Twenty students in Madaripur fell ill after consuming government-provided tiffin meals, prompting the district administration to form a five-member investigation committee. The committee, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Jewel Ahmed, was instructed to submit its report within three working days. The incident occurred on Wednesday, April 8, when students in several areas of Sadar upazila ate bread and eggs distributed under the government feeding program by a contractor named Samata Traders.

Soon after eating, students began suffering from stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Several students from Pokrar Char Government Primary School were hospitalized in serious condition, causing panic among parents. The affected schools include Pokrar Char, Razar Char, Haujdi, and Kordi Government Primary Schools, among others. District Primary Education Officer Md. Fazle Elahi stated that expired food items were responsible for the illness and that higher authorities had been informed.

Samata Traders’ operations manager AFM Ahasanul Habib said the company supplies tiffin to 89,151 students in 723 schools across five upazilas and promised greater caution in the future.

Police have arrested fugitive gunman Faruk from a hilly area in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, four days after a violent clash between two rival groups in Chattogram’s Bakalia area left a 13-year-old boy and four others injured. The arrest was announced at a press conference at the CMP headquarters in Dampara on Thursday afternoon by Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Muhammad Faisal Ahmed.

According to police, the confrontation occurred last Saturday night near Moydar Mill School field when the Morshed Khan and Shawkat groups clashed over local dominance, using pistols, shotguns, and other weapons. During the shooting, passerby Fahim was hit in both thighs. Police arrested four suspects at the scene and later recovered a homemade shotgun from Faruk’s rented house. Separate cases were filed over the shooting and illegal weapons.

Authorities said Faruk was captured on April 8 through intelligence surveillance. He is now under interrogation, and legal proceedings are underway. The injured, including Fahim, remain hospitalized at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

A report from Middle East Eye, cited by Amar Desh, details how Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan secretly assisted Iran’s nuclear ambitions through an international proliferation network. Khan, known as the father of Pakistan’s atomic program, allegedly provided Iran, Libya, and North Korea with nuclear technology and centrifuge designs. His actions, conducted under the watch of Israeli intelligence, were intended to challenge Western dominance and empower Muslim nations with nuclear capability.

The report traces the origins of Pakistan’s nuclear program to the 1970s under Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who viewed nuclear weapons as essential for national survival after India’s 1974 test. Despite U.S. sanctions and Israeli opposition, Pakistan developed its own bomb by 1998. Khan’s network later supplied Iran with thousands of used centrifuges and key components between 1986 and 2001, while Iranian scientists trained in Pakistan.

The network was exposed in 2003 when Libya disclosed its dealings with Khan to Western intelligence. Khan confessed in 2004 to aiding Iran, Libya, and North Korea, claiming he acted alone. His actions reshaped nuclear politics in the Muslim world and left Pakistan as the only Muslim-majority nuclear power.

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. M A Muhit, announced that the government plans to increase the national health budget fivefold in line with its election manifesto. He made the statement on Wednesday at the launch of the ‘Comprehensive Eye Care Services’ project held at Six Seasons Hotel in Dhaka’s Gulshan. The project is jointly implemented by Sightsavers and Gildan Activewear.

Dr. Muhit described the country’s health sector as suffering from unprecedented corruption and mismanagement, calling the reform of the broken system a major challenge. He noted that budget allocations often remain underutilized due to limited capacity, which requires urgent improvement. The minister, who has long worked in blindness prevention, expressed personal emotion about returning to his field through this initiative.

The project will provide eye screening, cataract surgery, medicines, and glasses for garment workers and marginalized communities in Savar’s Pathalia and Dhamsana unions, along with school-based eye health and awareness programs. Dr. Muhit emphasized that access to healthcare is a citizen’s right and urged industrial entrepreneurs to support similar initiatives.

State Minister for Labour, Employment and Expatriates’ Welfare Nurul Haque Nur faced repeated difficulties while introducing a bill during a session of the National Parliament on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed allowed him to correct his mistakes during the presentation. The incident drew attention on social media, prompting reactions from political figures.

