Masko Group has launched its annual drain cleaning program in the Sataish area of Tongi, Gazipur. The initiative was formally inaugurated on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 11 a.m. by the company’s General Manager, Nazmul Huda Ahmed. He stated that the program aims to reduce the suffering of workers and residents by ensuring smoother movement and minimizing waterlogging in the area.

Several company officials, including Nasir Uddin, Gazi Md. Moniruzzaman, Ruhul Amin Ripon, and Senior Manager Md. Borhan Uddin, attended the event. Local residents and workers expressed hope that the regular cleaning effort would significantly reduce stagnant water problems that often persist for days after rainfall. Business owners also noted that improved drainage could positively impact local commerce by attracting more customers.

According to Masko Group, the cleaning operation will continue for seven consecutive working days. Organizers expect that the initiative will substantially reduce waterlogging and ease public inconvenience in the Sataish area once completed.

A sudden breach in the Gujauni embankment at Dekhar Haor in Sunamganj on Saturday, April 11, 2026, caused floodwaters to rush into hundreds of acres of half-ripe Boro paddy fields. The incident sparked panic among local farmers, many of whom appealed for help through social media as they watched their fields submerge. Witnesses reported that water was entering the haor at high speed, threatening widespread crop damage.

Local residents alleged that a leaseholder of a nearby wetland had failed to properly repair the embankment after fish harvesting, leaving it weak and vulnerable to pressure from rising water. Farmers and local authorities responded urgently, using bamboo, sandbags, and other materials to reinforce the damaged section. Water Development Board officials confirmed that emergency repairs were underway with 100 geo-bags and bamboo, and that water inflow had been stopped.

Officials stated that although the embankment does not fall under the Water Development Board’s jurisdiction, a team was deployed to assist in protecting the crops and stabilizing the structure.

Bangladesh is set to host its first international-scale textile and garment exhibition, the BTKG Expo 2026, marking a major milestone for the country’s fast-growing apparel industry. The four-day event, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Inforchain Digital Technology Co. Ltd., will take place at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka from April 29 to May 2, 2026. According to organizers, around 900 exhibitors from 30 countries, including Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates, will participate across seven halls covering 20,000 square meters.

The exhibition will feature machinery and technology from across the textile and garment value chain, such as knitting, embroidery, dyeing, washing, and testing equipment. Bangladesh’s apparel sector, which earned about USD 39 billion in exports in fiscal year 2024–25 and employs over four million people, remains the backbone of the national economy. Organizers expect the expo to strengthen the industry’s technological capacity, foster international collaboration, and attract new investment.

The BTKG Expo 2026 is anticipated to enhance Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the global apparel market and accelerate long-term industrial growth through innovation and networking opportunities.

Women's fashion brand Exclusivea has opened a new outlet at Center Point Shopping Mall in Uttara, Dhaka. The store, located on Level 2, Unit C3, was inaugurated recently with notable figures from the fashion and lifestyle sectors attending the event. Guests explored the brand’s latest collection and expressed interest in its design and presentation.

Founded in 2018 by Nomrata Khan, Nabeen Ahmed, and Tanvir Ali, Exclusivea began its journey with its first outlet at Pink City in Gulshan. The brand has since built a loyal customer base by offering contemporary yet elegant designs tailored to modern women’s tastes and comfort. The new outlet’s interior has been designed to enhance customer comfort and make shopping more enjoyable.

According to the founders, the Uttara outlet aims to bring the brand closer to local customers while maintaining its commitment to quality and design consistency. This expansion marks another step in Exclusivea’s effort to make stylish and accessible fashion available to more women in Dhaka.

The Shibchar Upazila administration in Madaripur has launched a special diesel distribution program to support local farmers during a fuel shortage. On April 10, 2026, Upazila Nirbahi Officer H. M. Ibne Mizan inaugurated the initiative at the Shibchar Upazila Parishad premises. Following the inauguration, diesel was sold directly to farmers, each receiving 10 liters at the government-fixed price. The administration collected 12,000 liters of diesel from a depot to ensure uninterrupted irrigation during the Boro season, benefiting around 1,200 farmers.

Local farmers expressed relief, saying the initiative eased their worries about irrigation disruptions caused by irregular fuel supply at pumps. They noted that direct access to diesel would help them continue cultivation smoothly. Farmers such as Mojibur Sardar and Jalal Mia described the program as a significant support for small-scale growers.

