A resolute half-century from Imrul Kayes saw Bangladesh reach a lead of 128, despite being pegged back by two wickets from debutant Zafar Ansari.
Bangladesh ended day two on 152 for 3, leading by 128 runs. Two wickets for Zafar Ansari in his maiden Test, including the dismissal of Mahmudullah off the final delivery of the day.
Teenage spinner, Mehedi Hasan had earlier continued the fairy-tale start to his Test career with a six-wicket haul to limit England’s first innings lead to 24.
The 18-year-old became the third spinner in history to take five-wicket hauls in the first innings of each of his first two Test appearances.
A record 9th wicket partnership of 99 between Adil Rashid (44*) and Chris Woakes (46) took the visitors’ tally to 240, despite falling to 69-5 and 144-8.
A frantic start to day two saw 14 runs come off eleven deliveries as Moeen Ali began with attacking intent. He soon became the first casualty of the day as he missed his attempted sweep and the ball cannoned onto the stumps.
England were soon in further trouble when another in-form spinner, Taijul Islam, had Ben Stokes caught at short leg for a duck.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow hinted at a rescue job with a 45-run partnership for the sixth wicket, only for the wicketkeeper/batsman to be trapped in-front by the retuning Mehedi on 24.
The teenager completed his five-fer by dismissing Ansari for 13 and pressure was ramped-up on England’s ninth wicket duo when Root was lbw to Taijul for 56.
Woakes enjoyed a let-off when he was caught at midwicket failing to dispatch a full toss, before it was overturned as a no-ball by the third umpire.
The second new ball reaped immediate rewards as Mehedi had Woakes (46) caught at leg gully.
Taijul wrapped up the innings in the following over having Finn caught behind for no score.
With the match moving on at pace, Ansari claimed his maiden wicket as he snapped up ex-Outlaw Tamim Iqbal at leg slip, bringing to an end a flowing opening stand of 65.
England made it two quick wickets in succession as the deadly Ben Stokes had Mominul Haque caught by Alastair Cook at slip. That dismissal left Bangladesh 66 for 2, a lead of 42 with both openers back in the hut.
Mahmudullah (47) and Imrul (59*) took the game away from England once more with a damaging partnership of 86.
However, from the last ball before stumps, a moment of madness from Mahmudullah (47), as he swiped across a full delivery and was bowled, giving Ansari his second wicket and provided England with a timely boost.
“The partnership between me and Rashid was absolutely vital I think,” said all-rounder Chris Woakes.
“We were still plenty behind at that stage, so it was nice to put together a really important partnership and get us ahead of them.
“We’re frustrated at how it went with the ball though – their openers came out firing, as they tend to do out here.
“Tamim got away from us, but once we got him out we stemmed the flow a bit and it was nice to get a crucial wicket of Mahmudullah at the end of the day.”
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