Farmers in Amtali upazila of Barguna district are facing financial losses despite a bumper watermelon harvest this year. The cultivated area exceeded the target of 4,249 hectares, reaching over 4,309 hectares, according to the local agriculture office. However, low market prices have left many growers disappointed, with watermelons weighing 5 to 7 kilograms selling for only 120 to 150 taka each. Only those who managed to bring their produce to market early have seen some profit.

Local farmers, including Mamun Molla of Patakata village, reported that despite excellent yields, they are unable to recover production and land lease costs due to weak demand from wholesalers. Agricultural officer Md. Russel stated that favorable weather conditions had raised expectations of earning up to 2.5 billion taka from watermelon cultivation in Amtali alone, but the lack of fair prices now threatens that projection.

Upazila Executive Officer Muhammad Zafar Arif Chowdhury urged wholesalers from across the country to visit Amtali and purchase watermelons, emphasizing the region’s suitability for large-scale commercial cultivation and the administration’s continued support for local farmers.

A special team of RAB-5 recovered nine kilograms and 150 grams of gunpowder along with bomb-making materials during a raid in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. The operation took place on Sunday night in an orchard at Kathanipara area under Ghorapakhia Union, following a tip-off. The information was confirmed in a press release issued by the RAB-5 Chapainawabganj camp on Monday afternoon.

According to the RAB statement, the raid was led by company commander Fahaduzzaman Akand. No suspects were detained during the operation. The seized explosives were later handed over to Shibganj Police Station. Sub-inspector Abdul Alim of Shibganj police confirmed that the materials were deposited under a general diary entry and that legal action would follow.

Authorities have not yet identified those responsible for storing the explosives, and further investigation is expected to determine their source and intended use.

A severe fuel shortage has hit Rupsa upazila in Khulna, causing major disruptions for residents and transport workers. Two local fuel stations, Monir Uddin Fuel Station and Kazi Sobhan Pump, are struggling to maintain adequate supply. Long queues of motorcycles, private cars, and other vehicles have formed, with many drivers waiting two to three hours only to receive limited amounts of fuel worth 100 to 200 taka. In some cases, supplies run out after serving a few hundred vehicles, leaving others without fuel.

The manager of Kazi Sobhan Pump said they are receiving very small quantities of fuel from the company, far below local demand, forcing them to ration distribution. Frustrated customers reported losing valuable time and income due to the shortage. Some locals suspect that a syndicate might be behind the crisis, though no clear information has emerged. Meanwhile, fuel is reportedly available at retail shops for 200 to 220 taka per liter after bargaining.

The situation has raised concerns about supply chain irregularities and the lack of transparency in fuel distribution in the area.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Jahangir Alam testified as the second witness in the murder case of Imam Hasan Taim, son of a police officer, at the International Crimes Tribunal-2 in Dhaka. He stated that Taim’s body was brought to the Rajarbagh Jame Mosque on July 21, 2024, after the July uprising. During the ritual washing, he observed multiple bullet wounds on the body, which appeared to have been caused by shotgun fire. The body was later handed over to Taim’s father, Moinal Hossain.

Two more witnesses also gave statements. Sub-Inspector Delwar Hossain said he was assigned to handle cases involving injured or deceased police personnel during the July movement. He recounted finding Taim’s body at a morgue near the new building of Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being informed that the victim had been shot. Inspector Nizam Uddin confirmed that the inquest report was prepared on July 21 in their presence.

The testimonies detailed the condition of the body and the official procedures followed after the incident.

A Jamalpur court has sentenced Aminul Islam to death for murdering his wife, Sujana Akter, in a dowry-related case. The verdict was delivered on Monday morning by Judge Muhammad Abdur Rahim of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1. The court also fined Aminul Islam 100,000 taka, ordering the amount to be paid to the victim’s parents.

According to the prosecution, Aminul Islam, son of Md. Amjal from Beluar Char in Dewanganj upazila, married Sujana Akter, daughter of Suruj Mia from Taliapara in Bakshiganj upazila. Although dowry was given at the time of marriage, Aminul later demanded an additional 20,000 taka. When the demand was not met, he physically assaulted his wife on April 24, 2022. Sujana was taken to Bakshiganj Upazila Health Complex, where she died the following day. Her father subsequently filed a murder case with Dewanganj Model Police Station.

