Fuel loading of uranium officially begins today, Tuesday, at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna. The event marks a major milestone as the country’s first nuclear power facility moves toward test production of electricity. The ceremony will be attended by Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam as chief guest, along with ministry officials and Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Russia’s Rosatom.

According to a senior official from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh received a license on April 16 to load nuclear fuel after meeting all safety and monitoring requirements set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The fuel loading process for the first unit is expected to take at least 45 days.

The ministry official added that test electricity generation from the first unit could begin in early August, initially supplying 300 megawatts to the national grid. Full-capacity generation of 1,200 megawatts is targeted by January 2027.

Five struggling Islamic banks—Exim, Social Islami, First Security Islami, Union, and Global Islami—were merged under the interim government to form the state-owned Sammilit Islami Bank. However, the bank’s chairman has resigned, and the appointed managing director has not joined. In the two months since the new government took office, no progress has been made on leadership appointments, branch consolidation, or IT integration, leaving depositors anxious about the bank’s future.

The merger was initiated under the 2025 Bank Resolution Ordinance, with the government contributing Tk 20,000 crore in capital and depositors receiving Tk 15,000 crore in shares. Yet, a recent legal amendment allowing former owners to regain control has reignited depositor unrest. Administrators report stalled operations, rising withdrawal pressure, and a lack of clear direction from Bangladesh Bank. Governor Mostakur Rahman has acknowledged that the government has not reached a final decision on the banks’ fate.

Experts warn that prolonged indecision could worsen financial instability. They stress that any move to return ownership to previous controllers must ensure accountability for past mismanagement and protect depositor confidence.

Five days after bus fares were raised following a fuel price hike, bus operations in Dhaka have yet to return to normal. The shortage began when a fuel crisis hit the country due to the Iran war, leading to fewer buses on major city routes such as Gulistan–Mirpur, Rampura, and Satrasta. As a result, passengers are facing long waits and overcrowded buses, particularly during office hours.

Bus conductors said they spend long hours in line to refuel, reducing the number of daily trips. Some owners are also avoiding operating buses lacking proper documents or fitness certificates under the new government. Although fares were officially increased last Thursday, most city buses are still charging old rates, as conductors have not received updated fare charts. Transport workers expressed dissatisfaction with the new fare structure, and owners have yet to issue final instructions.

On long-distance routes, the new fares have been implemented, but passengers reported being charged 50 to 150 taka more than the approved rates. The Passengers’ Welfare Association confirmed receiving growing complaints about overcharging on several inter-district routes.

The Migrant Welfare Network (MWN) has submitted a memorandum to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment demanding compensation, rehabilitation, justice, and accountability for hundreds of Bangladeshi workers who returned from Malaysia after facing abuse and fraud. The memorandum was handed over on Monday during a meeting with the expatriates’ welfare minister.

According to returning workers, they had spent between 500,000 and 550,000 taka to go to Malaysia in 2023 and were employed by companies such as Mediseram and Kawaguchi. They alleged that the companies withheld salaries for over five to six months, confiscated passports, and subjected them to forced labor and physical abuse. The minister reportedly assured them that the responsible recruitment agencies would be summoned and that compensation and blacklisting issues would be addressed.

The workers’ demands include immediate payment of due wages, full compensation under international standards, return of seized passports, cancellation of blacklists, effective rehabilitation programs, and legal action against exploitative agencies. They also called for zero-cost safe migration, reform of complaint mechanisms, and inclusion of workers in migration policy-making.

Bangladesh’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku announced that the government has set a target to generate 10,000 megawatts of solar power within the next five years to address the country’s electricity shortage. He made the statement on Monday at the Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Forum organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in Dhaka’s Gulshan. The minister said unused government land will be identified and allocated for large-scale solar projects through inter-ministerial coordination, including land along the Jamuna River.

He added that unused land owned by agencies such as the railway will be brought under investment, and a committee has been formed to implement major projects under public-private partnerships. The minister acknowledged that private power producers’ dues, dollar shortages, and high fuel import costs have worsened the power situation, though some improvement in load-shedding is expected in the coming weeks. BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud bin Harun said new guidelines will allow private investors to use government land for 15 to 20 years, with a pilot project already underway in Feni’s Sonagazi.

