Leading anti-tobacco organizations have expressed deep concern over the government’s decision to remove provisions banning e-cigarettes and the display of tobacco products at points of sale from the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2025. In a statement issued Wednesday, they warned that such changes could undermine public health and encourage nicotine addiction among youth.

The organizations stated that emerging tobacco products like e-cigarettes are highly harmful and act as gateways to nicotine dependence. They argued that allowing product displays at sales points would attract children and adolescents to tobacco use, reversing progress in tobacco control. The groups also noted that the removal of these clauses contradicts the ruling party’s electoral commitment to strengthen tobacco regulation.

Former interim government adviser and economist Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman called on the government and parliament to immediately reinstate the two clauses, emphasizing that public health and youth protection must take precedence over narrow profit interests.

A United States Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet crashed near Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, March 31. The incident occurred about 25 miles northeast of Indian Springs within the controlled airspace of the Nevada Test and Training Range. Authorities confirmed that the pilot ejected safely, sustaining only minor injuries, and is currently under medical care.

According to the public affairs office at Nellis Air Force Base, the crash site lies within a restricted military zone, ensuring that no nearby civilian areas were affected. Emergency response teams quickly reached the location and carried out rescue operations. Officials stated that the cause of the crash remains unknown and that an investigation is underway.

The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter developed under the Joint Strike Fighter program. It is designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, electronic warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.

A drone strike hit the Sarsang oil field in Iraq’s Kurdish region on Wednesday, according to a Reuters report. The attack occurred in Duhok province, but no casualties have been reported so far. The incident adds to a series of recent drone-related disruptions in the region’s energy infrastructure.

Iraq’s National News Agency stated that a similar drone attack had earlier targeted the Lanaz oil refinery in Erbil city. Following that strike, all operations at the refinery were suspended. The latest attack underscores ongoing security concerns surrounding vital oil facilities in northern Iraq.

Authorities have not yet provided details about the source of the drones or the extent of the damage, leaving questions about the broader impact on oil production and regional stability.

Eight workers were burned in a fire at a steel mill in the Shyampur area of Dhaka’s Kadamtali on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. while iron melting work was underway at the RMM Steel Mill in the Dhaka Match area. The injured workers were rescued by colleagues and taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for treatment.

According to Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, a resident physician at the institute, the burn percentages among the victims ranged from 4 to 40 percent. Md. Hira suffered 17 percent burns, Md. Khalilur Rahman 9 percent, Md. Rojob Ali 4 percent, Motiur Rahman 10 percent, Md. Arshad Mia 11 percent, Md. Liton Mia 7 percent, Md. Manik Mia 40 percent, and Yusuf Mia 5 percent. Hira and Manik have been admitted to the hospital, while the remaining six are under observation.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire or the current condition of the admitted workers.

Iran’s conflict with the United States and Israel has entered its second month, with Iran continuing retaliatory attacks on U.S. installations. In solidarity with Iran, Yemen’s Houthi movement has threatened to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to increase pressure on Israel and the United States, according to Al Jazeera.

Reporting from Sana’a, Al Jazeera’s correspondent Youssef Mawri said Houthi attacks on southern Israel have intensified. Houthi leaders declared that their operations will not stop until their conditions are met, including Israel’s acceptance of a ceasefire in Gaza and the cessation of Israel’s participation in U.S. military actions against Iran.

Senior Houthi leader Mohammed al-Bukhaiti stated that the group still has several strategies to escalate the conflict, one of which could be the complete closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Five people were killed and at least four others injured in three separate road accidents on the Cumilla section of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway on Wednesday, April 1. The incidents occurred between early morning and mid-morning in Daudkandi, Nimsar, and Chandina areas. Two autorickshaw drivers, Barek and Mostafa, died in Daudkandi when an unidentified speeding vehicle hit their autorickshaw. Four others were injured and hospitalized.

