Bangladesh’s Road Transport, Shipping and Railways Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam announced that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the introduction of separate train coaches for women during Eid travel. The minister said the directive came through a phone call from the Prime Minister on Sunday night. He made the statement on Monday afternoon at an event in Dhaka’s Farmgate area, where special metro rail cards offering a 25 percent discount for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and those with special needs were launched.

According to the minister, from today women will be able to travel separately in two coaches on the Chattogram and Sylhet routes. After Eid, the government plans to allocate separate coaches for women on every intercity train. He also mentioned that more than 15 million people are expected to leave Dhaka over two days during Eid-ul-Azha and discouraged waiting for vehicles after purchasing tickets due to limited availability of fit vehicles. The minister added that unfit vehicles will gradually be removed from operation.

The announcement reflects the government’s effort to improve safety and comfort for women travelers and ensure better transport management during the busy Eid season.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam has urged everyone to work together to build a peaceful and harmonious society inspired by the ideals of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. He made the remarks on Monday while presiding over a commemorative meeting marking the poet’s 127th birth anniversary.

The Vice-Chancellor said Nazrul’s life and literature teach resistance against injustice and inspire the creation of a non-communal society. He described Nazrul as a poet of equality, rebellion, love, and peace, emphasizing the need to keep his philosophy alive through research and practice. He expressed hope that Nazrul’s multidimensional spirit would continue to inspire social transformation.

The event was attended by the university’s pro-vice chancellors, treasurer, and faculty members. Professor Dr. Mohammad Azam, Director General of Bangla Academy, delivered a keynote lecture titled “Nazrul: Poet of Rebellion and Life.” Teachers and students from the Department of Music performed Nazrul songs, while participants paid tribute at the poet’s grave earlier in the day.

A woman named Amina Bewa, aged 42, died on Monday morning in Joybhoga Dighapara village of Gabtali upazila, Bogura, when a tree branch fell on her during a storm. She had gone out to collect mangoes amid a Baishakhi storm when a large branch from a mango tree broke and struck her, killing her on the spot. Local residents recovered her body and took it home after the incident.

According to the officer-in-charge of Gabtali Model Police Station, Rakib Hasan, the woman’s death occurred when the branch broke during the storm. The same storm also caused significant damage to educational institutions and trees in the area, including the tin roofs and fences of Gabtali Women’s College.

The incident highlights the destructive impact of seasonal storms in rural Bangladesh, which often cause casualties and property damage during the mango season.

Police in Dumki, Patuakhali have arrested a named suspect in a robbery case involving an Islami Bank agent banking officer. The arrest took place on Sunday evening near the Thana Bridge area. The case was filed after a robbery incident on May 11, when four assailants stopped a motorcycle carrying the bank’s field officer and the agent banking outlet in-charge, assaulted them, and took 18,300 taka before fleeing.

According to police sources, the robbery occurred while the bank officials were conducting field activities in the Rajakhali Farmgate area. The attackers also damaged the motorcycle during the incident. The case was officially registered at Dumki Police Station on May 20.

Officer-in-Charge Md. Selim Uddin confirmed that the arrested suspect, Rabiul Islam Rony, also known as “Kasai Rony,” was one of the named accused in the case. Police operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects, and the arrested individual will be presented before the court.

The Bangladesh Labour Party has protested the appointment of former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Khorshed Alam as chairman of Islami Bank. In a statement issued on Monday, party chairman Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran alleged that the government is working deliberately to rehabilitate the S. Alam syndicate, which he described as linked to bank looting and money laundering. He claimed the appointment is part of a broader plan to restore influence to that group.

Dr. Iran further accused the home minister of supporting the S. Alam group and facilitating its business interests, including placing his son in the group’s office. He said the government has ignored public demands expressed during the August 5 uprising against corruption and authoritarianism, instead reviving the same networks accused of financial misconduct.

The Labour Party demanded the immediate cancellation of Khorshed Alam’s appointment, depoliticization of Islami Bank, prosecution of those involved in bank sector corruption, and an impartial investigation into the alleged illegal activities of the S. Alam syndicate.

