Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon announced that this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations will begin on July 2. He also stated that there will be no silent expulsion or quiet dismissal during the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) or equivalent exams. The announcement was made on Saturday afternoon.

According to the report, the SSC examinations for this year are scheduled to start on April 21. The Examination Management Policy 2026 has been published, outlining the responsibilities of examinees, exam procedures, duties of center secretaries and officials, disciplinary rules, penalties for cheating, and result publication guidelines. The policy was released on April 12 on the website of the Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board.

The education ministry’s announcement confirms the exam schedule and updated management policy for 2026, aiming to ensure transparency and discipline in the national examination process.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed strong condemnation and deep concern over the abduction of a 15-year-old madrasa student in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur. The party demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of those responsible for the incident. In a statement issued to the media on Saturday, Jamaat’s Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar voiced the party’s position.

According to the statement, the abduction took place on Wednesday, April 15, when armed assailants allegedly held the girl’s father, a mosque imam, at gunpoint before taking the student away. Porwar criticized the police for failing to rescue the victim or apprehend the perpetrators even after considerable time had passed. He described the incident as alarming and indicative of a serious deterioration in law and order.

Porwar further alleged that the current government has failed to ensure the safety and dignity of women and blamed law enforcement inaction for such crimes. He urged authorities to rescue the abducted girl promptly and bring the offenders to justice.

Naval police arrested four members of a gambling and fraud ring during a disguised operation on the Daulatdia-Paturia ferry route on Friday night, April 17, 2026. Acting on a tip-off, officers boarded the Shahporan ferry departing from Daulatdia terminal and caught the suspects red-handed while they were luring passengers into a card game scam. The joint team from Paturia Naval Police Station and Daulatdia Naval Police Outpost conducted the operation under the direction of Superintendent Abdullah Al-Mamun.

The arrested individuals were identified as Md. Akash and Md. Rasel Munshi from Shibaloy, Manikganj, and Jahir alias Jahu Fakir and Md. Babu Fakir from Goaland, Rajbari. Police recovered gambling equipment during the raid, while two accomplices managed to escape in the crowd. According to officials, the detainees have multiple prior cases, including theft, robbery preparation, and gambling offenses. A regular case under the Gambling Act has been filed at Shibaloy Police Station, and legal proceedings are underway to send the accused to jail through the Manikganj court.

Authorities stated that the operation aimed to curb organized fraud targeting ferry passengers along the busy river route.

A BBC report and eyewitness accounts have revisited the 2001 border clash between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at Boraibari in Kurigram. The conflict began after BSF built a road through the Bangladesh border near Padua in Sylhet, despite BDR objections. Following an earlier confrontation where BSF troops surrendered, BSF forces allegedly planned to seize the Boraibari BDR camp. On April 18, 2001, hundreds of BSF soldiers advanced toward the camp, but eight BDR members and local villagers, including trained Ansar volunteers, mounted a defense that forced the BSF to retreat after intense fighting lasting two days.

The clash left two BDR soldiers dead and 16 BSF bodies recovered inside Bangladesh territory, though the exact casualty figures remain unconfirmed. India expressed strong protest, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured an investigation. BBC reports also mentioned claims that the incident might have been intended to strain Bangladesh-India relations. Then BDR Director General Major General (Retd.) A.L.M. Fazlur Rahman was later removed and forced into retirement, though he denied any wrongdoing.

The event remains noted as Bangladesh’s only direct border victory against India, achieved through tactical ingenuity and local cooperation.

The Lakshmipur District Health Department has set a target to vaccinate 270,830 children against measles. The campaign will run from April 20 to May 10, 2026, covering 11 working days. The announcement was made by Civil Surgeon Dr. Abu Hasan Shahin during a briefing with journalists at the Civil Surgeon’s office on April 18. The vaccination will be administered to children aged six months to five years.

According to the district plan, 97,404 children will be vaccinated in Sadar upazila, 38,652 in Raipur, 44,997 in Ramganj, 35,500 in Kamalnagar, 36,974 in Ramgati, and 17,323 in Lakshmipur municipality. The campaign will be conducted across 1,584 centers with the participation of 183 supervisors, 200 vaccinators, and 400 volunteers.

