Colonel GM Rajib Ahmed, known for his loyalty to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and General Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, has been promoted to Brigadier General, according to defense sources. The promotion reportedly triggered strong reactions within the Bangladesh Army, as Rajib was among those who played a key role in ensuring Hasina’s safe escape to Delhi following her ouster during the July uprising. The decision was reportedly influenced by a powerful senior military official currently serving in the government.

Rajib previously served as Assistant Military Secretary to Sheikh Hasina in 2020 and was later appointed Deputy Military Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office. He was also sent to South Sudan as a UN peacekeeping contingent commander before returning to Bangladesh. His promotion has caused resentment among officers who felt sidelined over the past fifteen years, with some arguing that a figure associated with the former regime’s repression should not have remained in service.

The controversy has also spread across virtual platforms, where discussions and criticism of the promotion continue to intensify.

Police in Brahmanpara upazila of Comilla arrested a suspected drug dealer named Kabir Hossain on Wednesday afternoon in connection with an attack on two journalists. He was detained in the Dakshin Shashidal area while allegedly attempting to flee to India. The arrest was confirmed by Brahmanpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Faruk Hossain. Kabir Hossain, 35, from Dakshin Shashidal village, faces ten previous cases related to drugs and smuggling.

The attack occurred on Tuesday night at Shashidal Railway Station when journalists Akkas Al Mahmud Hridoy of Kaler Kantho and Shariful Islam Sumon of Dainik Comilla Protidin were filming footage of stolen goods and drug trafficking on the Chattala Express train. They were assaulted twice and later threatened with death if they published reports about the incident. Following the attack, a case was filed naming 11 individuals and 14 unidentified suspects.

Police said operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the assault.

The High Court of Bangladesh has expressed astonishment after the government announced the dissolution of the Supreme Court Secretariat before the final settlement of a related writ petition. The issue came to light when a government notification was presented before Justice Ahmed Sohel’s bench, prompting the court to ask how such a decision was possible while the case remained pending.

The move has sparked strong reactions from opposition and legal circles. Jamaat-e-Islami leader and opposition chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman condemned the decision, calling it the end of an independent judicial secretariat and a sign of political dominance over the judiciary. Student and lawyer groups, including the National Lawyers Alliance backed by the National Citizens Party, also protested, criticizing the silence of the law minister and attorney general. Lawyer Shishir Monir, who filed the original writ, said the government’s action constituted contempt of court and announced plans to file a contempt petition.

According to the report, the Ministry of Law issued the notification on Tuesday, transferring 15 judges to the ministry. The High Court had earlier directed that the secretariat remain operational until the case was fully resolved.

A diplomatic crisis has erupted after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video showing armed Israeli guards forcing detained activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla to kneel with their hands tied. Governments across the world condemned the treatment as a violation of human dignity and summoned Israeli diplomats for formal protests.

Australia, Italy, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada, and Belgium have all summoned Israeli ambassadors. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong denounced the conduct as degrading, while Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called the video unacceptable and demanded an apology. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the ambassador was summoned to express outrage and seek clarification. The Netherlands’ leaders described the incident as tragic and unacceptable, and New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters cited deep concern.

Other countries including Spain, Poland, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Korea, the United States, Qatar, and Turkey also issued strong condemnations, according to Al Jazeera.

US Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley have strongly condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for his treatment of activists detained from a Gaza-bound flotilla. In posts on social media platform X, the senators described Ben-Gvir’s behavior toward the detainees as “disgusting and inhumane,” calling it a reflection of Israel’s broader conduct toward Palestinians.

Senator Merkley said that images of Gaza’s destruction and desperate families explain why people are motivated to protest. Van Hollen questioned how Ben-Gvir might treat detainees behind closed doors if he could act this way in front of cameras. He labeled the minister’s actions “outrageous” and argued that the United States should have imposed sanctions on him long ago.

Both Democratic senators have long advocated for Palestinian rights and previously visited the Rafah border to observe conditions under Israel’s blockade of Gaza, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media mocking activists detained from the Gaza-bound aid flotilla known as the Global Sumud Flotilla. The video showed the detained social workers with their hands tied and kneeling while Israel’s national anthem played over loudspeakers. The caption of the post read, “Welcome to Israel.”