According to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, the initiative aims to maintain agricultural productivity by ensuring fuel availability despite supply constraints, and the administration expects marginal farmers to benefit substantially.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, Textiles and Jute, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, inaugurated the country’s first government-managed ‘Krishoker Hat’ in Sylhet on April 11, 2026. The initiative, jointly organized by the Sylhet District Administration and the Department of Agricultural Extension, aims to reduce middlemen’s influence, ensure fair prices for farmers, and provide consumers with safe and affordable food. The market, located near Tilagor Point, allows marginal farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers without intermediaries.

During the inauguration, the minister said the government is introducing new measures to bring transparency and balance to the market system. He noted that agricultural products often change hands multiple times before reaching consumers, causing unjustified price hikes. The ‘Krishoker Hat’ is expected to create a win-win situation for both farmers and consumers. The program will operate weekly under local administration supervision to prevent extortion or unexpected costs.

The minister also announced plans to digitize the supply chain from import to retail, strengthen the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh’s operations, and expand irrigation and canal re-excavation to boost agricultural production and market stability.

Once a wide, water-filled river, the Teesta has now become largely dry across six northern districts of Bangladesh. The once barren sandbars have transformed into fertile farmlands where local farmers cultivate a variety of crops including pumpkin, bottle gourd, peanuts, maize, sesame, wheat, mustard, garlic, rice, onions, and chilies. Farmers in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari report that they now earn their livelihoods from these crops, selling produce worth hundreds of millions of taka each season.

Local farmers describe how they have turned adversity into opportunity. During floods, they lose homes and crops, but when the water recedes, they cultivate the exposed char lands. They receive agricultural incentives and guidance from local offices, though transportation remains a major challenge, as produce must be carried by horse carts across sandy terrain. Farmers say better transport support could help them earn higher prices.

Regional agricultural officials confirm that Teesta’s char lands now contribute significantly to national food production. Training and advice are being provided to help farmers increase yields and profits from short-duration crops.

Four astronauts from NASA’s Artemis II mission have safely returned to Earth after completing a record-breaking journey around the Moon. The Orion spacecraft carrying them splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 6:07 a.m. Bangladesh time on April 11, 2026. The mission marked the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, covering 694,481 miles in total. The spacecraft had launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 2.

Following splashdown, Navy divers and helicopters surrounded the capsule to begin recovery operations. NASA confirmed all astronauts were in good health, describing their condition as “green.” The crew was airlifted to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks, including pulse, blood pressure, and neurological assessments. NASA officials reported that the capsule’s recovery followed years of testing and prior Artemis-1 rehearsals.

NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya called the mission “a gift to the world,” while Orion Program Manager Howard Hu described it as the beginning of a new era in human space exploration. NASA said the mission exceeded expectations and demonstrated the success of extensive teamwork.

A joint operation was conducted in the Padma River at Goalanda in Rajbari on Friday, April 10, 2026, as part of the National Hilsa Conservation Week 2026. Members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard and officials from the Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer’s office carried out the daylong drive. During the operation, approximately one lakh meters of illegal current nets were seized from various points of the river and later destroyed publicly by burning.

According to the Upazila Fisheries Office, such operations are being conducted regularly to ensure the success of the hilsa conservation program. The joint initiative by the Coast Guard and the Fisheries Department aims to stop illegal fishing practices and protect the country’s fish resources.

Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md. Anwarul Islam Pilot stated that the authorities are taking strict measures to enforce the government’s ban on catching juvenile hilsa. He emphasized that continued awareness and law enforcement are essential to end illegal fishing activities.

In Lalmohan upazila of Bhola, fishermen staged a protest and human chain on Friday, April 10, demanding distribution of the allocated VGF rice that they have not yet received. The demonstration took place at the embankment near Kobkhali fish landing station in Dhaligournagar Union, where over a hundred fishermen participated. They complained that despite following government fishing restrictions, they were struggling to survive without the promised rice support.

The fishermen accused Dhaligournagar Union Chairman Maksudur Rahman of delaying the rice distribution and alleged that the upazila fisheries office had not taken any initiative to resolve the issue. According to the allocation, each fisherman was supposed to receive 80 kilograms of rice before Eid-ul-Fitr. Chairman Rahman said distribution was delayed because the local BNP unit had not yet submitted the full list of eligible fishermen. The upazila fisheries officer stated that the delivery order had already been issued, while the upazila executive officer explained that the delay was due to the late preparation of the fishermen’s list.

Officials indicated that rice distribution might begin on Sunday once the fishermen’s cards are verified.

A severe fuel shortage in Rangpur Division has persisted for over six weeks, worsening despite earlier expectations of improvement. Local residents are facing acute difficulties as fuel is distributed only during limited hours set by the government. Many people are reportedly hoarding fuel and selling it at inflated prices, while others have stopped using their motorbikes due to long queues and limited availability. According to the Rangpur Divisional Commissioner’s Office, the region’s daily demand for diesel is 1 million liters, but only 900,000 liters are being supplied. Petrol and octane supplies are also far below demand.

