A human chain was organized in Chapainawabganj demanding the cessation of toll collection on the Birshreshtha Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir Bridge. The demonstration took place on Thursday at 11 a.m. in front of the Roads and Highways Department office near the bridge in Rehaichar, led by the Citizens’ Rights Realization Committee. Participants included transport workers, owners, teachers, students, lawyers, and people from various professions.

Speakers at the event stated that tolls have been collected on the bridge since its inauguration in 1993, continuing for 33 years. Despite repeated appeals and submission of memorandums to stop the toll, local authorities have not taken action. They noted that even a recent request by local Member of Parliament Nurul Islam Bulbul to the Road Transport Minister in parliament yielded no result.

The speakers warned that if toll collection continues into the next year, they will launch stricter movements, including road blockades, to press their demand.

Bata Bangladesh has announced a 105 percent final cash dividend for the year 2025, raising its total annual dividend to 248 percent. The company reported a turnover of 9,164 million taka despite global economic pressures, political uncertainty, and challenging geopolitical conditions. The announcement reflects Bata’s continued focus on strengthening its long-term competitiveness in the footwear market.

Throughout the year, the company emphasized customer-centric strategies, prioritizing high-growth segments such as casual, sneaker, and premium product categories. These areas showed notable progress, aligning well with evolving market trends. The expansion of Bata’s omnichannel network further enhanced customer engagement across both digital and physical platforms.

Bata Bangladesh continues to improve institutional efficiency and maintain an organized structure to navigate current market conditions. With ongoing investments in product innovation and customer service, the company aims to capitalize on future opportunities and sustain its leadership in the country’s footwear industry.

A major fire broke out at a tin-shed ink manufacturing factory in Amulia Model Town, Demra, on Thursday, April 30, 2026, around 11:30 a.m. According to Fire Service Inspector Anwarul Islam, the Demra Fire Station dispatched two units immediately after receiving the alert at 11:38 a.m., reaching the site by 11:55 a.m. As the fire intensified, additional units from Siddikbazar and Khilgaon fire stations joined, bringing the total to eight units working to control the blaze.

Local sources reported that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable materials inside the tin-shed structure, causing panic among nearby residents. Many people evacuated to safer areas as smoke and flames engulfed the factory. Firefighters continued their efforts to bring the situation under control, while law enforcement personnel were deployed to maintain order at the scene.

As of the latest update, no casualties or damage estimates were confirmed, and the cause of the fire remained unknown.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered 732 pieces of Indian cosmetic products during an operation near the Dewanganj border area of Jamalpur. The raid took place on Wednesday night near border pillar 1076 in the Kumarer Char area. The 35 BGB Battalion headquarters confirmed the seizure through a press release on Thursday morning.

According to the report, the operation was conducted based on BGB’s own intelligence information. The seized cosmetics were later handed over to the Roumari Customs authorities on Thursday. The 35 BGB Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Hasanur Rahman, stated that anti-smuggling and anti-drug operations along the border are continuing.

The operation reflects ongoing efforts by BGB to curb illegal cross-border trade and smuggling activities in the region.

Iran has accumulated about 22,000 pounds, or 11 tons, of enriched uranium since the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal eight years ago. Despite a U.S. military campaign launched two months ago to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the current status of this stockpile remains unclear. The uncertainty follows U.S. airstrikes in June 2025 on Iran’s enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow, and on uranium storage tunnels in Isfahan.

After the attacks, Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, ending direct monitoring of its enrichment sites. Satellite imagery has not resolved where the uranium is stored, and some of it may be buried under war debris. Experts say that even if Iran retrieves the material, it would take many months to convert it into weapons-grade fuel. The Trump administration claims U.S. satellites are tracking the buried uranium, but analysts question this, suggesting Iran may have moved much of its stockpile to a new underground site near Isfahan.

The situation leaves open the possibility that Iran retains a hidden enrichment facility capable of restarting weapons-related activities if conditions allow.

