A milad and doa mahfil was held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday marking the 47th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Mourning Day. A special munajat was offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of August 15, 1975 carnage and continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation. Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman and Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman spoke on the occasion highlighting the life and works of the Father of the Nation. PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus  presided over the function. Read:PM Hasina remembers Bangabandhu at Tungipara on National Mourning Day Principal Coordinator of the SDG Affairs Zuena Aziz, PMO Senior Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Executive Chairman (Senior Secretary) of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Shaikh Yusuf Harun and Director General (DG) of the Special Security Force (SSF) Major General Md Majibur Rahman, among others, took part in the discussion. PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim was present. Officials and employees of the PMO also joined the milad and doa mahfil. Military Secretary Major General Kabir Ahammad was also present.

BNP will arrange doa mahfil across the country on Tuesday seeking speedy recovery of its ailing chairperson Khaleda Zia. Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a human-chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club. He said their party’s different units will arrange the doa mahfil all over the country. Read: Khaleda Zia shifted to CCU Swadhinta Forum, a pro-BNP platform, organised the human-chain programme demanding the release of Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners. On Saturday, Khaleda Zia was readmitted to Evercare on Saturday for follow-up treatment, nearly a week after she was discharged from the same hospital. The 76-year-old BNP chief was admitted to the hospital as per the advice of the medical board formed earlier for her treatment, said her personal medical team member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain. He said Khaleda Zia underwent some medical tests at the hospital. It is for the third time, the BNP chief was admitted to the hospital this year for various health complications. On October 12, Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital for the second time with fever and some other health complications. She returned home on November 7 from the hospital after treatment for 26 days. On October 25, the BNP chief underwent a surgery and biopsy test at Evercare Hospital as she had a small lump in one part of her body. Read: Khaleda readmitted to Evercare Hospital Later, her biopsy report was sent to the USA and the UK for review and no sign of cancer was detected. The BNP chief's physicians said she has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ophthalmological and dental complications. On April 27 last, Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital with Covid infections. She received treatment there until June 19 for post-Covid complications and some other underlying health problems.

After a daylong countrywide shutdown, Hefazat-e-Islam on Sunday announced doa mahfil for Monday and demonstration programmes on April 2 (Friday) seeking justice for its activists killed during Friday and Saturday’s clashes with police. “We’ll hold special prayers on Monday and stage nationwide protest on Friday,” Hefazat Secretary General Nurul Islam Zihadi announced at a press briefing in Dhaka. The group is calling for punishing policemen involved in shooting incidents in Chattogram and Brahmanbaria during the group’s anti-Modi protests that left at least nine people dead, including  several Hefazat activists.  It is also pressing for the release of its supporters arrested during the clashes. Also read: Hefazat’s day-long hartal ends amid violence, clashes “We’ll intensify our agitation if our demands are not met by next Friday,” Zihadi said. Hefazat called for the shutdown protesting against, what it called “police action” on their ‘anti-Modi’ processions in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts. The group also held nationwide demonstrations on Saturday during which clashes with police left at least five people dead in Brahmanbaria. Also read: Hefajat hartal: 25 hurt, 4 detained in Habiganj, Sylhet Sunday’s hartal ended with reports of sporadic clashes across the country. On Friday, four people were killed and at least 15 others were injured in a clash between Hefazat supporters and police at Hathazari in Chattogram. Police opened fire after a group of protestors attacked the Hathazari thana compound, Hathazari land office and set fire to a vehicle. Also read: Hartal: 30 hurt during clash with cops in Narayanganj On the same day, at least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in a clash between Muslim devotees and police in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area. Clashes erupted when police barred people from bringing out a procession after Jum’a prayers protesting against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh.