The flood situation in Bangladesh’s northeastern haor region has improved in recent days as rainfall decreased, leading to a drop in river water levels. According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, water in two major rivers in the region has fallen below the pre-monsoon danger level over the past 24 hours. The improvement follows several days of reduced rainfall, which allowed floodwaters in low-lying areas of Netrokona, Sunamganj, and Habiganj to recede.

However, the centre warned that this improvement may be temporary. Heavy rainfall is expected after May 15, which could cause river levels to rise again and worsen flooding. The centre’s latest bulletin reported that three rivers—the Naljur in Sunamganj, the Someshwari in Netrokona, and the Mogra in Netrokona—were still flowing above the pre-monsoon danger level at three monitoring points on Monday.

Officials noted that if rainfall increases, the region will move from pre-monsoon to monsoon flood conditions, requiring updated danger level assessments.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Pakistan of secretly conducting a digital campaign aimed at undermining the long-standing alliance between the United States and Israel. In an interview aired on May 10 on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Netanyahu claimed that Pakistan and several other countries are using bot farms and fake social media accounts to wage an organized information war. He described this as a hidden digital battlefield running parallel to ongoing military conflicts.

Netanyahu said the campaign’s goal is to erode American sympathy for Israel, particularly among younger audiences, by manipulating online narratives. He cited examples of fake messages appearing to come from American users but allegedly traced back to Pakistan. The Israeli leader emphasized that Israel is fighting on multiple fronts, including what he called the “eighth battlefield” of media and social networks.

The report noted that Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Israel and has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions in Gaza and Iran. Netanyahu’s remarks come amid heightened tensions and shifting dynamics in US-Israel relations.

The United States has imposed new sanctions on three individuals and nine companies accused of helping Iran illegally supply oil to China. The U.S. Treasury Department announced the measures on Monday, targeting entities in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. Officials said the sanctions focus on those assisting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in disguising oil sales and shipping operations to China. The move follows earlier sanctions issued last Friday against individuals and firms accused of aiding Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programs.

The sanctioned companies include Hong Kong Blue Ocean Limited, Hong Kong Sunmu Limited, Jiandi HK Limited, Max Honor International Trade Company, Dubai-based Ocean Allianz Shipping, Sharjah-based Atique Energy, and Oman’s Zeus Logistic Group. Treasury Secretary Scott Besent stated that the U.S. will continue using sanctions to curb Iran’s weapons development, nuclear activities, and funding of regional proxy groups. The State Department also announced a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the disruption of the IRGC’s financial network.

The action comes just days before a planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where Iran-related issues are expected to be discussed.

An average of 100 children are born every day in the Rohingya camps of Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, according to a report published on May 12, 2026. Officials attribute the high birth rate to limited education, lack of awareness about family planning, and conservative social norms. The growing population has increased pressure on Bangladesh’s resources, while the government’s two-child policy for refugees has shown little effect. Previous attempts to control birth rates faced objections from UNHCR, which cited human rights concerns.

UNHCR data show 1,184,864 registered Rohingya refugees across 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar and one in Bhasan Char. Between July 2024 and February 2026, 144,456 new refugees were registered, with birth rates rising during the same period. Experts warn that the expanding population could heighten social, economic, and security challenges for Bangladesh if repatriation remains stalled.

Authorities have updated the Family Planning Strategy 2026–2030, emphasizing voluntary long-term methods such as implants and copper-T. Religious leaders and community representatives are being engaged to raise awareness, while officials stress that sustainable repatriation remains the only long-term solution.

Senior officials and legal groups in Bangladesh have accused judges appointed during Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule of aiding political repression and violating human rights. Following Hasina’s fall and flight after the July uprising, police and administrative officers faced accountability, but no action has been taken against the judges allegedly involved. The Bangladesh Administrative Association and Police Service Association questioned the judges’ “informal immunity,” while the Nationalist Lawyers Forum claimed that thousands were victims of extrajudicial killings and disappearances under Hasina’s regime.

