Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told Parliament that the government has a concrete plan to strengthen Bangladesh’s stock market and make it a vibrant source of long-term financing. Responding in writing to a parliamentary question, he said the government aims to enhance governance, transparency, accountability, and investor education to build a sustainable and dynamic capital market. Plans include developing a strong bond market, listing fundamentally sound companies, and bringing unlisted state-owned enterprises to the market.

The minister detailed initiatives such as introducing exchange-traded funds, sukuk, green bonds, commodity and financial derivatives, and improving mutual fund governance to encourage wider participation. He also highlighted measures to curb irregularities, strengthen enforcement, modernize and digitize the market, and ensure whistleblower protection and corporate governance.

Ongoing legal reforms include merging the 1969 Securities and Exchange Ordinance and the 1993 BSEC Act into a new 2025 law, reviewing the draft Capital Market Stabilization Fund Act 2026, and updating corporate governance and debt securities rules. The government also plans to integrate investment education into school curricula and expand public awareness through training and media programs.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s Joint Secretary General, Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi, issued a statement on April 6, 2026, urging people to organize modest and shirk-free cultural rallies during the upcoming Pahela Baishakh celebrations. He noted that the Ministry of Culture decided to rename the traditional ‘Mangal’ and ‘Ananda’ processions as ‘Baishakhi Shovajatra’ and expressed doubt about how free the event would be from what he described as Hindu cultural influence.

In his statement, Islamabadi said that Islam does not oppose decent artistic or cultural practices as long as they do not conflict with the spirit of Tawheed. He emphasized that idol-making or displaying animal figures is fundamentally prohibited in Islam and encouraged Bengali Muslims to celebrate in a dignified manner that reflects their own cultural and religious identity. He also criticized what he called “Hindutvadi cultural fascism” and urged showcasing Muslim heritage, including symbols like horses, in cultural rallies.

Islamabadi further criticized secular cultural groups such as Udichi for promoting what he described as aggressive Bengali nationalism that excludes ethnic minorities, calling for a more inclusive and faith-conscious cultural expression.

Iran has sharply criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing it of inaction that allegedly encourages attacks on nuclear facilities. In a letter sent on Monday to the IAEA chief, Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said the agency’s failure to act decisively has emboldened aggressors, particularly against key sites such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Eslami stated that Bushehr, Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant, has been targeted four times. The most recent attack on April 4 killed one security guard and injured several others near the facility. He warned that any strike on an active reactor could release radioactive materials, posing severe risks to human life, the environment, and neighboring countries.

Calling the assaults a clear violation of international law, Eslami criticized the IAEA’s limited response, arguing that mere expressions of concern are insufficient and could lead to further attacks if stronger measures are not taken.

US Congresswoman of Iranian descent Yasmin Ansari has strongly criticized the bombing at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran. She questioned why such an attack was carried out in a city of ten million people, targeting a major educational institution.

Ansari compared Sharif University to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, emphasizing its importance in engineering education. She noted that many of its graduates have gone on to work in Silicon Valley and have contributed to the founding of some of America’s most successful technology companies. The report also describes Silicon Valley as a major technology hub located about 60 kilometers southeast of San Francisco.

The bombing occurred amid ongoing regional tensions, with reports mentioning damage to 28 sites in Israel and related diplomatic efforts involving Pakistan, the United States, and Iran.

Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) has launched an affordable electric vehicle (EV) service for female students to ease campus transportation amid the ongoing energy crisis. The service officially began on Monday, funded by the university’s research sector. The EV was developed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering under a University Grants Commission–funded research project led by Professor Dr. Shahjada Mahmudul Hasan and inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. S. M. Abdur Razzak.

The initiative follows reduced diesel bus trips that had caused travel difficulties for students. Each vehicle costs about 500,000 to 600,000 taka to produce, significantly less than similar EVs used at other universities, which cost up to 1.8 million taka. Initially, the service will operate every 20 minutes for female students traveling between hostels and key campus points.

