The International Labour Organization (ILO) has pledged full cooperation to assist the Bangladesh government in creating employment opportunities. The commitment was made by ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo during a bilateral meeting in Geneva with Bangladesh’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who was attending the 356th ILO Governing Body session. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Labour, Employment and Education Mahdi Amin and Labour Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarafdar were also present.

Houngbo expressed solidarity with Bangladesh’s priority programs and congratulated the new government on assuming office following recent elections. He emphasized the importance of Bangladesh’s democratic process and praised the country’s diplomatic efforts for gaining international support. Minister Chowdhury conveyed the Prime Minister’s greetings and highlighted the government’s focus on employment for youth and women, seeking a more active role from the ILO’s Dhaka office. He also requested cooperation in resolving the ongoing Article 26 issue concerning Bangladesh.

The meeting discussed strengthening international labour standards, expanding social protection programs, and increasing the involvement of multinational companies and global brands in ensuring workers’ rights. The minister welcomed Houngbo’s possible visit to Bangladesh in June.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that preparing the upcoming national budget will be challenging due to a fragile economy, pressure to implement election pledges, and the ongoing war in the Middle East. He made the remarks on Wednesday after a meeting with officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), where he discussed fiscal strategies for the next financial year.

The minister noted that the economy is already under strain, and the government faces obligations to fulfill its electoral commitments. The Middle East conflict has further complicated the situation by increasing costs, particularly in energy imports. He emphasized that the government aims to design a budget that boosts revenue collection without harming investment and employment.

Chowdhury added that the government does not intend to print money and seeks to reduce dependence on borrowing, moving instead toward an investment-driven economy. The upcoming budget will focus on ensuring resources for development and encouraging both domestic and foreign investment.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate two canal excavation projects in Jhenaidah and Feni this month as part of the nationwide canal excavation program. Water Resources Minister Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie announced the plan after a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister at the Secretariat. He said that excavation work in a canal at Kaharol in Dinajpur has already begun, and the new initiatives will extend the program to two more districts.

The minister stated that the Prime Minister will personally visit both districts to launch the projects, while ministers and state ministers will oversee activities in other areas. The meeting discussed completing the excavation within 180 days and achieving the target of 20,000 kilometers of canals. He noted that many rivers have been damaged by encroachment and pollution, posing challenges to implementation.

According to the minister, strict measures have been taken to recover occupied canals, and coordinated efforts are underway to overcome obstacles. He also mentioned that the Teesta Master Plan remains under technical discussion and that the technical team continues work on the Ganges Treaty with India.

The United States has pledged to stand by Bangladesh in addressing the global energy crisis triggered by ongoing instability in the Middle East. The assurance came during a high-level meeting at the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., where Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman met with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The discussion was confirmed in a press release issued by the Bangladesh Embassy in the United States on April 1, 2026.

During the meeting, the Bangladeshi foreign minister highlighted the pressure on the country’s energy sector due to disruptions in global supply chains and sought U.S. cooperation to ensure energy security. In response, the U.S. energy secretary said Washington was aware of Bangladesh’s situation and committed to supporting the country in overcoming the challenges.

Both sides also discussed prospects for long-term energy cooperation, including ensuring stable energy supplies for Bangladesh and expanding opportunities for energy imports from the United States. Senior officials from both governments attended the meeting.

More than two hundred workers were injured in a ferry accident at Mongla in Bagerhat on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred when workers were crossing the river to reach their workplaces, and overcrowding and disorder led to a stampede. Many fell into the river and sustained serious injuries. Locals helped rescue the injured and sent them to nearby hospitals for treatment. Officials fear the number of injured could rise further.

Workers alleged that long-standing mismanagement, excessive passenger pressure, and lack of safety measures have repeatedly caused such accidents. They demanded immediate steps to ensure safe crossings, saying they risk their lives daily without a permanent solution from the authorities.

Mongla Upazila Executive Officer and Municipal Administrator Sharmin Akter Sumi said the matter is being taken seriously, medical care has been arranged for the injured, and necessary steps will be taken to prevent future incidents. She added that initiatives are underway to improve ferry management and restore order soon. Workers warned of protests if a permanent safety solution is not implemented quickly.

