Bangladesh Health Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain stated that measles patients are receiving all internationally recognized forms of treatment. Speaking to reporters on Friday at the DNCC Covid-19 Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka, he said the government is making maximum efforts despite multiple challenges. He noted that 98 percent vaccination coverage has been achieved and that the government managed to secure measles vaccines in a short time. If the situation worsens, hospital capacity will be expanded.

The minister said that Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization have acknowledged Bangladesh’s rapid vaccine procurement for a large population. He added that doctors are working tirelessly and that the government started with no ventilators or vaccines left by the previous administration. Following the Prime Minister’s directive, ventilators have now been supplied nationwide, and ten new ICU units will open in ten districts next Tuesday.

He further mentioned that malnutrition is a major factor behind measles vulnerability. Vitamin A campaigns have resumed, with large supplies expected from UNICEF by June 10 to improve child nutrition and immunity.

A student leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP) died after being struck by lightning while harvesting paddy in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur on Friday afternoon. The victim, Majnu Mia, aged 22, was working in a field at Hatmagura Kamarpra area of Jorkhali Union when the incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. He was the son of Bachchu Mia and a member of the NCP’s student wing, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, in the Madarganj upazila unit.

According to local and family sources, Majnu had gone to the field with his mother, Monjura Begum, and younger brother, Ronju Mia, to harvest paddy when the sky suddenly became overcast and rain with thunder began. A sudden lightning strike hit him, leaving him critically injured and causing his death on the spot.

Madarganj Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge Snehashish Roy confirmed the incident and said police visited the scene after receiving the report.

Bangladesh cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim has confirmed that he declined an offer to return to One Day Internationals (ODIs). Speaking in Sylhet on May 16, 2026, he said that although he was approached to rejoin the national ODI squad, he chose not to reverse his earlier decision. Mushfiqur had announced his retirement from ODI cricket in February 2025 through a Facebook post, after playing 274 matches for Bangladesh. He currently represents the national team only in Test cricket, having retired from T20s earlier.

The proposal for his return was reportedly made with the upcoming ODI World Cup in mind, as selectors considered his experience valuable for the tournament. However, Mushfiqur stated that he believes the current and future state of the Bangladesh ODI team no longer requires his services. He continues to maintain his disciplined approach to training, ensuring his practice does not interfere with other players, and remains deeply engaged with the team’s overall development.

His remarks reflect a focus on supporting the team’s progress while maintaining his personal commitment to Test cricket.

A detainee named Md. Humayun Kabir, also known as Mainuddin, died at Noakhali District Jail on Friday. Prison authorities said he fell ill before Friday prayers and was given initial treatment at the jail’s medical unit. As his condition worsened, he was taken to Noakhali 250-bed General Hospital, where he died around 4 p.m. The body was handed over to his family at 7 p.m.

Humayun Kabir, aged 35, was from Bogadia village in Bajra Union under Sonaimuri upazila. He had been arrested on April 19 in a theft case by Chatkhil police and sent to jail by court order. Jail sources said some injury marks were noticed on his body after his admission to prison.

Family members alleged that he did not receive timely and adequate medical care, claiming negligence led to his death. The jail superintendent, Abdul Barek, stated that the detainee had previously been assaulted outside the prison and that necessary treatment was provided immediately after he became ill inside the jail.

A fire broke out on Thursday afternoon in South Shrirampur village of Rajoir upazila, Madaripur, destroying nine houses and burning two cows. The blaze also consumed furniture, food items, and other household materials, causing extensive damage. The incident occurred around 4:15 p.m., according to local sources.

Initial reports suggest that the fire may have originated from an electrical short circuit or a gas cylinder. Residents attempted to control the flames, but the fire spread rapidly to nearby houses due to its intensity. Fire service personnel and local residents worked together to bring the blaze under control after about an hour.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the fire or the total amount of damage, but the losses are reported to be significant.

A woman in Chandrapur area of Shariatpur Sadar upazila has been accused of killing her husband following a family dispute and hiding his dismembered body in a drum. Police said the victim, Zia Sardar, was a Malaysia expatriate living in a rented house with his wife, Asma Akter. The incident came to light when locals grew suspicious as Asma attempted to store parts of the body in a freezer.

