Two people were killed in separate road accidents in Munshiganj early Monday. The incidents occurred on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in Srinagar and the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Gazaria. The victims were identified as truck driver Mohammad Hossain from Chuadanga’s Belgachi area and lorry helper Antar Das from Chandpur village in Senbagh. Police said both accidents took place around 2 a.m.

According to police, on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway near Dogachi Army Camp, a cargo truck hit another truck ahead of it, trapping driver Mohammad Hossain inside. He was taken to Srinagar Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. In the second incident, on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway near Dori Bausia, a speeding lorry collided with a covered van while taking a U-turn, killing helper Antar Das on the spot.

Police confirmed that vehicular movement on both highways remained normal after the accidents, and the bodies were kept at the respective highway police stations.

Seventeen years after Cyclone Aila struck on May 25, 2009, the coastal residents of Satkhira in southwestern Bangladesh continue to suffer from its long-lasting devastation. The cyclone destroyed homes, farmland, and fisheries, leaving thousands destitute. In Gabura Union of Shyamnagar upazila, one of the worst-hit areas, at least 39 people died and over 243,000 were displaced. Many families still live on government land near embankments, facing acute shortages of drinking water and employment.

Repeated cyclones such as Amphan in 2020, Bulbul, and Rimal in 2024 have deepened the crisis, with May now seen as a month of fear for coastal communities. Despite ongoing embankment repairs, many areas remain at risk of collapse. Around 30–35 percent of residents in Gabura and Padmapukur unions have become landless, and over 500 families live on river chars. Local leaders report that most roads damaged by Aila remain unrestored.

Authorities have declared Gabura a model union, with a 10.2 billion taka project underway to build sustainable embankments and promote afforestation. Yet residents question how many more disasters must come before their lives become secure.

Authorities at Chattogram Port have formed special task forces and teams to ensure uninterrupted cargo handling during the seven-day government holiday that began on May 25 for Eid-ul-Azha. The initiative aims to keep the country’s main import-export gateway operational despite the extended break.

BGMEA Director Rakibul Alam Chowdhury urged port and customs officials not to treat the holiday as a complete shutdown, warning that production could face major disruptions otherwise. BICDA Secretary General Ruhul Amin Sikder Bipul said the long post-Eid holiday period poses challenges for importers and exporters, calling for all stakeholders to remain active.

Commodore Amin Ahmed Abdullah, Member (Marine and Harbor) of Chattogram Port, said two special task forces will oversee cargo unloading at outer anchorage and operations at jetties and yards, while another team will handle security. Assistant Commissioner Sharif Md. Al Amin of Chattogram Customs House confirmed that sufficient personnel will continue working during the holidays to maintain customs operations, emphasizing interdepartmental cooperation.

Health Minister Sardar Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain said that 'fascist allies' are still targeting them, during a visit to the Civil Surgeon’s Office in Comilla on Monday morning. He alleged that a group associated with fascism, including some outsourced workers appointed by the Awami League, were creating trouble and even assaulting doctors.

When asked whether the government would seek an independent investigation from the World Health Organization regarding measles infections and deaths, the minister said that punishment alone would not solve the problem. He emphasized that the government’s top priority is to protect children infected with measles and ensure that no mother loses her child to the disease.

In response to a question about alleged irregularities worth five crore taka in medicine procurement at Comilla Medical College last year, the minister said that the ministry has already started work and will first focus on improving existing public health resources. Earlier, he visited Comilla Sadar General Hospital, inspected food quality, and listened to patients’ complaints.

A Rohingya youth named Md. Salman, aged 27, lost his right leg in a landmine explosion across the Ukhiya border in Cox’s Bazar on Monday morning. The incident occurred near Balukhali, adjacent to Myanmar’s Rakhine region. Local residents rescued the injured man and took him to the MSF hospital in Kutupalong before he was transferred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital as his condition worsened.

According to Palongkhali Union Parishad Chairman Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, the explosion took place in Myanmar territory, and such incidents often involve Rohingyas crossing the border, sometimes for illegal purposes such as drug transport. Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commander of the 64 Ukhiya Battalion of the Border Guard Bangladesh, confirmed the explosion and the subsequent rescue operation.

