Renowned Bangladeshi poet and freedom fighter Al Mujahidi has been undergoing treatment for several days at United Hospital in Dhaka due to serious illness. On Sunday evening, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar visited him at the hospital to inquire about his health condition.

During the visit, Porwar was accompanied by Advocate Matiur Rahman Akand, head of Jamaat’s literature and culture department, and Dr. Monowarul Islam, secretary of the Deshiyo Sangskritik Sangshad, along with other cultural figures. He spoke with the attending doctors to learn about the poet’s treatment progress and prayed for his quick recovery, long life, and good health. Porwar praised Al Mujahidi’s contributions to the nation’s literary field and urged the government to arrange advanced medical care abroad for the poet.

He also met with members of the poet’s family, offering words of comfort and advising them to remain patient and hopeful. Before leaving, he requested everyone to pray for Al Mujahidi’s recovery.

A man was killed in a road accident in Jhenaidah’s Sadar upazila on Sunday night while fleeing after stealing a motorcycle. The incident occurred in the Nagarbathan area when the suspect, identified as Masud Hossain of Sadhuhati village, attempted to escape after stealing a motorcycle belonging to a man named Russel from the Paglakanai area of Jhenaidah town.

According to police and local sources, Masud’s motorcycle collided head-on with a microbus coming from the opposite direction on the Jhenaidah-Chuadanga highway. The impact threw him onto the road, killing him on the spot. A rescue team from the Jhenaidah Fire Service recovered the body and sent it to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Jahanur Hossain said the body and the stolen motorcycle were recovered, and legal procedures are underway.

In Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram, fertilizer and seed were distributed among 2,500 farmers affected by a recent storm. The distribution took place on Sunday afternoon under the initiative of the Banshkhali Agriculture Office. Member of Parliament Maulana Zahirul Islam attended the event and personally handed over the supplies to the farmers.

The event was presided over by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jamshedul Alam, with former Upazila BNP convener Lokman Ahmad as special guest. Upazila Agriculture Officer Shyamal Chandra Sarkar delivered the welcome speech. Each farmer received 10 kilograms of DAP fertilizer, 10 kilograms of MOP fertilizer, and 5 kilograms of seed free of cost to support Aus crop production.

The initiative aimed to assist local farmers in recovering from storm damage and to promote increased Aus cultivation in the region.

An 18-year-old college student named Md. Sakib Hossain drowned while bathing in a swimming pool with friends in Demra’s Konapara area of Dhaka on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when Sakib, an HSC examinee from Donia College, went swimming after playing football with about 16 friends who had rented the Samsi Sports Gallery pool for 3,200 taka.

According to his friend Ifat Patwari, Sakib suddenly went underwater while everyone was bathing. Pool staff and friends rescued him unconscious and took him first to a local hospital, then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 2 p.m., where doctors declared him dead after examination. Police confirmed that the body was kept in the hospital morgue and the local police station was informed.

Sakib was the only son of Arif Ali, an electrician from Donia Barabari area in Kadamtali.

Bicycles have been distributed among underprivileged female students in the flood-affected Uria Union of Fulchhari upazila in Gaibandha district. The event took place on Sunday under a development program organized by the Uria Union Parishad of Fulchhari. A total of 16 female students received bicycles aimed at expanding women’s education in the area.

Fulchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Mostafizur Rahman attended the event as the chief guest and handed over the bicycles to the students. The ceremony was also attended by Uria Union Parishad Chairman Golam Mostafa Kamal Pasha, administrative officials, union council members, local dignitaries, and guardians.

The initiative seeks to support female students from marginalized communities in continuing their education by easing their daily commute and encouraging school attendance.

A Dhaka court has ordered a second two-day remand for four individuals accused of involvement with an extremist organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The order was issued on Sunday, May 3, 2026, by Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid. The accused are Md. Imran Chowdhury, Md. Mostakim Chowdhury, Ripon Hossain Sheikh, and Abu Bakkar. The remand information was confirmed by SI Ashraful Alam from the prosecution.

Earlier, after completing their initial remand, the four were produced before the court, where Counter Terrorism Investigation Department SI Matiur Rahman Molla requested a fresh seven-day remand for further questioning. Defense lawyer Mayed Mahmud sought cancellation of the remand and applied for bail, which was opposed by the prosecution. After the hearing, the court approved two days of remand for each accused.

