At least 50 students of Gridharipur Adarsha High School in Palashbari, Gaibandha, blocked the Dhaka-Rangpur highway on Monday night after failing to receive their SSC exam admit cards. The protest took place around 9 p.m. near the Palashbari filling station, where students and their guardians joined in, causing traffic congestion on both sides of the highway and significant disruption for travelers.

The students said their SSC examination was scheduled to begin the next morning, yet they had not received their admit cards despite repeated requests to the school authorities. They accused the school of delaying the process, prompting them to stage the blockade.

Palashbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Jaber Ahmed arrived at the scene and assured the students that all admit cards would be arranged. Following his assurance, the students withdrew their blockade. He also stated that he would discuss the issue with the school authorities to ensure proper distribution of the admit cards.

The Bangladesh women's hockey team has reached Jakarta, Indonesia, to compete for the first time in the Asian Games qualifiers. This marks the national women’s team’s debut in an international tournament, following previous appearances in age-level competitions. The eight-team event will determine four qualifiers for the main Asian Games hockey competition. Bangladesh is placed in Group A alongside Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Uzbekistan.

According to the schedule, Bangladesh will play its opening match against Chinese Taipei on April 23, followed by Uzbekistan on April 24, and Hong Kong on April 26. After the group stage, placement matches will be held, and teams reaching the semifinals will secure qualification for the Asian Games main round. The squad includes players such as Arpita Pal, Himadri Barua Sukh, Niladri Barua Neel, Riyasha Akter Rishi, and others.

The team’s participation is seen as a historic step for women’s hockey in Bangladesh, signaling the sport’s growing presence on the international stage.

Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana delivered a standout performance in the second One Day International against New Zealand in Mirpur, taking five wickets for 32 runs after a costly first match. He emphasized that winning for the team is more important to him than personal milestones. Rana credited his success to executing his bowling plans effectively, something he admitted did not happen in the first game.

Three of his five wickets came on the first ball of an over, reflecting his focus on creating early pressure. He said he always aims to make an impact for the team, whether through a single over or an entire spell. Rana also revealed that he has been working closely with bowling coach Shaun Tait to improve his yorker deliveries, which contributed to his success in the match.

Rana added that he is concentrating on avoiding mistakes made in previous games and continuously improving his skills. His next challenge will come in Chattogram on Thursday, where he will play his first One Day International at that venue.

Bangladesh defeated New Zealand in the second One Day International played under scorching heat, thanks to a fiery bowling spell from right-arm pacer Nahid Rana. The match took place on a sporting pitch with some grass after Bangladesh’s loss in the first ODI. Nahid Rana fully utilized the conditions, taking five wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs, including one maiden, as New Zealand were bowled out for 198 runs.

Rana struck early, dismissing Henry Nicholls leg before wicket with a 144.7 km/h delivery and later removing Will Young with extra bounce at 146.8 km/h. He continued to trouble the Kiwi batters across three spells, eventually claiming his fifth wicket by bowling Jayden Lennox with a 141.6 km/h yorker. This performance marked Rana’s second five-wicket haul in just ten ODIs, making him the second Bangladeshi bowler to achieve multiple five-fors within ten matches.

With this feat, Rana joined Taskin Ahmed as the joint second-highest Bangladeshi pacer in terms of five-wicket hauls, while Mustafizur Rahman leads with five such performances.

Sanjida Islam Tuli, coordinator of the platform 'Mayer Dak' for families of disappeared persons in Bangladesh, has been nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for a reserved women’s seat in the 13th National Parliament. The announcement was made on Monday at the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Following the nomination, Tuli expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman for selecting her. She described the nomination as both an honor and a major responsibility, pledging to uphold honesty, dedication, and accountability in serving the people. Tuli emphasized that her political goal is public welfare, not personal gain, and vowed to work for equality in education, healthcare, and employment opportunities while standing against corruption and injustice.

Tuli previously contested the 13th National Election from Dhaka-14 constituency under the BNP’s symbol but lost to Jamaat’s Barrister Arman by 15,857 votes. Her nomination is seen as a continuation of her long-standing social and public engagement.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party electoral alliance has nominated 13 candidates for the reserved women’s seats in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament. The announcement was made on Monday evening at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar during a press conference led by alliance coordinator and Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad. The nomination papers are scheduled to be submitted on Tuesday morning at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, followed by a press briefing by alliance leaders.

Among the nominees, eight are from Jamaat’s women’s wing, including central leaders such as Nurunnisa Siddika, Marzia Begum, and Advocate Sabikun Nahar Munni. Other nominees include the mother of July martyr Jabir Ibrahim, two leaders from the National Citizen Party (NCP), one from the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), and one from Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish. Azad stated that the alliance maintained proportional representation and also honored a martyr’s family by nominating a non-party representative.

Earlier, in the February 12 election, Jamaat won 68 seats, NCP six, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish two, and one candidate from Khelafat Majlish was elected as a member of parliament.

Police in Dhaka arrested 60 individuals during operations conducted across six police station areas on Monday. The arrests took place in Mohammadpur, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Adabor, Tejgaon, Tejgaon Industrial Area, and Hatirjheel. The detainees were taken into custody from various crime-prone zones within these jurisdictions.

According to information from the Tejgaon Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), 27 people were arrested from Mohammadpur, four from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, five from Adabor, five from Tejgaon, 12 from Tejgaon Industrial Area, and seven from Hatirjheel. The operation was part of a broader police effort to address criminal activity in the capital.

The report did not specify the exact nature of the alleged offenses or the next legal steps for those detained.

Bangladesh pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has been recalled to the national squad for the third and final One Day International against New Zealand. The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced a 16-member team on Sunday, including the 23-year-old fast bowler. Tanzim missed the previous series against Pakistan due to a back injury and was not part of the squad for the first two ODIs of the current series. The third match will be played on Thursday at the Bir Shreshtha Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram, starting at 11 a.m.

