Tarique Rahman returns his ancestral home as PM after 2 decades
Tarique Rahman returns his ancestral home as PM after 2 decades
FM urges Iran to ensure Bangladeshi vessel's safe passage
FM urges Iran to ensure Bangladeshi vessel's safe passage
Mirza Fakhrul leaves for China on official visit 
Mirza Fakhrul leaves for China on official visit 
US envoy visits Surovi School, expands child welfare cooperation
US envoy visits Surovi School, expands child welfare cooperation
Govt. aims transforming poultry industry into export-oriented one by 2030: Tuku
Govt. aims transforming poultry industry into export-oriented one by 2030: Tuku
Govt. aims to boost rail cargo transportation: Rabiul
Govt. aims to boost rail cargo transportation: Rabiul
False cases must be curbed to reduce case backlog: AG
Bangladesh police moves to launch dedicated environmental unit
Bangladesh police moves to launch dedicated environmental unit
By Asraful Huq DHAKA, April 20, 2026 (BSS) — Bangladesh Police is set to formally put forward a proposal to the government to establish a dedicated environment police unit to prevent crimes in environment sector.  The proposal with an aim to preserve environment as well is expected to be placed to the Prime Minister during the upcoming Police Week, said an official of the Police Headquarters here.  Sources however, said that Bangladesh Police, in a high-level meeting at the Police Headquarters held on Sunday with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in the chair, discussed various issues, including the formation of the new police unit. The proposed unit aims to address the alarming rise in environmental crimes across the country, including river encroachment, industrial pollution, deforestation, hill cutting, and illegal extraction of natural resources.  Law enforcement officials say the growing scale and complexity of such offenses have outpaced the capacity of conventional policing structures, prompting the need for a dedicated force. Police officials believe that forming such a specialized force in Bangladesh would significantly reduce environmental crimes, ensure proper implementation of existing laws, and help safeguard the country’s natural resources.  In the long run, the initiative is expected to play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and preventing future environmental disasters in the country. The proposed unit would conduct regular drives, monitor environmental violations, gather intelligence, and take swift legal action against offenders. The prospects for a dedicated environment police unit in Bangladesh are considered high due to escalating environmental crises—such as severe river pollution, illegal hill cutting, and wildlife crimes—which the traditional, already overburdened police force cannot adequately address.  Several countries have already established dedicated environment police units or ecological police to combat crimes against nature, such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, pollution, and mining.  These specialized units are increasingly popular as nations seek to enforce environmental laws more effectively. Several countries have specialized police units to address environmental issues. Mongolia established an ecological police unit in 2017 to protect biodiversity in the Gobi Desert. Rwanda and Uganda operate environmental police units targeting pollution, emissions, wetlands, and forests.  Sri Lanka enforces laws against illegal dumping and deforestation. Norway uses specialized law enforcement for environmental crimes, though not a global “climate police.” International coordination is supported by INTERPOL. Talking to BSS, Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Abdur Rashid Chowdhury said that establishing a dedicated police unit to deal with environmental issues would be a positive initiative. However, he emphasized the need for collective efforts from all stakeholders, along with strong political commitment, to protect the environment from devastation. Chowdhury also noted that existing legal frameworks, including the Environment Conservation Act and the updated 2023 rules, already provide a solid legal basis.   However, the absence of a specialized enforcement unit has resulted in weak implementation and a largely reactive approach. He further stressed the importance of proper enforcement of relevant laws to maintain environmental and ecological balance. In an interview, Assistant Director (Research & Planning) of the National River Conservation Commission (NRCC), Md. Ashraful Haque, told BSS that forming a dedicated police unit would be a step forward in protecting rivers and the environment as well. He added that they need support from law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to implement their recommendations for protecting rivers from encroachment and pollution, saying, “We have no power to enforce laws.” Committees at the divisional, district, and upazila levels have been working under the leadership of divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) to protect rivers from encroachment and pollution. Referring to a survey by the Ministry of Water Resources, Haque said that the country has 1,415 rivers. However, a significant number of these—more than 800—are under threat from illegal encroachment and pollution. Thousands of unauthorized structures have occupied rivers and canals, while untreated industrial waste, tannery discharge, and sewage continue to be dumped directly into water bodies, severely degrading aquatic ecosystems. Deforestation is another major concern. According to the Bangladesh Forest Department, forest coverage in Bangladesh remains well below international standards and continues to decline due to illegal logging, land grabbing, and agricultural expansion. Hill cutting, particularly in hilly regions, has further increased the risk of landslides, leading to recurring casualties each year. Air pollution, especially from brick kilns, has reached alarming levels. There are more than 7,000 brick kilns operating across the country, many of which lack environmental clearance.  These kilns often use low-grade fuel and outdated technologies, making them one of the leading contributors to hazardous air quality, particularly in urban areas during the dry season. Illegal sand and stone extraction has also emerged as a serious environmental threat.  Experts point out that poverty, lack of alternative livelihoods, and limited education hinder effective public awareness, making enforcement even more critical.   Although the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 exists, weak implementation has allowed many offenders to evade accountability. In this context, policymakers and analysts are advocating for a dedicated environment police unit to ensure stricter enforcement of environmental laws.  
