A Bangladeshi citizen named Roti Joydhar was killed by gunfire from India’s Border Security Force (BSF) while allegedly attempting to cross into India through the Paliyanpur border in Maheshpur, Jhenaidah. His body was recovered four days later from the Ichamati River, about ten yards inside Bangladeshi territory. Local residents discovered the decomposed body under water hyacinths, prompting Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police to retrieve it.

According to Maheshpur police, the body showed signs of gunshot wounds on the neck, ribs, and back. The deceased was identified through documents found on him and later confirmed by his brother, Ronjit Joydhar. The body was sent to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital for autopsy, and a murder case was filed by the victim’s brother. Roti’s family had moved to India three months earlier, and he was reportedly trying to join them permanently.

The incident has cast a shadow of grief over Roti’s home village in Gopalganj, where preparations are underway for his funeral after the post-mortem examination.

Five children have died from measles and related symptoms across Bangladesh in the past 24 hours, with 1,278 new infections reported. Among the new cases, 127 were confirmed measles patients, while 1,115 were hospitalized with suspected symptoms. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) released these figures in a press statement on Friday, April 17, 2026.

According to the DGHS data, from March 15 to April 17, a total of 37 confirmed measles deaths and 174 suspected deaths have occurred nationwide. During the same period, 3,192 confirmed cases and 21,467 suspected cases were recorded, while 11,243 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The highest number of suspected infections was reported in Dhaka Division, with 9,274 cases, including 1,965 confirmed infections.

The health authorities stated that continuous monitoring is underway through an integrated control center, which collects and analyzes data regularly. The DGHS has urged the public to remain alert and ensure timely medical care for affected children.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid stated that empowering farmers is essential to reducing poverty and strengthening the national economy. He made the remarks on Friday morning at a program in Bibirbazar High School and College field in Jagannathpur Union of Cumilla’s Adarsha Sadar upazila, where agricultural cards were distributed to local farmers. The minister emphasized that around 70 percent of the population is directly or indirectly involved in agriculture, and improving their economic condition would benefit the entire country.

He added that former presidents and the current prime minister have all supported farmer-friendly policies. Since taking office, he has implemented initiatives such as strengthening agricultural loan waivers and introducing the “Agriculture Card” program, part of the government’s 31-point election pledge. He also urged farmers to use fertilizers and pesticides in consultation with agricultural supervisors to ensure better yields.

According to the Agriculture Department, 1,458 farmers in Cumilla received agricultural cards under a pre-piloting initiative aimed at building a unified farmer database to facilitate subsidies and services. The government is also expanding support programs like the “Family Card,” which has already benefited many farming families.

Bangladesh’s night sky will feature a striking celestial display from Friday, April 17, through April 30, as the Lyrid meteor shower becomes visible along with noticeable planetary movements. The Lyrids, one of the most captivating annual meteor events, occur when Earth passes through dust left behind by Comet Thatcher.

The meteor shower will be most visible from the night of April 22 to the early hours of April 23, with observers potentially seeing 10 to 20 meteors per hour under clear skies. The Lyrid meteors are known for their brightness and often leave long-lasting trails of light. During this period, Venus will remain bright in the western sky but gradually move lower toward the horizon, while Mars will appear prominently with its reddish hue in the evening sky.

Toward the end of April, Saturn will rise high in the eastern sky about two hours before sunrise, with Neptune positioned nearby. However, viewing Neptune will require a powerful telescope.

The 25th anniversary of the Barai Bari border clash between Bangladesh’s then BDR and India’s BSF will be observed tomorrow in Roumari upazila of Kurigram. On April 18, 2001, Indian border guards entered Barai Bari village and launched an attack that triggered a 42-hour-long confrontation. The fighting left three BDR members dead and six civilians injured, while 16 BSF soldiers were killed and two captured by locals. The violence destroyed 179 houses near the border.

Since then, local residents and the administration have commemorated the day as Barai Bari Day, but it has yet to receive official state recognition even after 25 years. Former lawmaker Ruhul Amin and local defense volunteers had joined the BDR in resisting the attack. A memorial now stands at the site honoring the three fallen BDR soldiers.

