Two faculty members from Comilla University have faced disciplinary actions over sexual misconduct. Associate Professor Md. Rezwan Talukdar was removed from his position as department head in 2020 following allegations of sexually harassing an evening program student and making derogatory comments about colleagues. In September last year, Assistant Professor Jasim Uddin of the Finance and Banking Department was placed on compulsory leave after he was accused of assigning grades to students post-resignation and harassing three students. Additionally, two students were expelled over drug use.

Two accused individuals escaped from police custody in Chattogram on Tuesday while being transferred to a prison van after a court appearance. The fugitives have been identified as Md. Iqbal Hossain Imon, arrested in connection with a murder over online gambling disputes, and Anowar Hossain, arrested in a narcotics case. The police have launched an investigation into the security lapse.

Testimonies continued for the third consecutive day in the trial for the rape and murder of Achiya. Ten witnesses, including Achiya’s sister Hamida, testified on the third day. One of the accused, Hitu Sheikh, claimed that Hamida knows everything and that a proper investigation would reveal the truth. Prosecutor Monirul Islam Mukul stated that Hitu Sheikh, his wife Zaheda Begum, and their sons Sajib and Ratul were present during the proceedings. So far, 16 witnesses have testified. Five more, including doctors and nurses involved in the child’s treatment, are scheduled to testify on Wednesday.

Jahangirnagar University has been ranked in the 351–400 bracket in the 2025 Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan congratulated the university community and expressed optimism about future global and regional rankings. He noted the administration’s new initiatives to enhance education and research, including increased financial incentives for publishing in international journals.

Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed announced that model markets free from plastic and polythene—created with support from market committees and public offices—will receive awards from the Ministry of Environment. She emphasized the need for personal behavioral change to address pollution and noted that illegal polythene continues to harm the environment and public health. She also shared that government efforts include awareness campaigns and promoting alternatives.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam urged police to win public trust through service, empathy, and professionalism. He instructed officers to remain free from political bias and avoid seeking special favors. He also announced the procurement of 200 pickup vans for police stations, currently under review by the Cabinet Committee on Purchase, and discussed plans to offer loans to officers for motorcycle purchases.

Indian authorities in Ahmedabad’s Chandola Lake area have begun demolishing illegal settlements allegedly housing undocumented Bangladeshis. Over the past three days, police detained around 6,500 people, confirming that about 450 of them are Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in Gujarat, according to State Police Director General Vikas Sahay.

In response to militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with top defense and security officials. Modi expressed full confidence in the professionalism of the armed forces and granted them complete operational freedom to decide when and how to strike back. He reiterated that terrorism threatens India’s national resolve and must be decisively countered.

NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan cautioned against excessive borrowing, comparing it to “Goni Mia”—a metaphor for financial mismanagement. He stressed the need for aligning expenditures with revenue to avoid burdening future generations with debt. He added that the upcoming budget should be realistic, not overly ambitious, as directed by the Chief and Finance Advisers.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed stated that Bangladesh is prepared to draft its budget independently if the IMF does not release its loan installment. He emphasized that the country is no longer dependent on the IMF or World Bank and cannot fully comply with IMF demands, such as letting the foreign exchange rate float freely. Doing so, he warned, could lead to volatility similar to Pakistan or Sri Lanka. He clarified that discussions are ongoing, and even without IMF funding, the country’s reserves remain stable.

Legal scholar and adviser Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul commented on the controversy surrounding the gazette notification of Ishraq Hossain as mayor. He stated that he has no opinion on whether the move legitimizes elections held under the Awami League’s rule, calling it a matter for the Election Commission (EC). “If someone wins by altering court pleadings or filing cases, that question should be directed at them,” he said. According to Nazrul, Ishraq reportedly modified his legal pleadings at a later stage, which raised doubts about whether the EC would issue a gazette or require an appeal. Ultimately, the EC published the gazette without seeking his opinion. “It’s entirely their decision — they are a constitutional body and not obliged to consult us,” he added.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has uncovered evidence of corruption in the ‘Bangladesh Sustainable Recovery Emergency Preparedness and Response Project’ (B-Strong), a Tk 1,909 crore initiative under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). Following an inspection, ACC Assistant Director Papon Kumar Saha revealed that expenses in multiple segments of the project had been inflated. The World Bank is funding this massive recovery effort aimed at mitigating losses caused by the devastating floods of 2024. Notably, each solar streetlight has been priced at Tk 72,000, despite little need for such installations. Although 60 motorcycles were proposed, the Planning Commission approved only 36. Additionally, suspiciously high costs were reported for items like computers, laptops, and educational materials — with four laptops alone budgeted at an astonishing Tk 11 lakh.

The Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum staged a protest and rally at the Supreme Court demanding the immediate arrest of former Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haque. Speakers at the demonstration accused him of being a key architect in the destruction of democracy and human rights in Bangladesh. They called for his immediate arrest and trial, insisting that justice must be served to prevent future judges from following a similar path. The protesting lawyers also alleged that political favoritism and authoritarian tendencies still persist within both the higher and lower judiciary, urging the swift removal of such judges.

In a bid to make Dhaka more livable, DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz announced plans to cover the area with greenery through mass tree planting in the upcoming monsoon season. He also pledged to ensure transparency and accountability by publishing all project details on the DNCC website. Additionally, he announced a public hearing involving all birth registration authorities to resolve issues faced by citizens. The DNCC is also working on maximum automation of tax payments, allowing residents to pay taxes from home. A 20-day tax fair will commence on May 11.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed that all vehicles without valid stickers be barred from entering the Bangladesh Secretariat. A letter sent to all ministry secretaries stated that expired or stickerless vehicles will no longer be allowed entry. Authorities have urged all relevant officials to replace expired stickers with newly issued ones.