Boeing Vice President Paul Righi met with Bangladesh’s Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Afroza Khanam Rita, at her office on Monday. State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat was also present during the meeting. The discussion focused on various aspects of Boeing’s agreements with the government and explored opportunities for leasing aircraft to meet the country’s current aviation needs.

During the meeting, Paul Righi expressed Boeing’s interest in leasing narrow-body aircraft, particularly from the 737 series, to Bangladesh. Minister Afroza Khanam Rita emphasized the importance of advancing the leasing process as soon as possible to support the nation’s aviation capacity and service expansion.

The meeting highlighted ongoing cooperation between the government and Boeing, signaling potential progress in Bangladesh’s efforts to strengthen its civil aviation fleet through international partnerships.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told Parliament that the government has a concrete plan to strengthen Bangladesh’s stock market and make it a vibrant source of long-term financing. Responding in writing to a parliamentary question, he said the government aims to enhance governance, transparency, accountability, and investor education to build a sustainable and dynamic capital market. Plans include developing a strong bond market, listing fundamentally sound companies, and bringing unlisted state-owned enterprises to the market.

The minister detailed initiatives such as introducing exchange-traded funds, sukuk, green bonds, commodity and financial derivatives, and improving mutual fund governance to encourage wider participation. He also highlighted measures to curb irregularities, strengthen enforcement, modernize and digitize the market, and ensure whistleblower protection and corporate governance.

Ongoing legal reforms include merging the 1969 Securities and Exchange Ordinance and the 1993 BSEC Act into a new 2025 law, reviewing the draft Capital Market Stabilization Fund Act 2026, and updating corporate governance and debt securities rules. The government also plans to integrate investment education into school curricula and expand public awareness through training and media programs.

Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) has launched an affordable electric vehicle (EV) service for female students to ease campus transportation amid the ongoing energy crisis. The service officially began on Monday, funded by the university’s research sector. The EV was developed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering under a University Grants Commission–funded research project led by Professor Dr. Shahjada Mahmudul Hasan and inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. S. M. Abdur Razzak.

The initiative follows reduced diesel bus trips that had caused travel difficulties for students. Each vehicle costs about 500,000 to 600,000 taka to produce, significantly less than similar EVs used at other universities, which cost up to 1.8 million taka. Initially, the service will operate every 20 minutes for female students traveling between hostels and key campus points.

RUET officials stated that the project promotes research-based learning and practical experience. They plan to expand the service for all students if additional funding becomes available, aiming to establish a sustainable and modern campus transport system.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that Bangladesh’s per capita income reached 2,769 US dollars in the 2024–25 fiscal year. He cited official data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics while responding to a written question from Dhaka-18 Member of Parliament S.M. Jahangir Hossain in the National Parliament on Monday, April 6, 2026.

The minister stated that one of the government’s key goals is to achieve a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. To reach this milestone, the government is preparing action plans focusing on investment, employment, economic democratization, creative economy, and sports economy. He emphasized that the government is working simultaneously across multiple sectors—employment, investment, production, exports, remittances, skill development, social protection, and macroeconomic stability—to increase citizens’ income.

The announcement reflects the government’s broader economic strategy aimed at sustainable growth and inclusive development through diversified policy initiatives.

In response to a parliamentary question from MP Hasnat Abdullah, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented a list of the top 20 loan defaulters in Bangladesh. The disclosure took place on Monday, April 6, 2026, during a question-and-answer session chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal. According to the minister, as of December 31, 2025, total defaulted loans amounted to Tk 5,44,831.88 crore, while loans defaulted by current members of parliament and their affiliated entities totaled Tk 11,117.31 crore.

The minister’s list showed that half of the top 20 defaulting institutions are owned by or associated with S Alam Group. The companies include S Alam Super Edible Oil Ltd., S Alam Vegetable Oil Ltd., S Alam Refined Sugar Industries Ltd., S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Ltd., and S Alam Trading Company Pvt. Ltd., among others. Other major defaulters named include Beximco Communications Ltd., Deshbandhu Sugar Mills Ltd., and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd.

The disclosure highlights the concentration of large-scale loan defaults among a few major business groups, raising renewed attention to financial governance and accountability in the banking sector.

