Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh has called on the government to replace plans for appointing music teachers in primary schools with the recruitment of religious teachers. In a statement issued to the media on Friday, the organization’s president, Shaikhul Hadis Maulana Ubaidullah Faruq, and secretary general, Maulana Manjurul Islam Afendi, emphasized the importance of religious education in nurturing moral and ethical values among children.

The statement argued that the government had pledged before the election to strengthen religious education, but that promise has not been reflected in current initiatives. The group described the move to appoint music teachers as contradictory to that commitment. It further stated that the primary education system should focus on developing morality, humanity, and religious values among students.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh urged the government to reconsider its decision promptly and to fulfill its electoral promise regarding religious education.

The Detective Branch’s Cyber and Special Crime (South) Division arrested four Rohingya individuals allegedly involved in a human trafficking network from a hotel in Dhaka’s Motijheel area. The detainees were identified as Md Ferdous, Nuru Bibi Dur Akter (19), Umme Kulsum (20), and a minor in conflict with the law. The arrests were made on Thursday afternoon following a tip-off, and the information was confirmed on Friday by Assistant Police Commissioner Arifa Akhter Preeti of the DMP Media and Public Relations Division.

According to DB sources, officers recovered four mobile phones and two printed visa copies used in trafficking activities during the operation. A regular case has been filed at Motijheel Police Station in connection with the incident. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects had been involved in human trafficking for an extended period. They have since been sent to court for further legal proceedings.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a total of 69 missiles and drones during the latest wave of attacks launched by Iran. The report, published on Friday, cited Al Jazeera as the source of the information.

According to official data, the UAE’s defense forces have been actively responding to repeated aerial assaults since the conflict began. The ministry’s statement indicates that Iran continues to carry out large-scale missile and drone strikes, suggesting an ongoing escalation in hostilities between the two sides.

The figures released by the UAE highlight the intensity of the current confrontation and the continued reliance on advanced air defense systems to counter aerial threats in the region.

The United Kingdom is deploying an air defense system to Kuwait following a drone attack on the country's oil refinery last night. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as reckless and discussed the deployment with Kuwait’s Crown Prince during a phone call on Friday morning. A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister reaffirmed the UK's commitment to supporting Kuwait and Gulf allies.

According to the spokesperson, the deployment aims to protect both Kuwaiti and British personnel as well as regional interests, while avoiding escalation into a wider conflict. The two leaders also agreed on the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, British Defence Secretary John Healey announced that a Rapid Sentry air defense missile system had already arrived in Kuwait to strengthen its defenses.

Downing Street clarified that the move is part of broader efforts to maintain stability in the Gulf region.

Jamaat-e-Islami central executive member and Dhaka South Nayeb-e-Ameer Advocate Dr. Helal Uddin said that if the government cancels the July Charter and other interim ordinances, leading to the rise of neo-fascism, the people will build resistance. He made the remarks on Friday while addressing an Eid reunion organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Shahjahanpur East Thana as the chief guest.

Dr. Helal alleged that the government’s intentions are harmful, claiming that both Awami League and BNP alliance leaders have supported authoritarian tendencies for personal gain. He urged the government to act cautiously and stated that Jamaat-e-Islami would cooperate with any government initiative taken in the interest of the nation. He emphasized that Jamaat is not merely an opposition party in parliament but a responsible, ideological, and patriotic organization.

The event was presided over by Shahjahanpur East Thana Ameer Muhammad Shariful Islam and conducted by Thana Secretary Muhammad Anwar Hossain. Several local leaders and activists attended the program.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has accused Israel of carrying out an attack on a power plant and associated desalination facility in Kuwait. In a statement released by its public relations office, the IRGC condemned the incident as an abnormal and illegal assault on civilian infrastructure. The statement described the attack as evidence of what it called the moral decline of the Zionist regime and denounced it as inhumane.

The IRGC further warned that U.S. military bases and personnel across the Middle East, as well as Israeli military and security installations in the occupied Palestinian territories, could become potential targets. The statement framed the attack as part of a broader pattern of aggression against civilian facilities in the region.

The report did not include any response from Israel or Kuwaiti authorities, leaving the details of the incident and its immediate consequences unclear.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has demanded the immediate release of Maulana Ainul Haque Kasemi, who is imprisoned in connection with the case over the vandalism of the Prothom Alo office. The demand was made in a statement issued on Friday afternoon by Hefazat’s Joint Secretary General Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi. He said Kasemi has been in jail for one hundred days without trial, calling it a clear violation of human rights. The statement also urged the current BNP government to release all those allegedly innocent in the case.

Islamabadi claimed that Kasemi had no involvement in the vandalism and was falsely implicated because of his criticism of Prothom Alo. He described the detention as inhumane and accused the newspaper of ignoring the issue. The statement further called on civil society, human rights groups, and Islamic parties to raise their voices for the release of Kasemi and other detained clerics.

He also criticized Prothom Alo and The Daily Star for what he termed Islamophobic editorial policies and alleged past defamation of political leaders, calling for legal action against their editors.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the National Citizen Party’s southern region and Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4, posted a statement on his verified Facebook account on April 3, 2026. In the post, he wrote that everything about the 'Hasina system' is needed except Hasina herself. The post quickly went viral, drawing significant attention and engagement across social media platforms.

According to the source, the post was made at 12:21 p.m. and within four hours had received 317,000 reactions, 29,400 comments, and 14,000 shares. The statement has prompted widespread discussion online, with many users interpreting it as a pointed comment on current political issues. The report did not include any official response or clarification from Hasnat Abdullah or his party.

