At least four people were killed in lightning strikes in Netrakona and Noakhali yesterday, according to our correspondents.

The finance ministry has found a host of anomalies in the pilot of the Family Card programme, as the government seeks to iron out irregularities and ensure the BNP’s flagship social welfare initiative can withstand the scrutiny of development partners.

The government has assured returnee migrants -- affected by the arbitrary repatriation from Malaysia -- that their demands, including compensation and the return of passports confiscated by the Malaysian companies, will be addressed.

Bangladesh moves a step closer to achieving its long‑cherished goal of generating nuclear energy this afternoon with the start of fuel loading into the reactor core of unit‑1 at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, marking the transition from the construction to the startup phase.

A 31-year-old Bangladeshi woman, who returned to the country from Saudi Arabia recently, made allegations of being repeatedly raped and physically abused in the Gulf country after being lured there with the promise of a domestic worker job.

For residents of Rooppur, the nuclear power plant project was long seen as a pipe dream that remained unfulfilled for decades.

Police on Sunday night arrested a man in connection with a case filed over the gang-rape of a woman in Mymensingh’s Nandail upazila.

1961: Then Pakistan government first took initiative for a nuclear power plant in Rooppur

Brig Gen (retd) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, a victim of enforced disappearance, yesterday told International Crimes Tribunal-1 that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina had once been held in custody under his supervision during HM Ershad’s military regime.

How nuclear energy and then electricity are produced is often feared as rocket science. The fact is that it is not that difficult to understand. It is, however, difficult to get it done safely and keep it under control.

Parliament’s regular work was disrupted yesterday after three urgent notices under Rule 71 could not be dealt with on time due to the absence of the relevant ministers and one MP.

When Bangladesh signed its reciprocal trade agreement with the United States in February, headlines focused on garments and tariffs. Less noticed was a short clause in Article 4.3.

The Election Commission yesterday rejected an appeal against the nomination of BNP-backed candidate Zeeba Amina Khan for the reserved women’s seat poll to the 13th National Parliament, allowing her candidacy to stand.

The Supreme Court Bar Association has decided not to allow pro-Awami League lawyers to contest its upcoming annual election, scheduled for May 13 and 14, citing the ban on the party’s activities under the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2025.

Government ministries and their subordinate agencies owe more than Tk 629 crore in Land Development Tax (LDT), with the highest arrears accrued by the ministries of railways, environment, and local government.

Five sponsor shareholders and former directors of Social Islami Bank PLC (SIBL) have applied to Bangladesh Bank to regain control of the Shariah-based lender, which was merged with four others into a single state-owned entity under the Bank Resolution Ordinance, 2025.

The European Union (EU) is providing €175,000 in humanitarian funding to support efforts to prevent measles in Bangladesh.

India has named Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dinesh Trivedi as its next high commissioner to Bangladesh.

A nationwide coordinated drive will be launched against drugs and gambling after April 30, said Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed in parliament yesterday.

Power outages will not cease immediately but will ease considerably from next week, said Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood yesterday.