Professor Dr. Mohammad Toufiq Alam of Rajshahi University’s Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering has been appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor of Barishal University. According to a circular from the Ministry of Education, Dr. Alam will serve in the interim role until a permanent appointment is made. He will receive salary and benefits equivalent to his current position and will be entitled to all associated privileges as per university regulations.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Vice President Mahfuza Akter was reportedly denied departure at the airport while en route to attend the 75th FIFA Congress in Paraguay on May 15. While BFF President Tabith Awal and General Secretary Imran Hossain successfully boarded the flight, Mahfuza was turned back. Sources indicate that her past affiliation with the ruling party's affiliate, the Jubo Mohila League, was the reason for the denial. Mahfuza, who also chairs the women’s football committee, was reportedly linked to the outgoing authoritarian regime, which contributed to the travel restriction.

Prominent political analyst and adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul is scheduled to visit Malaysia on May 13 to hear grievances from Bangladeshi expatriates. On May 14, he will attend a public hearing at the Bangladesh High Commission, where issues like passport application corruption, the cancellation of foreign outsourcing firm 'e-Scale,' ensuring passport services under government management, and removing corrupt officials are expected to surface. On May 15, Dr. Nazrul is set to meet Malaysia’s Minister of Human Resources. Allegations have been raised by underprivileged staff at the High Commission that Ambassador Shamim Ahsan, Deputy High Commissioner Khurshid Alam Khastagir, and other officials are exploiting expatriates through corruption.

Hasnat Abdullah has claimed that although the activities of the Awami League can be banned, its financial network remains beyond reach. Speaking in Cumilla, he said that in several upazilas, politics has been sold out to the ruling party's financial influence. Addressing Dr. Asif Nazrul, he asked, “When those involved in murders go to court, which judge grants them bail? Reveal who’s backing them.” He added that it’s not just the government’s failure that the accused are out on bail and roaming in front of the martyrs’ homes, but also the failure of Professor Nazrul himself. “We demand both reform and election,” he emphasized, stating that any election must take place through a process of accountability and reform.

For the first time in over 18 years, interim government Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus is set to return to his ancestral village of Bathua in Hathazari upazila. The village is festively decorated in anticipation, and locals are celebrating his long-awaited homecoming. Extensive security measures have been taken ahead of his arrival. Key roads including the Chattogram-Kaptai and Chattogram-Khagrachhari-Rangamati highways have been beautified. Hathazari upazila and municipal officials have been working tirelessly to enhance the area's cleanliness and appearance for the occasion.

The Chandana Post Office, located at the bustling Chandana intersection in Gazipur, has been converted into the office of the BNP-affiliated Volunteer Wing. Formerly operating under the Basan Union as a post office for years, the building is now repurposed as the local office of the Basan Thana Volunteer Wing. Although the building now falls under the jurisdiction of Gazipur City Corporation and had previously been declared abandoned, postal operations for Chandana Post Office (code: 1702) continued for years. A small room adjacent to the main building is now designated for postal activities. A signboard on one side of the building reads "Office of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal," the youth wing of the BNP.

Facing unrelenting student protests for 29 consecutive days, the Ministry of Education announced late Tuesday night that Dr. Sucharita Sharmin has been relieved of her duties as Vice Chancellor of Barishal University and returned to her previous post. The official notification will be published on the ministry’s website shortly. Additionally, 11 faculty members have resigned from their administrative positions. Earlier in the day, students blocked the Barishal-Kuakata Highway adjacent to the campus from 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM as part of their protest program demanding the VC's removal. A hunger strike was also underway during the demonstration.

Five students of Barishal University have fallen seriously ill during a hunger strike demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Suchita Sharmin. As the protest enters its 29th day, students have also blocked the highway and initiated an academic and administrative shutdown, bringing campus operations to a halt. Eleven students began the indefinite hunger strike on the ground floor of the university on Monday night. Faculty, staff, and other employees have since expressed solidarity with the movement.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has taken full responsibility for the medical treatment of Enam Siddiqui (30), a youth from Enayetpur village in Jashore, who was critically injured during the July mass uprising. BNP leader Anindya Islam Amit handed over financial assistance to Enam’s family on behalf of Tarique Rahman. “Enam made the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against fascism. We were informed of his condition upon returning to Jashore, and since then, the BNP has been covering all his medical expenses,” Amit said.

Hefazat-e-Islam leader Azizul Haque Islamabadi has condemned the labeling of dissenters as "pro-Pakistani," calling it an attempt to revive an Indian narrative in Bangladesh. “Indian media routinely brands anti-fascist and anti-hegemonic movements in Bangladesh as pro-Pakistan. This tactic is now being echoed locally,” he stated. Islamabadi noted that such rhetoric was used in the past to justify the persecution and execution of top Islamic figures under fascist regimes. “There is no such thing as ‘pro-Pakistan’ in Bangladesh. We call upon all anti-fascist groups to unite on the principles of 1947, 1971, and 2024 to build a pro-Bangladesh political culture,” he added.

Political analyst Professor Ali Riaz stated that the National Consensus Commission is committed to ensuring equal rights for all citizens through the establishment of a democratic and accountable state. “We are working on a framework to protect these rights,” he said. The commission aims to draft a national charter that outlines the vision for a future Bangladesh. “This initiative to reform the state structure is part of the long-standing struggle of political parties,” he added. The aspirations became especially prominent following the mass uprisings in July and August 2024.

In a joint operation by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), a crackdown was launched against illegal battery-powered rickshaws. DNCC Administrator Md. Ejaz stated that with the help of DESCO, unauthorized charging stations and production workshops will be shut down. He reiterated that rickshaws will not be allowed on main roads and must operate only on inner roads. "Battery-powered rickshaws are responsible for 20% of road accidents, disproportionately affecting women and children," he said. DNCC, in collaboration with BUET, has approved safe rickshaw designs for select manufacturers. By the end of this month, training programs for rickshaw drivers will begin. Only those who complete the training will receive valid licenses and be allowed to operate approved rickshaws in designated zones.

Development adviser Farida Akhter has said that Bangladesh does not need to adopt modern cattle breeds at the expense of its native ones. "Our focus should be on preserving indigenous cattle while ensuring adequate milk and meat production," she stated. Akhter rejected claims that native breeds are disappearing, saying that foreign breeds have been aggressively introduced under the guise of modernization. "Those promoting foreign breeds have often undermined the value of local cattle, now claiming farmers are uninformed," she added. She emphasized the need for region-based conservation programs and questioned why farmers aren't being incentivized to rear native breeds.

A Dhaka court has granted a four-day remand for former Member of Parliament Momtaz Begum in connection with the murder of Md. Sagar during the recent mass uprising in the Mirpur Model Police Station area. On July 19, Sagar took part in the public protest at Mirpur 10 intersection. Around 4:30 PM that day, attackers opened fire on demonstrators, hitting Sagar. He later succumbed to his injuries. His mother, Beauty, received his body at Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital and laid him to rest in their village. Momtaz Begum has been named as an accused in the case.

India has expressed concern over the imposition of sanctions on Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League without following proper procedures. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that such actions are troubling, particularly as they appear to curtail democratic freedoms and shrink political space. He reaffirmed India’s strong support for holding free, fair, and inclusive elections in Bangladesh at the earliest possible time.