According to police and local sources, the couple had long-standing marital conflicts. On Tuesday night, during a heated argument, Asma allegedly struck Zia on the head with an iron rod, killing him instantly. She then cut the body into pieces, separating bones and flesh, and kept them in a drum for three days. On Friday evening, she reportedly hired an autorickshaw and disposed of some body parts at different locations.

Police said Asma confessed to the killing during interrogation. Based on her information, officers recovered body parts from Atong Brikkhotola area on Friday night. Authorities are investigating whether others were involved and have initiated legal proceedings.

A violent clash broke out on Friday night in the Chunta area of Sarail upazila, Brahmanbaria, leaving 25 people injured. The incident occurred after an argument over a car horn sounded by a microbus driver named Mohammad Joy while passing through Pathanpara village. The confrontation escalated into a fight between residents of Pathanpara and Alinagar villages, who used weapons and torches during the attack.

According to police and local sources, the groups engaged in throwing bricks and chasing each other under torchlight during the nighttime violence. The injured individuals received treatment at the upazila health complex and other hospitals. Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports and brought the situation under control, said the officer-in-charge of Sarail Police Station, Manjur Kader Bhuiyan.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any arrests were made or if further investigations are underway following the incident.

Pakistan, trailing 0–1 in the Test series against Bangladesh, is turning to star batter Babar Azam to strengthen its lineup for the Sylhet Test. Coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed that Babar is fit to play after missing the Dhaka Test due to a knee injury sustained during practice. Pakistan lost that match by 104 runs, leaving the team desperate to level the series.

Babar Azam, who has shown good form in the Pakistan Championship League, has struggled in Test cricket, going 30 innings without a century. Despite this, the coaching staff sees his return as a major boost. Sarfaraz Ahmed said Babar’s technical skill and mental strength would help the team recover. The coach also acknowledged widespread criticism in Pakistan following recent poor performances and urged both batters and bowlers to show more discipline and patience.

The Sylhet Test is seen as a crucial opportunity for Pakistan to avoid a 2–0 series defeat, a result that would mirror Bangladesh’s 2–0 win in Rawalpindi two years earlier.

A celebratory rally organized by the newly formed Chattogram South District unit of the BNP’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, was disrupted on Friday evening after clashes broke out between two internal factions. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. at Shantirhat on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar Highway, leaving four activists injured. Police intervened to bring the situation under control.

According to local and party sources, the central Chhatra Dal announced a 72-member committee for the district on May 13, including 12 members from Patiya upazila. However, a large group of activists who were denied positions expressed anger, leading to tensions. Most new appointees were followers of district convener Robiul Hossain Robi, while the excluded members were aligned with joint convener S.M. Nayon. When Robi’s supporters gathered for the rally, Nayon’s followers reportedly obstructed it, triggering a scuffle.

Police confirmed that the situation was later calmed and no formal complaints were filed. The injured activists received treatment at a local hospital.

A new directive issued by the West Bengal government ahead of Eid al-Adha has triggered widespread fear and controversy across the state. The Home Department’s order imposes strict conditions on animal sacrifice, requiring a joint fitness certificate from local authorities and a government veterinarian before slaughtering cows, buffaloes, or bulls. Only animals over 14 years old or those permanently unfit for work may be slaughtered, with violations punishable by six months’ imprisonment and fines. The directive has reportedly intensified the activities of self-proclaimed cow protection groups, especially in Muslim-majority areas, creating a tense atmosphere.

Many Muslims view the order as a deliberate attempt to restrict their religious practices and marginalize their community socially and economically. Analysts argue that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s BJP-led government is using the directive to deepen communal polarization. Economists warn that the restrictions could severely disrupt the livestock and meat trade, affecting thousands of livelihoods and damaging the rural economy and leather exports.

Experts caution that such policies, driven by sectarian motives, could inflict lasting harm on West Bengal’s economy and social harmony.

