Bangladesh Bank has extended the tenure of its pre-shipment credit refinancing facility, allowing clients to access loans under the scheme until December 31, 2030. The central bank’s Banking Regulations and Policy Department issued a circular on Thursday announcing the extension. The decision aims to help export-oriented sectors, including the ready-made garment industry, overcome ongoing challenges caused by global economic instability and conflicts in the Middle East and Europe.

Previously, the refinancing facility was scheduled to remain in effect until April 2025. Under the revised terms, up to Tk 5,000 crore will be allocated for pre-shipment credit refinancing from the Tk 10,000 crore Export Facilitation Pre-Finance Fund (EFPF). All scheduled banks are eligible to participate but must sign new participation agreements with the central bank. Banks must apply for refinancing within one week of disbursing pre-shipment loans to exporters, with an additional 15 days allowed for justified delays.

The Banking Regulations and Policy Department-3 will manage and oversee the fund’s operations, while all previous conditions from the 2022 and 2023 circulars will remain unchanged.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an investigation into allegations of embezzling several crore taka and laundering the money abroad under the guise of operating, repairing, and maintaining the sound system installed in the plenary hall of the National Parliament building. The inquiry targets Zahidur Rahim Jowardar, Chief Executive Officer of Communication Technology Limited, along with others linked to the project.

According to the ACC, Zahidur Rahim is a close relative of former Health Minister Zahid Maleque and served as a cashier for former Chief Whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury. The information was disclosed by ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) Md. Akhtarul Islam at a press conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, on Thursday afternoon.

The ACC’s investigation marks the beginning of formal scrutiny into alleged misuse of public funds related to the Parliament’s technical maintenance, with potential implications for accountability in government-linked contracts.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) reported that the government granted tax exemptions totaling Tk 1,07,132 crore in the 2022–23 fiscal year, equivalent to 2.39 percent of the country’s GDP. The report, released on Thursday, revealed that the value of these exemptions was nearly 99 percent of the revenue collected from direct taxes. The data highlights how tax holidays, rebates, and exemptions have significantly reduced the amount of revenue reaching the national treasury.

According to the NBR report, more than two-thirds of the total tax exemptions were provided to businesses and institutions. Corporate tax exemptions amounted to Tk 73,989 crore, or 69 percent of the total, mainly benefiting sectors such as microfinance, social welfare, power and energy, and the ready-made garment industry. Personal income tax exemptions totaled Tk 33,143 crore, with the largest share going to salaried income.

The report recommended a phased withdrawal of unnecessary tax exemptions and aligning incentives with national priorities such as export diversification, green economy, SME growth, gender equality, and regional balance to enhance revenue collection without raising tax rates.

Saudi Arabia has suspended operations at several energy facilities following recent attacks that targeted oil, gas, and electricity sites in Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and Yanbu Industrial City, according to the Saudi Press Agency citing the Ministry of Energy. The attacks resulted in the death of one Saudi industrial security worker and injuries to seven others. The disruption has reduced the kingdom’s oil production capacity by about 600,000 barrels per day.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that the attacks were part of a series of drone and missile strikes launched by Iran against Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. These assaults have occurred in response to the US and Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28. The Ministry of Energy warned that continued attacks could further reduce supply, slow recovery, and heighten volatility in global oil markets.

Oil prices rose on Wednesday amid uncertainty over a fragile Iran-US ceasefire and the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked during the conflict. The truce remains uncertain due to ongoing hostilities involving Israel, Lebanon, and Iran.

A surge in the collection of nomination papers has been observed at the Election Commission (EC) for the reserved women’s seats in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament. According to Returning Officer and EC Joint Secretary Md. Moin Uddin Khan, 49 nomination papers were collected on the first day following the announcement of the election schedule on April 8. Candidates can submit their papers until April 21, accompanied by the required documents and deposit.

The EC announced that the BNP-led alliance will receive 36 of the 50 reserved seats, the Jamaat-led alliance 13, and one seat will go to an independent alliance. The verification of nomination papers will take place from April 22 to 23, appeals can be filed on April 26, and decisions on appeals will be made on April 27 and 28. The deadline for withdrawal is April 29, symbol allocation will occur on April 30, and voting is scheduled for May 12.

