Chief Whip Nurul Islam stated that the sound system problem in Bangladesh’s National Parliament has become severe. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, he said that due to the ongoing session, no immediate action could be taken. He expressed frustration that the system does not function properly even inside the chamber. Nurul Islam revealed that the construction contract was awarded under a previous government without proper technical oversight, and that microphones of incorrect specifications were supplied.

He explained that the sound system project involved a tender worth Tk 3.84 crore, with two companies participating. The company that won the tender allegedly subcontracted the work to the losing bidder, which he described as a serious irregularity. He added that canceling the system now would disrupt parliamentary proceedings, but strict action would follow after the session ends.

Nurul Islam also discussed priorities for reserved women’s seats, emphasizing inclusion of long-time political activists. He further commented on the passage of several ordinances and confirmed that Parliament would hold two sessions on Friday.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and opposition lawmaker Hasanat Abdullah engaged in a heated exchange in Parliament on Wednesday, April 8, during the passage of the July Freedom Fighters Indemnity Bill. The dispute centered on allegations of political influence and control over the newly formed ad hoc committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and other key institutional positions.

Hasanat Abdullah accused the government of turning the BCB into a “father’s blessing cricket board” and claimed that Bangladesh Bank had also been taken over. In response, the Home Minister rejected the accusation, stating that no such “father’s or mother’s blessing committee” had been formed under the current administration. He countered that during the interim government, the then sports adviser had misused power to influence district committees and unilaterally form a BCB body.

Salahuddin Ahmed further alleged that during the interim government, Bangladesh Bank and universities were subjected to political control, which he said disrupted the economy. The Speaker later urged the minister to return to the bill discussion.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Shishir Muhammad Monir stated that the main challenge with the July Charter lies in its implementation process rather than its content. He made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled “State Reform from July Spirit: Challenges and Prospects,” organized by the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Monir alleged that the government altered the previously agreed framework for constitutional reform after the election, abandoning the planned referendum meant to gather public opinion on four key issues. He explained that the reform council was supposed to complete its work within 180 days and form a bicameral parliament, but the process stalled as council members did not take oath. Out of 84 reform proposals, 47 were constitutional and 37 non-constitutional, with 30 of the constitutional ones reaching consensus.

He emphasized the need for structural reforms to overcome political stagnation, including limiting the prime minister’s tenure and separating party and government leadership. Monir also warned that weak state institutions allow hidden forces to influence governance and urged young people to prepare for ethical leadership in the future.

The Bangladesh Parliament has passed the July Uprising Protection and Liability Determination Bill 2026. The bill was introduced by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday, April 8, and was approved unanimously by voice vote. The legislation provides legal immunity to participants of the July uprising by enabling the withdrawal of all civil and criminal cases filed against them.

According to the law, all related allegations will be annulled following prescribed procedures, and no new legal action can be initiated against individuals involved in the uprising. This effectively grants full legal protection to those associated with the event.

Earlier, the Parliament also passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance Bill 2026, which legally allows the government to ban any political party or organization accused of involvement in terrorism. This amendment ensures the legal basis for prohibiting political activities of the ousted Awami League.

NCP Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah has sharply criticized the formation of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), alleging that it has become politically biased. Speaking in the national parliament on Wednesday during discussions on the 'July Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Bill,' he claimed that the BCB is no longer a national institution but has turned into a partisan entity. Abdullah also demanded that the Human Rights Commission Ordinance be passed as a bill before approving the current legislation.

He accused the government of politicizing constitutional institutions, citing examples such as the Bangladesh Bank and the cricket board. In response, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed countered that former interim government sports adviser Asif Mahmud had exercised government powers over councilors and conducted a one-sided voting process for the cricket board while a related High Court petition remained pending.

The exchange highlighted growing political tensions over control of national institutions, with the BCB becoming a focal point of debate in parliament.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni announced that the ongoing session of the Bangladesh National Parliament will continue on Friday. He made the statement on Wednesday, April 8, during a break in the current parliamentary session. According to him, 44 ordinances have already been passed as bills, and the parliament aims to resolve all 133 ordinances by Friday. Considering the workload, the decision was made to hold the session on Friday as well.

The Chief Whip expressed dissatisfaction over the malfunctioning and mismanagement of the parliament building’s sound system, alleging that the contractors who received the tender had outsourced the work to others. To meet the constitutional requirement of converting 133 ordinances into law, the parliament has been holding two sessions per day since Tuesday, April 7.

The continuation of the session on Friday underscores the parliament’s effort to complete legislative obligations within the stipulated timeframe.

Voting for the postponed 13th parliamentary election in Sherpur-3 constituency, covering Sreebardi and Jhenaigati upazilas, will take place tomorrow, Thursday. Authorities have completed all preparations, including the distribution of ballot papers, ballot boxes, and other necessary materials to every polling center. The constituency has 128 polling centers with 751 booths, where 413,377 registered voters are expected to cast their votes.

According to Sherpur’s Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, 32 mobile teams and striking forces will be deployed to ensure security. Each polling center will have five law enforcement officers, while key centers will have six. The election was previously postponed following the death of Jamaat candidate Nuruzzaman Badol on February 12.

As per the revised schedule, voting will now be held on April 9. The contesting candidates are Masudur Rahman Masud from Jamaat-e-Islami and Mahmudul Haque Rubel from the BNP.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of former cultural affairs minister and actor Asaduzzaman Noor’s income tax records in connection with a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The order was issued on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz. Court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain confirmed the directive.

According to the ACC’s petition, Noor is accused of abusing his power for personal gain and unlawfully possessing assets worth 53.71 million taka beyond known income sources. The petition also alleges suspicious transactions totaling 1.58 billion taka across 19 bank and financial institution accounts. The ACC filed the case under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, appointing an investigating officer to lead the inquiry.

