The Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir organized a protest march and rally on Friday evening at the university campus, condemning what it described as attacks and harassment by members of the Chhatra Dal and local police. The demonstration began at the Vice-Chancellor’s Chattar, moved through TSC and the Faculty of Arts, and concluded in front of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) office.

Speakers at the rally, including Shibir’s central secretary general Sibgatullah Sibga, DUCSU general secretary S M Forhad, and other leaders, accused the Chhatra Dal of assaulting Shibir activists and journalists, spreading false photo cards, and reviving violent campus practices. They also alleged that police at Shahbagh station harassed a student who sought protection after receiving death threats. The leaders urged the university administration and the home minister to take action against those responsible.

The protest reflected growing tension between student organizations at Dhaka University, with Shibir leaders warning against a return to past patterns of campus violence and calling for welfare-oriented politics.

A group of miscreants attacked and vandalized the car of Masum Mostafa, Member of Parliament for Netrakona-5 (Purbadhala), on Friday evening. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. at the Giripath Filling Station in Atkapara area of the upazila, where the MP was reportedly confined for about one and a half hours before being rescued by police.

According to local residents, the MP had come to the fuel station in violation of rules, which angered locals and led to the vandalism. However, at a press conference later that night, Masum Mostafa claimed that activists of the BNP and its affiliated organizations carried out the attack while he was performing prayers nearby. He alleged that the attackers also tried to assault him and his associates, and damaged motorcycles belonging to his party workers.

Police and local administration officials said the situation is now under control, with additional forces and an army team deployed in the area. Authorities confirmed that legal action will be taken if a formal complaint is filed.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the European Union could consider easing sanctions on Iran if a comprehensive agreement is reached to end the ongoing conflict involving the country. Speaking to reporters after an EU summit held in Cyprus, Merz noted that sanctions relief could form part of a broader diplomatic process aimed at halting hostilities.

He stated that lifting sanctions might be integrated into negotiations and emphasized that European leaders showed a positive attitude toward the idea, with no objections raised. According to Merz, such a move could help advance talks and support the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.

His remarks suggest that the EU may seek to play a significant diplomatic role by using sanctions as a negotiation tool to promote peace and stability in the region.

Tesla has begun production of its highly anticipated autonomous 'Cybercab' robotaxi, company CEO Elon Musk announced on social media platform X. According to AFP from Washington, Musk posted a 38-second promotional video showing the driverless vehicle leaving the factory and moving onto the road. He also shared another clip featuring multiple golden-colored Cybercabs driving together. Tesla stated on Wednesday that it is on track to start volume production of both the Cybercab and the Tesla Semi this year, reporting a first-quarter profit of 477 million dollars.

The Cybercab, first unveiled in the fall of 2024, is designed as a fully autonomous taxi without a steering wheel or pedals. Musk had previously said the vehicle would reach the market by 2027. In June of last year, Tesla launched a limited 'early access' robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Earlier this year, the company released an image showing workers around the first Cybercab on the production line at its Giga Texas factory.

The start of production marks a significant milestone in Tesla’s push toward commercial autonomous mobility, signaling progress toward its long-term robotaxi ambitions.

More than 130 public figures have written to the UK’s Court of Appeal expressing support for Palestine Action ahead of a key hearing on the government’s ban of the group. The letter, released Friday with 132 signatures, declared: “We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action.” The appeal hearings are scheduled for April 28 and 29, when the court will consider the government’s attempt to uphold its proscription of the organisation.

Signatories include author Sally Rooney, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and scholar Judith Butler, along with musicians Nadine Shah and Brian Eno, and academics from universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Columbia, and the London School of Economics. The UK government designated Palestine Action a “terrorist organisation” in July 2025, making membership or support punishable by up to 14 years in prison. In February, the High Court ruled the ban unlawful and disproportionate, but the government appealed the decision.

Activist group Defend Our Juries warned that signatories could face terrorism charges, calling the ban authoritarian. More than 500 protesters were arrested earlier this month after police reversed a previous decision to refrain from arrests while the appeal is pending.

