State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam has assured that the government will extend the visas of expatriate workers stranded in Bangladesh due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. She made the statement on Friday, April 3, while receiving the body of Bangladeshi worker S M Tarek, who died in Bahrain, at Shahjalal International Airport. The minister said that visa validity has already been extended by one month and will be further extended as needed for affected countries.

She added that efforts are underway through relevant embassies to ensure the safety of expatriate workers both in Bangladesh and abroad. Regarding the repatriation of deceased workers, she said that three of the six bodies have been brought back to Bangladesh, and efforts continue to return the remaining ones.

The minister also warned against illegal migration, noting that many lives have been lost due to human trafficking. She stated that the government is working to bring back those stranded abroad and to bring traffickers to justice.

National Parliament Whip and Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati and Komolnagar) MP ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan said that wealthy individuals and those under government protection contribute less revenue compared to ordinary and poor citizens. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon while addressing the 'Komolnagar Pride Award', meritorious student reception, and wheelchair distribution ceremony organized by Sunrise Club at the Surjomukhi Kindergarten field in Char Lawrence, Komolnagar.

Nizan emphasized that the fight against drugs requires collective action, not just words. He urged teachers to focus on their professional duties rather than politics, suggesting that political activities be limited to the pre-election period. Responding to organizers’ requests to make the awards government-recognized, he cautioned that transferring such initiatives to government control could limit community autonomy, though the government could provide support.

The event honored nine distinguished individuals, six meritorious students, and distributed wheelchairs to fourteen persons with disabilities, recognizing contributions in education, social work, and entrepreneurship.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam visited the dilapidated bridge over the Bairan River in Gopalpur, Tangail, on Friday. During the inspection, he announced an allocation of Tk 4.5 crore for the construction of a new bridge and directed officials to begin work immediately. The bridge, built in the 1980s at Hatbairan area, has long been in a dangerous condition, forcing thousands of people to cross it daily at great risk.

The issue gained attention after a report was published in the newspaper Amar Desh on January 19, prompting authorities to take notice. The inspection was attended by Tangail-2 Member of Parliament Abdus Salam Pintu, local administration officials, and political leaders. Local residents and community representatives expressed relief that the long-neglected infrastructure problem was finally being addressed.

Residents hope that once the new bridge is completed, it will ease long-standing suffering and improve local communication and economic activities in the region.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and Rangpur-3 MP ATM Azharul Islam has accused the government of adopting fascist tendencies by questioning the legitimacy of a national referendum. Speaking as the chief guest at a ward-level leadership conference organized by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka North on Friday in Vatara, Dhaka, he said the July Revolution was aimed at establishing good governance and justice, not merely changing power. He criticized the government for refusing to fully implement the July Charter and for opposing constitutional reforms promised in it.

Azharul claimed that the government’s stance on the referendum reflected ideological bankruptcy and a betrayal of the July spirit. He alleged that despite a major public mandate in the last election, election engineering prevented full reflection of the people’s will. He urged the government to act wisely and implement the July Charter immediately.

In his closing remarks, Dhaka North Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin said the government’s denial of the July Charter contradicted the will of 48 million voters who supported constitutional reform, warning that the people would compel its implementation through mass movements.

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Dr. Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy Bir Bikram, convener of the National Committee for Implementation of the July Charter Movement, warned that people would return to the streets if the government failed to implement the July Charter in line with the referendum verdict. He made the statement on Friday during a human chain and rally organized by the committee in front of the National Press Club.

Speakers at the event accused the government of deceiving the people and urged immediate implementation of the referendum’s outcome. They asserted that the referendum represented the supreme will of the people, which all state institutions, including parliament and the judiciary, must uphold. The speakers warned that failure to do so would provoke a strong public response and severe consequences for the government.