NCP leader Tarek Reza has been granted bail in a case filed in Jhenaidah involving the Chhatra Dal. He was released from the district jail at 11 a.m. on Monday after the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court approved his bail application earlier that morning. His lawyers had submitted the petition before the court, which granted the request following a hearing.

In the same case, the court rejected the bail plea of Ayon Rahman Khan, a central leader of the Jubo Shokti organization. Both Tarek Reza and Ayon Rahman had been arrested on Sunday night and presented before the court by police. After hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defense, the judge initially ordered their detention before granting bail to Reza the next day.

The case remains ongoing, with one accused released on bail while the other continues to be held in custody pending further legal proceedings.

A risky cattle market has been set up directly on the railway tracks at Hathazari Railway Station in Chattogram. The market, reportedly operating under lease from the Hathazari Municipality, is being held twice a week and additionally for Eid-ul-Azha sacrificial animals. Locals allege that officials have allowed the market in exchange for bribes, despite a standing restriction under Section 144 within 20 feet of the railway line. The setup is said to pose serious risks to train movement.

Buyers and sellers from nearby areas expressed concern about bringing animals so close to the tracks, urging authorities to designate a safer location. Hathazari Upazila Executive Officer and municipal administrator Abdullah Al Mumin stated that the municipality did not officially lease any market on the railway tracks and that he would investigate and take action. Eastern Zone General Manager of Bangladesh Railway Subaktagin confirmed that no market is permitted on railway lines and that necessary measures are being taken.

Authorities are expected to review the situation and enforce safety regulations to prevent further risks to train operations and public safety.

Bangladesh has officially handed over the first consignment of food aid to Kuwait, marking a gesture of diplomatic solidarity and brotherhood. Around 240 tons of emergency food supplies are being sent from Bangladesh to Kuwait on multiple flights. The handover took place on May 24, 2026, when Prime Minister’s Special Envoy and Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, along with State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP, presented the aid to Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as a goodwill gift from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

During the meeting, Adviser Humayun Kabir conveyed an invitation from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to visit Bangladesh. He also delivered a goodwill message expressing wishes for peace, security, and prosperity for the people of Kuwait, reaffirming the commitment to strengthen the long-standing friendship between the two nations. Minister Millat emphasized expanding cooperation in civil aviation, trade, investment, and manpower sectors.

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister praised Bangladesh’s humanitarian initiative, describing it as a shining example of the brotherly relations between the two countries.

With only a few days left before Eid-ul-Azha, livestock markets in Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar are witnessing heavy crowds of buyers and sellers. However, this year’s markets show a different picture as large numbers of foreign cows, reportedly smuggled through the Myanmar border, have flooded the area. Despite their abundance, conscious buyers are showing a strong preference for locally raised hill cattle that grow naturally in the region’s remote mountain areas.

Buyers and observers noted that many of the imported cows are artificially fattened using injections and harmful hormones, making their meat unsafe and unhealthy. In contrast, the naturally raised hill cattle, which graze freely on local vegetation, are considered safe, nutritious, and flavorful. As a result, even with higher prices, consumers are increasingly choosing these local animals.

The growing demand for hill cattle has brought fair prices and satisfaction to local farmers. However, stakeholders believe that stricter monitoring is needed to prevent illegal cattle imports and protect the interests of domestic livestock producers.

Import and export activities at the Sonamasjid land port in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj will remain suspended for eight days from May 26 to June 2 due to the Eid-ul-Azha holiday. The information was confirmed by Arif Uddin Iti, general secretary of the Sonamasjid Importers and Exporters Group, who said the decision was taken jointly with the Sonamasjid C&F Agents Association. All port operations are scheduled to resume on June 3.

During the closure, passenger movement through the Sonamasjid immigration route between the two countries will continue daily, including on Eid day. According to Kamal Khan, operations manager of Panama Sonamasjid Port Link Limited, limited internal activities such as loading, unloading, warehousing, and transportation will continue on a restricted scale.

The temporary suspension aims to allow workers and stakeholders to observe the religious festival, while ensuring essential internal operations remain minimally functional.

Bangladesh Railway has decided not to operate the Mango Special and Cattle Special trains from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka this year. Officials said the services were discontinued because of continuous financial losses and insufficient cargo volume. The special trains had previously been introduced to transport mangoes during the harvest season and sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha at lower costs. The routes ran from Chapainawabganj through Rajshahi, Sardah, Arani, Abdulpur, and Ishwardi to Dhaka.

