In Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar, 21 out of 26 tea estates have no government primary schools, causing hundreds of children from tea worker families to drop out of basic education. Despite the tea industry’s 172-year history in the region, tea workers remain educationally disadvantaged. Land disputes and the indifference of estate authorities have delayed the establishment of government schools. Existing private schools in the estates are in poor condition, often with only one or two classrooms and very low teaching standards.

According to the Kulaura Primary Education Office, the estates without government schools include Hingajia, Sirajnagar, Bormchal, Rehana, Gazipur, Jhimai, Merina, Jhunkijalai, Rangichhara Fari, Clevedon, Bijoya, Kaliti, Chatlapur, Longla, Tilakpur, Azgarabad, Dildarpur, Borhannagar, Rajanagar, Tarapasha, and Muraichhara. Former and current leaders of the Bangladesh Tea Workers’ Union said that tea worker children have been deprived of their right to education for generations due to land complications and lack of government action.

The acting Upazila Primary Education Officer stated that a proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to establish six new government primary schools in the tea garden areas, with plans for gradual expansion.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman rode a specially designed smart car created by physically disabled college student Wakimul Islam and praised his innovative initiative. The event took place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, where the Prime Minister inspected the vehicle and encouraged the young inventor.

According to Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Roni, several senior officials, including Chief Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Roni, Mostafa Zulfiqar Hasan, and Shahadat Hossain Swadhin, were present during the occasion. The Prime Minister’s engagement highlighted official recognition of Wakimul’s technological creativity and his contribution as a differently abled innovator.

The event underscored the government’s interest in supporting youth-led innovation and inclusive technology development, as reflected in the Prime Minister’s personal encouragement to the student inventor.

Ten Bangladeshi nationals, including a child, were pushed back by Indian authorities through the Muraichhara border in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel from the local Muraichhara camp detained them around 7 a.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026, after noticing them wandering near the border area. Following identity verification, BGB handed them over to Kulaura Police Station at around 10:30 a.m.

According to police, the group—comprising one child, three women, and six men—had previously entered India illegally at different times. They were later detained by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and subsequently pushed back across the border into Bangladesh. After confirmation of their identities, BGB transferred them to the police, who later released them to their family members around 6 p.m.

Officials from both BGB and Kulaura Police confirmed the incident and the handover of the individuals to their relatives.

Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman MP visited the injured July fighters undergoing treatment at Vejthani International Hospital in Bangkok on Saturday, May 9, 2026. During the visit, he met with the seriously injured individuals, inquired about their medical progress, and urged doctors and officials to ensure the best possible care for them.

Dr. Rahman praised the courage, sacrifice, and contributions of the July fighters and prayed for their full and speedy recovery. The hospitalized fighters, in turn, called on the opposition leader to take effective steps toward implementing the July Charter and the referendum verdict.

He was accompanied on the visit by his foreign affairs adviser, Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem Arman MP.

Across Rajshahi’s Barind region, farmers are busy harvesting Boro paddy under intense heat, with cutting and threshing now in full swing. The Department of Agricultural Extension reports that 68,300 hectares have been cultivated this season, targeting 327,544 tons of rice. Early data show an average yield of 4.70 tons per hectare, and about 10 percent of the crop has been harvested so far.

Despite favorable weather and good yields, farmers are struggling with low market prices and rising labor costs. Fine-grain paddy, once a Rajshahi specialty, is selling for Tk 1,100–1,150 per maund, which barely covers wages. Farmers allege that millers and wholesalers are manipulating prices by stockpiling paddy during the peak season. Labor shortages and higher input costs have worsened the situation, leaving many unable to recover their investments.

Officials say the harvest will continue through May and could strengthen local food security if completed successfully. However, farmers urge direct government procurement from local markets to reduce losses and prevent middlemen from exploiting them.

Authorities in Cumilla have intensified border surveillance to prevent the entry of Indian cattle, bringing relief to local farmers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. According to the district livestock office, around 260,000 animals have been prepared across 17 upazilas, exceeding local demand of about 247,000. Farmers expect fair prices if the strict monitoring continues through the festival period.

Local farmers and farm owners are busy preparing cattle, goats, sheep, and buffaloes using natural fattening methods. Many have started selling animals online, planning to supply surplus livestock to other districts. However, they expressed concern over rising feed costs not matched by meat prices, warning that prolonged imbalance could drive some out of business.

District officials confirmed coordination among the Border Guard Bangladesh, police, and administration to block illegal cattle entry. Over 300 temporary markets will be set up, with enhanced patrols and two daily task forces monitoring markets. Authorities expect that strong vigilance will ensure stable prices and a secure Eid market environment.

Residents of several areas adjacent to the Shishu Matri Shastho Institute (Matuail Medical) under Ward 65 of Dhaka South City Corporation blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway on Saturday morning, May 9, 2026, protesting persistent waterlogging. The blockade began around 10 a.m. at the Matuail Medical bus stand, causing severe traffic congestion on both sides of the highway.

Police officers present at the scene said they had recently arrived and that the officer-in-charge was trying to resolve the issue through discussions with the residents. The protesters demanded that the Member of Parliament for Dhaka-5 and representatives of the South City Corporation visit the area before they would lift the blockade.

Residents complained that areas including Shahidbagh and Nurbagh in Ward 65 remain submerged under water throughout the year and called for a permanent solution to the problem.

Police in Moulvibazar conducted a special operation on Friday night, seizing a large quantity of Indian goods brought into Bangladesh illegally. Acting on a tip-off, officers from Moulvibazar Model Police Station intercepted a pickup van around 11:30 p.m. on the Kulaura Road in the Islambur area. The vehicle, reportedly transporting goods from Jaintapur in Sylhet, was carrying Indian-made lozenges and various cosmetic items hidden beneath chicken cages. The total value of the seized items is estimated at around Tk 3 million.

