Prime Minister Tarique Rahman replied to questions during the question-and-answer session today. Photo: PMOSANGSAD BHABAN, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said that the introduction of 'Farmer Card' and 'Family Card' will not cause any inflation in the country; rather, it will make the economy more vibrant. Tarique Rahman, also ruling BNP chairman, said a woman may spend this money on her children's education, family food needs, or start a small business. About the budget for the card programmes, Tarique Rahman said, "We are not specifying the budget right now. He said the programme will be expanded gradually every month, with more women receiving Family Cards and more male farmers receiving Farmer Cards.

DHAKA, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - Police arrested six individuals along with a large cache of country-made weapons during a special raid at Baitul Mukarram of the capital. The arrested individuals are Idris Ali (42), Ruhul Amin (40), Zahirul Islam (29), Firoz Uddin (37), Shahjahan (29), and Rashedul Islam (20). During the drive, law enforcers recovered 35 illegal switch gears, 13 types of knives, three Chinese axes, three Chinese hammers, five stun guns, and five claws from the suspects' possession. Initial interrogation revealed that the accused were allegedly involved in various criminal activities, including robbery using locally made weapons. The arrested were produced before the Special Metropolitan Magistrate's Court today, where the court handed down different terms of punishment to each of them.

DHAKA, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - The Tejgaon Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested a total of 61 individuals in the past 24 hours in connection with various criminal activities. According to a press release, the drive was conducted on Wednesday as part of routine law enforcement operations. Among those arrested, 11 individuals were held in regular cases, three in connection with previous cases, and five were arrested under outstanding arrest warrants. In addition, 42 individuals were detained under the DMP Ordinance. Police officials stated that such operations will continue as part of ongoing efforts to curb crime and maintain law and order in the capital.

Photo: CollectedDHAKA, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - A total of 175 Bangladeshi migrants wererepatriated from Libya today with government support and assistance frominternational agencies. Of them, 113 were detained at the Tajoura detention centre in Tripoli and 62at the Ganfuda detention centre in Benghazi. Most of the returnees had reportedly travelled to Libya irregularly, lured byhuman traffickers while attempting to migrate to Europe by sea. The IOM provided returnees with travel allowances, food assistance, primaryhealthcare and temporary shelter where needed. Authorities said efforts are ongoing to repatriate Bangladeshi nationalsdetained in different centres in Libya.

Navy rescues 15 fishermen stranded for four days in Bay of BengalDHAKA, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Navy has rescued 15 fishermen along with a fishing trawler that had been drifting in the Bay of Bengal for four days after its engine broke down. The rescued fishermen said their trawler's engine became inoperative on March 27, leaving them stranded and directionless in deep sea waters. Navy personnel safely brought the fishermen and the trawler to the Bangladesh Navy Forward Base at Saint Martin's Island, where they were provided with necessary food, drinking water, and primary medical care. All the rescued fishermen are now in good health and safe condition. The Bangladesh Navy regularly conducts patrols and operations to ensure maritime security, protect fishermen's lives and livelihoods, and promote the development of the blue economy.

Symbolic PhotoNAOGAON, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - A 10-year-old girl tragically drowned in the Atrai river in Manda upazila of the district today while taking a bath. The deceased was Riya Moni, daughter of Roni of Harishpur village in Mirat union of Raninagar upazila and she was studying in the fourth grade at a local school. The incident occurred at Chakbalu village of Kashab union around 12:30 pm. According to police and local sources, Riya Moni had come with her parents on Sunday to attend a wedding at her aunt Fahima Begum's house in Chakbalu village. She was immediately taken to the Manda Upazila Health Complex in critical condition, where the doctor on duty declared her dead.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the meeting earlier Wednesday, while a UK official told AFP the meeting would be virtual and held on Thursday. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street news conference. - 'Will not be easy' -Iran has virtually closed the vital strait since the US-Israeli strikes that started the war on February 28, causing global oil and gas prices to soar. The UK leader also backed NATO following renewed criticism of the eight-decade-old alliance by US President Donald Trump. "NATO is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, and it has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to NATO," Starmer said.

