Three technicians were seriously injured when an air conditioner compressor pipe exploded during repair work at a hall room of the Engineering Institute in Dhaka’s Ramna area on Tuesday afternoon. The victims were rescued and admitted to the National Burn Institute. The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m., leaving one of the technicians, Md. Mamun, with burns covering 35 percent of his body. Doctors described his condition as critical.

According to eyewitness and colleague Abdul Malek, the explosion happened suddenly while the technicians were repairing the air conditioner. The injured were identified as Md. Mamun, 38, Mohammad Rusul, 30, and Ratan Chandra, 32. Local residents and coworkers quickly transported them to the hospital for treatment.

Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman of the National Burn Institute confirmed the extent of their injuries and said all three are receiving treatment. The families of the injured have demanded full medical support. Authorities have evacuated the hall room and ordered a safety inspection following the explosion.

A private tutor was beaten to death with a tube-well handle in Chapainawabganj’s municipal area on Monday night. The incident occurred at Adhirnengra Mor, where teacher Morium Begum had gone to give lessons to a student. Police said the attack led to her death on the spot. The accused, identified as Fomi Khatun, allegedly carried out the assault.

According to police and local sources, Morium Begum, wife of Abul Kalam from Choukpara area, was teaching Fomi’s daughter when the attack took place. Fomi had previously faced allegations of drugging women to steal their gold ornaments. Locals suspect the killing may have been motivated by an attempt to take Morium’s jewelry.

Officer-in-Charge Ekramul Hossain of Sadar Model Police Station confirmed that the body was recovered and sent to the district hospital morgue. Two individuals have been detained for questioning as part of the investigation.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed authorities to recover all illegally occupied government land and bring it under full state control without compromise. He issued the order to Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam while visiting various stalls at the 'Land Service Fair 2026' in Tejgaon on Tuesday. The prime minister also assured full government support to the Dhaka district administration in its land recovery efforts.

During the visit, Rahman praised the district administration for successfully reclaiming about one acre of government land in Lalbagh that had been under illegal occupation for over 20 years. The operation, led by Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam on May 13, drew widespread local attention and was described by residents as a bold and unprecedented move. The prime minister also commended the launch of the 'Hello DC' service aimed at simplifying public access to administrative services.

At the inauguration of the fair, compensation checks totaling Tk 366.78 million were distributed among 88 individuals for land acquisition. Dhaka district currently leads the country in e-mutation applications and disposals, with 23,063 of 30,000 applications resolved in the past month.

Stone imports from India through the Sonamasjid land port in Shibganj, Chapainawabganj resumed on Tuesday after a 17-day suspension. More than 150 Indian trucks carrying stones entered the port between morning and afternoon, confirmed Mainul Islam, port manager of Panama Sonamasjid Port Link Limited. The import halt had begun on May 2 and continued until May 18 due to protests over increased LC values.

An online meeting between importers and exporters from both countries was held on Tuesday morning, where both sides agreed to set the customs valuation of stone at 14 dollars per ton. Previously, stones were imported at a maximum LC value of 13 dollars per ton, but Indian authorities had raised it to 15 dollars, prompting traders to stop imports in protest.

With the resumption of stone imports, port workers have expressed relief as trade activities return to normal levels at the Sonamasjid land port.

The government of Bangladesh has undertaken multi-dimensional initiatives to advance satellite, space, and drone technologies, according to Fakir Mahbub Anam, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology. Speaking at a seminar titled “Satellites, Drones and Future Space Technology in Bangladesh” held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Dhaka on Tuesday, he said the government is working on plans to establish a new low Earth orbit satellite.

The minister emphasized that satellite and drone technologies are no longer luxuries but essential infrastructures for national development, disaster management, agriculture, fisheries, communication, and security. He noted that satellite technology can help forecast disasters, monitor river erosion, enhance agricultural productivity, and ensure the safety of coastal and deep-sea fishermen. The government has already initiated programs to deliver cyclone and weather alerts to fishermen more quickly.

Regarding drones, he said they are now being used beyond photography and entertainment, serving as effective tools for border security, agricultural management, surveying, and disaster response. He called for collaboration among universities, research institutions, and technology sectors to enhance the use of space data and applications.

