Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mashum Mostafa, representing Netrakona-5, raised a demand for personal and organizational security in the National Parliament on Sunday. He described an attack that allegedly took place on Friday evening at the Giripath Filling Station in Atkapara area of Purbadhala, along the Shyamganj–Birishiri road. According to him, a group identifying themselves with the BNP vandalized his car, assaulted his associates, and attempted to break into a mosque where he had taken shelter during evening prayers.

Mostafa told Parliament that the attackers tried to kill him and that professional killers had been hired for the purpose. He credited mosque worshippers for preventing the attackers from breaking in. The MP appealed to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister for protection for himself, his family, and his party workers. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed responded that nine people had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Mostafa argued that only one of those arrested was a listed suspect and that the others were innocent. Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described the incident as very unfortunate and assured that a fair investigation would be conducted to identify and punish the real perpetrators.

Syed Abdal Ahmad, Executive Editor of the newspaper Amar Desh, has been appointed as the Principal Information Officer (PIO) of the Government of Bangladesh. The appointment, equivalent to the rank of Secretary (Grade-1), was announced on Sunday through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration’s Contract and Foreign Branch. According to the notification, the appointment is on a one-year contractual basis, effective from the date of joining, and requires him to sever ties with any other professional or institutional engagements.

The notification further stated that other terms and conditions of the appointment will be determined by the contract agreement. Ahmad is a veteran journalist who previously served as Deputy Press Secretary to Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia from 1992 to 1996. He has received several awards, including the Philips Award in 1989, the ESCAP-FEJEB Award, and the Dhaka Reporters Unity Lifetime Honor in 2025.

Ahmad has held leadership roles in the National Press Club, served on the Media Reform Commission under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, and authored over 20 books on politics, literature, and social issues.

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarek Rahman announced in the National Parliament that the fuel rationing restrictions previously imposed on police and other emergency service agencies have been withdrawn. He stated that the decision was made two days earlier and expressed hope that such problems would not recur. The exemption applies to law enforcement, ambulances, and fire service units.

The announcement followed remarks from Comilla-6 Member of Parliament Monirul Haque Chowdhury, who raised the issue of a customs officer’s killing in Comilla. He said police had cited fuel shortages as a reason for reduced duty hours, which affected their ability to respond. Chowdhury demanded the immediate withdrawal of the fuel rationing system for police, warning that it could otherwise lead to a deterioration in law and order and hinder public movement.

The prime minister’s statement indicates that emergency and law enforcement operations are expected to return to normal following the lifting of fuel restrictions.

The Bangladesh Parliament has passed a bill abolishing the provision that allowed Members of Parliament to import vehicles duty-free. The amendment to the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) Order 1973 was passed on Sunday without any discussion or amendment proposals. Law Minister Md. Anisul Huq introduced the bill, which had been approved earlier by the Cabinet on Thursday.

With the passage of the bill, Section 3C of the existing law has been repealed. That section had entitled MPs to import one car, jeep, or microbus duty-free—excluding value-added tax, development surcharge, and import permit fees—under government-specified conditions during their tenure, and to import another after five years from the last import date.

Both ruling and opposition parties had previously stated that their members would not accept duty-free cars, signaling political consensus behind the reform.

In Debiganj of Panchagarh, State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad has forgiven a college student who was arrested after posting criticism of him on Facebook. The minister also assured legal assistance for the student’s bail. The student, identified as Rishat, was sent to jail on Saturday after being presented before the Panchagarh Chief Judicial Magistrate Court-5.

According to police and local sources, Rishat had criticized a parliamentary speech by the minister in his Facebook post. Following the post, a local leader of the Debiganj Sadar Union Jubo Dal filed a case, leading to his arrest. After learning that the accused was a minor, the minister contacted Rishat’s father, Ashraf Ali, and promised necessary legal support. Ashraf Ali confirmed that the minister had spoken to a lawyer regarding his son’s bail.

