Leaders of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (Chaksu) have demanded the installation of air conditioning in the university’s central library and the establishment of a new library in Chittagong city. The demands were announced at a press conference held in front of the central library on Monday afternoon, led by General Secretary Saeed Bin Habib. Other Chaksu leaders, including library and cafeteria affairs secretary Masum Billah, assistant secretary for female student welfare Jannatul Ferdous Rita, and executive members Sohan and Adnan Sharif, were also present.

In a written statement, Saeed Bin Habib urged that effective steps be taken to install air conditioning in the central library with the approval of the 2026–2027 fiscal budget. He also called for a full-fledged city-based library for students residing in the city and suggested using the Fine Arts Institute as a temporary library until a permanent facility is established.

Masum Billah highlighted several ongoing initiatives to modernize the library, including a separate reading corner, generator installation for uninterrupted power, expanded prayer and study spaces, and extended library hours until 10 p.m.

The second funeral prayer for popular content creator and 'July Fighter' Karina Kaiser, daughter of renowned footballer Kaiser Hamid, was held at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Sunday night after 10 p.m. Earlier, her first funeral prayer took place at the Banani DOHS field around 7:15 p.m. Her body had arrived from India earlier that evening and was taken to her family residence in Banani DOHS before the first prayer.

Karina Kaiser passed away in Chennai, India, where she had been receiving advanced medical treatment for liver complications and other health issues. Her body was flown back to Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon and brought directly from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to her home.

The two funeral prayers drew attention due to her popularity as a digital content creator and her family’s prominence in Bangladeshi sports and media circles.

The Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RACSU) organized its first fact-checking training workshop at the university’s Senate Building on Sunday afternoon. The event, arranged by RACSU’s Media and Publication Division, aimed to raise awareness about verifying information and countering misinformation. Around 300 students participated, and certificates were distributed at the end of the session. Kaduruddin Shishir, editor of investigative outlet The Descent, conducted the training, providing hands-on instruction on fact-checking techniques, verification methods, and identifying digital misinformation.

During the workshop, Shishir emphasized analyzing websites and visit data to identify sources spreading false information and warned against politically biased media. He also advised caution with emotionally charged news related to religion, surveys, conflict, and nationalism, noting that such topics often spread falsehoods. RACSU leaders, including Media and Publication Secretary Mujahid Islam and Vice President Mostakur Rahman Zahid, highlighted the importance of verifying information before sharing and praised the students’ active participation.

The event was attended by Rajshahi University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Mohammad Main Uddin as chief guest, along with RACSU executives and representatives from various campus journalist organizations.

Traffic movement through the Karnaphuli Tunnel in Chattogram will be regulated at night from May 17 to May 20 due to scheduled maintenance work. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority announced the measure in a notice signed by Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Masud Rana Shikder.

According to the notice, traffic will be diverted as needed between the 'Patenga-Anwara' or 'Anwara-Patenga' tubes from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night. Depending on vehicle pressure, passengers may have to wait between five and ten minutes at either end of the tunnel. The authority requested cooperation from all concerned to ensure safe and efficient maintenance operations.

The temporary control aims to facilitate routine upkeep of the tunnel while minimizing disruption to nighttime traffic flow.

Train movement on the Nilphamari-Saidpur railway line returned to normal after being suspended for about five and a half hours on Sunday. The disruption began around 8:15 a.m. when the 'Khulna Mail' train derailed near Khayrat Nagar railway station in Nilphamari due to tree branches falling onto the track. A relief train from Parbatipur arrived and recovered the derailed train around 1:00 p.m.

According to Nilphamari railway station master Mithun Roy, the train departed for Khulna at around 1:30 p.m. after being re-railed. No damage was reported in the incident, though two front wheels of the engine had come off the track because of the fallen branches.

The restoration of service allowed normal train operations to resume on the Nilphamari-Saidpur route later in the afternoon.

Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia, established on November 22, 1979, has seen 14 vice-chancellors since its founding, but only one has completed a full term. The university, the first public institution founded in independent Bangladesh, has faced frequent leadership changes due to allegations of irregularities, corruption, and political influence. Most vice-chancellors were removed or forced to resign before completing their tenure.

