Experts at a seminar in Dhaka on Sunday warned that Bangladesh’s power sector is under severe financial pressure due to overcapacity, import dependence, capacity charges, and subsidies. They called for integrated policy reforms, realistic planning, and greater focus on renewable energy to address the long-term energy crisis. The event, titled “Economic Burden of Bangladesh’s Power Sector: Policy Recommendations for Crisis Management,” was organized by the Mechanical Engineering Division of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury said the energy sector is in a “minus position” due to financial constraints and past international agreements that limit new projects. He emphasized the need to expand solar and other renewable sources to reduce import dependence and economic strain. IEB President Mohammad Riazul Islam noted that years of mismanagement and waste have severely affected the gas sector, while Professor M. Rezwan Khan highlighted that excess generation capacity and costly imported fuels have created heavy fiscal burdens.

Speakers agreed that better project evaluation, domestic energy use, and renewable expansion are essential to reduce subsidies and strengthen the sector’s sustainability.

Students of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) in Gazipur began a blockade on Monday morning, pressing three demands related to recent administrative decisions. The protest started at 8 a.m., leading to a suspension of all campus activities. Their demands include the cancellation of the government’s appointment of Professor Mohammad Iqbal from Shahjalal University as DUET’s new vice-chancellor, the appointment of a vice-chancellor from DUET’s own faculty, and justice for those involved in a recent clash between two groups.

The government had appointed Professor Iqbal as DUET’s vice-chancellor last Thursday, but students immediately rejected the decision. The blockade has so far remained peaceful, with participants declaring they will continue until their demands are met. Additional police have been deployed on campus to maintain order.

The situation remains tense but under control as authorities monitor developments and students maintain their protest stance.

Tension has arisen between BNP and NCP activists in Chattogram over the July graffiti issue. In response, the local administration has imposed a ban on all types of meetings and gatherings from GEC Mor to Dewanhat. The restriction was announced on Monday, May 18, through a public notice stating that it will remain in effect until further instructions.

According to the notice, the order was issued by CMP Commissioner Hasan Md Shawkat Ali under Section 30 of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1978. The directive aims to maintain peace, order, and public safety in the affected area. Authorities have warned that legal action will be taken against anyone violating the order.

The announcement follows growing political tension between the two parties, with the administration emphasizing the need to prevent unrest and ensure security in the city.

Long-distance and inter-district bus services from Rajshahi have been suspended nationwide following a dispute over the formation of the local motor workers’ union committee. The suspension began around 8:30 a.m. on Monday when a faction of transport workers abruptly stopped bus operations, leaving passengers bound for Dhaka and other destinations stranded.

According to sources, the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation announced a new 21-member Rajshahi District Motor Workers Union committee on Sunday, appointing Rafiqul Islam Pakhi as president and Mominul Islam Momin as general secretary. Workers opposing the unelected committee began protests, demanding its cancellation and the formation of a three-month convening committee to organize elections.

The conflict follows an April 23 clash between two groups of transport workers over control of the union office in Rajshahi’s Shiroil area, which led to vandalism of nearby shops. The federation later announced the new committee as part of a compromise. Newly appointed president Rafiqul Islam Pakhi said he was aware of the bus stoppage and was trying to restore normal service.

A discussion meeting on state reform, implementation of the referendum verdict, and the role of expatriates was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event took place on Saturday at Radhuni Bilas Restaurant, organized by the NCP Diaspora Alliance Malaysia Chapter. The session was chaired by Engineer Enamul Haque, convener of the chapter, with central joint member secretary and diaspora cell secretary Alauddin Mohammad as the main discussant.

Speakers at the meeting emphasized the necessity of state reform, proper implementation of the referendum verdict, and active participation of expatriate Bangladeshis in the country’s democratic progress. They highlighted that a united effort from citizens at home and abroad is essential to establish an accountable, democratic, and people-centered governance system.

Alauddin Mohammad noted that expatriates are not only vital to the national economy but can also contribute significantly to state-building and democratic consciousness. Enamul Haque called for unity to fulfill public expectations through the implementation of the referendum verdict and to build an effective state structure.