Residents continue to demand that Barai Bari be declared a “heroic village” and that Barai Bari Day be granted national recognition, reflecting the community’s long-standing call for official acknowledgment of their sacrifice.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has started interviewing candidates seeking nomination for reserved women’s seats in the upcoming 13th National Parliament. The two-day interview process began on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the party’s Gulshan office at 3 p.m. On the first day, aspirants from Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, and Faridpur divisions were interviewed. Candidates from five other divisions are scheduled to appear the following day.

The interviews are being conducted by the BNP nomination board, which includes party chairperson and prime minister Tarique Rahman, secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and senior leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Salahuddin Ahmed, and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Before the interviews began, Rizvi emphasized that women have played a crucial role in the party’s democratic struggle over the past 15–17 years and that their sacrifices would be duly recognized.

He added that the board would also consider candidates’ ability to speak effectively in parliament, contribute to lawmaking, and their educational qualifications before making final selections.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj stated that there is no discrimination against private school students in the primary scholarship examination. He made the remarks on Friday morning after visiting the examination center at Badshah Faisal Institute in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The minister explained that opportunities are allocated proportionally, with one in eight government school students and one in five private school students eligible to sit for the exam, ensuring equal access.

According to the Directorate of Primary Education, a total of 640,000 students participated in this year’s exam, including about 550,000 from government schools and 90,000 from private institutions. A total of 82,500 scholarships will be awarded, with 66,000 going to government school students and 16,500 to private school students. The scholarship ratio stands at 8:1 for government schools and 5.5:1 for private schools.

The minister added that the exams were being conducted smoothly nationwide and that the scholarship process encourages students and parents to stay engaged in the curriculum. He also mentioned plans to update the scholarship policy and review the number of beneficiaries and stipend amounts to ensure maximum equity.

Bus and minibus operations under the Kushtia District Bus-Minibus Owners’ Group have been suspended indefinitely following a strike by transport workers. The suspension began early Friday, April 17, 2026, halting all passenger services on major routes including Kushtia-Meherpur, Kushtia-Pragpur, Kushtia-Khulna-Jashore, and others. Only long-distance buses to Dhaka and vehicles from other districts continue to operate, leaving passengers on local routes stranded. The strike was announced Thursday evening by the district motor workers’ union.

Union president Mahabul Alam said the dispute arose because one of the union’s two buses, affiliated with the owners’ group, was denied the same facilities as other owners’ vehicles. After two meetings failed to resolve the issue, workers set an April 15 deadline for their demands, which went unmet. The union, supported by the owners’ association workers, then enforced the indefinite suspension.

Owners’ group secretary Rafiqul Islam confirmed that workers had demanded equal benefits with owners and permission for a union-owned bus to operate on the Kushtia-Khulna route. As these demands were not met, the strike was launched, affecting all local routes.

The Supreme Court Chamber Judge of Bangladesh has suspended a High Court order that had halted the recruitment examination for head and assistant head teachers under the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA). As a result, the examination, scheduled for April 18, can now proceed. The Chamber Court order was issued on April 16 by Justice Md Rezaul Haque.

Earlier the same day, a High Court bench comprising Justice Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice A F M Saiful Karim had ordered a two-month suspension of the exam and the NTRCA’s revised circular issued on March 25. The High Court also asked the education secretary and NTRCA to explain within four weeks why the revised circular should not be declared illegal.

The dispute arose after NTRCA increased the required teaching experience for applicants from 10–15 years to 18 years, disqualifying many who had already applied under the original January 29 circular. A total of 114 applicants filed the petition challenging the revised circular’s legality.

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority has granted a commissioning license for the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, marking a key step toward initiating fuel production. The license was approved after all required inspections were completed. Project Director Kabir Hossain confirmed that the government will now set the official date for uranium fuel loading, expected to begin by the end of April.

Authority Chairman Mahmudul Hasan stated that an earlier plan to inaugurate the process on April 7 was postponed due to technical complications, which have since been resolved to ensure maximum safety. Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited Managing Director Dr. Zahedul Hasan said essential preparatory work, including fire safety clearance, has been completed, and the project is ready for safe fuel loading.

According to experts cited in the report, the plant will undergo at least six months of trial production after fuel insertion, with commercial generation unlikely before September. The project aims to start gradually supplying electricity to the national grid by December.

