict with Iran. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao informed lawmakers of the decision during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on Thursday. The suspension follows a recent meeting in Beijing between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, where the arms deal was a key topic of discussion.

Cao stated that the pause is intended to ensure sufficient ammunition for Operation Epic Fury, adding that the sale could resume when the administration deems appropriate. The final decision will rest with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Although the U.S. Congress approved the package in January, it still requires President Trump’s signature to take effect. Taiwan’s Prime Minister Cho Jung-tai said the island will continue efforts to purchase the weapons.

Analyst William Yang warned that the suspension could heighten doubts about U.S. support for Taiwan and complicate future defense budget requests. Trump also suggested the deal might serve as a bargaining tool in talks with Beijing.

Al-Nassr clinched the Saudi Pro League title after defeating Damac 4–1 at Al-Awwal Park on May 22, 2026. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, marking his first major trophy since joining Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr. The Riyadh-based club ended a long wait for the league crown, last winning it in 2019. Sadio Mané opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, followed by Kingsley Coman’s strike early in the second half. Damac briefly narrowed the gap through a penalty by Morlaye Sylla, but Ronaldo sealed the victory with two goals in the 63rd minute and late in the match.

The win brought Al-Nassr to 86 points from 34 matches, with 28 wins and two draws, edging out Al-Hilal, who finished with 84 points despite winning their final game. Ronaldo’s brace took his league tally to 28 goals this season and 973 in his professional career. The triumph ended years of frustration for both the club and the Portuguese star, who finally lifted a major domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia.

The victory also capped a season of redemption for Al-Nassr after earlier setbacks, including a missed opportunity in the AFC Champions League Two final.

Iraq has deployed its maritime control, search, and rescue teams to locate two Bolivian-flagged ships that went missing in the Persian Gulf. The vessels, named Bridge 1 and Bridge 2, lost all communication, prompting Iraqi authorities to begin coordinated search operations, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The General Company for Ports of Iraq stated that security authorities from several Gulf ports and the ships’ owners contacted Iraqi officials after losing contact with the vessels. The company confirmed that neither ship entered Iraqi territorial waters and that no distress signals were received from their crews. Port authorities said they currently have no information about the ships’ exact locations.

Iraq emphasized that tracking efforts are continuing through satellite monitoring in close coordination with regional search and rescue administrations to determine the ships’ positions.

US President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of an additional 5,000 American troops to Poland, reversing a recent Pentagon decision to delay rotational troop movements. The announcement came just days after the earlier suspension and was made through a post on Truth Social, where Trump cited his strong relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who recently won re-election with Trump’s support.

The Pentagon had previously said the delay was part of a broader review of US force posture in Europe. Trump’s move is being viewed as a sharp policy reversal. The decision follows criticism from Vice President JD Vance, who had defended the earlier delay, and comes amid heightened concerns in Poland over Russia’s aggression during the ongoing Ukraine war. Polish leaders, including President Nawrocki and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, welcomed the announcement, calling it proof of a strong alliance.

The announcement also coincides with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s trip to Sweden for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, where tensions remain high between Washington and European allies over military cooperation and the war in Iran.

Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahil Baqi, the chief imam of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, has been appointed as the new Director General (Grade-1) of the Islamic Foundation. The appointment was announced on Thursday through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration. For the first time in Bangladesh, a professional Islamic scholar and mosque imam has been appointed to such a high administrative position. Under the Islamic Foundation Act of 1975, he will serve on a one-year contractual basis, effective from the date of joining, subject to leaving all other professional or institutional affiliations.

Mufti Baqi is known as a moderate scholar and Islamic researcher, educated in Qawmi, Alia, and general education systems. He studied at Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari, Darul Ulum Nadwatul Ulama in India, and the Department of Arabic at the University of Dhaka, where he earned first-class results in all degrees, including topping his master’s program.

