Customers of Islami Bank have resumed protests in Dhaka demanding the resignation of newly appointed chairman Khurshid Alam and all board members, along with the reinstatement of former managing director Omar Farooq Khan. The demonstration began at 9 a.m. Tuesday in front of Islami Bank Tower in Motijheel under the banner of the Conscious Customers Forum. Law enforcement agencies have been deployed in large numbers, including water cannons and armored vehicles, to maintain order.

Protesters expressed concern over recent changes in the bank’s board and the appointment of the new chairman, calling for transparency in management. Witnesses reported that customers, shareholders, and people from various professions gathered at the site, chanting slogans and voicing their demands. On Monday, a similar protest and human chain were held at the bank’s headquarters, where clashes reportedly occurred between demonstrators and police.

The unrest follows the resignation of former chairman Professor M. Zubaidur Rahman on May 24 and the subsequent appointment of Khurshid Alam, a former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank. The board later accepted Omar Farooq Khan’s resignation in a virtual meeting chaired by Alam.

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Sirajganj fined several transport operators on June 2, 2026, for charging passengers excessive fares during the post-Eid return journey. The joint operation with the Rapid Action Battalion took place between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Jamuna Bridge West Circle and Soydabad areas. Five CNG auto-rickshaw drivers and two bus supervisors from SI Paribahan and Jamuna Line Paribahan were fined a total of 18,000 taka. Additionally, 24,000 taka in overcharged fares was refunded to passengers on the spot.

Passengers reported that regular fares of 300–350 taka had risen to 500–600 taka, with some being asked to pay more for seats. Bus supervisors cited increased fuel prices and empty return trips as reasons for the higher fares. Highway police officials said traffic on the Jamuna Bridge western highway remained normal without congestion, and no formal complaints had been received.

Officials confirmed that joint task force operations to protect passenger rights and monitor transport fares will continue in the coming days.

After Eid-ul-Azha, leather trading has intensified across Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon, and Chapainawabganj, but small and seasonal traders are facing severe losses due to non-implementation of government-fixed prices. At Natore’s Chakbaidyanath leather market, many traders returned unsold hides or sold them at a loss, with salted cowhides fetching Tk 900–1,000 and unsalted ones Tk 600–800, though most sold for much less. Goat hides saw almost no buyers, and traders reported prices as low as Tk 300–600 per cowhide in some areas.

Wholesalers argued that poor-quality and disease-affected hides reduced prices, while traders blamed a market syndicate and lack of enforcement. The Rajshahi Leather Traders Group acknowledged weak market conditions, with many small traders still holding unsold stock. Experts noted that recurring crises stem from inadequate preservation systems, weak tannery capacity, and lack of transparency in market management.

Economists and traders urged coordinated action among collectors, wholesalers, and tanneries to ensure fair prices and transparency. Authorities said they are monitoring to prevent cross-border smuggling, while stakeholders warned that without price enforcement, small traders, madrassas, and orphanages will suffer most.

In Chattogram, large quantities of sacrificial animal hides have gone to waste again this year, continuing a trend since 2018. Seasonal traders abandoned the market after failing to get fair prices, blaming a powerful syndicate and poor coordination by the Ministry of Commerce. They said the recurring losses are breaking the rawhide supply chain and damaging the national economy.

Industry sources cited several reasons for the sector’s ongoing crisis, including the non-operation of the central effluent treatment plant in Savar, which limits Bangladesh’s competitiveness in international markets. Traders also criticized the government’s annual price-setting process for salted rawhide, claiming it ignores real market conditions and involves participants with little connection to the industry. As a result, confusion spreads among seasonal traders, who often buy hides at inflated rates and incur losses.

Local tannery owners and traders said the government’s fixed prices—ranging from Tk 56 to 67 per square foot—do not reflect actual trading values. They urged authorities to monitor tannery purchases and focus on rebuilding domestic and international markets to revive the struggling leather industry.

During the Eid-ul-Azha holidays, many rural areas of Bangladesh faced severe power outages lasting up to 8–10 hours, causing widespread suffering among residents. Districts such as Bhola, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Rangpur, Patuakhali, Munshiganj, Satkhira, and Jashore were among the worst affected. In some places, locals protested in front of electricity offices. Officials from the Power Division attributed the disruptions to damage caused by seasonal storms that toppled poles and severed transmission lines.

