Expelled BNP leader and former Jubo Dal organizing secretary Ishaq Sarkar, along with Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq’s granddaughter Fersamin Huq Iqbal Flora, are set to join the National Citizens Party (NCP) on Friday afternoon at the Institution of Diploma Engineers auditorium in Kakrail, Dhaka. Content creator Nuruzzaman Kafi, activist Mohiuddin Rony, and several leaders from the July uprising movement will also announce their entry into the party. NCP convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain are expected to attend the event.

An NCP joint convener said Ishaq Sarkar would join with thousands of supporters and might be appointed convener of NCP’s Dhaka South unit, replacing joint member secretary Alauddin Mohammad, who is stepping down. Alauddin stated that party interests come first and that expanding NCP’s organization is vital for the country.

Ishaq Sarkar said he was denied opportunities to serve people within BNP and faced harassment, but he intends to move forward without resentment. Flora’s formal joining had been discussed for some time, and she is expected to receive a key central committee role.

The Bangladesh Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman, held its fifth meeting on Thursday evening at the National Parliament complex and approved five major proposals. The most notable decision was to include the Purbachal New Town Project area under Dhaka North City Corporation, as well as bring it under the jurisdiction of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka WASA. To remove administrative complications, relevant parts of Rupganj in Narayanganj and Kaliganj in Gazipur will be incorporated into Dhaka district. The government stated that this move will enhance civic services, security, and urban management in Purbachal.

The Cabinet also decided to observe National Tea Day on May 21 each year, aligning it with the FAO-declared International Tea Day. Additionally, amendments were approved to remove the maximum age limit for appointing chairmen and members of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority, aiming to attract more skilled professionals.

In a significant change, the Cabinet gave final approval to a draft law abolishing the duty-free car import privilege for Members of Parliament. The government expects these measures to improve administrative efficiency, public services, and fiscal discipline.

Several journalists were attacked by activists of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra Dal in front of Shahbagh Police Station on Thursday evening, April 23, 2026. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when reporters were filming at the scene. Among the injured were journalists from Kaler Kantho, Agamir Somoy, Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Mail, Naya Diganta, Manabzamin, and The Daily Observer. One journalist, Mohammad Iftekhar Hossain Sifat of Dhaka Mail, sustained serious injuries to his eyes and face and was taken to Dhaka University Medical Center for treatment.

Victims and eyewitnesses alleged that Dhaka University Chhatra Dal leaders and activists carried out the attack in a coordinated manner. The president of the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, Manzur Hossain Mahi, said the assault began after journalists were obstructed from recording video footage. He identified several Chhatra Dal leaders from various halls as being involved, including Abu Zafar Gifari Ifat, Mansur Rafi, Junayed Abrar, Sakib Biswas, Sajjad Khan, and others.

The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association reported that at least ten of its members were injured and demanded the immediate arrest and academic expulsion of those responsible. Police have not yet issued an official statement on the incident.

At least ten journalists were injured when activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra Dal allegedly attacked them near Shahbagh police station in Dhaka on Thursday evening, April 23, 2026. Witnesses and victims said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when university-based reporters were covering events in the area. The attackers reportedly shouted at the journalists, asking 'what kind of journalists' they were, before launching the assault.

According to the victims, the attackers were members of the Dhaka University unit of the Chhatra Dal, including leaders from several residential halls. Injured journalists included reporters from Kaler Kantho, Agamir Somoy, Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Mail, Naya Diganta, Manabzamin, and The Daily Observer. One journalist, Mohammad Iftekhar Hossain Sifat of Dhaka Mail, sustained serious injuries to his eye and face and was taken to Dhaka University Medical Center for treatment.

The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association condemned the attack and demanded the immediate arrest and academic expulsion of those involved. As of the report’s publication, law enforcement authorities had not issued any official statement regarding the incident.

Registration has begun for parents of students admitted in 2026 to grade six in schools and madrasas, and to the first year of higher secondary and Alim courses for the 2025–26 academic year, to receive stipends from the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust through the mobile financial service Nagad. The registration process will continue until May 7, 2026, through the official portal where guardians must log in and enter student and socioeconomic information accurately.

