Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher said that integrated spatial planning is essential to ensure planned, inclusive, and sustainable urban development amid rapid urbanization. Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar organized by the Urban Development Directorate at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday, he emphasized the need for science-based planning that balances development and environmental protection to create a safe and livable Bangladesh for future generations.

The minister noted that three ongoing projects prioritize farmland preservation, environmental protection, improved communication systems, expanded civic amenities, waterlogging prevention, disaster risk reduction, and local economic growth. These initiatives aim to build climate-resilient infrastructure, protect biodiversity, and improve citizens’ quality of life.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Ahmad Sohel Monjur added that spatial planning is crucial for developing citizen-friendly and modern cities. He stressed the importance of ensuring effective implementation of the three projects presented at the seminar.

A family in Barishal alleged that medical negligence at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital led to the death of a newborn, followed by assault and detention of two relatives for seven hours. The incident began around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and continued until 1:00 a.m., when the grieving mother reportedly begged for release. Relatives said the baby’s uncle and another man were beaten and confined after accusing doctors of negligence.

Witnesses described that the confrontation started when the family questioned the care provided to the infant, who had been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Hospital students denied the assault, claiming instead that the relatives had harassed female students and nurses. Police and hospital authorities later intervened to defuse tensions, with officials confirming that both sides were spoken to and the situation was resolved.

Authorities stated that further legal action would depend on receiving a formal written complaint, while the hospital director emphasized the need for patience and gradual problem-solving within the institution.

Bangladesh Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of food served to patients during a surprise inspection at Khulna 250-bed General Hospital on Wednesday. While visiting the hospital’s kitchen, he tasted a pumpkin curry prepared for patients, immediately spat it out, and questioned whether anyone would eat such food if it were cooked at home. He instructed the hospital superintendent to ensure better-quality meals for patients.

During the inspection, the minister also visited the hospital’s outpatient department, waste management facilities, and toilets. Khulna City Corporation Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju, Deputy Commissioner Hure Jannat, and Civil Surgeon Mosha. Mahfuza Khatun were present during the visit. Later, the minister visited the fire-damaged Khulna Medical College Hospital.

The visit highlighted concerns about hospital food standards and general service quality, prompting directives for immediate improvement in patient care and facility management.

The 'Teesta Bachao Nodi Bachao Sangram Parishad' has demanded that the government implement the Teesta Master Plan with domestic funding, a one-time allocation, and a time-bound roadmap. The demand was made by the organization’s president, Nazrul Islam Hakkani, at a press conference held on Wednesday morning at a community center in Rangpur city. He emphasized that the Teesta River is vital to the agriculture, economy, environment, and livelihoods of millions in northern Bangladesh, where erosion, drought, and sudden floods have caused severe hardship.

Hakkani noted that despite an earlier announcement in January 2025 by the interim government’s water resources adviser, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, to begin work on the Teesta Master Plan, no visible progress has been made. The organization presented five demands, including a separate national budget allocation for the project, formation of a ‘Teesta Management Authority’ with experts and movement representatives, introduction of a ‘Teesta Bond,’ and adoption of river and agricultural protection plans.

The group announced a series of public outreach programs along the Teesta from May 21 to 26, followed by a special prayer after Eid, a citizens’ rally on June 5, and a month-long awareness campaign.

Islamic scholar and As-Sunnah Foundation chairman Shaykh Ahmadullah has condemned the killing of a seven-year-old girl, describing those responsible as inhuman monsters. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he said that when even a seven-year-old is not safe, the perpetrators cannot be considered human. He added that implementing Sharia law is the only solution to reduce such brutality.

Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s secretary general, Principal Hafiz Maulana Yunus Ahmad, described the murder of child Ramisa in Dhaka’s Pallabi area as horrifying and beyond imagination. In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday, he said such incidents are not isolated but occur frequently across the country. He expressed concern that offenders often go unpunished, a fact reflected in the victim’s father’s cries for justice.