Seven suspected drug dealers were arrested in Tongi, Gazipur, after attacking police officers during an anti-drug operation on Wednesday night. The Gazipur Metropolitan Police team conducted the raid at Himarydighi Amtali Keranirtek slum, where the suspects surrounded the officers and attempted to assault them. Several officers, including constables Ariful Islam, Rakibul Islam, Jahanara Islam, and SI (unarmed) Nure Alam, were injured in the attack. Police later detained Shahin Ahmed Rizvi, Sohel, Raihan, Rowshan Ara, Sumi Akter, Nurjahan, and Beauty Akter, while alleged top drug dealer Runa Akter escaped.

According to Gazipur Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Md. Belayet Hossain, a case has been filed with Tongi East Police Station over the incident. Officer-in-Charge Md. Mehedi Hasan stated that the arrested individuals are being processed for transfer to the Gazipur District and Sessions Judge Court.

The arrested Shahin Ahmed Rizvi is identified as a candidate for the Tongi East Thana Jubo Dal president post and a contestant for the Gazipur City Corporation’s Ward 46 councilor position.

A report from Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth claims that Hezbollah’s new fiber‑optic drones are undermining Israel’s multi‑billion‑dollar defense systems during clashes in the Taybeh area of southern Lebanon. One incident involved a drone approaching an Israeli medical evacuation helicopter, forcing ground troops to shoot it down after electronic defenses failed. The drone exploded only a few meters away.

Unlike conventional drones that rely on radio or satellite signals, these first‑person‑view models are controlled through fiber‑optic cables extending up to 30 kilometers. Experts cited in the report say the drones are resistant to jamming and nearly invisible to radar due to their lightweight fiberglass construction. Military analysts suggest they can bypass Israel’s “Trophy” active protection system designed to intercept incoming missiles and shells.

Some Israeli units have resorted to using nets to trap drones, though this is not considered an effective solution. Analysts link the technology’s development to lessons from recent conflicts such as the war in Ukraine. Despite vulnerabilities in bad weather, the low‑cost drones pose a significant new challenge to high‑tech defense systems.

An Indigenous Australian senator, Lidia Thorpe, has called for action against growing anti-Palestinian racism in Australia. Her remarks followed a new report by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, which claimed that anti-Palestinian sentiment is increasing across the country. Thorpe accused the government, institutions, and media of actively fueling such racism, warning that this trend is contributing to a broader climate of intolerance.

She linked the tightening of protest laws to efforts to silence those speaking out against the situation in Gaza and alleged genocide there. Thorpe emphasized that Australia must confront all forms of racism if the nation hopes to heal its divisions.

The report and Thorpe’s comments highlight rising tensions in Australia’s political and social discourse concerning Palestine, with calls for stronger institutional accountability and protection of free expression.

The Bangladesh Parliament has passed the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Amendment) Act, aimed at enhancing oversight of the capital market, protecting investors’ interests, and promoting the development of the securities sector. The bill, recommended by a special committee, was approved on Thursday at 11:25 a.m.

Opposition leader Dr. Shafiqul Rahman had called for the bill’s postponement, but the motion was rejected through a voice vote. Alongside this, two additional amendment bills were passed to remove the age limit for appointments to top positions at the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA).

The legislative changes are expected to provide greater flexibility in leadership appointments and reinforce regulatory capacity in Bangladesh’s financial and insurance markets.

After two phases of voting in the West Bengal assembly election, the Trinamool Congress has expressed confidence that it will win more than 230 seats. Party sources said internal analyses indicate such a result, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that her party expects to secure a two-thirds majority.

According to the party, the election discourse centered on the BJP’s campaign around infiltration and public dissatisfaction over the SIR issue. Trinamool leaders argued that the BJP’s ‘outsider’ attacks and warnings backfired. Reports suggested that in Nandigram, the ruling party holds a slight advantage based on internal assessments. Party sources also mentioned that both Rabindra Sangeet and DJ music will be played on May 4, the counting day, echoing earlier campaign remarks by Abhishek.

Trinamool sources further claimed that a warning video by Ajaypal Sharma created a negative impression among voters, and threats allegedly made by outsiders from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat were poorly received. The party believes it successfully mobilized women voters and benefited from migrant workers’ support in weaker districts.

