Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez has been appointed as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The appointment was announced through a notification signed by Md. Golam Rabbani, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, on Wednesday under the order of the President. The appointment is contractual for one year, effective from the date of joining, with the rank equivalent to a secretary. He must relinquish any other professional or institutional affiliations before assuming the role.

Dr. Parvez previously served as Special Assistant to the BNP Chairperson’s Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee and was a member of the party’s Central Election Steering Committee. He also leads the BNP’s think tank and content generation team and contributed to the party’s election manifesto committee. Additionally, he has been working as a technical expert in the government’s five-year project to plant 250 million trees.

The appointment places Dr. Parvez in a key advisory position on environmental and climate policy matters at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The High Court has directed that all election documents, including ballot papers and result sheets, for the Jhalakathi-1 (Rajapur-Kathalia) constituency be preserved. The order was issued on Wednesday by Justice Md Zakir Hossain’s bench following a petition filed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami alleging irregularities and vote rigging in the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

According to court sources, the petition was filed citing election irregularities, prompting the court to order the safekeeping of all related materials after a preliminary hearing. Jamaat-e-Islami’s candidate for the constituency, Dr. Faizul Haque, contested the election, while BNP’s Rafiqul Islam Jamal was declared the winning Member of Parliament.

Dr. Faizul Haque stated that the election had seen widespread irregularities and that the court’s directive would help uncover the truth. Senior Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Mohammad Monir represented the petitioner during the hearing.

The Election Commission on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, cancelled the nomination of Nusrat Tabassum, joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), for a reserved women’s seat in the 13th National Parliament. The commission stated that her nomination was not accepted because it was submitted after the official deadline. According to the report, Tabassum submitted her papers at 4:19 p.m. on April 21, while the deadline was 4:00 p.m.

The commission also suspended the nomination of another NCP candidate, Monira Sharmin, citing that she had not completed three years since resigning from government service. Under Article 12(1)(ch) of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), a person is ineligible to contest parliamentary elections if less than three years have passed since their resignation or retirement from public service.

Both decisions reflect the Election Commission’s enforcement of legal and procedural requirements for candidate eligibility in the reserved women’s seat selection process.

Farida Khanam, a Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Magistrate of Dhaka. The appointment was confirmed on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, through an official notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration. The order, signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Md. Ismail Hossain, stated that the decision was made in the public interest and would take immediate effect.

According to the notification, Farida Khanam will replace the current DC, Md. Rezaul Karim, who has been transferred to the Cabinet Division as a Deputy Secretary. As the new DC, Farida Khanam will serve as the administrative and judicial head of Dhaka district. The Ministry of Public Administration issued the order to ensure continuity in the district’s governance and administrative functions.

The reshuffle reflects routine administrative adjustments within the government, aimed at maintaining effective management and coordination across ministries and districts.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has appointed two of its Members of Parliament, Advocate Abdullah Al Amin and Dr. Atik Mujahid, to its highest policymaking body, the Political Council (PC). The announcement was made in a press release issued on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The appointments were approved by NCP Convener Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain.

According to the release, Dr. Atik Mujahid, Joint Convener and MP for Kurigram-2, and Advocate Abdullah Al Amin, Joint Member Secretary and MP for Narayanganj-4, have been added to the Political Council. Abdullah Al Amin also serves as the head of the party’s disciplinary committee.

With these additions, the NCP Political Council now consists of 12 members, including the convener, member secretary, and other senior organizational leaders from different regions and departments of the party.

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.