Bangladesh’s overall inflation increased again in May 2026, reaching 9.42 percent on a point-to-point basis, up from 9.04 percent in April, according to data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Friday. The latest figure marks a return to an upward trend after a brief slowdown in March, when inflation had fallen below 9 percent.

BBS data show that food inflation rose to 9.06 percent in May from 8.39 percent in April, driven by higher prices of edible oil, vegetables, eggs, and poultry. Non-food inflation also edged up to 9.71 percent from 9.57 percent, influenced by increased costs of fuel, gas, electricity, and transportation. Both rural and urban areas experienced higher inflation, with rural inflation at 9.48 percent and urban inflation at 9.25 percent.

The continued rise in both food and non-food prices indicates sustained pressure on low- and middle-income households, as essential commodities and utility costs remain elevated across the country.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the government will draw the attention of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General’s Office to advance the death reference hearing in the Ramisa murder case, considering its brutality and significance. He made the remarks on Sunday at his office in the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka while speaking to reporters.

The minister described the verdict in the case as a historic milestone in the country’s judicial and investigative history. He noted that DNA testing and autopsy were completed swiftly, and the charge sheet was submitted in record time. Judges and court officials even canceled their Eid holidays to complete the trial, which he called a unique example of national and social responsibility.

He further stated that police officers would be rewarded for exemplary performance and punished for negligence or misconduct. The minister praised the police for their professionalism in solving several complex cases, including the Ramisa murder, and highlighted recent instances where police actions saved lives and solved difficult cases.

The Bangladesh Parliament expressed deep condolences over the murder of Mirpur child Ramisa and several other victims, including Fahima Mim, Amina of Narsingdi, and Tabassum Akter, during its second session on Sunday. The condolence motion was raised by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and later adopted by the House. Members observed a minute of silence and offered prayers in memory of the deceased.

The session also mourned the deaths of 16 former ministers and MPs, including Tofail Ahmed, AKM Rahmat Ullah, Dabirul Islam, and others from various political parties such as the Awami League, BNP, and Jatiya Party. Condolences were also extended for the deaths of prominent cultural and academic figures, including National Professor Sufia Ahmed, poet Helal Hafiz, and musician Mustafa Zaman Abbasi.

Following parliamentary tradition, the House began its first sitting by paying tribute to deceased national figures and victims of recent tragedies, reflecting a gesture of unity and respect across political and social spheres.

Opposition members of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament held a key meeting on Sunday afternoon ahead of the first budget session. The meeting took place at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban under the chairmanship of Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. It was attended by Deputy Opposition Leader Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, and other opposition MPs including Jamaat’s women affairs secretary Nurunnisa Siddika.

During the meeting, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that the opposition would play a strong and constructive role in protecting the economic rights of ordinary citizens and in building a welfare-oriented state during the upcoming budget session. The participants discussed the opposition’s stance and strategies for the session.

The meeting was held as part of preparations for the national budget discussions, signaling the opposition’s intent to engage actively in parliamentary proceedings.

A public hearing was held on Sunday at the Russian Cultural Center in Dhanmondi under the jurisdiction of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Region-1 to make civic services and development activities more dynamic, transparent, accountable, and participatory. The event was attended by citizens, civil society representatives, businesspeople, journalists, and officials from Dhanmondi, New Market, Kalabagan, and Shahbagh areas.

Road Transport, Railways, and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, MP, attended as chief guest, while DSCC Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md. Abdus Salam presided over the session. Citizens raised issues related to waste management, infrastructure, waterlogging, cleanliness, trade licenses, holding tax, and public health. The minister said the government aims to establish a participatory and accountable system for ensuring civic services, citing the hearing as an example.

The DSCC administrator assured that citizens’ complaints and suggestions would be prioritized for improving urban services. He added that maintaining cleanliness requires both city authority initiatives and citizen cooperation. Similar hearings will be held across all ten DSCC regions.

Ad-Din Medical College Hospital in Dhaka’s Moghbazar has decided to provide Tk 8 million in compensation to each of the six families whose children died at the hospital. The decision was reached through joint discussions between the families and the hospital authorities, according to lawyer Shishir Monir, who spoke to reporters at the Supreme Court chamber on Sunday afternoon.