The incident highlights ongoing risks along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, where landmines continue to endanger displaced Rohingyas living near the frontier.

Bangladesh has introduced a 25 percent fare discount for elderly and physically disabled passengers on metro and train travel. The program was inaugurated on Monday at Dhaka’s Farmgate Metro Station, with Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam MP attending as chief guest. Senior officials from the concerned ministries were also present at the event.

According to the minister, the initiative aims to make public transport more humane, inclusive, and citizen-friendly. Elderly citizens aged 65 and above and persons with disabilities or special needs will receive a 25 percent discount on single-journey metro tickets upon presenting valid identification. The same discount applies to train tickets purchased both online and at counters, with age verification based on national ID information. Existing 50 percent discounts for disabled passengers in certain train classes remain in effect, while a new 25 percent reduction has been added for all air-conditioned classes.

Officials believe the program will make the country’s public transport system more inclusive and passenger-oriented.

Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin announced that under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership, Bangladesh has restored people’s ownership of state assets and strengthened democratic institutions within the government’s first 100 days. Speaking at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office on May 25, he said the administration has prioritized election pledges since taking office on February 17, emphasizing public engagement and ending VIP culture.

The government has seized assets worth 4,264 crore taka from S. Alam Group and signed agreements with three countries to repatriate laundered money. It reinstated the phrase “except Israel” in passports and set a goal to make Bangladesh a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. Initiatives include women-focused “Family Cards,” debt waivers for small farmers, and an “LPG Card” subsidy. Employment exchanges and ID cards for freelancers have been launched, and canal excavation programs revived.

For the first time, artificial intelligence is being introduced in traffic management, alongside plans for 250 electric buses and the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The government also passed the “July Warriors Indemnity Act” and achieved a record 94 bills in the first parliamentary session.

During the seven-day Eid-ul-Azha bank holiday from May 25 to 31, customers across Bangladesh faced difficulties withdrawing cash from ATM booths. Despite Bangladesh Bank’s directive to ensure uninterrupted ATM services, several booths ran out of cash or imposed withdrawal limits. Field visits in Dhaka’s Mouchak, Malibagh, Moghbazar, and Karwan Bazar areas revealed that many booths of weaker banks were out of service, while some stronger banks also restricted withdrawals or blocked transactions from other banks’ cards.

Social media users reported frustration, describing the situation as mismanagement and unfair to customers needing cash for Eid expenses. Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan stated that the central bank had supplied sufficient cash to all banks and that any shortages were due to individual banks’ internal management. He warned that banks neglecting service continuity could face action.

Earlier, Bangladesh Bank had issued a circular instructing all scheduled banks to maintain adequate cash in ATMs, ensure technical readiness, strengthen booth security, and keep mobile financial and online payment services operational during the holiday period.

In Venezuela’s western Barinas prison, inmates climbed onto the roof on Sunday to stage a protest against alleged mistreatment by prison authorities. They burned mattresses and bedsheets as part of their demonstration and accused guards of shooting unarmed prisoners, leaving several injured. Protesters demanded the removal of the prison director, and video footage reportedly showed one inmate with a gunshot wound to the chest while others chanted for justice and an end to abuse.

Tensions also spread outside the prison as relatives of inmates clashed with members of the National Guard while attempting to enter the facility. Witnesses reported hearing screams and explosions from inside the prison during the unrest.

A Venezuelan prison monitoring organization stated that it is documenting the incident and sharing information with human rights groups. Authorities have not yet issued any official statement regarding the situation.

Police in Raipur municipality of Lakshmipur have sent Rakib, general secretary of the local ward unit of the student organization Chhatra Dal, to jail on charges of helping an accused rapist flee. The case involves a 45-year-old autorickshaw driver named Sahin, accused of raping an 11-year-old girl multiple times after threatening her and recording a video of the assault. The incident reportedly occurred when the victim’s mother was away for work.

According to local and family sources, Sahin used threats of violence and exposure of the video to repeatedly assault the child. Residents alleged that Rakib accepted money to help Sahin escape after locals initially caught him. The incident has sparked anger and demands for justice in the area.

