Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the upcoming West Bengal assembly election, no structure resembling the Babri Mosque will be allowed to be built in the state. Speaking at a rally in Gangarampur, South Dinajpur, on Tuesday, Shah accused Humayun Kabir, founder of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, of announcing plans to build such a mosque in Murshidabad at the behest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He asserted that the BJP’s rise to power would prevent such plans from materializing.

Shah also criticized Banerjee for allegedly opposing the removal of illegal immigrants from the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He pledged that a BJP government would expel all illegal immigrants and strengthen border security by allocating 600 acres of land for fencing within 45 days of taking office. Additionally, he promised to build cold storage facilities in every block of Malda district to support farmers.

The West Bengal assembly elections are scheduled for April 23 and 29, with results to be announced on May 4, amid a high-stakes contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has warned that a group acting against the country's interests is still waiting for an opportunity. Speaking on Thursday, April 16, at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka during the Independence Award ceremony, he emphasized the need to maintain national unity and avoid internal divisions. He said that honoring national leaders beyond partisan boundaries is essential, as future generations and history will not forgive negligence in this regard.

Quoting former President Ziaur Rahman, the Prime Minister said that national unity is the nation's strength, while division is its weakness. He urged all to ensure that political differences do not turn into hostility. The Prime Minister also noted that the Independence Award is given annually to recognize contributions in fields such as liberation war, education, science and technology, medicine, literature, culture, sports, rural development, social service, and public administration. This year, 15 distinguished citizens and five institutions received the award.

He added that despite significant progress in the 55 years since independence, challenges remain, and building a self-reliant and prosperous Bangladesh requires collective effort beyond political vengeance.

Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Thursday, according to reports. Details of the meeting have not yet been made public. The meeting took place during Munir’s visit to Tehran, where he arrived with a high-level political and security delegation.

Ghalibaf had earlier led the Iranian delegation in talks between the United States and Iran held in Islamabad the previous Saturday. Iranian media, citing officials, reported that Munir’s visit aimed to deliver “America’s message and plans for a second round of discussions.” During his trip, Munir also met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The developments suggest Pakistan’s continuing involvement in facilitating communication between Washington and Tehran, though no official confirmation of mediation outcomes has been released.

Jaima Rahman, granddaughter of the late BNP Chairperson and three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, accepted the posthumous Independence Award on her behalf. The award was presented by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. during a ceremony held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. The event honored individuals and institutions for their exceptional contributions to the nation, with ministers, senior officials, and invited guests in attendance.

This year, the government selected Khaleda Zia for the Independence Award in recognition of her contributions to independence, democracy, women’s education, and national development. Alongside her, 14 other distinguished individuals and five institutions were chosen for the 2026 awards, including figures from science, literature, culture, sports, social service, and environmental conservation.

The Independence Award is Bangladesh’s highest national honor, given for outstanding contributions to the country’s independence, liberation war, and other national achievements.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Amir Allama Mamunul Haque announced that a nationwide movement will be organized to ensure the full implementation of the referendum. Speaking on Wednesday night at a meeting of the party’s Dhaka North unit in Mohammadpur, he said the referendum has become a national demand and an effective way to reflect the people’s aspirations. He urged citizens to remain alert and united so that the government cannot manipulate or delay the process.

The meeting was held to prepare for a mass rally scheduled for April 24 at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan, aimed at pressing for the implementation of the referendum’s outcome. Mamunul Haque reaffirmed that the party has maintained a clear and principled stance in favor of the referendum and will continue its movement until the demand is realized.

The event was presided over by Dhaka North President Maulana Anwar Hossain Raji and attended by several central and local leaders. The meeting adopted detailed plans and called on all members to make maximum preparations for the upcoming rally.

Bangladesh National Parliament Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram stated that the country’s liberation and prosperity are not possible without democracy. Speaking to journalists at Barishal Circuit House on Thursday morning, he said that a parliament formed through a neutral election can lead Bangladesh forward. He emphasized that strengthening democratic institutions is essential for achieving economic progress.