Journalists, including the president of the Lakshmipur Press Club, attended the briefing session where the campaign details were shared.

The Parliament Secretariat has issued a warning after discovering several fake Facebook groups and pages operating under the name of Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaisar Kamal. In a notice released on Saturday, April 18, 2026, it stated that misleading and intentionally distorted posts were being shared from accounts such as one titled “Barrister Kaisar Kamal Fan.” The Secretariat clarified that the Deputy Speaker has no involvement with these activities.

According to the notice, Kaisar Kamal does not manage any unofficial Facebook pages or groups and only uses his verified account. All other pages or groups using his name have been labeled as fraudulent and misleading. The public has been urged not to engage with or share content from these fake platforms.

The Secretariat further cautioned that individuals or organizations found deliberately spreading such misinformation will be held responsible. Legal measures against these deceptive activities are already underway, the notice added.

Japan and Australia have signed a major defense agreement worth 10 billion Australian dollars, equivalent to about 7 billion US dollars, for the supply of advanced warships. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Melbourne on Saturday by Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, reaffirming both governments’ commitment to the successful implementation of the project.

Under the agreement, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will deliver three advanced Mogami-class multi-role frigates to the Royal Australian Navy starting in 2029. An additional eight frigates will later be built at the Henderson Shipyard near Perth in Western Australia. Japan’s defense ministry said the deal strengthens bilateral defense relations and formalizes the process of supplying general-purpose frigates.

According to the report, Australia plans to deploy the new warships to protect key maritime trade routes and access points in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Analysts noted that the agreement adds a new dimension to regional security strategy amid China’s growing military presence.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), has alleged that overly enthusiastic supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have been issuing him death threats. Speaking at an emergency press conference at the National Press Club on Saturday, he said his and his wife’s phone numbers were circulated on social media, leading to harassment and embarrassment. He clarified that his recent political statement represented only JAGPA’s position, not that of the 11-party alliance or Jamaat.

Pradhan stated that BNP supporters were verbally abusing him over the phone and threatening his life. He criticized the behavior as a troubling example of the state of free speech in post-July uprising Bangladesh. He also condemned the online harassment of his wife, who is not involved in politics, and denounced false claims labeling his late father, JAGPA founder Shafiul Alam Pradhan, and his grandfather as collaborators or killers.

He urged BNP supporters to verify historical facts before making accusations and called on citizens to support healthy political practices and genuine democracy in Bangladesh.

Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman visited measles patients at the Shishu Hospital in Dhaka’s Shyamoli area on Saturday at 11 a.m. He toured several wards with attending doctors, inquired about the patients’ conditions, and held a discussion with medical staff about hospital issues. Senior party leaders including MP Saiful Alam Khan Milon and several central executive members accompanied him during the visit.

During a press briefing, Dr. Rahman said he came to observe the measles situation in the country and noted that the hospital had more patients than available beds. He pledged to raise the issue in parliament. He criticized the overall state of the health sector, describing hospitals as overcrowded and lacking intensive care facilities for measles treatment. He also remarked that while government records show many initiatives, the reality is different.

Later, Dr. Rahman visited a petrol station at Asad Gate, where he observed fuel shortages and long queues, blaming the government for mismanagement and public suffering.

The Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) has issued a recruitment notice for the position of Medical Retainer. The job is temporary and based in Dhaka. Applications opened on April 10, 2026, and will remain open until May 4, 2026. Both male and female candidates are eligible to apply, with a maximum age limit of 45 years as of April 9, 2026. Affidavits will not be accepted as proof of age.

Applicants must submit their applications offline by post, including all required documents, to the Director, Employee Administration Department, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, Head Office Building (2nd Floor), Nikunja-2, Khilkhet, Dhaka-1229. A bank draft or pay order of 1,000 taka payable to the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board must be included with the application.

The authority has requested candidates to complete their applications within the specified time frame and ensure all necessary documents are attached before submission.

