Islami Bank has been downgraded from the 'A' to the 'Z' category after failing to declare dividends for two consecutive financial years. The decision followed a board meeting on April 29, 2026, where the bank reviewed its audited financial report for the year ending December 31, 2025, and announced a 'no dividend' policy. The downgrade was made in accordance with Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) regulations.

Following the downgrade, brokerage houses and merchant banks have been requested not to provide margin loan facilities for purchasing Islami Bank shares, as per the BSEC Margin Loan Regulations 2025. The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) published these details on its website on Thursday. The bank’s share price fell by more than 4 percent, dropping from Tk 34.70 to Tk 33.30.

According to the 2025 audited report, Islami Bank’s consolidated earnings per share stood at Tk 0.85, and its net asset value per share was Tk 44.52, slightly higher than the previous year’s figures.

Seven fishermen, including a father and his two sons, were reportedly abducted by Myanmar’s separatist group Arakan Army from the Naf River near Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar. The incident occurred on Thursday morning while the fishermen were catching fish, according to local witnesses. The abduction was confirmed by local fisherman Nurul Alam Bahaddar.

The detained fishermen were identified as Ali Ahmed and his sons Nurul Absar and Abdur Rahim from Deil Para of Shah Porir Dwip, along with Abdur Rahman, Sabbir Ahmed, Nur Ahmed, Gura Mia, and Abdul Motaleb from Sabrang Union. Local sources said the fishermen were fishing with 10–15 engine boats when Arakan Army members arrived from the Rakhine border and seized two boats along with the seven men.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Inamul Hafiz Nadim stated that he had heard about the incident and that necessary steps would be taken after consulting relevant authorities.

The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) has presented 14 recommendations—seven each for the government and industrial owners—to safeguard workers’ rights, dignity, and safety in Bangladesh. The proposals were announced on April 30, 2026, at a discussion marking International Workers’ Day at the National Press Club in Dhaka. HRSS Executive Director Ejazul Islam urged stronger government enforcement of labor laws and called for tripartite dialogue among the government, employers, and workers to resolve disputes through discussion rather than conflict.

The HRSS recommendations for the government include strict implementation of labor laws, enhanced labor inspections, fair wage determination, labor court reform, protection for domestic and informal workers, migrant worker safety, and gender-sensitive labor policies. For employers, the group advised timely payment of wages and bonuses, ensuring safe workplaces, respecting trade unions, upholding women’s dignity, investing in skill development, and fulfilling social responsibilities.

Speakers including human rights activist Nur Khan Liton and political leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna emphasized workplace safety, fair compensation, and inclusion of labor interests in constitutional reforms, noting that workers remain central to Bangladesh’s development journey.

U.S. President Donald Trump shared a map on his social media platform Truth Social labeling the Strait of Hormuz as the 'Strait of Trump.' The post follows an earlier speech in which he also used the term 'Trump Strait.' During that event, audience members reportedly laughed, prompting Trump to remark that the media might call it a mistake, but he rarely makes mistakes.

The move comes after a joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, which led Iran to take full control of the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Trump imposed a naval blockade on Iran. Although a ceasefire between Iran and the United States has been extended indefinitely, tensions around the strategic waterway remain high.

The symbolic renaming of the strait and continued military posturing underscore the fragile state of U.S.-Iran relations and the persistent volatility in the region’s maritime security.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that a ‘new chapter’ has begun in the Persian Gulf and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz following what he described as the United States’ ‘shameful failure’. He made the remarks on Tuesday in a statement marking Iran’s National Persian Gulf Day, according to the state news agency IRNA.

Khamenei stated that two months after what he called the world’s largest military operation and aggression, planned by the United States, ended in failure, a new phase is unfolding in the region. The statement was broadcast by Iranian state media on the day commemorating the 1622 expulsion of Portuguese forces from the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts cited in the report suggested that Khamenei’s comments highlight Iran’s growing control over regional maritime routes and a perceived decline in US influence amid recent tensions.

Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan has directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to expedite the implementation of the ongoing Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project. He issued the directive on Thursday while addressing the mid-term review workshop of the project at the UGC building. The minister emphasized that the project is vital for improving the quality of higher education and called for ensuring proper use of allocated funds.