The Power Division stated that electricity demand was low during the holidays due to the closure of offices and factories, but storm damage limited supply to about 5,500 megawatts. Maintenance teams were deployed nationwide, and most transmission lines were repaired within two days. The Power Development Board reported that assessments of total damage were still underway.

Separately, the government reimposed its directive requiring all shopping malls, markets, and shops to close by 7 p.m. from June 1 to conserve electricity. The temporary extension to 10 p.m. for Eid shopping had expired, and the rule now also applies to billboards, fairs, and cultural events.

Islami Bank Bangladesh held a virtual board meeting late Monday night under what reports described as pressure from Bangladesh Bank. The meeting, chaired by newly appointed chairman Khurshid Alam, lasted about 40 minutes and included five board members. During the session, the resignation of Managing Director Omar Faruk Khan was accepted, and Altaf Hossain was assigned as acting MD until a new appointment is made.

According to Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan, the meeting was held with the central bank’s permission, and no direct pressure was exerted. He clarified that online meetings can be conducted outside regular banking hours. The meeting was originally planned to be held in person but was shifted online due to protests by customers outside the bank’s head office in Dhaka.

Earlier in May, former chairman M. Zubaidur Rahman resigned, and Khurshid Alam, a former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, was appointed as the new chairman. His appointment has faced opposition from a political faction linked to the bank, leading to ongoing demonstrations, including Monday’s protest in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Bank has permitted Islami Bank to conduct a board meeting online, despite its own 2024 directive that prohibited virtual meetings for all banks. The meeting was called to introduce the bank’s newly appointed chairman, Khurshid Alam, who replaced M. Zubaidur Rahman after Rahman resigned on the central bank’s advice. However, the meeting could not take place due to protests by depositors under the Islami Bank Customer Forum, who gathered at the bank’s head office demanding the chairman’s removal and the return of allegedly laundered funds.

According to the report, police officers were seen urging the bank’s managing director to proceed with the online meeting, while protesters demonstrated outside his office. The Bangladesh Bank spokesperson stated that a political party was interfering in the bank’s affairs and warned that no political influence would be tolerated in banking decisions.

As of the report’s publication, protests continued outside Islami Bank’s headquarters, and the customer forum announced plans for human chains in front of all branches nationwide the following day.

The government of Bangladesh has reinstated its directive requiring all shopping malls, markets, and shops across the country to close by 7pm, effective June 1. The same restriction applies to lighting on billboards, as well as to ongoing and upcoming fairs, trade fairs, and cultural events, which must also conclude by 7pm. Officials from the Power Division said the measure aims to conserve electricity.

The Power Division’s Coordination-2 branch issued the order on Monday, sending it to all city corporation mayors, administrators, divisional commissioners, and district commissioners for implementation. The earlier 7pm closing rule had been temporarily relaxed to 10pm during the Eid-ul-Azha period to facilitate business activities.

With the end of the Eid concession, the previous schedule has been reimposed. The Power Division has requested all relevant administrative authorities to take necessary steps to ensure compliance with the directive.

Bangladesh Postal Department’s mobile financial service Nagad achieved multiple transaction records in May 2026, marking the highest monthly total in its history. The company processed transactions worth Tk 44,639 crore during the month, surpassing its previous record of Tk 41,469 crore in March. Daily transaction records were also broken several times before Eid-ul-Azha, with the highest single-day total reaching Tk 2,177 crore on May 26.

Officials attributed the surge to increased financial activity around Eid, including cash-in, cash-out, remittance receipts, mobile recharges, bill payments, and shopping transactions. Nagad also played a key role in distributing government allowances and benefits during the month. Administrator Md. Motasim Billah said Nagad’s low transaction costs and free send-money service have made it highly popular among users, helping to build trust and sustain growth.

According to Billah, technological improvements have strengthened transaction security, further boosting customer confidence. Since its inception, Nagad has aimed to digitize financial services, accelerate rural economic activity, and expand financial inclusion across Bangladesh.

Islami Bank had called a board meeting to facilitate the joining of its new chairman, but the meeting could not take place due to protests by customers. The bank’s acting managing director (MD) obtained permission from the central bank to hold the meeting online, yet that plan also failed under pressure from protesting customers. Allegations emerged that law enforcement officials pressured the MD to proceed with the online meeting.

On Monday afternoon, police officers were reportedly seen in the MD’s office urging him to conduct the meeting online, while customers gathered outside in protest. Leaders of the customer forum told journalists that police and Detective Branch officials were applying pressure similar to what they claimed happened during a 2017 takeover of the bank. They vowed to resist any such attempt.