Lawyers and ministry officials alleged that many judges were politically aligned with the Awami League and participated in politically motivated trials, including those against opposition leaders Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, and Zubaida Rahman. Reports described late-night hearings and verdicts delivered by candlelight to ensure convictions before the 2024 election. The Law Minister, Advocate Asaduzzaman, acknowledged judicial failures and supported punishing judges who backed Hasina’s “fascism.”

According to ministry data, 1,841 of 2,185 lower court judges were appointed during the Awami League era, raising concerns about politicized recruitment and the erosion of judicial neutrality.

Australia has announced new sanctions and travel bans on seven Iranian individuals and four entities, citing Iran’s brutal repression of its own citizens and actions that contribute to regional instability. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who said the targeted officials and institutions were involved in violence against women and children, as well as other severe abuses.

Wong stated that the sanctions aim to disrupt Iran’s so-called shadow banking system, which allegedly finances armed groups such as Hamas and supports Iran’s ballistic missile program and other destabilizing activities. The move follows similar actions taken by the United Kingdom and the United States earlier in the week.

According to the source, the United States described its own measures as part of an “Economic Fury” plan designed to cut off funding for Iran’s weapons programs, armed groups, and nuclear ambitions.

The United States government has announced a major step to stabilize the global energy market amid disruptions caused by the ongoing Iran-Israel war and a worldwide supply crisis. As part of an international agreement to control market volatility, the Trump administration is lending 50.33 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to several companies, according to a Reuters report.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) stated that the oil will be supplied to nine major energy firms, including ExxonMobil, Trafigura, and Marathon Petroleum. Last month, the DOE had announced the release of 92.5 million barrels, though companies accepted only 58 percent of that allocation. The current loan is part of a broader DOE plan to release 172 million barrels to address the global oil shortage.

The initiative aims to mitigate the adverse effects of the Iran-Israel conflict on global oil prices and ensure market stability through coordinated international measures.

The newly formed BJP-led West Bengal government, headed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has decided to hand over land to the Border Security Force (BSF) within 45 days to complete barbed-wire fencing along the Bangladesh border. The decision was taken at the first cabinet meeting held two days after the new government took office. Adhikari said the move was necessary to protect West Bengal’s security and prevent demographic changes in border areas.

Dhaka has strongly objected to the unilateral decision, warning that Bangladesh neither fears border fences nor will tolerate actions that could destabilize the country. Foreign affairs adviser Humayun Kabir stated that Bangladesh would discuss the matter with the appropriate Indian authorities and cautioned against any repeat of past border violence. According to international norms and the 1974 Mujib-Indira Agreement, no country may build permanent structures within 150 yards of the zero line without mutual consent.

The development has sparked debate in West Bengal, where critics argue that the new government is prioritizing divisive border politics over governance and development. The absence of ministerial portfolio allocations has further fueled concerns about internal discord within the ruling party.

An investigative report by Al Jazeera’s digital platform AJ Plus has revealed that bodies donated by U.S. citizens for research and education are being used to train Israeli military medical teams. The report, published on May 12, 2026, claims that a U.S. university sold these cadavers to the U.S. Navy, which then facilitated their use in Israeli military surgical training sessions held in Los Angeles. Crucially, the report states that neither the donors nor their families gave consent for such use.

AJ Plus journalist Dena Takruri’s investigation identified two American universities directly involved in the process: the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). The report highlights that bodies originally donated for scientific research are now being repurposed for wartime medical training.

The findings raise ethical questions about the handling of donated bodies and the transparency of agreements between academic institutions and military programs, though the report does not include official responses from the parties involved.

Most Americans are holding President Donald Trump responsible for the ongoing war with Iran and the resulting severe economic situation, according to a report from Al Jazeera’s Washington correspondent Mike Hanna. The report states that Trump has denied being under any pressure, saying there is no need for immediate action and that he prefers to proceed cautiously. He has claimed that oil prices will fall and the economy will recover once the war ends.

However, there is no clear indication of when the conflict might conclude, leaving ordinary Americans deeply concerned as living costs continue to surge. Rising fuel and diesel prices have driven up transportation costs, pushing essential goods beyond the reach of many households.

Public opinion increasingly links the economic crisis to the war initiated under Trump’s leadership, creating a significant political risk for him and the Republican Party as most Americans now directly blame the president for both the conflict and the deteriorating economy.

