The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has imposed financial penalties on the chairmen, directors, and senior officials of three publicly listed companies for breaching securities laws. The decision was made at a commission meeting held on May 19, 2026, chaired by BSEC Chairman Khondkar Rashed Maksud, and announced through a press release on May 21.

Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries was fined for providing false information in its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Its chairman, managing director, and three directors were each fined Tk 2.5 million, while the chief financial officer and company secretary received smaller fines. Genex Infosys faced penalties for failing to distribute a declared 3 percent cash dividend for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, within the stipulated time. Aftab Automobiles was ordered to pay outstanding dividends within 30 days or face additional fines, including daily penalties for delays.

The BSEC’s actions underscore its ongoing enforcement of compliance standards among listed companies to protect investors and ensure transparency in Bangladesh’s capital market.

China has condemned the United States for filing murder and conspiracy charges against former Cuban president Raul Castro. Beijing stated that Washington should cease its legal actions and threats toward Cuba. The remarks came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun during a regular press briefing on Thursday.

According to the report, the United States has accused the 94-year-old Raul Castro of involvement in a conspiracy to commit murder, linked to the 1996 downing of two aircraft between Cuba and Florida that resulted in the deaths of American citizens. At that time, Castro was serving as commander of Cuba’s armed forces and faced strong international criticism following the incident.

China’s statement reflects its opposition to U.S. sanctions and judicial measures against Cuba, urging Washington to avoid repeated threats of force in dealing with disagreements.

Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology’s (RUET) rover research and innovation team, Team Agrodut, has achieved 13th place globally in the Anatolian Rover Challenge 2026 (ARC 2026). The team also earned one of the highest design scores, securing 48.59 out of 50. The main phase of the competition will be held from July 29 to August 2 at the Middle East Technical University (METU) campus in Ankara, Turkey, where rover teams from around the world will participate.

Founded in 2017, Team Agrodut has consistently represented Bangladesh in international rover and space robotics competitions. It previously ranked sixth in the 2018 Indian Rover Challenge, 27th in the 2019 European Rover Challenge, and 11th globally in the 2023 International Rover Design Challenge, where it was Bangladesh’s top team. The group also reached the semifinals of IRDC 2025 and the finals of IRC 2025.

Beyond competitions, the team developed a bomb disposal robot for the Bangladesh Army in 2024, reflecting its practical engineering expertise. Team Agrodut aims to advance autonomous rover technology and inspire young innovators while preparing for future global contests.

A housewife named Sumaiya Akter Sumi confessed in court to killing private tutor Morium Begum in Chapainawabganj. Her statement was recorded under Section 164 by Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Ashraful Islam on Wednesday evening. Police confirmed the confession on Thursday morning. Sumi admitted that she struck Morium with a wooden stick and later suffocated her to death. The victim’s body was found on May 19 inside a sack at Sumi’s home in the Namoshonkorbati area.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police ANM Wasim Firoz, Morium used to tutor Sumi’s child and had asked to borrow money to buy a laptop. When Sumi could not lend the money, Morium gave her gold earrings to sell. Sumi sold them for 12,000 taka and spent part of the money, leading to an argument that ended in the killing. Police also arrested Sumi’s husband Rubel, her father-in-law Anwar Hossain, and goldsmith Dipak Saha, who admitted to buying the earrings.

Police recovered the wooden stick, the earrings, and 7,500 taka from the sale proceeds as evidence.

Tension erupted in Dhaka’s Kadamtali area after the alleged suicide of Sabikun Nahar Sukannya, a tenth-grade student of Bright School and College. Students accused teachers of publicly humiliating her during a model test on May 20, which they claim led to her taking her own life later that day. On Thursday morning, hundreds of students gathered in front of the school, demanding justice and accountability. During the protest, they attacked the institution’s chairman, Masud Hasan Liton, who was later rescued by police and taken to hospital.

Videos circulating on social media showed students chanting slogans and holding placards, while some broke down in tears demanding justice. The incident quickly went viral, sparking widespread discussion online. Witnesses said several parents were also present, expressing concern over how students are treated in schools.

