The United States and Ukraine have signed a mineral resource agreement granting the US priority access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and future reconstruction investment opportunities in Kyiv. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko signed the deal. According to the Treasury, the agreement reflects the Trump administration’s strong commitment to a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. Trump recently emphasized that the US should receive benefits in exchange for aiding Kyiv—this deal aligns with that stance.

Residents of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) who maintain gardens on their rooftops or in their yards will receive a 5% tax rebate, said Administrator Mohammad Ejaz. Starting May 11, 2025, DNCC will host a Tax Fair where citizens can easily pay taxes and avail special incentives. At the 6th DNCC Corporation meeting, several structures named during the previous authoritarian government were renamed. These include: “Shaheed Zayan Chowdhury Playground” in Banani renamed to “Banani Chairman Bari Field,” “Bir Muktijoddha Asaduzzaman Khan Complex” in Madhubagh renamed to “Madhubagh Community Center,” and “Harun Mollah Flyover” in Kalshi renamed to “Kalshi Flyover.”

A 150-200 kg military ordnance believed to be from World War II was safely defused in Munshiganj’s Aralia village. Discovered during excavation on April 28, the device was covered by the landowner before police and the army confirmed it was a bomb. The CTTC bomb disposal unit later neutralized it. Authorities say it’s the largest bomb ever recovered in Bangladesh.

At Ramgarh Government College in Khagrachhari, 29 students were expelled for submitting their exam papers early. Two teachers were removed from invigilation duties for protesting the expulsions. Lecturer Nazmus Sakib began a hunger strike in protest, joined by students. The administration later withdrew the expulsion and reinstated the teachers after widespread outcry.

Bangladesh repaid more than $3 billion in foreign debt during the first nine months of the 2024–25 fiscal year, with $2.01 billion in principal and $1.2 billion in interest, according to an ERD report. Total loan inflows during the period were about $4.81 billion, with the largest disbursements from the ADB ($1.22B), World Bank ($1.07B), and Japan ($890M). Meanwhile, the country received fresh aid commitments totaling $3 billion, a sharp drop from $7.24 billion in the same period last year.

The traditional sweet ‘Patkhiri’ from Munshiganj has been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status, recognizing it as a culturally significant local product. Industry adviser Adilur Rahman Khan emphasized the importance of developing GI-certified products commercially to empower local producers. Patkhiri now joins the list of 55 GI-recognized Bangladeshi products, including the famed Jamdani saree.

Bangladesh’s foreign currency reserves stood at $27.41 billion at the end of April, with the IMF-compliant BPM6 method showing reserves at $22.05 billion. Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Arif Hossain Khan expressed confidence that IMF targets for June will be met. April saw record remittance inflows of $3.29 billion, the highest in the country’s history.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has requested detailed information from the Power Development Board regarding the Adani power deal. The ACC is probing why the contract was signed without involving the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

Israel has declared a national emergency as wildfires spread rapidly across the country. Defense Minister Israel Katz has requested military assistance to control the blaze. Several major highways, including Route 1 between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, have been closed, and train services on this route have been suspended.

Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus has directed officials to expedite talks with potential foreign investors to enhance Chittagong Port’s capacity. He emphasized involving global-standard operators to make Bangladesh’s ports competitive internationally. Current handling capacity stands at 1.37 million units, with a target of reaching 7.86 million units within five years.

Three doctors testified on the fourth day of the trial in the rape and murder case of young Achhia. So far, 19 out of 37 witnesses have testified. Discrepancies in the incident’s reported time remain unresolved, but the prosecution hopes the verdict will be announced within 15 days.

The Election Commission (EC) has submitted 12 reform proposals to the Cabinet Division, including the integration of armed forces alongside law enforcement during elections. EC Commissioner Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah said these proposals are immediately actionable and have been finalized after extensive review.

The Chamber Court of the Appellate Division has suspended the bail granted to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of the United Sanatani Awakening Alliance of Bangladesh, in a sedition case. Justice Md. Rezaul Haque issued the order Wednesday evening. Earlier in the day, a High Court bench comprising Justices Md. Ataur Rahman and Md. Ali granted him bail. Following that, the state filed an appeal to the Chamber Court seeking a stay on the bail order.

Fayez Ahmed Tayeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor, announced the launch of Citizen Services Bangladesh, a platform designed to bring all government services under one umbrella. Service outlets will be established in every village, ward, and city. From May 1, applications will open for entrepreneurs interested in managing these outlets. Services will include birth registration, NID correction, utility bill payments, and more—aimed at saving citizens time, money, and hassle.

Economic Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed stated that Bangladesh will negotiate with the United States over retaliatory tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump. “We won’t provoke the U.S., but we have 90 days to resolve this issue through dialogue,” he said. He also urged businesses to become more competitive and assured that the upcoming budget would be realistic and implementable.