Speakers at a national convention in Dhaka on May 3, 2026, called for renewed strategies to address Bangladesh’s growing educated unemployment. The session, held at the Diploma Engineers Institute and organized by the National Citizen Party’s Reform Implementation Committee, focused on economic restructuring, governance, and employment. Participants emphasized automating revenue collection, curbing corruption in large projects, and diversifying energy sources to revive economic momentum.

Speakers including Dr. M. Masrur Riaz of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, BDJobs CEO Fahim Mashroor, and former DCCI president Shams Mahmud discussed structural weaknesses in the economy. They highlighted issues such as weak financial governance, high youth unemployment among university graduates, and the lack of investment due to energy shortages and high interest rates. Calls were made for entrepreneurship development and overseas employment opportunities for graduates.

Panelists also criticized long-standing corruption, poor banking discipline, and overreliance on foreign loans. They urged reforms in tax automation, banking governance, and energy diversification to restore economic stability and create sustainable employment opportunities.

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain has emphasized the importance of citizen awareness in resolving the city’s waterlogging problem. During an inspection of the month-long canal and drain cleaning campaign in East Madarbari, West Madarbari, and Pathantuli wards, he said that a clean city cannot be achieved by the corporation alone and that residents must act responsibly.

The mayor noted that indiscriminate dumping of plastic, polythene, and waste undermines cleaning efforts. He mentioned that a sluice gate is under construction by the Water Development Board in Gulzar Khal, and temporary embankments have caused short-term waterlogging in nearby areas, including Agrabad Commercial Area. He expressed regret for the inconvenience and said the Bangladesh Army’s 34 Engineering Brigade and the Water Development Board have been instructed to complete the work quickly.

Dr. Hossain added that once the sluice gate and canal renovation projects are completed, waterlogging will significantly decrease. He urged citizens, local representatives, and political activists to maintain cleanliness and build a culture of weekly cleaning to make Chattogram more livable.

A total of 43,773 Bangladeshi pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the ongoing Hajj season, according to the Hajj Office. Director Md Lokman Hossain said that as of 10 a.m. today, 110 flights had landed in Jeddah. The Hajj bulletin reported that seven pilgrims have died of natural causes so far, five in Makkah and two in Madinah.

The bulletin also stated that the Saudi medical team has provided direct treatment to 9,175 pilgrims, while another 9,730 received health services through the IT helpdesk. This year, Bangladesh has been allocated a total of 78,500 Hajj slots, managed by 660 agencies, including 30 main and 630 coordinating agencies. Of the total, 4,565 pilgrims are under government management and 73,935 under private management.

Flights have been operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia, and Flynas, with 34,543 pilgrims yet to depart. The first Hajj flight left Dhaka on April 17, and the pilgrimage is expected to take place on May 26, depending on moon sighting. Return flights are scheduled between May 30 and June 30.

Titas Gas authorities have announced a temporary suspension of gas supply in several areas of Dhaka, including Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and nearby localities. The company issued a statement on Sunday, May 3, expressing regret for the disruption and explaining the cause of the outage.

According to the statement, a pipeline of Titas Gas was damaged during work by Dhaka Wasa on the Gulshan-Badda Link Road. To prevent possible damage to life and property, the gas valves were closed and repair work on the leakage is underway. As a result, gas supply in the affected areas remains suspended.

The company has not specified when the repair work will be completed or when gas supply will resume in the affected neighborhoods.

Constable Nahid Mia testified before International Crimes Tribunal-2 as the 12th witness in the murder case of Imam Hasan Tayim, who was killed during the July Revolution in Jatrabari. In his statement on Sunday, Nahid said he was serving at Jatrabari Police Station during the 2024 uprising. He recalled hearing that Inspector (Investigation) Zakir had shot someone in the Kajla area on July 20. About a week later, he saw a video on YouTube showing Zakir shooting Tayim Bhuiyan at close range.

Nahid identified Zakir in the video by his clothing and appearance, noting that he recognized him from their time working together. The case involves 11 accused individuals, including several former senior officers of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Nine of them remain fugitives, while two—former Officer-in-Charge Abul Hasan and former Sub-Inspector Shahadat Ali—are in custody and were produced before the tribunal on Sunday.

The tribunal proceedings continue as part of the investigation into killings that occurred during the July Revolution events in Jatrabari.

