Assistant Attorney General Md. Tarikul Islam has resigned from his post. On Tuesday, he submitted his resignation letter to the Attorney General, stating his intention to contest for the position of Joint Secretary in the upcoming Supreme Court Bar Association election.

In his resignation letter, Tarikul Islam explained that he decided to step down in order to participate as a candidate in the 2026–27 Supreme Court Bar Association election. He also requested the Attorney General to accept his resignation through the proper procedure.

The two-day election for the Supreme Court Bar Association is scheduled to take place on May 13 and 14, 2026.

BNP National Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy stated that Bangladesh’s relationship with India will remain the same regardless of which party comes to power in India. He made the remarks on Tuesday at the capital’s Zia Udyan after paying tribute to former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, accompanied by party leaders and activists.

The event was organized to mark the oath-taking of Advocate Nipun Roy Chowdhury as a Member of Parliament from a reserved women’s seat. Leaders from Dhaka district and South Keraniganj BNP, along with affiliated organizations, attended the program. Roy emphasized that Bangladesh values its independence and sovereignty, and therefore its relations with India will not depend on political changes there. He also congratulated the newly elected Indian leaders.

Nipun Roy Chowdhury expressed gratitude to BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for her nomination and pledged to work for public welfare. She said the party’s foreign policy would prioritize the interests of the Bangladeshi people.

Iran’s state television reported on Monday that the country had no preplanned operation to carry out a drone attack on an energy facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. The UAE had earlier accused Iran of launching the strike, which injured three Indian nationals who were hospitalized. The UAE described the incident as a dangerous escalation during a regional ceasefire.

An Iranian military official stated that the Islamic Republic did not plan any such attack and blamed the United States for creating instability in the region. He claimed that U.S. military actions in the Strait of Hormuz had provoked the situation and urged Washington to stop its aggressive behavior, warning that such actions could affect the global economy.

The report also noted that after the U.S. deployed a destroyer to the Persian Gulf, Iran’s navy fired warning shots at an American warship. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to assist stranded civilian vessels in the area, while both sides rejected each other’s claims about destroyed naval vessels.

Thousands of acres of farmland in Dhamrai, Dhaka, have been submerged due to severe waterlogging caused by the absence of proper drainage systems. Local farmers and representatives allege that unplanned industrial expansion and landfilling by factory owners have blocked natural water flow, leaving mustard and paddy fields underwater across three villages. The affected areas include parts of Somvag Union, where hundreds of farmers are unable to cultivate crops.

According to local accounts, the problem worsened as industrial establishments and roads expanded along both sides of the Dhaka–Aricha Highway, filling and occupying canals such as the historic Gazikhali canal. Farmers report that around 5,000 acres of land remain flooded, drastically reducing agricultural output. Union Parishad member Jahangir Alam and chairman candidate Abul Hossain both emphasized the urgent need for drainage restoration to revive crop production.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Arifur Rahman confirmed that unplanned industrialization and canal encroachment caused the waterlogging. Upazila Executive Officer Al-Mamun stated that a major project is required to re-excavate the canal and pledged to coordinate with highway officials to prevent further agricultural losses.

Two people, including a child, were killed in a road accident in Uzirpur upazila of Barishal on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred at the Joysree bus stand area on the Dhaka-Barishal highway when a Barishal-bound Hanif Paribahan bus, reportedly moving at high speed, hit two pedestrians crossing the road. The victims, identified as Roksona Yasmin, aged 63, and her seven-year-old granddaughter Arfa, were taken to Uzirpur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.

According to police and eyewitnesses, the bus was traveling recklessly when it struck the pedestrians. The deceased were residents of the Joysree area in Uzirpur. Uzirpur Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge Rakibul Islam stated that traffic movement on the highway has since returned to normal. Highway police confirmed that an investigation is underway and necessary legal steps are being processed.

Authorities have not yet provided further details about the driver or any arrests related to the incident.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman announced that the government will investigate why measles vaccines were not administered during the interim government period. He made the statement on Tuesday at the Secretariat during a weekly briefing in response to reporters’ questions. The investigation aims to determine whether any negligence by the interim administration contributed to the deaths of over three hundred children showing measles symptoms.

