Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir stated that the government will not tolerate any artificial crisis or manipulation in the market. He made the remarks on Tuesday after a meeting of the task force committee on commodity prices and market conditions at the Ministry of Commerce conference room. The minister emphasized that no group or individual can hold the market hostage in a country of 180 million people.

He explained that global conditions, particularly conflicts in the Middle East, have created pressure on energy and supply chains, but the government is closely monitoring the situation and import levels remain stable. Responding to questions about soybean oil supply, he said that while bottled oil supply has slightly decreased, loose oil remains sufficient. The government is aware of any overpricing beyond fixed rates and will take necessary action.

Muktadir urged traders not to influence the market through speculation and to set prices based on the real impact of fuel costs. He called on all stakeholders to trust the government as it works toward a permanent pricing system to ensure long-term market stability.

Dhaka University has issued a recruitment notice for the position of lecturer. According to the announcement, the application process began on April 20, 2026, and will continue until May 10, 2026. Interested candidates can submit their applications either in person or by post within the specified period. The position is permanent, and both male and female candidates are eligible to apply. The workplace will be located in Dhaka.

Applicants must send their applications to the Registrar, Dhaka University, Dhaka-1000. A bank draft or pay order of 750 taka, payable to the Registrar, Dhaka University, must be included with the application as a submission fee. The receipt of the payment must be attached to the application form. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

The recruitment notice highlights the university’s ongoing efforts to fill academic positions through a transparent and structured process, ensuring equal opportunity for all qualified candidates.

Theatre and cultural figures in Bangladesh have alleged that the country’s art scene is facing stagnation due to low-quality content and ongoing political instability. The concerns were voiced on Sunday morning at a seminar titled “Our Culture and the Artist’s Responsibility,” held at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka. The event was part of a daylong celebration marking actor, director, and filmmaker Tauquir Ahmed’s 60th birthday.

At the seminar, veteran theatre personality Mamunur Rashid said that the rise of view-based commercialism has harmed the creative industry, leaving artists demotivated and unable to produce quality work. He also lamented that Bangladeshi artists still lack the freedom of expression enjoyed by their counterparts in neighboring and developed countries. Rashid praised Tauquir Ahmed and his contemporaries for their perseverance despite these challenges.

Other speakers included Abul Hayat, Afzal Hossain, Azizul Hakim, Mir Sabbir, and Deepa Khandakar. The program also featured screenings and writings on Tauquir Ahmed’s films, stage plays, and television works, followed by a performance of his stage play “Tirthajatri.”

National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Akhtar Hossain has demanded that the government reduce the recently increased prices of fuel oil and LPG gas, saying the sudden hike has negatively affected people's livelihoods. Speaking in parliament on Tuesday under an urgent public importance notice, he said the government had earlier stated it would not raise prices but did so anyway, and the extent of the increase was excessive.

Hossain noted that Bangladesh is facing an energy crisis amid a global conflict but alleged that some artificial factors may also be contributing to the domestic fuel shortage. He questioned what steps the government has taken to address these issues, saying such information remains unclear. He also warned that the rise in LPG prices would make cooking and production activities difficult for many.

The MP called on the government to identify hoarding and other failures in the energy supply chain and to bring fuel and LPG prices down to a tolerable level to restore relief in public life.

Laxmipur-1 Member of Parliament Shahadat Hossain Selim has denied the long-circulated claim that residents of Noakhali ate Mahatma Gandhi’s goat. He made the statement on Tuesday while participating in a parliamentary discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address. The BNP lawmaker referred to his constituency’s historical background and asserted that the allegation was entirely false.

Selim said that his birthplace, Korpora village in Laxmipur, played a role in the 1946 Pakistan movement and that Gandhi had visited the area to promote peace during communal unrest. Historical accounts mention that Gandhi stayed in Noakhali for four months during the 1946 riots, bringing a goat for milk. A popular story claims that local men stole and cooked the goat, but Selim rejected this version as baseless.

Laxmipur was once part of Noakhali until 1984, when the district was divided to create Feni and Laxmipur. Selim’s remarks aimed to defend the reputation of his region and its people from what he described as a historical misconception.

