A fish trader named Babu Shikdar was hacked to death early Friday in Barishal city’s Ward No. 5, Palashpur area, after he refused to pay extortion money demanded by a local teenage gang. The attack occurred at the Palashpur three-road junction, where gang members allegedly led by Madhu alias Tokai Madhu assaulted him with sharp weapons. Locals captured two suspects, identified as Shahid alias Kala Shahid and Mottu Siam, and handed them over to police.

According to the victim’s brother, Naeem Hossain, Tokai Madhu had been demanding money from Babu for a long time. When Babu refused, the gang ambushed him before dawn. Several others, including Redwan, Rubel alias Khato Rubel, Fakir Raju, Sajjad, and Soikat, were also named as participants in the attack. Babu was taken to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Kawnia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sanjit Chandra Nath confirmed the killing, saying it was carried out by a teenage gang and that drugs were involved. Two suspects have been detained, and police operations are ongoing to arrest the remaining attackers. A murder case is being prepared.

The newly elected government of Bangladesh, led by Tarique Rahman, has given final approval to the long-awaited Padma Barrage Project during the third meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday. The project, estimated to cost Tk 50,443.64 crore, aims to restore water flow and biodiversity in 26 districts and 123 upazilas of the country’s southwest region. The government has allocated Tk 34,497.25 crore for the first phase of implementation.

According to the Water Resources Ministry, the project seeks to mitigate the severe environmental and agricultural damage caused by India’s unilateral withdrawal of water through the Farakka Barrage. The ministry’s documents describe how reduced river flow has led to desertification, salinity, and water scarcity across large areas, threatening livelihoods and ecosystems, including the Sundarbans. Environmentalists have welcomed the approval, calling the barrage a vital step to revive dying rivers and ensure water security.

The Water Resources Minister stated that the Padma Barrage is an internal matter for Bangladesh and does not require India’s consent. The project includes construction of the main barrage, hydroelectric facilities, and dredging of major river systems to restore natural water flow.

Severe early rains have caused extensive damage to boro rice crops in Bangladesh’s haor region, destroying 49,073 hectares or 11 percent of cultivated land and resulting in losses of about 213,000 tons of rice worth Tk 1,047 crore. Around 236,000 farmers have been affected, raising serious concerns for national food security. The boro season, which supplies 55–60 percent of the country’s total rice, has become increasingly vulnerable to weather disruptions.

The report attributes the crisis to human-driven factors, including government agricultural policies that prioritize high-yield, irrigation-dependent BRRI rice varieties such as BRRI dhan-28 and dhan-29. These varieties have lost disease resistance over time, and farmers faced delays and quality issues with seeds supplied by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation. Mechanization efforts, including the use of ACI’s combined harvesters, failed to mitigate the disaster. Unplanned embankments built by the Water Development Board have worsened waterlogging, while excessive pesticide use has harmed livestock and aquatic life.

The interim government has formed committees to regulate pesticide use in haor districts, but farmers and fishers continue to demand an end to the lease system that favors political and business elites.

Three individuals were arrested during a late-night anti-gambling raid in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram. Acting on intelligence from the Chattogram district NSI, the Sitakunda upazila administration conducted the operation between 11:00 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. at a tin-shed house of Sohel Transport in the Gamaritola area of Sonaichhari Union. The arrested men were caught red-handed while gambling, while one suspect managed to flee the scene. Each of the three detainees received a one-month jail sentence without labor under the existing gambling law.

The operation was led by Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Md. Fakhrul Islam, with support from Sitakunda Model Police Station officers and Ansar members. The convicted individuals were identified as Nazim Uddin, Md. Azam, and Md. Kamal, all residents of different areas in Chattogram and Noakhali. According to the executive magistrate, the raid was based on specific intelligence provided by the NSI, and the detainees confessed to gambling during questioning.

The Sitakunda administration stated that such drives would continue to curb illegal gambling activities in the area.

Chattogram district police carried out a large-scale joint operation on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to combat robbery, mugging, and organized crime. The overnight drive began late Thursday, May 14, and continued until early Friday under the leadership of newly appointed Superintendent of Police Mohammad Masud Alam PPM. The operation involved coordination between local police stations and the district detective branch.

According to police sources, the initiative followed rising concerns about criminal activity along several parts of the highway. To ensure the safety of passengers and transport workers, temporary checkpoints were set up at key and vulnerable points, and suspicious vehicles, motorcycles, and individuals were searched. Police patrol teams also increased surveillance in isolated and crime-prone areas, which reportedly restored confidence among drivers and travelers.