The Speaker reflected on the nation’s political history, noting that at times autocratic rulers had oppressed the people, but students and youth movements restored democracy through public struggle. He described politics as a positive force that has increased public awareness and commitment to democratic values. He also referred to the end of a 16-year period of autocratic rule as a proud chapter for Bangladesh.

Hafiz Uddin expressed hope that the newly formed parliament would continue to advance the country under a firmly established democratic system. Earlier in the day, he was given a guard of honor at Barishal Circuit House before departing for his constituency in Bhola.

The Bangladesh Hawkers Union organized a rally on Thursday in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, presenting a 10-point demand that includes halting forced evictions of hawkers without rehabilitation and allocating cleared government land for their use. Union leaders said hawkers across the country, particularly in Dhaka, have faced harsh eviction drives in recent weeks, resulting in destruction of goods and loss of livelihoods.

Speakers at the rally called for immediate enactment of a livelihood protection law to safeguard hawkers’ rights. They alleged that hawkers are being subjected to daily crackdowns, extortion, and harassment, leaving thousands without income. The union urged hawkers nationwide to unite in protest to secure their demands.

Their demands include recognition of hawkers’ economic contributions, prevention of extortion, preparation of an official list of genuine hawkers, allocation of cleared government land for rehabilitation, a five-year master plan, budgetary allocation for hawkers, and fair distribution of stalls in hawkers’ markets.

The Dhaka WASA Diploma Engineers Association (DWDEA) has announced its new 25-member central executive committee for the 2026–2027 term. The announcement was made on Sunday through a joint statement signed by outgoing president and retired executive engineer Md. Abdur Rob Mia, outgoing general secretary and retired executive engineer Md. Arman Bhuiya, and executive member and sub-divisional engineer Md. Hasibul Hasan. The newly elected president is Md. Moniruzzaman, with Md. Billal Hossain as senior vice-president and Md. Nur Hossain as general secretary.

The committee also includes vice-presidents Md. Golam Mostafa and Md. Mizanur Rahman, along with several other office bearers responsible for organizational, publicity, cultural, welfare, and technology affairs. The new leadership aims to strengthen the association’s role in supporting diploma engineers within Dhaka WASA.

President Md. Moniruzzaman stated that he intends to serve the next two years with cooperation and guidance from all members, striving to make the association a stronger and more engineer-friendly unit.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presented the country’s highest civilian honor, the Independence Award 2026, to this year’s recipients at a ceremony held on Thursday, April 16, at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. The award recognizes outstanding contributions at the national level, and this year 15 distinguished individuals and 5 institutions were honored. The list of awardees had been announced earlier on March 5 by the Cabinet Division.

Among the recipients, former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was posthumously honored for her contributions to independence, democracy, and women’s education. Other honorees include Major Mohammad Abul Jalil (posthumous) and Faujdarhat Cadet College for Liberation War, Professor Dr. Zohurul Karim for science and technology, and Dhaka Medical College Hospital for medicine. Cultural figures AKM Hanif (Hanif Sanket) and Bashir Ahmed (posthumous) were recognized for culture, while Dr. Ashraf Siddiqui (posthumous) received the award for literature.

Each awardee received an 18-carat gold medal weighing 50 grams, a certificate, and a monetary honorarium. Khaleda Zia’s granddaughter Zayma Rahman accepted the award on her behalf.

Law Minister Md. Anisul Huq stated that the government had no involvement in the Bangladesh Bar Council election process. Responding to a question from Rangpur-4 MP Akhtar Hossain in Parliament on April 16, 2026, he explained that the election was postponed following requests from various bar associations. He noted that the law allows postponement for reasonable causes and that several associations, including the Dhaka Bar with over 22,000 members, sought a delay to align with their own election schedules.