The only vice-chancellor to serve a full term was Professor Md. Harun-ur-Rashid Askari, who led from August 21, 2016, to August 20, 2020, and introduced nine new departments including Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacy. The latest appointee, Professor Dr. Nakib Mohammad Nasrullah from Dhaka University, took office on September 24, 2024, following the resignation of Professor Sheikh Abdus Salam after the July 2024 political upheaval.

Teachers from Rajshahi University and Dhaka University have been appointed most frequently as IU vice-chancellors, while only three have come from IU itself. With the BNP now in power, speculation has arisen about another leadership change, and IU students are demanding that the next vice-chancellor be selected from within the university.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) has reported that student enrollment in madrasas is increasing while numbers in schools and colleges are falling. According to its data, from 2020 to 2024, school and college enrollment dropped by several hundred thousand, while madrasa enrollment rose by about 250,000. The 2025 education statistics, yet to be published, are expected to show a continuation of this trend. BANBEIS officials confirmed that the detailed report will likely be released in June 2026.

Education experts attribute the shift to declining trust in mainstream education, citing outdated curricula, inconsistent policy decisions, and the high cost of schooling. They note that many parents now prefer madrasas, where students can learn Bangla, English, and Arabic at lower costs. The COVID-19 pandemic also accelerated this shift, as some madrasas remained open when schools were closed.

However, some academics, including a senior professor from Rajshahi University, have questioned the accuracy of BANBEIS data, claiming that madrasa enrollment is actually decreasing in certain areas.

Teachers at Barishal University have withdrawn their academic shutdown following assurances from newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Mamunur Rashid. The decision was announced in a statement on Saturday, confirming that classes and examinations would continue despite the university entering a 19-day general holiday starting May 17.

The teachers had launched their second phase of shutdown on May 10, demanding resolution of long-standing promotion-related complications. During the protest, they declared former vice-chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Toufiq Alam unwelcome and locked several administrative offices, halting academic and administrative activities and suspending 46 final exams. On May 14, the government replaced vice-chancellors at 11 public universities, including Barishal University, appointing Dr. Rashid, previously the institution’s treasurer.

After discussions with the new vice-chancellor, teachers expressed satisfaction with his commitment to address promotion issues in coordination with the University Grants Commission. Faculty members and students welcomed the move, hoping it would restore normal academic operations and resolve the administrative crisis soon.

A 15-member delegation from the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) has departed for a weeklong visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Embassy. The team, led by DUCSU Vice President Sadik Kayem, left the university campus for Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday evening. Before departure, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam, who wished them a successful and fruitful trip and prayed for their health, safety, and well-being.

The delegation includes DUCSU General Secretary S. M. Farhad, Assistant General Secretary Mohiuddin Khan, and other secretaries representing various portfolios such as science and technology, culture, research, sports, and human rights. During the weeklong program, the DUCSU team will visit several universities, student unions, educational and research institutions, science and technology centers, and economic organizations across China.

They are also scheduled to explore sites of historical, cultural, and political significance in the country as part of the exchange initiative.

Professor Dr. Ekramul Haque has joined as the new Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The appointment was approved by the President and Chancellor and formalized through a notification from the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education. He assumed office on May 15, 2026, for a four-year term as the 16th Vice-Chancellor of BUET.

Dr. Haque is a well-known academic and researcher in the field of higher education and engineering research in Bangladesh. He earned his BSc in Civil Engineering from BUET in 1989, ranking third in the merit list, and began his career there as a lecturer the same year. Over the years, he was promoted to assistant professor in 1992, associate professor in 1997, and professor in 2005, later becoming a Grade 1 professor in 2017. He also serves as the Director of BUET’s Bureau of Research, Testing and Consultation (BRTC).

He obtained his PhD from the University of Tokyo in 1996 and has published over 50 research papers in international journals. Under his leadership, BUET is expected to advance further in education, research, technology innovation, and international collaboration.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanom Rita stated that improving the quality of education is essential for ensuring the country’s overall development, emphasizing that the foundation of such progress begins at the primary level. She said this on Saturday afternoon while inaugurating the foundation stone of a new building at Bethuazani Government Primary School in Manikganj Sadar upazila.

