A severe shortage of bottled soybean oil has hit markets across Bangladesh, with retailers reporting that companies have drastically reduced supply. Many firms are allegedly refusing to sell bottled oil unless retailers also purchase other products. Prices have risen above government-fixed rates, with five-liter bottles selling for 960–970 taka instead of the official 955 taka. Loose soybean and palm oil prices have also increased, reflecting the broader supply strain.

Retailers and consumers say the shortage has persisted for more than six weeks. Companies cite reduced profit margins on bottled oil as the reason for limiting distribution. The Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association recently met with the commerce minister to seek a price adjustment, but no decision was made. The ministry and the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission decided against raising prices, opting instead to explore other incentives for producers.

Consumer rights advocates accuse companies of creating an artificial crisis to pressure the government into approving higher prices. They urge stronger monitoring to prevent unfair trade practices and stabilize the edible oil market.

Individuals and companies accused of large-scale corruption in Bangladesh’s power sector continue to evade accountability nearly two years after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Despite the interim administration led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus repealing the indemnity law for the energy sector and exposing years of irregularities, no punitive action has been taken. Huge sums of money allegedly laundered abroad remain unrecovered, while the sector still pays high capacity charges to private power producers.

The report details how politically connected business groups, including Summit and Orion, received billions of taka in payments for idle or underperforming plants. The Power Development Board (PDB) admits it cannot easily terminate contracts without risking legal disputes. Current Power Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said the government is reviewing legal options to recover stolen funds and end exploitative capacity charge arrangements.

According to official data cited, over 100,000 crore taka was paid in capacity charges between 2008 and 2024, with most private plants operating far below licensed capacity. The sector remains financially strained, with unpaid loans exceeding 149,000 crore taka and ongoing pressure to raise electricity prices.

A mild earthquake was felt in Dhaka and several parts of Bangladesh early Tuesday morning, April 21, 2026, at 6:29 a.m. local time. The tremor measured 5.1 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located in Myanmar’s Sagaing region near Homalin, close to the Indian state of Manipur. The quake originated about 66 kilometers below the surface, which reduced its intensity at ground level despite its moderate magnitude.

According to India’s National Center for Seismology, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake also struck Manipur’s Kamjong area at 5:59 a.m. Indian time the same day. The depth and proximity of the two seismic events suggest they were part of the same regional tectonic activity affecting the border areas of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh.

Due to the earthquake’s depth, no major damage or strong shaking was reported in Bangladesh, and the tremor was described as mild across affected regions.

Four members of the same family were found dead with their throats slit in Bahadurpur village of Niamatpur upazila in Naogaon district early Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The victims were identified as Habibur Rahman, his wife Popi Sultana, their son Parvez, and daughter Sadia Rahman. The bodies were discovered by Habibur Rahman’s father, Nomir Hossain, who entered the house after noticing blood near the door.

Local residents suspect that the killings may have been linked to a land dispute. Popi Sultana’s father, Moazzem Hossain, demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for the murders. Officer-in-Charge of Niamatpur Police Station, Mahbubur Rahman (PPM), confirmed that the four bodies had been recovered and said that an investigation was underway to determine the motive behind the attack.

Police stated that further details would be disclosed after the investigation is completed.

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations begin across Bangladesh on Tuesday at 10 a.m., with more than 1.85 million students participating under 11 education boards. To ensure smooth and disciplined conduct, the boards have issued 14 mandatory directives for students, invigilators, and center officials. These include specific entry times, adherence to exam schedules, and strict compliance with procedural rules.

According to the directives, students must enter centers by 9:30 a.m. and follow all instructions regarding question paper timing, answer sheet completion, and subject registration. The use of board-approved calculators is allowed, but mobile phones are banned for everyone except the center secretary. Practical exams will be held at respective centers, and results re-evaluation applications must be submitted online within seven days of publication.

The education boards emphasized that institutional heads are responsible for distributing admit cards at least seven days before the exam and ensuring compliance with all procedural requirements.

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.