The strong turnout for nomination papers indicates heightened political interest and competition surrounding the reserved women’s seats in the upcoming parliamentary session.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WBG), and World Food Programme (WFP) issued a joint statement warning that the ongoing war in the Middle East poses a serious threat to global energy markets, food security, and economic growth. The statement, released on Wednesday, said the conflict has already caused one of the largest energy disruptions in modern history, driving up prices of oil, gas, and fertilizer, and disrupting transport systems. These effects are expected to worsen food insecurity and raise prices worldwide.

The organizations cautioned that the heaviest burden will fall on low-income, import-dependent countries with limited fiscal capacity to respond. Rising energy and food prices could further strain economies already struggling with debt, reducing governments’ ability to protect vulnerable households. The IMF, WBG, and WFP said they are closely monitoring the situation and will coordinate all available tools to support affected countries and communities.

The conflict escalated after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory strikes by Iran. A two-week ceasefire agreement reached last Tuesday has brought some relief globally.

Two hotel owners in Osmaninagar upazila of Sylhet have been fined and sentenced for dumping waste beside Joybunnecha Girls High School. The mobile court, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Munmun Nahar, conducted the operation on Wednesday afternoon following a report published on April 3 about the persistent waste problem near the school. The owner of Capital Hotel was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined 20,000 taka under three sections of the Consumer Rights Protection Act, but the jail term was waived after he promised to build a drainage system within a week and apologized for his actions.

The owner of Gram Bangla Hotel was fined 2,000 taka for dumping garbage next to the school wall and was strictly warned against repeating the offense. The operation freed around 200 students from the foul odor and improved the school’s environment. The administration announced that regular monitoring would continue to protect the school’s surroundings and directed steps to establish a permanent waste management system in the area.

The school’s teachers and students expressed relief and gratitude, hoping that the initiative would restore a healthy learning environment soon.

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN), has warned that the current government’s failure to learn from past mistakes signals danger for everyone. He made the remarks on Thursday, April 9, at a roundtable discussion titled “Citizen Thoughts and Challenges on Human Rights Protection and Ordinances Related to an Independent Judiciary,” organized by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

Majumdar questioned the government’s decision to repeal two ordinances concerning the appointment of judges to the higher court and the judicial secretariat. He recalled that in 2018, many BNP leaders and activists sought legal protection from the courts but received no remedy. He cautioned that repeating such patterns could endanger everyone’s safety. He urged lawmakers to consider the consequences of their decisions and warned that excessive parliamentary majority could lead to authoritarian tendencies.

Other speakers at the event included HRSS Chairman Shahjada Al Amin Kabir, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Shishir Monir, journalist Abu Sayeed Khan, and several civil society representatives.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a boycott of the Sherpur-3 by-election, alleging widespread irregularities. Election Commission (EC) Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said that returning officers of the two constituencies concerned have been instructed to investigate the allegations and submit reports. He stated that the commission will take necessary action after receiving the findings. The secretary made these remarks at his office on Thursday afternoon while speaking to journalists.

Earlier in the day, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar alleged at a press conference that the ruling party had engaged in vote rigging, ballot stuffing, and expulsion of Jamaat polling agents. He claimed that presiding officers had signed result sheets early in the morning and later allowed fake votes, while agents were forced out of polling centers. Jamaat also alleged that women voters were obstructed, workers assaulted, and the administration remained inactive.

The party demanded suspension of voting in affected centers, re-voting, and legal action against presiding officers. The EC secretary reiterated that the allegations are being taken seriously and that results should not be delayed while the investigation proceeds.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has launched a zero-tolerance policy to keep city roads and footpaths free from illegal occupation and to ease traffic congestion. On Thursday, two mobile courts operated separately at Saidabad Bus Terminal and Gulistan’s GPO Link Road areas, led by DSCC executive magistrates. The drives resulted in the removal of numerous illegal structures and the closure of unauthorized counters.

At Saidabad, nearly 100 illegal bus counters were sealed during the second consecutive day of operations, and long-standing unauthorized structures occupying footpaths were demolished. The action follows a March 10 meeting among DSCC, DMP, and transport leaders that decided to remove all illegal counters outside the terminal and allocate spaces inside in an orderly manner. In Gulistan, footpaths and roads near Baitul Mukarram Market were cleared, reopening pedestrian access.