Former General Secretary of Gono Odhikar Parishad and current BNP activist Rashed Khan publicly defended Nur through a verified Facebook post. He explained that the issue arose from an error in the written text of the bill, not from Nur’s reading ability. According to Rashed, ministers usually do not prepare the documents themselves, and the problem likely resulted from an official drafting mistake that Nur failed to notice earlier due to time constraints.

Rashed Khan added that Nur is new to parliament and one of the youngest among ministers and state ministers. He expressed hope that Nur would correct the error and perform better in the future, extending his best wishes to his former colleague.

A Dhaka court has once again postponed the submission of the investigation report in the murder case of popular actor Salman Shah. The report, which was due on April 9, 2026, could not be submitted by the investigating officer, prompting Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana to set a new date of May 14. The case, filed at Ramna Model Police Station, names Salman Shah’s former wife Samira Haque, actor Don, and nine others as accused.

The case was originally filed on October 21 of the previous year by Salman Shah’s uncle, Mohammad Alamgir, under sections 302 and 34 of the Penal Code. It alleges that Salman Shah was found unconscious at his New Eskaton residence on September 6, 1996, and later declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The family claimed that marks on his neck and body indicated murder. Initially recorded as an unnatural death, the case was later reclassified as a murder case following a court order on October 20.

The plaintiff stated that if any of the accused are proven deceased, they may be exempted. The investigation remains ongoing.

The Energy Division of Bangladesh announced that there will be no shortage of petrol or octane in the country over the next two months. Joint Secretary Monir Hossain Chowdhury shared the update at a press conference held at the Secretariat on Thursday, stating that the current fuel reserves include 143,000 metric tons of diesel, 9,569 metric tons of octane, and 16,812 metric tons of petrol. He emphasized that the country currently faces no fuel crisis.

According to the Energy Division, 469,042 liters of illegally hoarded fuel have been recovered through 7,342 nationwide operations. Chowdhury noted that the government provides a subsidy of Tk 55 per liter of diesel, selling it at Tk 100 instead of Tk 155, costing the state Tk 2,000–2,500 crore monthly. He also mentioned that the government has begun pilot sales of fuel through the “Fuel Pass” system at two Dhaka stations, with plans for nationwide expansion.

Chowdhury added that the government aims to build capacity for at least three months of fuel reserves and will review consumer complaints about LPG prices.

Students in Barishal staged a road blockade on Thursday noon demanding the arrest and swift trial of the autorickshaw driver responsible for the death of schoolgirl Chaiti. The protest took place in front of Sher-e-Bangla Girls’ School on BM College Road, halting traffic for about an hour and causing severe congestion. Barishal City Corporation Administrator Advocate Bilkis Akter Jahan Shirin arrived at the scene and assured the students that the accused driver would be arrested and brought before the school, and that illegal autorickshaw operations in the city would be stopped. Following her assurance, the students returned to class.

Administrator Shirin also stated that allegations of medical negligence in Chaiti’s death would be investigated and that anyone found responsible would face consequences. Local residents said Chaiti was fatally injured when a battery-run autorickshaw hit her while crossing the road after school on Wednesday. She was taken to Barishal General Hospital and later to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where she died late at night. Locals alleged that similar incidents had occurred before without justice.

Police said the body was handed over to the family without autopsy as no complaint was filed.

Russia has strongly condemned Israel’s recent attacks in Lebanon, warning that such actions could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran. The statement was issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry on April 9, 2026, expressing deep concern over the escalation.

According to the ministry’s statement, the strikes push Lebanon toward a humanitarian disaster and worsen the country’s already fragile social and economic conditions. The condemnation highlights Moscow’s position against military actions that could destabilize the region further.

The warning also reflects Russia’s concern that renewed violence could derail delicate negotiations between Washington and Tehran, which are aimed at easing regional tensions.

Opposition members in Bangladesh’s parliament on Thursday criticized alleged irregularities in the Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3 by-elections. During a bill discussion, MPs from Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Congress Party (NCP) claimed that the polls were marred by manipulation and violence. They warned that public trust in elections was eroding and that such trends could undermine the government’s foundation. Jamaat candidates reportedly boycotted the elections citing widespread irregularities.