For stipend disbursement, the selected guardian’s National ID must be used to register the SIM and open a Nagad account, which will bear the name of the parent chosen as guardian. Nagad has previously distributed these stipends successfully. According to Nagad’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Md. Samsul Islam, the service has been effectively delivering various government allowances and stipends under social safety programs, earning public trust for its accessibility and low cash-out charges.

In the 2024–25 fiscal year, the government distributed social safety allowances worth 9,000 crore taka through Nagad, and the amount is expected to increase in the current fiscal year.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a large rally in front of its central office at Naya Paltan, Dhaka, to mark International Workers’ Day. The event will feature BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as the chief guest. The announcement came from Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan following a press conference after a preparatory meeting of the party’s May Day celebration committee.

According to Khan, the rally will be organized by the BNP’s labor wing, with its president Anwar Hossain presiding and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attending as a special guest. He urged workers and party members to join the event, emphasizing ongoing demands for fair wages, workplace safety, and livelihood security. Khan noted that while some positive steps have been taken for agricultural workers and small farmers, further reforms to labor laws are still needed.

He described workers as the productive force of society deserving respect rather than sympathy and called for unity to make the May Day rally a success.

Bangladesh Bank has announced that the country's total foreign exchange reserves stood at 35,117.50 million, or 35.11 billion US dollars, as of Thursday, April 23. The information was shared with the media by Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director and Spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank.

According to the central bank, the gross reserve figure was 35,117.50 million dollars, while under the International Monetary Fund’s BPM6 calculation method, the reserve stood at 30,484.01 million dollars. Two days earlier, on April 21, the gross reserve was 35,125.90 million dollars, and the BPM6-based reserve was 30,459.01 million dollars.

The report also noted that net reserves are calculated following the IMF’s BPM6 method, which determines the actual reserve amount by deducting short-term liabilities from the total reserve.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Dhaka South acting president Maulana Ahmad Abdul Kaiyum has called on the government to accept the demand for a proportional representation (PR) system in the upper house of the National Parliament. Speaking at a grassroots meeting in Shahjahanpur, he said political parties had proposed PR for the lower house, while the constitutional reform commission had recommended PR for the upper house. Under this system, a party’s seats in the upper house would correspond to its nationwide vote share, ensuring balanced representation and preventing single-party dominance.

Kaiyum criticized the government for ignoring public demands for state reform following the July uprising, warning that people would resist any move toward authoritarianism. He also accused opposition parties of failing to play an active role in the reform process, noting that they quietly submitted their women’s candidate lists instead. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Maulana Syed Hafizur Rahman and attended by local and organizational leaders.

The event reflected growing calls from Islami Andolan Bangladesh for structural political reforms and broader representation in national governance.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Liberation War Generation has announced a new 151-member full central committee. Engineer Md. Ishraq Hossain has been appointed as president, while Dr. K. M. I. Monty has been named general secretary. Ishraq Hossain currently serves as the state minister for the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. The announcement was made on Thursday through a press release issued by the Bangladesh Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party, signed by its president Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat.

According to the release, the previously declared central convening committee from November 24, 2025, has been dissolved. The new committee was formed to make the organization more active and stronger. The committee includes senior vice president Zahedul Haque Shamim, several vice presidents, joint secretaries, and departmental secretaries covering areas such as finance, information technology, sports, culture, women’s affairs, and health.

The press release also noted that BNP chairman and current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been listed as the number one member of the new committee.

Land registration and deed processing have been suspended for more than one and a half years in seven mouzas of Shambhupur Union under Tazumuddin upazila in Bhola district due to persistent server complications. The issue has left thousands of residents unable to buy or sell land, causing severe inconvenience and social tension. The information was confirmed by Tazumuddin’s acting Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Rezaul Islam.

According to the local land office, the problem arose because Shambhupur Union, previously under Borhanuddin upazila, has not yet been updated online under Tazumuddin in the DLRS system. As a result, the system still shows the union as part of Borhanuddin. Despite multiple letters sent to the Bhola Deputy Commissioner and the Ministry of Land, no resolution has been achieved. Residents report that the inability to complete land transfers has disrupted social and family matters such as marriages.

Officials from the Land Management Automation Project have attributed responsibility to the Tazumuddin land office, stating that the issue could be resolved locally if the office took necessary steps.

