Transport drivers and workers blocked the Sylhet-Sunamganj highway on Thursday morning after failing to obtain fuel despite waiting in line. The protest began around 10:30 a.m. when they felled trees to obstruct the road near several petrol pumps in Sunamganj, causing severe traffic congestion and passenger suffering. Police later intervened, assuring that the pumps would reopen within an hour, leading the protesters to withdraw the blockade and restore traffic flow.

At the Mallikpur Cynthia Filling Station, the counters were closed and no staff were present, forcing many drivers to wait or leave without fuel. Similar conditions were reported at Balaka and Shafeda filling stations. Although there was no gas shortage, the blockade disrupted gas supply to vehicles as well.

Drivers expressed frustration over the sudden closure of pumps without notice, saying it affected their daily income and ability to repay vehicle loans. Police officials confirmed discussions with pump owners, who promised to resume operations shortly.

Bangladesh’s Joint Secretary and spokesperson of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Monir Hossain Chowdhury, announced that the country will face no fuel shortage in April. He made the statement at a press conference held at the Secretariat on April 2, where he said Bangladesh remains secure in its energy supply for the month.

Chowdhury explained that one of six ships recently released by Iran through the Strait of Hormuz carries crude oil, and its arrival will ensure uninterrupted operation at the Eastern Refinery. He also reported that from March 3 to the present, authorities have recovered 372,388 liters of fuel oil through nationwide drives, including 25,537 liters recovered on April 1.

The official’s assurance comes as part of the government’s ongoing monitoring and recovery efforts to maintain fuel stability across the country during April.

Former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Lieutenant General (Retd.) Sheikh Mamun Khaled, has reportedly made statements during interrogation regarding the disappearance of former BNP organizing secretary M Ilias Ali. According to investigation sources, he claimed that Ilias Ali was targeted after announcing protests over issues such as the Tipaimukh Dam and transit agreements with India. Mamun Khaled alleged that the incident was carried out under the direction of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with participation from a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team.

Ilias Ali and his driver went missing from Dhaka’s Banani area on April 17, 2012, when Mamun Khaled was serving as DGFI chief. Currently under arrest in a murder case, he is being interrogated by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch. Investigators said he admitted that at least two DGFI officers provided technical support in the abduction, while others were aware of the plan. Authorities have also arrested former DGFI director Lt. Col. (Retd.) Md. Afzal Naser for questioning over related controversial activities.

Police officials stated that information from the detained former military officers is being verified and that the investigation is making significant progress.

US President Donald Trump made disparaging remarks about French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron during a private lunch, according to a report published on April 2, 2026. In a video briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel, Trump joked that Macron’s wife treats him badly and referred to an alleged incident from May 2025 in which Brigitte was seen pushing Macron during a Vietnam trip. The French president had previously dismissed that footage as fake or propaganda.

Trump’s comments came while criticizing NATO allies for their role in the Iran war, saying that the alliance did not need the United States but he still offered help. He also described NATO as a “paper tiger,” implying weakness in the organization’s response to global conflicts.

The remarks, sourced from Geo News, add to ongoing tensions between Trump and European leaders over defense cooperation and alliance commitments.

The Bangladesh Shop Owners Association has announced that all shops, commercial establishments, and shopping malls across the country, including the capital Dhaka, will close by 8 PM each night. The decision, disclosed in a statement on April 2, 2026, aims to support government efforts to conserve electricity and fuel amid the ongoing international energy crisis. Hotels, pharmacies, essential service stores, and fresh markets are exempt from the directive.

The association said the decision followed a joint meeting of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association and the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners Association’s standing committee. Earlier, on March 15, a meeting chaired by the State Minister for Power was held with shop owners and market representatives, where traders pledged to reduce decorative lighting by 40 percent in exchange for uninterrupted power supply.

The government is also considering additional measures such as extending weekly holidays, promoting remote work, and adjusting school schedules to manage energy demand more effectively.

