In Lalmonirhat’s Dahagram–Angarpota union, residents have expressed concern over increased surveillance and restrictions by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at the Tin Bigha Corridor, their only route to mainland Bangladesh. Locals allege that since the recent West Bengal elections, BSF has intensified checks, causing delays and harassment during travel. The corridor, leased to Bangladesh in 2011 for access to the enclave, remains under Indian control despite the 1974 Mujib–Indira Agreement stipulating its transfer.

The corridor, originally intended to be 178 meters long and 85 meters wide, now functions as a narrow nine-foot passage. Residents report frequent searches, vehicle restrictions, and fines for accidental damage to Indian installations. Community leaders and residents demand full freedom of movement as per the 1974 agreement, citing economic hardship and loss of dignity. BSF has also built observation towers and checkpoints, contrary to the agreement’s terms.

Bangladeshi authorities have reportedly taken precautionary measures through the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). However, locals remain frustrated, saying the corridor’s limited access continues to disrupt daily life and trade in the isolated enclave.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, aged 90, is reportedly preparing his son Yasser Abbas for a senior leadership position within Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority. Six unnamed Palestinian officials told The New York Times that Abbas is taking this step to extend his influence. Abbas has led the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, since 2005 and has maintained tight control by sidelining rivals, limiting judicial independence, and cooperating with Israel on security matters.

Abbas’s presidential term officially ended in 2009, but he has since canceled elections and faced persistent allegations of corruption. Many Palestinians view his move to promote his son as evidence that he has no intention of loosening his grip on power or allowing new leadership to emerge. Political analyst Hani al-Masri described the situation as rule under one man’s control.

The reported succession effort comes amid growing international pressure on the Palestinian Authority to implement significant political reforms, despite internal party resistance and public discontent.

This week, the annual Jackson Poetry Prize was awarded to Chicago-born poet Marianne Boruch. The honor recognizes an outstanding American poet each year and includes a $100,000 cash award. The 2026 judging panel consisted of Major Jackson, Cole Swensen, and Afaa Michael Weaver.

According to the judges’ statement, Boruch’s poetry reveals the breadth and depth of human thought through its ornamental rhythm and captivating expression. In an era shaped by artificial intelligence, her work seeks to stir collective human understanding, exploring the vastness of desire and curiosity. Her poetic tone moves fluidly between refined diction and spontaneous wit, employing every stylistic nuance in between.

The judges noted that Boruch’s unconventional sentence structures are not merely surprising but awakening, inviting readers to look upward and think more deeply. The prize highlights her distinctive contribution to contemporary American poetry.

An article published on May 16, 2026, in 'Amar Desh' by Abdul Kader Jilani discusses the renewed relevance of Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s philosophy in Bangladesh following the July uprising that toppled a fascist government. The author connects the collective awakening for justice and truth during the protests with Iqbal’s concept of 'Khudi'—the self-realization and empowerment of individuals as the foundation of a just society. Protesters reportedly invoked Iqbal’s verses as slogans in their struggle against oppression.

The piece traces Iqbal’s intellectual influences from both Eastern and Western thinkers and his vision of a moral, equitable state guided by divine law. It contrasts Iqbal’s Islamic humanism with Rabindranath Tagore’s secular humanism, arguing that post-1971 nationalist movements in Bangladesh marginalized Iqbal’s thought. The author claims that Iqbal’s ideas of justice, unity, and cultural independence are regaining significance in post-July Bangladesh.

According to the article, this resurgence of Iqbal studies in political, cultural, and intellectual spaces signals a broader cultural revolution emphasizing Islamic values and resistance to authoritarianism.

The article highlights the life and contributions of Mustafa Zaman Abbasi, a legendary Bangladeshi singer, researcher, and writer, who played a pivotal role in preserving the country’s folk and spiritual traditions. Born in 1937 in Balarampur, Cooch Behar, Abbasi inherited a rich musical legacy from his father, Abbasuddin Ahmed, and grew up in a culturally vibrant environment. His education in history at the University of Dhaka deepened his understanding of Bengal’s social and cultural evolution, shaping his later work as a scholar of folk music.

