Israel is threatening to dismiss 970 air force personnel, including reserve pilots and regular staff, who signed a letter objecting to the Gaza military operations and demanding an end to the war. Senior commanders have contacted many signatories, offering them the chance to remain only if they withdraw their names. So far, only 25 have agreed to do so.

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France may recognize Palestine as a sovereign state during a UN conference in New York this June, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia. “This is not to please anyone; I will do it because it will be the right time and part of a broader momentum. Those who support Palestine should, in return, recognize Israel,” Macron said. Palestinian Foreign Minister Versen Aghabekian Shahin welcomed the initiative, calling it a “step in the right direction to uphold Palestinian rights and pursue the two-state solution.”

Joining the BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting virtually from Kathmandu, Agriculture Adviser Md. Jahangir Alam highlighted the importance of mutual cooperation to ensure food and nutrition security across the region.

He said agriculture, livestock, and fisheries are not only economic sectors but also vital to livelihood and rural development. Emphasizing climate change and resource inequality as key challenges, he called for collaborative research and sustainable cooperation, expressing Bangladesh’s willingness to lead initiatives on climate resilience and fisheries management.

Following Trump’s decision to suspend tariffs on all countries except China, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressed gratitude in a Facebook post.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for responding positively to our request to suspend tariffs for 90 days. We remain committed to supporting your trade policies and look forward to working with your administration,” he wrote.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to visit Qatar on April 21 to participate as a speaker in the upcoming Earthna Summit in Doha from April 22–23.

Other key speakers at the summit include UN Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Thiaw, IRENA Deputy Director Gauri Singh, and IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar. The summit will focus on climate adaptation strategies for arid and hot climate nations.

At a ceremony held at the IMO Delegates Lounge in London, Advisor Sakhawat Hossain formally announced Bangladesh’s candidacy for Category ‘C’ membership of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council. The event was attended by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. The advisor highlighted Bangladesh’s commitment to environmental protection, climate action, digitization, and women’s participation in the maritime sector. A replica model of a Bangladeshi ship was also presented to the IMO Secretariat, marking the first installation of such a model at the IMO headquarters.

Nobel laureate and renowned American economist Paul Krugman has criticized the United States for imposing high tariffs on Bangladeshi apparel. He warned that such measures will ultimately harm consumers. Krugman explained that while efforts to bring production back to the U.S. under the guise of national security are ongoing, it is equally important to maintain production in friendly and neighboring countries to ensure a resilient supply chain. “In that context, imposing high tariffs on countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Canada, and Mexico was not the right move,” he said. Krugman also noted that tariffs alone are ineffective in reducing trade deficits, as various factors diminish their impact.

Teachers, officials, and staff of the National University held a silent protest wearing black badges in solidarity with the people of Palestine, denouncing the ongoing genocide and grave human rights violations by Israel in Gaza. The demonstration was led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ASM Amanullah. The protest aimed to express solidarity with the Palestinian cause and condemn the continued atrocities.

Two Microsoft employees, Ibtihal Abusad and Baniya Agarwal, have been fired after staging a protest during the company’s 50th-anniversary event. Their protest targeted the use of Microsoft’s AI technology in Israeli military operations.

As Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of AI at Microsoft, was presenting features of the company’s chatbot Co-Pilot, Ibtihal Abusad interrupted the session, walking toward the stage and shouting:
“Mustafa, you should be ashamed. You claim to be using AI for the betterment of humanity, but in reality, you’re empowering Israel’s weaponry and fueling the war machine. Over 50,000 people have died, and yet you continue to aid and support this brutality!”

She threw a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian resistance, and continued, “Stop using AI to carry out genocide in our region!”

Baniya Agarwal, another employee, joined in, yelling, “Shame on you! You are hypocrites!”

Both employees were immediately dismissed following the incident.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Tawhid Hossain stated that despite Myanmar’s junta government identifying 180,000 Rohingya from Bangladesh for repatriation, the current situation in Rakhine makes it unfeasible. “Of the 250,000 names reviewed, they cleared 180,000 and are reviewing the rest,” he said. He emphasized that approval of the list doesn’t mean immediate return. Bangladesh has urged the junta to expedite the verification of the remaining 700,000–800,000 Rohingya. The adviser stressed the need for creating a conducive environment for voluntary repatriation with dignity and safety, in cooperation with the international community.

Bangladesh has officially joined the Artemis Accords as the 54th signatory, marking a significant step toward peaceful and sustainable space exploration. The non-binding multilateral agreement, initiated by NASA in October 2020, promotes transparency and cooperation in outer space activities. With this move, Bangladesh is committing to responsible space resource utilization, heritage preservation, and global collaboration aligned with its national development goals. Chowdhury Ashiq stated, “This marks a new chapter in Bangladesh–US space cooperation and will accelerate our own space research initiatives.”

Bangladesh has secured the 47th position in the list of the world’s most powerful countries, according to the US News global power rankings. The top five spots are held by the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Germany. India is ranked 12th, while countries like Pakistan, North Korea, Bhutan, and the Maldives were not included in the 89-nation list. Despite ongoing conflict, Ukraine ranks 14th, and Israel takes the 10th spot. Among Middle Eastern nations, Saudi Arabia ranks 9th, the UAE 11th, Iran 16th, Turkey 17th, Qatar 19th, Kuwait 25th, Egypt 32nd, and Jordan rounds out the top 50. The 2024 rankings are based on leadership, economic and political influence, military strength, international alliances, and global exports.

The government of Bangladesh has issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s continued attacks and gross human rights violations in Gaza. In an official statement, it noted that since the ceasefire breach, Israeli strikes have killed numerous Palestinians, many of them women and children, while also blocking humanitarian aid. Bangladesh urged Israel to cease all military actions and uphold international humanitarian law and called upon the UN and global community to take action. It reiterated support for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders.

Protests have erupted across the world, demanding an end to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. In Washington, D.C., thousands rallied, calling for a halt to military operations in Gaza and for the recognition of Palestine as an independent state. Similar mass demonstrations took place in cities across Turkey, including in front of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, criticizing U.S. support for Israel. The largest rally occurred in Rabat, Morocco, where hundreds of thousands marched on Sunday. Berlin also witnessed significant protests.

Dhaka University law student Rezwan Ahmed Rifat announced that on April 7, educational institutions across Bangladesh will hold solidarity events demanding an end to the genocide in Palestine and calling for an independent Palestinian state. A central protest rally will be held at the Raju Memorial Sculpture at DU at 4 PM. Similar events will be held globally, including in front of the UN office in New York. “We urge everyone to join this global protest for justice,” he said.