Police in Mirsarai, Chattogram, arrested a truck driver with 82 kilograms of cannabis during a late-night operation on May 15, 2026. The seized drugs are valued at approximately Tk 1.64 million, according to a police press release issued the same day. The arrest took place around 9:50 p.m. at a checkpoint on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway near the Mirsarai police gate.

Officers searched a yellow and blue truck bearing registration number Feni-T-11-0972 and found the cannabis hidden in the truck bed. The driver, identified as 19-year-old Ashraf Uddin Rahat from Feni Sadar’s Balighar Union, was detained. Police said Rahat claimed another driver, Rakibul Islam Sujon, left the vehicle earlier in Baraiahat and instructed him to continue toward Chattogram city.

Mirsarai Police Officer-in-Charge Farida Yasmin stated that anti-drug operations are ongoing. A case has been filed under the Narcotics Control Act, and efforts are underway to arrest the absconding suspect.

Shikdar Saidur Rahman Mithu, convener of the Vanga Upazila Volunteer Party and former president of the Chhatra Dal, was seriously injured in an attack by unidentified assailants in Kapuria Sadardi area of Faridpur’s Vanga municipality on Thursday night. Relatives said police rescued him and admitted him to the Upazila Health Complex. He sustained multiple injuries from sharp weapons and hammers, according to hospital sources.

The incident followed a dispute within the local party. A day earlier, police had detained two youths, Soeb and Shihab, for questioning and later released them in the presence of Upazila BNP General Secretary Ayub Molla. Photos and videos of the detention circulated on social media, and Mithu shared them on Facebook, reportedly angering the two men and their associates. Later that night, he was attacked while returning home.

Ayub Molla denied any involvement in the assault, condemning any attempt to falsely implicate him. Police said they responded quickly, rescued Mithu, and would take legal action after investigation if a formal complaint is filed.

The Bangladesh Madrasa General Teachers Association (BMGTA) has demanded that 20 percent of the upcoming national budget be allocated to the education sector. The demand was made at a press conference held at the National Press Club on Friday morning, where the association’s founder president Md. Harun-or-Rashid presented a written statement. The group also called for full festival allowances for MPO-listed teachers and the nationalization of all education systems, including madrasas.

According to the statement, the education sector received Tk 95,644 crore in the 2025–26 fiscal year, representing 12.1 percent of the total national budget, only Tk 934 crore higher than the previous year. The association noted that international standards recommend allocating 15–20 percent of the national budget or 4–6 percent of GDP to education, but Bangladesh’s allocation remains below both benchmarks. The statement added that this shortfall negatively affects marginalized communities.

The association further demanded the implementation of the ninth pay scale, government-standard medical and housing allowances, promotion opportunities for teachers, and the inclusion of independent ibtedayi madrasas under the MPO scheme.

Farmers across Cumilla are struggling to harvest ripe Boro paddy due to an acute shortage of laborers. Despite offering double the usual wages, they are unable to find workers, leaving large areas of golden paddy unharvested and at risk of damage. The crisis has spread across Chandina, Debidwar, Muradnagar, Sadar Dakshin, Brahmanpara, Burichang, Barura, and Laksam upazilas.

Farmers report that daily wages have surged from Tk 700–800 to as high as two maunds of paddy per day, yet labor remains scarce. Many rural workers have shifted to urban jobs in brick kilns, construction, garment factories, or battery-run rickshaw driving, which offer higher income with less effort. The sudden ripening of paddy across the district has further intensified demand. Heavy rainfall last week damaged around 3,000 hectares of paddy, with 36 hectares severely affected, causing losses estimated at Tk 8–9 million.

Officials said the government is purchasing paddy at Tk 36 per kilogram, but small farmers complain of complex procedures at government warehouses, forcing them to sell at lower local market prices. Agricultural experts warn that without fair pricing and mechanization support, many farmers may abandon paddy cultivation in the future.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing as a milestone in bilateral relations. According to a statement released on social media platform X, the meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Trump resulted in a series of new common understandings aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two nations.

