Energy company Shell announced a significant profit increase of $1.3 billion in the first quarter of the year, despite global market instability caused by the Iran war. The British energy giant’s financial report showed total earnings of $6.9 billion for the quarter, about one-quarter higher than the same period last year. Refining operations alone contributed nearly $2 billion, driven by high prices of petrol and jet fuel.

The report noted that Shell’s total oil and gas production slightly declined compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to disruptions in Qatar linked to Middle East conflict. Shell CEO Wael Sawan stated that the company achieved strong results despite unprecedented volatility in global energy markets. Analysts said major energy firms’ trading divisions benefited from sharp oil price fluctuations.

Meanwhile, the Energy Poverty Eradication Alliance urged governments to impose a windfall tax on oil companies to offset rising household energy costs caused by the Iran war. The group argued that higher fuel prices have increased pressure on ordinary consumers.

Religious Affairs Minister Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad announced that rents for Waqf properties across Bangladesh will be redefined according to current market rates. Speaking to journalists at his office in the Secretariat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, the minister said widespread irregularities and corruption have left about 614,000 acres of Waqf land in poor condition. He noted that only nominal rents are being collected through corrupt practices.

The minister detailed that Waqf properties include 212,099 acres under Waqf-e-Aulad and 377,120 acres under Waqf-e-Lillah. He attributed the current state of neglect to administrative weakness, corruption, and inefficiency over the past 17 years. According to him, the Prime Minister wants the original charitable intentions of the donors to be properly implemented, ensuring transparency and eliminating wrongdoing.

Kaykobad explained that Waqf-e-Aulad properties generate income for descendants, while Waqf-e-Lillah properties direct income entirely toward religious or public welfare purposes, sometimes with shared allocations between family and charitable uses.

A US federal judge has made public an alleged suicide note said to have been written by late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The document was released on Wednesday following a petition by The New York Times to the White Plains court. Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, claimed he received the note in July 2019 after Epstein’s first failed suicide attempt. Epstein was later found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City.

The note, which bears no signature, reportedly contained statements of frustration but its authenticity remains unverified. The Guardian said it could not confirm whether Epstein actually wrote it, and the US Department of Justice did not immediately comment. Tartaglione, a former police officer serving a life sentence for four murders, had given the note to his lawyers, who consulted handwriting experts to identify its author. The note had been kept confidential under attorney-client privilege during Tartaglione’s appeal process.

Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide by New York City’s medical examiner in 2019, though speculation and conspiracy theories persist due to his ties with influential figures.

A woman identified as Jakia Sultana, wife of a local Youth League leader, has been accused of assaulting a schoolgirl named Nusrat in front of the head teacher in Jianagar, Pirojpur. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning in Darichar Gazipur village under Parerhat Union. According to reports, the head teacher, Mostafa Faisal, was escorting the student back to school after a long absence when the attack took place near the school premises.

Local sources said the dispute began over an alleged attempt to misappropriate savings funds from the Social Development Foundation (SDF), leading to tension between the two families. Nusrat had been absent from school for about ten days due to threats. The accused and her husband admitted to the altercation but denied using shoes to beat the girl. The head teacher claimed he was also injured while trying to intervene.

Jianagar police confirmed that a written complaint has been filed. Officers have visited the scene and stated that legal action will follow after investigation.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bangladesh has warned that performing or attempting to perform Hajj without proper authorization could result in a fine of up to 20,000 Saudi riyals. For foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, violations may also lead to deportation and a ban on re-entry to Saudi Arabia for up to ten years. The ministry issued this notice on Thursday, urging all Bangladeshi pilgrims to strictly follow Saudi Arabia’s updated Hajj regulations aimed at controlling overcrowding and ensuring pilgrim safety.

According to the Saudi authorities, anyone assisting unauthorized pilgrims—through transport, accommodation, or other means—may face fines of up to 100,000 riyals, with penalties increasing based on the number of people involved. The rules apply to travel agencies, service providers, vehicle owners, and others offering illegal support. Vehicles used in such activities may be confiscated after legal proceedings.

