A Dhaka court has granted a four-day remand for former Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) officer Manzil Haider Chowdhury in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The order was issued on Sunday by Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan after a hearing. Prosecutor Shamsuddoha Suman confirmed the court’s decision. The investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Md Amjad Hossain Talukder of the Ramna Detective Branch, had sought a seven-day remand for further questioning.

Before this, Manzil Haider had been remanded for five days in the same anti-terrorism case and for a total of twelve days in three phases in a separate murder case. The prosecution argued that although some important information had been obtained during interrogation, more time was needed to identify other suspects. The defense, represented by lawyer Kamal Hossain, opposed the remand, calling it unjust to keep his client in custody repeatedly for related cases and citing his illness and long military service.

According to investigators, the case involves allegations of involvement with a banned organization, anti-government conspiracy, and secret meetings. Manzil Haider was arrested on April 9 from Dhaka’s DOHS area and was earlier remanded in a murder case linked to a July 2024 shooting in Nilkhet.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has extended assistance to a family affected by a devastating fire in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur. The district and local leaders of the organization distributed corrugated iron sheets to the family and assured support for their rehabilitation. The incident occurred on April 17 near the land office area of Rajabari Union, where three houses belonging to Md. Yusuf were destroyed by fire, causing losses estimated at around 1.2 million taka.

The distribution took place on Sunday morning under the initiative of the Sreepur upazila and Rajabari Union units of Jamaat-e-Islami. Gazipur district Ameer Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Alam visited the affected family, inquiring about their condition and promising full cooperation for their recovery. Several district and union-level leaders were also present at the event.

Local residents described the initiative as a positive example of humanitarian and social responsibility in the community.

In Madaripur Sadar upazila, a Qatar expatriate named Akash Matubbar has alleged that his uncle obstructed the construction of his house after he refused to pay a demand of five lakh taka. The allegation was made at a press conference on Sunday by Akash’s mother Shahana Begum and wife Suraiya Akter at their home in Purbo Chiraypara village. The family stated that Akash had purchased ten decimals of land from his uncle Mati Matubbar and aunt Monju Begum in July 2020 and had been in possession since then. Construction of a semi-finished brick house was underway when Mati Matubbar allegedly demanded money and later filed a case to harass the family.

Akash’s elder uncle Amir Hossain Matubbar confirmed that Akash had been using the land for over five years and accused Mati Matubbar of filing a temporary injunction case after failing to obtain the money. Shahana Begum said her son, currently in Qatar, was being harassed through false cases. Mati Matubbar could not be reached for comment.

Madaripur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam Azad stated that a temporary injunction order had been received from the court and that action would be taken if any extortion attempt was proven.

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.