The trial of the 2001 Ramna Batamul bomb attack in Dhaka remains incomplete even after 25 years. The attack occurred on April 14, 2001, during the Chhayanaut New Year celebration, killing ten people. While the murder case related to the attack concluded in 2014 with eight death sentences and six life imprisonments, the explosives case is still pending. The case is currently at the stage of defendants’ self-defense hearings under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The next hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2026.

Court records show that witness testimony in the explosives case ended in March 2022, but procedural delays and the absence of defendants from court have stalled progress. Prosecutors said 54 of 84 witnesses have testified and expressed hope for a verdict before the next Bengali New Year. Defense lawyers argued that some accused have been in custody for nearly two decades without resolution, calling it a violation of justice.

The case involves eleven accused, including several already sentenced in the murder case. Two remain fugitives, and two are on bail, while the rest are in custody across different prisons, complicating court appearances.

Seven people were killed and six others injured when a rice-laden truck lost control and plunged into a roadside ditch on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Daudkandi, Cumilla, early Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Police confirmed the incident, stating that the truck, traveling from Dinajpur to Chattogram, overturned at Hasanpur on the Chattogram-bound lane, trapping 13 passengers beneath it.

According to Daudkandi Highway Police, the deceased were identified as residents of Dinajpur’s Nawabganj and Birampur upazilas. Rescue teams from the Daudkandi Fire Service and Civil Defense recovered the bodies around 2:43 a.m. and sent the injured to a hospital for treatment. The bodies are currently in police custody, and legal procedures are underway.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the loss of control, and the investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.

A seven-year-old student named Md. Sifat died when an old wall collapsed at Kashiful Ulum Madrasa in Debidwar, Cumilla, on Monday evening, April 13, 2026. The incident occurred while the madrasa was removing an old wall inside its premises. Locals said the wall suddenly fell on Sifat, who was seriously injured and later declared dead at Debidwar Upazila Health Complex.

According to local sources, the madrasa authorities allegedly engaged students instead of professional workers to carry out the risky demolition work. The accident has sparked widespread grief and anger in the area, with residents accusing the madrasa management of negligence and mismanagement. Many have questioned the legality and morality of assigning such hazardous tasks to children.

Debidwar Police confirmed that a team was sent to the hospital after receiving the report of the death. The body was recovered and brought to the police station, and a decision on autopsy will be made after consultation with the superintendent of police.

Fatema Akter, the five-months-pregnant wife of deceased expatriate Suman Hawlader, has appealed for urgent government intervention to secure her husband’s body, rightful compensation, and protection from fraud. She made the appeal during a press conference at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s body handover gate in Dhaka on Monday.

Her four demands include legal access to her husband’s body, ensuring all due compensation and insurance benefits are provided in her name as the lawful wife and mother of the unborn child, investigation into alleged falsified documents claiming Suman was unmarried, and humanitarian support to guarantee her and her unborn child’s safety. Fatema said her husband, who had worked in Malaysia for several years, died of a stroke on March 25.

She alleged that her father-in-law seized her gold jewelry and submitted false information to Suman’s employer in Malaysia. Fatema and her brother Abdul Kuddus also claimed they are facing threats from relatives and urged government authorities to ensure their safety and rights.

A rural doctor in Banaripara upazila of Barishal was allegedly assaulted by a local labor party leader after refusing to pay a demanded extortion amount. The incident occurred on Sunday night, April 12, in Bisharkandi Union. The victim, Nasir Uddin Milon, owner of Nahar Medical Hall, was reportedly attacked by Jiya Sardar, president of the local labor wing, and his associates after he declined to pay Tk 50,000. Milon was first taken to Banaripara Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal due to his critical condition.

According to the complaint, Milon had previously been forced to pay smaller sums multiple times over the past two years. Local student leader Wasim Sajjad confirmed preliminary evidence supporting the allegation and said legal action against the accused was being initiated. However, Jiya Sardar denied the charges, claiming the dispute arose from alleged malpractice by the doctor that left a patient seriously ill. The incident has sparked anger and concern among residents, who have called for a fair investigation and exemplary punishment for those responsible.

Police officials could not be reached for comment as the officer-in-charge’s phone remained switched off.

