Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) announced that the country experienced no load-shedding for a full week from April 27 to May 3, 2026, as electricity generation matched demand nationwide. Analysis of data from Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) confirmed that during this period, daily peak-hour demand ranging between 10,462 and 12,793 megawatts was fully met. The improvement was attributed to sufficient rainfall reducing irrigation needs and stable power plant operations.

BPDB Chairman Md. Rezaul Karim stated that earlier production shortfalls caused by small plant issues had been resolved, allowing supply to meet demand. He emphasized ensuring coal supply as a key priority to sustain uninterrupted generation, noting that one unit of the RNPL coal-based power plant in Patuakhali had begun commercial production and another would join soon. Government measures to conserve electricity, such as limiting decorative lighting and regulating air conditioner use, also contributed to the improvement.

Officials added that continued imports from Adani Power in Jharkhand, India, and increased LNG, HFO, and coal imports helped maintain generation stability. Consumers in Dhaka reported no outages during the week, though brief local interruptions may still occur for maintenance or technical reasons.

Several leaders of the Comilla University (CoU) unit of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal have been accused of threatening Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Haydar Ali on April 29, 2026, to stop the upcoming syndicate and promotion meetings. The alleged incident occurred in the VC’s office when the student leaders reportedly demanded that the syndicate and upgrade sessions remain suspended and warned against holding meetings in Dhaka. The VC responded that university law requires a syndicate meeting every three months, and the delay had already exceeded the legal timeframe.

According to university sources, the last syndicate meeting was held on December 28, 2025, and subsequent sessions were postponed due to pressure and threats from student and teacher groups aligned with the BNP. As a result, promotion processes for 25 faculty members and officers have been stalled. The next syndicate meeting is scheduled for May 7, 2026, with an agenda including faculty promotions, disciplinary actions, and administrative issues.

The accused student leaders denied issuing any threats, claiming their discussion with the VC focused on student transport and safety concerns rather than syndicate matters.

A Dakhil examination candidate named Brishti Akter was expelled after being caught cheating on CCTV at the Hasina Gazi Girls High School venue center in Bakshiganj, Jamalpur. The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 5, during the English First Paper exam under the Khayer Uddin Fazil Madrasa center. The center secretary, Rafiqul Islam, confirmed the expulsion.

According to the report, the cheating was detected through CCTV monitoring, after which the Upazila ICT Officer, Khairul Bashar, informed the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Murad Hossain. The UNO immediately instructed the center secretary to expel the student, and the order was executed. The expelled student was a candidate from Airmari Dakhil Madrasa.

UNO Murad Hossain stated that no student will be able to get away with cheating in any examination center, emphasizing strict monitoring through CCTV surveillance.

Assistant Attorney General Md. Tarikul Islam has resigned from his post. On Tuesday, he submitted his resignation letter to the Attorney General, stating his intention to contest for the position of Joint Secretary in the upcoming Supreme Court Bar Association election.

In his resignation letter, Tarikul Islam explained that he decided to step down in order to participate as a candidate in the 2026–27 Supreme Court Bar Association election. He also requested the Attorney General to accept his resignation through the proper procedure.

The two-day election for the Supreme Court Bar Association is scheduled to take place on May 13 and 14, 2026.

BNP National Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy stated that Bangladesh’s relationship with India will remain the same regardless of which party comes to power in India. He made the remarks on Tuesday at the capital’s Zia Udyan after paying tribute to former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, accompanied by party leaders and activists.

The event was organized to mark the oath-taking of Advocate Nipun Roy Chowdhury as a Member of Parliament from a reserved women’s seat. Leaders from Dhaka district and South Keraniganj BNP, along with affiliated organizations, attended the program. Roy emphasized that Bangladesh values its independence and sovereignty, and therefore its relations with India will not depend on political changes there. He also congratulated the newly elected Indian leaders.

Nipun Roy Chowdhury expressed gratitude to BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for her nomination and pledged to work for public welfare. She said the party’s foreign policy would prioritize the interests of the Bangladeshi people.

Thousands of acres of farmland in Dhamrai, Dhaka, have been submerged due to severe waterlogging caused by the absence of proper drainage systems. Local farmers and representatives allege that unplanned industrial expansion and landfilling by factory owners have blocked natural water flow, leaving mustard and paddy fields underwater across three villages. The affected areas include parts of Somvag Union, where hundreds of farmers are unable to cultivate crops.

