An inmate at Brahmanbaria District Jail died on Monday morning after suddenly falling ill. Prison authorities said the man, identified as Moron Mia, 40, from Dharamandal village in Nasirnagar upazila, became sick while having breakfast. He was given initial treatment by the prison doctor and later taken to Brahmanbaria District Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at the emergency department.

According to Jail Superintendent Md. Mojibur Rahman Mojumdar, Moron Mia had been in custody since May 9 in connection with a yaba consumption case. His condition deteriorated rapidly on Monday morning, prompting his transfer to the hospital. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy, and authorities said it will be handed over to the family after legal procedures are completed.

The report did not mention the exact cause of death or any further investigation details.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of income tax records belonging to former State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and his wife Arifa Jesmin Konika. The order was issued on Monday afternoon by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz, following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC’s Assistant Director Minhaj Bin Islam sought the seizure, citing allegations that Palak abused his power and amassed illegal wealth through irregularities and corruption.

According to the petition, preliminary investigations found assets worth about Tk 9.98 crore inconsistent with their known income sources. The couple allegedly maintained 31 bank accounts showing deposits of Tk 22.94 crore and withdrawals of Tk 17.58 crore, which the ACC suspects fall under money laundering activities. The commission argued that collecting original tax documents from the 2008–2009 to 2024–2025 fiscal years was essential to prevent concealment or transfer of assets.

The ACC stated that the investigation is being conducted under sections of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. The court approved the seizure to ensure a fair investigation.

Islamic TV Managing Director Barrister Shams Iskandar announced that the channel will provide video evidence of the Shapla Chattar massacre to the International Crimes Tribunal. He made the statement on Monday after meeting with the tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor. Iskandar said that Islamic TV’s camera crew and news team were present at the site during the Hefazat-e-Islam rally and broadcasted the events live. Later that night, law enforcement personnel allegedly raided and vandalized the channel’s office, damaging broadcasting equipment and shutting down operations.

According to Iskandar, the Chief Prosecutor asked the channel to safeguard all available evidence, which prosecutors would later collect for investigation. He added that the channel had been accused of provocative coverage, but he denied the allegation, stating that the broadcast reflected real-time events. He claimed the closure of Islamic TV was due to family reasons rather than incitement. When asked about testifying, Iskandar said he was willing to do so if requested by the prosecution, emphasizing the importance of justice.

The submission of the footage is expected to support the tribunal’s ongoing investigation into the Shapla Chattar incident.

Allegations of irregularities have surfaced in a goat distribution program for poor ethnic minority families in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrokona. The incident occurred on Monday, May 18, during a distribution event organized by the upazila livestock office. Reports claim that iron rings weighing about 1.7 kilograms were inserted into the weighing meter to artificially increase the goats’ recorded weight, leading to tension between beneficiaries and contractor representatives.

Staff member Rahat stated that the digital weighing machine belonged to the office and was used for the first time that day, suggesting the rings might have been inserted by mistake during fitting. Beneficiaries later found that some goats weighed only 3.5 to 6 kilograms, below the required minimum of 8 kilograms. Several recipients and locals reportedly confined officials in a room demanding accountability.

Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Kanika Sarker said the main contractor did not attend directly and that goats with weight discrepancies would be replaced. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Islam confirmed that the allegations are being investigated and that action will be taken if irregularities are proven.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer for the southern region of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and a member of parliament, urged that every wall in Chattogram display July-themed graffiti by the end of the day. He made the statement in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon.

Following his call, tensions reportedly rose between activists of the BNP and NCP over the July graffiti issue in Chattogram. In response, the local administration issued a public notice on Monday morning prohibiting all types of gatherings and rallies from GEC Mor to Dewanhat. The restriction aims to prevent potential unrest linked to the dispute.

The situation underscores growing political friction in the city, with authorities moving quickly to maintain order in key areas.

A Dhaka court has fixed July 2 as the new date for submitting the investigation report in the Bangladesh Bank reserve theft case. The order was issued on Monday by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) failed to submit the report on the previously scheduled date. This marks the 95th time the report submission has been postponed.

