Farmers and households in Debiganj upazila of Panchagarh have prepared 23,133 sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, exceeding the local demand of 17,220 by nearly 6,000. According to the upazila livestock department, more than 600 farmers and families have raised these animals, with cattle making up the majority. Among them are 13,126 cows, including 9,020 bulls, 1,501 oxen, and 2,605 cows, along with 9,505 goats, 420 sheep, and 82 buffaloes.

Officials noted that commercial livestock farming has grown in Debiganj in recent years, with many families also raising animals at home in preparation for the festival. Farmers said that despite higher costs for feed and care, they expect good prices during the Eid market. The livestock officer confirmed there is no shortage of animals and that regular inspections are being conducted to ensure healthy and safe livestock.

Local markets such as Bhaulaganj, Tepriganj, Laxirhat, and Kaliganj have already started receiving animals, and some will also be sold in nearby Domar upazila of Nilphamari. Authorities have taken measures to ensure market security and prevent counterfeit currency transactions.

Bangladesh has approved the long-discussed Padma Barrage Project to address the country's worsening water crisis caused by reduced flow from the Ganges, known locally as the Padma. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has given final approval to the project, with an estimated cost of Tk 50,443.64 crore. The government has allocated Tk 34,497.25 crore for the first phase. Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anwar stated that there is no need for discussions with India regarding this project, which aims to store about 2,900 million cubic meters of water in the Padma River.

The project seeks to revive five rivers—Hisna-Mathabhanga, Gorai-Madhumati, Chandana-Barasia, Baral, and Ichamati—by supplying around 800 cubic meters of water per second during the dry season. It is expected to benefit nearly 2.9 million hectares of farmland across southwestern Bangladesh and generate 113 megawatts of hydroelectric power. Experts believe the barrage will help mitigate salinity and waterlogging in the Sundarbans region.

Analysts note that India’s water diversion through the Farakka Barrage has long reduced Bangladesh’s river flow. The new project is seen as a strategic response to safeguard national water resources and agricultural productivity.

An elderly man named Ali Hossen, aged 70, from Noakhali Para in Baharchhara Union of Teknaf upazila, Cox’s Bazar, returned home three days after being abducted by armed men who identified themselves as police officers. According to his family, the abductors released him on Monday evening after receiving a ransom of four lakh taka.

The incident occurred around 1:45 a.m. on May 16, when several armed individuals entered Ali Hossen’s home and forcibly took him to a remote hilly area described as a robbers’ hideout. His younger brother, Syed Ahmad, said the kidnappers later contacted the family by phone to demand ransom. After the payment was made on Sunday afternoon, Ali was freed the following evening. The family reported that the abductors threatened to kill them if they informed anyone, leaving them in fear.

Officer-in-Charge of Teknaf Model Police Station, Md Saiful Islam, stated that the police had not been informed about the incident.

All long-distance bus services to and from Naogaon have been suspended after a bus driver was assaulted early Tuesday. Transport workers stopped operations around 9 a.m. following the attack, which occurred when an Ekota Paribahan bus arrived at the Dhaka bus stand area around 1:30 a.m. Several youths allegedly beat the driver without cause and later vandalized the company’s counter.

Passengers at the scene expressed frustration over the sudden suspension, saying it disrupted their travel plans ahead of Eid and urgent work trips. Habibur Rahman, waiting to travel to Gaibandha, said such strikes frequently cause hardship, while Munira Akter noted she could not reach Dhaka on time due to the stoppage.

Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, general secretary of the district bus owners’ association, confirmed the suspension but said details of the incident were still unclear. Naogaon Sadar Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge Mohammad Asaduzzaman stated that a meeting with all parties was being arranged to restore normal operations soon.

Police in Lalpur upazila of Natore recovered the body of a young man from a field behind North Bengal Sugar Mills High School on Monday evening. The deceased was identified as Sajib Karmakar, aged 25, son of Rantu Karmakar from Bahadipur village in the same upazila. Locals first noticed the body lying in the field and informed the police, who arrived promptly and took the body to the police station.

According to Lalpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam, the police recovered the body after receiving the report and have begun efforts to determine the exact cause of death. Legal procedures related to the incident are currently underway.

The cause of death remains under investigation, and further details are expected as the inquiry progresses.