The Department of Narcotics Control arrested two local political leaders in Melandah upazila of Jamalpur on Monday morning, April 13, 2026. The detainees, identified as Al Amin Shilu, convener of Adra Union Jubo Dal, and Ayub Ali, member of Hazarabari Municipal Jubo League, were caught in the Brahmanpara area with 3,600 yaba pills, Tk 135,000 in drug sale proceeds, and two mobile phones. A case was filed at Melandah Police Station the same night under the Narcotics Control Act.

According to the department’s deputy director, the operation was conducted by a team from the Jamalpur office. Local residents alleged that after the arrests, some BNP leaders tried to secure the release of the detainees, who had reportedly been involved in drug trading for a long time. Residents expressed relief following the arrests, saying the two had used political influence to continue their activities unchecked.

Following the incident, the district Jubo Dal expelled Al Amin Shilu from his position as Adra Union convener after the drug-related arrest, according to the organization’s member secretary.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has announced that pedestrians who cross roads without using zebra crossings, foot overbridges, or underpasses will face jail or fines. The public notice, signed by Acting Commissioner Md. Sarwar and issued on April 12, 2026, aims to ensure safe and orderly movement in the capital. Under the Road Transport Act 2018, violators may face up to one month in jail, a fine of up to Tk 10,000, or both.

The notice also outlines penalties for other traffic violations, including fines for unauthorized passenger or goods loading and penalties for driving against traffic or creating road obstructions. The DMP stated that the government has initiated a plan to bring major intersections under traffic signal management. Signal lights have already been installed at several key crossings in coordination with the Dhaka North and South City Corporations.

Temporary signal lights have also been set up at additional intersections, and six more crossings will soon be operational. The DMP warned that pedestrians ignoring designated crossings may face on-the-spot punishment or video-based prosecution under the Road Transport Act.

A petition has been submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) seeking action against former Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, former Health Adviser Dr. Nurjahan Begum, and others over alleged misappropriation of funds related to vaccine procurement. The application was filed on Monday, April 13, 2026, by Supreme Court lawyers Biplob Kumar Das and Barrister Sanaullah Nur-e-Sagar. It urges the ACC to investigate possible corruption and irregularities in the purchase and distribution of measles and other vaccines during the tenure of the former interim government.

The petition cites recent reports of a nationwide measles outbreak that has caused the deaths of over a hundred children, describing the situation as alarming. It notes that despite a substantial health budget of about Tk 42,000 crore, the interim government allegedly failed to procure and distribute vaccines on time. The applicants argue that this failure and the subsequent vaccine shortage contributed to the rise in measles cases and child deaths, calling for a thorough investigation in the public interest.

If the ACC proceeds, the investigation could determine whether any irregularities occurred in vaccine procurement under the previous administration.

Armed Police Battalion (APBn) officers seized 10,000 yaba tablets and arrested a Rohingya drug dealer during a pre-dawn raid in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on April 13, 2026. The operation took place at Block-B/18 of Camp-8/East in the Balukhali area, under the jurisdiction of the Panbazar Police Camp. Acting on a tip-off, police searched the home of Rohingya resident Md. Ilias and recovered the amphetamine-type tablets from a locked blue polypack hidden inside a black plastic bag.

According to police sources, the seized drugs were documented in the presence of witnesses. The arrested suspect, Md. Ilias, is the son of Nur Amin from the same camp. APBn commander Riaz Uddin Ahmed stated that operations against drugs and other crimes in the Rohingya camps are ongoing and will continue to be intensified. Legal proceedings are underway to file a regular case with Ukhiya Police Station.

The operation underscores continued law enforcement efforts to curb narcotics trafficking within the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

Folk singer Abul Sarkar, who was arrested on charges of hurting religious sentiments and defamation of religion, has been released on bail. He was freed from Kashimpur Central Jail-2 in Gazipur at 11:12 a.m. on Monday, confirmed jail superintendent Md. Abul Hossain. The High Court had granted him six months of interim bail on April 6, and his release papers reached the prison on Monday morning before verification and release.

According to the case details, Abul Sarkar was accused of making derogatory remarks about religion during a performance at the Khala Pagli Mela in Jabra, Ghior upazila of Manikganj, on November 4. A video of his comments spread on social media, sparking criticism. He was later detained by a team from the Manikganj Detective Branch on November 19 during a musical event in Madaripur.

