Heavy rainfall and nor'wester storms have caused extensive damage across several districts in Bangladesh, submerging boro paddy fields, uprooting trees, and disrupting power and road connections. The incidents occurred over the weekend, leaving thousands without electricity and isolating several areas due to fallen trees and damaged infrastructure. In Bhola and Pirojpur, storms uprooted trees and damaged power lines, cutting electricity in multiple unions. In Natore’s Singra upazila, early floods and continuous rain have threatened ripe boro crops, with only a small portion harvested so far. Habiganj’s Lakhai upazila saw hundreds of hectares of farmland submerged, while in Sylhet’s Beanibazar, most boro fields were inundated. In Chattogram’s Mirsarai, around 20,000 customers lost power after trees and poles collapsed. In Sunamganj and Tangail, breached embankments and heavy rain submerged large areas of farmland. Local officials reported ongoing efforts to restore power and assess agricultural losses. Farmers in several regions are struggling to save their crops, with authorities promising immediate measures to mitigate further damage.

Twenty-seven students from the Faculty of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at Khulna Agricultural University have failed their final examination after collectively skipping one subject’s test on April 8. The results, published on April 30, showed all of them as failed for being absent in the 'Fish Health Management' exam. University officials described the coordinated absence as an unprecedented incident and a violation of disciplinary rules. However, reports suggest the students may still be allowed to sit for a special semester exam as regular candidates, which has caused resentment among students from other departments. According to the source, the boycott began after one student, Tahsina Anwar Shormi, fell ill before the exam, prompting classmates to request a postponement. When the university refused, the group split, with some choosing to boycott and others being prevented from entering the exam hall. Later, Shormi and another student, Tarek, submitted written apologies to the vice-chancellor seeking permission to retake the exam. A faculty member confirmed that the students would be allowed to re-register and sit for the exam soon without affecting their results.

Speakers at a national convention in Dhaka on May 3 emphasized that Bangladesh’s energy crisis cannot be solved without first addressing corruption and policy failures. The session, held at the Diploma Engineers Institute and organized by the National Citizen Party’s Reform Implementation Committee, focused on energy security and future strategies. Participants called for reducing dependence on oil imports by expanding solar power and implementing structural reforms in the energy sector. Economist Dr. Khan Zahirul Islam argued that corruption and flawed policies, not resource shortages, drive the crisis, citing misuse of installed capacity and large-scale financial irregularities. Other speakers, including Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad and energy analyst Shafiqul Alam, highlighted sovereignty concerns, rising import dependence, and the need for solar and waste-to-energy initiatives. They also criticized inefficiencies in power generation and subsidies. Speakers urged the government to waive import duties on solar equipment, review costly power contracts, and prioritize rooftop solar projects to cut costs and reduce load-shedding. They warned that without swift reforms, Bangladesh’s energy dependence and fiscal burden will continue to grow.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence branch has warned the United States that it faces only two options in the current situation: entering a major military conflict or reaching an uncomfortable compromise. According to BBC Persian, the IRGC’s recent statement said Washington’s time for decision-making is running out, directly addressing Donald Trump to choose between a tough military move or an undesirable deal. Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, said he would review Iran’s peace proposal but initially found it unsatisfactory. Meanwhile, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that Tehran responded to a nine-point US proposal with a 14-point counterproposal. Semi-official Tasnim News Agency added that while the US suggested a two-month ceasefire, Iran emphasized that if no resolution is reached within 30 days, ending the conflict entirely would be preferable to a prolonged truce. Overall, the exchange of conditions and counterconditions has further complicated efforts to ease tensions between the two countries.