Workers in Khulna blocked a major highway on Tuesday morning demanding withdrawal of conditions imposed on raw jute exports and payment of overdue wages. The protest took place at Daulatpur Railgate intersection, where demonstrators set tires on fire and erected barricades, halting traffic. Organized under the banner of the Daulatpur Jute Press and Baling Workers’ Union, the protesters marched to the Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) building and staged a sit-in. Some participants threw bricks and vandalized property before police and union leaders restored order.

Union leaders said the export restrictions, introduced on 8 September 2025, had plunged the jute sector into crisis, leaving many workers jobless for nine months. The BJA had earlier announced the protest at a press conference, arguing that the Ministry of Commerce’s decision to list raw jute as a conditional export item effectively halted exports. According to BJA Chairman Khandaker Alamgir Kabir, the policy caused severe financial losses to exporters and unemployment for thousands of workers.

The BJA claimed that despite sufficient domestic supply, Bangladesh could export 800,000–1,000,000 bales of raw jute annually, earning up to Tk 20 billion, but exports dropped sharply under the new restrictions.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain announced that a Central Emergency Alarm System will be introduced in government hospitals in Dhaka to enhance the safety of doctors and healthcare workers. The initiative will begin with Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. The minister shared the plan on Tuesday at the Central Medical Stores Depot in Tejgaon during a ceremony to hand over donated ventilators and other medical equipment.

Hossain explained that the system, referred to as a 'Code Blue' or emergency alarm, aims to ensure rapid security support during critical situations in hospitals. Additionally, the government plans to establish a separate police camp in the Mohakhali area to strengthen security for health-related facilities.

Regarding the new medical equipment, the minister said that ten district hospitals will each receive a pediatric ventilator for their ICU units, which are expected to be inaugurated within a week after Eid-ul-Azha.

At least 20 people, including three journalists, were injured on Tuesday afternoon when two groups of workers clashed in the Chaumuhana area of Sreemangal, Moulvibazar. Witnesses said the confrontation erupted suddenly following a previous dispute, leading to chasing and counter-chasing between the groups. Shops in the area closed quickly as panic spread among residents, and traffic on key roads was severely disrupted.

Law enforcement intervened after the situation escalated, dispersing both sides and restoring order. Sreemangal Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Zahirul Islam Munna confirmed that the situation was now under control and that legal action would follow after investigation. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Ziaur Rahman stated that video footage was being collected to identify those involved, while local Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury said he had spoken with both sides to resolve the issue through discussion.

The clash also caused a three-to-four-hour traffic halt on the Dhaka–Sylhet regional highway, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and causing severe suffering for long-distance passengers and locals.

A Dhaka court has rejected the bail petitions of retired Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik in two separate cases involving allegations of amassing wealth beyond known income and misusing power to seize a plot in Purbachal. The order was issued on Tuesday by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Mohammad Tarikul Islam confirmed the decision, stating that defense lawyers sought bail in both cases, which the prosecution opposed.

According to the case files, ACC Assistant Director Abdullah Al Mamun filed the two cases against Manik. One case accuses him of acquiring assets worth Tk 5.39 crore illegally during his tenure as a judge, leading to charges under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, the Money Laundering Prevention Act, and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The second case also names several others, including the wife of former finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and former RAJUK officials, for allegedly collaborating to misappropriate a plot in the Purbachal New Town Project.

The court’s decision means the former justice remains without bail as the corruption proceedings continue.

Bangladesh has joined several countries in condemning Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound humanitarian mission known as the Global Sumud Flotilla. The flotilla, carrying aid and over 50 vessels, was stopped by Israeli forces in international waters off western Cyprus, according to pro-Palestinian activists. The incident has drawn sharp reactions from multiple nations.

A joint statement released by Jordan’s Foreign Ministry included Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Libya, and the Maldives. The statement expressed deep concern for the safety of the flotilla’s civilian participants and called for the immediate release of all detained workers. Jordan’s ministry added that repeated attacks on peaceful humanitarian initiatives reflect Israel’s continued disregard for international law and freedom of navigation.