Officials stated that regular patrols, checks, and joint drills will continue under the superintendent’s directive. Local residents and transport workers expressed relief, noting that visible police presence has begun to rebuild public trust along the highway.

The BNP-backed Nationalist Lawyers’ Panel, known as the Blue Panel, has won 13 out of 14 posts, including president and secretary, in the Supreme Court Bar Association election for the 2026–27 term. The results were announced early Thursday after vote counting concluded at the association’s auditorium. The Green Panel, supported by Jamaat-e-Islami, secured one member post. Voting took place on 13 and 14 May from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a one-hour break.

According to the declared results, A.M. Mahbub Uddin Khokon of the Blue Panel was elected president with 2,984 votes, defeating Abdul Baten of the Green Panel, who received 788 votes. Mohammad Ali of the Blue Panel won the secretary post with 2,582 votes, while his opponent A.K.M. Rezaul Karim Khandaker of the Green Panel got 786 votes. A total of 4,048 out of 11,097 registered voters cast their ballots.

This year’s election was marked by the absence of the Awami League-backed White Panel, which was barred from participation following a special general meeting decision on 26 April. It is the first time in the association’s history that Awami League-aligned lawyers did not contest.

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is set to announce the name of the new head coach for the national football team today, pending a government decision. After evaluating several candidates, Chris Coleman from Wales, Rosario Mikel from Brazil, and Bernd Stork from Germany have emerged as the leading contenders. Among them, hiring Coleman or Mikel would require higher remuneration, while Stork’s appointment would be less costly. The final decision depends on government approval.

BFF President Tabith Awal was scheduled to meet State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque yesterday to discuss the appointment, but the meeting was postponed to today. The announcement of the new coach will follow this meeting. If the Ministry of Youth and Sports provides financial assistance, the federation may appoint Coleman; otherwise, alternative options will be considered.

The decision is expected to shape the future direction of the national football team as it prepares for upcoming international competitions.

Police in Faridpur recovered the bodies of a missing mother and daughter from beneath the soil near a pond in the Kalitala Jatinbaddi area of Char Madhabdia Union on Thursday afternoon. Locals first noticed human feet emerging from the ground during digging and alerted police, who later retrieved the bodies. The victims were identified as Jahanara Begum, 30, and her four-year-old daughter Samia Akter, residents of Char Charnsona village in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila.

According to family members, the two had gone out together on May 4 to attend a relative’s invitation and never returned home. Following their disappearance, Jahanara’s husband, Amjad Sheikh, filed a general diary with Goalanda Police Station. Locals said the area where the bodies were found is known for nighttime gambling and drug activities, and they suspect local criminals may be involved.

Faridpur Kotwali Police Inspector (Investigation) Abdullah Biswas confirmed the recovery and said the bodies were sent to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. Police are investigating to determine the cause of death and taking further legal steps.

Children in Dhaka spend an average of nearly five hours a day using digital screens such as mobile phones, televisions, and computers, according to a study by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). The research found that more than one-third of children suffer from eye problems and 80 percent frequently experience headaches. Conducted between 2022 and 2024 among 420 children aged six to fourteen from six schools, the study was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) Human Factors.

The findings show that 83 percent of children exceed the internationally recommended two-hour daily screen limit, averaging 4.6 hours per day. Those using screens for more than two hours sleep only 7.3 hours on average, below the healthy range of 8–10 hours. About 14 percent are overweight or obese, with higher rates among heavy screen users. Researchers warned that excessive screen time disrupts sleep, reduces physical activity, and increases risks of obesity, eye strain, and mental health issues.

ICDDR,B experts urged parents to set limits, encourage outdoor play, and promote balanced digital habits at home and school to protect children’s physical and mental well-being.

Two leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) have been arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in connection with the hijacking of a truck carrying materials for the Rampal Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat. The detainees, identified as Majedur Rahman Jewel, the party’s Rampal upazila coordinator, and member Sohan, were apprehended on Wednesday during an operation at Cox’s Bazar beach area.

According to police and local sources, a truck transporting essential equipment for the Rampal Power Plant was recently hijacked, prompting contractors to file a case at Fakirhat Police Station. After the suspects went into hiding, RAB tracked their location using technology and arrested them. Investigations revealed that Jewel and Sohan had long been operating a criminal group in the Rampal area, allegedly involved in hijacking vehicles and extorting contractors.

