In Boalmari upazila of Faridpur, 74 people received treatment and vaccines after being bitten by dogs over the past three months, according to Dr. Nazmul Hasan, family planning officer at the upazila health complex. Health officials reported that cat bites are also common, though not separately recorded, suggesting the actual number of bite victims could be higher. The monthly breakdown shows 17 cases in January, 31 in February, and 26 in March.

Residents said most incidents occurred on roads when stray dogs suddenly attacked pedestrians. Locals observed an increase in the number of stray dogs and noted their increasingly aggressive behavior, raising public safety concerns. Cat bites, often from domestic pets, were also reported but frequently neglected.

Locals complained that previous municipal vaccination programs for dogs are no longer visible, heightening infection risks. Dr. Hasan stated that careless movement contributes to the rise in bite cases but assured that vaccines are adequately stocked. Residents urged authorities to take prompt action to control stray animals and raise public awareness to reduce such risks.

Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed said that a four-month residential basic training program will play a vital role in enhancing the capacity of new university teachers and building a strong professional network among them. He made the remarks on Sunday night at the inauguration ceremony of the 3rd and 4th batches of the training held at the Central Training and Conference Center of Bangladesh Open University (BOU).

The event was presided over by BOU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Siddiqur Rahman Khan and attended by UGC members, World Bank consultant Mahmudul Haque, and officials from UGC, BOU, and the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project. Speakers emphasized that the training would help participants share experiences, develop classroom management skills, and improve higher education administration.

A total of 59 new teachers from 33 public and private universities are participating in the program, organized under the UGC-implemented HEAT project. The initiative aims to foster collaboration and professional growth among young academics across Bangladesh.

Relatives of the victims and local residents in Narayanganj have demanded the immediate execution of the verdict in the widely discussed seven-murder case. On Monday morning, they formed a human chain on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Siddhirganj’s Mouchak area to press their demand. Selina Islam Beauty, wife of slain panel mayor Nazrul Islam, recalled the brutality of the killings and urged authorities to ensure justice within 2026 so that the families can witness it in their lifetime.

Other victims’ relatives, including Shamsun Nahar Nupur and Abul Khayer, expressed frustration over the prolonged delay, noting that the case has remained pending in the Appellate Division for over eight years. They appealed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the attorney general, and the law minister to take special steps for swift implementation of the verdict. The families said they continue to live in hardship while those responsible remain alive and unpunished.

The case stems from the abduction and murder of seven people, including Nazrul Islam and lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarkar, on April 27, 2014. Their bodies were later recovered from the Shitalakkhya River, and the judicial process remains ongoing in the Appellate Division.

North Korean President Kim Jong Un has reiterated his full support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, calling it a “just and sacred” struggle. According to the state news agency KCNA, Kim pledged continued assistance to ensure Russia’s victory. The statement came during a meeting in Pyongyang with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, where both sides discussed strengthening military cooperation.

Analysts cited in the report said North Korea has already sent missiles, ammunition, and thousands of troops to Russia in exchange for financial aid, military technology, food, and energy. Belousov announced that Moscow is ready to sign a joint cooperation plan with North Korea covering 2027 to 2031. Kim, Belousov, and Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also attended the inauguration of a memorial honoring North Korean soldiers killed in Ukraine.

The memorial event, held to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s recapture of parts of the Kursk region, featured concerts, fireworks, and an air force parade. South Korea estimates that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have died in the conflict.

Government data show that more than 3,658 people died in lightning strikes across Bangladesh between 2015 and 2025, despite the phenomenon being declared a national disaster a decade ago. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department identified Sylhet’s Sunamganj district, particularly Jamalganj upazila, as the most lightning-prone area. The highest number of fatalities occurred in 2020, with 427 deaths, but the toll has since declined to 173 in 2025.

Meteorologist Dr. Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik attributed the high frequency of lightning in Sylhet to its geography and weather patterns. The region’s large haor wetlands generate abundant water vapor, which interacts with moist air from the Bay of Bengal and collides with the northeastern hills, creating conditions for thundercloud formation. The convergence of moist and dry air masses also heightens lightning risk in northeastern and some northwestern districts.