He has taught at the International Islamic University Chittagong and other institutions, served as imam and khatib at major mosques, and held key roles in Shariah supervisory boards of several banks. He is fluent in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, English, and Bengali.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Cuba as a 'national security threat' to the United States, saying the likelihood of reaching a peaceful agreement with Havana is low. His remarks came a day after Washington formally charged former Cuban President Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two planes that killed US citizens. Rubio said the US prefers a diplomatic solution but warned that President Donald Trump has both the right and duty to defend the country against any threat.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected Rubio’s comments as false, asserting that Cuba has never posed a threat to the US. He accused Washington of orchestrating attacks and provoking military aggression against Cuba. The island nation is currently facing severe fuel shortages, prolonged blackouts, and food scarcity, worsened by US oil sanctions. Despite tensions, Cuba has accepted $100 million in US humanitarian aid, according to Rubio.

Rubio declined to reveal how Raul Castro would be brought before a US court, while Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said they expect Castro to appear voluntarily or by other means. President Trump described Cuba as a 'failed state' and said his administration is trying to help on humanitarian grounds.

A Jamaat-e-Islami leader named Zillur Rahman was seriously injured in an attack allegedly carried out by activists of the banned Awami League in Bhangura upazila of Pabna on Thursday night, May 21. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on the Kalinjira Bridge in Khanmarich Union. Rahman, a member of the upazila Jamaat working committee and a teacher at Dasmarich Government Primary School, was first taken to the upazila health complex and later referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital due to his critical condition. The attackers’ identities were not immediately known.

Earlier that morning, Rahman had an argument with several Awami League activists, during which he reportedly slapped one of them. The evening assault is believed to have followed that altercation. Following the attack, local Member of Parliament Maulana Ali Asgar led a protest at the Bhangura police station around 10 p.m., demanding the arrest of the attackers within 24 hours and warning of tougher action if the demand was not met.

Bhangura Police Officer-in-Charge Sakiul Azam confirmed the incident and said a case was being filed. He declined to disclose the suspects’ names for investigation purposes.

The United States has temporarily lifted sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian territories, following a recent court ruling. The State Department said the Trump administration removed her name from the sanctions list after a federal judge ordered a suspension of enforcement. However, the department emphasized that Washington’s policy position regarding Albanese remains unchanged and that it has appealed the court’s decision.

The sanctions were originally imposed in July 2025 after Albanese recommended that the International Criminal Court issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials. The Italian human rights expert has long criticized Israel’s policies toward Palestinians and described the situation in Gaza as genocide. Her family filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C., arguing that the sanctions violated her constitutional rights, including freedom of expression.

Judge Richard Leon ruled in Albanese’s favor on May 13, stating that the government acted against her because of her opinions. The State Department indicated that if the court’s order is overturned, Albanese’s name will be reinstated on the Specially Designated Nationals list.

A Bloomberg News report, citing unnamed sources, claims that Iran has destroyed more than two dozen US MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the current war. The estimated financial loss is around one billion dollars, representing about 20 percent of the Pentagon’s total Reaper drone fleet before the conflict. The report states that many drones were shot down by Iran’s air defense systems, while others were destroyed on the ground in missile attacks on US military installations or lost during operations.

According to a person directly familiar with the information, at least 42 US military aircraft have been damaged or destroyed during the war. A US Congress report cited in the article estimates total American military equipment losses at approximately 2.6 billion dollars.

The report, sourced from Al Jazeera and Bloomberg, highlights the scale of US military losses but does not specify the exact timeline or battlefield locations of the incidents.

Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for carrying out 16 separate attacks on Israeli forces positioned in southern Lebanon on Thursday. According to a statement from the group, the assaults involved the use of rockets, offensive drones, quadcopters, and artillery fire targeting Israeli military positions.

Hezbollah stated that the attacks were directed at gatherings of Israeli soldiers, artillery sites, and armored vehicles located in several border areas, including Rashaf, Bint Jbeil, Naqoura, and Deir Seryan. The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not mention any casualties or responses from the Israeli side.

The statement underscores continuing hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border, though further details about the scale of damage or military response were not provided in the source.