The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s new government approved six projects out of eight discussed. The meeting, held on Monday at the Secretariat with the Prime Minister presiding, reviewed a total of eight projects and deferred two for further consideration. Originally, 19 projects were scheduled for presentation, but time constraints led to the session being adjourned after partial discussion.

According to the Planning Ministry’s public relations officer Jasim Uddin, the remaining projects from the agenda will be discussed in next week’s meeting. This session marked a departure from the long-standing practice of holding ECNEC meetings at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Officials indicated that the decision to hold the meeting at the Secretariat’s Cabinet Room was made to accommodate the Prime Minister’s current workload and Secretariat-based activities.

Education Minister and Minister of Primary and Mass Education Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan announced new information regarding teachers’ festival allowance. Speaking on Monday, April 6, 2026, at a meeting with center secretaries of the Mymensingh Education Board and the region’s madrasa and technical boards, he said the allowance would be increased by 10 percent this year. The implementation is expected around Eid-ul-Azha, and the government is working to make it effective.

The minister noted that teachers’ festival allowance had not been raised for nearly 17 years. He emphasized that the government was taking steps to ensure the increase is realized. Meanwhile, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj stated that discussions are ongoing regarding the pay scale structure for government primary school teachers. He made the remarks after visiting several schools in Dhaka to review infrastructure and development progress.

The announcements indicate a renewed government focus on improving teachers’ financial and institutional conditions, with implementation efforts already underway.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury informed the Bangladesh Parliament that as of December 31, 2025, the total amount of defaulted loans in the country stood at Tk 5,44,831.88 crore. He also stated that loans linked to current Members of Parliament and their associated entities amounted to Tk 11,117.31 crore. The information was presented on Monday during a parliamentary question-and-answer session chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, in response to a question from NCP lawmaker Abul Hasnat (Hasnat Abdullah).

In his reply, the finance minister presented a list of the top 20 loan defaulting institutions. The list included companies such as S. Alam Super Edible Oil Ltd., S. Alam Vegetable Oil Ltd., S. Alam Refined Sugar Industries Ltd., Sonali Traders, Bangladesh Export Import Company Ltd., Global Trading Corporation Ltd., Keya Cosmetics Ltd., Deshbandhu Sugar Mills Ltd., Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd., and Beximco Communications Ltd., among others.

According to the minister, Tk 3,330.08 crore of the total defaulted loans were not shown as defaults following court directives.

Fishermen near Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf caught 101 maunds of hilsa fish in a single haul on Sunday afternoon. The catch was brought to the island’s jetty, where local traders purchased the fish for about Tk 3.3 million. The fish, weighing between 500 grams and over one kilogram each, were caught by the trawler ‘FB Dwip,’ owned by Abul Kalam of Jaliapara. The trawler, led by skipper Nurul Islam, had gone to sea on Friday morning with 15 fishermen and made the large catch early Sunday.

Local fish trader Faruk bought the entire catch, according to the fishermen. Abdul Gani, president of the Shah Porir Dwip Small Fish Traders Association, said hilsa had been scarce in recent months, causing financial strain for fishermen. The large sale is expected to help recover earlier losses, and the fish are being sent to Dhaka and other districts.

The Teknaf Upazila Fisheries Office stated that government-imposed fishing bans during breeding seasons have contributed to increased hilsa production and size.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostakur Rahman has assured business leaders that the Export Development Fund (EDF) will be increased to 5 billion dollars. The commitment came during a meeting at the central bank on Monday with representatives of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), including its Secretary General Md. Alamgir. He told reporters that the EDF, formed from foreign currency reserves to support exporters, had previously stood at 7 billion dollars but had fallen to about 2.2 billion dollars. Business leaders urged that the fund be raised to 5 billion dollars, and the governor responded positively, promising a gradual increase.

During the meeting, FBCCI representatives also emphasized the need to keep interest rates stable and eventually bring them down to single digits to boost investment and competitiveness in the industrial sector. They called for increased private sector credit flow by reducing government borrowing pressure and ensuring financing for productive sectors. BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem added that the EDF reduction had been influenced by IMF conditions and proposed raising it further to 8 billion dollars in the future.

