Students at Dhaka University have voiced frustration over restrictive rules at the Central Library, which holds more than seven hundred thousand books but does not allow direct access to shelves. Learners must request titles on slips, and librarians retrieve them, preventing students from browsing or selecting books themselves. Many have turned to departmental libraries or outside reading spaces for a more open experience.

Library officials defend the system, citing security and order concerns, saying unrestricted access could lead to disorganization and book loss. Acting librarian Professor Kazi Mostak Gausul Haque described the closed-access model as a long-standing tradition, noting staff shortages as another reason. However, he mentioned plans to introduce partial open access and digital modernization to make the library more student-friendly.

Experts and university officials, including Professor Shariful Islam and ICT Cell Director Dr. Mosaddeq Kamal Tushar, criticized the current system as outdated and misaligned with modern technology. The newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Professor A.B.M. Obaidul Islam, said discussions are underway for reforms and a new modern library project.

Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) has expelled five students for two years for adopting unfair means during examinations. The decision was made on Tuesday at a meeting of the university’s Board of Discipline, which reviewed the allegations and confirmed the violations.

According to the board, the students were found carrying and using unauthorized materials in the exam hall, including handwritten notes, small slips, and papers containing subject-related formulas and information. The expelled students include two from Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) of the 2021–22 session, one from Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) of the same session, one from Civil Engineering of the 2023–24 session, and one from Mechanical Engineering of the 2024–25 session.

Board member-secretary and Director of Student Welfare, Robiul Islam Sarkar, emphasized that maintaining academic integrity is vital and that the university follows a zero-tolerance policy toward unethical behavior. The administration stated that such actions will continue to preserve a fair academic environment and uphold moral standards.

Five members of a Hindu family from Koyra village in Paiksha Union, Dhanbari upazila of Tangail, have formally converted to Islam through an affidavit at the Tangail District and Sessions Judge Court. Following their conversion, a prayer was held for them at a local mosque after Friday prayers. The family, now led by Mohammad Ali (formerly Sagar Biswas) and his wife Fatema Begum (formerly Baby Rani), reported being expelled from their home and forced to live in makeshift shelters, including a neighbor’s abandoned cowshed.

Mohammad Ali said he had long been interested in Islam and, with his wife’s support, decided to embrace the faith after studying its practices. Local former union council member Badol Hossain confirmed that the family joined communal Eid prayers but are now homeless. He appealed for government intervention and housing support for the new Muslim family.

Dhanbari Upazila Executive Officer Miz Nurjahan Akter Sathi stated that the administration has provided dry food to the family and will assist with their children’s education and other needs.

Human development organization Impact Initiative distributed food items, sports equipment and seasonal fruits among orphaned children in Khulna. The event took place on Tuesday at the Rahuma Samajkalyan Society auditorium on Syed Ali Hossain Road under the organization’s Orphan Care Program. A total of 26 orphaned children and their guardians received the distributed items.

The distributed packages included rice, soybean oil, lentils, sugar, milk powder, noodles, food packs, Horlicks jars, nuts, biscuits, fruits and chocolates. Educational materials such as books, art supplies, stationery, school bags, umbrellas and art frames were also provided. Boys received a cricket set while girls received a badminton set. Each child was also given 3,500 taka to cover annual study and school fees.

The event was attended by Khulna’s Additional Superintendent of Police Sheikh Md. Imran as chief guest, with Dr. G. M. Shafiqul Islam and Dr. Jinnat Ali as special guests. Journalists Muhammad Nuruzzaman and Masum Billah Imran also spoke, and area representative S. A. Mukul supervised the program.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Titas upazila branch has launched a humanitarian initiative to assist SSC and Dakhil examinees in Cumilla’s Titas upazila. The help desk began operating on Tuesday morning in front of Batakandi Government Saheb Ali Abul Hossain Memorial High School examination center. Members of the organization remained on duty throughout the day to support students arriving for their exams.

Through the help desk, students received free pens, purified water, chocolates, tissues, and Islamic knowledge-based books. The initiative reportedly brought comfort and satisfaction among examinees. Before entering the exam hall, Shibir members also offered encouraging words to boost students’ confidence.