Bangladesh’s domestic borrowing has increased significantly over the past year, reaching Tk 10.94 trillion by the end of January 2026, up from Tk 9.42 trillion a year earlier. According to a Bangladesh Bank report released on Thursday, the government borrowed Tk 726.47 billion from domestic sources between July and January of the current fiscal year, compared with Tk 401.44 billion during the same period of the previous year.

The report shows that Tk 649.23 billion was borrowed from the banking sector and Tk 77.23 billion from non-bank sources during the first seven months of the fiscal year. Sector insiders said the borrowing occurred under the interim government to cover election expenses, new bank investments, and operational costs, as revenue collection fell short of targets. The government’s budget deficit for the fiscal year was set at Tk 2.21 trillion, or 3.5% of GDP, with plans to borrow Tk 1.25 trillion domestically.

By March 30, 2026, the government had already borrowed Tk 1.06 trillion, surpassing its full-year domestic borrowing target, with most loans sourced from the banking system.

The Ministry of Education has dismissed as false a rumor circulating on social media and online portals claiming that the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination schedule would not be released to prevent cheating. In an official statement issued on Friday, the ministry clarified that no such decision had been made and that the reports were entirely baseless.

According to the ministry, a fabricated news item had spread online suggesting that students would only learn their exam subjects upon entering the examination hall. The ministry emphasized that this information was untrue and urged the public not to believe or share such misinformation.

The clarification aims to prevent confusion among students and parents ahead of the upcoming SSC examinations, ensuring that official updates will continue to come directly from the ministry.

Jamaat-e-Islami has finalized its candidates for the reserved women’s seats in the upcoming 13th National Parliament. The party has given a green signal to seven nominees and instructed them to complete necessary preparations. Nomination forms have already been collected from the Election Commission, and the selected candidates are expected to submit them on Monday, a day before the deadline.

According to party sources, the women’s wing proposed a list that was reviewed and approved at the central executive council meeting on April 14. Confirmed nominees include women’s wing secretary Nurunnisa Siddika, assistant secretary Marzia Begum, human resources and legal affairs secretary Advocate Sabikun Nahar Munni, and regional representatives Mahfuza Siddika from Sylhet, Merina Sultana from Chattogram, Sajeda Samad from Bogura, and Mardia Momtaz from Dhaka. The party’s assistant secretary general Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair confirmed that the candidates have been instructed to prepare their documents for submission on April 20.

Jamaat-led 11-party alliance is expected to receive 13 reserved seats proportionally, with one seat allocated to the National Citizen Party and the rest to Jamaat. Final decisions on other alliance partners’ allocations are expected soon.

Bangladesh currently has the highest fuel reserves in its history, according to State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit. During a visit to the Eastern Refinery in Patenga, Chattogram on Friday, he said the existing stock of refined fuel is sufficient to meet national demand for April and May. He added that the government is actively managing supply amid global concerns over fuel availability caused by conflict in the Middle East.

The minister explained that Bangladesh is sourcing fuel from both traditional and alternative suppliers to ensure stability. The country now has capacity to meet more than six weeks of demand and is working to secure supplies for June. Refining operations at Eastern Refinery have slowed due to reduced crude reserves, prompting the government to focus on importing refined fuel. Maintenance work is underway on two refinery units, which are expected to resume full production once new crude shipments arrive.

Amit also announced that the second unit of Eastern Refinery is scheduled to begin operations in 2029, which he said will further reduce future fuel supply risks.

Supreme Court lawyer and Jamaat-e-Islami central executive member Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir has written an open letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, drawing attention to several issues. The letter, titled 'Cautionary Post,' was posted on Monir’s verified Facebook page on Friday morning. In it, he warned against excessive flattery surrounding the prime minister and his family, citing examples such as parliamentary praise and protocol privileges extended to family members.

Monir acknowledged Tarique Rahman’s personal simplicity and work ethic but urged him to focus on competence and integrity rather than family-centered politics. He emphasized that the public, especially the younger generation, values merit over inherited leadership and cautioned that artificial leadership could provoke public resentment.

The letter also criticized the government for deviating from its promised process in implementing the July Charter and for disregarding its own proposed referendum. Monir concluded by reminding that as a public figure, the prime minister is open to scrutiny and that people expect consistency between words and actions following the recent mass uprising.