Residents of Alikadam upazila in Bandarban are facing a severe shortage of safe drinking water as a long-delayed water purification project remains incomplete. The project, launched about ten years ago with funding from the Bandarban Hill District Council and implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering, was halted within six months due to financial constraints. Despite repeated development initiatives in the district, the crucial project has not resumed.

Field reports indicate that for the past three months, Alikadam town and nearby hilly areas have been experiencing an acute water crisis. In response, the Bangladesh Army’s Alikadam Zone has been distributing drinking water to affected residents. Locals allege that small-scale ring-well projects are approved annually but are only implemented after the rainy season begins, limiting their effectiveness.

A local primary school headteacher said that both drinking and household water are scarce in the Panbazar area. The local public health engineer confirmed hearing about a new allocation of 4.6 million taka for the unfinished purification project, but work has yet to restart.

Two journalists were allegedly handcuffed and taken to a police station in Chandina, Cumilla, after filming at the Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) office on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The incident occurred when Abdul Alim and Russell Sarkar attempted to record the behavior of Assistant Commissioner (Land) Faisal Al Noor during a hearing related to a land mutation case. The journalists claimed their phones were seized, videos deleted, and they were released only after signing a written statement.

Faisal Al Noor stated that the journalists entered his office during a hearing and began recording without permission, which made him uncomfortable. He said he called the police, who handcuffed the men due to their unruly behavior, and that the handcuffs were removed once he learned they were journalists. Chandina Police Officer-in-Charge Atikur Rahman said police acted on the magistrate’s order. Cumilla Deputy Commissioner M. Reza Hasan acknowledged awareness of the incident and promised an inquiry.

Cumilla Press Club’s organizational secretary, Imtiaz Ahmed Jitu, condemned the incident, calling it an abuse of power and urging a fair investigation by the district administration.

A parliamentary committee has recommended installing a new sound system in the Bangladesh National Parliament to improve audio quality during sessions. The recommendation was made at a committee meeting held on Wednesday at the National Parliament building. The committee emphasized that the new system should be capable of absorbing sound within one second or less and eliminate echoes. It also urged prompt action to implement the upgrade.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam, was attended by several committee members and relevant officials. In addition to the sound system proposal, the committee discussed issues such as slow internet connectivity, renovation progress of MPs’ residential buildings on Manik Mia Avenue and in Nakhalpara, safe drinking water shortages, emergency medical services for MPs, and security measures at MP hostels.

According to the Parliament Secretariat, these recommendations aim to enhance the functionality and comfort of parliamentary facilities and ensure better working conditions for members.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces are close to achieving their objectives in Iran, describing the ongoing military campaign as being in its final stage. In a televised address delivered Wednesday local time, Trump said the operation, named “Epic Fury,” began a month ago and has inflicted devastating blows on Iran’s military. He claimed Iran’s navy and air force have been destroyed and that most of its leaders are dead. Trump stated it may take another two to three weeks to finish the mission and warned that Iran’s power plants could become targets if no agreement is reached.

Trump reiterated that Iran was close to developing a nuclear bomb, though he provided no evidence. He credited the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal for protecting Israel’s existence and thanked allies including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain for their support. Experts, however, cautioned that such claims should be treated carefully without verified battlefield evidence.

Trump acknowledged rising fuel prices in the U.S. since the war began, saying they had increased by more than 25 percent but described the surge as temporary.

Fuel pump owners and workers in Sylhet division withdrew their indefinite strike around 3 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026. The strike, called late Wednesday night by the Sylhet divisional committee of the Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distribution Agents and Petroleum Owners Association, had shut down all petrol pumps and CNG refueling stations. The withdrawal was confirmed by the committee’s spokesperson, who said pumps were reopening gradually and normal operations were expected by 10 a.m.

The strike had been launched in protest against mobile court fines and alleged extortion. Truck drivers who had blocked the Sylhet–Dhaka highway over similar grievances also ended their blockade after discussions with police officials. The highway had been paralyzed for several hours, causing long traffic jams.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury said the situation normalized within two hours and that a meeting would be held the next morning with the divisional and district administrations to seek a permanent solution to the disputes.

NASA successfully launched the Artemis-2 mission on April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending four astronauts toward the Moon for the first time in 54 years. The crew includes three Americans—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch—and one Canadian, Jeremy Hansen. The launch took place at 6:35 p.m. local time, drawing cheers from NASA staff and spectators after years of delays and budget increases.

Before liftoff, the astronauts delivered brief remarks, with Hansen emphasizing that the mission represents all of humanity. Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson addressed the crew, highlighting the global partnerships and the hopes of a new generation carried by the Artemis team.

The mission’s first phase will test the spacecraft’s safety and reliability. Over a roughly 10-day flight, the astronauts will orbit the Moon without landing, while also testing manual control capabilities during docking simulations.

Police in Dhaka’s Bangshal area have arrested two individuals in connection with a theft that took place in a rented flat. The arrested are Sheikh Zalamim, aged 34, and Madhab Chandra Dhar, aged 60. According to a press release issued on Wednesday night by the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, cash and gold ornaments were recovered following the arrests.

According to Bangshal police, the incident occurred after Sheikh Zalamim and his wife were sublet tenants in a flat on the seventh floor of Mokka Dulary Tower on Malitola Road. When the flat owners returned from a trip to Chandpur on March 27, they found the door lock broken and valuables missing. The stolen items included 30,000 taka in cash, multiple gold ornaments weighing 11 vori 2 ana, a smartphone, property documents, a checkbook, and business papers. A case was filed by the victim, Md. Saiful Islam Sohan, at Bangshal Police Station.