The case stems from the February 5, 2016 theft of 81 million US dollars from Bangladesh Bank’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States. The stolen funds were transferred to the Philippines through fraudulent use of the SWIFT system. Investigators believe that a domestic group assisted the hackers in laundering the stolen money.

The case was filed on March 15, 2016 by Zobayer Bin Huda, Deputy Director of the Accounts and Budgeting Department of Bangladesh Bank, under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 (amended 2015) and sections 54 and 379 of the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006. The CID is currently conducting the investigation.

A student-led graffiti painting campaign linked to the July Movement was disrupted by police in Chattogram on May 18, 2026. Around 15 to 20 students gathered at Tigerpass intersection after 1 p.m. to paint graffiti but were stopped by police. The students expressed frustration, claiming that the city corporation’s removal of July Movement graffiti was an attempt to erase the movement from public memory.

Tensions had been rising in Chattogram since Sunday evening after earlier graffiti was removed, leading to confrontations between BNP and NCP activists. Both groups had announced separate graffiti programs from Lalkhan Bazar to Tigerpass. To prevent unrest, authorities imposed Section 144 from GEC intersection to Dewanhat and deployed additional police. BNP and NCP leaders later suspended their programs in compliance with the order.

Deputy Police Commissioner (South) Hossain Mohammad Kabir Bhuiyan stated that no gatherings were allowed under Section 144 and that no untoward incidents occurred, though some verbal exchanges took place when students resisted police inquiries.

Qatar has expressed interest in recruiting skilled workers from Bangladesh in four technical sectors: electrician, welding, air conditioning technician, and plumbing. The development was discussed during a meeting in Dhaka between Qatar’s visiting Labour Minister Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri and Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury. Following the meeting, Chowdhury said Qatar is now prioritizing skilled manpower over unskilled labor, and Bangladesh is preparing to send trained workers accordingly.

The ministers also discussed expanding Qatar’s visa processing facilities in Bangladesh, as the country currently has only one visa center. Dhaka requested additional centers to reduce public inconvenience, and Qatar assured that the issue would be considered seriously. The matter is expected to be finalized in the upcoming joint working group meeting between the two nations.

State Minister Md. Nurul Haque noted that Qatar also showed interest in hiring Bangladeshi workers for religious professions such as imams and muezzins, alongside the four technical sectors. Both sides described the talks as positive and aimed at strengthening bilateral labor cooperation.

National Parliament Whip Miah Nuruddin Ahmed Apu has issued a strict directive prohibiting the setup of temporary cattle markets on the grounds or campuses of educational institutions in Shariatpur district ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. He made the announcement on May 17 during a meeting with officials in Damudya upazila, emphasizing that schools and colleges are centers for education and moral development, not for commercial activities.

The Whip stated that in previous years, cattle markets were often established on school, college, and madrasa grounds, causing damage to grass fields and infrastructure, environmental pollution, and disruption of academic activities. To preserve the normal environment for students’ learning and sports, he declared that no such markets would be allowed this year.

He further instructed local administration, municipalities, and upazila authorities to strictly monitor compliance. Apu warned that any individual or group attempting to use educational premises for cattle markets would face legal action, stressing that these grounds are public assets that must be protected.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar held a meeting with Bangladeshi expatriates in Malaysia on Sunday at Al Daud Arabic Restaurant. During the discussion, expatriates shared their concerns about excessive fees charged by the Dhaka-based Expert Service Kuala Lumpur (ESKL) for passport services, high costs of overseas employment, election irregularities, banking complications, legalization of undocumented Bangladeshis, and harassment at Bangladeshi airports.

In response, Mia Golam Porwar condemned the reported irregularities, corruption, and harassment, assuring that these issues would be raised strongly in parliament by the opposition. He said pressure would be applied on the government to take effective measures to ease expatriates’ hardships and ensure their rights. Porwar emphasized that expatriates play a vital role in Bangladesh’s economy and that the state has a duty to guarantee their dignity, safety, and access to services.