Committee member secretary Ahmed Karim announced that a nationwide movement would soon be launched to build public opinion in favor of implementing the July Charter.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States could easily open the Strait of Hormuz and generate substantial revenue by extracting oil from the area. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that with a little more time, the US could open the strait, extract oil, and earn huge profits. He described the potential as a major 'gusher' for the entire world.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes, carrying a significant portion of global oil supplies. Recently, Iran has banned the passage of ships belonging to the United States, Israel, and their allies through the strait following US-Israeli attacks on Iranian territory. The situation has heightened tensions in the region, with energy security and freedom of navigation emerging as key concerns.

Trump’s remarks come amid ongoing geopolitical friction in the Gulf, where control over the Strait of Hormuz remains a central issue for global oil markets and regional stability.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s joint secretary general and spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman has accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of betraying the July mass uprising. In a statement issued on Friday, April 3, he said the uprising aimed to permanently eliminate autocracy, and the interim government had issued several ordinances to ensure constitutional balance and strengthen democratic institutions.

Rahman alleged that although BNP came to power through the path paved by the July uprising, it has now proposed to repeal or amend ordinances that could prevent the return of autocracy. He said BNP’s actions contradict the sacrifices of students and citizens who fought for democracy. The ordinances in question include those strengthening the National Human Rights Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and ensuring judicial independence.

He urged the government not to betray the blood of the people and to approve the ordinances issued to permanently abolish autocracy, emphasizing that BNP itself had once suffered under authoritarian rule.

Dr. Tasnim Jara, a former leader of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), has sharply criticized the BNP government’s initiative to repeal the Enforced Disappearance Prevention Ordinance. In a Facebook post on Friday, she questioned the rationale behind the decision and warned that it could further institutionalize a culture of impunity.

Jara stated that the government intends to cancel the ordinance, arguing that prior approval from the government would be required to investigate or arrest members of law enforcement agencies. She questioned whether fair justice is possible if permission must be sought from the same government to investigate its own forces. According to her, families of disappearance victims have previously been denied justice due to such procedural barriers.

She emphasized that the state’s primary duty is to ensure citizens’ safety, and requiring prior approval for investigations against security forces places the state above accountability. Jara described this as a clear violation of the constitutional principle that all are equal before the law.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh has called on the government to replace plans for appointing music teachers in primary schools with the recruitment of religious teachers. In a statement issued to the media on Friday, the organization’s president, Shaikhul Hadis Maulana Ubaidullah Faruq, and secretary general, Maulana Manjurul Islam Afendi, emphasized the importance of religious education in nurturing moral and ethical values among children.

The statement argued that the government had pledged before the election to strengthen religious education, but that promise has not been reflected in current initiatives. The group described the move to appoint music teachers as contradictory to that commitment. It further stated that the primary education system should focus on developing morality, humanity, and religious values among students.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh urged the government to reconsider its decision promptly and to fulfill its electoral promise regarding religious education.

Jamaat-e-Islami central executive member and Dhaka South Nayeb-e-Ameer Advocate Dr. Helal Uddin said that if the government cancels the July Charter and other interim ordinances, leading to the rise of neo-fascism, the people will build resistance. He made the remarks on Friday while addressing an Eid reunion organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Shahjahanpur East Thana as the chief guest.

Dr. Helal alleged that the government’s intentions are harmful, claiming that both Awami League and BNP alliance leaders have supported authoritarian tendencies for personal gain. He urged the government to act cautiously and stated that Jamaat-e-Islami would cooperate with any government initiative taken in the interest of the nation. He emphasized that Jamaat is not merely an opposition party in parliament but a responsible, ideological, and patriotic organization.

The event was presided over by Shahjahanpur East Thana Ameer Muhammad Shariful Islam and conducted by Thana Secretary Muhammad Anwar Hossain. Several local leaders and activists attended the program.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has demanded the immediate release of Maulana Ainul Haque Kasemi, who is imprisoned in connection with the case over the vandalism of the Prothom Alo office. The demand was made in a statement issued on Friday afternoon by Hefazat’s Joint Secretary General Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi. He said Kasemi has been in jail for one hundred days without trial, calling it a clear violation of human rights. The statement also urged the current BNP government to release all those allegedly innocent in the case.