Two anti-tobacco organizations in Bangladesh have proposed a significant increase in cigarette prices to protect young people from tobacco-related harm and reduce premature deaths. The proposal, presented on May 11 at the National Press Club by the National Heart Foundation and the United Forum Against Tobacco, calls for setting the retail price per cigarette between 17 and 35 taka.

The proposal divides cigarettes into four price tiers to both reduce tobacco use and increase government revenue. Under the plan, premium cigarettes would cost 200 taka per 10-stick pack, with excise and specific taxes raising the per-stick price to 35 taka. The high tier would rise to 150 taka per pack, or about 25.45 taka per stick, while medium and low tiers would each be priced at 100 taka per pack, making the lowest per-stick price 17.01 taka.

Health experts at the event said smoking is a major cause of cancer and other serious diseases in Bangladesh. They urged the government to consider these proposals in the upcoming budget to help build a tobacco-free nation.

Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman met with residents and homeowners’ associations in Mirpur to address the ongoing water crisis in Dhaka-15. The meeting took place on Monday night at a local institution, with representatives from Manipur, Kazipara, Ibrahimpur, and Kafrul attending. Residents described the shortage as so severe that daily life had become nearly impossible, with even drinking and bathing water unavailable. They alleged that an artificial crisis might have been created after the February 12 election for ulterior motives.

Dr. Rahman listened to the grievances and pledged to take all necessary steps to resolve the issue, assuring continued support for the community. He stated that he had already discussed the matter with the Managing Director of WASA and raised it in the National Parliament. According to him, the Prime Minister personally assured that she would play a special role in resolving the problem.

Several central and local Jamaat leaders, along with community representatives from different Mirpur neighborhoods, were present at the meeting.

Two Bangladeshi expatriates were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, May 11, in the Jibdin area of Nabatieh district, southern Lebanon. The victims, identified as Shafiqul Islam and Md. Nahidul Islam, were residents of Satkhira district in Bangladesh. The attack occurred at their residence around noon, according to a statement from the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut.

The embassy confirmed that the bodies were later kept at Nabih Berri Hospital in Nabatieh. It expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and extended condolences to the bereaved families. Mohammad Anwar Hossain, First Secretary (Labour) and Head of Chancery, stated that the embassy has taken necessary steps regarding the repatriation and formalities related to the deceased.

The incident underscores the risks faced by expatriate workers in conflict zones, as the embassy continues to monitor developments and assist affected families.

Three members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were injured after being detained and assaulted for about four hours by a group led by a man named Shafik in Khagatuya village under Ratanpur Union of Nabinagar upazila, Brahmanbaria. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, May 11, 2026, when the RAB team was passing through the area for intelligence gathering. A video of the attack later went viral on social media, showing the injured officers and the attackers issuing threats.

According to RAB-9 CPC-1 company commander Md. Nur Nabi, the team was attacked with local weapons, leaving two members with broken arms and another with a head injury. One officer managed to escape, while three others were held and beaten before being rescued by additional RAB and police forces. The injured were first treated at Nabinagar Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital.

Local residents alleged that Shafik has long been involved in criminal activities and intimidation in the area, facing 28 cases including murder, theft, and assault. Police said no written complaint had been filed as of the report’s publication.

Renowned Bangladeshi actor, playwright, and stage director Ataur Rahman passed away late Monday night in Dhaka after being on life support for ten days. The news was confirmed by actor Raonak Hasan. Rahman, a recipient of the Independence Award, had been under treatment at a hospital in the capital when he died.

According to reports, Ataur Rahman’s health deteriorated after he fell at home the previous Friday. He was first taken to a hospital in Gulshan but later transferred to another in Dhanmondi due to the unavailability of ICU facilities. Although his condition briefly improved, he was again placed on life support on Sunday as his health worsened. He is survived by his wife, one daughter, and one son.

Born on June 18, 1941, in Noakhali, Rahman was a leading figure in Bangladesh’s post-independence theatre movement. He was widely respected for his contributions to the country’s cultural and theatrical landscape and was honored with both the Ekushey Padak and the Independence Award.