A tourist who went missing in the Guliakhali Sea of Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram, was found dead 16 hours after disappearing. The body of Rifat, 18, from Daudkandi in Cumilla, was recovered by a Fire Service diving team at around 9 a.m. on Sunday. He had gone to the beach with four friends on Saturday afternoon, and while bathing in the sea, they were swept away by a strong tide. Locals rescued four of them alive, but Rifat remained missing despite immediate search efforts.

According to Sitakunda Fire Service officials, the rescue operation continued from early morning with assistance from the Navy and Coast Guard. After recovery, the body was handed over to the police. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fakhrul Islam stated that the body would be returned to the family and that safety measures would be strengthened to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authorities plan to install warning signs in risky areas and enhance beach monitoring through the local beach committee to ensure tourist safety.

A shooting occurred at the Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Court premises on Sunday morning, injuring one person. According to police and eyewitnesses, a group of five to six armed assailants arrived on motorcycles and opened fire targeting Liaquat Ali Sikder, the general secretary of the Jhilongja Union BNP. Although Sikder was unharmed, another man named Moin Uddin was shot and later transferred from Cox’s Bazar District Hospital to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Police, with the help of bystanders, detained two suspects immediately after the incident and recovered a pistol and a magazine from one of them. The attackers reportedly took one person away on a motorcycle, but his identity remains unknown. The shooting took place around 11:30 a.m. at the west gate of the court complex. Additional Superintendent of Police Ohidur Rahman confirmed the incident and said further details would be provided later.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify the remaining suspects and determine the motive behind the attack.

An Awami League leader in Cumilla’s Brahmanpara upazila has been accused of illegally occupying a key road to set up a temporary cattle market ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The market was reportedly established at Alua Chowmuhani in Malapara Union, defying government restrictions. Locals complained that the market has severely disrupted traffic and caused hardship for residents, particularly students, patients, and traders.

According to local sources, the market was set up directly on a busy road, obstructing vehicle movement. Residents questioned how a school employee could obtain the lease for the market. The accused, Md. Yunus Mia, serves as the assistant organizational secretary of the Malapara Union Awami League, a union council member, and a night guard-cum-office assistant at a local high school.

Brahmanpara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahmuda Jahan stated that setting up a cattle market on a school playground or road is illegal and that authorities will take necessary action after investigation. Local residents have demanded the immediate removal of the illegal market to restore normal movement.

Protests continue in Dhaka’s Mirpur area following the rape and murder of seven-year-old Ramisa Akter, with demands for swift justice. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has met the victim’s family and assured them of a speedy trial. However, many in Bangladesh question whether the case will avoid the long delays that have plagued similar trials over the past two decades.

The renewed attention has brought back discussion of Rasu Khan, a convicted serial killer from Chandpur accused of murdering 11 women after raping them. Although lower courts and the High Court upheld his death sentences in two cases, the executions remain pending due to prolonged legal procedures. Lawyers and rights activists cite complex judicial processes and delays in preparing case documents as key reasons for such backlogs.

A joint study by the Supreme Court and BRAC found that conviction rates in women and child abuse cases are only three percent, with most cases taking years to conclude. Officials expect Rasu Khan’s appeal hearing to take place within months, but many similar cases remain unresolved in Bangladesh’s courts.

Five people were killed in a head-on collision between a BRTC bus and a patient-carrying ambulance in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur on Sunday morning. The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on the Faridpur–Bhanga highway near the Shankarpasha area. Police said the Dhaka-bound BRTC bus from Faridpur and the ambulance coming from Madaripur towards Faridpur Medical College Hospital collided, leaving the ambulance badly damaged and all five occupants dead on the spot.

The deceased were identified as ambulance driver Kawser, 25, of Saidarbali in Madaripur; Jahangir Molla, 62; Alomgir Hossain Molla, 58; Khurshida Begum, 45; and Majeda Akter, 48, all from Madaripur district. Following the accident, Nagarkanda police, Bhanga Highway Police, and Fire Service personnel arrived at the scene, conducted rescue operations, and restored traffic on the highway.

Police confirmed that the bodies were recovered and inquest reports prepared. The damaged bus and ambulance were taken into police custody, and legal procedures regarding the incident are underway.

