A report published on April 24, 2026, describes an escalating information war surrounding Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts, allegedly led by Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) and armed groups. The article identifies Augustina Chakma, granddaughter of Shanti Bahini chief Santu Larma, as a key figure in international campaigns portraying Bangladesh and its security forces negatively. It claims that these groups are concealing internal conflicts, extortion, and abductions while blaming non-tribal citizens and the military.

The report says the latest phase of this campaign unfolded at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York, beginning April 20, 2026, where Augustina and other PCJSS representatives presented allegations of human rights abuses and demographic changes. Bangladeshi security agencies reportedly expressed concern that such one-sided narratives undermine national sovereignty and stability. The article also details violent incidents, extortion worth up to Tk 1,200 crore in 2025, and clashes between PCJSS and the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF).

Authorities and analysts cited in the report urge unified national efforts to counter misinformation, promote factual reporting, and resolve land and political disputes within Bangladesh’s constitutional framework.

A government document has alleged that the then Awami League government orchestrated a 'Reshma rescue drama' to conceal the true facts of the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Savar, which killed 1,138 garment workers and injured thousands. The report claims that 17 days after the collapse, the government presented the rescue of worker Reshma, also known as Fatema, as a miraculous survival story, though evidence suggests she had escaped on the day of the disaster. Officials from the Law, Home, and Labour ministries confirmed the existence of the document.

The document further states that despite clear evidence implicating several officials and political figures, the absence of government approval prevented their inclusion in the charge sheet. It also notes that the case remains unresolved 13 years later, with influential accused persons released on bail and alleged interference by the Awami League government. The interim government that recently left office reportedly initiated efforts to uncover the truth and review the case.

State lawyers involved in the case said the previous government did not prioritize the trial, but the current legal team is treating it as a high-importance case.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House in the coming weeks. The visits aim to advance efforts toward establishing a lasting peace agreement in the region, according to Trump.

Trump stated that the United States is working toward a durable peace deal and noted that the issue of Hezbollah remains a consideration in these efforts. He added that Washington intends to cooperate with Lebanon to help stabilize the country’s situation. Trump also mentioned that aligning this initiative with U.S. actions concerning Iran would be an ideal outcome.

The announcement underscores ongoing U.S. diplomatic engagement in the Middle East, focusing on regional stability and coordination with key partners on security and political issues.

US President Donald Trump announced that he has dismissed Navy Secretary John Phelan following disagreements over shipbuilding issues. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said Phelan was hardworking but had differences with others regarding new ship construction and procurement. The decision came amid ongoing tensions within the Navy’s leadership over the pace of implementing reforms to accelerate shipbuilding.

According to sources cited in the report, Phelan was removed due to slow progress in carrying out reforms aimed at speeding up ship production. The Pentagon has not provided any official reason for his dismissal. Reports also indicate that Phelan’s relationship with Undersecretary Hung Cao was strained.

Hung Cao has been appointed as acting Navy Secretary following Phelan’s removal. The White House and Pentagon have not yet commented further on the leadership transition or future plans for the shipbuilding program.

Expelled BNP leader and former Jubo Dal organizing secretary Ishaq Sarkar, along with Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq’s granddaughter Fersamin Huq Iqbal Flora, are set to join the National Citizens Party (NCP) on Friday afternoon at the Institution of Diploma Engineers auditorium in Kakrail, Dhaka. Content creator Nuruzzaman Kafi, activist Mohiuddin Rony, and several leaders from the July uprising movement will also announce their entry into the party. NCP convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain are expected to attend the event.

An NCP joint convener said Ishaq Sarkar would join with thousands of supporters and might be appointed convener of NCP’s Dhaka South unit, replacing joint member secretary Alauddin Mohammad, who is stepping down. Alauddin stated that party interests come first and that expanding NCP’s organization is vital for the country.