Community leader Abu Abdullah urged expatriates to prioritize lawful earnings and avoid any form of irregular or illegal activities, reaffirming continued community support for them.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that the government is drafting a new law to formally establish an elite force for public security, under which the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will continue to operate. Speaking at RAB headquarters on Monday, May 18, during the force’s 22nd founding anniversary, he said the current ad hoc arrangement for RAB is not appropriate and that the new law will ensure human rights, transparency, and accountability.

Ahmed explained that the government is considering whether to rename RAB or raise a new elite force, but the decision is still under review. He emphasized that the forthcoming law will guarantee both authority and responsibility within the force, ensuring transparency and accountability in all operations. The minister said the initiative aims to uphold the rule of law and meet public expectations for safety.

Addressing questions about U.S. sanctions on RAB, Ahmed stated that some officers’ past actions had harmed the institution, but individual misconduct should not implicate the entire organization. He expressed hope that if the force is restructured or renamed, the sanctions might be reconsidered.

A large-scale highway robbery took place on the Naogaon-Natore regional road in Atrai, Naogaon, late Sunday night. According to eyewitnesses, from around 12:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., a group of robbers blocked the road at a location known as Vangabridge using boats and tables, then looted 40 to 50 vehicles. The robbers reportedly held drivers and passengers at gunpoint, seizing cash, mobile phones, and other valuables.

Victims described losing money and personal belongings, including a Saudi expatriate’s family who were robbed of phones and cash while returning home. A microbus driver said he was forced to hand over 4,000 taka. One driver claimed police initially said the area was outside their jurisdiction, but Atrai police denied receiving any emergency calls and stated they launched an operation immediately after learning of the incident.

On Monday, senior police officials, including the Naogaon Superintendent of Police, visited the scene. Police said no arrests had been made yet, but preparations were underway to file a case and take legal action.

Bangladesh Bank has announced that all banks will remain closed from May 25 to May 31 for the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. However, to facilitate salary payments for garment sector workers, the central bank has instructed that some branches in industrial areas remain open on May 25 and 26. A circular issued on Sunday was sent to the chief executives of all scheduled banks outlining these directives.

According to the circular, all bank branches and sub-branches will operate normally on May 23 and 24 as per the Ministry of Public Administration’s notification. To ensure smooth payment of wages, bonuses, and allowances for garment workers and to maintain import-export operations, limited banking services will be available in Dhaka, Ashulia, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Valuka, Narayanganj, and Chattogram. These branches will operate from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with transactions allowed until 1 p.m.

Additionally, bank branches located in sea, land, and airport areas will remain partially open from May 25 to May 31 to support import and export activities. Bangladesh Bank confirmed that employees working during the holidays will receive allowances as per regulations.

A woman was killed and five others injured when a bus hit an autorickshaw on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway in the Nabagram area of Chauddagram, Cumilla. The accident occurred on Monday afternoon when the autorickshaw overturned after being struck by a KK Travels bus traveling in the wrong direction. The deceased was identified as Jesmin Akter, 42, wife of Montu Mia from Balujuri village. The injured included the autorickshaw driver Nizam Uddin and four passengers.

According to local sources, Jesmin Akter and four other women were returning home from Chauddagram Bazar when the collision occurred. Locals rescued the injured and took them to Chauddagram Upazila Health Complex for initial treatment before transferring them to Cumilla for advanced care. A doctor at the health complex confirmed that Jesmin Akter had died before reaching the hospital.

Police from Miyabazar Highway Station recovered the damaged vehicles and took them to the station. The injured victims were admitted to the hospital for further treatment.

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 afternoon by Judge Iqbal Hossain of Sirajganj Special Tribunal-1. The court confirmed that the period Dr. Sharif spent in custody during the trial will be deducted from his total sentence.

According to the case documents, on March 4, 2024, Dr. Sharif entered an examination hall at the college’s academic building with firearms and knives, allegedly to intimidate students. During the incident, he fired a pistol that struck student Arafat Amin Tamal, 22, in the right leg, causing serious injury. Enraged students detained Dr. Sharif and alerted police, who recovered two foreign pistols, ammunition, magazines, and knives from the scene.

Following the incident, police arrested Dr. Sharif and filed a case under the Arms Act. After reviewing witness testimony and evidence, the court handed down the 21-year sentence on May 18, 2026.