Police said an investigation is underway to determine the actual cause of the suicide. Additional forces have been deployed in the area to prevent further unrest. Education observers noted that the incident has reignited debate about mental health pressures and the need for counseling in educational institutions.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer and Jamaat-e-Islami central executive member Shishir Monir has said that abolishing the judicial secretariat was a blow to the judiciary and destroyed public trust in justice. Speaking at a press conference at the party’s central office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar, he called for the immediate reinstatement of a separate judicial secretariat to guarantee judicial independence and fair justice for citizens.

Monir explained that after a 2025 High Court ruling mandated the creation of a separate judicial secretariat within 90 days, the government issued an ordinance on November 30, 2025, and inaugurated the secretariat on December 11 under then Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed. However, the government later revoked the ordinance on April 10, 2026, following the publication of the detailed verdict. He said this reversal undermined judicial autonomy and placed judges under the control of the Law Ministry.

He argued that judges’ transfers, promotions, leave, and discipline should remain under the Supreme Court, not the Law Ministry, to preserve judicial independence. Monir warned that without such autonomy, lower court judges cannot work freely, and the justice system risks political interference.

Actress Toma Mirza has voiced strong condemnation following the rape and murder of a child named Ramisa in Mirpur, Dhaka. The incident has sparked nationwide anger and grief, with widespread calls on social media for swift justice and harsh punishment for the perpetrator. In a Facebook post, Toma demanded that justice for rape victims be delivered before their funerals, emphasizing the need for deterrent punishment so that such crimes are not even imagined.

She also questioned why lawyers defend accused rapists, expressing frustration over what she described as unnecessary investigations and delays. Referring to the victim as her own sister, Toma urged for justice on behalf of all who share in the collective grief.

According to the report, the arrested suspect, Sohel Rana, confessed in court to the crime and admitted to consuming yaba before committing the act.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman stated that the army had served in the field during the critical period of 2024 to meet national needs. As the situation has now stabilized, soldiers are gradually returning to their barracks. He said the nation would remember the army’s role during that difficult time with gratitude. The statement came on Thursday morning at the closing and award ceremony of the Bangladesh Army Firing Competition held at the Cumilla Cantonment.

Congratulating the winning and runner-up teams, the army chief praised the soldiers’ skill and dedication, noting their impressive performance in the competition despite serving in field duties for 18 consecutive months. The event, organized under the supervision of Headquarters 33 Infantry Division, began on May 16. A total of 17 teams from various formations, logistics areas, five independent brigades, and the Para Commando Brigade participated. The 17 Infantry Division won the championship, while the Para Commando Brigade became runner-up.

Senior army officials, including the Master General of the Ordnance, Commandant of Bangladesh Ordnance Factory, and area commanders from Cumilla and Sylhet, attended the ceremony.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is preparing to reorganize its major affiliate and associate bodies, including the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Swechchasebak Dal, within a short time. Party sources said the move aims to energize grassroots units, implement central directives for upcoming local government elections, and strengthen field-level programs. The BNP high command is focusing on leadership renewal to create enthusiasm among members, with possible changes in top committee positions expected soon.

Several BNP leaders confirmed that the current central committees of the three key organizations have long exceeded their tenure, and many local units remain inactive. Some top leaders of Jubo Dal and Swechchasebak Dal, who also serve as MPs or a state minister, have expressed willingness to hand over responsibilities to new leadership. BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman recently held a major meeting with central and district leaders on May 9 in Dhaka, instructing them to resolve internal disputes and complete organizational work before the party’s national council.

Party vice chairmen and advisers indicated that committee reshuffles are likely before the council, with discussions ongoing to finalize the process. The reorganization is expected to restore leadership flow and strengthen coordination between the party and its affiliates.

Israel has released two South Korean human rights activists who were detained while traveling on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. The South Korean presidential office in Seoul confirmed the release, identifying the activists as Kim Ah-hyun and Jonathan Victor Lee. They were detained by Israeli forces from a vessel in international waters.

According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Israel did not send the two citizens to a detention center and instead repatriated them immediately. Kang added that the government of Lee Jae-myung expressed strong displeasure over the detention of its nationals during the vessel seizure but appreciated Israel’s prompt decision to release them.

The report, citing Al Jazeera as its source, noted that the South Korean government welcomed the release and valued Israel’s cooperation in resolving the matter swiftly.