Abbasi’s major achievements include collecting and archiving original Baul and Lalon songs, promoting folk music through Bangladesh Television and Radio, and introducing rural artists to national audiences. He also represented Bangladesh internationally, performing in over 40 countries and serving as president of the Bangladesh National Committee of Music under UNESCO. Beyond music, Abbasi made significant contributions to Islamic music, literature, and Sufi philosophy through his writings and translations.

His extensive literary output of over 60 books, including research on folk traditions and novels addressing environmental and cultural themes, established him as a key figure in documenting Bangladesh’s artistic and spiritual identity.

Patients across Iran are facing severe difficulties obtaining essential medicines due to shortages and rising prices, according to the state news agency IRNA. The report said shortages have affected drugs such as Clidinium-C, certain antibiotics, Ascentra, and Estradiol Valerate. Health officials, however, continue to deny claims of a major crisis in the pharmaceutical market.

IRNA reported that a three-sheet pack of 2 mg Estradiol Valerate, used in infertility and other treatments, officially costs about 840,000 rials, or roughly 47 cents, but is being sold on the black market for between 5 million and 17 million rials, equivalent to $2.80 to $9.40. A woman undergoing IVF treatment in Tehran said she searched pharmacies for over seven hours to find only three sheets of the drug, criticizing the government for promoting childbirth while basic IVF medicines remain scarce.

The report attributed the disruptions in production and pricing to foreign exchange fluctuations, international sanctions, raw material import issues, energy costs, liquidity shortages, and funding gaps in the insurance sector. Some drug prices were raised before insurance systems updated their rates, forcing patients to pay more out of pocket.

A bridge built two decades ago in Rupnagar area of Baghasura Union under Madhabpur upazila, Habiganj, remains unused because no connecting road was ever constructed. The bridge, built at a cost of about 1.2 million taka over a canal on the Shahjibazar–Baghasura–Chatiain Bazar road, has gathered moss and developed cracks due to long neglect.

According to local sources, the original plan was to replace an old, risky bridge, but opposition from some influential villagers prevented its demolition. To avoid losing the allocated budget, the contractor built the new bridge beside the old one instead. Residents still use the old bridge daily, facing safety risks. The upazila engineer said the bridge was built before his tenure and that the adjacent landowner had refused to provide land for the approach road. The landowner stated he would sell the land only at current market value, while a local union official noted that just two decimals of land worth around 200,000 taka are needed to make the bridge usable.

Local authorities said they will discuss the issue with higher officials to find a solution.

A father and son were killed early Saturday when a speeding bus ran them over while they were repairing a truck tire on the Bhanga-Mawa highway near the Bagail toll plaza in Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila. The victims were identified as Yusuf Ali and his son Yakub Ali, residents of Rupdia in Jashore Sadar. According to police and local sources, their freight truck had stopped after a tire puncture, and both were working to fix it when the accident occurred.

Police from the Shibchar Highway Station recovered the bodies after the incident. Bhanga Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Md Helal Uddin said the truck had been seized and brought to the station. Efforts were underway to identify the bus and arrest its driver. Legal procedures were reported to be in progress.

Authorities have not yet confirmed further details about the bus or its driver, and the investigation continues.

Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan stated that meaningful change requires repairing both the state and society through national consensus. He made the remarks on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the opening ceremony of the National Film Society Conference 2026 organized by the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies.

The minister emphasized that some work stems from humanitarian motives, while the pursuit of wealth is a separate matter. He urged those involved in art, literature, and film to clearly understand this distinction in their work. Addressing social transformation, he said that the roadmap should not only focus on the film movement but also on broader social change, avoiding any group-based ideology.

Swapan cautioned that ideology-driven change can often turn into propaganda serving group interests, noting that those bound by group loyalty cannot possess true intellectual freedom.

Palestine has called on the international community to recognize the 1948 violence and displacement of Palestinians, known as the Nakba, as a crime of ethnic cleansing. The appeal came in a statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, marking Nakba Day. The ministry emphasized the need to acknowledge the lasting impact of the event and urged global support for Palestinians’ legitimate and inalienable rights.

The statement reaffirmed Palestinians’ right to return to their homeland, establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, and end the prolonged Israeli occupation. It accused Israeli forces of continuing the Nakba through ongoing aggression in Gaza and violence in the West Bank. The ministry urged the international community to move beyond verbal support and take effective measures to protect Palestinians from such crimes.