A violent clash broke out on Tuesday at Chittagong Government City College between members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, and Islami Chhatra Shibir over the rewriting of a wall graffiti related to the 'July–August' movement. The confrontation, which began around noon after hours of tension, led to a Shibir activist suffering a severe leg injury, with his ankle reportedly severed. Police and college authorities intervened to control the situation, but further clashes erupted during a Shibir protest later in the day.

According to local sources and college officials, the conflict began when a group led by a Chhatra Dal leader allegedly altered a graffiti that originally read “campus free from student politics and Chhatra League.” The incident’s video spread on social media, escalating tensions between the two groups. Both sides accused each other of launching attacks, and several people were reported injured.

College authorities temporarily suspended internal classes and some exams for safety reasons, though national university exams continued. Additional police were deployed, and officials said the situation was under control.

On the first day of this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, a total of 25,408 students were absent across 11 education boards on Tuesday. The highest number of absentees was recorded under the Madrasa Education Board, where 11,211 students missed the Dakhil examination. Only six students were expelled nationwide, including four from the Madrasa Board and one each from the Dhaka and Dinajpur boards. The data was presented in a report signed by Professor Dr. Khondoker Ehsanul Kabir, chairman of the Dhaka Board and head of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee.

According to the report, under the nine general education boards, 1,122,963 students took part in the Bangla (compulsory) first paper and Easy Bangla first paper exams out of 1,134,853 registered candidates, leaving 11,890 absent. In the Madrasa Board’s Quran Majid and Tajweed exam, 243,692 students participated out of 254,903, while the Technical Education Board saw 2,307 absentees out of 119,250 registered candidates.

This year, a total of 1,857,344 students are participating in the SSC and equivalent exams under 11 boards, including 930,305 boys and 927,039 girls.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained 15 individuals and seized four dredgers, two bulkheads, and two trawlers in separate operations in Narayanganj and Rajbari. The operations were conducted on Monday evening and early Tuesday, according to Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon. In Narayanganj’s Dharmaganj area, five suspects were detained while illegally extracting sand, and the seized equipment was placed under legal process.

In a separate operation in Rajbari’s Goalanda Ghat area, 13 suspects were detained for illegal sand extraction, along with one dredger and two bulkheads. Three of the detainees were minors and were released after signing undertakings. The remaining suspects and seized items were handed over to the Goalanda River Police for legal action.

The Coast Guard stated that such operations will continue to protect agricultural land and residential areas from illegal sand mining activities.

A Mymensingh court has sentenced seven people to death for the murder of college student Shahinur Alam, also known as Iqbal, in Tarakanda upazila. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday afternoon by District and Sessions Judge Md Zakir Hossain. Two female defendants, Khaleda Akter and Rehena Khatun, were each sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment, fined Tk 25,000, and given an additional one-year term in default of payment.

According to the case details, Iqbal, a civil engineering student at Rumdo Polytechnic Institute, went missing on May 31, 2021, after leaving his home in Palashkanda Tanpara village. His decomposed body was recovered five days later from an abandoned septic tank in the same village. His brother Selim Mia filed a murder case on June 6, 2021, accusing Asif Rana Naeem and others, citing a land dispute as the motive. Police later submitted a charge sheet following investigation.

Public Prosecutor Advocate Anwar Aziz Tutul said the court reached its decision after hearing testimony from 24 witnesses. The victim’s family expressed satisfaction with the verdict and called for its swift execution.

Pakistan has expanded its strategic influence through a mutual defense agreement signed with Saudi Arabia in September 2025. The pact, built on decades of quiet military cooperation, reinforces Pakistan’s central role in Gulf security. Despite India’s major economic interests in the region, including remittances and energy dependence, New Delhi has failed to establish comparable defense or security frameworks, leaving it marginal in regional security architecture.

The analysis highlights Pakistan’s ability to convert limitations into strategic assets, contrasting with India’s cautious approach. Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran further demonstrate its growing indispensability in global diplomacy. Historically, Pakistan has leveraged its military ties and nuclear capability to maintain relevance, from facilitating U.S.-China rapprochement in 1971 to serving as a key partner in the Afghan conflict and the post-2001 war on terror.