The minister stated that the student was of his own child’s age and that mistakes can happen, so he decided to forgive him. The family now awaits the court’s decision on the bail application.

Education Minister Dr. Ehsanul Haque Milon said that students are moving toward morally void spaces and are increasingly eager to become viral. He made the remarks on Sunday morning at the University Grants Commission (UGC) during an event marking World Intellectual Property Day.

Milon noted that although universities have large budgets, there is no allocation for research, urging both universities and the ministry to address this issue. He criticized the growing trend of students and young people going live on Facebook and making random or inappropriate comments such as “Hi,” “Go ahead,” or “Do a research,” which often spread without purpose and encourage a culture of seeking viral attention.

He expressed concern that the younger generation, including those still in school uniforms, now feel no hesitation in making indecent remarks against their teachers or ministers, reflecting a worrying decline in respect and moral restraint.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved 14 development projects worth Tk 13,445.41 crore at a meeting held on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman. Of the total cost, Tk 8,089.56 crore will come from government funds, Tk 5,340.26 crore from project loans, and Tk 15.59 crore from the implementing agencies’ own resources. The approved projects include five new, five revised, and four time-extension projects.

Among the approved projects are initiatives under the ministries of Health, Finance, Fisheries and Livestock, Local Government, and Road Transport and Bridges. Notable projects include the expansion of urban healthcare access, customs modernization, disease control programs, and several major road and bridge developments. A committee led by the Cabinet Secretary was formed to investigate repeated time extensions for three road projects.

The meeting also reviewed 33 previously approved small-scale projects costing less than Tk 50 crore. Ministers from various portfolios and senior government officials attended the session.

Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir met with Swiss Ambassador Reto Renggli in Dhaka on Sunday to discuss strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Switzerland. The meeting took place at the minister’s office in the Secretariat and was described as productive.

During the discussion, both sides noted the long-standing friendly relations between the two countries and Bangladesh’s duty-free access to the Swiss market under the GSP scheme. The minister highlighted that Swiss products are well-regarded in Bangladesh for their quality and that competitive pricing could attract more middle-class consumers. He encouraged Swiss investment in service-oriented sectors and potential industries such as pharmaceuticals, leather goods, light engineering, and shipbuilding. Muktadir also mentioned Bangladesh’s request to delay its LDC graduation process by three years and sought Switzerland’s support.

Ambassador Renggli acknowledged the existing trade imbalance and expressed Switzerland’s interest in expanding trade and investment in Bangladesh. The meeting was also attended by the acting Commerce Secretary Md. Abdur Rahim Khan.

Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen met with Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan at the minister’s office in the Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in media, culture, and knowledge-based sectors. The ambassador congratulated the minister on assuming office and handed over a proposal to increase collaboration between Turkish state television and radio and Bangladesh Television and Radio.

During the discussion, the minister recalled his visit to Turkey in March to attend the Strategic Communication Summit and thanked the Turkish government for organizing the event. He described the summit as a timely initiative and emphasized the importance of establishing order and regulation in digital platforms through collective international efforts rather than by individual countries.

The report also noted that during the minister’s earlier visit to Turkey, both sides had agreed in principle to sign a memorandum of understanding on knowledge exchange and information sharing in modern information management between Bangladesh and Turkey.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed all government agencies to ensure cost efficiency and rational spending in project adoption and implementation. He emphasized that every project must align with the government’s electoral commitments and broader development plans. The directive came during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held at the Secretariat on Sunday, which he chaired.

After the meeting, State Minister for Finance and Planning Md. Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki told reporters that 17 projects were presented, of which 15 were discussed in detail and most received conditional approval. Among them, six were new and seven were revised projects, while others remain under review. Some projects required cost increases and time extensions, prompting further scrutiny.