The viral nature of the post suggests growing public interest in the political undertones of his remark, though the broader implications remain unclear.

Dr. Rezaul Karim, a central executive member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and secretary of the party’s Dhaka North unit, described the current government as 'neo-fascist' during an Eid reunion event held at Russell Community Center in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The event took place on Friday and was organized by Mohammadpur East Thana Jamaat.

He alleged that although 70 percent of the population voted in favor of Jamaat, the election results were altered through state mechanisms and the 'deep state' to bring the BNP to power. Dr. Karim accused the BNP of betraying the public by abandoning its pre-election promises and claimed that the results of a recent referendum were not being implemented under the advice of a 'fallen autocrat.' He further stated that the BNP, which was founded through a referendum, is now using tactics to avoid implementing it.

Warning the government, Dr. Karim said that any delay in implementing the referendum results would compel students and citizens to take to the streets demanding midterm elections.

A new political party named the Justice and Democracy Party (JDP) was officially launched at a press conference held at the National Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday afternoon. The party announced a 90-member central committee with Naeem Ahmad as convener, Advocate Abdul Alim as member secretary, and Md. Ahsan Ullah as chief organizer. The JDP called for the abolition of the 1972 Constitution and the drafting of a new constitution based on social democracy.

During the event, Naeem Ahmad said the party’s stance emerged amid national debates on constitutional reform and the formation of a constituent assembly. He argued that only a new constitution could ensure an equitable and prosperous Bangladesh, reflecting the aspirations of the 1971 Liberation War and the July 2024 uprising. The JDP also pledged to replace “socialism” with “social democracy” and “Bengali nationalism” with “Bangladeshism” in the state principles.

The party announced a one-month membership drive, public outreach demanding justice for the July killings, and a national representative conference in May. It also promised fair justice for all, including ruling party members, to prevent misuse of the judicial process.

A fire broke out at the Habshan Gas Complex, one of the United Arab Emirates’ major gas processing centers, after debris from an intercepted missile or drone fell on the site. The Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed the incident and stated that all operations at the gas field have been temporarily suspended to bring the situation under control. No casualties have been reported so far.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, authorities have taken swift measures to ensure safety and prevent further damage. The fire response teams are working to contain the blaze and assess the extent of the impact. The cause of the incident was linked to debris from an aerial object that was intercepted before reaching its target.

The temporary shutdown of the Habshan facility underscores the region’s vulnerability to aerial threats and the importance of rapid emergency response in protecting critical energy infrastructure.

A severe diesel shortage has hit Babuganj upazila and nearby areas of Barishal during the peak Boro season, leaving thousands of farmers unable to operate irrigation pumps. As a result, many paddy fields are drying up and cracking, raising fears of a major production setback. Farmers in Rakudia village reported that their pumps have stopped due to lack of fuel, and they are struggling to collect small amounts of diesel for short-term use.

Local fuel traders and pump owners said supply from depots has fallen sharply, making it impossible to meet demand. Farmers, many of whom cultivated their land on credit, now face potential financial losses. At Kamini Filling Station, officials said farmers wait in long lines but receive only limited fuel each day. The local administration has intensified market monitoring to prevent hoarding and overpricing, while the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) has introduced written permits to help farmers access fuel.

Officials warned that unless diesel supply normalizes soon, irrigation disruptions could affect the entire Barishal region’s Boro production targets.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Mir Shahe Alam stated that there is no oil crisis in Bangladesh and that the import and supply systems are functioning normally. He made the remarks on Friday morning while visiting Mahmudul Hasan Chand Bazar in Tangail and speaking to journalists.

The minister added that the government has adopted a three-month plan along with new measures to conserve energy. These include closing markets by 6 p.m. and reducing expenses of ministers and secretaries by 30 percent. He also commented that despite years of development rhetoric, visible progress has been limited, which has become evident through field-level work.

Mir Shahe Alam further mentioned that discussions have been held with the district local government department to improve roads and markets in Tangail’s Park Bazar area, and that urgent development work will begin soon.

A new controversy has emerged over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed underground ballroom project at the White House. Initially kept secret, details surfaced after legal complications forced partial disclosure. The plan involves constructing a 90,000-square-foot ballroom costing about 400 million dollars, replacing the old Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) built during World War II. Construction had already begun, with workers demolishing the old facility to build a larger, modern structure.

Trump stated that the ballroom would protect the underlying military installation and include bomb storage, medical facilities, a hospital, secure communications, and biological defense systems. However, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon halted the project, ruling that Trump cannot proceed without congressional approval. The National Trust for Historic Preservation had filed the injunction request, which the judge accepted in part.

The U.S. Secret Service warned that stopping construction could compromise presidential security. White House officials admitted that parts of the project are classified, leaving questions about its true scope, cost, and military involvement unresolved.

West Bengal Police took Faisal Karim Masud, the main accused in the murder of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, and his associate Alamgir Hossain into 14-day remand for questioning. Amid this, a photocard circulated on social media claimed that Hasnat Abdullah, Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4 and leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP), made a controversial statement about the case.

According to an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team, Hasnat Abdullah did not make the alleged comment. The claim originated from a satirical Facebook page called 'Dainik Mollardesh', which had posted the photocard on March 9. The page identifies itself as a satire and parody platform, and similar humorous posts were found there.

The investigation found no credible media or official sources supporting the claim. Review of Hasnat Abdullah’s verified Facebook page also revealed no such statement, confirming that the viral photocard was a satirical creation misrepresented as real news.