Several officials of Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), who were appointed during the previous Awami League government under a project funded by the Asian Development Bank and JICA, are now being considered for promotion. The proposal was raised at a board meeting in Dhaka on Sunday, with a final decision expected at a meeting in Khulna on Monday. These officials had earlier been permanently absorbed into the revenue sector after the project ended, despite allegations of corruption and irregularities.

According to Khulna WASA sources, the officials in question were involved in the Khulna Water Supply Project implemented between 2011 and 2019. Allegations include large-scale financial corruption, meter theft, and manipulation of billing records, resulting in significant revenue losses. The planned promotions have sparked anger among employees and consumers, who question why those accused of wrongdoing are being rewarded instead of investigated.

Khulna WASA’s Deputy Managing Director for Finance and Administration stated that a six-member committee will review the files of those recommended for promotion and decide whether they will be approved.

Student Jamiat Bangladesh has strongly condemned the armed attack by outsiders on students protesting for the removal of the vice-chancellor at Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) in Gazipur. In a joint statement issued by its central president Ridwan Mazhari and secretary Saad Bin Zakir, the organization expressed deep anger and concern over the incident, calling it a reflection of attempts by certain groups to maintain dominance through fascist tactics.

The statement recalled that the spirit of the August 5 student uprising was to free campuses from muscle power, external influence, and authoritarian control. It criticized the use of hired outsiders to suppress student movements, saying that even if a protest is unjustified, it should never be met with violence. The group warned that any recurrence of such dominance would face resistance from the general student body.

Student Jamiat demanded a fair investigation into the DUET attack, identification and punishment of the perpetrators, and restoration of a safe and disciplined academic environment across all campuses.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Tunisia and Turkey have officially announced the start of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah and the dates for Eid al-Adha celebrations. According to Indonesia and Malaysia, Dhul Hijjah will begin on May 18, making May 27 the day of Eid al-Adha in both countries. Tunisia and Turkey have also confirmed May 27 as the date for Eid celebrations.

Brunei, however, reported that the moon for Dhul Hijjah was not sighted, meaning May 18 will be the last day of the previous month, Dhu al-Qa'dah. As a result, Dhul Hijjah will begin there on May 19, and Eid al-Adha will be observed on May 28.

The report also noted that several other Gulf countries are expected to announce their moon-sighting results soon, which will determine their own Eid al-Adha dates.

Police in Jaldhaka, Nilphamari, conducted an operation that led to the arrest of Shahin Mia, identified as the main suspect behind a motorcycle theft ring. Acting on his information, officers recovered 32 stolen motorcycles from a warehouse on Sunday. The warehouse owner, Abbas Ali, was also questioned during the investigation.

According to Abbas Ali’s initial statement, Shahin and another individual named Faridul were involved in buying and selling stolen motorcycles. Abbas Ali reportedly runs a business dealing in used motorcycles, which was linked to the illegal trade. Jaldhaka Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nazmul Alam confirmed the recovery and outlined the next steps.

Police stated that the recovered motorcycles will be presented to the court in a formal report. Those with valid ownership documents will be returned to their rightful owners through court procedures.

Bangladesh celebrated World Telecommunication and Information Society Day in Dhaka under the theme “Stability through connection, strength through resilience.” The event, held at the BTRC headquarters in Agargaon, featured a seminar where ICT Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said the government considers the information and communication technology sector a major engine for national growth and employment. He highlighted initiatives in AI, hardware, semiconductors, cybersecurity, data centers, startups, and digital services to strengthen Bangladesh’s position in technology production and exports.

Adviser to the Prime Minister Rehan Asif Asad emphasized developing world-class 5G and nationwide fiber infrastructure within five years and mentioned plans for a national data bank and unified digital identity. Other speakers stressed digital safety for women and children, combating misinformation, and expanding AI and IoT use in public services. Officials also underscored digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, and paperless administration.

The two-day event included a telecom and technology fair with 30 participating organizations and an online essay competition. The International Telecommunication Union’s Secretary-General, in a video message, called for stronger digital infrastructure and global cooperation.