A joint operation by RAB-12 of Sirajganj and RAB-13 of Rangpur uncovered a counterfeit money factory in Gangachara upazila, Rangpur. During the raid, law enforcers arrested Md. Rubel Mia, aged 34, and seized fake currency and equipment used for producing counterfeit notes. The operation was confirmed in a press release signed by Additional DIG Md. Atikur Rahman Mia, PPM, on Wednesday morning.

According to the press release, the raid took place on Tuesday afternoon at Rubel’s residence in Chengmari area under Gangachara police station, where RAB recovered counterfeit notes worth Tk 192,500 along with printing materials. Earlier, on March 29, two individuals were arrested in Sirajganj with fake notes worth Tk 1,315,700, and information from that case led to the Gangachara operation.

RAB stated that the arrested individuals had been involved in producing and distributing counterfeit currency for a long time and were already facing multiple criminal cases.

Six people were killed and six others injured in separate road accidents on the Cumilla section of the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway on Wednesday. The incidents occurred between 6 a.m. and noon in Daudkandi’s Chandina, Nimsa, and Chauddagram areas. According to highway police sources, an unidentified bus hit a CNG-run autorickshaw at Daudkandi’s Baropara, killing Abdul Barek, 53, and Mostafa, 52, both residents of Sarkarpur village in Daudkandi.

In another accident near Nimsa Bazar in Burichang, three people were killed on the Dhaka-bound lane. They were identified as Jahirul Islam, 27, from Lalpur village in Begumganj; Sohel Rana, 35, from Keshabpur village in Meherpur Sadar; and Taim, a ninth-grade student of Bara Gobindapur High School in Chandina. In Chauddagram, one more person died after being hit by a bus, though the victim’s identity was not immediately known.

Highway police officials confirmed the fatalities and said investigations were underway to identify the vehicles involved and determine the causes of the accidents.

A severe fuel shortage in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur has disrupted irrigation for the ongoing Boro season, raising concerns over crop yield. Irregular diesel and electricity supply have hindered water pumping in fields, leaving many farmers unable to irrigate on schedule. As a result, uncertainty looms over this year’s Irri and Boro rice production.

Local farmers said that delayed irrigation reduces Boro yield and causes grain sterility. Many are being forced to buy diesel at inflated prices, doubling their production costs. Farmer Shamsul Alam reported that diesel, once easily available at fixed rates, now costs two to three times more and is still difficult to obtain, putting cultivation at risk.

According to the upazila agriculture office, Boro rice has been cultivated on 3,910 hectares this season. The office warned that continued fuel shortages could prevent achieving the production target. Upazila Agriculture Officer Sabbir Ahmed stated that the issue is being addressed seriously and efforts are underway to normalize fuel supply through coordination with relevant authorities.

Police and the upazila administration in Sapahar, Naogaon, have initiated strict monitoring at Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna filling stations to prevent illegal hoarding and smuggling of fuel. The operation began on Saturday and has been extended to border areas to stop the flow of fuel into India.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rumena Riaz told journalists on Monday that surveillance has been intensified at all three filling stations. She explained that due to higher fuel prices in India and the current global situation, certain groups have been attempting to hoard and smuggle fuel across the border for profit. To counter this, the administration has strengthened monitoring in border zones.

According to the UNO, local administration and law enforcement agencies have been deployed on the ground to ensure effective control during this period of fuel supply challenges.

Following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, public concern has grown in Bangladesh over the country’s fuel reserves and supply duration. Despite government assurances that there is no fuel crisis, long queues have formed at filling stations, and reports of disputes between customers and sellers have surfaced. According to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, as of March 31, Bangladesh held 128,939 metric tons of diesel, 7,940 metric tons of octane, 11,431 metric tons of petrol, and 44,609 metric tons of jet fuel. Experts estimate that the current diesel stock could last around 11 days, though new imports from Malaysia and India are expected to replenish supplies.