Ishaq Sarkar said he was denied opportunities to serve people within BNP and faced harassment, but he intends to move forward without resentment. Flora’s formal joining had been discussed for some time, and she is expected to receive a key central committee role.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Golan has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately depriving the country’s Palestinian Arab citizens of security. In a post on X, Golan claimed that more than 700 killings in three years demonstrate Netanyahu’s appointed minister’s intentional neglect of Arab citizens’ lives. He further alleged that Netanyahu handed internal security to a person previously convicted of arson, enabling criminal groups to take control of certain areas.

According to an Al Jazeera report cited in the article, Palestinian citizens in Israel have long faced discriminatory laws and violence. In 2025, about 300 people were killed in the country, including 252 Palestinian citizens. Official census data from 2019 recorded around 1.9 million Palestinian citizens in Israel, most of them descendants of Palestinians who remained during the 1948 establishment of the state.

Historical accounts note that around 750,000 Palestinians were displaced or forced to leave during Israel’s founding, with thousands killed at that time.

The Bangladesh Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman, held its fifth meeting on Thursday evening at the National Parliament complex and approved five major proposals. The most notable decision was to include the Purbachal New Town Project area under Dhaka North City Corporation, as well as bring it under the jurisdiction of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka WASA. To remove administrative complications, relevant parts of Rupganj in Narayanganj and Kaliganj in Gazipur will be incorporated into Dhaka district. The government stated that this move will enhance civic services, security, and urban management in Purbachal.

The Cabinet also decided to observe National Tea Day on May 21 each year, aligning it with the FAO-declared International Tea Day. Additionally, amendments were approved to remove the maximum age limit for appointing chairmen and members of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority, aiming to attract more skilled professionals.

In a significant change, the Cabinet gave final approval to a draft law abolishing the duty-free car import privilege for Members of Parliament. The government expects these measures to improve administrative efficiency, public services, and fiscal discipline.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a large rally in front of its central office at Naya Paltan, Dhaka, to mark International Workers’ Day. The event will feature BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as the chief guest. The announcement came from Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan following a press conference after a preparatory meeting of the party’s May Day celebration committee.

According to Khan, the rally will be organized by the BNP’s labor wing, with its president Anwar Hossain presiding and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attending as a special guest. He urged workers and party members to join the event, emphasizing ongoing demands for fair wages, workplace safety, and livelihood security. Khan noted that while some positive steps have been taken for agricultural workers and small farmers, further reforms to labor laws are still needed.

He described workers as the productive force of society deserving respect rather than sympathy and called for unity to make the May Day rally a success.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Dhaka South acting president Maulana Ahmad Abdul Kaiyum has called on the government to accept the demand for a proportional representation (PR) system in the upper house of the National Parliament. Speaking at a grassroots meeting in Shahjahanpur, he said political parties had proposed PR for the lower house, while the constitutional reform commission had recommended PR for the upper house. Under this system, a party’s seats in the upper house would correspond to its nationwide vote share, ensuring balanced representation and preventing single-party dominance.

Kaiyum criticized the government for ignoring public demands for state reform following the July uprising, warning that people would resist any move toward authoritarianism. He also accused opposition parties of failing to play an active role in the reform process, noting that they quietly submitted their women’s candidate lists instead. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Maulana Syed Hafizur Rahman and attended by local and organizational leaders.

The event reflected growing calls from Islami Andolan Bangladesh for structural political reforms and broader representation in national governance.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Liberation War Generation has announced a new 151-member full central committee. Engineer Md. Ishraq Hossain has been appointed as president, while Dr. K. M. I. Monty has been named general secretary. Ishraq Hossain currently serves as the state minister for the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. The announcement was made on Thursday through a press release issued by the Bangladesh Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party, signed by its president Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat.

According to the release, the previously declared central convening committee from November 24, 2025, has been dissolved. The new committee was formed to make the organization more active and stronger. The committee includes senior vice president Zahedul Haque Shamim, several vice presidents, joint secretaries, and departmental secretaries covering areas such as finance, information technology, sports, culture, women’s affairs, and health.