The court found Aminul Islam guilty beyond reasonable doubt based on testimonies from 13 witnesses and issued the death sentence in his presence.

A Dhaka court has granted a six-day remand for dismissed Lieutenant Colonel Md. Afzal Naser in connection with the murder of Delwar Hossain during the July uprising in Mirpur. The order was issued on Monday, March 30, 2026, by Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Hasib Ullah Piyash after the Detective Branch (DB) police sought a seven-day remand for interrogation. Naser was arrested earlier that morning from his residence in Mirpur DOHS.

According to the case documents, on July 19, 2024, Delwar Hossain was shot during a protest supporting the student movement at Mirpur-10 allegedly under Naser’s direction. He later died on July 21 while undergoing treatment at a hospital. The prosecution argued that Naser had previously assisted the then government in suppressing opposition activities and requested remand for further investigation. The defense sought bail and cancellation of the remand request, which the court rejected.

Investigators stated that preliminary evidence links Naser to the incident and that police interrogation is necessary to uncover the full circumstances of the killing.

A Narayanganj court has rejected the bail petition of Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy, the mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation, in a case concerning the burning death of interior worker Selim Mondal. The decision was delivered on Monday afternoon by District and Sessions Judge Md. Abu Shamim Azad after hearing both sides. This marks the second time Ivy’s bail request has been denied in the same case, following an earlier rejection on March 5 by Senior Judicial Magistrate Selina Khatun.

According to the case file, the incident occurred on July 20, 2024, when a fire broke out under the Dutch-Bangla Bank building on Chittagong Road, killing Selim Mondal and two other workers. The case was filed on June 30, 2024, by farmer Wazed Ali. Ivy’s lawyer, Advocate Awlad Hossain, stated that her name was not mentioned in the original complaint and alleged that she was shown arrested arbitrarily.

Earlier, Ivy had been arrested in multiple other cases, including several murder and obstruction charges. The High Court had granted her bail in five cases, but the order was later stayed by the Appellate Division.

A live mortar shell was discovered on Sunday afternoon in Bara Haron village under Natai Dakshin Union of Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila while local laborers were digging a pond. The shell was found around 1 p.m. at the ancestral home of language movement veteran and former Chamber of Commerce president Farid Uddin Ahmed. Police arrived at the scene, cordoned off the area with rope, and secured the site.

Authorities suspect the mortar shell dates back to the 1971 Liberation War. On Monday afternoon, a team from the Bangladesh Army inspected the recovered shell. The army’s artillery cell disposal unit from Cumilla is scheduled to neutralize it. Meanwhile, curious residents, including children, gathered near the site after hearing the news.

Police have maintained a security perimeter to prevent accidents and confirmed that the army’s disposal team is en route to safely deactivate the shell.

The government of Bangladesh has announced a reward of up to Tk 100,000 for individuals providing verified information on illegal fuel storage or smuggling. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division issued the notice on Monday, stating that the initiative aims to enhance transparency in fuel supply management and strengthen field-level monitoring through public participation. Informants’ identities will be kept strictly confidential, and payments will be made through the respective district administration after verification.

According to the government, certain groups have been exploiting recent global fuel price hikes and supply uncertainties to create artificial shortages by hoarding fuel and selling it at inflated prices. To ensure proper use of imported fuel and prevent market manipulation, authorities have already conducted operations in several districts against hoarding and smuggling networks.

Officials believe that involving the public through financial incentives will make enforcement efforts more effective and help maintain stability in the national fuel supply system.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a case under the Money Laundering Prevention Act against Evaly.com Limited owners Mohammad Rassel, 43, and his wife Shamima Nasrin, 40, for allegedly embezzling Tk 310.99 crore. According to a press release signed by CID Special Superintendent (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan on Monday, the case was registered at Dhaka’s Kafrul Police Station on March 28.

Preliminary investigation found that between December 16, 2018, and December 31, 2021, the couple and unidentified associates collected large sums from customers by taking online orders for products but failed to deliver them on time. They also purchased goods from various merchants without paying and allegedly used the embezzled funds to buy luxury cars, acquire assets, and travel abroad. Customers were repeatedly given new delivery dates, but products were never supplied.

CID stated that thousands of customers and merchants were defrauded through Evaly’s operations. The agency continues its investigation to trace the misappropriated funds and identify other collaborators involved in the scheme.