Officials credit early warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and preventive measures introduced since 2019 for the recent decline in lightning deaths, though data remain insufficient to compare current rates with pre-2015 levels.

Police in Tongi, Gazipur confirmed that a man named Saifur Rahman Sohan confessed to killing his father and younger brother out of anger over a broken marriage arrangement with his cousin. The incident occurred on Uttor Bonmala Road, and police verified the confession after overnight interrogation on Sunday.

According to police sources, Sohan, a casual machine operator at a pharmaceutical factory, had a romantic relationship with his cousin, and their families had discussed marriage. However, his younger brother Sakib later became romantically involved with the same cousin, leading to conflict between the brothers. On Saturday night, after an argument, Sohan tied up Sakib, gagged him, and fatally cut his tendons with a blade. When their father, Sohel Rana, witnessed the killing, Sohan took him near a railway line, where he was struck and killed by a passing train.

Police said Sohan was sent to the Gazipur District and Sessions Judge Court on Monday after being shown arrested in a murder case.

Sheikh Yusuf Afridi, a commander of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Initial reports indicate that the attackers fired multiple rounds at Afridi, leaving him no chance to escape. Afridi was known as a close associate of the group’s chief, Hafiz Saeed.

Local sources said Afridi played a key role in directing the organization’s operations in the region. Investigators are treating the incident as a targeted killing. The attack follows a series of similar incidents involving members of militant groups in Pakistan.

Last month, Lashkar-e-Taiba founding member Amir Hamza survived an armed attack in Lahore, while Muhammad Tahir Anwar, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar, recently died under mysterious circumstances. In March of the previous year, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba member Abu Katal was also shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jhelum, Pakistan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Saint Petersburg to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussions focused on regional and international coordination and advancing joint initiatives. The visit was confirmed by Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, who said the meeting would emphasize strengthening mutual cooperation.

Russia and Iran have maintained a long-standing partnership, with Moscow serving as a key diplomatic ally for Tehran during its conflict with the United States. The two countries signed a 20-year agreement in January 2025 to deepen economic, military, and political ties. Russia has also described U.S. attacks on Iran as provocative aggression. In addition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Iran and the United States and expressed interest in contributing to the process.

According to a CNN report cited in March, Russia had provided Iran with intelligence on U.S. military movements, marking an early sign of Moscow’s involvement in the conflict. Araghchi’s trip to Russia follows meetings in Pakistan and Oman with key mediators.

Health experts in Bangladesh have raised concerns about the growing use of e-cigarettes, which first entered the country in 2012 and have since gained popularity for their seemingly harmless vapor and sweet aroma. Despite claims by importers and sellers that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional ones, specialists emphasize that most contain nicotine, a substance known to cause addiction. Professor Sohel Reza Chowdhury of the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute noted that nicotine intake from e-cigarettes can sometimes exceed that from conventional cigarettes due to prolonged use.

Chowdhury warned that young people are increasingly drawn to these products, and without swift action, their harmful effects could become more widespread. Although the long-term health consequences of e-cigarettes remain uncertain, several studies in recent years have shown they are not safe. The World Health Organization’s Global Tobacco Epidemic report states that e-cigarette users are twice as likely to become addicted to regular cigarettes.

Bangladesh’s tobacco control laws, first enacted in 2005 and amended in 2013, have limited advertising and mandated health warnings, yet smoking persists, contributing to over 130,000 tobacco-related deaths annually.

BNP Standing Committee member and Prime Minister’s political adviser Nazrul Islam Khan stated that whenever the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had the opportunity to govern, it worked for the people and in favor of democracy. He made the remarks on Monday morning after offering prayers and floral tributes at the grave of Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq near Dhaka University’s Doel Chattar, marking the 64th anniversary of the late leader’s death.

Nazrul Islam Khan emphasized that BNP has always fought for democracy and that late President Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia worked with the nation’s good people to build the country. He added that Tarique Rahman’s government continues to lead the nation following that path.

