The government of Bangladesh has initiated a process to increase electricity prices at both wholesale and retail levels, with implementation expected in June 2026. Power generation and distribution companies have submitted proposals to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), suggesting a 17–21 percent rise in wholesale tariffs and a 14–18 percent increase for consumers. Public hearings on the proposals will be held on May 20 and 21 at the Krishibid Institute in Dhaka. Distribution companies aim to apply the new rates from early June, pending final approval.

According to the Power Division, the current production cost per unit exceeds 12 taka, while the average selling price is just over 7 taka, resulting in a loss of about 5 taka per unit. Despite subsidies of 38,637 crore taka in fiscal year 2024–25, the sector still incurred a loss of 17,021 crore taka. The government seeks to reduce subsidies by 10,000 to 16,000 crore taka through the price adjustment. Energy experts have criticized the move, blaming past mismanagement and corruption for the sector’s financial crisis.

The Power Development Board also proposed revising consumer slabs to protect low-income users and encourage energy savings among middle-income households.

A major dispute over proportional representation (PR) has become the central obstacle in Bangladesh’s ongoing constitutional reform process. Since the start of the 13th Parliament, the ruling and opposition parties have remained sharply divided on implementing the July Charter and the referendum verdict. The disagreement intensified after the February 12 election, with opposition members accusing the government of delaying or undermining the reform agenda. The government’s position on the July Charter’s full implementation has created further uncertainty, prompting Jamaat-e-Islami and an 11-party alliance to strengthen their protest programs.

According to the July Charter’s Article 18, the proposed upper house would be formed through proportional representation based on votes received in the lower house election. While 24 parties, including Jamaat and BNP, signed the charter, seven parties expressed dissent, arguing that the upper house should reflect seat proportions instead. The ruling BNP’s refusal to take the constitutional reform council oath and its proposal for a special amendment committee have deepened mistrust. Opposition leaders accuse the government of political maneuvering and demand full implementation of the referendum’s mandate.

The dispute over PR and the July Charter’s interpretation has stalled progress, leaving the timeline and mechanism for constitutional reform uncertain.

A preliminary investigation has begun at Rangpur Central Cooperative Bank Limited following a report published in the daily newspaper Amar Desh. The inquiry was initiated by the office of the Divisional Joint Registrar after the report appeared on April 19, 2026. On Thursday around 12:30 p.m., Upazila Cooperative Officer and chief investigator Aftabuzzaman, along with District Cooperative Inspector Manjur Alam, visited the bank office and examined documents for about two hours.

After the inspection, Aftabuzzaman told journalists that various documents had been reviewed and statements from the accused individuals were recorded. Some documents were submitted, while others were explained verbally. Several important issues were identified during the process. The accused accountant Pradip Kumar Sarkar and office assistant Khairun Nahar were present, but contractor Khairul Kabir Rana was absent.

District Cooperative Officer and bank board chairman Farid Uddin stated that salaries were paid to the accused officials considering their financial hardship, and further action would follow the committee’s report. Divisional Registrar Muklesur Rahman warned that any authority paying illegally appointed officials would bear responsibility.

National Citizens Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam said that if the July Charter issue is not resolved in Parliament, the movement could shift to the streets. He made the remarks on Thursday night at the Chittagong University Journalists Association office while responding to reporters. Nahid Islam emphasized that despite the tense international situation, energy crisis, and measles outbreak, he does not want political instability.

He criticized the BNP for not providing a clear stance on holding a referendum for constitutional reform while calling for the implementation of the July Charter. He noted that the opposition has acted responsibly in Parliament and has not rendered it ineffective. Nahid Islam added that the BNP’s two-thirds majority in Parliament has narrowed the opposition’s political space, and the next steps depend largely on BNP’s position.

Regarding local government elections, he said the NCP remains in an electoral alliance and may contest jointly or independently depending on the situation. He also met with Chittagong University’s vice-chancellor and student leaders during his visit.

The Bangladesh government has announced a continuous seven-day public holiday for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting held on Thursday at the Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. According to a Cabinet Division press release, the holiday will run from May 25 to May 31, 2026. To accommodate the extended break, government offices will remain open on May 23 and 24, including Saturday, which is normally a weekly holiday.