The restrictions will remain in effect from the first day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Qi'dah until the 14th of Dhu al-Hijjah. Saudi authorities have also launched enforcement operations and recently arrested one person in Mecca for promoting fake Hajj permits online.

Crude oil transfer from the outer anchorage of Chattogram port to Eastern Refinery began this week, marking the end of a two‑month raw material shortage. The MT Ninemiya, a mother tanker carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil, anchored at Kutubdia Channel on Wednesday. After customs clearance, lighter vessels started unloading the oil for transport to the refinery’s jetty. Eastern Refinery’s managing director confirmed that all units are expected to resume full operation from Friday morning.

According to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the refinery had been running at limited capacity using remaining stock due to supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Hormuz Strait amid conflict in the Middle East. Eastern Refinery, the country’s only state‑owned oil refinery, imports crude oil from Saudi Arabia and produces 18 types of petroleum products including diesel, octane, petrol, jet fuel, kerosene, and LPG. The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation handles crude oil transportation for BPC.

The last crude shipment arrived on February 17, forcing two of the refinery’s three main units to shut down on April 14. After 22 days of partial closure, full production is set to restart on Friday.

Police have arrested a man accused in 17 criminal cases, including murder, rape, theft, robbery, and extortion, from the Kafrul area of Dhaka. The arrest took place on Wednesday, according to law enforcement officials in Madaripur’s Kalkini upazila.

Police Superintendent Md Habibur Rahman stated that the suspect, Faisal Talukdar, had been evading arrest for a long time by frequently going into hiding. He was finally apprehended after continued efforts by the police.

Local sources said Faisal Talukdar is a resident of Kalai Sardar’s Char village in Purba Enayetnagar Union under Kalkini upazila. He had allegedly been involved in various criminal activities across at least five unions in the area, maintaining dominance through acts of violence and extortion.

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has issued a recruitment notice for 130 positions across seven categories. The online application process begins on May 7, 2026, at 10 a.m. and will continue until May 27, 2026, at 5 p.m. Both male and female candidates aged between 18 and 32 years as of May 7, 2026, are eligible to apply. Applicants must submit scanned copies of a 300x300 pixel photograph and a 300x80 pixel signature, and incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

The positions are temporary and based in Dhaka. Candidates with educational qualifications as low as completion of the eighth grade or SSC pass are eligible to apply. Application fees must be paid through Teletalk pre-paid SIM within 72 hours: BDT 223 for posts 1–3, BDT 112 for post 4, and BDT 56 for posts 5–7. The commission has stated that affidavits will not be accepted as proof of age.

The recruitment notice provides an opportunity for lower-qualified job seekers to apply for government positions within the commission’s administrative framework.

The Attorney General of Bangladesh has directed Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General serving in the High Court Division not to attempt to influence cases in other benches. The instruction follows allegations that some government law officers have been trying to exert influence in various cases beyond their assigned courts. The directive was issued through an official notice released on Thursday by administrative officer Md. Nasir Uddin from the Attorney General’s office.

According to the notice, the Attorney General became aware that certain Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General were leaving their designated courts during sessions to appear in other courts and attempt to influence proceedings. The notice formally requested all concerned officials to refrain from visiting or intervening in any court other than their own during court hours.

The order aims to ensure discipline and impartiality among government law officers and to maintain the integrity of judicial proceedings within the High Court Division.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Thursday ordered the arrest of former army officer Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury in a case related to killings in Feni during the July uprising. The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury with judges Manjur Basit and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, issued the order after Chowdhury was produced before the court. Prosecutor Mizanul Islam requested that Chowdhury be shown arrested and sought one day for interrogation, which the tribunal granted. The court also directed that the investigation report be submitted by July 21.

Earlier, on March 29, the tribunal had issued a production warrant against Chowdhury and ordered his appearance on April 7. However, he could not be presented then as he was in remand in another case. He was finally produced before the tribunal today following his arrest from Dhaka’s Baridhara area on March 24.

The tribunal’s order marks a new phase in the ongoing investigation into alleged crimes committed during the July uprising in Feni.

