Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that democracy cannot be established in a country where human rights are absent. He announced that the government will take swift measures to ensure justice and expedite legal proceedings. The remarks were made on Tuesday afternoon during the National Legal Aid Day event.

Rahman emphasized that the government has adopted specific plans to provide legal assistance to those who are financially unable to afford it. He said justice should not remain confined to legal texts but should become a reality in every citizen’s life. According to him, true justice is meaningful only when the law upholds human dignity and guarantees rights through a moral commitment rather than mechanical enforcement.

The Prime Minister added that delayed justice amounts to denied justice, and for that reason, initiatives have been taken to resolve disputes before they reach the courts.

The state-owned Jiban Bima Corporation has announced a new recruitment drive for 20 positions under the title of Insurance Representative or Agent. According to the notice published on April 28, 2026, interested candidates can apply online until May 27, 2026. Applicants must have at least an SSC or graduate-level qualification, and prior experience is not required, making it an opportunity for newcomers. Both men and women are eligible to apply.

The positions are full-time and categorized as private-sector roles. Salary and other benefits will be determined through discussion, and no specific age limit has been mentioned. Selected candidates must be willing to work in the districts of Bogura, Gaibandha, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Natore, and Sirajganj.

Applications are being accepted through the BDJobs online platform until the stated deadline.

Bangladesh and Bhutan have stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in trade and energy sectors. The discussion took place on Tuesday at the Secretariat in Dhaka during a courtesy meeting between Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Bhutan’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Dasho Karma Hamu Dorji. Both sides discussed expanding bilateral trade and investment as well as enhancing regional cooperation, with particular focus on renewable energy, including solar and hydropower projects.

The commerce minister highlighted that although South Asian countries collectively have a GDP of about 59 trillion US dollars, intra-regional trade remains around one percent, far below potential. He emphasized the need for stronger economic partnerships among neighboring countries and suggested that establishing small-scale hydropower plants near border areas could be mutually beneficial.

The Bhutanese ambassador congratulated the minister on his appointment and expressed Bhutan’s interest in deepening bilateral trade ties. He noted that the distance between Bhutan and Bangladesh’s Burimari border is about 100 kilometers, making trade and investment convenient. He also mentioned that Bhutanese students study in Bangladeshi medical colleges, contributing to cultural exchange between the two nations.

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan stated that there is currently no militant activity in the country. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after attending the 31st founding anniversary and medal ceremony of the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The minister said that the term 'militant' is no longer relevant in the present context and was previously used as a political tool during fascist regimes.

Responding to a question about when the army would be withdrawn from the field, the minister said the withdrawal would take place gradually. The event was also attended by Home Ministry Secretary Manjur Morshed Chowdhury and Coast Guard Director General Md. Ziaul Haque.

The statement reflects the government’s position that militant threats have subsided and that security operations are transitioning toward normal administrative control.

A severe shortage of drinking water has hit Ramganj upazila in Lakshmipur, where deep tube wells are failing to draw water due to ongoing drought and a sharp drop in groundwater levels. Residents, including business owners, are struggling to obtain safe water, with many resorting to shallow tube wells or carrying water from distant sources. The municipal water plant is unable to meet demand, leaving households and institutions in distress.

Local residents reported that most deep wells have become nonfunctional, forcing them to buy bottled water or use pond water for daily chores. The head teacher of a local primary school said the school’s motor pump has stopped working, while others complained of irregular municipal supply. According to the assistant engineer of Ramganj Municipality, a 2023 earthquake originating in Sirundi village caused the groundwater level to drop significantly, worsening the crisis.

Officials said a new water plant in Kazirkhil area is expected to start operation within a few days, which may ease the shortage. The upazila administration has pledged to coordinate with the public health engineering department to take necessary measures.

The Bangladesh government is taking extensive preparations to send a large number of skilled workers to Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) category across 16 sectors. Japan has set a target to recruit 820,000 foreign workers in these sectors by March 2029, and experts believe Bangladesh could supply up to 40 percent of that demand if properly prepared. Previously, Bangladesh could send workers to only six sectors, but now it is expanding readiness for all 16.

According to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the government is implementing short-, medium-, and long-term plans to train workers in Japanese language, culture, and technical skills. Initiatives include upgrading training centers, launching hybrid courses, and strengthening cooperation with Japanese institutions. The ministry has also established a “Japan Cell” and enhanced the labor wing at the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo to facilitate recruitment.

The government is also promoting student migration, aiming to send 10,000 students to Japan in 2026 with easy loan facilities. Officials say these measures will deepen bilateral cooperation and expand employment opportunities for Bangladeshi citizens in Japan.

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday morning at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat. The meeting took place at 10 a.m. and was described as a formal courtesy visit.

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Science and Technology Minister and Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam Swapon, adviser to both ministries Rehan Asif Asad, and Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigorievich Kozhin were present during the meeting. The report did not specify the topics discussed or any outcomes from the meeting.

The visit reflects ongoing diplomatic and institutional engagement between Bangladesh and Russia, particularly in the field of nuclear energy cooperation, though no further details were provided in the source.

In Tangail’s Mirzapur upazila, allegations have surfaced that topsoil from triple-crop farmland is being sold to brick kilns and other sites. For nearly two months, soil has been excavated day and night from cultivable land in three villages of Fatepur Union—Bahonatali, Nishchintapur, and Mushuriaghona—using excavators. The soil is reportedly being transported by trucks to nearby brick kilns. Local residents claim that influential individuals are involved and that soil is being taken even from others’ land without consent.