Police have submitted a charge sheet to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court against Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter in connection with the rape and murder of a child named Ramisa Akter in Pallabi, Dhaka. The charge sheet was filed on Sunday afternoon by Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman, the investigating officer of Pallabi Police Station. Deputy Police Commissioner Ashis Bin Hasan of the prosecution department confirmed the submission. Both accused were presented before the court earlier in the day and later kept in the custody of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court.

According to the case details, police recovered Ramisa’s body from a flat in Pallabi’s Section 11 on May 19. Investigators allege that Sohel killed the child after raping her and then fled by cutting through a window grill, while his wife remained at home. Ramisa’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, filed the case the same day naming both as accused. The Dhaka Bar Association has decided not to provide legal assistance to the defendants.

A hearing on the court’s acceptance of the charge sheet is scheduled to take place shortly.

Villagers in Gopinathpur of Tukuria Union, Pirganj, Rangpur, have protested after a government project signboard was suddenly placed on a culvert they claim to have built with their own money and labor about two years ago. The incident has sparked anger and tension in the area, with residents accusing the local Union Parishad chairman of attempting to misappropriate funds by labeling their community-built structure as a government project. The chairman, Ataur Rahman Mondal, has denied all allegations.

According to local residents, the culvert was constructed to improve water drainage in the area. They allege that the signboard, claiming the culvert was built under a government allocation, was installed secretly at night. Many villagers said they fear speaking publicly due to the chairman’s influence. Ataur Rahman Mondal, a long-time Awami League leader, stated that the culvert was built under the Local Government Ministry’s Development Assistance Fund in the 2022–23 fiscal year with a budget of 225,000 taka.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Popi Khatun said the Development Assistance Fund is no longer active and that the allegation will be investigated, with legal action to follow if wrongdoing is confirmed.

Former interim government adviser Farida Akhter has expressed grave concern over the growing number of child rape and murder cases in Bangladesh, linking the rise to delays in the judicial process. Writing in a commentary published on May 24, 2026, she cited the recent killing of eight-year-old Ramisa and the earlier 2025 case of seven-year-old Asiya, both victims of brutal sexual violence. In both incidents, family members of the perpetrators were accused of aiding the crimes.

Akhter noted that despite public outrage and legal reforms following Asiya’s case, including a 2025 amendment to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Ordinance, such crimes have not declined. Data from January 1 to May 20, 2026, show 118 children raped, 46 attempted rapes, and 14 murders following rape. She criticized the slow execution of verdicts, including the pending death sentence of Asiya’s killer, and questioned whether current laws adequately protect children.

She urged swift trials and enforcement of punishments, emphasizing that repeated delays undermine justice and embolden offenders. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has reportedly assured Ramisa’s family of prompt legal action.

The upcoming 2026–27 national budget of Bangladesh is expected to be presented in parliament on June 11 by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, marking the first budget of the BNP government. Based on published reports, the proposed budget size may reach about Tk 9.32 trillion, the largest since independence. The budget’s main goals include job creation and inflation control, with the government targeting 10 million new jobs within five years. The finance minister has emphasized reopening closed factories, ensuring power and gas supply, and supporting small and medium enterprises through loans and incentives.

The World Bank, IMF, and ADB project GDP growth below 5 percent for the current fiscal year, prompting calls for a stable business environment. Inflation reached 9.04 percent in April, straining household purchasing power. Experts suggest that monetary policy alone is insufficient to curb inflation and recommend supply-side measures. The article also highlights structural weaknesses such as a low tax-to-GDP ratio of 8–9 percent, urging progressive tax reforms, pension incentives for taxpayers, and raising the tax-free income threshold to Tk 500,000–800,000.

The budget is also expected to promote export diversification beyond the garment sector and increase allocations for education, health, and technical training to build skilled human resources and boost remittance income.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thunderstorms with gusty or squally winds at speeds of 45 to 60 kilometers per hour over four districts. The warning, issued on Sunday, May 24, 2026, advised river ports in the affected areas to hoist cautionary signal number one. The districts under alert are Dinajpur, Mymensingh, Cumilla, and Sylhet, where storms and lightning may occur by 1 p.m.

The department also reported that moderate to heavy rainfall is likely in parts of Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet divisions. Meanwhile, a mild heatwave continues over Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj, Chandpur, Lakshmipur, and Patuakhali districts, as well as across the Khulna division. Day and night temperatures across the country are expected to remain nearly unchanged.

The forecast suggests a mix of storm activity in northern and northeastern regions and persistent heat in southern and central areas, indicating contrasting weather conditions across Bangladesh.