A tragic accident in Patiya, Chattogram, claimed the life of Shahidul Islam Rafiz, an 18-year-old activist of the student wing Chhatra Dal. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at a construction site beside the Patiya Bypass Road in Bhati Khain Union. Rafiz, who was working as an assistant to a painter, fell from a ladder about nine feet high inside the building and sustained severe injuries. He was taken to Patiya Hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. According to the site contractor Md. Shahid, Rafiz fell accidentally while painting. Dr. Rupa Barua of Patiya Hospital confirmed that he had died before reaching the hospital. Rafiz, the only son of expatriate Jasim Uddin from Lalar Khil village in Khornna Union, had stopped studying after the tenth grade. His family was unaware that he was working as a painter’s assistant. Former union council member and BNP leader Abdul Karim said Rafiz was an active Chhatra Dal worker who regularly participated in party programs, and his sudden death has cast a shadow of grief over the area.

Detectives of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) arrested 14 members of the banned Chhatra League from a secret meeting at a restaurant in the Noyabazar World Road area of Halishahar on Sunday night. The operation took place around 8 p.m. at Taif Restaurant, where the group was allegedly holding a planned meeting to coordinate anti-state activities with leaders based abroad. Among those detained was the chief organizer of the Sheikh Hasina Oikya Parishad. According to police intelligence, despite the organization’s ban, Chhatra League members have continued their activities under the direction of fugitive leaders. They were reportedly attempting to reorganize the group at the local level. CMP Deputy Police Commissioner (North) Md. Habibur Rahman confirmed the arrests and said legal action is being taken against the detainees. The Chhatra League was declared a banned organization in 2024 following the flight of the Sheikh Hasina government. Since then, law enforcement agencies have conducted multiple operations across the country targeting its members.

In Jamalpur, continuous heavy rainfall has caused severe waterlogging, paralyzing daily life across the city. Amid this crisis, at least 15 municipal officials, including Administrator Mousumi Khanam and Chief Executive Officer Hafizur Rahman, are alleged to be on a government-funded trip to Cox’s Bazar. The situation has sparked widespread public anger, with residents staging protests and blocking roads and railways to demand immediate drainage action. Train and road traffic were disrupted for about an hour before authorities assured intervention. Residents from several flooded neighborhoods accused the municipality of long-term negligence, saying waterlogging worsens every monsoon due to lack of effective measures. Environmental activists reported that around 10,000 people in ten municipal villages are trapped by stagnant water, facing health risks and severe hardship. Protesters condemned the officials’ absence during the emergency. Municipal tax officer Shafiqul Islam said officials were still providing guidance remotely, while Administrator Khanam stated she took leave for one day and was monitoring operations from Cox’s Bazar. Observers warned that such actions during a disaster could erode public trust in local governance.

A veterinarian named Animesh Parmanay, aged 50, was abducted in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira on Saturday morning. He went missing around 10 a.m. after leaving home for duty, and by evening, his wife received a phone call demanding Tk 2 million as ransom. The abductors also threatened the family to keep the matter secret. His brother, Priyanath Parmanay, filed a general diary at Shyamnagar Police Station following the incident. According to family sources, Animesh’s phone remained switched off throughout the day, and later an unknown caller used his number to inform the family of the abduction. Upazila Livestock Officer Subrata Kumar Biswas said Animesh had long been working as an artificial insemination worker in the Koikhali Union and that his disappearance caused concern among colleagues. They urged his immediate rescue. Officer-in-Charge Khaledur Rahman of Shyamnagar Police Station stated that efforts are underway to trace the phone’s location. Police conducted raids at several places on Saturday night and found an abandoned house. The investigation continues with priority to rescue the victim.

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.

A bulk carrier ship was attacked near the coast of Iran by several small boats, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred when the northbound vessel was about 11 nautical miles, or 18 kilometers, west of the Iranian city of Sirik. Despite the attack, all crew members were reported safe, and no environmental damage has been confirmed. UKMTO has not yet identified the attackers or determined the motive behind the assault. The report has raised renewed concerns about maritime security in the region. The incident adds to ongoing tensions surrounding vessel safety near Iranian waters, though no further details have been released. Authorities are monitoring the situation as uncertainty remains over who carried out the attack and why, leaving questions about potential risks to shipping routes in the area.

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.