Both statements highlight growing frustration over recurring child abuse and killings in Bangladesh and the perceived lack of accountability for such crimes.

The Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal has rejected for the sixth time a time extension request by the defense lawyer of accused Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. During the May 20 hearing, defense counsel Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya sought more time to cross-examine the plaintiff, citing illness. The court found the request inconsistent with standard court practice and denied it. The court then concluded the testimony of the first prosecution witness, Alif’s father Jamal Uddin, and ordered summons for the next witness. The next hearing is scheduled for June 24.

According to court sources, since the charge was framed on January 19, 2026, the defense has sought time on six occasions between February 2 and May 20. The plaintiff’s lawyer and assistant public prosecutor Md. Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury said the elderly and ailing Jamal Uddin has attended every hearing from Lohagara but expressed frustration over repeated delays.

During the hearing, Chinmoy Krishna Das appeared virtually from prison and submitted applications for bail, medical treatment, and visitation, all of which were rejected due to his lawyer’s absence.

A delegation from the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) met with the finance minister to discuss the upcoming national budget and the stability of the country’s banking sector. The meeting focused on fiscal, regulatory, and structural reforms needed to strengthen the sector. BAB leaders highlighted key challenges including rising non-performing loans, capital adequacy pressures, weak private sector credit growth, governance failures, and declining public confidence due to economic uncertainty.

BAB reported that the overall capital adequacy ratio of the banking industry has dropped to around 3 percent, limiting banks’ ability to support growth, SME financing, job creation, and investment. The delegation called for strong recovery mechanisms, swift legal processes, and confiscation of illegally acquired assets to protect depositors’ interests. It also expressed concern over provisions in the proposed banking resolution framework that could allow former sponsors or major defaulters to re-enter the system.

The association proposed several measures including reducing corporate tax to 30 percent, full tax deductibility for loan loss provisions for five years, withdrawal of extra tax on stock dividends, faster approval of rights issues, and formation of a central asset management company. BAB reaffirmed its commitment to cooperate with the government to restore confidence and ensure long-term stability in the banking sector.

Bangladesh Bank and Prime Bank PLC have signed an agreement to participate in two key refinancing schemes aimed at ensuring easier and more affordable financing for cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprises (CMSMEs) across the country. The signing ceremony was held recently at Bangladesh Bank. Under the agreement, financing will be provided through the 'Cluster Financing Scheme' and the 'FSFDM-SME' scheme to strengthen the CMSME sector, enhance entrepreneurial capacity, create employment, and accelerate sustainable industrialization.

The FSFDM-SME scheme, operated under a revolving fund of Tk 1,500 crore from Bangladesh Bank’s own resources, will offer low-interest loans to support business expansion and modernization. Meanwhile, the Tk 3,000 crore Cluster Financing Scheme will assist geographically concentrated business groups by promoting shared resources, production efficiency, and market expansion. Senior officials from both institutions attended the signing event.

Both Bangladesh Bank and Prime Bank reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the schemes effectively in compliance with policy guidelines to generate a positive impact on the CMSME sector.

Students of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) in Gazipur have declared a complete shutdown of the campus, rejecting the appointment of a new vice-chancellor. The protesting students locked the university’s main gate and announced that the shutdown would continue until further notice. Administrative activities have come to a standstill as a result of the ongoing demonstration.

The students are pressing a three-point demand, including the cancellation of the new vice-chancellor’s appointment and the selection of a replacement from within DUET. The protest follows a day of intense demonstrations and clashes that turned the campus into a tense zone. Despite the continued unrest, the university administration has not yet issued any formal statement or solution.

The continued shutdown has created a state of paralysis across the DUET campus, with students remaining firm in their demands and showing no sign of ending their movement until their conditions are met.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Secretary General, Principal Hafiz Maulana Yunus Ahmad, described the recent killing of a child named Ramisa in Dhaka’s Pallabi area as horrifying and inhuman. In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said the brutality of the incident shows how cruel people can become toward one another.