The ministry said both leaders agreed on a new vision for building a constructive China-U.S. relationship based on strategic stability. This framework is expected to guide bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond. The statement added that the discussions deepened mutual trust, enhanced understanding, and advanced practical cooperation, contributing to much-needed global stability and certainty.

Both sides also agreed to strengthen communication and coordination on international and regional issues and to address each other’s concerns appropriately, according to the Chinese foreign ministry’s statement.

Police in Shahrashti upazila of Chandpur arrested two individuals, including Khorshed Alam, a fugitive accused in 23 drug-related cases, during a special operation on Thursday. The arrests took place at Chowdhury Manzil in West Uplata village under the municipal area. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Officer-in-Charge Mir Mahbubur Rahman, led by Sub-Inspector Md Arif Hossain and Assistant Sub-Inspector Amir Hossain.

According to police, Khorshed Alam, aged 44, and Borhan Uddin, aged 28, were detained during the raid. Law enforcers recovered 20 yaba tablets from Khorshed Alam and 25 from Borhan Uddin. Khorshed Alam had been sentenced to one year and eight months of imprisonment and fined 2,000 taka but had been absconding. Both detainees now face new charges under the Narcotics Control Act.

Police identified Khorshed Alam as the son of deceased Arab Ali of West Uplata Bepari Bari and Borhan Uddin as the son of Abdul Kadir of Dail Bari.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he will no longer show patience toward Iran and urged the country to reach a deal quickly. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said Iran should come to an agreement with Washington, warning that failure to do so would result in its destruction. He emphasized that the time for waiting was over and that Iran must act soon.

When asked about the need to extract enriched uranium from Iranian territory, Trump said the move was important both for security and for maintaining the United States’ image. He also claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping wanted a diplomatic settlement with Iran and supported reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s remarks reflect renewed pressure on Tehran to engage in negotiations under U.S. terms.

The statements, reported by Middle East Eye, come amid ongoing regional tensions and international concern over Iran’s nuclear activities and maritime security in the Gulf.

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping share the same position on Iran’s nuclear issue. According to a Reuters report cited by local media, the two leaders discussed the matter extensively during a recent meeting, where they agreed that Iran must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. They also reached a consensus on keeping maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.

Trump described the meeting as successful, asserting that they resolved several issues that others could not. The report suggests that China’s involvement or support in this matter could play a significant role in easing tensions in the Middle East.

The development highlights a rare alignment between Washington and Beijing on a sensitive international security issue, though further details of the discussions were not disclosed.

Israel is preparing to file a lawsuit against The New York Times after the newspaper published an investigative report alleging that Israeli soldiers and prison guards raped Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced the legal move on Thursday, rejecting the allegations as false.

The report, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Nicholas Kristof, included testimonies from 14 Palestinian men and women who described severe sexual abuse, including being attacked by dogs and subjected to violent assaults. A spokesperson for The New York Times said the article began with a call for unity in condemning rape regardless of political views on the Middle East conflict.

Israeli politicians have denied the accusations, claiming that The New York Times is spreading defamation. The controversy has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between Israel and international media over coverage of alleged human rights abuses.

Former legal adviser to the interim government, Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, has expressed deep concern over the killing of a Bangladeshi citizen by Indian border forces. In a Facebook post on Friday, he stated that genuine friendship between two countries cannot exist when deaths occur along the border. He referred to the May 13 incident in Lalmonirhat’s Amjhol area, where a Bangladeshi youth named Khademul Islam was reportedly shot dead by Indian border guards.

Nazrul noted that similar incidents have continued even after the BNP government came to power. He said he had previously written and spoken against such killings, emphasizing that during his time in government, strong protests and demands for explanations were made to India, along with a firm stance at the border.

He argued that if someone crosses the border illegally, they can be arrested or warned with blank shots, but direct shootings resulting in deaths are unacceptable. Nazrul urged the BNP government to take effective measures to stop the killings, reiterating that true friendship cannot be built over dead bodies at the border.