China and Pakistan have completed a seven-day joint naval exercise in the Arabian Sea amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The exercise, named 'Sea Guardian-4', concluded on Wednesday and aimed to strengthen coordination and bilateral cooperation between the two countries’ navies, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The exercise included a five-day harbor phase in Karachi and a two-day sea phase in the northern Arabian Sea. Activities during the sea phase featured air defense drills against multi-dimensional threats, operations with a Pakistani submarine, conventional naval warfare exercises, and live firing to enhance operational and tactical coordination.

The ISPR statement said the exercise ended with a coordinated patrol in the Arabian Sea, reaffirming both navies’ commitment to regional maritime security and stability.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar has strongly condemned the government’s decision to introduce online classes three days a week in all metropolitan schools and colleges. In a statement issued on April 2, 2026, he described the move, decided at a coordination meeting on March 31, as ill-conceived and harmful to students. He accused the government of using the energy crisis as a pretext to impose online learning, calling it a deliberate attempt to weaken the nation’s intellectual foundation.

Porwar argued that online-based education causes multiple harms, including exclusion of poor students due to high internet costs, increased device addiction, and moral decline among children. He cited the National Student Assessment 2022 and UNICEF surveys showing learning losses and higher dropout and child labor rates during the COVID-19 period. He also criticized the government’s unplanned implementation of the 2023 curriculum and lack of educational reform.

He urged the government to withdraw the decision immediately and ensure in-person classes for all students, emphasizing that education should remain a top national priority.

Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton has warned that President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran is putting American troops in danger. Speaking to MSNBC in response to Trump’s national address, Moulton described the president’s strategy as reckless and ineffective, claiming it has failed to achieve its stated goals and instead created a dangerous situation for US forces.

Moulton criticized Trump’s handling of Iran policy, saying the president boasted about tearing up the Obama-era deal while claiming regime change was never his objective. According to Moulton, Trump’s actions have effectively resulted in a regime change that replaced an elderly, ailing leader with a younger, more hardline figure, moving Iran in the opposite direction of US interests.

He further noted the inconsistency in Trump’s statements, pointing out that the president previously claimed to have destroyed Iran’s nuclear program but now suggests further bombing is needed to achieve the same goal.

Russia has accused NATO of preparing for a direct military confrontation. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the allegation, citing NATO’s growing defense expenditures and frequent military exercises as indicators of such intentions. She referred to NATO’s 2025 activity report, claiming it shows the alliance’s role in escalating global tensions.

Zakharova stated that NATO’s potential military spending for 2025 could reach about 1.64 trillion dollars, representing roughly 62 percent of global defense expenditure by its 32 member states. She questioned why Russia continues to be portrayed as a threat despite such high spending. According to her, NATO conducted more than 120 joint military drills last year, while member states held over 700 separate training activities, many involving partner nations.

She further alleged that these exercises include offensive strategies, reflecting what she described as NATO’s aggressive stance. Zakharova rejected NATO’s labeling of Russia as the main threat to the Euro-Atlantic region and questioned accusations of airspace violations, sabotage, and cyberattacks. Analysts believe these remarks could heighten existing NATO-Russia tensions.

The Nasirnagar upazila administration in Brahmanbaria seized approximately 5,200 liters of illegally stored diesel from Selim Store in Purvabhag New Market on Wednesday evening, April 1. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Sahel Ahmed, who conducted the raid based on secret information. Around 32 drums of diesel were confiscated during the drive.

According to the report, the seizure was part of a nationwide campaign to curb illegal fuel hoarding amid a global energy crisis. Acting on intelligence, law enforcement officials discovered the large stockpile of diesel. The store owner, 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 within the upazila premises to meet local demand, as part of the administration’s effort to ensure fair distribution during the ongoing fuel shortage.

According to a report cited by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the United States and Israel have ultimately failed to achieve their objectives in the war against Iran. The conclusion comes from an analysis by the Center for Strategic Studies, which reviewed reports from 80 leading think tanks worldwide over the past month.

The research found that while the US and Israel managed limited tactical strikes due to their advanced military technology, they failed strategically to bring down Iran’s political system, destroy its defense capabilities, or force social and political surrender. The report credits Iran’s “exceptional and intelligent warfare tactics” for giving it dominance in the conflict, including maintaining control of the Strait of Hormuz and preventing the US-Israel alliance from regaining it militarily.