CPD Research Director Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem emphasized that renewable energy is essential for energy security as fossil fuel-based economies face growing uncertainty. He noted that over $9 billion in investment will be needed to achieve the 10,000 MW green power goal by 2030.

A power generation unit of India’s Adani Group, which had been shut down due to a recent mechanical fault, has resumed operations. According to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB), electricity from the previously closed unit began feeding into the national grid from Monday night. With both units now active, Bangladesh is again receiving electricity from the full capacity of the Adani power plant.

Data from the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) showed that the two units together had been supplying up to 1,499 megawatts before the disruption. On April 22, production dropped sharply to about 700 megawatts when one unit went offline, creating pressure on the national grid. The restoration of the unit is expected to stabilize supply levels and ease grid stress.

The report did not specify the exact location of the power plant or the duration of the shutdown, but the resumption marks a return to normal power flow from Adani’s facilities to Bangladesh.

At least 23 people have died in lightning strikes across nine districts of Bangladesh over the past two days, amid increasing rainfall and storm activity. Sunday recorded the highest single-day toll with 14 deaths, followed by nine more fatalities on Monday in Netrokona, Habiganj, Bogura, and Hatiya. Gaibandha saw the most casualties, including a child, while other deaths occurred in Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Natore, Panchagarh, Bogura, and Sherpur.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued a 48-hour warning for Kalbaishakhi storms with lightning, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in northern and northeastern regions. Authorities have also raised signal number two at river ports in Mymensingh and Sylhet. Experts note that lightning occurs most frequently in the country’s northeastern haor areas and Rangpur region, especially near water bodies.

Following the failure of a previous palm tree planting project, the government has begun installing lightning arresters to reduce fatalities. Disaster management officials emphasize public awareness and early warnings as key to saving lives during the April–May lightning season.

Retail sales in the United Kingdom have fallen to their lowest level in more than four decades, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The CBI data, reported by Al Jazeera, show that the retail sales volume index dropped to -68 in April from -52 in March, marking the weakest reading since the index began in 1983. The decline is attributed to the ongoing war surrounding Iran and rising inflation concerns.

The survey also indicates growing pessimism for May, with the forecast index falling to -60, the lowest since March 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. CBI economist Martin Sartorius said the economic impact of the Iran conflict is becoming more evident and urged the government to recognize that reducing living costs requires lowering business expenses. The organization called on the government to ensure new labor laws do not excessively raise employer costs and recommended reducing property taxes and electricity bills.

The survey, conducted between March 26 and April 14 among 61 retail firms, found that weak consumer confidence negatively affected April sales.

Seven people were killed in separate lightning incidents across three districts of Bangladesh on Monday, April 27, 2026. The deaths occurred in Netrokona, Bogura, and Habiganj during a period of Kalbaishakhi storms and thunderstorms that brought relief from recent heat. In Netrokona’s Khaliajuri upazila, three men died in separate incidents while fishing, drying paddy, and harvesting crops. Local police confirmed the deaths and said the bodies would be handed over to families after official procedures.

In Bogura’s Gabtali upazila, two people died in storm-related incidents. One man was struck by lightning while bringing goats from a field, and another died when a large tree fell on his shop during the storm. Police urged residents to avoid unsafe areas and called for identifying and removing risky trees in public spaces. In Habiganj, two farmers died in separate lightning strikes while working in paddy fields and near their homes.

Local authorities confirmed the incidents and said assistance would be arranged for affected families, particularly those in financial hardship.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Tehran still possesses several important economic 'cards' that remain unused, countering Washington’s claims of dominance. In a post on his social media account on Sunday, he argued that the United States has already lost a significant portion of its power while Iran retains strategic leverage through its supply-based capabilities.

Ghalibaf described a balance between Iran’s supply-side strengths—such as the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and oil pipelines—and the U.S. demand-side measures, including releasing oil from strategic reserves, demand control, and potential price adjustments. He noted that while the Hormuz card has been partially used, the Bab el-Mandeb and pipeline options remain untouched.