Sylhet-2 Member of Parliament Tahsina Rushdir Luna has directed authorities to bring all individuals involved in the Osmaninagar smuggling syndicate under the law. She made the remarks on Wednesday afternoon at a prize distribution ceremony near Mansi Restaurant in Osmaninagar. Luna questioned how such a large-scale illegal operation could continue for so long and demanded a prompt investigation and legal action against everyone involved, regardless of political affiliation.

Her comments followed a major police seizure on May 5, when 603 sacks of Indian cumin, weighing 18,090 kilograms and valued at about 11.2 million taka, were recovered from the home of Abdul Hamid, a local Awami League member and former district council member. The incident has raised questions about the role of local police and the influence of political figures in the smuggling network.

According to local reports, a coordinated syndicate involving influential figures from both the Awami League and BNP is suspected to have operated the cross-border smuggling of goods for an extended period.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis have expressed deep concern over recent violence in India following state assembly elections, claiming that extremist Hindu groups have intensified attacks on Muslims. In a press release issued on Thursday, the party said Muslims in border states such as West Bengal and Assam are being branded as Bangladeshis and subjected to brutal persecution. The group condemned the attacks and demanded an immediate end to extremist assaults on minority Muslims.

The statement, released after a central executive meeting chaired by Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and conducted by Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader in Dhaka’s Paltan area, alleged that mosques, homes, and businesses in India have been attacked and vandalized, leaving many injured and displaced. It also noted that even Hindu workers of opposition parties have faced violence, accusing the ruling BJP governments of irresponsibility.

Khelafat Majlis called on the Indian government to ensure the safety of its minority communities and urged the Bangladesh government to formally express concern to India over the incidents.

A 14-year-old girl named Lima Akter was killed by lightning on Thursday noon in the Satdharun area of Hajir Hat Union, Kamalnagar upazila of Lakshmipur. She had gone to visit her uncle, Md. Nizam, who was working in a nearby soybean field with his family. During light rain, Lima was sitting on the edge of the field when lightning struck, causing her to collapse. She was taken to a clinic where doctors declared her dead.

According to family members, Lima was the daughter of Yusuf Ali Khokon of Abdur Rob Howlader Bari and was a Hafiza of the Quran. Her uncle and relatives said she had recently lost her mother, and her father had remarried. The local member, Md. Apel, confirmed the death caused by lightning. The incident cast a shadow of grief over the family and the entire village.

The report highlights the tragic loss and the emotional impact on the family and community following the sudden lightning strike.

Bangladesh’s President Md. Shahabuddin has called the second session of the 13th National Parliament, which will serve as the first budget session for the 2026–27 fiscal year, to begin on June 7 at 3 p.m. The announcement was made in a press release signed by Md. Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan, Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, on Thursday. The session has been convened under Article 72(1) of the Constitution.

Before the session begins, the Parliament’s Business Advisory Committee will meet to decide how long the session will continue. The previous session of the 13th Parliament concluded on April 30, during which 94 bills were passed. This upcoming session marks the first budget presentation under the current government.

The last budget for the 2024–25 fiscal year was presented in June 2024 by the then Finance Minister of the ousted Awami League government, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali. Following the fall of that government on August 5, 2024, the interim administration’s Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed presented the 2025–26 budget.

A legal notice has been sent in Bangladesh demanding a ban on the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok by individuals under 16 years of age. The notice also calls for effective regulation to prevent misuse of these platforms. It was issued by Barrister Sanaullah Nuri on behalf of the Legal Voice Foundation and addressed to the secretaries of the Posts and Telecommunications and ICT ministries, as well as the chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

The notice states that the use of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube has taken a concerning negative turn, particularly among children and adolescents. It highlights that social media-related violence and addiction are causing serious harm to their physical and mental health, distancing them from sports and studies, and leading to moral decline and involvement in criminal activities.

The notice urges authorities to take realistic measures within 15 days to establish effective control over social media and curb its misuse, noting that many parents lack sufficient knowledge to manage their children's digital behavior.