Dr. Milan noted that some components of the project are no longer relevant and instructed that the Development Project Proposal (DPP) be revised to align with current government priorities in higher education. He expressed concern that only 5 percent of the project has been completed, with two years remaining, and urged immediate acceleration to meet the 2028 completion target. He also stressed cost efficiency and adherence to the Prime Minister’s directive to rationalize development spending.

UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed said the project would be completed within the scheduled time despite a delayed start, emphasizing that achieving objectives is more important than merely spending funds.

A Pirojpur court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment and his mother to seven years in jail for their involvement in a murder case. The convicts are Rehana Begum and her son Tajim from Sohagdal village in Nesarabad upazila. The court also fined Tajim 10,000 taka, with an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment in default, and fined Rehana Begum 5,000 taka, with three months of imprisonment in default. The verdict was delivered by Senior District and Sessions Judge Md Mojibur Rahman on Thursday afternoon.

According to court sources, on February 10, 2018, Tajim and another youth hired a motorcycle from Bayarhula stand, driven by victim Milon. When Milon did not return home that night, his family searched for him, but his phone was found switched off. Milon’s father filed a general diary on February 12, and two days later, police recovered Milon’s body from a septic tank at Tajim’s house. Investigations revealed that Tajim killed Milon and hid the body with his mother’s help.

Police later charged four people, and the court convicted two while acquitting the others.

Police in Sirajganj’s Kazipur upazila arrested Mahbubur Rahman Dipu, aged 28, during a raid in the Jamuna River’s char area on Thursday morning. The operation took place in a workshop at Mugbazar in Rehaisuriber village, where local police found weapons and tools used for making firearms. Dipu is the son of Tozammel Haque, former chairman of Natuarpara Union Parishad and former joint secretary of the local Awami League unit. His mother, Sultana Haque, previously served as vice chairman of Kazipur Upazila Parishad.

According to police, the raid was conducted based on a tip-off that homemade firearms, particularly pipe guns, were being produced using a lathe machine. Officers from the Natuarpara police outpost led the operation and arrested Dipu on the spot. A Chinese axe and various tools used for making pipe guns were recovered from the scene.

Police stated that a case has been filed with the local station, and the arrested suspect was sent to court later in the day.

A local labor leader in Goaland, Rajbari, has been expelled after admitting to running a beer business in the Daulatdia brothel area, a confession that went viral on Facebook. The expelled leader, Md. Suman Molla, also known as Chandai, served as vice president of the Upazila Labor Party. The expulsion was announced in a statement signed by Upazila Labor Party president Md. Sarwar Molla and general secretary Abul Kashem Mia, citing breach of party discipline and damage to the party’s reputation.

According to the statement, the decision followed public outrage among residents and party members after the viral audio surfaced. Sarwar Molla said Suman’s own admission of involvement in drug trade activities had tarnished the party’s image, prompting his removal. The matter will be discussed further with district-level leaders for additional action.

Earlier, on April 25, a phone conversation between Suman and lawyer Mokim Mondal was shared on Facebook, where allegations of beer and yaba trade and property disputes were raised. Suman later claimed he made the remarks in anger and denied involvement in drug trading.

The River Police of Bangladesh conducted a weeklong nationwide operation aimed at protecting the country’s fisheries and ensuring river route safety. During the drive, authorities seized a large quantity of illegal fishing nets, fish, shrimp fry, and other materials. A total of 125 individuals were arrested, according to River Police Superintendent (Media) Farzana Islam.

Over the seven days, the operation resulted in the confiscation of 38,044,920 meters of illegal nets, 3,938 kilograms of fish, 7,409,000 shrimp fry, 5,300 bagda shrimp fry, and 160 kilograms of jelly-mixed shrimp. Additionally, 251 river bushes were destroyed, and 41 bulkheads without valid documents were charged in the river court.

The River Police reported filing 43 cases related to fisheries law violations, reckless navigation, sand extraction, river pollution, theft, robbery, and murder. Two bodies were recovered during the operation. The seized illegal nets and jelly-mixed shrimp were destroyed, shrimp fry were released into the water, and confiscated fish were distributed to orphanages.