Rakib denied the allegations, claiming he had informed police and journalists about the suspect. Raipur police confirmed Rakib’s detention under Section 54 and said efforts are ongoing to arrest the main accused. The community remains tense as residents call for swift and exemplary punishment.

Police in Bogura have arrested two day laborers accused of murdering housewife Rita Majumdar in Mominhata village of Gabtali upazila. The arrests were announced at a press briefing at the Bogura Superintendent of Police’s office on Monday afternoon. The suspects, identified as Shaon Mia, 20, and Anwar Hossain, 35, were detained following an investigation that began after the killing on May 20. Police said the murder was committed as part of a plan to steal money from a recent land sale.

According to police, the two men worked together as day laborers. About ten days before the incident, Anwar learned that Rita Majumdar’s family had cash from selling land. The pair allegedly planned a robbery, with Anwar purchasing two local weapons. On the night of the murder, they hid inside the house and attacked Rita when she recognized Anwar after hearing a noise. She died on the spot from severe bleeding.

Police later recovered the weapons from a nearby water body and seized clothing, a mobile phone, and SIM cards used during the crime. The suspects are being sent to court.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during his official visit to China. The meeting took place at a time when diplomatic efforts to formally end the Iran war are being prolonged. Before meeting Xi, Sharif also held discussions with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

During the talks, Sharif emphasized the importance of Islamabad and Beijing working together to restore peace in the Middle East. He stated that the world is passing through a critical moment and expressed gratitude to China for its support in advancing peace negotiations.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who had just concluded a visit to Iran, was also present at the meeting, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

In Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari, 250 impoverished residents received financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s Relief and Welfare Fund ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Each beneficiary was given 2,000 taka, totaling 500,000 taka in distributed aid. The distribution ceremony took place on Monday afternoon at the upazila parishad conference room.

The financial aid was handed over by Abdul Muntakim, Member of Parliament for Nilphamari-4 constituency. The event was attended by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arifur Rahman, local Jamaat leader Abdur Rashid Shah, secretary Ferdous Alam, and Press Club president Abu Hasan Sheikh, among others.

The initiative aimed to support underprivileged families during the religious festival, ensuring they could celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with dignity and financial relief.

Tea garden workers in Habiganj have begun an indefinite work stoppage demanding payment of overdue wages, rations, and festival bonuses, along with seven other points. The strike started on Monday morning across four estates—Deundi, Lalchan, Mritinga, and Noapara—located in Chunarughat and Madhabpur upazilas. Around 5,000 workers are reportedly facing severe hardship due to weeks of unpaid weekly wages, leading to growing frustration and uncertainty over salaries and bonuses.

A tripartite meeting was held on May 6 in Srimangal between owners, workers, and the labor department, where it was decided that all arrears would be cleared promptly. The meeting also agreed on repairing dilapidated housing before the monsoon and ensuring medical facilities as per labor law. However, the workers allege that the owners failed to implement these decisions, prompting the strike. Workers have been staging sit-ins at local temples instead of reporting to the gardens and factories.

According to the Deundi Tea Garden Panchayat Committee president, the strike will continue until the seven-point demands are met.

A third-gender person named Yasmin, also known as Suman, was stabbed to death and another, Chandni alias Babu, was injured in a knife attack in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi. The incident occurred around midnight on Sunday at a poultry farm near the railway gate in Pirijkandi village under Mirzapur Union. Both victims lived together near the scene. The accused, 35-year-old worker Russell Mostafa, had been employed at the farm for three years.

According to police citing Chandni, an argument broke out between the two victims and Russell outside the farm, leading to the stabbing. Yasmin died on the spot, while locals called emergency services after hearing Chandni’s screams. Police recovered the body and sent it for autopsy, and Chandni was transferred to a private hospital in Dhaka after initial treatment.

Police and locals suspect the attack may have stemmed from a dispute over drug money, as all three were allegedly involved in local drug trade. Authorities have launched an investigation and a manhunt to arrest the accused.