The four were detained between Monday night and Tuesday noon during operations in different parts of Dhaka by a team from the Detective Branch’s Ramna Division. A case under the Anti-Terrorism Act was filed the following day at Kamrangirchar Police Station, after which their initial four-day remand was granted.

At a national convention held Sunday at the Diploma Engineers Institute in Dhaka, speakers warned that citizens who voted for constitutional reforms in a recent referendum would take to the streets if the government fails to implement those changes. The event, organized by the National Citizen Party’s Reform Implementation Committee, focused on issues of energy, economy, human rights, and governance reforms.

Participants included leaders from several political and civic groups, such as Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Nagarik Oikya, and AB Party. They criticized the government for what they described as deception and failure to honor the July Charter and the referendum results. Jamaat’s Secretary General Golam Porwar accused the ruling party of misleading the public, while Khelafat Majlis chief Mamunul Haque demanded full constitutional reform, decentralization of power, and a non-partisan administration. AB Party chairman Mojibur Rahman Manju warned of growing authoritarian tendencies and economic risks.

Presiding over the session, opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said the government’s disregard for reform discussions in parliament leaves mass movement as the only option to ensure democratic accountability.

The first meeting of the special committee of the 13th National Parliament was held on Sunday at the National Parliament Building to determine necessary actions and formulate recommendations for addressing Bangladesh’s current energy situation. The meeting was chaired by Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and the committee’s president.

Committee members including the State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, Whip A. B. M. Ashraf Uddin (Nizan), Whip Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, Moinul Islam Khan, Md. Nurul Islam, Md. Abdul Baten, Md. Abul Hasnat, and Mohammad Abul Hasan attended the session. The ministry presented an overview of the national energy situation, outlining existing conditions and related issues. The special committee expressed satisfaction with the ministry’s ongoing measures to manage the situation.

The meeting reviewed various aspects of the energy situation and decided to conduct further sessions for detailed evaluation. A comprehensive report with recommendations will later be submitted to Parliament. Senior officials from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and the Parliament Secretariat were also present.

The newly elected members of parliament for the reserved women’s seats in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament took their oath on Sunday night at the oath room on Level-1 of the East Block of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikrom administered the oath to the MPs. The Election Commission had earlier published a gazette on April 30 declaring 49 of the 50 reserved women’s seats uncontested.

According to the proportional representation system, the BNP alliance nominated 36 candidates, the Jamaat alliance 13, and one candidate came from an independent alliance. After scrutiny, 36 from BNP, 12 from Jamaat, and one independent were declared elected unopposed. The list of those sworn in includes senior BNP leaders such as Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, and Nipun Roy Chowdhury, among others. From Jamaat-e-Islami, Nurunnisa Siddika, Marzia Begum, and others took oath, along with three allied nominees from NCP, JAGPA, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis.

Although the nomination of Nusrat Tabassum of the National Citizen Party (NCP) was declared valid, she did not take the oath on Sunday.

Bangladesh’s export sector rebounded in April 2026 after eight consecutive months of decline, according to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Sunday. Export earnings rose by 32.92 percent year-on-year to 4.01 billion dollars, up from 3.02 billion dollars in April of the previous year. Compared to March’s 3.48 billion dollars, April’s earnings increased by 15.20 percent. The growth was driven mainly by the ready-made garment industry, rising demand in key markets, and an increase in new orders.

Despite the April surge, total export earnings for the first ten months of the 2025–26 fiscal year stood at 39.40 billion dollars, still 2.02 percent lower than the same period last year. The apparel sector remained the main contributor, earning 31.72 billion dollars during July–April. The United States and the United Kingdom showed the strongest growth, with exports rising 43.01 percent and 23.46 percent respectively. Leather and leather goods exports rose 5.95 percent year-on-year, while agricultural processed products saw a 65 percent jump in April.

Knitwear manufacturers’ association president Mohammad Hatem said the April rise mainly reflected shipments delayed from March due to Eid holidays. He cautioned that export performance might fluctuate again in the coming months.

