Bangladeshi producer Abdul Aziz has clarified that no characters in the upcoming film 'Masud Rana' were created using artificial intelligence. The film, jointly produced by Jaaz Multimedia and Impress Telefilm, is set to release in theaters across Bangladesh during Eid-ul-Azha. Aziz stated that while some visual effects incorporate AI technology, all characters were performed by real actors, including lead actor Rasel Rana, who won Channel i’s reality show 'Ke Hoben Masud Rana'.

The film, directed by young filmmaker Saikat Nasir, marks the return of the iconic Bangladeshi spy character 'Masud Rana' to the big screen after years of anticipation. Aziz mentioned that the project took nearly five years to complete and has already received positive feedback from the censor board. Actress Puja Cherry plays the role of Sohana, while Syeda Tithi Omni appears as Obonita. All three lead performers are new faces in cinema.

Nasir described 'Masud Rana' as Bangladesh’s equivalent of James Bond, emphasizing the film’s technical ambition and urging audiences to watch it during Eid.

Ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal has imposed strict regulations on the sale and slaughter of cows. In response, several Islamic clerics and imams have urged Muslims not to use cows for sacrifice. However, Hindu groups across the state have staged protests demanding that Muslims be allowed to perform cow sacrifices.

A government directive issued on May 13 by the state’s Home Department stated that no cow, bull, calf, or buffalo may be slaughtered without official permission. It requires joint certification from a municipal chairman or panchayat head and a government veterinarian, allowing slaughter only for animals over 14 years old or unfit for work. Violations carry jail and fines. Clerics such as Maulana Shafique Qasmi of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Mosque and Pirzada Ziauddin Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif supported avoiding cow sacrifice out of respect for Hindu sentiments.

Reports indicate that Hindu farmers in South 24 Parganas, who rely on selling cattle before Eid to repay loans, are urging that Muslims be allowed to buy cows so they can recover their investments.

Local residents in Jamalpur blocked the Jamalpur-Tangail highway on Monday afternoon demanding a permanent solution to waterlogging that has persisted for 19 years. The protest took place near the district bus terminal and the BSCIC office, causing severe traffic congestion on both sides of the highway. Participants from at least five affected areas, including Doripara and Dapuniya, alleged that around 500 acres of farmland and numerous homes have been damaged over the years, yet authorities have failed to take effective action.

According to the report, the residents had also blocked the highway the previous day but withdrew after receiving assurances from the administration. When no visible steps followed, they resumed their protest. Police arrived to control the situation but were turned back by demonstrators. Later, local political and human rights representatives intervened, promising swift action, after which the protesters lifted the blockade. A brief period of unrest occurred during the event.

In a separate incident, residents of Shekher Vita area blocked the Jamalpur-Madarganj road over similar waterlogging issues, ending their protest after municipal officials pledged remedial measures.

Two people were killed in separate road accidents in Munshiganj early Monday. The incidents occurred on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in Srinagar and the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Gazaria. The victims were identified as truck driver Mohammad Hossain from Chuadanga’s Belgachi area and lorry helper Antar Das from Chandpur village in Senbagh. Police said both accidents took place around 2 a.m.

According to police, on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway near Dogachi Army Camp, a cargo truck hit another truck ahead of it, trapping driver Mohammad Hossain inside. He was taken to Srinagar Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. In the second incident, on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway near Dori Bausia, a speeding lorry collided with a covered van while taking a U-turn, killing helper Antar Das on the spot.

Police confirmed that vehicular movement on both highways remained normal after the accidents, and the bodies were kept at the respective highway police stations.

Seventeen years after Cyclone Aila struck on May 25, 2009, the coastal residents of Satkhira in southwestern Bangladesh continue to suffer from its long-lasting devastation. The cyclone destroyed homes, farmland, and fisheries, leaving thousands destitute. In Gabura Union of Shyamnagar upazila, one of the worst-hit areas, at least 39 people died and over 243,000 were displaced. Many families still live on government land near embankments, facing acute shortages of drinking water and employment.

Repeated cyclones such as Amphan in 2020, Bulbul, and Rimal in 2024 have deepened the crisis, with May now seen as a month of fear for coastal communities. Despite ongoing embankment repairs, many areas remain at risk of collapse. Around 30–35 percent of residents in Gabura and Padmapukur unions have become landless, and over 500 families live on river chars. Local leaders report that most roads damaged by Aila remain unrestored.