According to local accounts, the problem worsened as industrial establishments and roads expanded along both sides of the Dhaka–Aricha Highway, filling and occupying canals such as the historic Gazikhali canal. Farmers report that around 5,000 acres of land remain flooded, drastically reducing agricultural output. Union Parishad member Jahangir Alam and chairman candidate Abul Hossain both emphasized the urgent need for drainage restoration to revive crop production.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Arifur Rahman confirmed that unplanned industrialization and canal encroachment caused the waterlogging. Upazila Executive Officer Al-Mamun stated that a major project is required to re-excavate the canal and pledged to coordinate with highway officials to prevent further agricultural losses.

Two people, including a child, were killed in a road accident in Uzirpur upazila of Barishal on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred at the Joysree bus stand area on the Dhaka-Barishal highway when a Barishal-bound Hanif Paribahan bus, reportedly moving at high speed, hit two pedestrians crossing the road. The victims, identified as Roksona Yasmin, aged 63, and her seven-year-old granddaughter Arfa, were taken to Uzirpur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.

According to police and eyewitnesses, the bus was traveling recklessly when it struck the pedestrians. The deceased were residents of the Joysree area in Uzirpur. Uzirpur Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge Rakibul Islam stated that traffic movement on the highway has since returned to normal. Highway police confirmed that an investigation is underway and necessary legal steps are being processed.

Authorities have not yet provided further details about the driver or any arrests related to the incident.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman announced that the government will investigate why measles vaccines were not administered during the interim government period. He made the statement on Tuesday at the Secretariat during a weekly briefing in response to reporters’ questions. The investigation aims to determine whether any negligence by the interim administration contributed to the deaths of over three hundred children showing measles symptoms.

Rahman stated that 16.1 million children aged six months to under five years have received the vaccine, reaching 89 percent of the target, and full coverage is expected within days. He added that health departments have begun preparations to combat dengue outbreaks. This week, 2.2 million additional mixing syringes arrived in the country with support from UNICEF and Gavi for the ongoing measles-rubella vaccination campaign.

He also discussed government initiatives to improve public transport management in Dhaka, including plans for electric buses and the introduction of an ETC system on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

A family in Nabiganj, Habiganj, has reported receiving death threats from human traffickers holding their son, Raihan Chowdhury, captive in Libya. On Monday evening, traffickers Shamim and Rakib allegedly called Raihan’s father, Abu Taher Chowdhury, warning that his son would be killed and his body dumped at sea if he opposed the bail of Shamim’s father, Nazrul Islam, in a human trafficking case scheduled for May 11 at the Habiganj District Judge Court. The threats followed a court letter asking Abu Taher to attend the hearing and state any objections to the bail.

Raihan was reportedly detained in Libya after being promised travel to Italy. The traffickers allegedly extorted Tk 2.7 million in ransom but continued to demand another Tk 2.5 million, torturing him and threatening further harm. He has been missing for 43 days. Abu Taher said he filed the trafficking case but is now under pressure to withdraw it. CID’s Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Cell in Dhaka confirmed awareness of the case and said steps are being taken to prevent the accused from fleeing abroad.

Authorities stated they have begun procedures to act against both domestic and overseas suspects once case documents are received.

A newly built approach road to a bridge on the Safipur–Boroibari regional road in Kaliakoir, Gazipur, collapsed just one month after its inauguration. The incident occurred in the Kaliadah Mokosh Beel area, prompting allegations of substandard construction work against the contractor. The 55-meter bridge was built under the Program for Supporting Rural Bridges project, jointly funded by the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank, at a cost of Tk 5.14 crore. The project was implemented by Messrs Mostafa Kamal & Sons Enterprise, with a scheduled completion date of December 15 last year.

Local residents expressed frustration, saying the road appeared fine initially but failed within weeks. Attempts to contact the contractor’s owner, Mohammad Abdul Kader, were unsuccessful. Abdul Al Mamun, the upazila sub-assistant engineer, stated that heavy rainfall caused the collapse and that the contractor would be instructed to repair the damaged section promptly. He also noted that the project’s official work period had not yet expired.