RUET officials stated that the project promotes research-based learning and practical experience. They plan to expand the service for all students if additional funding becomes available, aiming to establish a sustainable and modern campus transport system.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that Bangladesh’s per capita income reached 2,769 US dollars in the 2024–25 fiscal year. He cited official data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics while responding to a written question from Dhaka-18 Member of Parliament S.M. Jahangir Hossain in the National Parliament on Monday, April 6, 2026.

The minister stated that one of the government’s key goals is to achieve a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. To reach this milestone, the government is preparing action plans focusing on investment, employment, economic democratization, creative economy, and sports economy. He emphasized that the government is working simultaneously across multiple sectors—employment, investment, production, exports, remittances, skill development, social protection, and macroeconomic stability—to increase citizens’ income.

The announcement reflects the government’s broader economic strategy aimed at sustainable growth and inclusive development through diversified policy initiatives.

At a webinar titled “Sustainable Financing to Combat Hypertension: Bangladesh Perspective,” experts emphasized the urgent need for increased and sustained funding to address the growing prevalence of hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases in Bangladesh. The event, organized by PROGGA with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator ahead of World Health Day, highlighted that hypertension now tops the list of the country’s ten most common diseases, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Health and Morbidity Status Survey 2025. Noncommunicable diseases account for 71 percent of total deaths, yet only 4.2 percent of the national health budget is allocated to this sector.

Speakers noted that despite the government’s decision to supply hypertension medication through all community clinics, inadequate funding has hindered consistent distribution, limiting access for marginalized populations. Health officials and experts, including representatives from the Health Economics Unit, National Heart Foundation, and Dhaka University, called for increased budget allocations, efficient fund management, and effective implementation of public health policies to ensure uninterrupted medicine supply and reduce premature deaths.

Participants stressed that ensuring sustainable financing in the 2026–27 national budget is essential to strengthen hypertension control and protect public health nationwide.

In response to a parliamentary question from MP Hasnat Abdullah, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented a list of the top 20 loan defaulters in Bangladesh. The disclosure took place on Monday, April 6, 2026, during a question-and-answer session chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal. According to the minister, as of December 31, 2025, total defaulted loans amounted to Tk 5,44,831.88 crore, while loans defaulted by current members of parliament and their affiliated entities totaled Tk 11,117.31 crore.

The minister’s list showed that half of the top 20 defaulting institutions are owned by or associated with S Alam Group. The companies include S Alam Super Edible Oil Ltd., S Alam Vegetable Oil Ltd., S Alam Refined Sugar Industries Ltd., S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Ltd., and S Alam Trading Company Pvt. Ltd., among others. Other major defaulters named include Beximco Communications Ltd., Deshbandhu Sugar Mills Ltd., and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd.

The disclosure highlights the concentration of large-scale loan defaults among a few major business groups, raising renewed attention to financial governance and accountability in the banking sector.

Four bodies were recovered from the rubble of a building destroyed by an Iranian missile strike in Israel’s Haifa city, according to a BBC report. Local sources said the missile hit the building the previous day. Security officials noted that the bomb did not detonate upon impact and remained active when rescue teams arrived, complicating the search operation. Rescuers had to tunnel through concrete from an adjacent building to reach the trapped victims.

Residents described living under the threat of Iranian attacks as a daily ordeal despite Israel’s multilayered air defense system. Surveys indicate that after more than five weeks of conflict, public support among Jewish Israelis for the war is gradually declining. Anti-war demonstrations have intensified, with reports of crackdowns and arrests, including of Arab-Israeli activist Alon-Lee Green.

Israel claims success in targeting Iranian ballistic missile bases and leadership, while Iran aims to undermine Israel’s sense of security through such strikes.

The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s new government approved six projects out of eight discussed. The meeting, held on Monday at the Secretariat with the Prime Minister presiding, reviewed a total of eight projects and deferred two for further consideration. Originally, 19 projects were scheduled for presentation, but time constraints led to the session being adjourned after partial discussion.

