Eleven fishermen returned home on Friday evening after being held hostage for seven days by forest bandits in the Sundarbans and released upon payment of a ransom totaling 700,000 taka. The group had been abducted on the night of May 3 from the Alorkol area of the eastern Sundarbans by the Jahangir gang. Three days later, another bandit group, the Sharif gang, took control of the captives after an armed clash and held them in an undisclosed location.

According to Rubel Hawlader, one of the freed fishermen from Uttar Rajapur village in Sharankhola, the Jahangir gang initially chained them and subjected them to abuse. After receiving the ransom, the Sharif gang released the fishermen early Friday morning near the Aruar River estuary in the Dhansagar area, from where they walked several kilometers to reach home. A local fish trader, requesting anonymity, said the bandits initially demanded 100,000 taka per person but later settled for 70,000 each, totaling 700,000 taka.

Sharankhola Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Shaminul Haque stated that the police had not received any formal complaint regarding the ransom payment but would take legal action if one is filed.

Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan said that modernization of the education system is essential for national development. Speaking as chief guest at the ‘China-Bangladesh Education Cooperation Forum 2026’ held at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka on Saturday, he emphasized that the government has prioritized education and plans to allocate 5 percent of GDP to the sector. He also announced initiatives to revise syllabuses, curricula, and academic calendars to improve quality.

The minister highlighted that teacher development is key to raising educational standards and mentioned a joint initiative with China to train general and technical educators. He said education would serve as the main bridge strengthening Bangladesh-China relations. Several memorandums of understanding were signed between institutions from both countries to enhance cooperation in education.

The event, chaired by Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen, was attended by senior Bangladeshi education officials, including the Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin and UGC Chairman Dr. Mamun Ahmed. Guests also inaugurated an education and technology exhibition following the forum.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has accused the government of showing discrimination both in respecting the referendum outcome and in implementing development projects. Speaking at Saidpur Airport on Saturday morning, he said the government supported the 'yes' vote before the election but is now ignoring the referendum’s verdict while claiming to implement the July Charter. He criticized the concentration of multiple major projects—such as a city corporation, new upazila, university, and international airport—in a single area instead of distributing them based on broader national importance.

Porwar stated that Jamaat does not oppose development initiatives but rejects favoritism toward ruling party lawmakers in project allocation. He also alleged that the government is suppressing media freedom and targeting journalists critical of its actions. Regarding the proposed internationalization of Saidpur Airport, he said it is vital for the socio-economic progress of the northern region and reflects a long-standing public demand.

He warned that ignoring such regional aspirations could harm national welfare and criticized the BNP for mishandling public interest issues, which he said could backfire politically.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman held a meeting with district and metropolitan presidents and general secretaries of the party’s three affiliated organizations—Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal—on Saturday, May 9, at the Krishibid Institute auditorium in Dhaka. The meeting began at 10 a.m., and Rahman joined virtually at 11 a.m. Party sources said this was his first major organizational meeting with grassroots leaders since assuming the office of Prime Minister.

Leaders from various districts and metropolitan units of the three organizations attended the event. The discussions were expected to focus on maintaining party discipline, strengthening organizational activities, resolving internal conflicts at the local level, and reestablishing the chain of command. Party sources indicated that Rahman would call on grassroots leaders to work more actively and in unity to implement upcoming political programs.

Ahead of the meeting, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and the Prime Minister’s political adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi inspected the venue on Friday and told reporters that Rahman would outline plans to enhance the party’s organizational dynamism.

The Boro paddy harvest has begun in Dhunat upazila of Bogura, where farmers are expressing frustration over low market prices. Despite good yields this season, they report that the price of one maund of paddy, selling for only 850 to 950 taka, is not enough to hire even one laborer, whose daily wage now ranges from 1,000 to 1,100 taka. Many farmers say their hard-earned crops are bringing little return as costs continue to rise.

Local sources note that while fields are full of ripe paddy, concerns are growing over possible storm and rain damage, especially in low-lying areas. The sudden surge in demand for harvest laborers has nearly doubled wages. Farmers report that production costs, including plowing, irrigation, and pesticides, have increased sharply in recent years, but market prices have not kept pace, leaving them worried about repaying debts.

According to the Dhunat Upazila Agriculture Officer, about 16,485 hectares of land have been cultivated with high-yield and local paddy varieties. He advised farmers to harvest when 80 percent of the crop is ripe to avoid losses from hail or early flooding.

Taiwan’s legislature has approved a special fund of $25 billion to purchase weapons from the United States. The bill passed after months of debate over defense and security spending. The package includes high mobility artillery rocket systems, self-propelled howitzers, missiles, drones, and Javelin anti-armor missiles. It also contains a provision allowing for additional future spending on U.S. arms purchases.

The approved amount is about $15 billion less than what the ruling Democratic Progressive Party proposed last November. In the 113-seat legislature, the bill passed by a 59-0 vote, with 48 lawmakers from the ruling party abstaining. The decision comes as Taiwan seeks to strengthen its defense capabilities amid growing tensions with China.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has repeatedly threatened to take control of the island by force if necessary. The United States, Taiwan’s main arms supplier, continues to provide significant military and political support. Last year, the Trump administration approved a record $11 billion in arms sales to Taiwan.

The United States is arranging a special evacuation flight to bring home American citizens aboard a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak. The vessel, MV Hondius, is currently heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands and is expected to arrive in Tenerife on Sunday, according to AFP. A spokesperson for the US State Department said the government is coordinating with Spanish authorities and other federal agencies to ensure the safe repatriation of the passengers.

The ship’s operator reported that 17 US citizens are on board, though the State Department has not confirmed the number. Three people—a Dutch couple and a German woman—have died, and several others have been infected with Andes virus, the only hantavirus known to spread between humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that the repatriated passengers will first be taken to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, before being transferred to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

CDC and Nebraska Medicine said the risk to the US public remains very low, and those under observation are currently healthy and symptom-free.