The collapse has raised questions about construction quality and oversight in publicly funded infrastructure projects in the region.

Seven additional witnesses were cross-examined in a corruption case involving former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 others, accused of embezzling around Tk 25 crore from United Commercial Bank. The cross-examinations took place on Tuesday at the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge Court, presided over by Judge Mizanur Rahman, where defense lawyers questioned the witnesses.

Earlier, on April 21, ten witnesses testified on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), bringing the total number of witnesses examined so far to eighteen, including the complainant, according to ACC public prosecutor Mokarram Hossain. The court has scheduled the next hearing for May 20.

The ACC filed the charge sheet on January 7 against Javed, his wife Rukmila Zaman, and 34 others for alleged embezzlement and money laundering. Court sources said Javed is currently in London with his family and remains absconding. Legal procedures are ongoing to take action against the fugitives.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher has called on district commissioners (DCs) to assist in evicting illegal land occupations, maintaining canals to prevent waterlogging, managing parks and playgrounds, and supporting tree plantation programs. He made the request during the DC Conference held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, according to the ministry’s public relations office.

The minister noted that agencies under his ministry have long worked as key partners with district administrations in implementing various government initiatives related to infrastructure, housing, and urban management. He thanked the DCs for their cooperation and highlighted ongoing projects such as dormitory and studio apartment construction for government employees, integrated office buildings, and renovation of old structures. He also urged collective efforts to implement the new government procurement policy.

Taher emphasized that DCs play a vital role in resolving ownership of abandoned properties, ensuring availability of khas land for housing, and supporting the operations of RAJUK and other urban development authorities. He called for patriotic and coordinated work to strengthen field administration and overcome institutional inefficiencies.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Aminul Islam announced that the identities of 58 people killed during the May 5, 2013, Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel have been confirmed. He stated on Tuesday that information suggests involvement of 30 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with the killings that occurred across Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Chattogram.

Earlier, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, claimed on social media that at least 58 people, including seven security personnel, were killed during the two days of violence surrounding the Hefazat rally. He recounted his participation in an investigation with former BBC correspondent Mark Dummett, which involved reviewing hospital records, meeting victims’ families, and collecting burial evidence.

Majumder said he had long avoided taking credit for the investigation due to security concerns but expressed satisfaction that his work continues to be referenced by fellow journalists.

A pedestrian named Akkas Ali Khalifa, aged 50, was killed on Tuesday morning when a speeding dump truck ran him over near the Biraldah shrine area in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi. The accident occurred around 7 a.m. on the highway, and the victim was from Charghat Thanapara. Witnesses said two dump trucks were racing side by side when one lost control and struck the pedestrian, killing him instantly.

Following the incident, enraged locals blocked the highway and set fire to the two trucks involved. The situation escalated as journalists covering the event were attacked, and several mobile phones were damaged. Police from Poba Highway Station faced resistance when they tried to reach the scene, and their vehicle was vandalized. Later, Puthia police and a fire service team arrived to control the blaze and restore order.

Authorities said additional police were deployed to calm the situation, and traffic gradually resumed. Locals alleged that reckless truck driving has long been a problem on this road due to poor monitoring.

Farmers in Katiadi upazila of Kishoreganj are struggling to find laborers even by offering the equivalent of two maunds of paddy, while harvesters provided under government subsidy are reportedly charging higher-than-approved rents. The situation has left local farmers in severe difficulty during the ongoing Boro season. According to the agriculture office, paddy was cultivated on 12,850 hectares in the upazila, but about 585 hectares have been affected by heavy rainfall.

Previously, a worker could be hired for one maund or less of paddy, but now even two maunds are not enough. The current market price of raw paddy is between Tk 650 and Tk 700 per maund, while daily labor wages have risen to around Tk 1,300. Farmers are spending about Tk 22,000 per bigha to produce paddy but earning only Tk 17,500 from sales, resulting in a loss of Tk 4,000–5,000 per bigha.

The upazila agriculture officer said 27 harvesters are ready to address the labor shortage, with additional machines being brought from nearby districts. The maximum approved rent per bigha is Tk 2,500, and authorities will take action if higher rates are charged.