According to the Planning Ministry’s public relations officer Jasim Uddin, the remaining projects from the agenda will be discussed in next week’s meeting. This session marked a departure from the long-standing practice of holding ECNEC meetings at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Officials indicated that the decision to hold the meeting at the Secretariat’s Cabinet Room was made to accommodate the Prime Minister’s current workload and Secretariat-based activities.

Education Minister and Minister of Primary and Mass Education Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan announced new information regarding teachers’ festival allowance. Speaking on Monday, April 6, 2026, at a meeting with center secretaries of the Mymensingh Education Board and the region’s madrasa and technical boards, he said the allowance would be increased by 10 percent this year. The implementation is expected around Eid-ul-Azha, and the government is working to make it effective.

The minister noted that teachers’ festival allowance had not been raised for nearly 17 years. He emphasized that the government was taking steps to ensure the increase is realized. Meanwhile, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj stated that discussions are ongoing regarding the pay scale structure for government primary school teachers. He made the remarks after visiting several schools in Dhaka to review infrastructure and development progress.

The announcements indicate a renewed government focus on improving teachers’ financial and institutional conditions, with implementation efforts already underway.

At least 70 people are missing after a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Libya in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel, which departed from Libya’s Tajoura port on April 3 for Europe, capsized early on April 4 within Libyan waters. A commercial ship rescued 32 survivors, including citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt, and transported them to Italy’s Lampedusa island. Two bodies were also recovered during the operation.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the boat carried over 100 passengers, including a child. Survivors reported rough seas and high waves that caused the boat to take on water before overturning. The German group Sea-Watch said it spotted the distressed vessel from the air and saw several people floating near the wreck.

UNHCR spokesperson Filippo Ungaro said the boat was unfit for such a journey, and further investigation is needed to confirm the number of missing. IOM estimates up to 120 people may have been aboard, making it one of the deadliest recent migrant shipwrecks in the region.

A Cumilla court has permitted the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct DNA profile cross-matching of three individuals in connection with the murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student of Cumilla Victoria Government College. The order was issued on Monday by Senior Judicial Magistrate Mominul Haque after PBI Inspector Md. Tarikul Islam submitted a petition seeking permission to compare the DNA profiles of Sergeant Zahid, Warrant Officer Hafizur Rahman, and Soldier Jahangir Alam with samples found on Tonu’s clothing.

Tonu was found dead on March 20, 2016, inside the Cumilla Cantonment area after she went missing while tutoring at a nearby house. Her father, Iyar Hossain, filed a murder case the next day against unidentified persons. Over the years, the case has been investigated by multiple agencies, including the local police, the Detective Branch, and the Criminal Investigation Department, but no breakthrough was achieved.

The case has now been under PBI supervision since October 2020, with Inspector Tarikul Islam serving as the sixth investigating officer. Tonu’s father, present in court, expressed hope for justice after a decade of waiting.

Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam on Monday, April 6, 2026. The meeting took place at the adviser’s office in the Armed Forces Division located in Dhaka Cantonment, according to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in the afternoon.

During the meeting, both sides discussed various issues of mutual interest and expressed optimism about further strengthening bilateral military relations and strategic cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkey. The ISPR statement did not provide additional details about specific topics or agreements discussed.

The meeting reflects ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries in the defense sector, with both parties emphasizing the importance of enhancing strategic ties.

A new peace proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East emerged on Monday, provisionally titled the ‘Islamabad Accord’. According to a Reuters report citing unnamed sources, Pakistan has drafted the framework for the proposal and shared it overnight with Iran and the United States.

The source told Reuters that Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, maintained overnight communications with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The discussions reportedly focused on achieving an immediate ceasefire and paving the way for a broader resolution to the conflict.

The report did not specify the details of the proposal or the responses from the involved parties, leaving the next steps in the peace initiative uncertain.