The Indian Income Tax Department conducted a raid on the home and campaign office of Trinamool Congress candidate Debashis Kumar in the Rashbehari constituency of West Bengal. The operation began on Friday morning, just days before the state assembly elections. Searches were also carried out at his mother-in-law’s flat. The raids drew a crowd of Trinamool workers and supporters outside Kumar’s residence.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the action, alleging that authorities were targeting Trinamool offices while ignoring illegal money operations elsewhere. The reason for the raid has not yet been clarified. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate had summoned Debashis Kumar in connection with a land fraud case.

Debashis Kumar is contesting against BJP candidate Swapan Dasgupta in the Rashbehari seat, where the BJP expects a strong performance. The timing of the raid, so close to the election, has added political tension in the constituency.

RAB-6 has arrested Badsha, the main accused in an attempted murder case and a member of the criminal group known as 'B Company', in Khulna. The arrest took place around 10 p.m. on Thursday in the Rajbandh area under Harintana Police Station. According to a press release issued by RAB-6 headquarters on Saturday morning, Badsha, aged 19, is the son of Naimuddin Sana from Deyara village in Koyra upazila.

Acting on a tip-off, RAB conducted a raid at a tin-shed house owned by Ayesha Chowdhury in Rajbandh and detained Badsha. He had been listed as the number one fugitive accused in a case filed over the shooting of a youth named Faim on November 9 of the previous year in the Rayermohol area under Awrangghata Police Station.

During preliminary questioning, Badsha reportedly admitted to keeping illegal firearms used in various crimes. After his arrest, he was handed over to Awrangghata Police Station for further legal proceedings.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan announced that the government has taken steps to introduce a pension scheme for senior journalists to ensure their financial security. He made the statement on Saturday while visiting ailing journalist Ismail Hossain Negaban at Bangladesh Medical University. The minister said that although the media is considered the fourth pillar of a modern democratic state, journalists often work without institutional protection, leaving them vulnerable to financial uncertainty.

Swapan noted that the financial well-being of senior journalists has long been neglected and that the government’s new initiative aims to address this gap. He emphasized that journalism is a respected profession, yet many veteran journalists face hardship in their later years. The government is working to help them live with dignity.

The minister also stated that the government is strengthening the Journalist Welfare Trust and developing policies to ensure media freedom and responsibility. During the visit, he handed over a financial assistance cheque of 100,000 taka to Ismail Hossain Negaban on behalf of the trust.

Authorities in Syedpur, Nilphamari detained seven individuals for illegally smuggling fuel using a covered van and an ambulance disguised as a mobile filling station. The mobile court seized approximately 80,000 liters of stored fuel during a raid conducted on Friday night at Messrs Rokeya Filling Station along the Syedpur bypass road. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Md Sabbir Hossain, assisted by local police.

Officials reported that the group had been modifying ambulances and covered vans with hidden tanks to transport fuel illegally. Acting on a tip-off, the mobile court intercepted the vehicles and confiscated the fuel. One detainee was fined 200,000 taka, while the remaining six were fined 10,000 taka each. Two vehicles containing fuel were also seized.

The administration stated that the confiscated fuel would be sold through nearby authorized pumps, with proceeds deposited into the state treasury. Authorities further announced that strict and regular operations would continue against those hoarding fuel to create artificial shortages.

A railway police officer in Khulna, Bangladesh, died from a self-inflicted gunshot while on duty early Saturday morning. The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. on April 18, 2026, at the Khulna Railway District Office in the Sonadanga residential area. The deceased was identified as Samrat Biswas, 27, who was stationed at the Bangladesh Railway Police Line in Khulna. Senior officials from the Khulna Railway District and Sonadanga Police Station arrived at the scene and began an initial investigation.

According to police sources, Samrat Biswas was the son of Shailen Biswas from Kalia Upazila in Gopalganj, and his wife, Puja Biswas, serves as a police officer in Satkhira district. Khulna Railway Police Superintendent Ahmad Naimul Hasan stated that Biswas shot himself in the head with his issued Chinese rifle while seated on duty between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. Preliminary findings suggest family issues may have led to the suicide, though authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause.

Further details about the motive or findings from the ongoing investigation have not yet been disclosed.