Heavy rainfall and upstream water flow have caused severe waterlogging in Valuka upazila of Mymensingh, submerging 260 hectares of Boro paddy fields. Many farmers are unable to harvest their crops despite offering higher wages, while some have abandoned hopes of saving their harvests. The flooding has left local farmers in distress as their nearly ripe paddy fields remain underwater.

Farmer Fayez reported that his 21 decimals of paddy land were almost completely submerged, and he had to pay 5,000 taka in wages to harvest what little could be saved. Another farmer, Mostufa, said his 1.5 acres of paddy were fully underwater just a week before ripening, after investing 45,000 taka in cultivation. He expressed despair over how to sustain his family after the loss.

According to Agriculture Officer Nusrat Jaman, Boro paddy was cultivated on 18,670 hectares in Valuka this year. Of that, 3,174 hectares have been harvested, while 260 hectares are completely destroyed by flooding.

Bangladesh’s Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid announced that 12,333,840 animals are available for sacrifice ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. The figure includes 5,695,878 cows and buffaloes, 6,632,307 goats and sheep, and 5,655 other species such as camels and dumba. The announcement was made at a press conference held on Sunday at the Secretariat, attended by State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku.

According to the minister, the national demand for sacrificial animals this year is estimated at 10,106,334, leaving a surplus of 2,227,506 animals. Last year, the total availability was 12,447,337 animals, with 9,136,734 slaughtered, resulting in a surplus of 3,310,000. The minister said the data shows Bangladesh has no shortage of sacrificial animals and can meet national demand without imports.

He added that consistent government policy support and the growth of the livestock sector have made the country self-sufficient, benefiting local farmers through fair prices and contributing to economic strength.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said the government is working to establish an institutional framework for an independent media. He made the remarks on Sunday at a discussion titled “Independent and Responsible Media as the Main Partner in Establishing a Culture of Accountability,” organized by the ministry at the Information Bhaban auditorium in Dhaka to mark World Press Freedom Day.

The minister stated that regulation does not mean control, but rather ensuring a healthy environment where the government acts as a facilitator. He announced plans to form an independent and strong Media Commission based on recommendations from a committee of media experts. Swapan also criticized irregularities in newspaper circulation and television rating systems, calling for accurate data-driven transparency. He emphasized that the government views the media as a partner in nation-building, not an adversary, and pledged legal and professional support for journalists.

The event featured participation from media leaders, academics, and press council representatives, with a rally held earlier in the day as part of the observance.

The central executive committee of Jubo Dal has suspended the Feni municipal committee and dissolved all its ward committees. The decision was announced on Sunday through a press release signed by assistant office secretary Minhajul Islam Bhuiyan. The release stated that Enamul Haque Sujon, general secretary of Ward No. 4, was expelled from the party for concealing information while taking a party position. All activities of the current municipal committee have been halted until further notice.

The move follows controversy over the partial committee of Ward No. 4, announced on April 30, which included Sujon, an accused in a case related to an attack on Khaleda Zia’s motorcade. In protest, six of the eight committee members resigned simultaneously. Following the dispute, municipal Jubo Dal president Zahid Hossain Bablu and general secretary Haidar Ali Rasel Patwari were issued show-cause notices for approving the controversial committee.

The central leadership, including Jubo Dal president Abdul Monayem Munna and general secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Noyon, have already implemented the decision, directing the local leaders to appear before them within 24 hours to explain their actions.

Authorities in Lakshmipur exhumed the body of Shahadat Hossain Porash, a former vice president of the district Krishak Dal, nearly 14 months after his burial. The exhumation took place on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at the family graveyard in Terbeki area under Lakshmipur municipality, following a court order for post-mortem examination related to an ongoing case. Executive Magistrate Hasan Muhammad Nahid Sheikh Suman and medical officer Arman Hossain were present during the process.

According to officials, Porash had died on March 7, 2025, in the Mostannagar area of Jorarganj, Chattogram, and was buried the next day without an autopsy. His wife, Shefali Begum Shepu, later filed a criminal complaint on April 9, 2025, at the Chattogram Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, alleging that her husband had been murdered. The court subsequently ordered the exhumation for forensic examination.

Shefali Begum claimed that Porash, who had recently returned from Oman, was carrying about 1 million taka to buy an excavator when he went missing and was later reported dead in a road accident. She alleged that the money was misappropriated and accused a man named Mohon of involvement in the killing.

