Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman stated during an officers' address on Wednesday that the national election must be held by December. He emphasized that decisions on matters like the humanitarian corridor must come from an elected government. On law and order, he noted the military is adopting a firmer stance. Regarding port-related issues, he said the opinions of local residents and political leaders are essential and that such decisions should come through a political government. He also revealed that the government has disregarded the army's proposed reforms. Despite the interim government's 10 months in power, no significant reforms have materialized, he added. The Army Chief asserted the military will never engage in any activity that harms national sovereignty. He also claimed the army was unaware of the July–August UN reports—although the UN had informed the government, the government failed to relay the information to the military. "We are supporting the interim government and will continue to do so," he affirmed.

Md. Moniruzzaman, a journalist for the daily Kalbela from Kaliakair, Gazipur, has been missing for two days. His mobile phone is switched off. His wife, Salma Akter, has filed a general diary with the police. Moniruzzaman reportedly left for Dhaka on Tuesday morning in a private car accompanied by Abdullah Al Mamun, the car’s driver Niranjan Sarker, and an unidentified individual. Around 5 PM, he contacted his wife and informed her that he had reached Dhaka. Since then, he has not returned home. The mobile phones of both Mamun and Sarker are also unreachable. It has been reported that a relative received a phone call demanding BDT 50,000 for Moniruzzaman’s return.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur stated that the country’s foreign exchange reserves are projected to reach between $27 billion and $30 billion by the end of June. The target for the next fiscal year is to boost reserves to $40 billion. “Microloans cannot be sustained with a 26% interest rate,” he warned. According to central bank data, as of May 19, the country’s total reserves stood at $25.44 billion.

Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, announced that mango exports to China mark a new milestone in Bangladesh’s agricultural trade. On May 28, the first shipment—about 50 tons—is scheduled to be sent. The government is also working to export jackfruit and other fruits. He added that farmers are receiving support through various projects and incentives to meet international standards. A centralized management information system is being introduced for all agencies under the ministry, and a long-term plan is in place to ensure safe and nutritious food for all by 2050.

Muhammad Ubaidul Haque, a former staff member at Oxford University, resigned from his position after receiving a faculty offer from BRAC University. After preparing to return to Bangladesh, he was abruptly informed that the offer had been suspended without explanation. Despite repeated queries, BRAC remained silent. Ubaid expressed frustration over the lack of transparency, noting his clean record and prior service at BRAC. The university later cited legal grounds for the withdrawal under the 1872 Contract Act, sparking public concern over the fairness of the decision.

Despite the Eid-ul-Azha holidays, all customs houses and duty stations across Bangladesh will remain operational, ensuring uninterrupted import-export activities. Only Eid day will be observed as a full closure. Eid-ul-Azha is expected to be celebrated on June 6 or 7. The government has declared a 10-day public holiday starting June 5.

According to Bangladesh Bank, looters have depleted nearly Tk 2 trillion in capital from 20 banks over the past 15 years. Beyond hostile takeovers, massive loans were misappropriated. As of Q4 2024 (Oct–Dec), capital shortfalls in these banks reached Tk 1.72 trillion, up from Tk 532.53 billion in Q3. Despite some banks having surplus capital, the net sector-wide deficit now stands at Tk 1.18 trillion. Additionally, total non-performing loans (NPLs) have risen to Tk 3.46 trillion by the end of December 2024.

Norwegian State Secretary Stine Renate Hohjem met with Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday and reaffirmed Norway’s continued support for Bangladesh. She conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and praised Dr. Yunus, stating, “You are well known in Norway; our Prime Minister often speaks highly of you.” In response, Dr. Yunus said, “The July uprising claimed many lives and caused severe damage to our economy. During the previous government, nearly $16 billion was laundered every year. We’ve inherited a mountain of unpaid bills.” He urged Norway to continue supporting efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis and noted that despite current hardships, global confidence in Bangladesh is steadily increasing.

Bangladesh has formally requested India to resolve the import restrictions on garments and several other goods via secretary-level bilateral trade talks. The Ministry of Commerce has sent a letter to the Indian government regarding the issue. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman stated, “We are not planning any retaliatory measures. Instead, we want to show India that such restrictions hurt both sides and we must find a solution.” He added that consultations have been held with stakeholders to avoid further deterioration and assured that Bangladesh would continue engaging diplomatically.

A Norwegian delegation led by State Secretary Steine Renate Håheim met with Bangladesh's environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Tuesday. Hasan reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to protecting its rivers and forests, noting that a significant portion of climate funds is allocated for this purpose. “Our goal is to restore ecological balance through reforestation and land recovery,” she said. The progress of small cold storage construction for farmers was also discussed. Concerns over shipbreaking workers' safety, waste management, and pollution were raised. Håheim expressed Norway’s interest in investing in renewable energy and eco-friendly projects in Bangladesh. “We are eager to collaborate for sustainable development,” she said.

To pave the way for negotiations aimed at reducing additional U.S. tariffs, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has approved lowering tariffs on at least 100 import items in the upcoming budget. The decision also includes raising the tax-free income threshold, setting the minimum individual tax at Tk 5,000, and increasing the maximum tax rate to 30%. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) believes this move could help reduce the trade deficit with the U.S., especially on state-only purchases such as oil, gas, weapons, fighter jet parts, and missiles. Notably, the U.S. had previously imposed an additional 37% duty, raising total tariffs on Bangladeshi products to 52%.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan announced Monday night that the country's foreign exchange reserves have reached $25.44 billion. However, according to the IMF’s BPM6 calculation, usable reserves stand at $20.07 billion. As of May 7, reserves under BPM6 were $20.29 billion, while total gross reserves were $25.67 billion. Earlier, Bangladesh had repaid $1.88 billion in dues to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU).

Press Council Chairman Justice AKM Abdul Hakim urged media professionals to remain neutral and avoid sensationalism and unethical journalism. “The media is the fourth pillar of democracy. Its core duty is to present objective, impartial news,” he said. He emphasized that journalists must act professionally, without personal bias, and follow their organization's editorial guidelines. He also warned against media trials and stressed respect for the judiciary.

The US is moving forward with a new law to impose a 5% tax on all remittances sent abroad, under the proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” introduced by Donald Trump. The bill has passed the budget committee and awaits a full congressional vote. While US citizens are exempt, non-citizens—including millions of Indian workers—will be affected. India, the top recipient of US remittances, could suffer significant economic consequences, with $32.9 billion sent from the US in 2023–24 alone.

Canadian High Commissioner Ajit Singh met with the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Air Vice Marshal Md. Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan, on Sunday. During the meeting, Singh expressed Canada’s interest in investing in Bangladesh’s airport infrastructure, particularly through the provision of soft loans. The CAAB Chairman advised the High Commissioner to submit a formal proposal and assured cooperation if the project proves feasible.