The analysis describes the war as gradually turning into a war of attrition, favoring Iran over time. It concludes that the US and its allies now face two options: to withdraw while claiming a “propaganda victory” or to end the conflict quickly without any form of victory.

A severe fuel shortage has hit Rangpur, mirroring conditions across Bangladesh, with long queues forming at petrol pumps as motorists and residents wait for petrol, octane, and diesel. Many people were seen carrying bottles and jerrycans to collect fuel, while pump owners, workers, and administrative staff struggled to manage the crowds. Local reports indicate that several pumps have limited supply, forcing some to buy fuel at higher prices in the open market.

Consumers and pump workers alleged that a syndicate is deliberately creating an artificial crisis to sell fuel at inflated prices. They claimed that large quantities of petrol, octane, and diesel are being hoarded in brick kilns and sold illegally. Some transport owners said that despite adequate reserves at depots, distribution has been restricted. A pump owners’ association leader alleged that influential individuals are forcibly taking fuel from pumps and reselling it at higher rates.

District Commissioner Enamul Ahsan stated that magistrate-led drives are ongoing to identify and penalize those hiding fuel stocks. According to official data, 85 pumps in the district held limited petrol, octane, and kerosene reserves, but no diesel stock remained.

China has joined Pakistan in a joint mediation effort to stop the ongoing war in Iran, which has entered its second month. The conflict has severely disrupted global energy supplies and driven up oil prices. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that American military operations in Iran could continue for another two to three weeks, though the end of the war remains uncertain.

According to reports, China and Pakistan have proposed a five-point plan aimed at achieving a ceasefire and reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz. China’s foreign ministry said both countries are working toward peace and view dialogue and diplomacy as the only effective solutions. As the world’s largest crude oil importer, China faces significant economic risks from prolonged energy instability, which could slow global growth and harm its export-driven economy.

China’s growing economic ties with Middle Eastern nations and its previous mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023 highlight its broader diplomatic ambitions. However, analysts note that China seeks economic stability rather than direct involvement in regional conflicts, and its military influence in the region remains limited.

Bus drivers and passengers are reportedly ignoring a strict directive from the Ministry of Shipping that prohibits loading buses with passengers onto ferries. The order was issued after a recent accident at Daulatdia ferry terminal, where a bus fell into the river, prompting authorities to require all passengers to disembark before buses board ferries.

During an on-site inspection at Paturia terminal on April 1, several buses were seen boarding ferries with passengers still inside, despite the ministry’s order. Officials from BIWTA and BIWTC claimed they were enforcing the directive and monitoring compliance, but admitted that a lack of passenger awareness made it difficult to ensure full adherence. Investigators stationed at the terminal also observed multiple buses violating the rule.

The directive followed a March 25 tragedy in which a bus from Kushtia’s Kumarkhali plunged into the Padma River at Daulatdia, killing 26 people. The ministry’s enforcement challenges raise concerns about ferry safety and compliance monitoring at major terminals.

Bangladesh Bank’s latest report shows that the government borrowed Tk 985.26 billion from the banking sector between July 2025 and March 19, 2026, equivalent to 94.73 percent of its annual target of Tk 1.04 trillion. The sharp rise in borrowing stems from a major shortfall in revenue collection, with the National Board of Revenue reporting a Tk 714.72 billion deficit in customs and tax receipts during the first eight months of the fiscal year.

Officials and analysts attribute the increased borrowing to rising government expenditure, including election-related costs, subsidies in the energy sector, and higher operating expenses. Former Bangladesh Bank chief economist Dr. Mustafa K Mujeri noted that the government has already borrowed nearly 95 percent of its target with over three months remaining in the fiscal year, raising concerns that borrowing may exceed planned limits.

Mujeri warned that continued reliance on bank loans to finance spending could pose risks to the economy. He emphasized the need for stronger revenue generation, policy reforms, and job creation to reduce dependence on debt and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability.