Masrur Anwar Chowdhury, who alleged he was abducted and tortured at the RAB Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell, told defense lawyers that his disappearance occurred because of his Facebook writings opposing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He made the statement on Wednesday afternoon during the second day of cross-examination at International Crimes Tribunal-1, where 17 accused, including Sheikh Hasina and several current and former army officers sentenced to death, are being represented.

During questioning, defense lawyer Tabarak Hossain denied that Chowdhury was detained for his anti-Modi posts, but Chowdhury insisted the claim was true. He confirmed his involvement in charity work, including building a mosque for Rohingya refugees with funds collected from friends and relatives. He rejected allegations of involvement in militant activities. When Sheikh Hasina’s lawyer Amir Hossain suggested she was not responsible for his abduction or career damage, Chowdhury disagreed, asserting that Hasina was responsible.

Chowdhury also stated he was not affiliated with any political party, though one of his cousins currently serves as the state minister for land.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Sadiq Kayem on April 22, 2026, criticized what he described as a return to violent politics following a clash between Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal at Chittagong Government City College. Speaking to reporters outside the Kotwali Police Commissioner’s office in Chittagong, he said those who promote politics of violence, including attacks with sharp weapons, would be rejected by students. The previous day’s confrontation reportedly left 20 people injured, with Shibir alleging that one of its leaders, Ashraful Islam, had his ankle severed by Chhatra Dal members.

Kayem stated that Chhatra Dal had not developed any new political narrative and accused it of reviving old fascist rhetoric. He claimed the clash was not over secret writings but that Shibir had used the issue to attack their rivals with machetes and other weapons. He also alleged that similar attacks by outsiders had occurred on other campuses, including in Rajshahi and Mymensingh.

Kayem added that police had assured zero tolerance toward such violence and that preparations were underway to file cases against those involved.

Iran has executed a senior civilian defense official found guilty of spying for Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. According to a report by Iran’s Mizan News Agency, the official, identified as Mehdi Farid, was hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.

The report stated that Farid admitted to attempting to pass sensitive information to Israeli intelligence, including organizational details, facility designs, and personnel documents. The execution marks another instance of Iran’s strict enforcement of espionage laws amid ongoing tensions with Israel.

The case, reported by Mizan and cited by Middle East Eye, underscores Iran’s continued focus on countering alleged foreign infiltration within its defense and intelligence sectors.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Tehran is ready to resume discussions with the United States once Washington lifts its sanctions. He emphasized that before any new round of talks can begin, the United States must also stop violating ceasefire agreements. According to Iravani, the next phase of discussions would take place in Islamabad once sanctions are removed.

Iravani further said that Iran is prepared for any scenario, whether it involves pursuing a political solution or facing conflict. His remarks, reported by Middle East Eye, come amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, with both sides maintaining firm positions on sanctions and regional security issues.

The statement underscores Iran’s conditional approach to diplomacy with the United States, linking any future negotiations directly to the lifting of economic restrictions and adherence to ceasefire commitments.

U.S. President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran for two more weeks without setting a new expiration date, following a high-level meeting at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. The decision came as Washington awaited a response from Tehran regarding proposed negotiation terms, but received none. Vice President JD Vance and other officials had been preparing to travel to Pakistan for talks, yet the lack of Iranian engagement left the administration uncertain about the next steps.

Officials cited internal divisions within Iran’s leadership as a key reason for the silence, particularly disagreements over uranium enrichment and stockpile management. Reports suggested that new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s unclear directives were contributing to the deadlock. Trump stated on Truth Social that Iranian officials were “deeply divided” but reaffirmed his preference for a diplomatic resolution over renewed military action.

Pakistani intermediaries had encouraged Trump to extend the truce, and U.S. officials indicated that talks could resume quickly if Iran showed readiness. However, advisers warned that the absence of a fixed deadline might allow Tehran to prolong negotiations indefinitely.

NCP leader Monira Sharmin’s nomination for a reserved women’s seat in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament has come under legal scrutiny. The nomination submission deadline was April 22, when candidates from the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami filed their papers. However, Sharmin’s eligibility is being questioned because she resigned from a state-owned bank only four months ago, in December 2025, falling short of the three-year requirement for former government employees to contest elections.

According to Article 12 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), anyone who has not completed three years since resigning or retiring from a government or statutory position cannot run for parliament. Election Commission officials confirmed that this rule also applies to reserved women’s seats. If Sharmin’s nomination is canceled, the alliance could lose one of its 13 seats, potentially benefiting the ruling BNP-led coalition, whose seat count could rise from 36 to 37.

Alliance coordinator Hamidur Rahman Azad expressed confidence that the nomination would not be canceled, while Sharmin argued that her former position was not a profit-based government post and that the rule should not apply to party nominations.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has nominated only one woman leader from Chattogram for a reserved seat in parliament, sparking widespread dissatisfaction among local leaders and activists. The final list, announced on Monday, included Barrister Shakila Farzana, daughter of late MP Wahidul Alam, as the sole nominee from the region. Many senior and long-serving women leaders who led protests and endured imprisonment were overlooked, which local members described as political discrimination against Chattogram.

Party insiders said 36 women from the district had collected nomination forms, including several senior figures from the city and northern and southern districts. Local leaders alleged that internal conflicts among central leaders influenced the final selection, leaving many deserving candidates excluded. Some viewed the decision as a failure of the central leadership to recognize sacrifices made by grassroots activists.

Chattogram-9 MP Abu Sufian stated that the district deserved at least three to four reserved seats given its political importance and contribution to the party’s movements. He urged the BNP high command to reconsider the list before the oath-taking ceremony to restore morale among dedicated members.

The Bangladesh government has issued a circular declaring November 7 to be observed annually as 'National Revolution and Solidarity Day'. The directive, released by the Cabinet Division on April 21, 2026, categorizes the date as a 'Class A' national day. All ministries, divisions, and relevant agencies have been instructed to take necessary measures to implement the decision.

According to the circular, the decision follows a government announcement made on April 16, 2026, reinstating November 7 as a national day and including it in the list of public holidays. Cabinet Secretary Md Nasimul Gani stated that the day will be officially celebrated after a long interval, with due state honor and a public holiday.

The circular also introduced July 6 as 'National Rural Development Day', though this occasion will not be accompanied by a public holiday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has continued a series of posts targeting Iran on his social media platform, Truth Social. In his latest message, he claimed that Iran is financially collapsing and eager to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump further alleged that the country is in a severe cash crisis, losing about 500 million dollars daily, and that its military and police are complaining about unpaid salaries.

According to the report, Trump provided no independently verifiable evidence to support his claims. The Iranian government has not issued any immediate response to his statements. The posts come amid heightened tensions between the two countries, with recent reports highlighting Iran’s seizure of ships in the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional instability.

The lack of official verification or response leaves uncertainty about the accuracy of Trump’s assertions, while the rhetoric underscores the continuing strain in U.S.-Iran relations.

An alleged attack took place late Tuesday night, April 21, 2026, at a Jamaat-e-Islami-run library in the Segunbagan area under Khulshi Police Station in Chattogram. According to Jamaat leaders, a group of BNP, Jubo Dal, and Chhatra Dal activists stormed the library around 9 p.m. while a scheduled meeting of the Labour Welfare Federation’s hotel workers unit was underway. At least eight Jamaat workers were injured, and furniture and a large number of books were damaged.

Witnesses said the attackers vandalized over fifty chairs and tables, tore books and documents, and looted mobile phones and wallets from participants. Labour Welfare Federation leaders condemned the incident, calling it a politically motivated attack carried out without provocation. They demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and announced a press conference to address the issue.

Chattogram city Jamaat leaders described the attack as a planned act following recent clashes at City College. However, the Chattogram BNP denied involvement, claiming their members were not connected to the incident and urged authorities to investigate and arrest the real perpetrators.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is facing a financial collapse. In a post on his social media platform X, Trump stated that Iran is 'crying for cash' and losing about 500 million dollars every day. He further alleged that Iran’s military and police are complaining about not receiving their salaries.

