Dr. Md. Shakirul Islam Khan (Shakil), an international researcher, has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Foreign Employment in the Asia-Pacific region with the rank of secretary. The appointment was announced through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration’s Contract and Foreign Recruitment Division on Thursday. His appointment will remain effective during the Prime Minister’s tenure or until her satisfaction, whichever comes first.

According to the notification, Dr. Khan must resign from any other professional, business, or institutional affiliations before assuming his new role. A former student and teacher of Bangladesh Agricultural University, he has published over 150 scientific papers and articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He previously held key positions at Oita University and Ehime University in Japan, as well as in various international organizations.

As Special Assistant, Dr. Khan will assist in implementing the Prime Minister’s programs and policies and oversee projects and initiatives as directed by the Prime Minister.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Aminul Islam, stated that no official letter had been received by the tribunal or prosecution via email in support of death row convict Sheikh Hasina. He said a copy of such a letter was circulated among journalists through WhatsApp, but it appeared to have been sent from a fake organization. He made these remarks on Thursday in response to questions from reporters.

Aminul Islam explained that the letter was poorly written, addressed to “Dear ICT,” and claimed to act on behalf of Sheikh Hasina, which he described as immature and unprofessional. He said a genuine British law firm would not make such basic errors, suggesting the letter might have originated from a local fake firm. He emphasized that no tribunal proceedings would be affected by such an unofficial letter.

The Chief Prosecutor added that if any official letter were to arrive, its language and content could be considered contemptuous, and legal action would be taken against the firm responsible.

Former secretary and chairman of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Welfare Front, Bijon Kanti Sarkar, is set to be appointed as a special assistant to the Prime Minister. The announcement was made after a meeting at the Secretariat on Thursday between community representatives and the Prime Minister, according to Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad General Secretary Santosh Sharma.

Sharma told reporters that the community had earlier requested greater representation in national life, and the Prime Minister responded positively by appointing a member from their community as a special assistant. He added that Bijon Kanti Sarkar was present at the meeting and that the Prime Minister was giving him the appointment that very day.

The development marks a step toward increased representation of minority communities in government roles, as reflected in the Prime Minister’s engagement with religious community leaders.

A delegation led by NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan arrived early Thursday at the Charmonai Pir’s Darbar in Barishal. After the Fajr prayer, Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim delivered a sermon, followed by a brief informal exchange with NCP leaders. The visit marks an engagement between the NCP and the religious leadership at Charmonai.

Among those present were Islami Andolan’s joint secretary general and spokesperson Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, joint secretary general Engineer Ashraful Alam, NCP joint convener Sarowar Tushar, joint member secretary Faisal Mahmud Shanto, central organizer and National Ulama Alliance member secretary Maulana Sanaullah Khan, central member Hamza Mahbub, and several student leaders including Rifat Rashid and Abdul Kader.

According to Charmonai Mahfil’s media coordinator KM Shariyatullah, Asif Mahmud is scheduled to deliver a speech on the Charmonai Mahfil stage after the Zuhr prayer. The NCP delegation will remain in Charmonai throughout the day.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis, in a central executive meeting held at the party’s Paltan headquarters, expressed deep concern that the government has not presented the July National Charter Implementation Order in parliament, despite previously supporting the charter and campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum. They emphasized that the government bears a moral responsibility to implement the referendum’s verdict, which favored constitutional reform.

The leaders stated that the 48 proposals under the July National Charter, which were the subject of the referendum, must be discussed and reviewed by the elected parliament. They called for effective steps to amend the constitution in accordance with the referendum outcome. The meeting also highlighted severe disarray in the health sector, shortages of medicines and equipment in public hospitals, and rising measles cases and mosquito infestations.

Additionally, the party criticized the government’s decision to hold online classes three days a week as harmful to students and urged reconsideration. They suggested banning air conditioners and decorative lighting to address the energy crisis and improving public transport as alternative measures.