Earlier, around 3:45 a.m., two men, Mohammad Zohirul Islam and Sohel Rana, were killed near the Nimsar market U-turn when their vehicle crashed on the Dhaka-bound lane. Police recovered the bodies and are working to identify the vehicle involved. Later in the morning, a ninth-grade student, Ibne Taim, died after being hit by a truck while crossing the road in Chandina.

Police officials from Daudkandi and Mainamati Highway Stations said legal procedures are underway, injured victims are receiving treatment, and the deceased have been handed over to their families.

The government of Bangladesh will begin a measles vaccination campaign at the upazila level from Sunday, April 5, in response to a worsening outbreak across the country. Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain announced the initiative at a press conference in Dhaka on April 1, stating that vaccinations will start first in the most affected areas. Vaccines will reach those regions within two days, and all health workers’ leave has been canceled to ensure full participation.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, measles has spread rapidly in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Barishal, and Mymensingh, with more than 700 infections and over 50 deaths reported. Public health experts have urged immediate government action, warning that a single patient can transmit the disease to 16–18 others if left unchecked.

Bangladesh’s routine immunization program provides two doses of the measles vaccine to children at nine and fifteen months of age through about 120,000 vaccination centers. The last national measles campaign was conducted in December 2020.

A Chattogram-bound train named Udayan Express, which departed from Sylhet, left three of its coaches behind near Hasanpur station in Nangalkot upazila of Comilla on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 6 a.m. when the coaches became detached, causing severe inconvenience to passengers. The separated section included the guard brake coach, which houses the train director, a canteen, and 15 passenger seats. Thousands of passengers narrowly escaped a major accident.

Following the detachment, the train was delayed in reaching Chattogram. Railway staff worked for nearly two hours to reconnect the separated coaches to the main engine. Once reattached, the train resumed its journey toward Chattogram from the Hasanpur area. According to Hasanpur station master Nasir Uddin, the train split between Hasanpur and Gunabati, outside the station area, and normal train movement resumed about 20 minutes after the incident.

Train operations on the down line later returned to normal, and no further disruptions were reported in the area.

The World Bank has assessed the overall implementation progress of Bangladesh’s Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project as “moderately satisfactory.” The evaluation was presented during a courtesy meeting between a World Bank delegation and University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed on April 1, 2026. The three-member team was led by Senior Education Specialist and Task Team Leader T.M. Asaduzzaman, who noted that the project had earlier been considered problematic but showed visible progress after August 2024 due to effective UGC initiatives.

Asaduzzaman described HEAT as a frontline investment by the World Bank in Bangladesh’s higher education sector, aimed at developing skilled human resources and expanding employment opportunities. He announced that the project’s mid-term review would begin in April and sought cooperation to complete activities on schedule. UGC Chairman Mamun Ahmed emphasized that the project is vital for improving higher education quality and addressing structural issues, highlighting positive impacts from teacher training programs.

The World Bank delegation added that over the next two years, the project will focus on strengthening research, basic teacher training, and modern campus development.

The Puja Celebration Front in Muradnagar, Comilla, has strongly protested what it described as false and malicious social media campaigns linking Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad MP to a temple fire. At a press conference held in Comilla city on March 31, 2026, the organization’s northern convener Dulal Debnath said certain groups were spreading misinformation to destroy communal harmony and damage the minister’s relationship with the Hindu community.

Speakers including Professor Din Dayal Pal, Doyananda Thakur, Ratan Das, and Bijon Kumar Das stated that the fire occurred near a banyan tree adjacent to the minister’s house, not inside a temple. They alleged that some Facebook pages intentionally circulated videos and photos to create fear between Hindus and Muslims. The speakers emphasized that Kaikobad had long supported underprivileged Hindus and maintained peaceful relations among all communities.

The Puja Celebration Front urged authorities to investigate the incident, bring those responsible under the law, and called on residents not to believe rumors that could disrupt Muradnagar’s communal peace.

South Bangla Agriculture and Commerce (SBAC) Bank Chairman Engineer Mokhlesur Rahman said depositors’ funds are safe with the bank. Speaking at a press conference marking the bank’s 13th anniversary on Wednesday, he emphasized that the board and management are fully committed to customer service and national development. Senior officials including Managing Director Moinul Kabir, Additional Managing Director Robiul Islam, and Deputy Managing Director Altaf Hossain were present.