Energy officials maintain that monthly demand will be met and that the situation is under control. However, experts warn that Bangladesh’s limited storage capacity—only 30 to 40 days of supply—poses a risk to energy security. The government has deployed “tag officers” to monitor fuel stations and launched nationwide drives against illegal hoarding. On March 30, 391 raids resulted in 191 cases, fines totaling about one million taka, and the recovery of over 80,000 liters of fuel.

Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud stated that Bangladesh is also exploring alternative fuel sources and maintaining supply contracts with India, Malaysia, and Singapore.

A Jubo Dal leader in Kishoreganj was allegedly abducted and severely beaten by a BNP leader after refusing to pay extortion money. The victim, Babul Mia, convener of Latibabad Union Jubo Dal, was reportedly taken from his business premises in the Katabaria area near the regional passport office on Tuesday afternoon. He was admitted to Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital with broken limbs.

According to Babul Mia, BNP’s joint general secretary of the upazila unit, Shahidul Islam Shahid, demanded Tk 6,000 from him. After Babul refused and informed the police, he was allegedly abducted and assaulted by Shahid’s associates. Babul’s father, Md. Hadis Mia, later filed a written complaint with the Sadar Model Police Station, naming Shahidul Islam as the main accused along with five others.

Shahidul Islam denied the allegations, claiming he had no dispute with Babul and was not involved in extortion. The officer-in-charge of Kishoreganj Model Police Station confirmed receiving the complaint and said an investigation is underway.

A grocery shopkeeper named Dilshad Ali in Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur has been fined Tk 50,000 for selling petrol at an inflated price. The fine was imposed on Tuesday night by Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Md. Zillur Rahman during a drive in the Daudpur Bazar area. Dilshad, son of the late Yakub Ali from Laugari village in Daudpur Union, was reportedly selling petrol at Tk 350 per litre.

The action was part of a local administrative effort to curb overpricing of essential commodities and ensure compliance with government-set fuel prices. The inspection and penalty were carried out under the authority of the upazila administration.

The report did not mention whether further legal measures or follow-up monitoring would take place after the fine.

The district administration in Narayanganj seized 9,100 liters of illegally stored diesel in Siddhirganj on Tuesday night. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Rashed Khan in the Godnail area. Following the seizure, a mobile court sentenced one individual to two months in jail for involvement in the illegal fuel storage.

According to district administration sources, the raid was conducted based on confidential information. The seized fuel was found stored without authorization, prompting immediate legal action. Executive Magistrate Rashed Khan stated that similar drives will continue to curb illegal fuel hoarding in the area.

The operation reflects ongoing enforcement efforts by local authorities to prevent unauthorized fuel trading and ensure compliance with energy regulations in Narayanganj.

Police in Meherpur district seized 5,375 liters of diesel allegedly stored illegally during a late-night raid in Dakshin Shalika village, a border area under Meherpur Sadar upazila. The operation took place around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, led by Additional Superintendent of Police Zaminur Rahman, with teams from Sadar Police Station and the Detective Branch participating. The diesel was found in 25 barrels inside a warehouse belonging to Farabi Traders.

The owner of Farabi Traders, Abu Sufian, was taken into police custody for questioning following the seizure. According to Meherpur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Humayun Kabir, the confiscated fuel was discovered in a shop’s storage facility in the village’s western neighborhood. The operation was based on a tip-off received by law enforcement.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the source of the diesel or whether additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested a total of 54 individuals in separate special operations conducted in the Jatrabari and Hazaribagh areas of the capital. The operations took place on Tuesday and targeted people allegedly involved in various criminal activities. Police also recovered illegal drugs during the raids.

According to Jatrabari Police Station, 11 suspects were detained from different parts of the area, and officers seized 100 grams of cannabis, nine yaba tablets, and 44 packets of heroin. In Hazaribagh, police arrested 43 individuals and recovered 33 packets of cannabis and 27 yaba tablets. All detainees have been sent to court following the arrests.

Assistant Police Commissioner Arifa Akhter Preeti from DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division stated that such operations will continue to maintain law and order in the city.