Two farmers were killed by lightning while harvesting paddy in the haor areas of Dharmapasha upazila in Sunamganj on Saturday afternoon. The victims were identified as Habibur Rahman, 22, of Baroihati village in Paikurati Union, and Rahmat Ullah, 13, of Saraswatipur village in Joysree Union. The incidents occurred separately in different locations.

According to local reports, Habibur Rahman was harvesting boro paddy with his uncle near Chokiyachapur village in Togar Haor when a sudden storm struck around noon. He was seriously injured by lightning and died on the way to Dharmapasha Upazila Health Complex. Several others were also injured and received local treatment.

In another incident around 1 p.m. in Islampur village of Joysree Union, lightning struck again, injuring Zainal Haque, his son Rahmat Ullah, and a woman named Shikha Moni. Rahmat Ullah was declared dead at the Upazila Health Complex, while the other two were referred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for advanced care.

A farmer named Rahmat Ali Uzzal, aged 40, was killed by lightning in Gauripur upazila of Mymensingh on Saturday, April 18, 2026. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. in the Valki Beel area between Konapara and Bairaura villages under Gauripur Union. According to local and family sources, Uzzal had gone out after lunch to inspect his paddy field when he was struck by lightning. Locals rescued him and took him to Gauripur Upazila Health Complex, where the attending physician, Dr. Ferdous Al Mamun, declared him dead after examination.

The incident cast a pall of grief over the area, with relatives and villagers mourning at the hospital and in the village. Following the tragedy, local representatives and the administration urged residents to exercise caution during adverse weather. Farmers were specifically advised to avoid open fields or agricultural lands during storms to prevent further casualties.

Traffic congestion in Bogura city has intensified, with long jams persisting from morning until night on major roads. Commuters, students, and businesspeople face hours-long delays even for short distances. The problem has worsened due to unregulated parking, illegal bus stands, and encroachment on roads and footpaths. Key areas such as Satmatha, Zero Point, Sherpur Road, and Malatinagar experience severe gridlock, especially during office and school hours.

Local sources report that buses frequently stop on busy roads to pick up passengers, narrowing the lanes and slowing traffic. Footpaths in major areas are occupied by shops and vendors, forcing pedestrians onto the streets and further reducing vehicle flow. Uncontrolled stands for CNGs and autorickshaws, along with courier trucks operating freely during peak hours, add to the congestion.

Authorities have conducted multiple eviction drives to clear illegal structures, but vendors quickly return. Traffic officials admit that without unified political and social efforts, a lasting solution to Bogura’s traffic crisis remains unlikely.

A report published on April 18, 2026, warns that the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, is facing a severe environmental crisis due to the Rampal coal-fired power plant near the Pashur River. The article describes visible air pollution from the plant’s chimneys and highlights how emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants are contaminating air and water, threatening local ecosystems, aquatic life, and human health. The project, jointly inaugurated in 2022 by Bangladesh’s then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been criticized for its proximity to the ecologically sensitive forest.

The report argues that while many countries are shifting toward renewable energy, Bangladesh’s former government pursued a policy to raise coal-based power generation to 50 percent by 2041. Environmental experts and UNESCO had raised objections, but these were ignored. The article also notes that land acquisition for the project displaced local farmers and that the coastal location increases vulnerability to storms and flooding.

The piece concludes by crediting environmental leaders who facilitated field visits to assess the plant’s impact on the Sundarbans ecosystem.

Severe navigability crisis during summer and destructive erosion in the monsoon are displacing residents of Gangachara’s char areas in Rangpur along the Teesta River. Vast tracts of land have become uninhabitable, leaving thousands in distress. During the dry season, the river turns into a sandy desert, while in the rainy season it causes devastating floods and erosion, destroying homes, schools, roads, and farmland. Many families have lost their homesteads and livelihoods, forcing some to migrate elsewhere.

Villagers from areas such as Anandabazar, Bagdohra, Motukpur, Binbina, Ichli, Shankardah, and Kashiyabari report worsening conditions. Fishermen lose work as the river dries up, and farmers face irrigation shortages. Locals say repeated promises have failed to bring lasting protection. They demand a permanent embankment from Minar Bazar to Mahipur to prevent further destruction.

Gangachara’s Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jasmin Akter said the administration is closely monitoring the situation. Rangpur-1 MP Raihan Siraji called the Teesta crisis central to the region’s economy and urged swift implementation of the Teesta Master Plan.