Bangladesh’s Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Anisul Haque announced a government plan to utilize unused land in every district for solar power generation. Speaking on April 26, 2026, at a development dialogue titled “What Kind of Southwest Region Do We Want” at Islamic University, he said the initiative aims to make the country self-sufficient in solar energy and trigger an agricultural revolution in the Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, and Jhenaidah regions. The minister explained that one acre of land could generate one megawatt of electricity, and using 20 acres in a district could produce 20 megawatts, reducing diesel use for irrigation and cutting electricity subsidies.

He added that the project is expected to become visible within six months, according to the government’s technical team. The minister also discussed broader national initiatives, including the second Padma Bridge, agricultural development, education, and employment. He emphasized moving beyond blame-based politics and noted the formation of a ten-member parliamentary committee, with equal representation from the ruling and opposition parties, to address the power and Middle East crises.

He further mentioned that work on the Jhenaidah–Islamic University–Kushtia railway line and repairs to the Khulna–Kushtia highway would begin soon.

The United States has deployed three aircraft carriers to the Middle East for the first time in 23 years, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The arrival of the USS George HW Bush joins the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford, bringing a total of 12 accompanying ships, more than 200 aircraft, and 15,000 soldiers to the region. CENTCOM said the last comparable buildup occurred before the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. The deployment comes amid a fragile ceasefire involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remain stalled, with Iran demanding the lifting of a US naval blockade as a condition for resuming talks. President Donald Trump extended the truce on Wednesday but maintained the blockade, which Iran has called an “act of war.” In response, Iran reblocked the Strait of Hormuz after briefly reopening it. Trump has indicated no urgency to alter the current situation, claiming it weakens Iran’s economy at minimal cost to the US.

CENTCOM confirmed that 34 vessels have been redirected in the region and that the blockade continues. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel is ready to resume military action against Iran if authorized by the US.

Israeli forces killed at least 12 Palestinians in multiple attacks across Gaza on Friday, according to medical sources cited by Al Jazeera. The dead included eight people, among them three civilians, in an attack on a police vehicle in Khan Younis, two police officers in Gaza City, and two others in a house bombing in Beit Lahiya. Gaza’s Ministry of Interior urged the international community to stop Israel’s targeting of local police, saying the forces were working to maintain civilian security.

The ministry condemned the attacks as violations of international law, accusing Israel of systematically killing police officers and worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. It said the Khan Younis strike occurred after police intervened to break up a local fight. Hamas described the latest escalation as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “bloody, fascist approach,” blaming mediators and the international community for failing to enforce the ceasefire.

Although a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect last October, Israel has continued attacks that have killed at least 984 people since then. Reconstruction has not begun, and the international security force envisioned under the truce remains unformed.

Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal declared that the practice of taking commissions or 'percentages' from contractors in development projects must end. He made the statement on Friday afternoon while addressing a gathering after inspecting the Paglar Canal excavation project in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrokona. Kamal warned that no irregularities or corruption in development work would be tolerated.

He emphasized his firm stance against corruption and mentioned that their leader Tarique Rahman has also announced a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. Addressing contractors, Kamal instructed them to complete their work within the specified time and maintain the promised quality of materials such as bricks and rods.

The event was presided over by Rangchhati Union Parishad Chairman Anisur Rahman Pathan (Babul), with Upazila Nirbahi Officer S M Mikail Islam attending as a special guest.

A college student was detained in Bogura for allegedly taking a proxy exam on behalf of a Mahila Dal leader during an ongoing SSC examination under Bangladesh Open University. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at Bogura Zilla School examination center, creating widespread local attention. The detained student, identified as 18-year-old Ishita Akter Tisha, is a second-year higher secondary student at Government Azizul Haque College and a resident of Chakshutrapur in Bogura.

According to police and examination officials, the exam for the Bangla second paper of the SSC (second year) program began at 2 p.m. in room 201, where the registered candidate was Nipa Khatun, joint general secretary of the city Mahila Dal. However, Ishita appeared instead. An invigilator noticed a mismatch between the admit card photo and the examinee’s face, leading to questioning and her eventual confession. She was handed over to the police.

Bogura Sadar Police Station’s officer-in-charge Ibrahim Ali confirmed that Ishita is in custody and admitted she took the exam for her aunt, Nipa Khatun. Legal action will follow upon receipt of a written complaint.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain announced that the current government has an adequate supply of measles vaccines and has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign. He made the statement on Friday afternoon while visiting the 250-bed General Hospital in Munshiganj.