Remembering Sher-e-Bangla, the senior BNP leader said his contributions benefited people from all walks of life and urged everyone to work together to preserve his legacy.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, announced that the country’s electricity situation will improve and load shedding will decrease starting next week. He made the statement on Monday during a discussion at the Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Forum organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The minister said the government aims to generate 10,000 megawatts of solar power within the next five years. He also noted that oil import costs have risen by 2 billion dollars and that 560 billion taka in electricity sector dues remain unpaid. During the same event, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun stated that the upcoming national budget will include duty benefits for battery production and imports.

The announcements reflect the government’s focus on renewable energy expansion and financial adjustments in the power sector to address current supply challenges.

The High Court has issued a rule directing authorities to explain why 57 former Upazila Program Officers of the Basic Literacy Project (64 districts) under the Bureau of Non-Formal Education should not be made permanent. The bench of Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md Asif Hasan issued the rule after a preliminary hearing on Monday, following a writ petition seeking directives for their inclusion in permanent posts.

According to the petition, the officers were recruited through written, practical, and oral examinations under 2016 and 2018 circulars and have been serving for years. The project ended in 2022, but the government created 491 Upazila Non-Formal Education Officer posts in 2020 to maintain continuity. The petition claims that a summary sent to the Prime Minister on October 25, 2023, seeking approval for their absorption, was returned without proper presentation, allegedly violating constitutional and legal provisions.

The petitioners argue that not making them permanent is discriminatory and contrary to constitutional equality principles. They also expressed concern that new recruitment for 351 posts announced in December 2025 could harm their prospects if 57 positions are not reserved for them.

The big-budget biopic 'Michael', based on the life of pop icon Michael Jackson, has stormed the box office despite negative reviews and a complex production process. Released in North America, the film earned 97 million dollars in its first week and 217 million dollars worldwide, setting a new record for the highest-grossing biopic opening in history. Starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, the film grossed 120.4 million dollars internationally, surpassing the opening records of 'Oppenheimer' (2023) and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (2018).

Critics have accused the film of downplaying controversial aspects of Jackson’s life, reflected in a 38% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it a 97% rating. The production faced legal and creative hurdles, including reshooting scenes related to the Jordan Chandler case at a cost of about 50 million dollars, limiting the story to events before 1988. Despite family opposition and legal restrictions, the film’s success has prompted producers to consider sequels.

The film, produced by Lionsgate and distributed internationally by Universal, is yet to release in Japan, where Jackson has a large fan base. Its release there is scheduled for June.

Five suspects have been arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in connection with the murder of customs officer Bullet Bairagi, whose body was recovered near the Kotbari Irish Hotel in Comilla. The detainees are also accused in a railway robbery case, and four of them are believed to be directly involved in the killing. The arrests were confirmed by RAB-11 officials on Monday.

According to the information provided, Bairagi boarded a CNG-run autorickshaw at Padua Bazar on Friday night after getting off a bus on his way home. The robbers had been waiting in the vehicle and targeted him in a planned attack. His body was found the next morning about two kilometers from Padua Bazar, near the Irish Hotel area of Kotbari.

Bairagi had recently attended the 44th basic training in Chattogram and was returning to Dhaka after completing it. His last phone contact with family occurred around 1:25 a.m. when he said he was near Tomchom Bridge in Comilla, after which communication was lost.

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division chamber court has stayed the bail of Ehteshamul Haque, also known as Bhola, one of the accused in the murder case of former police superintendent Babul Akhter’s wife, Mahmuda Khanam Mitu. The order was issued on Monday. Bhola had been arrested on January 21 from in front of Media Tower in the Kalpolok residential area of Chattogram by Bakalia police.

Ehteshamul Haque, identified as a listed criminal, faces multiple cases including murder, arms, and extortion charges. He was also shown arrested in the case of nursing college teacher Anjali Rani Devi, who was hacked to death in 2015 in Chattogram’s Panchlaish area. Mahmuda Khanam Mitu was murdered on June 5, 2016, near GEC intersection while taking her son to school. Following the incident, Babul Akhter filed a case against three unidentified persons.

The investigation was later transferred from the Chattogram Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch to the Police Bureau of Investigation. In 2021, Mitu’s father filed another case naming Babul Akhter as the prime accused. Allegations of political influence and controversy surrounded the investigation process during the previous Awami League government.