West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has dismissed speculation about her resignation following the Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) major setback in the state assembly election. Speaking to journalists in Kalighat on Tuesday, she appeared defiant and accused the Election Commission of bias, alleging that the central government seeks one-party rule. Banerjee insisted that she would not resign, declaring, “Why should I resign? We have not lost.”

According to the election results, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 207 of the 293 assembly seats, while the TMC secured 80. The outcome triggered widespread political discussion about Banerjee’s future as chief minister. Senior TMC leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, Firhad Hakim, and Derek O’Brien, were present during her remarks.

Banerjee said she had endured much during her tenure but now felt free to fight against what she described as oppression. She vowed to continue her struggle from the streets, emphasizing her identity as a grassroots leader.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Bangladesh, Md. Nurul Islam, has submitted 38 audit reports from various ministries and agencies to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon. Among these reports is the investigation into the widely discussed 'pillow scandal' corruption that occurred during the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant’s Green City residential complex. The scandal, first exposed in 2019, involved abnormally inflated prices for furniture and electronic items, including pillows purchased at Tk 5,957 each and additional lifting charges.

According to the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, the Prime Minister reacted to the report by remarking that such an expensive pillow should be kept in a museum. The audit found irregularities in purchases worth Tk 169 crore for the residential project, with several items priced far above market value, such as comforters at Tk 16,800 and bed sheets at Tk 5,936.

Senior officials including the Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Mojumdar were present during the submission of the 2021–22 fiscal year audit reports.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair described May 5 as an important chapter in the country’s anti-fascist movement. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a discussion organized by Sushil Forum at the National Press Club’s Akram Khan Hall, marking the Shapla Chattar killing day. Zubair said the incident of May 5, 2013, opened a new chapter in Bangladesh’s history and accused the Awami League government of implementing its political plans through planned incidents.

The discussion was presided over by Sushil Forum President Md. Zahid and attended by several speakers, including freedom fighter Major (Retd.) Akhtaruzzaman, Md. Kamal Hossain, Professor Iqbal Hossain Pradhan, Altaf Uddin Molla, and Professor Nur Nabi Manik. Major Akhtaruzzaman said May 5 opened a new door in Bangladesh’s history and that although victory was hindered by a lack of leadership, the movement’s continuity remains.

Speakers at the event called for unity in support of democracy, justice, and human rights in Bangladesh.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has called on the country's bureaucrats to adopt the role of public servants rather than rulers to make democracy meaningful. He made the remarks at the District Commissioners’ Conference held yesterday. The Speaker emphasized that district commissioners play a crucial role in establishing democracy, as they serve as returning officers during national elections. He criticized the previous 16 years of Awami League rule, describing the election system during that period as marked by corruption and irregularities, and urged district commissioners to ensure free and fair elections in the future.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed highlighted that democracy in Bangladesh was restored through the sacrifices of ordinary people, whose struggles from 1971 to 2024 were instrumental in achieving democratic governance. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal stated that parliament is the heart of democracy and that democratic debate strengthens it. Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam Moni noted that district commissioners act as a bridge between the government and the people, playing a vital role in implementing national policies at the local level.

The event also featured remarks from senior officials, including the Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, who delivered a vote of thanks.

Following the announcement of election results, widespread political violence has erupted across several districts of West Bengal. Incidents of killings, assaults, vandalism, and alleged party office takeovers have been reported from South 24 Parganas, Birbhum, Nadia, Howrah, and Bankura. Both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have accused each other of orchestrating the attacks.

In Birbhum’s Nanur, a Trinamool worker named Abir Sheikh was killed, with his family alleging that BJP supporters attacked him with sharp weapons. In Howrah’s Udayanpur, a BJP supporter named Yadav Bar died after an alleged assault by Trinamool activists. Multiple Trinamool offices in Baruipur, Siliguri, Nadia, and Bankura were reportedly vandalized or taken over, while BJP denied involvement in each case. Police were deployed in several tense areas.

The situation remains volatile across the state, with both parties trading blame and reports of continued unrest in multiple districts.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), stated that the 20-party alliance, including the BNP, had expressed moral and political support for Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally and demands at Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013. Speaking at a representative meeting marking the 46th founding anniversary of Labour JAGPA, he said that despite Begum Khaleda Zia’s backing and the alliance’s readiness, BNP leaders failed to make the right decision. According to him, if BNP had joined Hefazat on the ground that day, the outcome might have been the fall of the Awami League instead of the Shapla massacre.

Pradhan demanded justice for those involved in the Shapla killings and accused certain media outlets and journalists of legitimizing the incident under Indian influence through biased reporting. He said the absence of justice for such crimes encourages new autocrats. He also criticized the BNP for not implementing the “July Charter” as per the referendum mandate and called for preparation for a new movement and uprising.

The meeting was held Tuesday morning at the Shafiul Alam Pradhan Auditorium in Paltan, chaired by Labour JAGPA president Asaduzzaman Babul and attended by other party leaders.

A major political shift is unfolding in West Bengal as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prepares to form the next government following its victory in the recently concluded assembly elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit the state to meet newly elected BJP legislators and oversee the selection of the party’s legislative leader, a key step in forming the new government. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will assist Shah as co-observer in the process.

According to party sources, the BJP has secured 207 seats and is moving toward government formation. The central leadership has confirmed that Shah will lead the process to elect the new legislative party leader, who will also become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal. Shah’s direct involvement signals the importance the BJP attaches to this victory, as such high-level participation is rare in similar state-level processes.

The date for the new government’s swearing-in has not yet been finalized, though May 9 is being discussed as a possible date, pending a final decision by the party’s central leadership.