The High Court has summoned the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Prabhat Chandra Biswas, to appear in person on May 19 to explain allegations of contempt of court. The order was issued by a bench comprising Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Asif Hasan.

According to the case details, the Ministry of Health had published recruitment notices for third and fourth-class employee positions across various districts. Despite passing the written examination, 25 candidates were marked as failed and denied appointment. The affected candidates filed a writ petition, and on March 9, 2022, the High Court directed that they be appointed. However, the directive was not implemented even after multiple communications with the authorities. When the state appealed, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court’s decision. Subsequently, the petitioners filed a contempt petition, prompting the current summons.

The petitioners’ lawyer stated that the authorities had unfairly deprived the candidates and expressed hope that the appointments would be made promptly in compliance with the court’s order.

A Malaysian expatriate named Md. Solaiman, aged 37, was reportedly robbed by members of an unconsciousness gang in Dhaka on Thursday morning, April 30, 2026. The incident occurred while he was traveling to the Malaysian Embassy. Solaiman, a resident of Bhoberchar in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj, boarded a Raida Paribahan bus when the gang targeted him. He lost consciousness during the journey and was later dropped off near Ibn Sina Diagnostic Center in Badda around 1:15 p.m. His cousin Roni rescued him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

According to Roni, the assailants took Solaiman’s cash and mobile phone while he was unconscious, though the exact amount of money lost remains unknown. Hospital authorities cleaned his stomach in the emergency department before admitting him to the medicine ward. It was learned that Solaiman had returned to Bangladesh from Malaysia about a week earlier.

The report did not mention whether police have launched an investigation or identified any suspects in connection with the incident.

Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in 25 years. The organization publishes an annual World Press Freedom Index assessing the degree of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media outlets in 180 countries. The five-tier index rates countries from “very serious” to “good” based on press freedom conditions.

According to RSF, for the first time since the index began in 2002, more than half of the world’s countries are in a “difficult” or “very serious” situation. Only seven countries achieved a “good” rating, with Norway, the Netherlands, and Estonia ranking highest. France placed 25th with a “satisfactory” score, while the United States ranked 64th with a “problematic” score, seven places lower than before. In Latin America, Argentina ranked 98th and El Salvador 143rd.

RSF identified Eastern Europe and the Middle East as the most dangerous regions for journalists, citing Israel’s attacks on reporters in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Lebanon. The report also noted that over 60 percent of countries criminalize journalists in various ways, highlighting India, Egypt, Georgia, Turkey, and Hong Kong as key examples of state repression.

Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Touhiduzzaman Pavel visited the district jail on Thursday morning to inspect ongoing rehabilitation activities for inmates. During the visit, he reviewed progress in tailoring, carpentry, handicraft production, IT training, agricultural work, and educational programs. After the inspection, he described the overall management of the jail as satisfactory and urged officials to continue performing their duties responsibly.

Following the inspection, a quarterly meeting of the Jail Inspection Board was held at the same venue. The meeting discussed various issues related to inmate welfare, rehabilitation, healthcare, legal assistance, and infrastructural development of the prison. Board members provided necessary guidance for the overall improvement of the jail.

The jail superintendent, members of the district jail inspection board, and other relevant officials were present during the visit and meeting.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury said that photography is not merely a play of light and shadow but a record of time that immortalizes history. He made the remarks on Thursday while inaugurating a photo exhibition at the National Press Club as the chief guest. The event was organized by the National Forum of Photo Journalists, Nepal (NFPJ), with support from the Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association.

During his speech, Yasser Khan became emotional, recalling his early career dream of becoming a photojournalist and his fascination with viewing life through a camera lens. He also reminisced about his visit to Nepal in the 1990s, describing the country’s natural beauty and the simplicity of its people. He emphasized that such cultural exchanges strengthen the friendship between Bangladesh and Nepal.

Speakers at the event noted the geographical and cultural similarities between the two countries and expressed hope that collaborations among photographers would deepen bilateral ties and enhance professional exchange.