The court stated that seizing Noor’s complete tax records, including permanent and miscellaneous sections, is necessary for a fair investigation. The documents will be reviewed as part of the ongoing probe.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited delegations from the United States and Iran to Islamabad for peace discussions scheduled for Friday. The meeting aims to promote dialogue between the two nations amid ongoing regional tensions.

According to Iranian news agency ISNA, the US delegation may be led by Vice President JD Vance, while Iran’s delegation is expected to be headed by Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf. The talks will take place in Pakistan’s capital, reflecting Islamabad’s effort to facilitate communication between Washington and Tehran.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not specify the agenda or expected outcomes of the meeting, but the involvement of high-level representatives suggests a significant diplomatic engagement.

The Narayanganj Metropolitan Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam’s General Secretary, Maulana Ferdousur Rahman, has been issued a show-cause notice for alleged activities violating party discipline. The notice, signed by district president Mufti Monir Hossain Kasemi, was released on Wednesday afternoon. Rahman has been instructed to respond within seven days.

According to the letter, Rahman organized a council meeting for April 9 without approval from the district or metropolitan Majlis-e-Amela and without informing the district president. The letter accuses him of acting with personal motives, creating internal conflict, and misleading central leaders with false information. These actions were described as contrary to party discipline and potentially disruptive to organizational order.

The notice also directed the suspension of the announced council and required Rahman to submit a written explanation to the district president, district and metropolitan Majlis-e-Amela, and the central committee by April 16.

A lawyer has filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, former legal adviser to the interim government, alleging corruption and illegal accumulation of wealth. The complaint was submitted on Wednesday by a Supreme Court lawyer, and the ACC has accepted it for review. The petition also requested an investigation into the alleged corruption and assets of Nazrul’s then personal secretary, Shamsuddin Masum, who now serves as a district judge.

According to the complaint, citing newspaper reports, during Nazrul’s tenure as legal adviser, large-scale bribery occurred in the transfer of sub-registrars within the Ministry of Law, amounting to around one billion taka. It alleged that transfer orders were issued or suspended based on bribe payments, with Masum acting as an intermediary in the transactions. The complaint described the corruption as widespread and requested the ACC to take appropriate legal action after investigation.

The ACC’s next steps or timeline for inquiry were not specified in the report.

A Dhaka court has placed former Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) director Afzal Naser on a fresh four-day remand for interrogation in a case filed over the killing of BNP activist Mokbul Hossain. The order was issued on Wednesday afternoon by Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah, following a request from the prosecution. Sub-Inspector Tofazzal Hossain of the Motijheel Detective Branch had sought a seven-day remand, but the court granted four days.

According to the report, Naser had already been in remand since Sunday in connection with the same case. Earlier, he was also remanded for six days in another case related to the killing of Delwar Hossain during the July movement. This marks the third time he has been placed on remand. The prosecution argued that further interrogation was necessary to gather more information, while Naser’s lawyer opposed the request, saying there was no substantial evidence against him and that questioning could be done at the jail gate.

The case stems from a 2022 incident when BNP announced a one-point movement, and police raids at the party’s Nayapaltan office led to violence that killed Mokbul Hossain. The case was filed in September 2024 against 256 people, including Sheikh Hasina.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan stated that necessary measures will be taken to nationalize the jobs of teachers and employees of private educational institutions once the government adopts a policy decision. He made the remark on Wednesday morning in response to a question from Comilla-2 Member of Parliament Md. Selim Bhuiyan during the first session of the National Parliament.

The minister explained that the process of government recognition or nationalization of private colleges follows the Prime Minister’s directives. After nationalization, the employment terms of teachers and staff are reviewed and finalized according to applicable regulations. He emphasized that nationalizing private institutions is a long-term and policy-driven matter, linked to the government’s overall financial capacity, existing policies, and the national budget.

According to the minister, Bangladesh currently has 34,129 private educational institutions employing 598,994 teachers and 206,699 staff members.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s women’s wing organized a human chain protest in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday, demanding the withdrawal of a case filed against Bibi Sauda Sumi, a female Jamaat activist from Bhola municipality who was arrested from her home. Around a hundred women participated in the demonstration, carrying placards and chanting slogans, which briefly made the area lively.

During the event, the organization’s general secretary Nurunnesa Siddiqui called for resolving the country’s fuel and gas crisis, ending extortion, and ensuring judicial independence. She also urged effective measures to stop cyberbullying. Siddiqui alleged that criticism of the government previously led to lawsuits and that similar authoritarian behavior is recurring, citing arrests of opposition voices including workers.

She further claimed that although a controversial cyber law had been repealed due to misuse, its provisions are again being used for arrests. Other speakers included the group’s law and human rights secretary Advocate Sabekunnahar Munni and publicity and media secretary Nazmun Nahar Nilu.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has sharply criticized the ceasefire agreement with Iran, calling it a “political disaster.” According to a report by AFP, Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to achieve the main objectives of the war. In a post on social media platform X, Lapid said Israel was not even present at the negotiation table when crucial national security decisions were made.

Lapid stated that the military fulfilled all its assigned duties and the public showed great patience, but Netanyahu failed politically and strategically. He argued that none of the goals Netanyahu himself had set were achieved. Netanyahu had aimed to destroy or severely weaken Iran’s nuclear program, which he described as an existential threat to Israel, as well as to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and reduce Tehran’s regional influence.

Lapid warned that due to Netanyahu’s arrogance, negligence, and lack of strategic planning, Israel would take many years to recover from the political and strategic damage caused.