DSCC also issued a public notice warning that goods cannot be kept on footpaths in front of shopping malls and markets. Violators risk trade license cancellation and legal action. The corporation stated that such eviction and monitoring drives will continue regularly in the public interest.

The New Zealand national cricket team is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on April 13 for an upcoming series. To ensure the smooth completion of the matches between Bangladesh and New Zealand, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has announced an integrated and comprehensive security plan. Acting DMP Commissioner Md. Sarwar made the announcement during a coordination meeting on security and traffic management held at the DMP headquarters on Thursday.

According to the acting commissioner, security will be ensured at all venues, practice grounds, accommodations, and travel routes for players, officials, and all related personnel. Both uniformed and plainclothes police will be deployed, while SWAT, bomb disposal, dog squad, and crime scene teams will remain on standby. Representatives from the armed forces, intelligence agencies, specialized police units, the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and various service organizations attended the meeting.

The meeting began with a presentation by Joint Police Commissioner (Operations) Mohammad Shahidullah outlining the overall security plan, followed by open discussions where participants shared their views and suggestions.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev described the Strait of Hormuz as Iran’s strategic “nuclear weapon,” according to Anadolu. In a statement on social media platform X on Wednesday, he said that while it remains unclear how the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran will be implemented, Iran holds a powerful strategic element—the Strait of Hormuz—with immense potential.

Analysts clarified that Medvedev’s remark was metaphorical, not a reference to an actual nuclear weapon. The phrase highlights Iran’s geopolitical leverage and the strait’s critical role in global energy supply. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital oil transit routes, has long been a focal point of Middle Eastern tensions.

The comment came as US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, noting that Tehran had presented a ten-point proposal for negotiations. The United States had been pressing Iran to reopen the strait following heightened tensions and reciprocal attacks involving Iran, the US, and Israel.

A special operation by Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station led to the arrest of nine suspects, including four members of a mugging gang. The arrests took place over a 24-hour period in various parts of Cox’s Bazar town and surrounding areas. Among those detained, five were wanted in different cases, according to police officials.

The arrested muggers were identified as Md. Rafique (38), Abdul Wahid (24), Rahim alias Rong Cha (38), and Abu Zafar Siddique alias Salman Shah (21). The operation was conducted to recover weapons and drugs and to curb criminal activities in the area. Officer-in-Charge Md. Shami Uddin stated that after legal procedures, the detainees were handed over to the court.

Police authorities said such operations will continue regularly to maintain law and order in Cox’s Bazar and ensure public safety.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan stated that the process of implementing the Media Reform Commission’s recommendations is underway and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reforming the media sector. He made these remarks on Thursday while addressing an event jointly organized by the Citizen Platform for SDGs, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF).

The minister emphasized that investigative journalism and civic initiatives can play vital roles in state governance. He thanked ERF and other stakeholders, noting that their criticism, observations, and analyses help the government make more effective and accountable decisions. Swapan also mentioned ongoing efforts to ensure journalists’ safety, establish mechanisms for redress against abuse, and develop welfare structures for retired journalists.

He further stressed the importance of formulating an advertising policy to ensure transparency and accountability in the media sector and highlighted the need to strengthen technology-based “reform tracking” systems. The minister expressed hope that joint efforts by the government, media, and civil society would help build a transparent and responsible media environment.

Israel reopened the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem to Palestinian worshippers after a 40-day closure. Verified footage from Al Jazeera showed thousands of Palestinians entering the mosque gates early Thursday, with around three thousand attending the dawn prayer. The reopening followed a period of restrictions imposed after the outbreak of war between Iran and the US-Israel alliance on February 28, which had limited or halted access to holy sites for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

The Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem confirmed that all mosque gates were reopened for worshippers from dawn. The Jordan-linked religious authority responsible for managing the site did not provide further details. Earlier footage showed volunteers cleaning and preparing the prayer areas to welcome worshippers.

Israeli authorities announced the reopening of both Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Wednesday evening, citing updated guidance from the Israeli Home Front Command. Hundreds of police and border guards were deployed across Jerusalem’s Old City to ensure visitor safety.