Monir stated that each family will receive Tk 8 million as compensation, in addition to previously announced benefits that will remain in effect. He also confirmed that each family has already been given Tk 1 million. The compensation arrangement marks a resolution between the hospital and the affected families following the deaths of the six children.

The announcement reflects a negotiated settlement between the parties involved, though further details about the circumstances of the deaths or additional legal proceedings were not provided in the report.

Train communication between Khulna and the cities of Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chilahati returned to normal around 3 p.m. on Sunday after being suspended for nine hours. The disruption began at about 6 a.m. when a Parbatipur-bound freight train from Khulna derailed near Sabdarpur station in Kotchandpur upazila of Jhenaidah district. Three wagons of the train went off the tracks, halting all train movement on the route and leaving seven passenger trains stranded at both ends.

According to Sabdarpur station master Golam Rasul, two rescue trains from Khulna and Ishwardi reached the site around 10:30 a.m. The derailed wagons were removed after several hours of work, and repairs to the damaged rail line were completed by the afternoon. Once the line was cleared and restored, train operations between Khulna and other major destinations resumed normally.

The incident caused significant delays in regional rail services, but normal schedules were restored after the completion of the recovery and repair operations.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Maulana Abdul Halim has accused the current government of conspiring to destroy Islami Bank by handing it over to a controversial businessman. Speaking as chief guest at a discussion titled “Conspiracy Against Islami Bank, Financial Security and Customers’ Rights” at the National Press Club on Sunday, he said the party and bank customers would not allow such a plan to succeed.

Halim stated that Islami Bank was founded on the principle that business should be halal and interest is haram, and warned that any attempt to destabilize financial institutions would harm the government itself. He emphasized that the bank’s three crore customers could not be ignored and that politicization of the banking sector must stop. Other speakers, including media personality Dr. Faizul Haque and retired military officers, also criticized the government’s handling of Islami Bank and warned of political consequences.

The event was organized by Nagorik Moncho and chaired by its chief coordinator Ahsan Ullah Shamim, with participation from several professionals and political figures.

The government of Bangladesh has announced extensive programs to observe July Uprising Day 2026 with due state honor. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has issued directives to various ministries, departments, agencies, and field administrations to prepare for the nationwide celebration. An inter-ministerial meeting was held earlier, and its proceedings have been circulated to all relevant institutions for implementation. The ministry’s letter, signed by a deputy secretary, confirmed that preparations are underway from the highest levels of government to local administrations.

According to the ministry, the Cabinet Division, Prime Minister’s Office, Armed Forces Division, law enforcement agencies, and local administrations have been engaged in the planning. Media and communication agencies, including Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar, have been instructed to promote the significance of the day. The program will include discussions, commemorations, cultural events, photo exhibitions, and special publications.

Field-level officials, including divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and police officers, have also been directed to organize coordinated events at regional levels. The initiative aims to highlight the historical importance of the July Uprising through nationwide participation and awareness activities.

Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Kudddus Kajol said the swift verdict in the Pallabi child rape and murder case would remain a milestone for the judiciary. He made the remark on Sunday afternoon at the Dhaka Metropolitan Court premises after the judgment was announced. Expressing satisfaction, he noted that the investigation officer had submitted the report promptly, preventing any delay in the trial. Kajol added that once the reference and paper book arrive from the trial court, the legal process in the higher court will begin quickly.

Earlier in the day, Judge Masrur Salehin of the Child Violence Prevention Tribunal sentenced the main accused, Sohel Rana, and his wife, Swapna Akter, to death for raping and murdering a schoolgirl in Pallabi. The verdict came just 19 days after the killing. Tight security was maintained around the court during the proceedings.

The case drew attention for its unprecedented speed, with the charge sheet filed on May 24 and the trial completed within six working days, including testimony from 16 witnesses in a single day.

