At a consultation meeting on Tuesday involving 17 political parties, BIDA Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq bin Harun acknowledged that Bangladesh is facing various investment challenges. "We are committed to creating a favorable investment climate, but there are numerous crises to overcome," he said. “This discussion aims to outline what we are currently doing and what we plan to achieve in the next 6–8 months.” Stressing that investment and employment are national interests beyond political boundaries, he added, “No decisions will be made that go against the national interest. The Chattogram Port is not a regional facility; it belongs to the entire nation.”

Shahriar Alam Samya, a student of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University, was stabbed to death near the Suhrawardy Udyan open stage around midnight on Tuesday. Provost Mahfuzul Haque Supon confirmed that Samya succumbed to knife injuries. Samya, son of Fakhrul Alam from Sirajganj, was also the literary and publication secretary of the DU unit of Chhatra Dal. The incident occurred when his motorcycle collided with another near the park, leading to an altercation. During the scuffle, he was fatally stabbed by one of the assailants who then fled the scene.

Following a request from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), a court has issued a travel ban on 14 individuals associated with S. Alam Group in connection with corruption allegations. Those barred from leaving the country include the chairman’s personal secretary Akiz Uddin, former managing director ABM Mozammel Haque, and associates Nazrul Islam, Alnar Ali, Bedarul Islam, Jasim Uddin, Roksana Khatun, Rabiya Khatun, Nasir Uddin, Mohammad Saifu Uddin, Golamur Rahman, SM Jamal Uddin, Hasmat Ara Begum, and another individual named Mohammad Saifu Uddin.

The Anti-Discrimination Workers’ Unity Forum's sit-in protest has effectively paralyzed operations at the Ministry of Public Administration and the APD Division. Senior secretaries were reportedly unable to enter their offices. Protesters claimed that although autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stepped down, her loyalists still control the bureaucracy, aided by opportunist officers. They demanded the dismissal of these “corruption beneficiaries and fascist collaborators” and called for the cancellation of all contractual appointments. The forum has declared secretaries Md. Nazmul Ahsan, Dr. Md. Imdad Ullah Mian, Jayeda Parveen, Md. Mofidul Islam, and Md. Tofazzal Hossain as persona non grata.

Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam, during the finals of the "IGP Cup Cricket Championship 2024–25," stated that police should be discouraged from using deadly weapons like rifles. “At most, police should carry shotguns—this is a reasonable public expectation,” he said. He emphasized the use of non-lethal weapons in maintaining law and order, aligning with global policing standards. “In extreme scenarios with high threats or rebellion, stricter measures might be necessary, but non-lethal enforcement should be our norm,” he added.

Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Adviser on Primary and Mass Education, has stressed the need for a humane and empathetic relationship between teachers and students in primary schools. Speaking at an education seminar, he said that a strong teacher-student bond lays the foundation for transformative learning. He advocated integrating co-curricular activities and moral education into the standard curriculum to foster teamwork and holistic development. “A compassionate teacher-student relationship can leave a lifelong impact on a student,” he noted.

Adviser Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan has held former mayors of Chattogram City Corporation and ex-chairmen of Chattogram Development Authority responsible for the city’s chronic waterlogging crisis. Speaking at a public event, he emphasized the need to penalize individuals who dump waste into canals and drains. “This level of waterlogging didn’t exist during my student years,” he remarked. Unauthorized construction on canals, including houses and markets, has exacerbated the problem. Under the city’s waterlogging mitigation project, efforts are ongoing to reclaim these canals. However, he warned that cleaning operations are pointless if waste dumping continues. “We’ve placed about 10,000 dustbins; it’s time people used them,” he added.

Professor Dr. Mohammad Toufiq Alam of Rajshahi University’s Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering has been appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor of Barishal University. According to a circular from the Ministry of Education, Dr. Alam will serve in the interim role until a permanent appointment is made. He will receive salary and benefits equivalent to his current position and will be entitled to all associated privileges as per university regulations.

Prominent political analyst and adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul is scheduled to visit Malaysia on May 13 to hear grievances from Bangladeshi expatriates. On May 14, he will attend a public hearing at the Bangladesh High Commission, where issues like passport application corruption, the cancellation of foreign outsourcing firm 'e-Scale,' ensuring passport services under government management, and removing corrupt officials are expected to surface. On May 15, Dr. Nazrul is set to meet Malaysia’s Minister of Human Resources. Allegations have been raised by underprivileged staff at the High Commission that Ambassador Shamim Ahsan, Deputy High Commissioner Khurshid Alam Khastagir, and other officials are exploiting expatriates through corruption.

For the first time in over 18 years, interim government Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus is set to return to his ancestral village of Bathua in Hathazari upazila. The village is festively decorated in anticipation, and locals are celebrating his long-awaited homecoming. Extensive security measures have been taken ahead of his arrival. Key roads including the Chattogram-Kaptai and Chattogram-Khagrachhari-Rangamati highways have been beautified. Hathazari upazila and municipal officials have been working tirelessly to enhance the area's cleanliness and appearance for the occasion.

Facing unrelenting student protests for 29 consecutive days, the Ministry of Education announced late Tuesday night that Dr. Sucharita Sharmin has been relieved of her duties as Vice Chancellor of Barishal University and returned to her previous post. The official notification will be published on the ministry’s website shortly. Additionally, 11 faculty members have resigned from their administrative positions. Earlier in the day, students blocked the Barishal-Kuakata Highway adjacent to the campus from 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM as part of their protest program demanding the VC's removal. A hunger strike was also underway during the demonstration.

Five students of Barishal University have fallen seriously ill during a hunger strike demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Suchita Sharmin. As the protest enters its 29th day, students have also blocked the highway and initiated an academic and administrative shutdown, bringing campus operations to a halt. Eleven students began the indefinite hunger strike on the ground floor of the university on Monday night. Faculty, staff, and other employees have since expressed solidarity with the movement.

Hefazat-e-Islam leader Azizul Haque Islamabadi has condemned the labeling of dissenters as "pro-Pakistani," calling it an attempt to revive an Indian narrative in Bangladesh. “Indian media routinely brands anti-fascist and anti-hegemonic movements in Bangladesh as pro-Pakistan. This tactic is now being echoed locally,” he stated. Islamabadi noted that such rhetoric was used in the past to justify the persecution and execution of top Islamic figures under fascist regimes. “There is no such thing as ‘pro-Pakistan’ in Bangladesh. We call upon all anti-fascist groups to unite on the principles of 1947, 1971, and 2024 to build a pro-Bangladesh political culture,” he added.

Political analyst Professor Ali Riaz stated that the National Consensus Commission is committed to ensuring equal rights for all citizens through the establishment of a democratic and accountable state. “We are working on a framework to protect these rights,” he said. The commission aims to draft a national charter that outlines the vision for a future Bangladesh. “This initiative to reform the state structure is part of the long-standing struggle of political parties,” he added. The aspirations became especially prominent following the mass uprisings in July and August 2024.

In a joint operation by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), a crackdown was launched against illegal battery-powered rickshaws. DNCC Administrator Md. Ejaz stated that with the help of DESCO, unauthorized charging stations and production workshops will be shut down. He reiterated that rickshaws will not be allowed on main roads and must operate only on inner roads. "Battery-powered rickshaws are responsible for 20% of road accidents, disproportionately affecting women and children," he said. DNCC, in collaboration with BUET, has approved safe rickshaw designs for select manufacturers. By the end of this month, training programs for rickshaw drivers will begin. Only those who complete the training will receive valid licenses and be allowed to operate approved rickshaws in designated zones.