India is seeking to open a new chapter in its relationship with Bangladesh by giving Prime Minister Tarique Rahman the benefit of the doubt. During a discussion with a visiting Bangladeshi media delegation in Delhi, former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh and NatStrat chief Pankaj Saran said India hopes the new government in Dhaka will act wisely to strengthen bilateral relations and avoid the tensions that marked 2001–2006, when Delhi’s security concerns were ignored.

Saran emphasized that national security remains India’s top priority in relations with its neighbors and that India wants close ties with Bangladesh, distinct from its strained relationship with Pakistan. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promptly congratulated Rahman after the election, and Rahman responded the next day, signaling goodwill. Saran also confirmed that veteran politician Dinesh Trivedi has been appointed India’s new High Commissioner to Bangladesh, reflecting Modi’s personal trust.

He discussed issues including border killings, water sharing, Sheikh Hasina’s asylum in Delhi, and regional geopolitics, stressing that both countries must cooperate on security and border management to prevent extremism and strengthen mutual trust.

A large number of students have been absent from the ongoing 2026 SSC, Dakhil, and equivalent examinations under 11 education boards in Bangladesh. Each day, between 25,000 and 35,000 students are missing from exams, with the highest absentee rates recorded under the Madrasa Education Board, followed by the Technical Board. Despite completing ten years of schooling and filling out exam forms, many students are not attending, raising concern among education officials. No coordinated or effective measures have yet been taken by the boards to address the issue.

According to reports from the Dhaka Education Board and other authorities, four main factors are driving the high absenteeism: early marriage among girls, illness, poor exam preparation, and financial hardship leading students to join the workforce. Data from 2025 showed that 41 percent of absentees, mostly girls, missed exams due to marriage, while 25 percent cited illness. The problem is more severe in rural areas than in cities. The Dhaka Board plans to continue investigative efforts to better understand and reduce dropout rates in future examinations.

A young man named Saddam Hossain died after being electrocuted in Chuadanga on Monday night. He was the son of Alam Hossain from the Farmpara area of Chuadanga municipality. According to family members, Saddam went to collect mangoes near the BADC farm beside his house during a storm and rain when he came into contact with an electric wire and was seriously injured. Locals took him to the emergency department of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, where Dr. Tarek Rahman Junaid declared him dead.

Chuadanga Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman confirmed that he had received information about the incident, stating that the young man died from electrocution during the late-night storm. The report did not mention any further investigation or official statement beyond this confirmation.

The incident highlights the dangers of exposed electrical wires during storms in residential and agricultural areas, though no additional safety measures or official responses were reported in the source.

A brutal attack took place in Feni on Monday night when a group of assailants stabbed a student leader in the Mohipal area. The victim, identified as Abtahi Hossain Tahi, serves as the general secretary of the Mohipal Government College unit of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. Witnesses and police sources reported that the attackers ambushed him and stabbed him in the back with a sharp knife. He was rescued with the weapon still lodged in his body and initially taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital due to his critical condition.

According to family and party sources, the attack was allegedly led by a known local drug dealer named Khurshid. The victim’s family is preparing to file a case regarding the incident. Police have not yet confirmed any arrests or further details about the suspects.

The attack has raised concerns about political and criminal violence in the area, though no official statement has been released by authorities at the time of reporting.

On Monday evening, the Tigerpass area of Chattogram transformed into a vibrant space of political and cultural expression as walls became canvases for the “July Graffiti” initiative. Organized by the city corporation, the event drew young people, artists, and residents who painted faces of protest, slogans, and memories on the walls. Similar graffiti programs were also held nearby under the banners of NCP and Ganaadhikar Parishad, all reflecting themes of remembrance, protest, and political identity.

Earlier in the day, police had stopped a group of students attempting to paint graffiti at Tigerpass, sparking brief tension. The students said their work was not political but an act of rewriting history, protesting the erasure of July Movement graffiti. The tension followed allegations that such graffiti had been removed, leading to confrontations between BNP and NCP activists on Sunday night.

Authorities imposed Section 144 from Lalkhan Bazar to Tigerpass and deployed extra police to maintain order. Despite restrictions, the evening saw a return of color and expression, blending administrative control, political presence, and spontaneous youth participation.