During the Eid-ul-Azha travel period, Bangladesh witnessed 442 transport accidents that left 438 people dead and 1,340 injured, according to data released by the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association at a press conference in Dhaka Reporters Unity. Between May 21 and June 4, a total of 394 road accidents caused 402 deaths and 1,294 injuries, while 31 rail accidents killed 23 people and 17 waterway accidents claimed 13 lives.

The report showed a 3.95 percent rise in road accidents, 3.07 percent increase in fatalities, and 9.47 percent rise in injuries compared to the previous year. Motorcycles accounted for 38.83 percent of all road accidents, with 159 deaths and 180 injuries. The majority of accidents occurred on national highways, and most were caused by head-on collisions or loss of control.

The association attributed the rise in accidents to poor road conditions, reckless driving, driver shortages, and unfit vehicles. It urged long-term reforms, including modernizing public transport, implementing technology-based traffic control, and ensuring proper driver training and vehicle fitness enforcement.

Prime Minister’s Education and Primary & Mass Education Affairs Adviser Mahdi Amin announced that the government has a sustainable and transformative plan for Bangladesh’s National University, aiming to turn it into a center for knowledge, training, and civic development rather than just a degree-granting body. He made the remarks on Sunday at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center during the inauguration of a teacher training program on skill-based education, which was opened by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Amin said the initiative is rooted in the Prime Minister’s long-term vision and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s election manifesto. The plan includes expanding vocational and technical education, establishing career centers, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, promoting apprenticeships and internships, and introducing language centers and environmental programs. He emphasized that transforming the National University means transforming the nation’s education, employment, and human resource landscape.

He added that digitization of exams and results, removal of session backlogs, and quality education expansion are underway. The government expects these reforms to produce skilled, creative, and responsible citizens capable of meeting the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has reported that extortion and land grabbing have continued across the country since the current government took office. The organization stated that such practices have persisted since August 5, 2024, posing a major obstacle to good governance. The remarks were made by TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman at a press conference held at the organization’s headquarters in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said the government’s decision to repeal three ordinances related to judicial independence signals a retreat from its commitment to ensuring an independent judiciary. He also noted that irregularities in recruitment at Islami Bank have created disorder and that the Bank Resolution Act remains flawed. Additionally, he pointed out that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) remains without commissioners, sending a wrong message to the public that corruption may go unpunished.

Other TIB officials, including directors Mohammad Touhidul Islam and Muhammad Badiuzzaman, and research fellow Razia Sultana, were present at the event.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon announced that reforms in Bangladesh’s banking sector will be brought under a commission framework. He made the statement on Sunday at a seminar titled “Good Governance in the Banking Sector and the Role of the Media,” held at the Economic Reporters Forum office in Dhaka. Swapon emphasized that banking sector governance is linked to the broader political and administrative governance of the state, and without systemic reform, discipline cannot be ensured.

During the event, speakers highlighted that the banking sector remains central to the country’s financing system, as the capital market and bond market have failed to meet demand. United Commercial Bank Managing Director Mamdudur Rashid noted that the sector has faced continuous pressure since 2020 due to the pandemic, foreign exchange volatility, and political changes. He identified lack of governance, transparency, and ethics as key causes of the current crisis, with non-performing loans rising from 11 percent in 2023 to 35 percent in 2025.

The seminar underscored that at least 14 banks and 20 financial institutions are struggling to return deposits on time, warning that further deterioration could trigger economic instability.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has emphasized that Bangladesh must move away from certificate-based education and adopt a skills-oriented, technology-driven, and practical learning system to cope with the ongoing technological revolution. He made the remarks on Sunday at noon while inaugurating a teacher training program on skills-based education under the National University curriculum at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

Rahman noted that automation and AI-driven technologies have put many traditional jobs at risk or made them obsolete, while simultaneously creating new employment opportunities in emerging sectors. He highlighted the National University’s crucial role in expanding modern, technology-based higher education, as it has over 2,000 affiliated colleges with more than 4 million students currently enrolled.

He added that over 10 million students have already received higher education in Bangladesh. The National University, established in 1992 by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, was designed to ensure access to higher education for both urban and rural students as the world enters the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.