Parliament to form probe committee over procurement allegations
Parliament to form probe committee over procurement allegations
BPC refutes claim on refusal to purchase locally produced octane
BPC refutes claim on refusal to purchase locally produced octane
Sri Lanka Easter bombings victims still seek justice seven years on
Sri Lanka Easter bombings victims still seek justice seven years on
NEGOMBO, Sri Lanka, April 20, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Seven years after Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday bomb blasts that killed 279 people, survivors still bear deep physical and emotional scars, compounded by the failure of successive governments to deliver justice. Coordinated suicide bombings targeted three churches and three luxury hotels on April 21, 2019. Among those killed were 45 foreigners, while 500 people were wounded. No one has been convicted, but in February, the former intelligence chief was detained for questioning regarding "conspiracy and aiding and abetting" the attacks, accusations he denies. He remains in custody, held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Initial inquiries into the bombings found the attacks were the work of local Islamists who declared an affiliation with the Islamic State group. Investigators have since linked state security, including military intelligence, to the bombers, alleging a plot to create chaos and clear the way for Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former military officer, to come to power. The deadliest attack was at St Sebastian's Church in Negombo, where 117 Catholics were killed and many more injured. "Our only prayer is that something like this never happens again," said Mercy Philomina Tissera, 67. She was standing near the main entrance of the packed church when a man walked in through a side door and detonated a backpack of explosives. "Suddenly, I felt something hit my head. I just said, 'Oh my God'... that is all I know of that moment," Tissera told AFP at her home near the coastal town of Negombo, just north of the capital. When she regained consciousness, she was covered in blood. She held her broken jaw with one hand until volunteers rushed her to hospital. - 'Cover it up' - Dinal Fernando, 52, a marketing executive who survived the blast, pointed to the grave of an eight-month-old baby boy. "There have been three governments since the attack, but they all worked to cover it up," said Fernando, who helped take victims to hospital and now campaigns for justice. He said he hoped the current government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake would deliver on its promise of justice. "They have built greater trust than before," he said. "We want to know why this was done to us. Who did it? They want to find that out, and we remain hopeful." Two days after the attacks, Gotabaya Rajapaksa -- a brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa -- declared his candidacy for the November 2019 election, which he won. However, he was forced out of office in July 2022 when the country faced economic meltdown. He has denied plotting the attacks. The arrest two months ago of a retired army general linked to Rajapaksa has raised hopes of justice, according to the Catholic Church. Retired Major General Suresh Sallay, a former head of the State Intelligence Service, has been in custody since February for questioning on "conspiracy and aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday attacks", according to police. - 'Never give up' - Sri Lanka's Supreme Court in January 2023 ruled that then-president Maithripala Sirisena and his top officials had failed to heed prior intelligence warnings and prevent the attacks. Evidence presented during a civil case brought by relatives of the dead showed that Indian intelligence officials had warned Colombo of the attack more than two weeks earlier. Former president Sirisena and his top police and intelligence officials were ordered to pay 310 million rupees ($1 million) in compensation to victims. The UN has urged an independent investigation with international assistance to establish the "full circumstances" of the bombings. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the leader of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, said it was regrettable that attacks had turned into a political debate. "Unfortunately, it hurts the people who have lost their loved ones and who are suffering," Ranjith told AFP. He said hopes of a proper investigation were raised under the new government, but that they were also facing obstacles from "interested parties". On the anniversary on Tuesday, he will lead a prayer march for justice in Negombo following a memorial service at St Anthony's Church in Colombo, where 51 Catholics were killed. "At the end of the seventh year, what do I say? I say we are still hoping and waiting and expecting," Ranjith said. "But if nothing happens, then we will be forced to take to the streets and campaign for a just solution to this issue because we will never, never give up our struggle for truth and justice."