Akhtar Hossain had earlier questioned the justification for postponing the election, citing that the notice mentioned an energy crisis while the government had denied such a crisis in Parliament. He suggested that the real issue might be whether a democratic institution was being politicized. The law minister responded that the postponement was based on legitimate requests and not on government interference.

According to the law, Bar Council elections are to be held every three years, with provisions for postponement only in exceptional circumstances such as pandemics or natural disasters.

State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari told Parliament on April 16, 2026, that allegations of corruption and politicization in BCS cadre recruitment during the Awami League’s tenure are under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission and other law enforcement agencies. He said that legal action will be taken once the investigation reports and recommendations are received.

The statement came during the 15th day of the first session of the National Parliament, chaired by the Deputy Speaker. In response to a written question from MP Md. Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas of Pabna-5, Bari reported that in the past 16 years, 12 BCS administration cadre officers were forced into retirement, 39 were dismissed, and 564 were made officers on special duty (OSD). The MP had asked about the government’s steps regarding alleged politicization in the civil service.

Bari reiterated that the government will act according to law after the investigation concludes, signaling official acknowledgment of the ongoing scrutiny into recruitment practices during the Awami League period.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has declined to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a historic dialogue between the two leaders. A Lebanese official confirmed to CNN that Beirut informed Washington it was not ready to take such a step at this time.

According to the same official, Lebanon has clearly told both Israel and the United States that it will not engage in any discussions until a formal ceasefire agreement is reached between Israel and Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Israel’s security cabinet convened on Wednesday to discuss possible ceasefire arrangements.

The development comes as Trump recently announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon and received thanks from President Aoun for his mediation efforts, while Israel has issued threats of severe attacks against Iran.

The government has announced a reshuffle involving the secretaries of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute and the Posts and Telecommunications Division. Bilkis Jahan Rimi, previously serving as secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, has been appointed as the new secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division. Meanwhile, Abdun Naser Khan, whose tenure as secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division has ended, has been appointed as secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute on a one-year contractual basis.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Thursday, Abdun Naser Khan’s post-retirement leave and related benefits have been suspended under the condition that he will not engage in any other profession, business, or employment with any government, semi-government, or private organization during his contractual term.

The reshuffle reflects the government’s administrative adjustments within key ministries, ensuring continuity in leadership and management of both the textile and telecommunications sectors.

After decades without legal status, Syria’s Kurdish population has begun registering for citizenship across the country. The process started last week following a directive from the Interior Ministry, implementing a January decree by President Ahmed al-Sharar granting citizenship to unregistered Kurds. Many applicants, such as 49-year-old Ahmad, described the hardships of living without official documents, including inability to register property, study, or travel.

The decree recognizes Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights and designates Kurdish as a national language. It follows recent clashes between Kurdish fighters and government forces in the northeast, where Kurdish authorities once held control. A February agreement integrated Kurdish administration into the central state, and a senior Kurdish commander, Sipan Hamo, was appointed as assistant deputy defense minister for the eastern region.

Officials said registration centers will remain open for one month, with possible extensions. Civil Affairs officer Abdallah al-Abdallah called the restoration of citizenship the greatest compensation for those long deprived of it.

State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari announced that the government plans to replace the memorization-based syllabus in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) and other government recruitment exams with a skill-based evaluation system. He made the statement in parliament on Thursday, April 16, in response to a written question from ruling party member Md. Harun-ur-Rashid of Rajbari-2 constituency.

The minister said a committee has been formed to revise the BCS syllabus, reviewing civil service exam structures from other countries to incorporate necessary updates. He added that the Public Service Commission will soon introduce competency-based interviews to assess candidates’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Efforts are also underway to reduce delays in the recruitment process so that one BCS examination can be completed within a year.

In response to another question, the minister detailed the current quota system: 93 percent merit-based, 5 percent for freedom fighters and their descendants, 1 percent for ethnic minorities, and 1 percent for persons with disabilities and the third gender.