A Dhaka court has sentenced drug dealer Md. Nazim Uddin to life imprisonment under the Narcotics Control Act for possessing 28,000 yaba tablets. The verdict was delivered on Sunday afternoon by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md. Sabbir Fayez. Along with the life sentence, the court imposed a fine of 50,000 taka, with an additional two months of imprisonment in default of payment. The convict, who was already in custody, was brought to court for the verdict and later sent back to prison.

According to the case details, on July 3, 2025, a team from the Department of Narcotics Control conducted a raid in the Arambagh area under Motijheel Police Station based on a tip-off. Nazim Uddin was arrested near the AGB Colony on Outer Circular Road, and 28,000 yaba tablets weighing approximately 2.8 kilograms were recovered from his bag and clothing. A mobile phone used in the drug trade was also seized.

Following the arrest, a case was filed at Motijheel Police Station, and after investigation, a charge sheet was submitted on October 30, 2025. The trial began on March 29, 2026, with testimony from six witnesses before the final verdict was announced.

The Narayanganj District Council has extended financial assistance to Sahalam Islam, a pickup van driver injured during the mass uprising of 2024. Sahalam was shot by police while participating in an anti-discrimination protest in the Rayerbag area on August 17, leaving him with multiple bullet wounds and two permanently disabled fingers. Nearly two years after the incident, he remains unable to return to normal work and has been struggling to support his family. On Sunday, District Council Administrator Professor Mamun Mahmud handed him a donation check at the council office.

Sahalam became emotional while receiving the aid, expressing that he had long struggled to afford treatment and had fallen into debt. He said the council’s prompt support gave him hope to recover and resume work. Professor Mahmud stated that helping those who risked their lives during the movement was a moral duty and wished for Sahalam’s quick recovery.

The council’s assistance aims to ease Sahalam’s medical expenses and help him regain stability after months of hardship and surgeries that have yet to restore his full health.

The Central Committee of the Welfare Association of Independent Ebtedayee Madrasa Teachers has announced an Eid festival boycott and a sit-in protest starting May 21 in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka. The program demands immediate implementation of the MPO (Monthly Pay Order) for verified grant-recipient independent Ebtedayee madrasas and the release of bills for vacant posts already approved by the Ministry of Education. The announcement was made through a letter signed by Member Secretary Maulana Mufti Abdul Hannan Hossain and sent to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

According to the letter, the teachers will hold a human chain and sit-in from 10 a.m. on May 21 to press their demands. Abdul Hannan Hossain told Amader Desh that independent Ebtedayee madrasas were transferred from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to the Ministry of Education without prior notice, which he described as a violation of the Primary Education Act and a cause of long-standing discrimination.

He added that the protest and boycott would continue until the MPO implementation and bill release are completed.

The investigation into the death of actor Zaher Alvi’s wife, Ikra, has been transferred from Mirpur police to the Detective Branch (DB). The Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Kamal Uddin’s court on Sunday, May 17, 2026, set June 24 as the new deadline for submitting the investigation report. The DB police failed to submit the report on the scheduled date, prompting the court to extend the deadline.

According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s prosecution division sub-inspector Saiful Islam, the case was handed over to the DB on May 14. Case documents show that on March 1, Ikra was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her Mirpur residence. Family members discovered her and took her to Kurmitola General Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Police later prepared an inquest report and collected evidence from the scene.

That night, Ikra’s uncle Sheikh Tanvir Ahmed filed a case with Mirpur Model Police Station, alleging that prolonged family disputes and mental abuse forced her to take her own life. Actor Zaher Alvi and his mother were named as accused in the case.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Muhammad Shuhada bin Osman met with leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the party’s central office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar on Sunday afternoon. The meeting focused on creating opportunities for Bangladeshi students to pursue higher education and research in Malaysia. Zulkifli bin Ibrahim, Director of Corporate Communication at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, was also present during the discussion.

According to a press release from Jamaat’s central publicity department, the meeting was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. Both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and Malaysia, with particular emphasis on potential Malaysian cooperation in Bangladesh’s higher education and research sectors. The discussion also highlighted the need for more scholarships and expanded academic opportunities for Bangladeshi students in Malaysian universities.

