Rising import costs, supply disruptions and economic pressure may widen the impact

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman yesterday placed two bills in parliament, seeking to repeal three ordinances on judicial independence, judges’ appointments, and the budgetary authority entrusted to the Supreme Court Secretariat.

Former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, known as SK Sinha, who was allegedly forced to leave the country by the Sheikh Hasina-led government in 2017, has said he wants to return home immediately, adding that he has been struggling abroad.

Bangladesh was successful in controlling rubella in 2018 and was supposed to eliminate measles and rubella from the country this year, but now it is struggling to deal with a measles outbreak.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain yesterday blamed the country’s ongoing measles outbreak on the previous Awami League government and the interim government.

Farmer Tara Mia of Shailyani village in Rupeswar haor in Sunamganj’s Madhyanagar cultivated nearly six acres of Boro paddy, partly on his own and partly through sharecroppers.

The Election Commission yesterday announced that voting for the reserved seats for women in the 13th parliament will be held on May 12 and the election schedule for the 50 seats will be declared on April 8.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman travels to India today on the first ministerial visit since BNP assumed office, as both sides seek to rebuild relations in a people-centric manner based on mutual respect.

The government’s underutilisation of power plants is likely to worsen this summer due to shortages of gas, coal, and furnace oil caused by US-Israel war on Iran and financial constraints.

Transparency International Bangladesh yesterday said the government appears to be stepping back on critical issues such as judicial independence, human rights, anti-corruption, and prevention of enforced disappearances through its move to repeal, delay, or revise several key ordinances framed during the interim government period.

The total defaulted loans in the banking sector reached Tk 5.45 lakh crore at the end of last year, said Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury yesterday.

The top 20 loan defaulters whose names were disclosed yesterday in parliament owe more than Tk 35,000 crore, with the majority of the companies belonging to the controversial S Alam Group.

Two people were killed in separate road accidents in Kurigram and Dinajpur, according to reports from our correspondents.

Moringa cultivation is transforming livelihoods of farmers in saline-prone coastal regions of the southwest, emerging as a low-cost, climate-resilient crop.

Residents of Barishal are grappling with a worsening mosquito infestation, alleging that the Barishal City Corporation’s (BCC) anti-mosquito measures have failed to provide relief.

The government has directed deputy commissioners (DCs) in all 64 districts to ensure that cultural programmes, trade fairs, and billboard lighting are shut down by 7:00pm, in a stricter move to save electricity and fuel.

A former Jubo Dal leader yesterday lodged a complaint with the prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), accusing ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and several former top officials of enforced disappearance and torture.

The investigation officer of Sohagi Jahan Tonu murder case yesterday sought the court’s permission to conduct a cross-match of DNA profiles of three army personnel.

A two-thirds majority in parliament has historically been a “curse” for Bangladesh’s politics, speakers at a citizens’ dialogue said yesterday, expressing concern over recent moves affecting judicial independence and protections against enforced disappearance.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury yesterday informed the parliament that the government aims to transform Bangladesh into a trillion‑dollar economy by 2034.