Public confidence is govt’s best success: press secretary
Public confidence is govt’s best success: press secretary
Ziaur Rahman's role in founding SAARC recalled at Antalya Forum
Ziaur Rahman's role in founding SAARC recalled at Antalya Forum
Tarique Rahman among TIME's 100 most influential people of 2026
Tarique Rahman among TIME's 100 most influential people of 2026
Govt moves to make, implement action plans under 180-day programme: PM
Govt moves to make, implement action plans under 180-day programme: PM
US oil benchmark surges 7.5% on Middle East escalation
US oil benchmark surges 7.5% on Middle East escalation
TOKYO, April 20, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The benchmark US oil contract West Texas Intermediate (WTI) surged 7.5 percent on Monday, as Iran accused the United States of having broken a ceasefire in place since early April. WTI crude was trading up 7.5 percent at $90.17 per barrel, while international oil benchmark Brent North Sea crude gained 6.5 percent to $96.27 per barrel. Iran's military vowed to respond after a US destroyer on Sunday fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade a US naval blockade. Meanwhile the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, has been virtually closed since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran. Social media posts by US President Donald Trump over the weekend "raised the prospect of military re-escalation", Chris Weston at Pepperstone wrote in a note on Monday. "More impactful on markets, however, has been the news that the US military seized an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman, with Iran responding that it would retaliate," he said. "With flows through Hormuz again at a firm standstill, traders are reassessing probabilities and the timeline for a normalisation for logistics and adjusting positioning after the more constructive assumptions made last week." Trum posted Sunday on Truth Social that after the Iranian vessel, Touska, ignored warnings to stop, the guided missile destroyer USS Spruance "stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom". "Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel," the US president added, "and are seeing what's on board!" The Iranian military's central command centre, Khatam Al-Anbiya, cited by ISNA news agency, accused the United States of having "violated the ceasefire" that has been in place since April 8.  
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Oil prices bounce back on Iran war escalation
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Fake photocard with image of Home Minister spreading propaganda identified: BanglaFact
Fake photocard with image of Home Minister spreading propaganda identified: BanglaFact
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No alternative to village courts in low-cost dispute resolution: Speakers
No alternative to village courts in low-cost dispute resolution: Speakers
RAJSHAHI, April 20, 2026 (BSS) - Speakers at a meeting here today observed that there is no alternative to village courts to ensure that poor and marginalized communities can resolve their disputes in less time and at lower cost. They also mentioned that positive publicity can play an important role in further strengthening village courts. These remarks were made at a coordination meeting held today in the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room, organized under the Village Court Activation (Third Phase) Project. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kazi Shahidul Islam addressed the meeting as the chief guest with Deputy Director of Local Government Md. Zakiul Islam in the chair. District Manager of the Village Court Project Md. Lutfar Rahman moderated the discussion. Additional Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Rajshahi, Mita Sarkar: Deputy Director of the Department of Social Services Monira Khatun; Deputy Director of the District Information Office Nafeyala Nasrin; Assistant Director of District Ansar-VDP Md. Abdul Motaleb; and District Primary Education Officer AKM Anwar Hossain also spoke on the occassion.  DC Kazi Shahidul Islam said emphasis is being placed on infrastructure development, training, awareness-raising, and regular monitoring to bolster village court activities.  If this service reaches people’s doorsteps, the judicial process will become easier, case backlogs will decrease, and the public will receive swift justice—consistent with the government’s goal of ensuring justice.  Zakiul Islam said minor crimes or disputes occur most frequently in rural areas. Although these fall under the jurisdiction of village courts, many people go to police stations or district courts due to lack of awareness, wasting both time and money. Raising awareness can play a vital role in this regard. The discussions also focused on making village court activities more effective and accessible to the public through exchanges with stakeholders.  Emphasis was placed on increasing awareness at the grassroots, simplifying access to services, and further strengthening the role of village courts in resolving disputes locally. Speakers at the meeting said such coordination meetings will play an important role in establishing justice at the local level and increasing public confidence.
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Date : 20 Apr, 2026
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Hollywood, Silicon Valley turn out for the 'Oscars of Science'
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Recitation event featuring works of poet Rezauddin Stalin held in capital
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French film star Nathalie Baye dead at 77: family to AFP
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Govt vaccinates over 1.95 million children against measles 
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Tourist missing while bathing in Bandarban’s Matamuhuri river
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Govt working to make agriculture sector self-reliant: Agriculture Minister
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