An Awami League leader named Shafiqul Rahman has been sentenced to six months of imprisonment and fined two lakh taka for illegally extracting soil and obstructing the natural flow of a canal in Chechuria area of Banshkhali upazila, Chattogram. The mobile court, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Md Omar Sani Akon, conducted the operation late on Monday, March 29, with assistance from Banshkhali police.

According to the report, the convicted leader used an excavator to remove soil from the canal, originally dug by former President Ziaur Rahman, and created an unauthorized fish farming project. The punishment was imposed under relevant sections of the Balumahal and Soil Management Act, 2010. Shafiqul Rahman, aged 50, is a resident of Ward 8, Chechuria, under Bailchhari Union Parishad.

The executive magistrate stated that such drives will continue to protect public interest and the environment from illegal activities of this nature.

The Bangladesh Fertilizer Association (BFA) has warned that all fertilizer dealers and retailers across the country will indefinitely suspend fertilizer sales and related activities if the government does not immediately withdraw Policy 2025, which the association has labeled as against public interest. The announcement was made through a press release issued on Sunday.

According to the statement, BFA leaders had repeatedly urged Agriculture Minister Aminur Rashid in writing to suspend the implementation of Policy 2025 and to retain the existing 2009 policy until a new, inclusive, and updated policy could be developed with input from all stakeholders. After the minister failed to take action, around 20,000 fertilizer dealers held a human chain protest in front of the National Press Club on March 11, warning of tougher nationwide movements if their demands were not met within two working days.

The association claims that enforcing Policy 2025 would leave 46,000 retail fertilizer sellers financially ruined and unemployed, potentially causing severe disruption in the agricultural sector. It also warned that fertilizer shortages, combined with ongoing fuel supply issues due to Middle East conflicts, could trigger widespread instability in the country.

A severe diesel shortage in Nesarabad upazila of Pirojpur has disrupted irrigation for Boro and Irri rice cultivation, putting around 30,000 hectares of farmland at risk. Farmers report that without diesel, they cannot operate irrigation pumps, causing fields to crack and seedlings to wither. Many accuse local fuel hoarders of creating an artificial crisis by limiting market supply, while officials have yet to take visible action to resolve the issue.

Local farmers and civic groups warn that if the shortage persists, it could lead to a major decline in seasonal rice production and threaten national food security, as Boro rice is a key contributor to the country’s grain supply. Farmers have urged authorities to restore normal diesel and petrol distribution immediately.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Mahfuzur Rahman cautioned that irregular irrigation at this stage could severely reduce yields. Upazila Executive Officer Amit Dutta stated that the administration has launched operations against illegal hoarding and is maintaining strict market monitoring to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply for farmers.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of income tax records belonging to former Air Chief Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan and his wife Tahmida Begum. The order was issued on Monday, March 30, 2026, by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez. Court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain confirmed the decision.

The Anti-Corruption Commission’s assistant director Mahmudul Hasan had earlier submitted two separate petitions seeking to seize the couple’s tax documents. The petitions stated that both Hannan and Tahmida are registered taxpayers. According to the filings, the seizure of their primary and miscellaneous income tax records from the opening date up to the 2024–25 tax year was necessary for a fair investigation.

After the hearing, the court approved the petitions and issued the order. The report also notes that on May 6 of a previous year, the court had ordered the seizure of Sheikh Abdul Hannan’s assets.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has recovered a significant portion of funds laundered abroad through the online Ponzi scheme MTFE. Using international cooperation and advanced technology, the agency brought back approximately 3.62 million US dollars, equivalent to over Tk 440 million. The recovery was announced at a press briefing at CID headquarters, where officials described it as a major success in combating cyber fraud.

Investigations revealed that MTFE began operating in Bangladesh in June 2022, luring investors through social media advertisements promising high returns from cryptocurrency and forex trading. The platform fabricated virtual trading profits to gain trust and later shut down abruptly in mid-2023, leaving thousands of investors defrauded. Funds were transferred abroad through various cryptocurrency wallets.

CID’s Cyber Police Centre traced part of the laundered assets using blockchain analysis tools and coordinated with international exchanges and Asset Reality Ltd in the UK to convert and repatriate the funds. The recovered money has been deposited in a government account at Sonali Bank. The investigation continues to identify victims and recover remaining assets.