The event was attended by District Commissioner Nazmun Ara Sultana as a special guest, along with several local political leaders. The minister directed the concerned authorities to complete the construction work of the new school building quickly and with high quality. Local residents welcomed the initiative and expressed hope that the new facility would enhance the educational environment in the area.

According to the minister, the government continues to work consistently on improving infrastructure, modernization, and quality in primary education to strengthen the foundation for national development.

A bridge built two decades ago in Rupnagar area of Baghasura Union under Madhabpur upazila, Habiganj, remains unused because no connecting road was ever constructed. The bridge, built at a cost of about 1.2 million taka over a canal on the Shahjibazar–Baghasura–Chatiain Bazar road, has gathered moss and developed cracks due to long neglect.

According to local sources, the original plan was to replace an old, risky bridge, but opposition from some influential villagers prevented its demolition. To avoid losing the allocated budget, the contractor built the new bridge beside the old one instead. Residents still use the old bridge daily, facing safety risks. The upazila engineer said the bridge was built before his tenure and that the adjacent landowner had refused to provide land for the approach road. The landowner stated he would sell the land only at current market value, while a local union official noted that just two decimals of land worth around 200,000 taka are needed to make the bridge usable.

Local authorities said they will discuss the issue with higher officials to find a solution.

The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka held its 58th convocation on Friday at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka. A total of 365 students from four programs—BBA, MBA, EMBA, and DBA—received their degrees. Among them, 116 earned BBA, 126 MBA, 122 EMBA, and one DBA degree. The event was attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A B M Obaidul Islam as chief guest and chaired by IBA Director Professor Dr. Abu Yusuf Md. Abdullah.

Former interim government economic adviser Professor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed delivered the keynote speech, urging graduates to contribute responsibly to the nation’s socioeconomic development. He reflected on his own student days and expressed confidence in the graduates’ potential. The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the students for overcoming challenges and emphasized the need for business professionals who combine knowledge, ethics, and perseverance in a transforming global economy.

Professor Abdullah encouraged entrepreneurship, highlighting the value of ambition and innovation. Professor Dr. Ifthekharul Amin advised graduates to use their skills to improve the world. This year, 26 students made the Director’s Honor List, and two received gold medals for outstanding academic performance.

A severe traffic jam stretching about 13 kilometers formed on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway’s Gazaria section in Munshiganj early Friday. The congestion began after multiple covered vans collided on the Comilla-bound lane near the Meghna-Gomti Bridge slope, blocking the road completely. As a result, hundreds of vehicles remained stuck for hours, leaving passengers and drivers in extreme distress under the scorching heat.

According to highway police and local sources, the accident caused the vehicles to block the entire lane, halting traffic movement. On-site observations showed women, children, and elderly passengers suffering inside buses for hours. Drivers reported being stuck for more than two hours on routes that normally take only minutes to cross.

Gazaria Highway Police outpost in-charge Md. Shah Kamal Akand said the damaged vehicles were quickly removed from the road, but heavy weekend traffic was delaying full recovery. He expressed hope that normal traffic flow would resume soon.

The 2026 Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Dakhil, and equivalent examinations in Bangladesh have been marred by repeated incidents of wrong question paper distribution since the exams began on April 21. Multiple centers under various education boards mistakenly handed out incorrect subjects or set codes, disrupting exams and causing distress among students and parents. The latest reported case occurred on May 10 in Dinajpur, where a physics test was conducted using the wrong set code.

Education board officials attributed the errors to negligence by teachers responsible for distributing papers, particularly confusion between regular and irregular candidates’ question sets. Several teachers and center secretaries have been relieved of duties or warned, while authorities assured that affected students would not suffer academically. The Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee and the Madrasa Education Board confirmed disciplinary measures and additional monitoring.

The exams also faced challenges from adverse weather, power outages, and rumors of question leaks, which the Education Ministry later dismissed as false. Despite these disruptions, officials stated that results would be evaluated fairly and that corrective steps were underway to prevent recurrence.