A member of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Shuknachhara area of Sajek Union under Baghaichhari upazila in Rangamati district early Saturday. The incident occurred in the 10 No. Para of Shuknachhara, where the victim, identified as Hegera Chakma alias Lettbap, was attacked and killed by gunfire.

According to Sajek Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tofazzal Hossain, police were heading to the scene after receiving reports of the shooting. The deceased was known to be affiliated with the Prasit faction of the UPDF. Attempts to contact several UPDF leaders for comment were unsuccessful, and no immediate statement was available from the group.

Further details about the motive or those responsible for the attack were not disclosed in the initial report, and an investigation was reportedly underway.

In Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar, 21 out of 26 tea estates have no government primary schools, causing hundreds of children from tea worker families to drop out of basic education. Despite the tea industry’s 172-year history in the region, tea workers remain educationally disadvantaged. Land disputes and the indifference of estate authorities have delayed the establishment of government schools. Existing private schools in the estates are in poor condition, often with only one or two classrooms and very low teaching standards.

According to the Kulaura Primary Education Office, the estates without government schools include Hingajia, Sirajnagar, Bormchal, Rehana, Gazipur, Jhimai, Merina, Jhunkijalai, Rangichhara Fari, Clevedon, Bijoya, Kaliti, Chatlapur, Longla, Tilakpur, Azgarabad, Dildarpur, Borhannagar, Rajanagar, Tarapasha, and Muraichhara. Former and current leaders of the Bangladesh Tea Workers’ Union said that tea worker children have been deprived of their right to education for generations due to land complications and lack of government action.

The acting Upazila Primary Education Officer stated that a proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to establish six new government primary schools in the tea garden areas, with plans for gradual expansion.

Russia has called for the withdrawal of a draft resolution submitted by the United States and Bahrain to the United Nations Security Council that urges Iran to end its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Russia’s state news agency TASS, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov said Moscow cannot support the proposal and advised against rushing any decision on it.

Alimov explained that Russia and China have prepared an alternative draft resolution calling on all parties to cease hostilities, refrain from the use of force, and resolve disputes through dialogue. The US-Bahrain draft has backing from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, though none of these Gulf states are permanent members of the Security Council.

The report noted that Russia holds veto power in the Security Council, giving it the ability to block the resolution if it proceeds to a vote.

An FIR has been filed against TVK leader Vijay Thalapathy in Tamil Nadu following allegations that he submitted a fake letter of support from the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam’s (AMMK) sole legislator to claim majority status. The complaint was lodged by AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, who accused Vijay of presenting a forged document to the governor to prove his party’s majority. Vijay’s party had earlier claimed to have the backing of 118 legislators but failed to provide written proof.

Vijay’s party, TVK, denied the allegations, asserting that AMMK legislator S. Kamaraj personally signed the support letter and that Dhinakaran had approved it. The controversy comes as Tamil Nadu remains without a clear government five days after election results, with no party securing an outright majority.

While Vijay’s party won the most seats, both the DMK and AIADMK are also maneuvering to form a government, with AIADMK reportedly seeking DMK’s support. The legal dispute adds further uncertainty to the ongoing political deadlock in the state.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman rode a specially designed smart car created by physically disabled college student Wakimul Islam and praised his innovative initiative. The event took place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, where the Prime Minister inspected the vehicle and encouraged the young inventor.

According to Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Roni, several senior officials, including Chief Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Roni, Mostafa Zulfiqar Hasan, and Shahadat Hossain Swadhin, were present during the occasion. The Prime Minister’s engagement highlighted official recognition of Wakimul’s technological creativity and his contribution as a differently abled innovator.

The event underscored the government’s interest in supporting youth-led innovation and inclusive technology development, as reflected in the Prime Minister’s personal encouragement to the student inventor.

Ten Bangladeshi nationals, including a child, were pushed back by Indian authorities through the Muraichhara border in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel from the local Muraichhara camp detained them around 7 a.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026, after noticing them wandering near the border area. Following identity verification, BGB handed them over to Kulaura Police Station at around 10:30 a.m.

According to police, the group—comprising one child, three women, and six men—had previously entered India illegally at different times. They were later detained by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and subsequently pushed back across the border into Bangladesh. After confirmation of their identities, BGB transferred them to the police, who later released them to their family members around 6 p.m.

Officials from both BGB and Kulaura Police confirmed the incident and the handover of the individuals to their relatives.

China’s aluminum exports increased by 15 percent in April compared with the same month last year, according to customs data released on Saturday and reported by Reuters. The country exported 598,000 tons of unprocessed aluminum and aluminum products in April, bringing total exports for the first four months of the year to 2.05 million tons.

The rise comes as global supply chains face severe disruption due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, which has effectively halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts noted that the war has sharply constrained aluminum supply worldwide, placing China in a key position to meet global demand.

As the conflict continues, many international buyers have begun stockpiling aluminum and related components in anticipation of higher production costs and raw material prices. To meet the surge in foreign orders, Chinese factories have accelerated production and delivery, further boosting the country’s export momentum.

Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman MP visited the injured July fighters undergoing treatment at Vejthani International Hospital in Bangkok on Saturday, May 9, 2026. During the visit, he met with the seriously injured individuals, inquired about their medical progress, and urged doctors and officials to ensure the best possible care for them.

Dr. Rahman praised the courage, sacrifice, and contributions of the July fighters and prayed for their full and speedy recovery. The hospitalized fighters, in turn, called on the opposition leader to take effective steps toward implementing the July Charter and the referendum verdict.

He was accompanied on the visit by his foreign affairs adviser, Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem Arman MP.