Rahman stated that 16.1 million children aged six months to under five years have received the vaccine, reaching 89 percent of the target, and full coverage is expected within days. He added that health departments have begun preparations to combat dengue outbreaks. This week, 2.2 million additional mixing syringes arrived in the country with support from UNICEF and Gavi for the ongoing measles-rubella vaccination campaign.

He also discussed government initiatives to improve public transport management in Dhaka, including plans for electric buses and the introduction of an ETC system on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

A family in Nabiganj, Habiganj, has reported receiving death threats from human traffickers holding their son, Raihan Chowdhury, captive in Libya. On Monday evening, traffickers Shamim and Rakib allegedly called Raihan’s father, Abu Taher Chowdhury, warning that his son would be killed and his body dumped at sea if he opposed the bail of Shamim’s father, Nazrul Islam, in a human trafficking case scheduled for May 11 at the Habiganj District Judge Court. The threats followed a court letter asking Abu Taher to attend the hearing and state any objections to the bail.

Raihan was reportedly detained in Libya after being promised travel to Italy. The traffickers allegedly extorted Tk 2.7 million in ransom but continued to demand another Tk 2.5 million, torturing him and threatening further harm. He has been missing for 43 days. Abu Taher said he filed the trafficking case but is now under pressure to withdraw it. CID’s Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Cell in Dhaka confirmed awareness of the case and said steps are being taken to prevent the accused from fleeing abroad.

Authorities stated they have begun procedures to act against both domestic and overseas suspects once case documents are received.

The United Kingdom is set to hold local elections on Thursday, which analysts say could present a serious political challenge for the ruling Labour Party. Led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this will be the government’s first major electoral test since its landslide victory in the 2024 general election. Millions of voters across Scotland, England, and Wales are expected to participate.

Polls suggest Labour may lose a significant number of seats, potentially raising questions about Starmer’s leadership, though replacing him appears unlikely for now. Analysts note that Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, and the Green Party could make notable gains as voter disillusionment with traditional parties grows. In Wales, Labour’s century-long dominance is reportedly under threat, while in Scotland, the Scottish National Party could strengthen its position.

Experts attribute Labour’s difficulties to unpopular government decisions, weak communication, and voter frustration over rising living costs and economic pressures. Although internal discussions about leadership have reportedly begun, major changes within the party are not yet expected.

A series of Ukrainian drone attacks on an oil refinery and terminal in Tuapse, a coastal city on Russia’s Black Sea, has triggered a severe environmental crisis. The refinery, hit four times in two weeks, caught fire again last Friday, releasing toxic smoke that led to ‘black rain’ falling over the area. Around 30 miles of coastline have been contaminated by spilled oil. Environmentalists have described the incident as one of Russia’s worst ecological disasters since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Thick, acrid smoke has blanketed Tuapse’s skies, and residents report oily, poisonous droplets falling from the air. Vladimir Slivyak, head of the environmental group Ecodefense, warned that carcinogenic substances such as benzene are present, posing serious health risks. Dead fish and dolphins have washed ashore, while local anger grows over what residents see as government indifference. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the attacks but dismissed them as “no major threat.”

Authorities have reportedly restricted internet and Telegram use to control information. The Kyiv School of Economics estimates Russia’s revenue losses at about $2.2 billion, with refinery reconstruction possibly costing $5 billion. Schools in Tuapse remain closed, and residents are advised to stay indoors and avoid tap water.

A newly built approach road to a bridge on the Safipur–Boroibari regional road in Kaliakoir, Gazipur, collapsed just one month after its inauguration. The incident occurred in the Kaliadah Mokosh Beel area, prompting allegations of substandard construction work against the contractor. The 55-meter bridge was built under the Program for Supporting Rural Bridges project, jointly funded by the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank, at a cost of Tk 5.14 crore. The project was implemented by Messrs Mostafa Kamal & Sons Enterprise, with a scheduled completion date of December 15 last year.

Local residents expressed frustration, saying the road appeared fine initially but failed within weeks. Attempts to contact the contractor’s owner, Mohammad Abdul Kader, were unsuccessful. Abdul Al Mamun, the upazila sub-assistant engineer, stated that heavy rainfall caused the collapse and that the contractor would be instructed to repair the damaged section promptly. He also noted that the project’s official work period had not yet expired.