The Jamaat delegation was led by Assistant Secretary General and Secretary of the Central Publicity and Media Department Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair. The team included Manarat International University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Abdur Rab, Islami Chhatra Shibir Secretary General Sibgatullah Sibgat, and five other members.

Traffic movement through the Karnaphuli Tunnel in Chattogram will be regulated at night from May 17 to May 20 due to scheduled maintenance work. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority announced the measure in a notice signed by Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Masud Rana Shikder.

According to the notice, traffic will be diverted as needed between the 'Patenga-Anwara' or 'Anwara-Patenga' tubes from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night. Depending on vehicle pressure, passengers may have to wait between five and ten minutes at either end of the tunnel. The authority requested cooperation from all concerned to ensure safe and efficient maintenance operations.

The temporary control aims to facilitate routine upkeep of the tunnel while minimizing disruption to nighttime traffic flow.

Authorities in Babuganj upazila of Barishal demolished the chimney of an illegal brick kiln during an operation on Sunday afternoon. The mobile court, led by the local administration, dismantled two drum chimneys of the Care Brick Kiln and imposed a fine of Tk 150,000 on the owner, Md. Mehedi Hasan. Additionally, raw bricks were soaked in water and destroyed during the raid.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kamrun Nahar Tamanna confirmed the incident and stated that illegal brick kilns using drum chimneys cause severe environmental damage. She emphasized that such operations against unauthorized and environmentally harmful brick kilns will continue in the area.

The action reflects the administration’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal industrial activities that violate environmental regulations in Barishal district.

Allama Mamunul Haque, Amir of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, stated that there is no division within Hefazat-e-Islam and that the recently formed 11-party alliance is purely a political platform without any doctrinal basis. He made the remarks on Sunday, May 17, after a meeting with Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s Amir, Allama Shah Muhibullah Babunagari, in Fatikchhari, Chattogram.

During a special meeting of Hefazat’s central leaders and subcommittee members at Al Jamiatul Islamia Azizul Ulum Babunagar Madrasa, Babunagari reaffirmed that no internal conflict exists within Hefazat. He accused certain groups of attempting to create rifts but insisted that the organization remains united in ideology and purpose.

Mamunul Haque further explained that the 11-party alliance emerged after 2024 as a political coordination platform involving many Hefazat leaders. He emphasized that the alliance represents electoral unity, not ideological compromise, and expressed full agreement with Babunagari’s statements.

The United States has presented five main conditions to Iran for reaching a potential agreement to end ongoing hostilities, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency published on Sunday. One of Washington’s central demands is that Iran be allowed to operate only one nuclear facility. Other conditions include refusing to pay any compensation or penalties, transferring 400 kilograms of Iranian uranium to the United States, keeping 25 percent of Iran’s frozen assets unreleased, and making ceasefire implementation across all battlefronts contingent on negotiation outcomes.

On the other hand, Iran’s main conditions reportedly include ending conflicts in all battle zones including Lebanon, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets, compensating for war damages, and recognizing Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The report noted that regional tensions escalated after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran in February, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf and to close the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire was brokered through Pakistan on April 8, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump later extended the ceasefire indefinitely.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam announced that visible improvements in Dhaka’s lake and canal management will be achieved within six months. Speaking at a meeting held at the Secretariat on Sunday, he said that cleanliness drives and awareness campaigns have been intensified ahead of the upcoming dengue season. The meeting focused on resolving waterlogging, ensuring water flow, and enhancing the city’s aesthetics, with participation from senior officials of RAJUK, WASA, city corporations, and residential societies.

The minister said a high-level committee has been formed under his leadership to keep the lakes in areas such as Gulshan and Banani clean and flowing, following the Prime Minister’s directive. Short-, medium-, and long-term plans have been adopted for lake beautification and maintenance. He also highlighted government initiatives to make infrastructure accessible for persons with disabilities, including mandatory ramps and separate toilets in restaurants and hotels.

The meeting also discussed implementing septic tanks and sewage treatment plants in buildings, introducing water bus services, and constructing walkways to improve connectivity and reduce traffic congestion in Dhaka.