The press release also noted that BNP chairman and current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been listed as the number one member of the new committee.

India’s Home Ministry has reportedly proposed releasing crocodiles and snakes in riverine areas along the Bangladesh-India border that remain unfenced. The proposal, reported by The Telegraph India, aims to strengthen border security in regions where surveillance is difficult. However, the plan has triggered internal disagreement within the Border Security Force (BSF).

Former BSF Director General and Padma Shri recipient Prakash Singh criticized the idea as foolish, warning that it could endanger civilians living near the border. He questioned how animals could distinguish between Indian and Bangladeshi nationals. According to a senior BSF source, the ministry has asked the force to assess the feasibility of the proposal, but many officers oppose it due to potential risks, especially during floods.

A follow-up meeting is scheduled next week to continue discussions. The India-Bangladesh border stretches about 4,096 kilometers, with roughly 175 kilometers consisting of rivers and difficult terrain that complicate monitoring, according to the Home Ministry.

A protester threw a red liquid at exiled Iranian figure Reza Pahlavi in Berlin on Thursday, shortly after he left a press conference at the Federal Press Conference building. Video footage showed Pahlavi being struck on the neck and shoulder as he walked toward his car. He waved to supporters before quickly leaving the area. German police immediately detained the protester.

Earlier at the press conference, Pahlavi had sharply criticized the ongoing ceasefire between the United States and Iran, calling it ineffective and arguing that expecting behavioral change from the Iranian government was misguided. He advocated for continued military pressure on Iran.

Pahlavi, who has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has recently sought to position himself as a potential political figure in Iran amid the ongoing Iran-Israel-United States conflict. The attack is believed to have been motivated by opposition to his pro-war stance.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has called for peaceful and successful implementation of the 11-party alliance’s previously announced mass rallies to be held on Saturday, April 25, in all major cities except Dhaka. In a statement issued on Thursday, he said the rallies aim to press for the implementation of the referendum verdict, resolution of the energy crisis, control of rising commodity prices, and solutions to various public hardships.

Porwar stated that the country is going through a deep crisis and that citizens voted ‘yes’ in the referendum with high expectations. He emphasized that implementing the referendum’s outcome is the government’s main responsibility. According to him, the movement is not for any particular group but for restoring democratic rights and building a just society.

He urged Jamaat members, alliance activists, and patriotic citizens to ensure the rallies are orderly and peaceful. Porwar also prayed for national peace and prosperity and sought cooperation from all to maintain discipline during the program.

The administration of Chittagong Government City College has formed a three-member investigation committee following repeated clashes between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir over a dispute involving the word 'Gupta'. The committee was established on Thursday, confirmed by Principal Abu Saleh Mohammad Naeem Uddin around 3 p.m. He declined to disclose the names of the committee members citing security reasons. The principal stated that the situation during the incident was serious and that the committee will determine who was involved and recommend disciplinary action as per regulations.

The clashes began on Wednesday morning, April 21, when tensions between the two student groups escalated on the college campus. By noon, the situation turned violent, leading to an hour-long chase, brick-throwing, and widespread panic. Police and college authorities intervened to restore order, but violence resumed later in the afternoon during a protest by Chhatra Shibir. Both groups claimed that at least 20 people were injured in the confrontations.

The investigation committee is expected to review the events and identify those responsible for the unrest within the college premises.

The government has cancelled all fertilizer dealers who were appointed during the previous Awami regime, described as a fascist period by officials. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni announced the decision at a press conference in the Parliament lobby on Thursday, stating that new dealers will be appointed very soon to replace those removed.

In the same briefing, Moni said a ten-member committee has been formed to address the country’s ongoing energy crisis. The committee will include five members from the ruling party and five from the opposition, and will be led by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku. The proposal for the committee was supported by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following a suggestion from the opposition leader.

The proposal was unanimously passed in Parliament, signaling a rare moment of cross-party consensus on tackling the energy issue.