According to the report, the activists were captured by Israeli forces from international waters before being featured in the video. The footage and its publication have drawn attention due to the minister’s far-right political stance and the circumstances of the activists’ detention. The report cited Al Jazeera as its source.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding humanitarian efforts directed toward Gaza and the Israeli government’s handling of such missions, though no official responses or further developments were mentioned in the report.

Australia has summoned the Israeli ambassador following a video posted by Israel’s far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The footage showed detained flotilla workers with their hands tied and forced to kneel while the minister appeared to taunt them. The incident prompted strong condemnation from Australia, joining other countries that have expressed outrage.

In a statement on social media platform X, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the images posted by Ben-Gvir, who is under Australian sanctions, deeply distressing and unacceptable. She condemned both the minister’s actions and the degrading treatment of detainees by Israeli authorities. Wong reiterated Australia’s call for the release of 11 Australian citizens who were part of the flotilla and urged Israel to ensure humane treatment of all detainees in line with international obligations.

Wong confirmed that she instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to summon the Israeli ambassador to deliver Australia’s message firmly.

A rally was held in Dhaka on Thursday in front of the National Press Club, calling for global humanitarian unity and protesting alleged persecution of Muslims in West Bengal, Assam, and Kashmir. The event, organized by Nagorik Parishad, was titled “Rally demanding global humanitarian unity to stop Delhi’s persecution of Muslims in West Bengal, Assam, and Kashmir.”

Nagorik Parishad convener Mohammad Shamsuddin presided over the gathering, alleging that Muslims in various Indian states face continuous discrimination and violence. He accused Delhi’s communal attitude of poisoning the lives of Indian Muslims and criticized the contradiction between beef-related killings and India’s status as a major beef exporter. Other speakers, including World Muslim Ummah chairman Dr. Farid Ahmed Khan and Urdu-speaking minority leader Afzal Warsi, highlighted historical contributions of Muslims to India and ongoing identity crises since partition.

Speakers also emphasized national unity in Bangladesh to protect sovereignty and communal harmony. The event concluded with calls for impartial investigations into violence in Assam and appeals for international human rights attention to the situation in India.

A satirical Indian group called the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has gained widespread attention after surpassing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Instagram followers. Within hours of this surge, the Modi government shut down the CJP’s Instagram account and banned its X account in India, according to the group. Founder Abhijit Deepak shared a screenshot of the blocked account and urged his more than 10 million followers to protest the move, saying the group had only demanded accountability from the education minister following a student’s suicide.

The CJP has been calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan since the cancellation of India’s national pre-medical entrance exam over alleged question paper leaks. The exam is scheduled to be retaken in June, but the cancellation has triggered frustration among students nationwide, with Indian media reporting at least two student suicides linked to the incident.

India’s legal framework allows the government to order social media platforms to remove content or block accounts on national security or public order grounds, though such directives are rarely made public.

The highest level of the state has directed law enforcement agencies to swiftly arrest the suspect involved in the attempted rape of a Jahangirnagar University student. The university’s proctor, A K M Rashidul Alam, announced the directive during a press conference held at the university senate hall on Thursday. He said that since the May 12 incident, multiple law enforcement units have been jointly working to identify and capture the perpetrator, and that operations have intensified following the latest state-level instruction.

According to university administration sources, a high-level investigation committee was formed on May 16 as part of the ongoing response. The university has also announced a reward of Tk 50,000 for information leading to the suspect’s identification and arrest. Various agencies, including the district police, RAB, DB, PBI, CID, and DMP teams, are conducting both manual and technology-based searches nationwide.

Law enforcement’s cyber and intelligence units continue their technical investigation, expressing optimism about apprehending the suspect soon. The university administration is being regularly updated on the progress of the operation.