Fuel station managers report receiving insufficient deliveries from depots, forcing many pumps to close for several days between shipments. The Rangpur Petrol Pump Owners Association said that more than half of the 350 pumps in the division have already shut down. The Divisional Commissioner, Shahidul Islam, acknowledged shortages in petrol and octane but said diesel supply remains stable and expressed hope for a quick resolution, urging citizens to use fuel responsibly.

If supply conditions do not improve soon, pump owners fear heavy financial losses and further disruption to local transport and employment.

Two floating oil depots of Jamuna Oil Company Limited and Meghna Petroleum Limited in the Brahmaputra River at Chilmari, Kurigram, have remained without fuel for nine years. The shortage has severely disrupted irrigation and daily activities in the region, raising fears of setbacks in the current Boro rice season. Farmers said they are forced to buy diesel from the Parbatipur depot at higher transport costs, and they have demanded a quick resolution.

Authorities explained that the supply stopped because oil-laden ships cannot reach the depots due to reduced navigability of the Brahmaputra. The depots, established in 1989, previously supplied fuel to districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, and Lalmonirhat through 22 authorized dealers. Since early 2018, no fuel has been supplied, leaving local farmers and businesses struggling to meet daily fuel needs estimated at 70,000–90,000 liters.

Officials said a Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation team inspected the depots two years ago for possible permanent setup, but supply remains halted. Farmers warned that irrigation-dependent crops such as Boro rice, maize, wheat, and peanuts are now at risk.

Rangpur Sugar Mill, the only heavy industrial enterprise in Gaibandha district, has remained closed for nearly five years, leading to severe deterioration of its facilities. The 35-acre factory compound has become overgrown, while sugarcane transport vehicles and costly machinery are rusting and becoming unusable. The mill’s operations were halted in December 2020 to reduce losses and modernize the facility, but no reopening has occurred since.

Established in 1954 to promote sugarcane cultivation in the agricultural region, the mill once supported the livelihoods of about 30,000 people, including farmers, workers, and employees. By June 2021, it had accumulated losses of over Tk 514 crore, prompting the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation to shut it down. Farmers were later brought under the nominal operations of Joypurhat Sugar Mill to sustain limited sugarcane farming.

Local farmers, workers, and residents have renewed their demand for reopening the mill after local MP Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Linkon raised the issue in Parliament. The mill’s acting managing director said any decision to restart operations depends on higher authorities, while minimal staff and maintenance costs continue to burden the government.

Several upazilas in Habiganj have been severely affected by continuous rainfall over recent days, leaving vast areas of boro paddy fields underwater. The flooding has hit Nabiganj, Baniachong, Ajmiriganj, and Lakhai upazilas, where ripe and semi-ripe paddy crops are now at risk of rotting. Farmers, many of whom are sharecroppers or debt-burdened, have become desperate as their harvest prospects vanish.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, around 281 hectares of land were submerged as of April 7, with Baniachong being the worst affected. However, local sources and farmers estimate the damage to exceed 1,350 hectares. The Ratna River embankment has been overflowing for a week, flooding new areas daily. Local officials said about 7,000 bighas of unharvested paddy are already underwater. Farmers described their losses as devastating, with many unsure how to repay loans or feed their families.

Officials from the Water Development Board said canal re-excavation projects under JICA are planned to improve drainage. However, the agricultural department warned that the water level is unlikely to recede soon, as the floodwater is mainly from rainfall rather than river overflow.

In Nilphamari district of northern Bangladesh, nearly 40 rivers have become waterless or nearly dead due to severe water shortages and siltation. The Water Development Board reports that these rivers, once navigable and vital for transport and fishing, now have depths of only three to five feet. Farmers are cultivating crops such as boro rice, maize, tobacco, garlic, and onion on the dried riverbeds. Experts attribute the crisis to unilateral water withdrawal by India and the construction of the Gajoldoba Barrage upstream on the Teesta River, which has drastically reduced water flow.

The drying of rivers has caused widespread environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and severe hardship for fishing communities. Over 50,000 fisher families are reportedly living in distress as fish populations have declined sharply. The Water Development Board has proposed dredging projects to restore navigability, but these remain stalled due to lack of approval. Local residents and officials are calling for national-level studies and coordinated action to revive the rivers and prevent recurring floods during monsoon seasons.

Agricultural experts warn that unplanned groundwater extraction and climate change are further threatening the region’s agriculture and ecology, turning former wetlands into farmland and accelerating biodiversity loss.