He added that such crimes are not isolated but occur frequently across the country, with many involving children. According to him, the most alarming issue is the lack of punishment for offenders, as reflected in the grief expressed by Ramisa’s father. Yunus Ahmad argued that the existing legal system fails to protect women and children from such violence and suggested that implementing Shariah law could be an alternative to ensure justice.

Citing Supreme Court data, he said over 151,000 cases were pending in 90 women and child repression prevention tribunals as of December 31 last year, many of them rape cases. He claimed that delays, weak witness management, and legal loopholes prevent justice, calling for the replacement of current laws with Shariah-based legislation.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has advised Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims to avoid direct sunlight and take protective measures during their pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The guidance, issued on Wednesday, follows instructions from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Pilgrims have been urged to rest in shaded areas, use transportation when moving between locations, and ensure they remain hydrated.

The ministry emphasized that pilgrims should carry umbrellas or head coverings while walking and use shaded routes whenever possible. It also requested that they refrain from staying under the sun for long periods or walking in extreme heat without protection. These recommendations aim to ensure comfort and safety during religious activities.

According to the report, the Ministry of Religious Affairs is conducting extensive awareness programs jointly with the Saudi government this year to enhance the safety and well-being of Bangladeshi pilgrims.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dhaka North unit, visited the family of murdered child Ramisa in Pallabi, Dhaka, on Wednesday. During his visit, he expressed condolences to the grieving family and called for the perpetrators to face a swift trial under charges equivalent to crimes against humanity.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, Selim Uddin compared the killing to the brutality of the pre-Islamic era and warned that any delay or manipulation in the judicial process would not be tolerated. He urged the state to set a specific timeline to ensure the killers receive the maximum punishment, including execution.

Selim Uddin also stated that he would request senior Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Monir to take responsibility for handling the case to strengthen the legal proceedings.

The government has officially renamed Kurmitola General Hospital in Dhaka as 'Kurmitola Multicare Specialized Hospital'. The announcement was made through a circular signed by Kazi Sharif Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Secretary of the Health Services Division’s Government Health Management-1 branch, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. The order was issued under the authority of the President and declared effective immediately in the public interest.

According to the circular, copies of the directive have been sent to the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services, the Private Secretary to the Health Minister, and other relevant offices for necessary action. The notice marks an administrative change in the hospital’s official identity and operational designation.

The renaming reflects a formal step by the health authorities to update institutional nomenclature, with immediate implementation across relevant departments as instructed in the government order.

Three additional witnesses from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) testified in a case involving former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 other accused over alleged embezzlement and laundering of about Tk 25 crore from United Commercial Bank. The testimonies were recorded on Wednesday at the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge’s Court, presided over by Judge Mizanur Rahman. Defense lawyers cross-examined the witnesses following their statements.

According to ACC public prosecutor Mokarram Hossain, seven witnesses had previously testified on May 5, bringing the total number of witnesses heard so far, including the complainant, to 21. The court has scheduled June 23 for the next hearing. The ACC filed the charge sheet on January 7 against Javed, his wife Rukmila Zaman, and 34 others, accusing them of misappropriating and transferring the funds abroad.

Court sources said the main accused, Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, is currently in London with his family and remains absconding. Legal procedures are ongoing to take action against the fugitives.

Bangladesh’s Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid announced that the country aims to start exporting meat within the next three years. He said the meat will be produced from livestock fed with naturally grown, nutrient-rich grass without any genetic modification. The minister made the statement while addressing the “Australia-Bangladesh Research Showcase” seminar held in Dhaka, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) and Australia’s Charles Sturt University, with support from the Australian government.

The minister highlighted that safe and nutritional food has become a global priority and that genetically modified food has not yielded the desired benefits. He noted that researchers have developed a Napier grass variety containing 18 percent protein, which is drought-tolerant and cost-effective. This innovation is expected to reduce meat production costs and make meat more affordable for consumers.

Speakers at the seminar emphasized the importance of research, innovation, and international collaboration to build a sustainable and climate-resilient livestock sector. They also discussed strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmentally friendly livestock management.