NCP’s South Region chief organizer and Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah cautioned police officers against aligning with any political party, saying such actions would lead to negative consequences. Speaking as the chief guest at a roadside rally in Brahmanpara Sadar, Cumilla, on Monday, May 18, he urged law enforcement to serve as the people’s police rather than as enforcers for any political group.

In his speech, Abdullah criticized the Chattogram mayor and condemned recent police actions against students, recalling their role in the July Movement. He accused the mayor of hypocrisy for labeling past elections under Hasina as illegal while defending his own, and denounced the use of police against students. Referring to attempts to erase July Movement graffiti, he questioned the authorities’ fear of such symbols.

Abdullah emphasized ensuring police professionalism and independence, warning against repeating past abuses of power. He also dismissed the relevance of a former ruling party that fled the country, asserting that its return would endanger students’ safety.

Bangladesh’s senior cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim scored his 14th Test century during the ongoing Test match against Pakistan in Sylhet, setting a new national record. His disciplined and determined batting helped Bangladesh build a strong position in the match. Mushfiqur reached his half-century off 103 balls with one six and three boundaries, later converting it into a century that placed him ahead of Mominul Haque, who has 13 Test centuries. His innings featured a crucial 123-run partnership with Liton Das and valuable contributions with the tailenders, adding 112 runs to the team’s total.

Mushfiqur’s performance came after a modest first innings of 23 runs, showing his resilience and focus in the second innings. His leadership and experience were evident as he guided younger and lower-order players, including Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shariful Islam, and Nahid Rana, through the innings. Taijul later noted that batting alongside a senior like Mushfiqur made the game easier and more instructive.

With this century, Mushfiqur now holds Bangladesh’s records for most Test matches (102), most runs, longest Test career (21 years), and most centuries, reinforcing his status as a cornerstone of the national team.

A van driver was killed in a collision between a truck and a battery-powered van in Lalpur upazila of Natore on Monday evening. The accident occurred around 7:15 p.m. in the Chaknazirpur market area when a truck, registration number Dhaka Metro-T 16-8315, traveling from Lalpur to Bonpara, hit the van head-on. The truck was being driven by helper Md. Israil Hossain, 31, instead of the main driver.

According to local sources, the speeding truck collided with the van coming from the opposite direction, leaving van driver Zakir Ali Khan, 55, dead on the spot. The deceased was a resident of Uttar Lalpur village. Police detained Israil Hossain along with the truck immediately after the incident.

Lalpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam confirmed the incident, stating that the body had been recovered and legal procedures were underway. Police have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.

In Nabinagar of Brahmanbaria, a contractor has been accused of withdrawing Tk 22.9 million before completing a road development project under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The five-kilometer Aliyabad–Gopalpur road, costing Tk 26 million, remains largely unfinished despite the project’s deadline having expired. Locals report that the road has become nearly impassable, filled with potholes and waterlogging, causing severe hardship for thousands of residents from nearby villages.

According to field visits and LGED sources, the project began on November 28, 2024, and was scheduled for completion by November 2025. Although records claim three kilometers of work were completed, the road shows little visible progress, and the portions built are of poor quality. Residents, including teachers, drivers, and commuters, described daily risks and frequent accidents due to the road’s condition. The Nabinagar Upazila Engineer stated that he joined recently and that the irregular bill withdrawal occurred before his tenure, promising to investigate the matter.

Attempts to contact contractor Lokman Hossain were unsuccessful as his phone remained switched off.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Fakir Mahbub Anam, stated that the government has never treated space, satellite, and drone technologies as luxuries. Speaking on Monday at a seminar titled ‘Satellites, Drones and the Future of Space Technology in Bangladesh’ at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Dhaka, he said these technologies have become essential for national development, disaster management, agriculture, fisheries, communication, and security. He highlighted the 2018 launch of Bangladesh’s first satellite as a major milestone, noting its role in broadcasting, telecommunications, and emergency communications.

Anam added that the government is planning a new low-earth orbit satellite to enhance data accuracy for agriculture, coastal security, and environmental monitoring. He emphasized that satellite data can improve weather forecasting and safety for coastal fishermen. The minister also underlined the growing importance of drone technology in border security, land surveys, infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response.

Keynote speaker Dr. Muhammad Imadur Rahman of Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited said space technology is a driving force of the fourth industrial revolution and vital for economic growth, security, and climate resilience in developing countries like Bangladesh.