Police said Zalamim was arrested on March 31 from Fulbaria intersection, and based on his information, Madhab Chandra Dhar, a jewelry shop manager, was later detained with a gold chain. Efforts to identify and arrest other suspects are ongoing.

The Narsingdi district administration conducted two separate raids on Wednesday night, April 1, following intelligence provided by the National Security Intelligence (NSI). The operations targeted shops in the Paikdona Bazar and Paikdona Mor areas of Narsingdi Sadar upazila, where large quantities of fuel were allegedly hoarded illegally. Executive Magistrates Md. Masud Rana and Khalid Hasan led the raids, seizing octane, petrol, and diesel from the sites.

According to the district administration, Humayun Enterprise in Paikdona Bazar was fined 40,000 taka for storing 270 liters of octane and 700 liters of diesel. Ayaz Enterprise on Danga Road was fined 50,000 taka for hoarding 1,000 liters of diesel and 200 liters of octane. The seized fuel from Ayaz Enterprise was sold in the open market, and proceeds were returned to the owner, while the fuel from Humayun Enterprise was sold and deposited into the government treasury.

Officials stated that similar operations will continue to prevent artificial fuel shortages in the district.

Authorities in Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria seized approximately 5,200 liters of illegally stored diesel on Wednesday evening, April 1, 2026. The operation took place at Selim Store in Purvabhag New Market, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Sahel Ahmed. The fuel was found in 32 drums during the raid, which was conducted based on confidential information.

The seizure is part of a nationwide campaign to curb illegal fuel hoarding amid a global energy shortage. Following the operation, an individual named Md. Faisal was fined 10,000 taka under Section 20 of the Petroleum Act, 2016 for illegal storage. The confiscated diesel was later sold at government-fixed prices in the Nasirnagar Upazila Parishad premises to meet local demand.

Officials stated that such enforcement actions will continue as part of efforts to stabilize the fuel supply and prevent black-market trading during the ongoing energy crisis.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan held a phone conversation with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The discussion focused on regional conditions, geopolitical risks, and strategies to maintain stability in conflict-prone areas.

According to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, both leaders emphasized the current impact on regional security and the importance of international efforts to ease tensions. They also discussed the necessity of establishing lasting peace through multilateral dialogue and diplomatic initiatives.

The conversation underscored the shared concern over regional instability and highlighted the need for coordinated global engagement to promote peace and security.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has addressed an open letter to the American people, asserting that Iran has never pursued aggression, expansion, or colonialism in modern history. He stated that while Iran has not initiated any wars, it has firmly resisted those who attacked it. The letter was reported by Al Jazeera.

Pezeshkian strongly rejected portrayals of Iran as a ‘security threat,’ arguing that such depictions do not reflect reality. He described Iran as one of the world’s oldest and most continuous civilizations. According to him, the narrative of Iran as an aggressor is driven by external interests seeking to justify political and economic agendas.

The president claimed that powerful actors use this narrative to legitimize pressure on Iran, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets.

Israel has claimed responsibility for conducting more than 400 airstrikes on various infrastructure targets in Tehran over the past two days. According to a statement from the Israeli military, the air force used 650 munitions in operations aimed at what it described as the 'Iranian regime’s infrastructure.' The statement added that Israeli warplanes carried out extensive overnight raids across central Tehran, striking multiple key facilities.

Israel further asserted that around 15 weapons production centers were damaged in the attacks, including a central complex reportedly linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense. The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not specify the exact locations or the extent of the damage.

Iran has not issued any immediate response or provided official information regarding casualties or material losses resulting from the strikes.

U.S. President Donald Trump has turned his frustration toward NATO as the Iran war intensifies, raising new concerns about the alliance’s future. European allies have refused to provide military support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and, in some cases, denied U.S. aircraft access to their bases. In an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, Trump called NATO a “paper tiger” and said he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from the alliance.

The tension is not new. Trump has previously labeled NATO “obsolete” and threatened to withhold protection from members that fail to increase defense spending. The situation has deepened as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington might reconsider its NATO ties if European nations continue to block base access. Former U.S. ambassador Ivo Daalder said the crisis has shaken the alliance’s trust, calling it potentially NATO’s biggest challenge in history.

Despite the rift, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed full commitment to NATO, and Secretary-General Mark Rutte argued that Trump’s pressure has strengthened the alliance. The upcoming NATO summit in Ankara this July is expected to test the alliance’s cohesion amid growing calls in Europe for greater defense autonomy.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense reported that an Iranian-launched cruise missile struck a Qatari oil tanker early Wednesday. The vessel, named Aqua 1 and operated under lease by QatarEnergy, was hit within Qatar’s territorial waters. All 21 crew members aboard managed to evacuate safely, and no casualties were reported. QatarEnergy confirmed the incident and stated that there was no negative environmental impact from the strike.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acknowledged responsibility, saying its naval missile caused damage to the tanker, which it claimed was Israeli-owned. The conflicting narratives from Qatar and Iran have drawn attention to the already tense regional situation.

Analysts cited in the report suggested that the incident could further escalate tensions in the region, though no immediate retaliatory actions were mentioned.

Iran has launched its largest missile attack on Israel since the start of the ongoing conflict, according to multiple international media reports. On Wednesday, Iran fired around ten ballistic missiles targeting Israel’s central region, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv, Shephelah, and nearby areas. Residents reportedly heard explosions, and Israeli media indicated that missile debris may have struck several locations, prompting rescue operations. One missile was alleged to have carried a cluster warhead that dispersed smaller bombs midair.

In response, the Israeli military announced a broad offensive targeting Iranian military infrastructure in Tehran. The report added that since February 28, the United States and Israel have jointly conducted airstrikes in Iran, resulting in about 1,340 deaths, including the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, according to claims cited in the report.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes not only on Israel but also on U.S. bases in Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.