China has outlined a five-point peace initiative with Pakistan aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in Iran and restoring stability in the Middle East. In a statement released on social media by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on May 15, 2026, Beijing emphasized that the current conflict in Iran and its neighboring regions should never have occurred, citing severe humanitarian and economic consequences. The ministry welcomed the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran and urged that the momentum for dialogue be maintained.

According to the statement, China believes that negotiation is the only viable path to peace, while the use of military force leads to a dead end. It also called for the reopening of Persian Gulf maritime routes as soon as possible to safeguard global economic stability. The joint initiative with Pakistan is part of China’s broader commitment to President Xi Jinping’s Middle East peace vision, under which Beijing pledges to play a constructive role in achieving lasting peace in the region.

The proposal underscores China’s growing diplomatic engagement in Middle Eastern affairs and its emphasis on dialogue-driven conflict resolution.

A severe traffic jam stretching about 13 kilometers formed on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway’s Gazaria section in Munshiganj early Friday. The congestion began after multiple covered vans collided on the Comilla-bound lane near the Meghna-Gomti Bridge slope, blocking the road completely. As a result, hundreds of vehicles remained stuck for hours, leaving passengers and drivers in extreme distress under the scorching heat.

According to highway police and local sources, the accident caused the vehicles to block the entire lane, halting traffic movement. On-site observations showed women, children, and elderly passengers suffering inside buses for hours. Drivers reported being stuck for more than two hours on routes that normally take only minutes to cross.

Gazaria Highway Police outpost in-charge Md. Shah Kamal Akand said the damaged vehicles were quickly removed from the road, but heavy weekend traffic was delaying full recovery. He expressed hope that normal traffic flow would resume soon.

A fish trader named Babu Shikdar was hacked to death early Friday in Barishal city’s Ward No. 5, Palashpur area, after he refused to pay extortion money demanded by a local teenage gang. The attack occurred at the Palashpur three-road junction, where gang members allegedly led by Madhu alias Tokai Madhu assaulted him with sharp weapons. Locals captured two suspects, identified as Shahid alias Kala Shahid and Mottu Siam, and handed them over to police.

According to the victim’s brother, Naeem Hossain, Tokai Madhu had been demanding money from Babu for a long time. When Babu refused, the gang ambushed him before dawn. Several others, including Redwan, Rubel alias Khato Rubel, Fakir Raju, Sajjad, and Soikat, were also named as participants in the attack. Babu was taken to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Kawnia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sanjit Chandra Nath confirmed the killing, saying it was carried out by a teenage gang and that drugs were involved. Two suspects have been detained, and police operations are ongoing to arrest the remaining attackers. A murder case is being prepared.

China has expressed interest in purchasing oil from the United States, leading to a rise of more than one percent in global oil prices. The increase followed a statement from US President Donald Trump. Market data showed that the international benchmark Brent crude rose by 1.17 dollars, or 1.11 percent, reaching 106.89 dollars per barrel. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased by 1.10 dollars, or 1.09 percent, to 102.27 dollars per barrel.

In addition to Trump’s statement, ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have also influenced the oil market. Although reports indicated that at least 30 ships passed through the strait last Thursday, concerns about potential detentions or attacks remain. This instability has prompted investors to anticipate further price increases.

Analysts suggest that the combination of geopolitical uncertainty and renewed trade interest between China and the United States is shaping short-term market expectations.

Iran has begun implementing a new strategic plan concerning the Hormuz Strait, one of the world’s most critical maritime routes. According to Iranian state television, the country announced that the strait will no longer remain open to all, but will be closed to enemies or adversaries. An official from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that at least 30 ships were permitted to pass through the strait since last night, though Tehran declined to disclose which countries received clearance.

Fars News Agency reported that several of the vessels allowed to cross were owned by Chinese companies, describing this as part of Iran’s broader plan. Iranian authorities stated that the Hormuz Strait will be “neither fully open nor fully closed,” signaling a shift toward selective control of maritime access. Discussions are reportedly underway to introduce a new system under which foreign ships may be required to pay transit fees or special charges for passage.

The move marks a significant change in Iran’s management of the strait, potentially affecting international shipping and regional maritime dynamics.