According to the Wafa news agency, Israeli attacks in Gaza and the West Bank have continued despite a formal ceasefire. Recent strikes killed several people, with thousands reported dead or injured since the escalation began in October 2023.

Qatar’s energy sector has suffered severe damage following Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and U.S.-linked sites in the Middle East, as well as Tehran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. According to a New York Times report published Thursday, the disruptions have left the Gulf nation’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports paralyzed, with tankers stranded and billions of dollars in revenue lost. The LNG carrier Rashida, circling near the Gulf for over two months, has become a symbol of the global energy gridlock.

Qatar, one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, saw major infrastructure damage in March when Iranian drones and missiles struck its Ras Laffan production complex. Two heavily damaged units accounted for about 17 percent of total output. QatarEnergy estimates that restoring full capacity could take three to five years. Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, shipping companies remain wary due to security risks, leaving around 1,600 vessels trapped in the area.

Industry observers cited in the report believe the crisis may permanently alter regional energy routes, as support grows for infrastructure projects bypassing the Hormuz Strait.

China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, has strongly criticized a Bahrain-sponsored and US-backed draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz at the UN Security Council. He stated that both the content and timing of the proposal were inappropriate and that passing such a resolution would not be helpful. The draft calls on Iran to halt attacks and the laying of mines in the strategic waterway.

Diplomats indicated that if the proposal is formally tabled, both China and Russia may again exercise their veto powers. The two countries had vetoed a similar US-supported resolution last month, citing claims of bias against Iran. In a short interview clip published by the UN-focused news portal PassBlue, Fu Cong emphasized the need for sincere and serious dialogue between all parties instead of adopting resolutions.

Fu concluded that passing a resolution at this stage would not contribute to resolving the issue, signaling continued opposition from Beijing and Moscow to unilateral measures targeting Iran.

Tensions have escalated at Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) following an attack linked to ongoing protests demanding the removal of the Vice Chancellor. The unrest stems from a six-month-long conflict between Vice Chancellor Professor Kazi Rafiqul Islam and Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor S.M. Hemayet Jahan. A case has been filed against 26 individuals after the attack on a group of BNP-affiliated teachers, officers, and employees, with one arrest already made.

The dispute began after the 57th Regent Board meeting in December, where disagreements over promotions and administrative decisions divided the faculty. Subsequent incidents, including the removal of a dean and allegations of forced signatures on official documents, deepened the rift. Both sides have accused each other of corruption, irregularities, and political bias, leading to a prolonged deadlock in university governance.

Teachers and officials continue sit-in protests demanding punishment for those involved in the attack. The Vice Chancellor claims a vested group is destabilizing the campus to conceal past irregularities, while the Pro-Vice Chancellor’s faction blames the administration for mismanagement and authoritarian practices.

Israel has claimed responsibility for killing Hamas military commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad in an airstrike on a residential building in central Gaza City. The strike, which witnesses said involved three missiles fired from two directions, also targeted a car that attempted to flee the scene. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that Haddad was responsible for killings, kidnappings, and injuries of Israeli civilians and soldiers, describing him as one of the planners of the October 7 attacks.

Eyewitnesses reported a major fire following the strike and difficulties rescuing the injured. Local sources said Haddad was severely wounded in the first attack and was being transported in the car hit in the second strike, killing three people. Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied Haddad’s death.

The incident occurred despite a ceasefire in place since October 10. Israel continues to justify operations as targeting Hamas members, while Hamas accuses Israel of violating the truce and attacking civilians. The U.S.-led peace plan for Gaza remains stalled, with disarmament talks unresolved and Hamas reasserting control in the territory.

At least ten people were injured in a serious road accident on the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway near the No. 2 bridge area of Kutubpur Union in Shibchar upazila, Madaripur. The collision occurred around 11 p.m. on Friday, May 15, when a Dhaka-bound Sakura Paribahan passenger bus from Barishal lost control and crashed into the rear of a truck carrying rice husk. Several of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

Local residents and highway police quickly launched a rescue operation, sending the injured to Shibchar Upazila Health Complex and other nearby hospitals. Police confirmed that the bus driver and helper were among those seriously hurt. Traffic on the expressway slowed briefly after the crash but was restored soon after the damaged vehicles were removed.

According to Shibchar Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman, the rescue operation was completed promptly, and normal traffic flow was ensured after clearing the accident site.