The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) has warned that declining vaccination coverage could increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Bangladesh. In a statement released on Thursday, the organization emphasized that vaccines should be viewed not only as tools for preventing infectious diseases but also as a key strategy to reduce antibiotic use, curb drug-resistant infections, and protect public health. The warning came alongside a new policy brief from the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership (GARP), led by ICDDR,B and One Health Trust, highlighting the critical role of vaccines in reducing infections and antibiotic consumption.

The policy brief, titled “The Importance of Vaccines in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance in Bangladesh,” was developed through consultations among government agencies, researchers, academics, development partners, and animal health experts. It noted that while Bangladesh’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) has achieved major successes, including eliminating neonatal tetanus and polio, recent measles outbreaks reflect declining immunity due to disruptions in routine vaccination and reduced public trust.

The brief recommended maintaining universal child immunization coverage, expanding access to proven AMR-preventive vaccines, and integrating vaccination more effectively into Bangladesh’s national AMR strategy.

A fish trader named Abu Siddiq, aged 40, died after being struck by lightning in Tatuakanda village under Khagkanda Union of Araihazar upazila in Narayanganj. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday when he was working in the yard of his home. Locals attempted to take him to a nearby hospital, but he died before reaching there.

Abu Siddiq was the son of the late Asmat Ali and had long been involved in the local fish trade. According to local sources, dark clouds gathered suddenly, followed by rain and a lightning strike that fatally injured him. His sudden death has cast a pall of grief over the area, with family members and neighbors mourning deeply.

Local representatives have expressed condolences to the bereaved family, and the community remains in shock following the tragic event.

The article traces the transformation of Bengal from the late seventeenth century through the rise of British colonial control. It begins with Job Charnock’s arrival in Kolkata in 1690 and the subsequent establishment of English trading settlements supported by local Hindu intermediaries. The narrative describes how the East India Company’s commercial expansion and alliances with local elites led to the erosion of Mughal authority, culminating in the battles of Plassey and Buxar and the Company’s acquisition of revenue rights in 1765.

Following the introduction of direct revenue collection, the Company dismantled the Mughal-era land system and imposed heavy cash taxes on peasants. This policy, combined with exploitative trade practices, triggered the catastrophic famine of 1769–1770, known as the Great Bengal Famine. Millions perished as food prices soared and relief was denied. British officials, including Warren Hastings, continued to increase revenue despite mass starvation. The famine marked a turning point, consolidating British colonial authority and transforming Kolkata into the administrative capital of British Bengal.

The account concludes that the famine and Company rule reshaped Bengal’s social and economic landscape, enriching colonial officials and their local collaborators while devastating rural society.

A young man named Fazle Rabbi was beaten to death by a mob in Sherpur upazila of Bogura on May 20, allegedly over an attempt to steal a transformer. The incident occurred in Chandeshwar village under Kusumbi Union. Following the incident, the victim’s mother filed a murder case at Sherpur Police Station against 50 to 60 unidentified individuals on the night of May 20.

According to the case statement, Fazle Rabbi, a 24-year-old electrician from Nata Bari village in Dhunot upazila, left home on the evening of May 19 for work. The next morning, police informed his family that he and another man, Jahangir Hossain, had been caught and beaten by locals while allegedly trying to steal an irrigation pump transformer. Rabbi was declared dead at Sherpur Upazila Health Complex, while Jahangir remained hospitalized with serious injuries.

Police said the injured were rescued and sent to the hospital, and the deceased’s body was sent to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital for autopsy. The investigation to identify those involved is ongoing.

The High Court has dismissed a writ petition seeking an investigation into the 18-month activities of the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar delivered the order on Thursday, May 21, following a hearing. Lawyer M.K. Rahman represented the petitioner, while Attorney General Md. Ruhul Kuddus Kajol appeared for the state.

According to the petitioners, the interim government created disorder across various sectors, including the economy and health, during its tenure. They argued that a commission of inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act was necessary to prevent future unelected takeovers. The court heard the arguments and later dismissed the petition.

The Yunus-led interim government took office three days after the fall of the Awami League government during the 2024 movement and stepped down on February 17, when the BNP formed a new government following its election victory on February 12.