In the same meeting, the cabinet approved the draft of the National Public Toilet Policy 2026, initiated by the Local Government Division. The policy aims to raise public awareness about the use, maintenance, and cleanliness of public toilets, ensuring hygienic and accessible facilities across the country. It emphasizes user-friendly toilets for women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and marginalized groups.

The policy also includes measures for effective management, financing, and long-term sustainability of public toilet systems, along with monitoring, evaluation, and timely reform. It mandates separate toilets for women in infrastructure projects and requires safety tanks to prevent waste from polluting water bodies.

Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip, said that post-election violence against Muslims and other communities in West Bengal could have repercussions in Bangladesh. Speaking on Thursday in Chattogram at a ceremony where over a thousand leaders and activists from various political parties joined the NCP, he urged all citizens to act responsibly and ensure the safety of people of all faiths in Bangladesh.

Nahid emphasized that while West Bengal’s election is an internal matter for India, reports of disenfranchisement of several hundred thousand citizens, mostly Muslims and members of the Matua community, were concerning. He said Bangladesh must demonstrate that it remains the safest country in South Asia for minorities. He also called on the government to be more vigilant in preventing measles outbreaks and to hold those responsible accountable.

Calling for unity to resolve current national crises, Nahid urged political forces to work together both in parliament and on the streets to achieve reforms and justice, and to create a safe environment for women in politics.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj announced that Ebtedayee madrasas will be brought under the Directorate of Primary Education in the coming days. He made the statement on Thursday in Dhaka during a citizens’ dialogue titled ‘Government Priorities and the Education Sector: Budget and Reality,’ organized by the Citizen’s Platform of CPD.

Hajjaj explained that the initiative will not start immediately, as the ministry is still addressing internal challenges and repairing weaknesses in the education system caused in recent years. He emphasized that the ministry is working step by step to strengthen the system before taking on larger responsibilities. The goal is to bring all education for children under ten years old under the same ministry with a uniform curriculum and standards.

The state minister also mentioned that around 14,000 teachers awaiting appointment will not be allowed to enter classrooms without completing required training. Despite protests from these teachers, he said the ministry remains firm on its decision, and they will return to classrooms within four to six months after training.

The government has approved a proposal to construct a 12-storey government office building with three basements in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, at a cost of Tk 108.70 crore. The approval came at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. The proposal, presented by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, was one of 11 discussed, with one withdrawn by the Power Division.

According to meeting sources, the project titled “Construction of a 12-storey office building with three basements, internal sanitary, water supply and electrification works in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar administrative area” will be implemented under package W-02 by the Public Works Department. The project, approved by ECNEC on November 9, 2023, will run from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026, funded entirely by the government.

Other approvals included importing 20 million liters of refined soybean oil for low-income families, purchasing vehicles for RAB, buying three LNG cargoes, approving additional costs for Jagannath University’s new campus, and sanctioning new power sub-station projects in Dhaka and Mymensingh.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed officials to take swift action to assist farmers affected by heavy rainfall in the haor region. He emphasized the need for a transparent and accurate list of affected farmers to ensure proper distribution of financial aid. The directive was issued during a meeting held on Thursday afternoon at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The meeting was convened to review the progress of financial assistance programs for farmers impacted by flooding in the haor areas. Rahman instructed that only genuinely affected farmers be identified and included in the list, which will serve as the basis for providing financial support over the next three months. The meeting also discussed advancing the paddy planting and harvesting seasons to reduce future losses from heavy rainfall.

Ministers and lawmakers from haor constituencies attended the meeting, including Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Aminur Rashid Yasin. The Prime Minister had earlier informed the National Parliament on April 29 about the government’s plan to support affected farmers for three months.

The High Court has made significant progress in resolving a large number of long-pending cases. Acting under the directive of Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, the Criminal Motion Bench and the Writ Motion Bench of the High Court Division have taken steps to expedite the disposal of old criminal miscellaneous and writ cases. On Thursday, the Criminal Motion Bench disposed of 3,247 old criminal miscellaneous cases, while the Writ Motion Bench resolved 1,765 old writ cases.

Following the Chief Justice’s instructions, the concerned benches prioritized the settlement of old cases and implemented effective measures to reduce the backlog. This initiative is part of an ongoing effort to ensure justice for litigants, reduce procedural delays, and enhance the efficiency of the judicial system.

Since the current Chief Justice assumed office, the High Court has continued this special initiative every Thursday, enabling faster justice for those affected by long-standing civil and criminal cases.