Following his arrest, a case was filed at Ghior Police Station by Mufti Md. Abdullah, and Sarkar was sent to jail through the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Manikganj.

Former Jubo Dal leader Moin Uddin, the prime accused in an extortion case at CKD Urology Hospital in Dhaka’s Shyamoli area, allegedly demanded Tk 5 lakh, according to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General Ahsan Habib Palash. He disclosed this during a press briefing at Ramna Park on Monday after inspecting RAB’s security arrangements for the Bengali New Year 1433 celebrations.

RAB stated earlier in a text message that Moin and six others had been arrested in connection with the case. The other detainees were identified as Suman, Liton, Md. Falan Mia, Md. Rubel, Md. Swapan Kazi, and Md. Shawon Hossain. CCTV footage reportedly showed Moin arriving at the hospital on April 10 at 8:40 p.m. with associates, threatening staff while demanding money using the name of Jubo Dal.

The hospital, led by Dr. Kamrul Islam, is known for providing free kidney transplants to over 2,000 patients. Dr. Islam received the Independence Award in 2022 for his humanitarian contributions.

Authorities in Babuganj upazila of Barishal seized 3,000 liters of illegally stored fuel during a raid on Sunday night, April 12, 2026. The operation, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Asma Ul Husna and based on intelligence from the National Security Intelligence (NSI), targeted two local businesses—Messrs Howlader Store and Sikdar Store. Two dealers, A. Kuddus Howlader and Md. Saidur Rahman Sikdar, were fined a total of 8,000 taka under the Essential Commodities Control Act of 1956.

Officials confiscated 2,400 liters of diesel and 600 liters of petrol, which were later auctioned to local trawler, tractor, speedboat, and auto drivers. The sale generated 309,600 taka, deposited into the government treasury. According to intelligence sources, the accused had been sourcing fuel illegally from a filling station in Barishal city and selling it at inflated prices in Babuganj.

Local authorities stated that similar operations will continue to curb illegal fuel storage and black-market trading in the region.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has launched a sweeping operation across the Sundarbans and coastal areas to strengthen security. According to Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, the force has arrested 61 members of various pirate groups and recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition over the past one and a half years. The announcement was made on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

The operation, conducted under the directives of the Home Minister, includes two major initiatives titled ‘Operation Restore Peace in Sundarbans’ and ‘Operation Mangrove Shield’. It is being carried out jointly by the Coast Guard, Navy, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Police, and Forest Department. The Coast Guard has also rescued 78 fishermen and 3 tourists alive, seized illegal fishing nets, fish fry, deer meat, and traps, and detained 29 poachers.

Officials stated that the coordinated raids will continue until the Sundarbans region is completely free of piracy and illegal activities.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained a rickshaw van driver carrying 212 liters of diesel near the Chuadanga border on the night of April 12, 2026. The arrest took place in the Helatala area of Damurhuda upazila’s Parkrishnapur-Madna union, close to the Indian border. Members of the 6th Battalion seized both the rickshaw van and the diesel during the operation.

According to BGB sources, the detainee, identified as Israfil Hossain, 49, from Sorabaria village in Damurhuda, was allegedly involved in smuggling activities. The operation was part of an intensified security effort by the Chuadanga-6 Battalion to prevent fuel smuggling in the Boroboldia Border Outpost area. A temporary checkpost was set up between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., where patrol teams inspected vehicles and individuals.

BGB officials stated that legal action has been initiated regarding the seized diesel and that anti-smuggling surveillance will continue along the border to prevent similar incidents.

In Kushtia’s Daulatpur upazila, the burial of self-proclaimed spiritual leader Shamim Reza, also known as Shamim Jahangir, took place under police supervision on Sunday evening. He had been killed by an angry mob accusing him of insulting Islam and the Holy Quran. The funeral prayer was held at 5:30 p.m. at the South-West Philipnagar graveyard, following an autopsy at Kushtia General Hospital and transfer of the body under army supervision.

Authorities reported that few followers attended the funeral. Some devotees had requested that the burial take place at his residence, but the family, local residents, and administration decided otherwise. The area around his residence remains tense, with police, RAB, BGB, and army personnel deployed to prevent further unrest.

Officials, including the Additional DIG of Khulna Range and the local MP, visited the site and urged calm. As of the report’s filing, no case had been registered and no arrests made. Injured individuals are receiving medical care under police protection.