Authorities have declared Gabura a model union, with a 10.2 billion taka project underway to build sustainable embankments and promote afforestation. Yet residents question how many more disasters must come before their lives become secure.

Authorities at Chattogram Port have formed special task forces and teams to ensure uninterrupted cargo handling during the seven-day government holiday that began on May 25 for Eid-ul-Azha. The initiative aims to keep the country’s main import-export gateway operational despite the extended break.

BGMEA Director Rakibul Alam Chowdhury urged port and customs officials not to treat the holiday as a complete shutdown, warning that production could face major disruptions otherwise. BICDA Secretary General Ruhul Amin Sikder Bipul said the long post-Eid holiday period poses challenges for importers and exporters, calling for all stakeholders to remain active.

Commodore Amin Ahmed Abdullah, Member (Marine and Harbor) of Chattogram Port, said two special task forces will oversee cargo unloading at outer anchorage and operations at jetties and yards, while another team will handle security. Assistant Commissioner Sharif Md. Al Amin of Chattogram Customs House confirmed that sufficient personnel will continue working during the holidays to maintain customs operations, emphasizing interdepartmental cooperation.

Health Minister Sardar Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain said that 'fascist allies' are still targeting them, during a visit to the Civil Surgeon’s Office in Comilla on Monday morning. He alleged that a group associated with fascism, including some outsourced workers appointed by the Awami League, were creating trouble and even assaulting doctors.

When asked whether the government would seek an independent investigation from the World Health Organization regarding measles infections and deaths, the minister said that punishment alone would not solve the problem. He emphasized that the government’s top priority is to protect children infected with measles and ensure that no mother loses her child to the disease.

In response to a question about alleged irregularities worth five crore taka in medicine procurement at Comilla Medical College last year, the minister said that the ministry has already started work and will first focus on improving existing public health resources. Earlier, he visited Comilla Sadar General Hospital, inspected food quality, and listened to patients’ complaints.

A Rohingya youth named Md. Salman, aged 27, lost his right leg in a landmine explosion across the Ukhiya border in Cox’s Bazar on Monday morning. The incident occurred near Balukhali, adjacent to Myanmar’s Rakhine region. Local residents rescued the injured man and took him to the MSF hospital in Kutupalong before he was transferred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital as his condition worsened.

According to Palongkhali Union Parishad Chairman Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, the explosion took place in Myanmar territory, and such incidents often involve Rohingyas crossing the border, sometimes for illegal purposes such as drug transport. Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commander of the 64 Ukhiya Battalion of the Border Guard Bangladesh, confirmed the explosion and the subsequent rescue operation.

The incident highlights ongoing risks along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, where landmines continue to endanger displaced Rohingyas living near the frontier.

Bangladesh has introduced a 25 percent fare discount for elderly and physically disabled passengers on metro and train travel. The program was inaugurated on Monday at Dhaka’s Farmgate Metro Station, with Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam MP attending as chief guest. Senior officials from the concerned ministries were also present at the event.

According to the minister, the initiative aims to make public transport more humane, inclusive, and citizen-friendly. Elderly citizens aged 65 and above and persons with disabilities or special needs will receive a 25 percent discount on single-journey metro tickets upon presenting valid identification. The same discount applies to train tickets purchased both online and at counters, with age verification based on national ID information. Existing 50 percent discounts for disabled passengers in certain train classes remain in effect, while a new 25 percent reduction has been added for all air-conditioned classes.

Officials believe the program will make the country’s public transport system more inclusive and passenger-oriented.

Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin announced that under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership, Bangladesh has restored people’s ownership of state assets and strengthened democratic institutions within the government’s first 100 days. Speaking at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office on May 25, he said the administration has prioritized election pledges since taking office on February 17, emphasizing public engagement and ending VIP culture.

The government has seized assets worth 4,264 crore taka from S. Alam Group and signed agreements with three countries to repatriate laundered money. It reinstated the phrase “except Israel” in passports and set a goal to make Bangladesh a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. Initiatives include women-focused “Family Cards,” debt waivers for small farmers, and an “LPG Card” subsidy. Employment exchanges and ID cards for freelancers have been launched, and canal excavation programs revived.