A controversy erupted in Feni after Enamul Haque Sujon, the prime accused in the case over the 2017 attack on former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s motorcade, was appointed general secretary of the Ward 4 Jubo Dal committee. Following the announcement of the eight-member partial committee on April 30, six of its members resigned in protest, leaving only the president Mostafa Kamal Badol and Sujon in their positions.

The resigning members include senior vice president Gazi Abdul Kader Nayon, vice president Md Sabuj, joint general secretary Md Millat Hossain, organizational secretary Md Zahid, publicity secretary Saddam Hossain Rubel, and office secretary Dalim Majumdar. Party sources confirmed that the committee was approved by Feni municipal Jubo Dal president Zahid Hossain Bablu and general secretary Haydar Ali Rasel Patowary.

Sujon claimed he was falsely implicated in the case for political reasons, while local Jubo Dal leaders defended him as a dedicated activist. The municipal Jubo Dal leadership stated they were unaware of his legal status and would review the matter before taking further organizational action.

The organization 'National Disabled Citizens Power' was launched on Saturday at the Jatiya Press Club’s Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall in Dhaka, with the support of the National Citizens Party (NCP). The group aims to establish the constitutional, social, economic, and political rights of persons with disabilities and to build a discrimination-free, inclusive, and dignified Bangladesh. Representatives from political, social, and civic organizations, along with persons with disabilities, attended the event.

Speakers at the discussion emphasized ensuring active participation of persons with disabilities in building a new Bangladesh inspired by the spirit of the July uprising. The proposed committee was announced, led by Ifthekhar Mahmud as convener and Md. Saiful Haque as joint convener. The organization outlined objectives including political empowerment, representation in policymaking, awareness building, and advocacy for accessible infrastructure and services.

An eleven-point demand was presented for inclusion in the upcoming national budget, calling for increased disability allowances, low-interest loans for entrepreneurs, tax exemptions, employment quotas, and reserved parliamentary seats for disabled citizens. The event concluded with a call for unity among all persons with disabilities to join rights-based political and social movements.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md. Sarwar stated that the political identity of extortionists is not important when taking action against them. Speaking at a press conference at the DMP Media Center on Minto Road on Sunday, he said that anyone involved in extortion will face strict measures once allegations are received.

According to the commissioner, 94 extortionists and another 94 of their associates were arrested in Dhaka over the past two days. He added that new CCTV cameras will be installed to help identify criminals, the intelligence network has been expanded, and community policing is being activated to strengthen crime prevention efforts.

Senior DMP officials, including Additional Commissioners S.N. Nazrul Islam, Md. Shafiqul Islam, and D.C. (Media and Public Relations) S.N. Nasirul Islam, were present at the briefing.

Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) has finalized the schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year’s first-year undergraduate orientation and class commencement. According to a notice signed by Acting Registrar Arif Ahmad Chowdhury and Admission Committee Chairman Professor Dr. Md. Nurul Islam, the orientation will be held on May 9, followed by the start of classes on May 10. The university confirmed that these dates were set as final due to favorable conditions.

The admission process for the 2025–26 session began on February 3, following an online application period from December 2 to 13. RUET offered 1,235 seats across 14 departments under the faculties of Civil, Electrical and Computer, Mechanical, and Architecture and Planning. The admission test took place on January 22 at RUET and BUET centers, with 15,567 of 18,277 applicants participating. Results were published on January 24, with 7,702 candidates passing in Group A and 274 in Group B.

The university conducted admissions in five phases, including document submission, health checks, and an auto-migration system for seat upgrades. Updated information is available on admission.ruet.ac.bd.

The central committee of the Chhatra Dal has announced the full committee for its Cumilla City unit after a year. The announcement was made on Saturday evening through a notice signed by President Md Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir. The new committee includes 193 members, with 28 vice presidents, 59 joint general secretaries, 45 assistant general secretaries, and 54 assistant organizational secretaries.

Previously, on May 15 of the previous year, a partial committee for the Cumilla City Chhatra Dal had been declared. That committee was led by President Nahid Rana, Senior Vice President Abdul Kalam, General Secretary Fayaz Rashid Primu, Senior Joint General Secretary Armanur Rahman, and Organizational Secretary Ismail Hossain.

Current President Nahid Rana stated that the newly announced full committee will work to strengthen the leadership of Tarique Rahman and develop new leadership within the student organization.