The minister said that the previous two governments failed to conduct regular measles vaccination campaigns, which were supposed to be held every four years. As a result, a large number of children became infected with measles. He attributed the current situation to that negligence. The minister added that the present BNP government has started measles vaccination activities in 30 upazilas across 18 districts.

He also stated that Dr. Ahmad Kabir, the hospital superintendent, was temporarily withdrawn for making an irresponsible statement claiming there was no rabies vaccine. The minister said the statement was incorrect and intentional, and departmental action would be taken. During the visit, the Munshiganj civil surgeon also ordered the withdrawal of a stenotypist from the civil surgeon’s office.

Egyptian writer Hossam al-Hamalawy, in his book discussed with Middle East Eye, argues that Egypt’s 2011 revolution against Hosni Mubarak’s rule did not end dictatorship but instead paved the way for a harsher, more centralized, and violence-driven system under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. He describes how Egypt’s security apparatus evolved from Mubarak’s fragmented police state into a unified structure designed to prevent any future mass uprising.

The author, drawing from personal experience of arrest and surveillance, explains that Mubarak’s regime relied on police power to suppress dissent, while the 2011 uprising exposed the fragility of that system. The military, he notes, intervened not to support democracy but to preserve the state. Subsequent governments, including the Muslim Brotherhood under Mohamed Morsi, failed to reform the security institutions, ultimately enabling the 2013 coup.

Under Sisi, Egypt’s repressive institutions were consolidated into what Hamalawy calls a “new republic.” Military and intelligence agencies became deeply embedded in civilian administration, media, and urban planning, transforming the state into a tightly controlled security apparatus aimed at preventing collective resistance.

Maulana Ahmad Abdul Kaiyum, assistant secretary general of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and president of the party’s Dhaka South unit, expressed deep concern over reports of armed demonstrations in educational institutions expected after July. Speaking on Friday at the party’s monthly meeting in Purana Paltan, Dhaka, he said universities are meant to produce world-class citizens and researchers, not to become grounds for political confrontation.

He criticized both the government and opposition student organizations for displaying weapons over minor incidents, warning that such actions endanger the nation’s future generation. Kaiyum alleged that the government, despite winning recent elections, has pushed key state sectors, including the financial system, toward collapse. He further claimed that citizens are living in insecurity while the home minister has remained silent and both political camps have failed to control their student wings.

The meeting was attended by several senior leaders of Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Dhaka South unit, including Abdul Awal Majumdar, Altaf Hossain, and others.

An SSC examination at Abul Kashem Nur Jahan Chowdhury High School in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, was conducted with the wrong question paper, leading to the expulsion of four individuals including the center secretary, Lutfor Rahman Manik. The incident occurred on Thursday during the Bangla Second Paper exam. Thirteen irregular candidates were mistakenly given the 2025 question paper instead of the 2026 version, and despite their protests, the exam continued for three hours.

After the exam, students reported the issue to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the Secondary Education Officer. Following an investigation, the UNO permanently expelled the center secretary and three others. Nurul Alam was later appointed as the new center secretary, and Mohammad Harunur Rashid was assigned as the new superintendent.

According to Ukhiya Upazila Secondary Education Officer Mohammad Ullah, the exam could not be retaken since it had already been completed, but communication with the education board was underway to ensure proper consideration of the matter.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam warned that if necessary, parliament and the streets would merge in their movement to implement the referendum verdict. He made the remarks on Friday at a public rally organized by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, demanding the execution of the referendum’s public mandate.

Nahid Islam alleged that Allama Mamunul Haque was prevented from entering parliament through conspiracy but could not be stopped on the streets. He said the NCP was in parliament to speak for the July certificate and referendum implementation, while Mamunul Haque and Nasiruddin Patwari were active on the streets. He criticized the government for repeated breaches of promises, rising commodity prices, fuel and vaccine crises, and attempts to politicize institutions and the judiciary.

He further warned that rejecting the referendum’s verdict would have dire consequences and that the people of Bangladesh would not tolerate fascism or authoritarianism. The NCP leader vowed to continue the struggle until the government accepted the public mandate.