The initiative was originally intended to provide affordable transport for marginal mango growers, orchard owners, and livestock farmers. However, the plan failed to meet expectations as the trains often ran nearly empty, creating a large revenue shortfall. Farmers and traders said that despite lower train fares, additional costs and logistical hassles in moving goods to and from stations made road transport more convenient.

Business representatives criticized the lack of coordination between planning and implementation, noting that the project was launched without sufficient consultation. Western Railway General Manager Farid Ahmed confirmed that limited interest from farmers and traders made the services economically unsustainable.

The government has approved construction of the Padma Barrage at Pangsha in Rajbari district, 46 years after the foundation of the Ganga Dam project was laid at Moslempur in Veramara, Kushtia. Residents of Veramara have expressed anger and demanded reconsideration of the decision to exclude their area. According to the Water Resources Ministry, the main barrage will be 2.1 kilometers long with 78 spillway gates, 18 under-sluice gates, and one navigation lock. A railway bridge and a 113-megawatt hydropower facility are also planned. The project is expected to benefit 120 upazilas across 19 districts in four divisions.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman, approved the first phase of the Padma Barrage project at a cost of Tk 34,497 crore. The total master plan involves Tk 50,443 crore in two phases. The original Ganga Dam project, inaugurated in 1980, aimed to provide irrigation, flood control, and environmental benefits to southwestern and northern Bangladesh.

Officials noted that the decision comes as the Ganges water-sharing treaty with India is set to expire in December, making the new barrage strategically significant for Bangladesh.

A three-month-old infant was killed and five members of the same family were injured when lightning struck their home in Sajek Union of Baghaichhari upazila, Rangamati, early Monday around 3:30 a.m. The incident occurred in the Dane Baibachhara area during a sudden storm and heavy rain. The lightning directly hit the house of Pradeep Chakma, causing the death of his infant child, Ujjal Chakma, on the spot.

The injured family members were identified as Pradeep Chakma, 65, Maya Rani, 48, Reshmi Chakma, 28, Jerin Chakma, 15, and Nijhum Chakma, 3. Locals rescued the injured around 7 a.m. and took them to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital for treatment. The Rangamati Superintendent of Police confirmed the death and injuries caused by the lightning strike.

Authorities have not provided further details on the condition of the injured or any additional damage caused by the incident.

A drug-addicted youth has been accused of setting fire to his family’s home in Dakshin Satla village under Satla Union of Uzirpur upazila in Barishal. Police from Uzirpur Model Station arrested the accused following a case filed by his family. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, and the family alleged that the youth, identified as Md. Tamim Hawlader, had long been addicted to drugs and had previously been sent to rehabilitation centers.

According to the family, Tamim frequently demanded money from relatives and threatened them when refused. On Saturday morning, he allegedly asked his mother for money and warned one of his sisters by phone that he would set the house on fire if his demand was not met. During the incident, his mother was near the house and saw the fire break out suddenly. Despite local efforts to control it, furniture, stored rice, paddy, and important documents were destroyed.

The family claimed losses of about 5 million taka and said they were left destitute. Police confirmed the arrest of the accused late Sunday night with local assistance.

The tomb of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, located beside the central mosque of Dhaka University, has remained locked for months without any written directive, sparking frustration among visitors and admirers. The site, which also contains the grave of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi, was closed after Hadi’s burial on December 20 last year. Since then, visitors have been unable to enter and can only view the tomb from outside.

On-site observation showed the main gate locked and surrounded by makeshift book and jewelry stalls, with no clear signage indicating the poet’s resting place. Former DU Journalists’ Association president Abdullah Al Mamun Tushar said the tomb had always been open before and that Nazrul’s wish to stay close to people now feels unfulfilled. Visitors expressed disappointment at being unable to pay respects.

Assistant Proctor Israfil Ratan stated that the restriction was imposed temporarily for security and order after crowds increased following Hadi’s burial. He confirmed there is no written policy and that reopening is not planned soon, though visits are possible with prior permission from the proctor’s office.