The dredging of the Ichamati River, which flows through the heart of Pabna, has come to a standstill due to a severe fuel shortage. Excavators have remained idle for eight days as contractors failed to obtain sufficient diesel, creating uncertainty about completing the project on schedule. Field visits revealed that machinery and workers are inactive, and local residents have expressed growing frustration over the prolonged delay.

Contractors, including Ahad Builders, stated that the ongoing energy crisis has made it impossible to secure the required fuel. They reported daily financial losses from halted operations, rising labor costs, and equipment rentals. Residents warned that if the work remains stalled before the monsoon, public funds could be wasted and newly dredged sections might refill with silt.

Project Director Sudhanshu Kumar Sarkar described the disruption as temporary, saying efforts are underway through the district administration to restore fuel supply. Deputy Commissioner Aminul Islam confirmed that the issue has been reported to the Ministry of Energy and expressed hope for a quick resolution.

The Ministry of Railways has renewed its initiative to construct a 500-bed hospital and a 100-seat medical college in Chattogram’s CRB area, a site known for its dense greenery and biodiversity. The project, previously halted for nearly four years amid environmental protests, is now being reconsidered under Railways Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam of the BNP government. The minister is scheduled to visit the proposed site in the Goalpahar area on April 19 to inspect it before granting policy approval.

Researchers and environmentalists have warned that the hospital project could destroy the area’s natural ecosystem. A four-month study led by Chittagong University’s Associate Professor Omar Faruk Russell identified 183 species of medicinal plants in CRB, many used to treat serious diseases such as cancer and heart ailments. The study also found 223 plant species overall, including several endangered and century-old trees.

Local residents and cultural groups regard CRB as the “lungs” of Chattogram—a rare urban refuge combining nature, history, and community life. The renewed construction plan has reignited public debate over balancing development with environmental preservation.

A severe cyclone accompanied by intense hailstorm struck the Char Bagdohra area of Noheli Union in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur on Friday night, destroying more than 100 houses. The storm, which began around 1 a.m., caused extensive damage in wards 7, 8, and 2, leaving hundreds of families homeless and struggling under open skies. Many houses lost their tin roofs or were completely destroyed as large hailstones pierced through the structures.

Local residents described the sudden storm as devastating, with several families including those of Suja Mia, Rafiqul, Suman, Jahanur, and others suffering severe losses. Many said their homes are now uninhabitable due to holes in the roofs and water damage. Residents expressed despair over losing their homes overnight and uncertainty about rebuilding without assistance.

Union Parishad member Rezaul Haque Bullet confirmed that a list of affected families is being prepared, while Gangachara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jesmin Akter stated that relief distribution will begin soon and further measures will be taken for those most severely affected.

Once a clear and vibrant natural reservoir, Foy’s Lake in Chattogram has become heavily polluted and toxic due to years of environmental mismanagement, encroachment, and industrial activity. The century-old lake, formerly home to at least 50 species of wildlife and a key water source for thousands, now shows signs of severe ecological collapse. Following a 2005 lease agreement between Bangladesh Railway and Concord Group for tourism development, unregulated construction, hill cutting, and motorized boat operations have destroyed the lake’s natural balance.

Field inspections and laboratory tests by Chattogram WASA and Railway labs found alarming levels of chemical contamination, with biological oxygen demand dropping and chemical oxygen demand rising sharply. Experts report that most aquatic plants and animals have vanished, and the lake’s water has turned green-gray with oil layers blocking oxygen flow. Despite a 2017 lease cancellation, Concord continues operations under legal protection, while illegal settlements and waste dumping persist around the lake.

Environmentalists and legal experts warn that the situation poses serious public health risks and call for immediate enforcement of environmental and lease conditions to restore the lake’s ecosystem.

The River Police of Bangladesh have reported a major success in their ongoing nationwide operations to protect river-based fisheries and restore discipline on waterways. Over the past seven days, officers seized 43.27 million meters of illegal fishing nets, 4,158 kilograms of fish, 657,000 shrimp fry, 15,000 bagda shrimp larvae, and 1,328 kilograms of jelly-mixed shrimp. A total of 279 individuals were arrested, and 133 illegal river obstacles were destroyed during the operation.

According to a statement issued by the River Police Headquarters on April 16, 83 bulkheads lacking valid documents faced prosecution in the naval court. Authorities filed 69 cases, including 46 under the Fisheries Act, nine for reckless navigation, and others related to sand extraction, drugs, theft, special powers, and abduction. Twelve bodies were also recovered during the campaign.