The report concludes that Pakistan’s geographic position and strategic ambiguity, including hints of a potential “nuclear umbrella” for Saudi Arabia, enhance its importance in a volatile regional environment, while India’s strength has paradoxically limited its flexibility.

Bangladeshi short film 'Ali', directed by Adnan Al Rajib, has won the Diversity Award at the prestigious Filmfest Bremen 2026 in Germany. The award was announced on April 19 during the festival’s official ceremony in Bremen, recognizing the film’s creative portrayal of social realities and stories of marginalized communities. The director joined the event virtually to express gratitude, dedicating the achievement to his team and the people of Bangladesh.

Filmfest Bremen is one of Europe’s notable international film festivals. The Diversity Award honors films that creatively highlight themes of identity, diversity, and marginalized voices. 'Ali' had previously received a Special Mention in the Short Film category at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, drawing international attention.

Competing with films from various languages and cultures, 'Ali’s' success at Bremen reinforces its global appeal and demonstrates how a powerful story can transcend geographical boundaries.

A mobile court in Sunamganj’s Dowarabazar upazila fined a businessman for selling fuel at prices higher than the government-fixed rate. The operation took place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in the Banglabazar area. The court, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Arup Ratan Singh, imposed a cash fine of 25,000 taka on Abdul Matin, owner of Arif Fuel Supply and joint convener of the local Volunteer Party unit.

According to court sources, consumers had recently complained that the shop was charging excessive prices for fuel. A surprise inspection confirmed the allegations, leading to the fine under Section 40 of the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009. This was the first penalty imposed on the business for such an offense.

Executive Magistrate Arup Ratan Singh stated that the administration remains firm on stabilizing prices of essential goods and fuel. He warned that any trader creating artificial shortages or overcharging consumers would face legal action, adding that such drives would continue regularly in the public interest.

An 18-year-old Alim examinee named Jesmin Akter Ritu died in a road accident in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna on Monday morning, April 21, 2026. The incident occurred at the Ruppur Mor area of Pakshi Union when she was traveling by easybike with a friend. Her scarf became entangled in the vehicle’s wheel, causing her to fall onto the road and sustain severe injuries.

Local residents rescued her and took her to Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared her dead. According to police, Ritu was the daughter of Zahidul Islam from Saraikandi village in Muladuli Union and a student of Dashuria Madinatul Ulum Alim Madrasa. She suffered serious head and ear injuries that made her condition critical at the scene.

Ishwardi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Ashadur Rahman stated that no complaint was filed by the family, and the body was handed over to relatives after completing legal procedures.

At a roundtable titled 'Judicial Independence and Reform: Constitutional Obligations, Court Directives, and Public Expectations' organized by Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN) at the National Press Club on Tuesday, speakers criticized the government for rejecting interim government ordinances related to judicial reform. They said the government promised to enact better laws but its actions have failed to reassure citizens.

Acting SUJAN president Justice M A Matin stated that there is a conspiracy to undermine reform under the guise of amendment, warning that the nation will not accept such attempts. He recalled that despite constitutional provisions for judicial independence, no government took steps until 1995, when the Supreme Court issued landmark directives in the Masdar Hossain case. He said the interim government later issued two ordinances to strengthen judicial independence, which were later nullified.

Other speakers, including Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and SUJAN secretary Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, emphasized the need to restore public trust in the judiciary and urged the government to form a constitutional reform council without delay.

The British American Resource Center has announced a job circular to recruit two Product Development Managers. Applications will remain open until May 15, 2026. Selected candidates will receive a monthly salary of 35,000 taka along with benefits as per the organization’s policy. The positions are full-time and based in Uttara Sector 11, Dhaka.

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree and have at least two years of relevant experience. Both male and female candidates aged 22 or above are eligible to apply. The job offers various benefits including travel allowance, mobile bill, performance bonus, profit share, annual increment, lunch facilities, and two festival bonuses per year.

Interested candidates can apply online through the provided link before the deadline. The announcement highlights the organization’s effort to attract qualified professionals for its product development team.