The government has issued a new set of office regulations and behavioral guidelines for officials and employees to enhance public service quality and administrative efficiency. According to a notice signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Mosammat Tania Ferdous of the Ministry of Youth and Sports on April 2, all government staff must remain in their offices from 9:00 to 9:40 a.m. daily. The directive aims to ensure better citizen services and strengthen inter-departmental coordination.

The notice reiterates earlier Cabinet Division instructions that were reportedly not being followed, causing disruptions in public service. It also calls for responsible energy use, advising officials to rely on natural light during the day, maintain air conditioner temperatures at or above 25 degrees Celsius, and ensure all electrical devices are turned off before leaving the office. Additionally, it prohibits decorative lighting without government approval and emphasizes cleanliness in offices, corridors, and restrooms.

To ensure compliance, each department and agency must form a vigilance team to monitor implementation. The government stated that these measures are intended to promote transparency and proper use of state resources.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Political Affairs Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that ensuring good governance requires an impartial and competent administration. Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion marking Independence and National Day at North South University in Dhaka on Thursday, he warned that lack of neutrality in administration leads to disorder, corruption, and instability, creating opportunities for foreign interference.

Rizvi emphasized that Bangladesh’s independence was the result of a long struggle against exploitation and oppression, not limited to the nine-month Liberation War. He criticized attempts to distort the history of the Liberation War by attributing it to a single family or group, arguing that such practices harm the nation’s spirit. He also said that the true history of independence has not been properly presented to the younger generation, though they are increasingly aware and vocal against injustice.

He added that true independence requires ensuring citizens’ rights, freedom of expression, voting rights, and the rule of law. Rizvi called for merit-based administrative reforms to strengthen democracy and prevent the state from weakening under corruption and division.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Dhaka Metropolitan Sarbojonin Puja Committee met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday at his office in the Secretariat. The meeting was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, who said the delegation discussed various problems faced by the Hindu community. Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with other senior officials, were also present.

During the meeting, the Hindu community leaders, including Basudev Dhar, Santosh Sharma, Jayanta Kumar Dev, and Tapas Chandra Pal, raised issues such as post-August 2024 persecution, job dismissals, and lack of justice. They also discussed the need for a minority commission, minority protection law, Hindu foundation, and reforms to the Debottar property law. Jayanta Kumar Dev said the Prime Minister listened to their concerns and assured gradual resolution.

According to Santosh Sharma, the Prime Minister gave assurances that the raised issues would be addressed in phases, signaling possible future policy attention to minority rights and legal protections.

An 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a protest in Dhaka demanding the implementation of the referendum verdict. The demonstration and rally are scheduled for Saturday after Asr prayers at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. The announcement came on Thursday, April 2, following a meeting in Gulshan, where alliance coordinator and Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad briefed reporters.

Azad accused the government of suppressing reform efforts and pursuing only constitutional amendments, describing its approach as authoritarian. Earlier, on Wednesday evening, opposition leader and Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman expressed deep disappointment over the ruling party’s actions regarding the referendum outcome. The Jamaat-led opposition also staged a walkout from Parliament on the sixth day of its first session, protesting the government’s handling of related issues and alleged misrepresentation of the opposition leader.

Speaker of Parliament responded that walkout was the opposition’s right but urged them to stay for further discussions that might address their concerns.

Former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Lieutenant General (Retd.) Sheikh Mamun Khaled, has reportedly made statements during interrogation regarding the disappearance of former BNP organizing secretary M Ilias Ali. According to investigation sources, he claimed that Ilias Ali was targeted after announcing protests over issues such as the Tipaimukh Dam and transit agreements with India. Mamun Khaled alleged that the incident was carried out under the direction of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with participation from a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team.

Ilias Ali and his driver went missing from Dhaka’s Banani area on April 17, 2012, when Mamun Khaled was serving as DGFI chief. Currently under arrest in a murder case, he is being interrogated by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch. Investigators said he admitted that at least two DGFI officers provided technical support in the abduction, while others were aware of the plan. Authorities have also arrested former DGFI director Lt. Col. (Retd.) Md. Afzal Naser for questioning over related controversial activities.

Police officials stated that information from the detained former military officers is being verified and that the investigation is making significant progress.