National Citizens Party (NCP) chief organizer Sarjis Alam has accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of attempting to consolidate power by delaying local government elections. Speaking at a press conference at the NCP’s temporary central office in Dhaka’s Bangla Motor on Tuesday, he said BNP leaders and the prime minister’s information adviser have indicated that local elections may be postponed until December 2027.

Sarjis claimed that there are currently no elected chairmen at the upazila level and alleged that BNP is planning to dissolve district councils. He warned that any attempt to centralize authority and suppress public rights would backfire. He further alleged that BNP has appointed defeated and unqualified leaders to administrative positions in district councils and city corporations, turning these institutions into centers of corruption and extortion.

Calling for city corporation, upazila, and municipal elections within this year, Sarjis urged the Election Commission and local government authorities to prepare accordingly. He cautioned that any delay could force opposition parties to take to the streets.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman departed for China on May 5, 2026, for a three-day official visit, marking his first trip to Beijing in this role. The visit is taking place at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Communist Party of China’s Political Bureau. During the visit, Rahman and Wang Yi are scheduled to hold bilateral talks covering a wide range of issues, including mutual interests, regional and global developments, and particularly the evolving situation in the Middle East.

Discussions are expected to emphasize alignment of development policies and strategic priorities, as well as cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges. The Chinese government has expressed its willingness to work closely with Bangladesh’s new administration to deepen political trust and strengthen cooperation under the framework of their “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.”

Rahman will also meet Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and attend a luncheon hosted by Liu Haixing, minister of the CPC’s International Department. Senior Bangladeshi officials, including the prime minister’s foreign affairs adviser and the BIDA chairman, are accompanying him.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman announced that Bangladesh’s local government elections are expected to begin toward the end of this year. He said the full election process, including all phases such as union councils, could take between ten months and one year to complete. He made the remarks on Tuesday during a weekly press briefing at the Department of Information in Dhaka.

During the briefing, the adviser also discussed progress across various ministries. He clarified that the government has not decided to curtail the powers of upazila parishads, noting that members of parliament serve as advisers to these councils by law. He added that providing offices for MPs within upazila parishads does not diminish the councils’ authority.

Dr. Rahman further highlighted several government initiatives, including the ongoing bus route rationalization project in Dhaka, duty exemptions for importing electric school buses, free Wi-Fi at five airports and four railway stations, and financial aid for flood-affected farmers in the haor region.

Khelafat Majlis leaders have called for exemplary punishment for those involved in the killings during Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally at Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013. In a statement issued to the media on Tuesday, party Amir Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader described the incident as a brutal massacre and urged authorities to ensure justice through the ongoing trial under the International Crimes Tribunal.

The leaders alleged that the peaceful gathering of religious scholars and madrasa students was attacked by ruling party cadres and law enforcement agencies, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. They demanded that the investigation be completed swiftly and the perpetrators brought to justice to prevent similar crimes in the future.

In their statement, the Khelafat Majlis leaders prayed for the victims, sought government compensation for affected families, and urged unity against what they termed anti-Islamic forces in the country.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee firmly rejected speculation about her resignation following the state assembly election results announced on May 5, 2026. Speaking to reporters at Kalighat alongside Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and senior party leaders, she declared that there was no question of stepping down, asserting that her party had not been defeated.

According to the election outcome, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 207 of the 293 assembly seats, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 80. The results triggered widespread political speculation about Mamata Banerjee’s possible resignation. However, she dismissed such rumors, emphasizing her determination to continue fighting against what she described as oppression.

Mamata stated that she had endured much during her tenure but now considered herself a free citizen ready to resist injustice. Her remarks signaled a defiant stance as she pledged to remain active in public life and political struggle.

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Md. Nurul Islam has submitted the audit reports for the 2021–22 fiscal year to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The submission took place on Tuesday, May 5, at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat, according to Press Secretary Saleh Shibli. A total of 38 compliance and performance audit reports covering various government offices and agencies were presented to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the reports were prepared under Article 128(1) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and Section 5 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Additional Functions) Act, 1974. The audits covered 17 ministries and divisions, along with their subordinate departments, offices, institutions, and projects. The CAG briefed the Prime Minister on key observations and recommendations from the reports.

During the presentation, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring transparency and accountability in government spending and project implementation through both compliance and performance audits. Senior officials, including the Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Mozumder, were present at the event.

Islami Chhatra Shibir organized a human chain in Motijheel, Dhaka, on Tuesday afternoon demanding justice for the killings that took place at Shapla Chattar in 2013. The organization accused the then Awami League-led government of committing mass killings against Islamic scholars and called for immediate legal action.

According to the source, the demonstration followed an earlier announcement made on Monday by Islami Chhatra Shibir, which declared a series of programs seeking justice for what it described as a massacre carried out by the government on May 5, 2013. Speakers at the event termed the incident a dark chapter in the nation's history and alleged it was part of a plan to eliminate Islamic leaders.

The group reiterated its demand for swift judicial proceedings, framing the 2013 Shapla Chattar incident as a key moment in the country’s anti-fascist movement.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Affairs Adviser Zahid-ur Rahman stated that the outcome of the West Bengal state assembly election will not disrupt India-Bangladesh relations. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a press conference held at the Department of Information auditorium in Dhaka, where various government activities were presented.

Responding to a question about Bangladesh’s observation on the neighboring Indian state’s election, the adviser said there was no official observation or statement. He emphasized that India as a state maintains cordial and mutually beneficial relations with Bangladesh, and those ties will continue regardless of political changes in West Bengal. He added that while West Bengal shares the longest border with Bangladesh, bilateral cooperation is conducted between the two sovereign states.

The adviser also noted that although Bangladesh was mentioned in political rhetoric during the West Bengal election, he believes such remarks are part of campaign politics and that cooperation between the two sides will remain positive after the new government is formed.