Acting MD Altaf Hossain stated that despite receiving central bank approval, he refrained from holding the online board meeting out of respect for customer demands.

China has introduced new regulations imposing strict controls on overseas investment and technology transfer. Prime Minister Li Qiang signed the decree on May 5, and it will take effect on July 1, according to the state news agency Xinhua. The rules were finalized after approval at a State Council executive meeting on April 17. They apply to Chinese companies, institutions, and individual residents engaging in outbound investment.

Beijing stated that the move aims to strengthen oversight of capital flows amid rising geopolitical tensions. The regulations prohibit investors from transferring restricted or controlled products, technologies, services, or data abroad without government approval. They also ban unauthorized technology or information transfers through overseas employment, technical assistance, or training programs, closing potential loopholes for export control evasion.

The new framework includes national security reviews for foreign investments or asset transfers that could affect national security. China also warned that foreign individuals or entities attempting to harm its sovereignty, security, or development interests may face countermeasures.

Russia has announced a temporary ban on jet fuel exports starting Monday to stabilize its domestic energy supply. According to a government statement cited by Turkish media outlet Yeni Safak, the restriction will remain in effect until November 30. The ban also applies to jet fuel purchased through commodity exchanges, though exceptions include shipments already cleared through customs and supplies under intergovernmental agreements.

Officials stated that the primary goal of the measure is to ensure stability in the domestic fuel market. Earlier in April, Russia had taken a similar step by restricting petrol exports until July 31 to manage seasonal demand and price pressures driven by global market conditions.

The government emphasized that it continues to work toward maintaining a steady and reliable energy supply within the country.

Thousands of customers and shareholders of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC staged a protest in front of the bank’s head office in Motijheel, Dhaka, on Monday, demanding the cancellation of newly appointed chairman Md. Khurshid Alam. Police used batons, water cannons, tear gas, and sound grenades to disperse the demonstrators, but they regrouped and continued their sit-in outside the Islami Bank Tower. As of the latest report, protesters and police remained in a tense standoff at the site.

The demonstration was organized under the banner of the Islami Bank Affected Customers Coordination Council. Participants began gathering from various parts of the capital and beyond early in the morning to join the human chain program. Police later dispersed the crowd, but the protest resumed shortly afterward. According to Motijheel Zone Deputy Commissioner Harunur Rashid, the situation was under control.

The ongoing standoff highlights growing unrest among the bank’s stakeholders following the leadership change, though no further details on official responses or next steps were available.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit announced that the government has decided to adjust fuel prices due to rising pressure in the international energy market. Speaking to reporters at his office in the Secretariat on Monday, he said the government would act quickly to reduce prices if global oil rates decline significantly, aiming to ease consumer burdens.

The minister explained that fuel prices are reviewed monthly, though no adjustment was made in May. He noted that about 66 percent of the country’s fuel consumption is diesel, which receives the highest government subsidy, and its price has been kept unchanged to protect ordinary consumers. He cited the Middle East crisis as a key factor behind the recent adjustments and reaffirmed that unnecessary price hikes would be avoided.

Amit added that the government is pursuing long-term plans to reduce subsidies by expanding renewable energy use and advancing major projects such as offshore exploration, a second Eastern Refinery unit, and new LNG infrastructure to ensure stable energy supply and lower production costs.

A protest organized by customers and shareholders of Islami Bank Bangladesh in front of Islami Bank Tower in Motijheel turned violent on Monday, according to a statement from the Victim Customers Coordination Council. Demonstrators claimed that police used batons, tear gas, water cannons, and sound grenades to disperse their human chain, leaving more than a hundred people injured and around fifty shot. The incident occurred during a demonstration opposing the appointment of Khurshid Alam as the bank’s new chairman.

The council stated that thousands joined the protest demanding the cancellation of Khurshid Alam’s appointment and the reinstatement of former managing director Omar Faruk Khan. Despite police intervention, protesters regrouped in front of the bank tower. Council president Professor Nur Nabi Manik alleged that the appointment, made through a Bangladesh Bank circular on May 24, reflected government interference and an attempt to reintroduce individuals linked to S Alam Group into the bank.

He further claimed that Islami Bank is facing a liquidity crisis, with customers struggling to withdraw funds. The protesters demanded the removal of S Alam Group affiliates and restoration of control to the bank’s original owners.