The seized illegal nets and jelly-mixed shrimp were destroyed, while shrimp fry were released back into the water to support natural growth. The recovered fish were distributed to local orphanages. The River Police stated that similar operations will continue to strengthen river safety and protect aquatic biodiversity.

Five people, including a school student and a woman, were killed by lightning strikes in three districts on Thursday. The incidents occurred in Munshiganj, Chuadanga, and Maheshpur of Jhenaidah. In Munshiganj’s Tongibari upazila, two young men, Rizwan Dhali and Arafat Khan, died after being struck by lightning during a nor’wester storm. Both were taken to Tongibari Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.

In Chuadanga, two people, including a ninth-grade student, died in separate lightning incidents. The victims were identified as Rasel from Jibannagar’s Ghoshnagar village and Tajimuddin, a student of Memnagar BD Secondary School in Damurhuda. Tajimuddin was struck by lightning while working with his father in a field. In Maheshpur of Jhenaidah, a housewife named Rozina Khatun died after being hit by lightning while working near her kitchen.

Local police confirmed the deaths in all three districts and stated that the bodies were handed over to the families as no complaints were filed.

Frequent power outages have severely disrupted daily life in Khulna, where residents are struggling with extreme heat and repeated electricity cuts. The outages, occurring both day and night, have made it difficult for people to sleep and carry out daily activities. Children, the elderly, and the sick are suffering the most, while businesses are also facing operational challenges due to unannounced power interruptions.

Local residents have accused the electricity distribution authorities of failing to take effective measures to stabilize the situation. However, officials from the West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCO) stated that the outages are temporary and caused by a shortfall in power generation compared to demand. On April 16, Khulna’s electricity demand reached 653 megawatts, while supply stood at 550 megawatts, resulting in a 103-megawatt shortfall. The previous day, the deficit was even higher at various times.

Affected residents have urged authorities to take urgent steps to ensure stable electricity supply and reduce load-shedding during the ongoing heatwave.

The Middle East, particularly the Persian Gulf region, holds the world’s largest oil and gas reserves due to unique geological conditions formed over millions of years. The area contains more than 30 supergiant oil fields, each with at least five billion barrels of crude oil, and produces two to five times more oil per well than top fields in the North Sea or Russia. These vast hydrocarbon resources have made the region both a blessing and a source of geopolitical tension, as global energy markets react sharply to regional conflicts.

Geologists attribute this abundance to the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which created folded and fractured rock structures ideal for trapping hydrocarbons. The region’s limestone formations, rich in organic material from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, serve as high-quality source and reservoir rocks. Saudi Arabia’s Ghawar field and the South Pars–North Dome gas field are among the largest examples.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, despite over a century of extraction, the Arabian Peninsula and Zagros Mountains may still hold around 86 billion barrels of undiscovered oil and 9.5 trillion cubic meters of gas, with new drilling technologies offering potential for increased production.

A video showing the public slaughter of a spotted deer near the Mirsarai Economic Zone in Chattogram has gone viral on social media. The seven-second clip, recorded on April 11 in the Muhuri Project area of Ichakhali Union, shows two men restraining and attempting to slaughter the animal while another person stands nearby. The footage, which spread online on April 14, sparked widespread criticism and calls for the arrest and punishment of those involved.

According to the Forest Department, the coastal mangrove forest in Mirsarai once stretched about 20 kilometers and was home to thousands of deer and other wildlife. However, deforestation linked to the establishment of the national special economic zone has drastically reduced wildlife populations. Locals said the deer likely strayed into the locality after being separated from its herd due to forest clearing.

Forest officials confirmed that three individuals were involved in the incident and that a drive is underway to arrest them. They believe the suspects work at nearby farms.

The government of Bangladesh has imposed a 58-day ban on all fishing activities in the Bay of Bengal starting from midnight on April 15 until June 11. The measure aims to protect marine biodiversity and ensure the free breeding and growth of 475 fish species. The restriction applies to all types of fishing vessels, including industrial trawlers and coastal engine-powered boats.

Since 2015, the government had enforced a 65-day annual fishing ban from May 20 to July 23 under the Marine Fisheries Ordinance. However, due to dissatisfaction among local fishermen, who claimed foreign fishermen exploited the closure, the duration was reduced to 58 days last year to align with India’s fishing ban period. The same schedule continues this year.

During the ban, 311,062 registered sea-going fishermen across 14 coastal districts and Chattogram city will receive 40 kilograms of rice per month under the VGF program. In 2025, authorities conducted 3,585 operations during the ban, seizing illegal nets and vessels, and imposing fines and jail terms for violations.