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader and Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4, Hasnat Abdullah, has said that it is now unclear who makes decisions within the government. Speaking on Sunday at the NCP’s national convention on energy, economy, human rights, reform, and referendum at the Diploma Engineers Institute in Dhaka, he remarked that during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, decision-making authority was clear, but now multiple power centers appear to exist within the government.

Abdullah criticized the government for moving away from public expectations and accused it of hypocrisy in handling reforms and elections. He said that necessary structural reforms in the judiciary, bureaucracy, and law enforcement have not been implemented, and that the long-term use of police as a political tool has undermined institutional trust. He warned that excessive control by the government could lead to alienation and frustration among citizens.

On energy policy, Abdullah emphasized the need to expand renewable energy to ensure national energy security. He concluded that transparency, accountability, and strong, independent institutions are essential for genuine reform and fulfilling citizens’ aspirations for change.

Bangladesh Bank has reported that the country's total foreign exchange reserves have increased to 35,204.76 million, or 35.20 billion, US dollars as of May 3, 2026. The information was confirmed by Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director and Spokesperson of the central bank. According to the latest data, the gross reserve stood at 35,204.76 million dollars, while under the IMF’s BPM6 calculation method, the reserve amounted to 30,512.29 million dollars.

The previous record on April 23 showed the gross reserve at 35,117.50 million dollars and the BPM6-based reserve at 30,484.01 million dollars. The central bank clarified that net reserves are calculated following the IMF’s BPM6 methodology, which deducts short-term liabilities from total reserves to determine the actual amount.

The increase marks a continuation of reserve growth following earlier declines, reflecting a modest improvement in the country's external financial position according to the central bank’s latest figures.

National Citizens Party convener and Member of Parliament Nahid Islam has termed the first session of the current parliament a failure. Speaking on Sunday, May 3, at the Freedom Fighters Hall of the Diploma Engineers Institute in Dhaka, he said the session was supposed to discuss how various reform proposals would be implemented, but the government instead ran the parliament on its own terms. He warned that if this continues, taking to the streets with public support would become their only option.

The remarks came during the final session of the National Convention on Energy, Economy, Human Rights, Reform, and Referendum, organized by the party’s Reform Implementation Committee. Other panelists included leaders from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and AB Party. Nahid Islam emphasized the need for constitutional reforms, including establishing an upper house, ensuring referendums on constitutional changes, depoliticizing institutions, and forming a caretaker government through consensus.

He argued that sustainable democracy requires gradual reform and warned that constitutional amendments driven by partisan interests could undermine stability. He reiterated that democratic aspirations have been pursued for 54 years and must now be realized through inclusive governance.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast that May will experience normal rainfall, following April’s 75 percent above-average precipitation. The long-term outlook indicates that rainfall may decrease during June and July due to less active monsoon winds. The department also expects intermittent rain until May 10, with temperatures remaining normal before gradually rising. A heatwave is likely to begin around May 15 and last six to seven days.

Meteorologist Kazi Zebun Nesa explained that early western low pressure and the upward movement of southern winds caused heavy cloud formation over the Sylhet and Chattogram hill regions, leading to higher-than-usual rainfall before the monsoon. The forecast also mentions one to two low-pressure systems in May, with a low chance of cyclone formation, and five to six nor’westers, including two to three severe ones.

April recorded the highest rainfall in Barishal division, 169 percent above normal, while Dhaka saw about 80 percent more rain. The department noted that this year’s heatwaves were shorter and less intense than in 2023 and 2024.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has strongly condemned and protested remarks made by BNP leader and reserved seat MP Nilofar Chowdhury Moni regarding zakat, describing them as disrespectful. In a statement released to the media on Sunday, Hefazat’s Secretary General Allama Sajedur Rahman said zakat is a fundamental act of worship in Islam that promotes equality, compassion, and poverty alleviation. He stated that mocking or ridiculing such a sacred command is unacceptable and has hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.

The Hefazat leader emphasized that freedom of expression does not grant anyone the right to insult religious beliefs or practices. He warned that such comments could create confusion, hostility, and unrest in society. Rahman urged the BNP leader to act responsibly by retracting her statement and publicly apologizing to Muslims.

He further called on all individuals to maintain restraint, respect, and responsibility when discussing religious matters to preserve social harmony and peace. Earlier, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir and Khatme Nabuwat had also issued condemnations.