US President Donald Trump made disparaging remarks about French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron during a private lunch, according to a report published on April 2, 2026. In a video briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel, Trump joked that Macron’s wife treats him badly and referred to an alleged incident from May 2025 in which Brigitte was seen pushing Macron during a Vietnam trip. The French president had previously dismissed that footage as fake or propaganda.

Trump’s comments came while criticizing NATO allies for their role in the Iran war, saying that the alliance did not need the United States but he still offered help. He also described NATO as a “paper tiger,” implying weakness in the organization’s response to global conflicts.

The remarks, sourced from Geo News, add to ongoing tensions between Trump and European leaders over defense cooperation and alliance commitments.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar has strongly condemned the government’s decision to introduce online classes three days a week in all metropolitan schools and colleges. In a statement issued on April 2, 2026, he described the move, decided at a coordination meeting on March 31, as ill-conceived and harmful to students. He accused the government of using the energy crisis as a pretext to impose online learning, calling it a deliberate attempt to weaken the nation’s intellectual foundation.

Porwar argued that online-based education causes multiple harms, including exclusion of poor students due to high internet costs, increased device addiction, and moral decline among children. He cited the National Student Assessment 2022 and UNICEF surveys showing learning losses and higher dropout and child labor rates during the COVID-19 period. He also criticized the government’s unplanned implementation of the 2023 curriculum and lack of educational reform.

He urged the government to withdraw the decision immediately and ensure in-person classes for all students, emphasizing that education should remain a top national priority.

Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton has warned that President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran is putting American troops in danger. Speaking to MSNBC in response to Trump’s national address, Moulton described the president’s strategy as reckless and ineffective, claiming it has failed to achieve its stated goals and instead created a dangerous situation for US forces.

Moulton criticized Trump’s handling of Iran policy, saying the president boasted about tearing up the Obama-era deal while claiming regime change was never his objective. According to Moulton, Trump’s actions have effectively resulted in a regime change that replaced an elderly, ailing leader with a younger, more hardline figure, moving Iran in the opposite direction of US interests.

He further noted the inconsistency in Trump’s statements, pointing out that the president previously claimed to have destroyed Iran’s nuclear program but now suggests further bombing is needed to achieve the same goal.

Two intelligence agency reports have uncovered large-scale corruption in Bangladesh’s electronic voting machine (EVM) project, which cost Tk 3,825 crore. The reports allege that former security adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique and his associated firm Tiger IT played a central role in irregularities throughout the project’s approval, pricing, and procurement stages. Despite these findings, no effective investigation or action has yet been taken. The reports recommend swift legal measures against those involved and are expected to be sent to the government’s top level soon.

According to the audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the EVMs were purchased at prices more than ten times higher than market rates, leading to an estimated Tk 3,172 crore in excess expenditure. The project was approved hastily without field surveys, and only six constituencies used EVMs in the 2018 election despite plans for 150. Currently, only about 40,000 of the 150,000 machines remain functional, with no budget allocated for maintenance or storage.

The current Election Commission has decided to discontinue EVM use, and the Election System Reform Commission has supported this stance, effectively rendering the entire project a financial loss.

Several initiatives taken by Bangladesh’s interim government to establish an independent judiciary have entered a phase of uncertainty. The government’s move to repeal or amend ordinances related to judicial appointments, a separate judicial secretariat, and subordinate court regulations has sparked strong opposition from rival parties. Legal experts and former officials fear these steps could undermine previous reforms and court rulings supporting judicial autonomy.

The interim government had approved the Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance in November 2025, following the July uprising, as part of broader institutional reforms. The secretariat began operations in December with appointed officers and staff. However, since the recent national election, its activities have slowed, raising doubts about the government’s commitment to judicial independence. Senior lawyers and former Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed emphasized that these reforms were designed to ensure transparency and accountability in judicial appointments.

Civil society leaders and the ‘Young Judges for Judicial Reform’ group have urged the new parliament to pass the Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance within 30 days of its first session and to uphold the national consensus on judicial independence reflected in the July Charter.