The body of Shanto Banik, a 22-year-old student of the Petroleum and Mining Engineering Department at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), was recovered five hours after he went missing in the Bichanakandi tourist area of Sylhet. The incident occurred on Friday evening when Shanto and three friends went swimming near the Bangladesh-India border. Around 9:30 p.m., a diving team from the Fire Service recovered his body from a waterbody in the area.

University Proctor Professor Mokhlesur Rahman confirmed the recovery and stated that the student’s family had been informed. After obtaining a death certificate from a local hospital, the body will be brought to the university campus. Following official procedures under university supervision, it will be sent to his family in Thakurgaon.

The report did not mention further details about the circumstances of the drowning or any ongoing investigation.

Residents of Burichang and Brahmanpara upazilas in Cumilla formed a human chain on Friday afternoon demanding the repair of the flood control embankment. Several thousand people from Burburia, Mithilapur, Baherchar, and Sripur villages joined the demonstration, calling for immediate renovation of the vulnerable embankment and permanent development measures.

The event was attended by Cumilla-5 Member of Parliament Haji Jasim Uddin, Burichang Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanvir Hossain, former upazila chairman and BNP president ATM Mizanur Rahman, BNP general secretary Kabir Hossain, and leaders from various political, social, and professional groups. Speakers said the northern embankment of the Gomti River has become risky, causing annual flood fears among residents. They recalled that the 2024 floods broke the Burburia section, inundating large parts of both upazilas and damaging homes, crops, livestock, and farms.

Participants urged immediate intervention from the authorities, the Water Development Board, and the administration, warning of larger movements if no effective action is taken soon.

Iran has warned Bahrain of dire consequences if it allows the United States to use its military bases in the event of a new war in the Middle East. The warning came from Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran’s former foreign minister and current lawmaker, who said Bahrain would face a devastating response from Tehran if it again permits US forces to operate from its territory. He also accused Bahrain of aggravating tensions following joint US-Israeli military actions.

Mottaki claimed that after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Bahrain supported a UN Security Council resolution against Tehran instead of showing sympathy. He further alleged that Bahrain attempted to pass an anti-Iran proposal during last month’s Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Istanbul, but the effort failed due to diplomatic resistance and support from other countries.

The report noted that the US Fifth Fleet’s main base is located in Bahrain. Following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February, Tehran retaliated with strikes on several Bahraini sites, including hotels where it claimed US troops had relocated from military bases.

A man named Halim Hawlader, aged 65, was killed in an attack in Helencha village under Garuria Union of Bakerganj upazila, Barishal, on Friday afternoon. The incident reportedly stemmed from an extortion demand made by Mahmudun Nabi Sumon Hawlader, joint general secretary of Barishal district Chhatra Dal. Halim’s younger brother, businessman Delwar Hossain, and several others were injured during the assault.

According to local sources and the victim’s family, Sumon had long been demanding money from Delwar Hossain and had previously threatened Halim when the demand was not met. On May 10, Sumon and others again demanded money, receiving Tk 3,000 but warning of consequences if the rest was not paid. Following a written complaint filed by Halim on May 14, a group of 15–20 people allegedly led by Sumon attacked Delwar’s business establishment the next day.

Bakerganj police chief Adil Hossain said the clash was linked to a land dispute and confirmed one death. Two suspects, Kalam Hawlader and Ujjal Hawlader, have been detained, and legal proceedings are underway.

The United States Secretary of Energy has stated that the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz will gradually decline as Middle Eastern nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and others, significantly expand their pipeline capacities. In an interview with CNBC, the secretary said that future energy transport from the Gulf region will have alternative routes, reducing dependence on the narrow maritime passage that currently handles a large share of global oil and gas shipments.

The US official emphasized that while the Strait’s importance may lessen, the energy production and supply roles of Gulf countries will remain vital. He praised the contributions of Middle Eastern nations, describing them as key allies of the United States and major partners in the global energy supply system.

The secretary also expressed optimism that peace, prosperity, and economic growth would return to the region, underscoring the continuing strategic partnership between the United States and Gulf energy producers.