According to the police, the goods were intended to be booked at a courier service in Moulvibazar town. The driver of the pickup van was detained following the seizure. Authorities are preparing a case over allegations of smuggling and customs evasion involving the illegal import of Indian products.

The police operation highlights ongoing efforts to curb cross-border smuggling and enforce customs regulations in the region.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep sorrow and concern over the brutal killing of five people in Kapasia, Gazipur. The victims included a wife, brother-in-law, and three children who were murdered by having their throats slit on Friday night. In a statement issued to the media on Saturday, the party’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, described the incident as heart-wrenching, heinous, and inhumane.

He said the massacre has deeply shaken the nation and highlighted the alarming state of public safety in the country. Porwar noted that such a barbaric act in a civilized and independent nation is unacceptable and reflects the deterioration of law and order. He urged the government to uncover the truth behind the killings swiftly and bring those responsible to justice with exemplary punishment.

The Jamaat leader prayed for the departed souls and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family, asking for divine strength for them to endure the tragedy.

A poem published on May 9, 2026, by Mosharraf Hossain Khan in the outlet 'Amar Desh' evokes the events of a night at Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar, referring to it as a planned massacre. The poet repeatedly demands to know how many bullets were fired, how many people were killed, and where the bodies were hidden, portraying the night as terrifying and gruesome.

The poem draws a parallel between the alleged killings of May 5 and the 1971 genocide of March 25, questioning whether the former was even more horrific. It expresses the author’s moral and civic right to know the truth, as a citizen whose taxes fund the state’s actions. Through vivid imagery of bullets, bulldozers, and rivers bearing witness, the poet calls for accountability and remembrance of those who died.

The piece concludes with a symbolic vision of the victims becoming stars standing against their killers, reinforcing the demand for truth and justice surrounding the Shapla Chattar events.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief and opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has called on the Indian government not to harm any particular religion, caste, or community. He made the appeal on Saturday at a press briefing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after returning from a week-long visit to Japan that began on May 2. Responding to questions about alleged persecution of Muslims in West Bengal, he said his party was monitoring the situation and would act as appropriate as a neighboring country.

Dr. Rahman emphasized that India’s constitution is secular and guarantees equal religious and civic rights for all citizens. He also urged the Bangladesh government to prioritize public safety over political divisions and to take concrete action against criminals instead of relying on social media campaigns. During his trip, he visited Japan and Thailand, meeting injured “July fighters” receiving treatment abroad and urging the government to ensure their medical care and rehabilitation.

He further discussed strengthening Bangladesh–Japan cooperation in education, skills development, and investment, and proposed establishing a modern cancer institute in Bangladesh with Japanese support.

Police in Gazipur’s Kapasia recovered the bodies of five people, including a woman, her brother, and three children, from a rented house in Rautkona village on Saturday morning, May 9, 2026. The victims were allegedly killed by the woman’s husband, Forkan Mia, who fled after the incident. Forkan, a private car driver, had been living with his family in the ground floor of expatriate Monir Hossain’s house. The murders are believed to have occurred late Friday night.

A typed but unsigned document found near the bodies accused Forkan’s in-laws of misappropriating ten lakh taka, suggesting a financial dispute. Police sources said Forkan had ongoing family conflicts and had recently assaulted his wife. Local witnesses described the gruesome scene, with the victims’ throats slit and the mother’s body tied to a window grill. Law enforcement agencies including PBI, DB, and CID have begun a joint investigation to determine the motive.

Local political leaders and officials visited the site and expressed condolences. Police have sent the bodies for autopsy and launched multiple teams to arrest the fugitive suspect.

A goods-laden truck overturned early Saturday on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, causing severe traffic congestion in the Gazaria area of Munshiganj. The incident occurred on the Chattogram-bound lane near the Bausia point, with the traffic jam stretching from there to the Meghna Bridge area.

According to the officer-in-charge of the Bhoberchar Highway Police Outpost, Md. Shah Kamal Akand, the truck overturned in the Vitikandi area, leading to the disruption. Highway police responded promptly, beginning the removal of goods and the damaged vehicle from the road to restore normal traffic flow.

Authorities expect vehicle movement to return to normal within a short time once the clearing operation is completed.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam has accused the government of delaying action on the July Charter and constitutional reform issues. He made the remarks on Saturday, May 9, during a discussion titled “What to Do to Resolve the Reform Deadlock” held at a hotel in the capital.

Nahid Islam stated that the ruling party is avoiding the July Charter and constitutional reform topics, while emphasizing that reforms must be based on public participation, transparency, and sovereign authority. He also alleged that although top leaders, including the prime minister, had previously supported a referendum before the election, they are now opposing it after coming to power, which he said rejects the people’s aspirations.

He added that peaceful programs and discussions inside and outside parliament will continue to implement the referendum’s verdict, but warned that if the government does not respond positively, a tougher movement will be launched to press their demands.

An employee of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) has been accused of embezzling student funds by forging bank seals and signatures. The accused, Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, worked as a computer typist in the exam controller’s office and was later transferred to the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department. He allegedly collected cash from students, claiming it was for bank fee deposits, but instead used a fake seal on receipts while keeping the money himself. The fraud came to light on April 14 when a spelling inconsistency in the forged seal exposed the deception.

At least 14 fake receipts have been identified so far. A three-member investigation committee was formed on April 30, led by Professor Mohammad Saiful Alam of the Chemistry Department. University officials and the Agrani Bank branch manager confirmed the forgery and said the matter is under investigation. The university administration has pledged to take legal and administrative action once the inquiry report is submitted.

Investigators are reviewing documents and interviewing staff to determine whether others were involved in the scheme.