Iran carried out extensive attacks on US military bases and other facilities across seven Middle Eastern countries, causing significant damage, according to a report by NBC News. The strikes followed US and Israeli attacks on February 28, and targeted warehouses, command centers, aircraft hangars, satellite communication systems, runways, advanced radar systems, and aircraft. The report indicated that the visible damage was far less than the actual scale of destruction.

Repairing the affected installations is expected to cost several billion dollars. Despite the activation of US air defense systems, an Iranian F-5 aircraft managed to strike a target, exposing weaknesses in the defense network. The Pentagon has not released a full account of the damage, and the US Central Command declined to comment on the wartime loss assessment.

The report underscores the intensity of the confrontation and the vulnerability of US assets in the region, though official confirmation of the full extent of losses remains pending.

Romania has introduced a new conditional legalization program for foreign workers who have become irregular despite initially entering the country legally. The government issued Emergency Ordinance No. 32 on April 23, which was published in the official gazette on April 27. This measure allows non-EU workers meeting specific conditions to regain legal status. The initiative has been welcomed by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Romania, which said it could help many Bangladeshi workers regularize their stay.

The provision mainly targets those who entered Romania with valid work visas but later became irregular due to employer-related issues, such as job loss or administrative lapses. Workers must contact Romanian immigration authorities within 60 days of the law’s enactment, secure a valid employer, obtain a work permit, and then apply for a temporary residence card. Those who entered illegally or have received a return decision are excluded from the program.

The special legalization opportunity will remain effective until December 31 of the current year, and the Bangladeshi embassy has advised affected workers to seek its assistance if needed.

A bridge over the GK irrigation canal in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila collapsed in June 2025 due to heavy rainfall, halting all vehicle movement. For the past nine months, around 50,000 residents from 37 villages have been forced to cross the canal using a bamboo walkway built by locals. The bridge, constructed about 45 years ago, had been unstable for several years, and locals allege that heavy trucks from nearby brick kilns contributed to its collapse.

The damaged bridge lies on the Bhabanipur–Defolbari section of the Bishoykhali–Jisingar Bathan GC via Defolbari road, a key route connecting Kumrabaria and Maharajpur unions. The bamboo structure now used for crossing has also become shaky, leaving school students and farmers particularly affected. Auto-rickshaws, vans, and motorcycles remain unable to pass, severely disrupting transport between Jhenaidah, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, and Chuadanga.

Local LGED executive engineer Abul Kalam Azad said two separate project proposals for rebuilding the collapsed bridge have been submitted for approval, and construction will begin once approval is granted.

Law enforcement officials in Banshkhali, Chattogram, seized 100,000 yaba tablets valued at approximately Tk 30 million during an operation on Wednesday evening. The raid was conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) near Banshkhali Girls College, where officers set up a checkpoint and searched a CNG-run auto-rickshaw used for drug transport. Three suspected drug traffickers were detained, and the vehicle was confiscated.

According to RAB-7 Assistant Director and Assistant Superintendent of Police A.R.M. Mozzafar Hossain, the operation was based on secret intelligence. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the detainees had allegedly been involved in collecting drugs from border areas and distributing them across different parts of the country. Legal proceedings against the suspects are currently underway.

The arrested individuals were identified as Salim Ullah from Sonapara in Cox’s Bazar, Hasan Murad from Kutubjum in Maheshkhali, and Majid Alam alias Morjan from the same area.

Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, announced that 42 commercial vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports have been redirected. He praised the effectiveness of the naval blockade against Iran, stating that 41 tankers carrying 69 million barrels of oil, valued at over six billion dollars, remain unsold by the Iranian authorities. Cooper reaffirmed the US military’s commitment to fully enforcing the blockade.

The situation has intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of oil and gas tankers and cargo ships are stranded. Approximately 20,000 sailors are reportedly stuck in the Persian Gulf, unable to cross the strait due to the US blockade and heightened security risks.

The ongoing maritime standoff underscores the growing tension in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, with significant implications for global oil transport and regional stability.