Organizers stated that the goal was to ensure a smooth and supportive environment for SSC, Dakhil, and equivalent examinees. They pledged to continue similar welfare activities in the future and expressed good wishes for all students’ success.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has instructed completion of the revised Development Project Proposal (DPP) for the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project by June this year. UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed issued the directive during the World Bank’s fourth support mission meeting held at the UGC building. The revision aims to incorporate the real needs of the higher education sector and align with the government’s priorities. Representatives from the World Bank, Bangladesh Accreditation Council, BdREN, and related institutions attended the meeting.

Professor Ahmed emphasized that the HEAT project is the largest development initiative in the country’s higher education sector and a major opportunity for improving education and research quality. He advised forming a committee with members from the Planning Commission, Ministry of Education, UGC, and universities to complete the revision on time. He also urged all stakeholders to finish project activities by December 2028 without extending the project period.

The meeting discussed campus network installation, women’s empowerment networks, strengthening IQAC cells, and e-book procurement. A midterm review workshop is scheduled for June, following the World Bank’s earlier assessment rating the project’s progress as moderately satisfactory.

On the fourth day of the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, a total of 49 students were expelled across nine general education boards, the madrasa board, and the technical board, marking the highest number of expulsions so far. According to the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, the madrasa board recorded the highest number with 24 expulsions, while among general boards, Dhaka saw the most with seven. The exams held on Tuesday included English second paper for SSC, Arabic second paper for Dakhil, and Bangladesh and Global Studies and Arabic-2 for vocational streams.

The committee’s notice also reported that 32,392 students were absent on this day, compared to 34,054 absentees in the previous exam. No teachers were expelled. Earlier, six students were expelled on the first day, 19 on the second, and 39 on the third, showing a rising trend in disciplinary actions.

Among the nine general boards, 1,210,080 students were registered, with 1,193,896 attending. In the madrasa board, 253,876 were registered and 240,732 attended, while the technical board saw 111,287 of 114,351 students present.

The Dhaka-bound Chattala Express train from Chattogram remained stranded at Feni railway station for about six hours on Tuesday due to an engine malfunction. The train arrived at the station at 7:50 a.m., and as of 1:00 p.m., it had not departed. Smoke was seen coming from small chambers of the engine, injuring railway worker ALM Mohammad Kawser’s face and respiratory tract.

Stationmaster Mohammad Harun said announcements were made urging passengers to remain patient. Many passengers scheduled to board from Feni transferred their tickets and left by other means. Despite the train being stuck at the platform, two adjacent lines remained operational, allowing other trains to pass normally. A relief train from Laksam arrived to assist, and officials expected the Chattala Express to resume its journey shortly.

Feni Civil Surgeon Mohammad Rubaiyat Bin Karim confirmed that the injured railway worker received initial treatment at Feni General Hospital before being sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for further care.

Mosharraf Hossain Khan Chowdhury, originally from Dhanyadaul village in Brahmanpara, Comilla, has established six educational institutions in his home area using earnings from his work as a taxi driver in New York. After losing his father before completing secondary school, he went abroad to support his family, first to Qatar and later to the United States. Over three decades, he invested most of his income in building two colleges, a high school, two madrasas, and a kindergarten, along with two libraries and land for a diabetic hospital.

His first school, founded in 1989, now serves around a thousand students and employs 24 staff. Later, he established Mosharraf Hossain Khan Chowdhury University College, Abdul Matin Khasru Women’s College, and other institutions that now educate thousands. He also created a foundation providing scholarships to 200 students and homes for 10 homeless families. Despite his success, Mosharraf continues to live modestly in a shared apartment in New York, sending his earnings home to support education.

At 62, he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree under the Open University system and remains committed to spreading education across his community.

In Nikli upazila of Kishoreganj, the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination began one hour later than scheduled on Tuesday due to stormy weather and heavy rainfall. The English second paper exam under the Dhaka Education Board was supposed to start at 10 a.m. but began at 11 a.m. instead. The delay was announced through loudspeakers at 9:50 a.m. to inform students and guardians.

According to officials, many students from remote areas could not reach the exam centers on time because of the adverse weather. The decision to delay the exam was made with the approval of the Secondary Education Board and the Deputy Commissioner. Exams at all centers in the upazila, including Nikli GC Pilot Government Model High School and Shahid Saronika Girls’ High School, started simultaneously at 11 a.m.