Rahman stated that trust is the core of banking and takes time to build through ethical practices and high standards. He said the bank prioritizes investment in agriculture, food production, and value-added services for overseas job seekers, while also supporting young entrepreneurs to engage in national economic activities. He warned against misuse of loan funds for non-business purposes, calling it a major problem in the banking sector.

Addressing dividend concerns, Rahman noted that asset quality pressure has limited payouts but efforts are underway to recover. Managing Director Kabir added that SBAC Bank has satisfactory liquidity, is avoiding aggressive lending, and is focusing on small and medium sectors while tightening recovery from willful defaulters.

A mobile court in Tungipara upazila of Gopalganj fined a business establishment Tk 30,000 for illegally hoarding and selling diesel at inflated prices. Acting on information from the National Security Intelligence (NSI), the court conducted a raid at Messrs Kalipada Saha Enterprise in Patgati Bazar on Tuesday night. The owners, Bishwajit Saha and Gobinda Saha, were penalized for storing 4,500 liters of diesel and selling it above the legal rate.

The mobile court was led by Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Al-Amin Haldar. He stated that the seized diesel had been kept unlawfully and sold at higher prices. Following the inspection, the court ordered that the stored fuel be sold to the public, limiting each buyer to a maximum of five liters.

The operation aimed to curb illegal fuel hoarding and ensure fair distribution in the local market, according to the official statement.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has pledged full cooperation to assist the Bangladesh government in creating employment opportunities. The commitment was made by ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo during a bilateral meeting in Geneva with Bangladesh’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who was attending the 356th ILO Governing Body session. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Labour, Employment and Education Mahdi Amin and Labour Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarafdar were also present.

Houngbo expressed solidarity with Bangladesh’s priority programs and congratulated the new government on assuming office following recent elections. He emphasized the importance of Bangladesh’s democratic process and praised the country’s diplomatic efforts for gaining international support. Minister Chowdhury conveyed the Prime Minister’s greetings and highlighted the government’s focus on employment for youth and women, seeking a more active role from the ILO’s Dhaka office. He also requested cooperation in resolving the ongoing Article 26 issue concerning Bangladesh.

The meeting discussed strengthening international labour standards, expanding social protection programs, and increasing the involvement of multinational companies and global brands in ensuring workers’ rights. The minister welcomed Houngbo’s possible visit to Bangladesh in June.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that preparing the upcoming national budget will be challenging due to a fragile economy, pressure to implement election pledges, and the ongoing war in the Middle East. He made the remarks on Wednesday after a meeting with officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), where he discussed fiscal strategies for the next financial year.

The minister noted that the economy is already under strain, and the government faces obligations to fulfill its electoral commitments. The Middle East conflict has further complicated the situation by increasing costs, particularly in energy imports. He emphasized that the government aims to design a budget that boosts revenue collection without harming investment and employment.

Chowdhury added that the government does not intend to print money and seeks to reduce dependence on borrowing, moving instead toward an investment-driven economy. The upcoming budget will focus on ensuring resources for development and encouraging both domestic and foreign investment.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate two canal excavation projects in Jhenaidah and Feni this month as part of the nationwide canal excavation program. Water Resources Minister Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie announced the plan after a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister at the Secretariat. He said that excavation work in a canal at Kaharol in Dinajpur has already begun, and the new initiatives will extend the program to two more districts.

The minister stated that the Prime Minister will personally visit both districts to launch the projects, while ministers and state ministers will oversee activities in other areas. The meeting discussed completing the excavation within 180 days and achieving the target of 20,000 kilometers of canals. He noted that many rivers have been damaged by encroachment and pollution, posing challenges to implementation.

According to the minister, strict measures have been taken to recover occupied canals, and coordinated efforts are underway to overcome obstacles. He also mentioned that the Teesta Master Plan remains under technical discussion and that the technical team continues work on the Ganges Treaty with India.