The collapse has raised questions about construction quality and oversight in publicly funded infrastructure projects in the region.

Elon Musk has agreed to pay a $1.5 million fine to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle a lawsuit accusing him of failing to disclose his Twitter (now X) share purchases on time. The case, filed in January 2025 just before President Donald Trump took office, alleged that Musk misled investors by delaying disclosure of acquiring more than 5% of Twitter’s shares in 2022, before taking ownership of the social media platform. A filing on Monday revealed that a Musk trust will pay the fine, though Musk has not admitted any wrongdoing. The settlement will be finalized once approved by the court.

The SEC had initially sought more than $200 million in penalties, claiming that Musk’s delay deprived ordinary investors of over $150 million in potential gains. Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, described the fine as minor and said it resolves all issues related to filing delays during the Twitter acquisition. An SEC spokesperson noted that if approved, this would mark the largest penalty ever imposed by the agency for failure to disclose share ownership on time.

Despite the settlement, Musk still faces a separate class-action lawsuit from investors over the same issue.

Thailand’s cabinet has approved an emergency loan package worth 12.2 billion US dollars to address the economic fallout from the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The decision, announced on May 5, 2026, marks one of the country’s largest borrowing plans in decades, aimed at stabilizing the economy amid external shocks.

According to Thai lawmakers, the funds will be used to boost domestic spending and ease financial hardship among citizens. The Ministry of Finance recently revised its GDP growth forecast downward from 2.4 percent to 1.6 percent, reflecting the strain on the economy. The government stated that the emergency loan will be utilized between June and September under the “Thais Help Thais” program, which will provide direct support to over 20 million low-income residents.

Officials expect the initiative to help reduce living costs and sustain household consumption during the period of global economic uncertainty triggered by the Middle East crisis.

Seven additional witnesses were cross-examined in a corruption case involving former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 others, accused of embezzling around Tk 25 crore from United Commercial Bank. The cross-examinations took place on Tuesday at the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge Court, presided over by Judge Mizanur Rahman, where defense lawyers questioned the witnesses.

Earlier, on April 21, ten witnesses testified on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), bringing the total number of witnesses examined so far to eighteen, including the complainant, according to ACC public prosecutor Mokarram Hossain. The court has scheduled the next hearing for May 20.

The ACC filed the charge sheet on January 7 against Javed, his wife Rukmila Zaman, and 34 others for alleged embezzlement and money laundering. Court sources said Javed is currently in London with his family and remains absconding. Legal procedures are ongoing to take action against the fugitives.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that Europe will not submit to a transactional, inward-looking, and rigid global system. Speaking at the opening session of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on Monday, Carney said he believes a renewed international order could emerge from Europe itself. He became the first non-European leader to attend the EPC summit, which was seen as a strategic move to highlight Armenia’s independence from Russian influence.

The meeting took place amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed doubts about the United States’ commitment to NATO following President Donald Trump’s announcement to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that many alliances are under strain, while French President Emmanuel Macron said European nations are increasing defense spending and developing their own solutions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Europe must be part of any future negotiations with Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte both emphasized the need to strengthen Europe’s defense pillar within NATO, acknowledging shifting dynamics in transatlantic relations.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher has called on district commissioners (DCs) to assist in evicting illegal land occupations, maintaining canals to prevent waterlogging, managing parks and playgrounds, and supporting tree plantation programs. He made the request during the DC Conference held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, according to the ministry’s public relations office.

The minister noted that agencies under his ministry have long worked as key partners with district administrations in implementing various government initiatives related to infrastructure, housing, and urban management. He thanked the DCs for their cooperation and highlighted ongoing projects such as dormitory and studio apartment construction for government employees, integrated office buildings, and renovation of old structures. He also urged collective efforts to implement the new government procurement policy.

Taher emphasized that DCs play a vital role in resolving ownership of abandoned properties, ensuring availability of khas land for housing, and supporting the operations of RAJUK and other urban development authorities. He called for patriotic and coordinated work to strengthen field administration and overcome institutional inefficiencies.