Authorities stated that the adjustment aimed to ensure that all students, especially those from distant locations, could attend the exam safely despite the natural disruption.

In Nabinagar upazila of Brahmanbaria, a severe storm caused a power outage that forced 4,474 students to take their SSC, Dakhil, and vocational exams by candlelight across 11 centers. The disruption began on the morning of April 28, 2026, when a nor'wester storm tripped the 33 kV rural electricity line, plunging the entire area into darkness. Examinations continued at centers including Nabinagar Government Pilot High School, Nabinagar Ichhamoyee Pilot Girls’ High School, and Narayanpur DS Kamil Madrasa.

Students faced difficulty writing their answers due to poor lighting, while parents expressed anger over the lack of uninterrupted electricity despite prior government directives. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Mahmudul Hasan, said that fallen tree branches had damaged power lines, and temporary lighting was arranged using candles and charge lights. Abdul Wadud Hossain, Deputy General Manager of the local electricity office, confirmed that repair work was underway to restore power.

As of 11:50 a.m., all exam centers remained without electricity, raising concerns about the impact on students’ performance and exam fairness.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam has called on students to work for the welfare of society and humanity. He made the remarks on April 27, 2026, at the orientation program for first-year undergraduate students held at the university’s Teacher-Student Centre auditorium. The event was organized by the Office of Student Guidance and Counseling.

The session was presided over by Professor Dr. Mehjabeen Haque, Director of the Office of Student Guidance and Counseling, and attended by faculty members including Professor Dr. Mohammad Moinul Islam, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman Khan, Director of the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies. The Vice-Chancellor emphasized equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of economic or social background and urged them to become skilled and responsible citizens through hard work and participation in co-curricular activities.

Students from several institutes, including Social Welfare and Research, Modern Languages, Health Economics, Information Technology, Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, and Leather Engineering and Technology, took part in the orientation.

Professor Dr. Md. Ziaur Rahman Chowdhury has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Sylhet Medical University. The appointment was announced on Monday, April 27, 2026, through a notification signed by Rahela Rahmat Ullah, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Dr. Chowdhury currently serves as the Principal of MAG Osmani Medical College and is a pediatrician as well as a professor in the hospital’s pediatrics department.

According to the official notification, the appointment was made under Section 11(1) of the Sylhet Medical University Act, 2018, with the approval of the President and Chancellor. His tenure as Vice-Chancellor will last four years, and he must resign from government service before assuming the new role. He will receive salary and benefits equivalent to his current position and perform duties as defined by law.

The notification also states that the President and Chancellor reserve the right to cancel the appointment at any time if deemed necessary in the public interest. The order will take effect from the date he assumes office.

Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed said that a four-month residential basic training program will play a vital role in enhancing the capacity of new university teachers and building a strong professional network among them. He made the remarks on Sunday night at the inauguration ceremony of the 3rd and 4th batches of the training held at the Central Training and Conference Center of Bangladesh Open University (BOU).

The event was presided over by BOU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Siddiqur Rahman Khan and attended by UGC members, World Bank consultant Mahmudul Haque, and officials from UGC, BOU, and the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project. Speakers emphasized that the training would help participants share experiences, develop classroom management skills, and improve higher education administration.

A total of 59 new teachers from 33 public and private universities are participating in the program, organized under the UGC-implemented HEAT project. The initiative aims to foster collaboration and professional growth among young academics across Bangladesh.

Authorities have tightened security at all airports across Bangladesh, including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, following intelligence warnings of possible militant attacks on key installations. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) issued a high alert after receiving a directive from the Police Headquarters. Enhanced surveillance has been implemented at critical airport facilities, with additional uniformed and plainclothes security personnel deployed. Passenger and baggage checks have been intensified at both arrival and departure areas.

A senior CAAB official stated that no specific threat has been identified so far, but the measures were taken as a precaution. The official added that such security steps are routine but have been reinforced in the current situation. Airports without night flights have also been instructed to strengthen nighttime security, and strict orders were given to ensure thorough inspections at all entry points.

The alert follows a police intelligence notice issued on April 23 warning of potential attacks on important government and state facilities across the country.