Trump also said that the United States has completely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route. According to him, Iran wants to reopen the strait to earn 500 million dollars daily, but has kept it closed to 'save face.' The statements were reported by Al Jazeera and published by the Bangladeshi outlet Amar Desh.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with recent reports of ship seizures and escalating regional conflict in the Middle East.

Ahead of the April 23 West Bengal assembly election, reports allege that India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission have systematically removed large numbers of Muslim voters from the rolls. The revision process, known as SIR, began in November 2025 and resulted in 9.1 million voters being excluded from the final list published in April 2026. Analysts and opposition parties claim that 41 percent of those removed are Muslims, despite Muslims comprising only 27 percent of the state’s population. Districts with high Muslim populations, such as Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, and Malda, saw the highest numbers of deletions.

Reports from journalists and research institutes suggest that the voter exclusions disproportionately affect areas where the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, has historically dominated. The Sabar Institute’s analysis found that in Nandigram and Bhabanipur—key constituencies where BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is contesting—most of the removed names were Muslim. The Election Commission maintains that the process targeted deceased and fake voters, but opposition parties and analysts argue it was politically motivated.

Observers warn that the large-scale disenfranchisement could significantly influence the election outcome in closely contested constituencies.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced Principal Muhammad Shamsuzzaman Helali as its mayoral candidate for the upcoming Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election. Helali, a former councillor of the Soloshahar ward, was nominated following a meeting of the party’s city-level Shura council held on Monday night. The decision was confirmed by Morshedul Islam Chowdhury, the assistant secretary of the city Jamaat, who said the nomination was based on the opinions of city members and the central committee’s approval.

Helali previously contested the 13th parliamentary election from the Chattogram-10 constituency as a Jamaat candidate but lost to BNP’s Saeed Al Noman by a margin of 46,000 votes. A postgraduate by education, Helali was formerly a teacher and is now engaged in business. Before his nomination, former DUCSU vice president Sadiq Kayem and several other Jamaat leaders had also been considered for the mayoral race.

The party has also finalized candidates for councillor positions in 41 wards, though the list has not yet been made public.

A commentary published on April 22, 2026, in the newspaper Amar Desh argues that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), now led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, faces internal and structural challenges that could undermine its stability. The writer, Minar Rashid, warns that the party’s leadership must act quickly to restore public trust and avoid repeating the political turmoil of past crises such as the 1/11 episode. He stresses that the government must demonstrate transparency, uphold human rights, and ensure that enforced disappearances never return.

The article criticizes opportunistic intellectuals and bureaucrats who align themselves with whichever party is in power, claiming they have historically misled governments. It also highlights the persistence of bureaucratic and cultural inertia inherited from colonial and post-independence administrations. The writer urges the BNP to distinguish itself through genuine reform, political tolerance, and accountability, rather than replicating the behavior of previous regimes.

The piece concludes that legal reforms alone cannot prevent abuses of power unless accompanied by political commitment and public awareness, emphasizing that sustainable democracy requires mutual respect between government and opposition.

Rajshahi University Chhatra Dal President Sultan Ahmed Rahi has called for a nationwide ban on Jamaat-Shibir politics, alleging that the group has been operating secretly across Bangladesh. He made the remarks on April 21, 2026, during a protest rally held at the university’s transport yard following a reported clash between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir at Chittagong City College. Rahi urged his party’s activists to organize movements to stop Jamaat-Shibir’s political activities in residential halls, libraries, and tea stalls.

Other Chhatra Dal leaders, including General Secretary Sardar Zahurul Haque, Organizational Secretary Mahmudul Mithu, and Senior Joint Secretary Shafiqul Islam Shafik, echoed similar sentiments during the post-rally gathering. They argued that Jamaat-Shibir had misused power in educational institutions and should be expelled from campuses. The leaders also linked their demand to past political movements, including the 2024 anti-fascist protests and the 1990 mass uprising, asserting that no authoritarian force could sustain itself in Bangladesh.

The rally featured slogans calling for resistance against Jamaat-Shibir and unity among Chhatra Dal members to protect campuses from what they described as secret political activities.