Karina Kaiser, a content creator and actress who passed away in India, was laid to rest in Abdullahpur village of Gazaria upazila, Munshiganj, on Monday morning. Her final funeral prayer took place at 7 a.m. behind Bhoberchar bus stand, followed by burial in the garden of her grandmother’s house. She was the daughter of former national footballer Kaiser Hamid and Lopa Kaiser.

According to family sources, after public tributes and funeral prayers in Dhaka, her body was brought to Gazaria late Sunday night. Although her maternal home is in Puran Bausia, the burial was arranged at her grandmother Dr. Zohra Khanam Parul’s residence in Abdullahpur. Local announcements invited residents to bid farewell to the beloved local figure.

The family kept the funeral private, restricting media and mobile access at the site. Karina’s brother Sadat Hamid told reporters that the decision aimed to avoid publicity and large gatherings. Karina had died last Friday in a Chennai hospital following prolonged liver complications, and her body arrived in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon before being taken to Gazaria.

Bangladesh Bank has repaid around Tk 4,000 crore to depositors of five weak banks that were merged to form the new Sammilit Islami Bank. The repayment, made through the central bank’s Deposit Insurance Trust Fund, began in January and has so far reached about 822,000 depositors. The merged institutions include EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Union Bank, and Global Islami Bank.

According to the report, the banks previously operated under the control of two influential business figures and suffered from large-scale loan irregularities, including unsecured lending that led to severe financial distress. The interim government merged the five Shariah-based banks last year to stabilize the sector. The new bank’s paid-up capital has been set at Tk 35,000 crore, with Tk 20,000 crore provided by the government and Tk 15,000 crore in shares allocated to depositors.

Officials said the repayments initially helped restore confidence, but a recent amendment to the Bank Resolution Act allowing former owners to return has renewed withdrawal pressure and deepened trust concerns. The report suggests the government should issue a clear statement to ease the situation.

Hasnat Abdullah, the South Regional Chief Organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and Member of Parliament for Comilla-4 (Debidwar), stated that if the BNP expels Chandina MP Atikul Alam Shaon despite his reputation as a good person and his position as the local BNP president, it will indicate that the party has changed from what it once was. He claimed that the BNP has now become a party driven by a specific agenda.

He made these remarks on Sunday while addressing a rally of the National Citizens Party at the Mahichail High School field in Chandina, Comilla. During his speech, Abdullah also expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, warning that if the trend continues, the little public trust remaining in the current government will soon disappear.

The event was presided over by local businessman Nizamul Ahsan Papon and attended by several NCP leaders, including central president of Jatiyo Juboshokti Advocate Tarikul Islam, central joint coordinator Navid Nawroz Shah, and Chandina NCP coordinator Abul Kashem Ovi.

A third-gender individual named Enamul Haque Shishir, also known as Mahi, died after being set on fire in Comilla’s Burichang area following a dispute over drug money. The incident occurred on May 13 near the Freedom Fighter Complex in Burichang municipality, where another third-gender person, Zahidul Islam Apon, allegedly poured petrol on Mahi and set him ablaze. Mahi was first taken to Comilla Medical College Hospital and later transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, where he died on Sunday after several days of treatment.

Police and local sources said the conflict stemmed from disagreements among several third-gender individuals involved in drug trading in the area. Mahi had previously been arrested in a drug case. Following the incident, Mahi’s father, Kamrul Haque Farhad, filed a murder case with Burichang Police Station. One suspect has been arrested, while the main accused, Zahidul Islam Apon, remains at large.

Burichang police confirmed that operations are ongoing to apprehend the fugitive suspect.

A new development has emerged in the murder case of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student of Comilla Victoria Government College. Investigators found traces of blood from a fourth individual on Tonu’s clothing, in addition to sperm from three men. Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Inspector Md. Tarikul Islam confirmed the finding on Sunday night, stating that the DNA test results were received about a month ago. This brings the total number of suspects to four.

The case dates back to March 20, 2016, when Tonu went missing after going to tutor at a house inside the Comilla Cantonment. Her body was later discovered in a nearby jungle. Despite multiple investigations by police, DB, and CID, the case remained unsolved. The investigation has since changed hands six times, with PBI currently leading the probe.