Six police officers were attacked by Awami League activists in Alokbali Union of Narsingdi Sadar upazila on Thursday while attempting to arrest a suspect. The incident occurred in Bakhnanagar Birgaon and Satpara areas when police entered the locality by speedboat for an investigation. Following the attack, police filed a case for obstructing government work and arrested four individuals.

According to police and local sources, the officers were confronted by local Awami League members who questioned their presence. The situation escalated, and under the leadership of Alokbali Union Awami League joint general secretary Habib Rahman Habib, over a hundred people allegedly chased and assaulted the police. Later, a combined force of police, RAB, and a magistrate conducted an operation in the area, detaining two women and two men.

Five injured officers received treatment at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. Police officials stated that operations to arrest the remaining suspects are ongoing, while the district superintendent denied reports of police being assaulted, confirming only that a case for obstruction of duty had been filed.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has alleged that new conspiracies are being plotted against his government and called on citizens to remain alert. Speaking at a public gathering in Trishal, Mymensingh, on Saturday, he accused opposition groups of secretly renewing ties with those ousted on August 5 and attempting to create unrest similar to past political turmoil. The event marked the inauguration of the re-excavation of the four-kilometer Dhara Canal, which he said would benefit over 4,300 farmers and improve the livelihoods of around 20,000 people.

Rahman emphasized that the government’s development initiatives, including canal restoration, rural education support, and technical training for youth employment, are aimed at strengthening the rural economy. He warned that attempts to spread chaos could disrupt these programs. Referring to the recent killing of a child named Ramisa, he vowed that the perpetrator would face the death penalty within a month and condemned efforts to exploit the tragedy for political unrest.

At a separate state event marking the 127th birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam, Rahman highlighted the poet’s role in national identity and proposed evaluating Trishal’s potential designation as “Nazrul Smriti City.”

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the European Union, the country’s largest export destination, declined sharply in early 2026. According to Eurostat data, export earnings from the EU fell by 19.26 percent in January and February compared with the same period in 2025, dropping from 3.57 billion euros to 2.88 billion euros. In February alone, exports decreased by 12.39 percent to 1.45 billion euros. The fall was driven by both lower export volumes and reduced average prices.

The EU’s overall apparel imports also declined by 11.27 percent during the same period, reflecting weaker consumer demand across Europe. Industry representatives attributed the downturn to global trade shifts, increased competition from China, India, and Vietnam, and reduced purchasing power in Europe due to high living costs and interest rates. Buyers have become more cautious and are negotiating lower prices, putting pressure on suppliers.

Experts warned that if the EU market slump continues, it could negatively affect Bangladesh’s broader economy, as nearly half of the country’s export earnings come from this region. They recommended diversifying products, improving value addition, and strengthening trade diplomacy to sustain export growth.

Youth Shakti leader Ayon Rahman Khan was reportedly taken away by Detective Branch (DB) police in connection with a case filed by Chhatra Dal in Jhenaidah. The case was lodged after an attack on Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP), allegedly by activists of BNP, Chhatra Dal, and Jubo Dal. Ayon was named as an accused in that case. According to his sister Jerin Akhi, he was picked up around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday from beside his ailing father’s bed at Jonota Clinic in Jashore by individuals identifying themselves as DB officers.

NCP joint member secretary Tarek Reza stated that Ayon was being taken away under a false case while no arrests had been made in their own complaint. He accused the current government of behaving like the previous “fascist Awami government.”

The report did not mention any official police statement or confirmation regarding the detention.

A student of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was allegedly attacked on Saturday night in Khulna’s Fulbarigate area over his political writings on Facebook. The victim, Zahidur Rahman, a third-year student of the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, sustained serious injuries. He claimed that after buying a bus ticket, several individuals led by former student leader Shuvo surrounded him, seized his phone, and checked his Facebook posts. Later, local youth leader Masum Khan allegedly beat him with a wooden stick, leaving him bloodied and injured.

Zahidur said about 20 people took part in the assault, angered by his social media posts. He fled to Shiromoni for safety and did not return to campus. KUET’s Director of Student Welfare, Professor Dr. Md. Hasan Ali, stated that the university learned of the incident later and is trying to contact Zahidur to provide assistance. The attack has sparked concern among students, who demanded a fair investigation and punishment for those responsible.

According to party sources, the accused are not currently holding any organizational positions, though they were previously affiliated with local political groups.