Officials from the agriculture department have warned that removing the top 15 centimeters of soil will severely reduce fertility, requiring more fertilizer and lowering yields. The Fatepur Union administrator said he had discussed halting the excavation with the assistant commissioner (land). The assistant commissioner, Tarek Aziz, stated that no legal permission had been issued for soil cutting and that investigations and legal action would follow.

The ongoing removal of fertile soil threatens long-term agricultural productivity in the affected villages if not stopped promptly.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that helicopter service will be added to the Bangladesh Coast Guard fleet as part of a modernization initiative. The government also plans to recruit 10,000 new personnel to strengthen the force. He made the remarks on Tuesday morning during the 31st founding anniversary ceremony of the Bangladesh Coast Guard.

The minister stated that the current government is firmly committed to the overall development of the Coast Guard and has undertaken several initiatives for its modernization. He praised the force for earning public trust through its roles in combating drug smuggling, protecting fisheries, eliminating piracy, and safeguarding the environment.

He further highlighted the Coast Guard’s vital role in rescue operations during natural disasters in coastal areas and maintaining security and stability in regions such as the Sundarbans.

A mobile court in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram fined a brick kiln Tk 200,000 for violating the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act. The operation took place on Monday at Messrs. Chowdhury Bricks, owned by Saiful Islam, located in Minjiritala under Saral Union Parishad. The court, led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Omar Sani Akon, also ordered the destruction of raw bricks found at the site.

Senior Chemist Jannatul Ferdous from the Chattogram District Department of Environment office served as the prosecutor during the mobile court proceedings. The executive magistrate stated that such drives would continue to ensure environmental protection.

The enforcement action highlights ongoing efforts by local authorities to regulate illegal brick kilns and safeguard agricultural land and the environment in the region.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman has disclosed the current diesel reserves in Bangladesh. Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat on Tuesday while discussing government progress, he said the country currently holds 170,000 tons of diesel in stock. An additional 180,000 tons are expected to arrive by April 30. He assured that there is no fuel shortage and that long queues at fuel stations are not being observed.

Dr. Zahed also commented on the issue of militancy in Bangladesh, acknowledging that militant elements exist but emphasizing that the situation has not reached a level that should cause public fear. He noted that claims of widespread militancy during the Awami League’s tenure were exaggerated, while assertions made during the interim government that no militants existed were also inaccurate.

The adviser’s remarks aimed to clarify both the energy supply situation and the government’s stance on internal security concerns.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre has warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall in the haor basin of northeastern Bangladesh could cause flooding in low-lying areas of three districts. The latest forecast, issued on Tuesday, said that water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara and Danu-Baulai rivers have decreased, while the Bhogai-Kangsa river has risen. The rivers are currently flowing below pre-monsoon danger levels.

According to the forecast, heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours in the haor basin and upstream areas has raised the risk of rising water levels. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department and global weather agencies predict continued heavy to very heavy rainfall in the region over the next three days. As a result, water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara, Manu-Khowai, and other rivers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj districts are expected to rise.

By the third day, the Surma, Kushiyara, Khowai, and Juri rivers may flow above pre-monsoon danger levels, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas of Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj. Water levels in the Danu-Baulai and Bhogai-Kangsa rivers in Netrakona and Kishoreganj may also increase to warning levels.

The Dhaka-bound Chattala Express train from Chattogram remained stranded at Feni railway station for about six hours on Tuesday due to an engine malfunction. The train arrived at the station at 7:50 a.m., and as of 1:00 p.m., it had not departed. Smoke was seen coming from small chambers of the engine, injuring railway worker ALM Mohammad Kawser’s face and respiratory tract.

Stationmaster Mohammad Harun said announcements were made urging passengers to remain patient. Many passengers scheduled to board from Feni transferred their tickets and left by other means. Despite the train being stuck at the platform, two adjacent lines remained operational, allowing other trains to pass normally. A relief train from Laksam arrived to assist, and officials expected the Chattala Express to resume its journey shortly.

Feni Civil Surgeon Mohammad Rubaiyat Bin Karim confirmed that the injured railway worker received initial treatment at Feni General Hospital before being sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for further care.

Mosharraf Hossain Khan Chowdhury, originally from Dhanyadaul village in Brahmanpara, Comilla, has established six educational institutions in his home area using earnings from his work as a taxi driver in New York. After losing his father before completing secondary school, he went abroad to support his family, first to Qatar and later to the United States. Over three decades, he invested most of his income in building two colleges, a high school, two madrasas, and a kindergarten, along with two libraries and land for a diabetic hospital.

His first school, founded in 1989, now serves around a thousand students and employs 24 staff. Later, he established Mosharraf Hossain Khan Chowdhury University College, Abdul Matin Khasru Women’s College, and other institutions that now educate thousands. He also created a foundation providing scholarships to 200 students and homes for 10 homeless families. Despite his success, Mosharraf continues to live modestly in a shared apartment in New York, sending his earnings home to support education.

At 62, he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree under the Open University system and remains committed to spreading education across his community.

A team of RAB-15 recovered 34,000 yaba pills from a passenger bus during an operation in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar. The raid took place at the Khutakhali bus station area on the Cox’s Bazar–Chattogram highway late Sunday night. Two individuals, including the bus driver and another suspected trafficker, were detained during the operation. The seized drugs were found hidden under the seats of an Imperial Paribahan bus traveling from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka.

RAB Assistant Director and Assistant Superintendent of Police A M Faruk confirmed the seizure at a briefing on Monday afternoon. The detainees were identified as Abul Kalam Azad from Patuakhali’s Kalapara upazila and Robiul Hossain from Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar. Following the recovery, RAB filed a case under the Narcotics Control Act and handed the suspects over to Chakaria police.

According to Chakaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Monir Hossain, the two accused were later produced before the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court in Chakaria.