On April 21, 2026, retired army member Hafizur Rahman was arrested as a suspect and placed on a three-day remand. His DNA sample was collected for comparison with the evidence, but results were still pending as of Sunday, according to the investigator.

A clash broke out on Sunday night between students of the Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering and Public Administration departments at Islamic University (IU) following an assault by a senior on a junior student inside a campus bus. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. near the university’s main gate when the night-schedule bus entered the campus. Several students from both departments were injured in the confrontation. University officials, including the pro-vice-chancellor, treasurer, and members of the proctorial body, intervened to calm the situation and later confined students of the two departments to separate academic buildings.

According to witnesses and students, the conflict stemmed from an earlier altercation on a Jhenaidah-bound double-decker bus at 4 p.m., when a senior student allegedly assaulted a junior over a minor issue. The dispute escalated after both groups gathered at the main gate, leading to renewed fighting. University authorities later brought the situation under control and held discussions with both sides to resolve misunderstandings.

Senior faculty members expressed hope that the incident would not prolong further, while the pro-vice-chancellor confirmed that the campus was calm and there was no threat to law and order.

In Chattogram, activists from the student wing of the BNP, Chhatra Dal, and the National Citizens Party (NCP) confronted each other on Sunday night over the removal of July Revolution graffiti from city areas. The standoff occurred between 10:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. near the City Corporation building, where both groups exchanged slogans and staged protests. Police intervened around 11:00 p.m. to disperse the crowds and restore order, deploying additional forces around the City Corporation premises.

According to reports, the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) had recently erased graffiti from pillars of the Shaheed Wasim Akram Elevated Expressway, repainting them white and red and designating the spaces for advertising boards. The move sparked outrage among NCP members, who accused the city authorities of erasing symbols of the July movement. Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain denied the allegations in a statement, saying no graffiti had been removed and that the CCC was focused on cleanliness and beautification.

Police confirmed that the situation was under control and that no clashes occurred, though both groups had gathered in large numbers before being dispersed.

An allegation has been raised against Cumilla Superintendent of Police (SP) Md. Anisuzzaman for sending Detective Branch (DB) officers to remove microphones from a roadside rally stage prepared for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Mudaffarganj Bazar, Laksam upazila, Cumilla. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday afternoon, when the Prime Minister held a roadside rally at the location.

Abul Kalam, Member of Parliament for Cumilla-9 (Laksam–Monoharganj) and BNP’s industry affairs secretary, stated on Sunday that he had earlier sought permission from the Prime Minister for a brief roadside rally during her journey from Cumilla to Chandpur. He claimed that despite receiving assurance, DB police removed the microphones on the rally day morning, but left after party activists protested. Kalam also alleged that the SP had political affiliations in the past and informed the party leadership about the matter.

SP Md. Anisuzzaman denied the allegation when contacted. The Prime Minister later visited Chandpur, where she inaugurated development projects and held public events.

Qatar’s Labour Minister Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday, May 17, 2026. The meeting took place in the evening at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka. The discussion was described as a formal courtesy meeting between the two leaders.

During the meeting, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Break Saeed Al-Samikh were also present. The report did not specify the topics discussed or any agreements reached during the meeting.

The visit reflects ongoing diplomatic engagement between Bangladesh and Qatar, though no further details about outcomes or future cooperation were provided in the source.

The second funeral prayer for popular content creator and 'July Fighter' Karina Kaiser, daughter of renowned footballer Kaiser Hamid, was held at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Sunday night after 10 p.m. Earlier, her first funeral prayer took place at the Banani DOHS field around 7:15 p.m. Her body had arrived from India earlier that evening and was taken to her family residence in Banani DOHS before the first prayer.

Karina Kaiser passed away in Chennai, India, where she had been receiving advanced medical treatment for liver complications and other health issues. Her body was flown back to Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon and brought directly from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to her home.

The two funeral prayers drew attention due to her popularity as a digital content creator and her family’s prominence in Bangladeshi sports and media circles.