The participating countries urged the international community to take effective measures in response to the incident, emphasizing the need to protect humanitarian missions and uphold maritime rights.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar held a meeting with Tuan Abdul Hadi Awang MP, President of Malaysia’s largest political party, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). The exchange took place during Porwar’s visit to Malaysia on Tuesday. Barrister Najibur Rahman Momen MP and PAS Assistant Secretary General Saheer Sulaiman MP were also present at the meeting.

During the discussion, both sides addressed topics of mutual interest, contemporary challenges facing the Muslim ummah, and ways to strengthen the longstanding fraternal ties between the peoples of Bangladesh and Malaysia. The meeting emphasized cooperation and understanding between the two nations’ political and social communities.

Earlier, Mia Golam Porwar also paid a courtesy call on Nurul Izzah Anwar, Vice President of Malaysia’s ruling Justice Party and daughter of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, accompanied by Barrister Najibur Rahman Momen MP.

Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP), strongly condemned the ongoing killings along the Bangladesh-India border and criticized the government’s silence on the issue. Speaking on Tuesday afternoon at the Uttar Amjhol border in Hatibandha, Lalmonirhat, after visiting the family of Khadimul, who was reportedly shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF), Patwari said the home minister should resign if he fails to stop border killings.

Patwari accused India of committing atrocities against Bangladeshi citizens and deliberately supplying drugs across the border to destroy the youth. He alleged that the government remains silent despite repeated incidents, including four recent killings in Kasba. He also claimed that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) press release on Khadimul’s death echoed the BSF’s version of events and demanded stronger border protection.

Patwari further urged the government to compensate families of all those killed at the border and pledged that if his party came to power, it would build houses for every such family.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to South Korea, Toufiqul Islam Shatil, held a courtesy meeting with Mohammad Kamal Hossain, Member of Parliament for Dhaka-5 and Assistant Secretary of Dhaka South Jamaat. The meeting took place on Monday at 11 a.m. local time at the Bangladesh Embassy in South Korea during the MP’s personal visit.

Discussions were held in a cordial atmosphere on issues concerning expatriate Bangladeshis and matters of national interest. A key topic was the process of repatriating the bodies of Bangladeshi expatriate workers, including students, at government expense. Mohammad Kamal Hossain pledged to discuss the legal aspects of this issue with the Minister of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment upon his return to Bangladesh.

The meeting also covered ways to enhance trade and investment between South Korea and Bangladesh. Embassy officials, including Counselor Tarajul Islam, Commercial Counselor Md Nazmul Haque, and Bangladesh–South Korea Unity Council member and businessman M I Choton, were present.

Former Rail Minister Nurul Islam Sujan has been newly shown arrested in the murder case of Md. Jahangir filed at Jatrabari Police Station in Dhaka. On Tuesday, May 19, Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque ordered the arrest following a petition from the investigation officer. The court sent Sujan to jail and scheduled a bail hearing for the following day.

According to the case details, the victim’s brother, Md. Umar Faruk, filed the case after Jahangir was shot during an anti-discrimination student movement in the Shonir Akhra area on July 20, 2024. Jahangir later died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Sujan is listed as the 13th accused in the case.

CID Inspector Md. Shamim Hossain, the investigation officer, stated in his petition that preliminary findings suggest Sujan’s involvement in planning and executing the crime. The court accepted the petition and approved the arrest order. Earlier, on May 5, Sujan had received bail from the High Court in three other cases.

A special tribunal in Sirajganj has sentenced Dr. Raihan Sharif, a lecturer at Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College, to 21 years in prison under two sections of the Arms Act. The verdict was delivered on Monday by Judge Md. Iqbal Hossain of Sirajganj Special Tribunal-1. Public Prosecutor Rafique Sarkar confirmed the sentence, noting that the time the convict spent in custody will be deducted from his total prison term.

According to the case documents, on March 4, 2024, Dr. Raihan Sharif entered an examination hall on the fourth floor of the college’s academic building carrying firearms and knives, allegedly to intimidate students. During the incident, he fired a pistol, injuring student Arafat Amin Tomal in the right leg. Enraged students detained him and informed the police, who recovered two foreign pistols, ammunition, magazines, and knives from the scene. Police later arrested him and filed a case under the Arms Act.

After reviewing witness statements and evidence, the court found Dr. Sharif guilty and imposed the 21-year sentence.