A six-hour clash erupted in Chattogram’s Baklia area on Thursday evening after locals accused a 32-year-old shop employee, Md Monir, of raping a three-year-old girl. The unrest began when residents refused to hand over the suspect to police, demanding immediate vigilante justice. As tensions escalated, police fired sound grenades, tear shells, and live rounds to disperse the crowd. Two journalists from 'Chattogram Protidin' were shot while broadcasting live, and one police officer was seriously injured. Enraged protesters later set fire to a police pickup truck.

The incident took place at Bismillah Mansion on Abu Zafar Road, where the child was allegedly assaulted while her parents were away at work. Witnesses said locals detained the suspect inside a nearby madrasa before police arrived. Law enforcement and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) units struggled for hours to regain control. Around 10 p.m., additional forces subdued the crowd and took Monir into custody.

Police stated that the child was sent to hospital and a case is being prepared. Security patrols were reinforced overnight to prevent further unrest.

Sri Lanka’s tea industry is facing a severe crisis as the Iran war drives up fuel prices and reduces global demand for exports. Tea workers in the Hatton region, such as Jasintha Malar from the Dunkeld estate, told Reuters they are struggling to cope with rising living costs. With cooking gas prices soaring, many families have turned to firewood, while declining exports have left workers in deep uncertainty.

According to the Export Development Board (EDB), Sri Lanka’s tea export earnings fell by 17.3 percent in March compared to the same month last year, dropping to 114.75 million dollars. Demand from Iraq, the country’s largest buyer, declined by 38 percent, while shipments to the United Arab Emirates plunged by about 93 percent due to maritime and logistics disruptions.

Dilhan Fernando, chairman and CEO of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company PLC, said the industry has been absorbing rising costs for some time, but fuel and logistics expenses are now driving inflation across trade routes from Colombo to Dubai and beyond.

An Iranian military source has stated that Tehran possesses advanced weapons developed with domestic technology, which have not yet been deployed or tested in battle. The statement came as the United States issued new threats of attack against Iran, according to a report by Russian news agency RIA Novosti cited by Al Jazeera.

The Iranian official emphasized that the country is fully prepared for any escalation with the United States and faces no deficiencies in defense capability or military equipment. He added that Iran is not inclined to show restraint this time, signaling a tougher stance in response to potential US actions.

The remarks underscore rising tensions between Tehran and Washington, with Iran asserting its readiness to defend itself using newly developed weaponry if provoked.

The National Olama Alliance has demanded exemplary punishment and a speedy trial for Sohel Rana, accused in the brutal rape of a child named Ramisa. In a joint statement issued by convener Maulana Ashraf Uddin Mahdi and member secretary Maulana Sanaullah Khan, the organization expressed deep concern, outrage, and condemnation over the incident. They emphasized that the country's law and order situation has deteriorated sharply, with rising incidents of murder and rape causing widespread public fear.

The statement accused the government and law enforcement agencies of negligence, saying that delays in justice allow criminals to exploit legal loopholes and escape punishment. The alliance urged the authorities to immediately arrest the accused and ensure the highest punishment through a fast-track trial. They warned that failure to ensure justice would increase crime rates and deepen insecurity among citizens.

The organization also expressed sympathy for Ramisa’s family, wishing for their safety and well-being, and called on the government to take effective measures to protect women and children nationwide.

Former Indian Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has argued that elections without real competition cannot be considered victories for democracy. Writing in a commentary published on May 21, 2026, he compared political competition to the essential spirit of sports and business, saying that without credible rivals and a neutral referee, the democratic process loses legitimacy. Lavasa emphasized that true mandates require genuine contests where voters believe the process is fair and transparent.

He criticized provisions in India’s electoral law that allow candidates to win unopposed and highlighted recent events in West Bengal, where over 2.7 million voters were removed from rolls during a rushed verification process. Lavasa questioned the Election Commission’s neutrality and the judiciary’s silence as millions lost their voting rights without a functioning appeal mechanism. He warned that such actions erode public confidence and damage the democratic fabric.

Lavasa concluded that a democracy without competition or impartial oversight risks turning into a hollow exercise, where victories lack meaning and the very essence of people’s rule is compromised.