The business community also requested extending the loan default period from three to six months, preventing cross-defaults among related firms, and lengthening loan rescheduling terms from five to ten years. FBCCI further recommended introducing low-interest green financing to promote solar and renewable energy investments.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will observe ‘Jatka Conservation Week 2026’ from April 7 to 13, aiming to increase Hilsa production and ensure sustainable conservation. Fisheries and Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid announced the program at a press conference in Dhaka, stating that catching juvenile Hilsa (jatka) will be completely prohibited in rivers and the sea during this period. The inaugural event will be held on April 7 in Chandpur Sadar.

The minister said the government’s main goal is to enhance Hilsa production by enforcing seasonal fishing bans, establishing sanctuaries, and implementing the Fisheries Conservation Act effectively. He noted that these measures have helped raise Hilsa output to 500,000 metric tons in the 2024–25 fiscal year. However, challenges such as river siltation, climate change, and pollution continue to threaten this progress.

This year’s theme, “If we stop catching jatka, rivers and seas will be full of Hilsa,” will guide activities across 20 Hilsa-rich districts, with central and local programs planned to promote awareness and compliance.

The article highlights ninth-century scholar Al-Kindi as the originator of systematic code-breaking technology. His work laid the foundation for cryptanalysis, the process of decoding encrypted messages to reveal their original content. Al-Kindi’s treatise, titled 'A Manuscript on Deciphering Cryptographic Messages,' introduced a method later known as frequency analysis, which remains a fundamental approach in deciphering classical ciphers.

The text explains that encryption, the conversion of information into cipher text using algorithms and secret keys, has long been used to secure communication, especially in warfare. During the Second World War, code-breaking played a decisive role when Allied cryptanalysts deciphered German Enigma messages. However, the conceptual groundwork for such breakthroughs traces back to Al-Kindi’s early insights.

Al-Kindi developed his method through a deep study of Arabic script and the statistical frequency of letters. His discovery marked the beginning of a long evolution in cryptography, later advanced during the European Renaissance. Frequency analysis continues to serve as a basic analytical tool for understanding and breaking simple substitution ciphers.

The government of Bangladesh has announced a 58-day ban on all types of fishing in the Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas, effective from April 15 to June 11, 2026. Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid made the announcement at a press conference held at the Secretariat on Monday, during the launch of ‘Jatka Conservation Week 2026’.

The minister said the conservation week, themed ‘Stop catching jatka, fill rivers and seas with hilsa,’ will be observed from April 7 to 13 across 20 hilsa-rich districts. During this period, authorities will monitor activities from the sea to local markets to prevent illegal jatka catching, trading, and storage. Additionally, a 22-day ban on jatka catching, transport, and sale will remain in place until June 30 to protect breeding fish.

Rashid also noted that no decision has yet been made regarding hilsa exports to India during the Bengali month of Baishakh, and that the matter will be decided by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Grameen Bank organized a colorful ceremony in Dhaka’s Mirpur to honor its founder and Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, marking the bank’s 50th founding anniversary and the 20th anniversary of his Nobel Prize. The event, held at the bank’s headquarters on Sunday, brought together former and current officials, employees, and associates in a festive atmosphere. Dr. Yunus was warmly received by the bank’s chairman, board members, managing director, and senior management team before addressing a town hall session as the chief guest.

In his speech, Dr. Yunus recalled the early struggles of Grameen Bank and the origins of the microcredit concept during the 1974 famine. He described how small loans to poor women in Jobra village helped them become self-reliant and empowered within their families and communities. This was his first visit to the headquarters since stepping down as managing director in 2011.

During the visit, Dr. Yunus toured his former residence, the Grameen Cheque stall, and joined a photo session and lunch with staff, emphasizing the need to make the bank’s operations more dynamic and inclusive.

NASA’s Artemis-2 mission began its journey toward the Moon on April 1, 2026, from the Kennedy Space Center, marking humanity’s return to lunar travel after 53 years. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carried the Orion spacecraft with four astronauts on board. The mission has entered its third day, with NASA confirming that the crew successfully completed the trans-lunar injection phase, sending them out of Earth’s orbit toward the Moon. The astronauts have tested life support, communication, and manual control systems and are reported to be in good health and spirits.

The crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover—the first Black astronaut on a lunar mission—Mission Specialist Christina Koch, the first woman to travel to the Moon, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, the first non-American in such a mission. The 10-day mission will not land on the Moon but will orbit about 7,400 kilometers above its surface before returning to Earth.

NASA expects Orion to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026. The mission’s success will determine the feasibility of the Artemis-3 mission planned for 2027 or 2028.