NCP MP Abdul Hannan Masud alleged that opposition polling agents were expelled from centers, injured, and that minors were made to vote. Jamaat MP Nazibur Rahman compared the situation to the controversial 1994 Magura by-election, saying the same pattern was repeating. Local Government State Minister Mir Shah Alam rejected the allegations, arguing that opposition parties only boycotted after realizing defeat and urged them to abandon the tradition of election boycotts.

Jamaat MP Rashedul Islam later accused the government of designing laws to suppress opposition and claimed that violence in Sherpur-3 mirrored past authoritarian practices, warning that voter confidence could collapse if such incidents continued.

Malaysia has expressed interest in expanding its economic relationship with Bangladesh. The commitment came during a meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Bangladesh’s Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, held on Thursday. Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr. Mahdi Amin was also present at the meeting.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a transparent and efficient recruitment system to prevent worker exploitation. They also discussed the potential for increasing bilateral trade and investment, expressing mutual interest in strengthening economic cooperation. Opportunities for collaboration in the education sector were also reviewed.

The two governments expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of their bilateral relations and reiterated their pledge to deepen cooperation across various fields.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will begin selling nomination forms for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th National Parliament on Friday, April 10. The sale will start at 11 a.m. at the party’s central office in Naya Paltan and continue until April 12. Each nomination form is priced at 2,000 taka. The announcement was made on Thursday, April 9, by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General and Adviser to the Prime Minister.

According to Rizvi, candidates will be able to collect and submit their nomination forms on the same days, with both the sale and submission closing on April 12. The process marks the party’s formal step toward selecting its representatives for the reserved women’s seats in the upcoming parliament.

The schedule indicates BNP’s preparation to finalize its list of nominees within a short timeframe, aligning with the parliamentary procedures for reserved seats.

The Capital Development Authority (Rajuk) conducted a major mobile court operation on Thursday in Dhaka’s Gabtoli, Darus Salam, and Mirpur areas against illegal and unapproved building constructions. According to a press release, the operation targeted 12 under-construction buildings, resulting in the demolition of unauthorized parts, disconnection of electricity lines, seizure of eight meters, and fines totaling eight lakh taka.

The drive was led by Executive Magistrate Shahnaz Parvin Bithi, accompanied by authorized officers Masuk Ahmed and other Rajuk officials, including chief and assistant building inspectors. The listed properties included several residential plots in the Khalek City area and near Parbat Cinema Hall, where owners were found constructing without Rajuk approval or violating approved designs.

Some owners signed undertakings on stamped paper pledging to remove remaining illegal structures and refrain from further unauthorized construction. The operation reflects Rajuk’s continued enforcement efforts to ensure compliance with approved building plans in the capital.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has informed officials from several member countries that U.S. President Donald Trump wants visible and specific commitments from the alliance within the next few days to help secure the Hormuz Strait. Two European diplomats told Reuters on Thursday that Rutte met Trump in Washington on Wednesday as tensions within NATO grew over the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

One of the diplomats said that Washington’s frustration and dissatisfaction are understood in Europe, but the United States did not consult its allies either before or after the war began. Trump wrote on Truth Social that none of the allies, including Americans, seemed particularly disappointed, adding that NATO understands nothing unless pressure is applied.

The report comes as regional tensions remain high, with Iran’s deputy foreign minister describing the coming hours as extremely critical and Iranian officials accusing Israel of violating a ceasefire agreement.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief and opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that the BNP has proven Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be bad but her policies to be good. He made the remark on Thursday night during an emergency press conference following a parliamentary session.

Earlier in the evening, the Jamaat-led opposition alliance called the emergency press conference after walking out of the 13th National Parliament. The walkout occurred around 6 p.m. in protest of what they described as the passage of several 'anti-people' bills. Before leaving, Dr. Rahman told the Speaker that despite the opposition’s logical objections, several such bills were passed, and the opposition would not take responsibility for them.

The opposition’s action highlighted growing tensions in parliament over legislative decisions, with the walkout signaling continued political friction between the ruling party and opposition blocs.