Local reports mention that several district-level NCP leaders were also named in complaints, but law enforcement has not yet issued any official statement on their involvement. RAB confirmed that legal proceedings against the arrested individuals are underway.

Bangladesh’s new government is facing major challenges in finalizing the 2026–27 national budget, expected to total Tk 9.3 trillion, about 25 percent higher than the previous year. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury is scheduled to present the budget on June 11. The plan includes Tk 3 trillion for development spending, Tk 1.16 trillion for subsidies and incentives, and ambitious revenue targets of Tk 6.95 trillion despite a current shortfall exceeding Tk 1 trillion. Key allocations include large subsidies for power, LNG, fertilizer, and food, as well as funding for mega projects like the Padma Barrage and new metro rail lines.

Officials say the budget aims to balance election pledges and economic stability by expanding social safety programs such as family and farmer cards, while offering tax relief on essentials and higher taxes on luxury goods. The Annual Development Programme will rise 50 percent to Tk 3 trillion, with 39 percent in block allocations. Economists, however, warn that the revenue goals are unrealistic and that rising government spending could worsen inflation and debt pressures.

The budget’s focus on employment, investment, and welfare reflects the new administration’s attempt to revive growth amid economic stagnation and high inflation.

Police in Gurudaspur, Natore, arrested Jubo Dal leader Rezaul Karim Reza and a woman named Ruma Akter Laboni late Wednesday night on allegations of involvement in drug trading. The arrest took place at a house in the Hamlaikol area, and police later filed a case under Section 151 before sending them to jail on Thursday afternoon. Locals expressed dissatisfaction as the case was filed under a general provision rather than drug-related charges.

Rezaul Karim, aged 42, was the joint convener of the Nazirpur Union Jubo Dal. A video circulating on social media showed Ruma preparing marijuana in a cigarette while Reza counted money allegedly from drug sales. Following the incident, the district Jubo Dal expelled Rezaul from the party, citing moral degradation, breach of discipline, and actions contrary to party ideals.

A local BNP leader stated that some individuals were misusing the party’s name for drug-related activities, damaging its image. Police said no drugs were found in their possession, and no complainant came forward, leading to the Section 151 case.

A man named Faisal, aged 24, was allegedly killed by his elder brother Morshed in Goalgaw village of Cumilla Sadar Dakshin upazila on Thursday afternoon. The incident reportedly occurred after an argument between the two brothers over a disturbance caused to Morshed’s wife, who had returned home from a night shift and was resting. Police confirmed that Morshed attacked Faisal with a sharp weapon, leaving him critically injured.

Local residents took Faisal to Cumilla Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Following the incident, police launched an operation and arrested Morshed from the nearby Suagazi Bazar area. The body was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy, and a case filing process is underway at Cumilla Sadar Dakshin Model Police Station.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the case or possible charges. The investigation is ongoing, according to police sources.

A woman named Shikha Akter, mother of two, died from electrocution in Madarchar Paschimpara area of Bakshiganj upazila in Jamalpur on Thursday evening. According to local sources, the 22-year-old was returning home from the field with goats when she accidentally came into contact with a live illegal electric wire near the house of Manun Mia, son of the late Nayeb Ali. She was seriously injured on the spot and died on the way to Bakshiganj Upazila Health Complex.

The incident has cast a shadow of grief over the area. Locals have demanded immediate action against illegal and unsafe electrical connections that pose risks to residents. Police recovered the body after receiving information and said the incident is under investigation, with legal measures to follow.

Authorities are expected to review the safety of local electrical connections as part of the investigation into the fatal accident.

A young man named Mridul Sheikh was killed and a rickshaw driver, Samiul Molla, was injured when a speeding truck ran over their rickshaw in Gopalganj on Thursday night. The accident occurred on the Gopalganj-Tekerhat road in the Bherarbazar area of Gopalganj Sadar upazila. Mridul Sheikh, son of Felan Sheikh from Khatiyagor Uttarpara village, was traveling from Ulpur to Gopalganj town when the collision took place.

According to Gopalganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Anisur Rahman, the truck hit the passenger rickshaw, killing Mridul Sheikh on the spot and seriously injuring rickshaw driver Samiul Molla. Locals rescued the victims and took them to Gopalganj Medical College Hospital, where Samiul Molla was admitted for treatment.

The report did not mention whether the truck or its driver was identified or detained following the accident.