He further pointed out that the U.S. has already employed or partially used several of its tools and faces economic constraints, particularly with rising fuel demand expected during the summer vacation period.

Ministers from about 60 countries are gathering this week in Santa Marta, Colombia, for the first global summit aimed at phasing out fossil fuels. The United States was not invited to the meeting. The event takes place amid a worldwide energy crisis, intensified by the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted global energy markets and led to shortages, price hikes, and restrictions in several countries.

Instability in the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas pass, has forced many nations to reconsider their dependence on imported fossil fuels. Some are increasing investment in renewable energy, while others are turning back to domestic sources such as coal. The summit, co-led by Colombia and the Netherlands, seeks to form an alliance of countries committed to ending fossil fuel use. Participants include Turkey, Australia, the European Union, several Latin American nations, and Pacific island states, as well as major producers like Canada, Nigeria, Norway, and Brazil.

China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states are not participating in the conference.

The government of Bangladesh has announced a new initiative called the 'LPG Card' aimed at easing the cooking-related hardships of women. Prime Minister Tareq Rahman revealed the plan on April 27, 2026, in Sharsha upazila of Jashore after inaugurating the re-excavation of the Ulshi canal. The LPG Card will allow registered female members of families to purchase LPG cylinders at subsidized or reduced prices.

According to the announcement, the program primarily targets women across both rural and urban areas. Rural women who rely on firewood or straw for cooking and face health risks from smoke, as well as low- and middle-income urban women who struggle with high LPG prices, are expected to benefit. The card system is designed to reduce both physical and financial burdens associated with cooking fuel.

Although the full policy is still under development, the Prime Minister indicated that cardholders may receive a fixed amount of gas each month at lower prices and will be able to collect or refill cylinders quickly from designated dealers or points.

The University of Chittagong has decided to enable online payment for all types of student fees and bills, including admission-related charges. The decision was made on Monday morning during a meeting at the registrar’s office attended by university administrators, leaders of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (Chaksu), and officials from Sonali Bank PLC. The initiative aims to reduce long queues at banks, save time, and ease the payment process for students.

Acting Registrar Professor Dr. Mohammad Saiful Islam stated that students had long demanded an online payment option for admission and other fees, and the university had been working toward fulfilling that request. Chaksu office secretary Abdullah Al Noman said that introducing an online payment system was one of their election pledges, which has now been achieved. He added that the university is also working to automate other administrative processes.

The new system is expected to simplify financial transactions for students and enhance administrative efficiency at the university.

Government data show that more than 3,658 people died in lightning strikes across Bangladesh between 2015 and 2025, despite the phenomenon being declared a national disaster a decade ago. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department identified Sylhet’s Sunamganj district, particularly Jamalganj upazila, as the most lightning-prone area. The highest number of fatalities occurred in 2020, with 427 deaths, but the toll has since declined to 173 in 2025.

Meteorologist Dr. Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik attributed the high frequency of lightning in Sylhet to its geography and weather patterns. The region’s large haor wetlands generate abundant water vapor, which interacts with moist air from the Bay of Bengal and collides with the northeastern hills, creating conditions for thundercloud formation. The convergence of moist and dry air masses also heightens lightning risk in northeastern and some northwestern districts.

Officials credit early warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and preventive measures introduced since 2019 for the recent decline in lightning deaths, though data remain insufficient to compare current rates with pre-2015 levels.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, announced that the country’s electricity situation will improve and load shedding will decrease starting next week. He made the statement on Monday during a discussion at the Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Forum organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The minister said the government aims to generate 10,000 megawatts of solar power within the next five years. He also noted that oil import costs have risen by 2 billion dollars and that 560 billion taka in electricity sector dues remain unpaid. During the same event, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun stated that the upcoming national budget will include duty benefits for battery production and imports.

The announcements reflect the government’s focus on renewable energy expansion and financial adjustments in the power sector to address current supply challenges.