The Power Division of Bangladesh has announced that the country may face a shortfall of 3,000 megawatts of electricity on Thursday due to an ongoing fuel crisis. The information was shared by Joint Secretary Umme Rehana at a press conference held at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources in Dhaka. She stated that the maximum electricity demand for the day was estimated at 17,000 megawatts, while production was expected to reach only 14,000 megawatts.

According to the official, the country’s generation capacity is sufficient, but inadequate fuel supply has caused a production deficit. On Wednesday, electricity generation stood at 13,681 megawatts against a demand of 15,767 megawatts, resulting in over 2,000 megawatts of shortage and widespread load-shedding across the country. The crisis has been attributed to the fuel shortage, increased demand due to intense heat, technical problems at Adani’s power unit, and complications at one unit of the Banshkhali IPP plant.

The Power Division did not specify how long the shortfall or load-shedding might continue.

At least six journalists were harassed at Dhaka University on April 21, 2026, while covering tensions between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir over wall writings. The incidents occurred at Bijoy 71 Hall and Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall in the evening and late at night. Victims included reporters from several national outlets, who alleged that Chhatra Dal activists obstructed them despite identifying themselves as journalists.

Eyewitnesses said the first incident took place when a Dhaka University Journalists’ Association member was stopped from filming a Chhatra Dal protest. Two other journalists faced verbal abuse when they protested. Later that night, three more journalists were reportedly threatened and nearly assaulted while gathering news at Shahidullah Hall. One victim claimed the attack happened in the presence of a house tutor, who did not ensure their safety.

Chhatra Dal leaders later visited the journalists’ association office to apologize, calling the incidents a misunderstanding. The association’s general secretary urged organizational and legal action against those involved.

In Mirsharai, Chattogram, protesters blocked the Baraiyarhat–Khagrachhari road for about two hours on Thursday following the death of a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader. Shahriar Ahmed Hridoy, 26, the organizational secretary of the Korerhat Union JCD, died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital after five days of treatment in the ICU. His uncle Nazmul Hossain confirmed the death.

The conflict began on April 18 at Koila Bazar over the detention of a cattle truck allegedly linked to BNP leaders Md Tipu and Abdur Rahim. Local Jubo Dal leader Sabuj and his associates reportedly demanded extortion money from the truck operators. When they refused, driver Suman was beaten. Later, Hridoy and another man, Anwar Hossain, were sent to the scene and were attacked shortly after arriving. Hridoy was critically injured and later died.

Hridoy’s father, Abdul Alim, alleged that his son was killed in a planned attack. Police said a case has been filed and operations are underway to arrest those involved. The situation is currently under control.

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) have signed a memorandum of understanding to simplify and accelerate banking services for investors. The agreement was confirmed on April 23, 2026, through a press release. Under this initiative, UCB’s services will be integrated into BIDA’s online One Stop Service (OSS) portal, aiming to make financial and administrative processes for foreign investors in Bangladesh faster, easier, and more transparent.

The signing ceremony took place at BIDA’s headquarters, where BIDA Director General Jiban Krishna Saha and UCB Additional Managing Director Adnan Masud signed the memorandum on behalf of their respective organizations. The event was chaired by BIDA Executive Member Air Commodore Md. Shaharul Huda and attended by senior officials from Bangladesh Bank and UCB.

BIDA’s OSS portal currently offers over 50 services, including company registration, utility connections, and import approvals. With UCB’s integration, investors will now be able to access direct banking services and documentation support through the same platform.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has called for peaceful and successful implementation of the 11-party alliance’s previously announced mass rallies to be held on Saturday, April 25, in all major cities except Dhaka. In a statement issued on Thursday, he said the rallies aim to press for the implementation of the referendum verdict, resolution of the energy crisis, control of rising commodity prices, and solutions to various public hardships.

Porwar stated that the country is going through a deep crisis and that citizens voted ‘yes’ in the referendum with high expectations. He emphasized that implementing the referendum’s outcome is the government’s main responsibility. According to him, the movement is not for any particular group but for restoring democratic rights and building a just society.

He urged Jamaat members, alliance activists, and patriotic citizens to ensure the rallies are orderly and peaceful. Porwar also prayed for national peace and prosperity and sought cooperation from all to maintain discipline during the program.