The government of Bangladesh has approved the import of 20 million liters of refined soybean oil from Indonesia to distribute at subsidized prices among low-income families holding Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) family cards. The decision, costing over Tk 282.57 crore, was approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.

According to meeting sources, the procurement will be conducted through international open tender under the Ministry of Commerce. Of the two participating firms, Indonesia-based PT Trinity Chaya Energy was selected as the only technically and financially qualified bidder. The company will supply the oil at USD 1.151 per liter, totaling USD 23.02 million. Including import, transport, and storage costs, the total cost per liter will be Tk 178.56, about Tk 16.44 lower than the current market price of Tk 195.

Officials said the initiative aims to maintain stable edible oil supply and ease cost pressures on low-income consumers. For the 2025–26 fiscal year, TCB has set a target to procure 230 million liters of edible oil, of which 121.68 million liters have already been secured.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority has recommended introducing a cashless, fast, and transparent toll collection system across all bridges under its jurisdiction. The proposals were presented on Thursday at the authority’s conference room under the ‘Human Resource Development and Capacity Building’ project, where three research papers were discussed. The studies focused on implementing a full electronic toll collection (ETC) system at the Padma Bridge, developing emergency communication protocols, and exploring toll payment through mobile banking.

Key recommendations include appointing a dedicated communication officer for each bridge, adding a live traffic tab to the authority’s website, reducing ETC registration steps from five to two, and enabling online registration. The research also suggested establishing a data-sharing system among BRTA, mobile financial services, and the Bridge Authority, as well as ensuring RFID reader accuracy and operator training. Another study proposed integrating mobile banking wallets with the ETC system for real-time balance checks and payments.

Bridge Secretary Abdur Rouf stated that the government is committed to implementing a fully cashless and automated toll system nationwide as part of building a self-reliant Bangladesh. The recommendations will be reviewed and implemented soon.

A Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court has rejected a case filed against former Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, former interim government law adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, and 14 others over the Milestone School and College plane crash that killed students in Uttara. The case was filed on Thursday morning by Usaimong Marma, father of a deceased student, before Magistrate Ariful Islam’s court. After recording the plaintiff’s statement, the court later dismissed the application, citing insufficient grounds to accept the case. Court assistant Shahadat Hossain confirmed the dismissal order.

According to the case details, on July 21, 2025, an F-7 BGI training aircraft under the supervision of the accused crashed into Milestone School and College, killing 35 people, including 28 students, and injuring 172 others. The plaintiff alleged that the aircraft was defective and that the school lacked proper fire safety measures and construction compliance, which hindered rescue operations.

The crash also killed the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taufiq Islam. The court’s decision effectively ends this particular attempt to bring criminal charges related to the tragedy.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan announced that individuals falsely claiming to be freedom fighters and receiving government benefits will be identified and brought under legal action. He made the statement on Thursday at a meeting organized by the Central Command Council of the Freedom Fighters’ Parliament in Eskaton, Dhaka. The minister also urged those who are not genuine freedom fighters to voluntarily remove their names from the official list to avoid harsher penalties.

Khan emphasized that including non-freedom fighters in the list of recognized heroes was unethical and illegal. He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the honor of genuine freedom fighters and ensuring that those who unlawfully received benefits face justice. He assured that allowances for poor and genuine freedom fighters would not be affected.

The minister further mentioned that the review of the Freedom Fighters’ Parliament constitution is ongoing and that necessary arrangements for the upcoming council meeting must be completed by the end of May, with the council to be held by the end of June.

Bangladesh and China have reaffirmed their commitment to the One-China policy and to strengthening bilateral cooperation. The reaffirmation came during a meeting in Beijing on Thursday between Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. Both sides emphasized expanding collaboration in connectivity, trade, investment, multilateral platforms, and regional issues.

During the high-level talks, Dhaka and Beijing reviewed their longstanding friendship and discussed ways to deepen ties across multiple sectors. The meeting highlighted the importance of enhancing connectivity and mutual engagement in areas of shared interest. Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister also presented Prime Minister Tareq Rahman’s vision of building a connected, economically vibrant, and globally engaged Bangladesh.

The discussions underscored both nations’ intent to maintain close cooperation and mutual understanding in regional and global affairs, reflecting continuity in their diplomatic relationship.