File PhotoNAOGAON, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - A 68-year-old man was killed in a road accident on Najipur Road in Patnitala upazila of the district on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased was Mozaffar Rahman, a resident of Nadaur village of the upazila. The accident occurred around 1:00 pm when a speeding pickup truck hit Mozaffar’s bicycle from behind, leaving him injured seriously. Locals immediately rushed him to Patnitala Upazila Health Complex where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Niyamul Haque, Officer-in-Charge of Patnitala Police Station, confirmed the matter.

More than 3,800 people in Myanmar -- and around 90 more in neighbouring Thailand -- were killed when the 7.7-magnitude tremor struck on March 28, 2025. AFP was the only international news agency on the ground in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw when the quake hit, with its team the first international journalists to reach the city of Mandalay. Mandalay, an ancient royal capital hemmed by jungle-clad mountains and the snaking Irrawaddy river, bore the brunt of the damage. - 'When the sky falls' -Some of the buildings at the Thahtay Kyaung monastery, where saffron-clad monks cleared rubble from the wreckage by hand in the days after the quake, have been razed. "Like the saying, 'When the sky falls, it falls on everyone.'"

Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Zakir Ahmed Khan. PKSF chairman said this while speaking at a meeting held at PKSF Bhaban-1 inthe city on Tuesday, said a press release here today. Zakir Ahmed Khan underscored that attracting high-caliber female talentremains a priority for the organization's future growth. At the same time, he appreciated the active role played by male employees inhelping to maintain an enabling workplace environment at PKSF. Female employees from all levels of PKSF took part and engaged actively inthe open discussion session in a lively atmosphere.

Law Minister Md. Photo: Video ScreenshotSANGSAD BHABAN, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman today said in parliament that some 23,865 politically motivated cases to harass people have so far been withdrawn throughout the country. He also informed that process is on to withdraw the rest of the politically motivated cases to harass people through proper scrutiny filed by the fascist Awami League regime. The relevant departments will verify the cases that have been withdrawn and take necessary steps accordingly.

KYIV, Ukraine, April 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russian fired hundreds of drones at Ukraine overnight and during the day on Wednesday, killing at least five people and destroying a postal terminal, Ukrainian officials said. The attacks came a day after the Kremlin rejected a Ukrainian proposal for a temporary ceasefire over the Easter holiday. "We proposed a ceasefire for Easter -- in response, we're getting 'shaheds'," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Facebook, referring to the Iranian-designed drones that Russia uses on Ukraine daily. In addition to firing 339 drones at Ukraine overnight, Russia launched over 360 drones during the day, the Ukrainian air force said. A Russian drone killed four people in the central Cherkasy region, while an earlier drone strike on a car in Ukraine's frontline Kherson region killed a woman and badly wounded two other people, regional authorities said.

NEW YORK, April 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed confidential papers with US securities regulators for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday. The filing puts SpaceX on track to list on a public exchange by July, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the matter. Officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission declined comment. The IPO looks set to blow past the biggest public offering on record from 2019, when the oil group Saudi Aramco raised $25.6 billion. SpaceX, which dominates the space launch market with its reusable rockets, is owned by Musk alongside several investment funds and tech companies including Google's parent Alphabet.

JHENAIDAH, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - An elderly man was killed in a road accident in Arappur area of the district town here on Wednesday morning. The deceased, identified as Shamsher Ali, 71, had been residing at his son’s house in Muraridah village on the outskirts of the town. According to police and local sources, the accident occurred around 9:00 am when a banana-laden battery-powered van hit the man, leaving him injured. Locals rescued him and took him to the 250-bed Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station Shamsul Arefin confirmed the matter.

Photo: BSSSIRAJGANJ, April 1, 2026 (BSS) - The distribution of petrol and octane through a newly introduced fuel card system has officially begun at filling stations across the district, easing congestion and improving fuel accessibility for consumers. Earlier in the day, long queues of vehicles—particularly motorcycles—were observed at fuel stations. Then authorities announced that petrol and octane would only be sold to customers possessing valid fuel cards. Authorities believe that the system will not only streamline fuel distribution but also reduce public inconvenience and curb illegal stockpiling. Officials expect the initiative to bring greater discipline and transparency to fuel sales in the district.