Saki added that the government is reassessing the progress, costs, and timelines of ongoing projects while evaluating the necessity and effectiveness of new proposals. He also noted that delays in implementation are being investigated, with efforts underway to balance project review and development progress.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Sadiq Kayem has responded to allegations made by student leader Abidul Islam Khan, describing them as part of an organized activism campaign. In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Kayem claimed that the allegations were being used to conceal the misdeeds of the BNP-affiliated student organization and to divert attention from national crises and campus unrest.

Kayem’s post cited various incidents of violence, extortion, and campus attacks allegedly committed by BNP and its student wing since August 2024. He accused the group of spreading false information through social media pages and using artificial intelligence to create fake images for propaganda. Kayem also denied that the DU Insiders page, linked to him, was involved in harassment or misinformation, asserting that a separate, fake page was responsible for objectionable content.

He further alleged that student activists had engaged in intimidation, phone checks, and assaults on journalists and student representatives. Kayem concluded that such actions reflected authoritarian tendencies and warned that the public would eventually hold the perpetrators accountable.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid announced that all Bangladesh-flagged ships, including the MV Joyjatra, will be able to pass through the Hormuz Strait despite the ongoing war situation in the Middle East. She made the statement to reporters on Sunday afternoon.

In the same briefing, the minister said Bangladesh has demanded a proper investigation and justice over the killing of two Bangladeshi students in the United States. She added that the process of bringing back the body of student Jamil to Bangladesh is underway.

The announcement comes as regional tensions have raised concerns about maritime safety and the security of international shipping routes, though the minister confirmed that Bangladeshi vessels will continue their passage through the strategic strait.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has arrested a smuggler named Hasan Ali, aged 30, with 500 tapentadol tablets at the Dhamoirhat border in Naogaon. The arrest took place late Saturday night in the Amarapur area, and BGB confirmed the information in a statement on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Hasan Ali is the son of the late Hafizur Rahman from Hothatpara village.

According to the statement, a special patrol team led by Naik Subedar Md. Akkas Ali from the Chakilam Border Outpost (BOP) conducted the operation about 1,500 yards inside Bangladesh from border pillar 268/8-S. In a separate operation the same night, another BGB team led by Havildar Md. Ershad Ali from the Bastabar BOP recovered 50 bottles of Indian Phensedyl syrup from Mahisantush village, about 100 yards inside the border.

The arrested individual was sent to court after a case was filed with the local police station, and the seized drugs were handed over to the police.

Bangladesh’s Education Minister Dr. Ehsanul Haque Milon expressed concern that the country’s young generation is becoming increasingly impatient and less capable of deep analysis. Speaking on Sunday morning at a workshop organized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to mark World Intellectual Property Day 2026, he compared today’s youth to “instant coffee,” saying they react and comment instantly without reflection. The minister noted that although 27 percent of the population is young, their declining patience and analytical skills pose challenges for innovation and research.

He further criticized the growing obsession among youth with social media visibility, saying many prioritize going live or viral on Facebook over meaningful engagement. Dr. Milon warned that such behavior erodes moral values and urged young people to be more responsible online. Addressing rumors about exam question leaks, he called on journalists to verify information before spreading it and assured that legal measures are being taken. He also urged everyone to reduce dependence on Facebook and to act responsibly to prevent harm to students.

The minister emphasized that universities must take effective initiatives to protect intellectual property and foster a culture of research and innovation.

The Ministry of Education has formed a three-member investigation committee following an assault on teachers during an examination at Daokandi Government College in Durgapur upazila of Rajshahi. The incident occurred on April 23, when teachers were reportedly attacked, and a female demonstrator was allegedly harassed. The ministry issued a notification signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Manjurul Alam confirming the formation of the committee.

According to the notification, the committee is headed by the Joint Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division (College-2 Branch), with the Deputy Director of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (College-1, Government College Branch) and the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi (Education and ICT) serving as members. The committee has been instructed to submit its investigation report within 15 working days.

The formation of the committee underscores the ministry’s response to the reported assault and aims to ensure accountability and transparency in addressing the incident within the educational institution.