Tanzim last played an ODI for Bangladesh in October in Abu Dhabi. His return strengthens the pace attack alongside Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam. The team will be led by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, with key players such as Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Towhid Hridoy also included.

The match will decide the outcome of the three-match series, with Bangladesh aiming to finish strongly at home.

After the second One Day International, New Zealand batter Nick Kelly said his team took too long to understand the pitch conditions and lost wickets at crucial moments, which led to their defeat against Bangladesh. He explained that early grass on the wicket made batting difficult, and losing partnerships at critical stages proved costly for the visitors.

Kelly praised Bangladesh’s bowlers, noting that they performed well and were aided by the pitch. He specifically mentioned young pacer Nahid Rana, describing him as talented and quick, and said the wicket conditions suited him. Kelly contrasted his comments with teammate Dean Foxcroft’s earlier statement after the first match, when Foxcroft had said they understood the wicket well.

With this loss, the three-match series is now level at 1–1, turning the final game in Chattogram into a virtual decider. Kelly expressed hope that New Zealand could recover and win the series in the last match.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has expressed deep concern over the arrest and harassment of citizens and political activists across the country for expressing dissenting opinions online. In a joint statement issued on Monday, the organization’s central president Nurul Islam and secretary general Sibgatullah condemned the incidents, alleging that the government has become desperate to silence public voices on social media within two months of coming to power.

The statement cited several recent arrests, including individuals from Mymensingh, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Thakurgaon, and Bhola, allegedly detained for sharing Facebook posts or cartoons. The leaders described these actions as part of a broader effort to suppress dissent, accusing the government of double standards after promising freedom of speech before the election. They also criticized the misuse of the Cyber Security Act and Section 54 to target activists and ordinary citizens.

Chhatra Shibir demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees, including Hasan Nasim and Azizul Haque, and urged the government to accept criticism instead of intimidating the public.

Tamim Iqbal, head of the ad hoc committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), announced that the board elections will be held in the second week of June. The National Sports Council had dissolved the previous BCB board, led by Aminul Islam Bulbul, on April 7 over allegations of irregularities and appointed an 11-member ad hoc committee. The committee was given 90 days to organize the next election, with its term ending on July 7.

Tamim stated that the committee does not intend to use the full 90-day period and plans to hold a board meeting soon to prepare for the election. He also mentioned that efforts are underway to organize the election by the first week of June, but if that is not possible, it will be held in the second week.

Additionally, Tamim revealed plans to introduce a special “Cricketers Card” offering privileges similar to a captain’s card for players who have represented Bangladesh. He also expressed his intention to reintroduce ball boys in domestic cricket, starting with the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand.

A mobile court of the Gazipur district administration fined a brick kiln three lakh taka during an anti-illegal brick kiln drive in Sreepur upazila. The operation took place on Monday afternoon in the Latifpur area, led by Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Prabhakar Roy. The court found the kiln operating in violation of government regulations and filed a case against its owner.

Officials from the Department of Environment in Gazipur, including Research Officer Md. Mokbul Hossain and relevant inspectors, participated in the operation as prosecutors. Members of law enforcement agencies provided security support during the drive.

Magistrate Prabhakar Roy stated that similar mobile court drives will continue regularly to enforce environmental protection and government directives against illegal brick kilns.

A 21-year-old man named Mobarak Hossain died after being electrocuted while attempting to connect a ceiling fan at his home in Uttar Algi area of Haimchar upazila, Chandpur. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon when Mobarak was working alone while other family members were asleep. He lost consciousness immediately after coming into contact with an electric wire.

Family members rushed him to the emergency department of Haimchar Upazila Health Complex, where the attending doctor declared him dead. Local and family sources confirmed the sequence of events leading to the accident.

Haimchar Police Station Sub-Inspector Samir Das verified the incident, stating that the young man was electrocuted while trying to perform electrical work himself.

The Directorate of Madrasah Education in Bangladesh announced that the transfer policy for teachers working in MPO-enlisted private madrasahs, appointed through NTRCA recommendations, is still at an initial stage of implementation. A notice issued on Monday, April 20, stated that the software used for submitting information on vacant posts has been temporarily closed for development work. Once the software upgrade is complete, a new schedule will be announced through another notice.

According to the directorate, a policy has been formulated to manage transfers of MPO-listed madrasah teachers, but full implementation awaits finalization and ministry directives. Preparations are ongoing, and transfer applications will proceed according to official procedures once instructions are received from the ministry.

Bangladesh currently has 8,229 MPO-enlisted madrasahs across different levels—Dakhil, Alim, Fazil, and Kamil—employing around 120,000 teachers and staff members nationwide.

In the Bangladesh Parliament on April 20, 2026, Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqul Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed engaged in a heated exchange over an adjournment motion under Rule 62 concerning the national energy situation. The Deputy Speaker had earlier rejected two similar motions, citing that the Energy Minister had already delivered a statement under Rule 300. Dr. Rahman argued that the ongoing energy shortage was the most pressing issue in the country and warranted immediate discussion, while the Home Minister questioned the necessity of another debate after the ministerial statement.

The Home Minister maintained that there was no energy or fuel crisis, asserting that price adjustments were made only to prevent smuggling and maintain order. He suggested that the discussion could proceed under Rule 68 without adjourning the session. Dr. Rahman accepted this proposal but requested extended time and the presence of the Leader of the House during the debate. The Deputy Speaker agreed to allow a one-hour discussion under Rule 68, emphasizing the need for a constructive and harmonious parliamentary dialogue.

The exchange highlighted differing perspectives between the government and opposition on the severity of the energy situation and the appropriate parliamentary procedure for addressing it.