Islamabadi claimed that Kasemi had no involvement in the vandalism and was falsely implicated because of his criticism of Prothom Alo. He described the detention as inhumane and accused the newspaper of ignoring the issue. The statement further called on civil society, human rights groups, and Islamic parties to raise their voices for the release of Kasemi and other detained clerics.

He also criticized Prothom Alo and The Daily Star for what he termed Islamophobic editorial policies and alleged past defamation of political leaders, calling for legal action against their editors.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the National Citizen Party’s southern region and Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4, posted a statement on his verified Facebook account on April 3, 2026. In the post, he wrote that everything about the 'Hasina system' is needed except Hasina herself. The post quickly went viral, drawing significant attention and engagement across social media platforms.

According to the source, the post was made at 12:21 p.m. and within four hours had received 317,000 reactions, 29,400 comments, and 14,000 shares. The statement has prompted widespread discussion online, with many users interpreting it as a pointed comment on current political issues. The report did not include any official response or clarification from Hasnat Abdullah or his party.

The viral nature of the post suggests growing public interest in the political undertones of his remark, though the broader implications remain unclear.

Dr. Rezaul Karim, a central executive member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and secretary of the party’s Dhaka North unit, described the current government as 'neo-fascist' during an Eid reunion event held at Russell Community Center in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The event took place on Friday and was organized by Mohammadpur East Thana Jamaat.

He alleged that although 70 percent of the population voted in favor of Jamaat, the election results were altered through state mechanisms and the 'deep state' to bring the BNP to power. Dr. Karim accused the BNP of betraying the public by abandoning its pre-election promises and claimed that the results of a recent referendum were not being implemented under the advice of a 'fallen autocrat.' He further stated that the BNP, which was founded through a referendum, is now using tactics to avoid implementing it.

Warning the government, Dr. Karim said that any delay in implementing the referendum results would compel students and citizens to take to the streets demanding midterm elections.

A new political party named the Justice and Democracy Party (JDP) was officially launched at a press conference held at the National Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday afternoon. The party announced a 90-member central committee with Naeem Ahmad as convener, Advocate Abdul Alim as member secretary, and Md. Ahsan Ullah as chief organizer. The JDP called for the abolition of the 1972 Constitution and the drafting of a new constitution based on social democracy.

During the event, Naeem Ahmad said the party’s stance emerged amid national debates on constitutional reform and the formation of a constituent assembly. He argued that only a new constitution could ensure an equitable and prosperous Bangladesh, reflecting the aspirations of the 1971 Liberation War and the July 2024 uprising. The JDP also pledged to replace “socialism” with “social democracy” and “Bengali nationalism” with “Bangladeshism” in the state principles.

The party announced a one-month membership drive, public outreach demanding justice for the July killings, and a national representative conference in May. It also promised fair justice for all, including ruling party members, to prevent misuse of the judicial process.

A new controversy has emerged over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed underground ballroom project at the White House. Initially kept secret, details surfaced after legal complications forced partial disclosure. The plan involves constructing a 90,000-square-foot ballroom costing about 400 million dollars, replacing the old Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) built during World War II. Construction had already begun, with workers demolishing the old facility to build a larger, modern structure.

Trump stated that the ballroom would protect the underlying military installation and include bomb storage, medical facilities, a hospital, secure communications, and biological defense systems. However, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon halted the project, ruling that Trump cannot proceed without congressional approval. The National Trust for Historic Preservation had filed the injunction request, which the judge accepted in part.

The U.S. Secret Service warned that stopping construction could compromise presidential security. White House officials admitted that parts of the project are classified, leaving questions about its true scope, cost, and military involvement unresolved.