For the first time, artificial intelligence is being introduced in traffic management, alongside plans for 250 electric buses and the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The government also passed the “July Warriors Indemnity Act” and achieved a record 94 bills in the first parliamentary session.

During the seven-day Eid-ul-Azha bank holiday from May 25 to 31, customers across Bangladesh faced difficulties withdrawing cash from ATM booths. Despite Bangladesh Bank’s directive to ensure uninterrupted ATM services, several booths ran out of cash or imposed withdrawal limits. Field visits in Dhaka’s Mouchak, Malibagh, Moghbazar, and Karwan Bazar areas revealed that many booths of weaker banks were out of service, while some stronger banks also restricted withdrawals or blocked transactions from other banks’ cards.

Social media users reported frustration, describing the situation as mismanagement and unfair to customers needing cash for Eid expenses. Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan stated that the central bank had supplied sufficient cash to all banks and that any shortages were due to individual banks’ internal management. He warned that banks neglecting service continuity could face action.

Earlier, Bangladesh Bank had issued a circular instructing all scheduled banks to maintain adequate cash in ATMs, ensure technical readiness, strengthen booth security, and keep mobile financial and online payment services operational during the holiday period.

In Venezuela’s western Barinas prison, inmates climbed onto the roof on Sunday to stage a protest against alleged mistreatment by prison authorities. They burned mattresses and bedsheets as part of their demonstration and accused guards of shooting unarmed prisoners, leaving several injured. Protesters demanded the removal of the prison director, and video footage reportedly showed one inmate with a gunshot wound to the chest while others chanted for justice and an end to abuse.

Tensions also spread outside the prison as relatives of inmates clashed with members of the National Guard while attempting to enter the facility. Witnesses reported hearing screams and explosions from inside the prison during the unrest.

A Venezuelan prison monitoring organization stated that it is documenting the incident and sharing information with human rights groups. Authorities have not yet issued any official statement regarding the situation.

Police in Raipur municipality of Lakshmipur have sent Rakib, general secretary of the local ward unit of the student organization Chhatra Dal, to jail on charges of helping an accused rapist flee. The case involves a 45-year-old autorickshaw driver named Sahin, accused of raping an 11-year-old girl multiple times after threatening her and recording a video of the assault. The incident reportedly occurred when the victim’s mother was away for work.

According to local and family sources, Sahin used threats of violence and exposure of the video to repeatedly assault the child. Residents alleged that Rakib accepted money to help Sahin escape after locals initially caught him. The incident has sparked anger and demands for justice in the area.

Rakib denied the allegations, claiming he had informed police and journalists about the suspect. Raipur police confirmed Rakib’s detention under Section 54 and said efforts are ongoing to arrest the main accused. The community remains tense as residents call for swift and exemplary punishment.

Police in Bogura have arrested two day laborers accused of murdering housewife Rita Majumdar in Mominhata village of Gabtali upazila. The arrests were announced at a press briefing at the Bogura Superintendent of Police’s office on Monday afternoon. The suspects, identified as Shaon Mia, 20, and Anwar Hossain, 35, were detained following an investigation that began after the killing on May 20. Police said the murder was committed as part of a plan to steal money from a recent land sale.

According to police, the two men worked together as day laborers. About ten days before the incident, Anwar learned that Rita Majumdar’s family had cash from selling land. The pair allegedly planned a robbery, with Anwar purchasing two local weapons. On the night of the murder, they hid inside the house and attacked Rita when she recognized Anwar after hearing a noise. She died on the spot from severe bleeding.

Police later recovered the weapons from a nearby water body and seized clothing, a mobile phone, and SIM cards used during the crime. The suspects are being sent to court.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during his official visit to China. The meeting took place at a time when diplomatic efforts to formally end the Iran war are being prolonged. Before meeting Xi, Sharif also held discussions with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

During the talks, Sharif emphasized the importance of Islamabad and Beijing working together to restore peace in the Middle East. He stated that the world is passing through a critical moment and expressed gratitude to China for its support in advancing peace negotiations.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who had just concluded a visit to Iran, was also present at the meeting, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.