India has appointed Pranay Verma, currently serving as the country's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, as its next ambassador to Belgium and the European Union. The Ministry of External Affairs announced the appointment in a statement on Friday, confirming that Verma will soon assume his new responsibilities in Brussels. His tenure in Dhaka, which began in September 2022, is now nearing completion. Reports in Indian media had recently indicated that Verma would be transferred to Brussels, a posting that has gained importance following the signing of a trade agreement between India and the European Union on January 27. The agreement aims to expand bilateral trade in goods, services, and investments, with implementation expected by early 2027. According to India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the free trade agreement is designed to create a future-ready trade framework supporting emerging economic sectors. India has set an export target of 300 billion dollars, particularly focusing on engineering and manufacturing industries.

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.

A sixth-grade student was found unconscious with tape over her mouth at Chhatrogacha Secondary School in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia on Thursday night. Locals broke into the school around 8:30 p.m. and discovered the girl in a third-floor room after the school peon tried to prevent them from entering. Police were alerted through the emergency number 999, and the school’s office assistant and night guard were taken into custody for questioning. The girl had attended an SSC farewell event earlier that day and did not return home by evening, prompting her family to search for her. She was first taken to Mirpur Upazila Health Complex and later referred to Kushtia General Hospital for advanced treatment. Hospital authorities reported multiple injury marks on her body and said she remained in critical condition in the gynecology ward. Police stated that the case is being treated with utmost seriousness and that legal action will follow once the medical examination report is received.

At least 20 people were injured in a series of clashes between two factions of the National Citizens Party (NCP) in Dhamrai, Dhaka, on Friday, April 10. The violence broke out around 4 p.m. at Haji Kamrul Super Market in the Kalampur bus station area during the inauguration of the NCP’s temporary office for Dhaka North District and Dhamrai Upazila. According to local sources, the conflict began when NCP members who were denied party positions protested against the current committee during speeches following the office inauguration. The argument escalated into physical clashes between the two groups. Nabila Tasnid, convener of NCP Dhaka North District, alleged that a faction opposed to the new office attacked to protect their personal interests. Meanwhile, Israfill Islam Khokon, chief coordinator of NCP Dhamrai Upazila, said their existing committee had been active and already had an office, questioning the need for a new one. The incident has raised concerns about internal divisions within the NCP’s local leadership in Dhamrai.

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.

A long-standing ideological dispute between Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and sections of Qawmi madrasa-based Deobandi scholars continues to persist. The disagreement, rooted in writings by Jamaat founder Maulana Syed Abul Ala Maududi, has resurfaced around the 13th national election. Qawmi leaders allege that Maududi’s views on prophets and companions contradict core Sunni beliefs, prompting some clerics to declare voting for Jamaat as religiously forbidden. Hefazat-e-Islam’s Amir Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari publicly called voting for Jamaat haram and endorsed a rival candidate, intensifying the divide. Jamaat leaders, however, deny any doctrinal deviation, asserting that their faith aligns with mainstream Islam and that Maududi’s opinions are personal, not institutional. They accuse a small group of Qawmi clerics of reviving disputes during elections. Despite tensions, Jamaat has sought reconciliation, with its Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman apologizing to Qawmi scholars and urging unity. Some younger Qawmi clerics, including Maulana Ali Hasan Usama, believe the conflict is easing and can be resolved through dialogue. The dispute, once theological, has evolved into a political rivalry influencing alliances and electoral strategies within Bangladesh’s Islamist landscape.

The U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran that began on February 28 has raised concerns about the stability of the petrodollar system, which has underpinned global oil trade since a 1974 U.S.-Gulf agreement. Analysts warn that Iran’s decision to impose yuan-based tariffs on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could weaken the dollar’s role as the world’s primary energy currency. Deutsche Bank strategists noted that the conflict is testing the long-standing “oil-for-security” arrangement that has supported U.S. financial power for five decades. Iran now controls access to the Hormuz Strait, through which 20 percent of global oil and gas normally pass. Tehran has restricted U.S. and Israeli-linked vessels while allowing limited passage to tankers paying in Chinese yuan. CNBC reported that Iran exported about 11.7 million barrels of crude to China since the conflict began. Meanwhile, China has increased its crude reserves to 1.2 billion barrels, enough for three to four months of demand. Experts suggest the war could accelerate a shift toward a “petro-yuan” system, especially as global reserves diversify away from the dollar. Deutsche Bank’s Mallika Sachdeva described the conflict as marking the beginning of this transition.

Bangladesh Police have expressed a strong preference to return to the uniform used during the Awami League administration, with over 90 percent of members reportedly supporting the move. The Police Headquarters has already sent the collective opinions of all units to the Ministry of Home Affairs, but no final decision has been made. This has led to a stalemate over whether the force will revert to the old design or adopt a new one. The ministry is reportedly cautious, fearing that the old uniform could reignite political controversy linked to past unrest. The debate over police attire began after the 2024 interim government introduced a new uniform to distance the force from earlier political symbolism. However, dissatisfaction grew among officers, who argued that the new design undermined morale and professionalism. The old blue-olive mix uniform, they said, was more recognizable and comfortable. Senior officials, however, worry that returning to it could revive memories of the July uprising. The ministry is now reviewing several modernized design options, including new colors and fabrics suited to Bangladesh’s climate. Officials aim to balance tradition with modernization while avoiding political bias.

Ferry and vessel movement on the Daulatdia-Paturia river route resumed around 7:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, after being suspended for about one and a half hours due to dense morning fog. The suspension began at approximately 5:45 a.m. when visibility on the Padma River dropped sharply, obscuring channel markers and navigation lights and creating safety risks. Authorities halted all types of river transport, including ferries, to prevent possible accidents. During the suspension, passenger buses, cargo trucks, private cars, and motorcycles were stranded at both Daulatdia and Paturia terminals, causing temporary inconvenience for travelers and drivers. Once the fog cleared and visibility improved, ferry operations gradually returned to normal. According to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Daulatdia office, the temporary halt was a precautionary measure to avoid potential river accidents. Currently, twelve ferries of various sizes are operating regularly on this key river route.

The Police Reform Commission, formed by Bangladesh’s interim government on October 3, 2024, to make law enforcement more accountable and citizen-oriented, has submitted its 355-page final report to the government on January 15, 2026. Despite detailed short-, medium-, and long-term reform proposals, there has been no visible progress in implementing them. Bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of political will are cited as the main obstacles. The commission’s recommendations include establishing transparent interrogation rooms, ensuring female police presence during questioning of women, ending the misuse of anonymous cases, and empowering the National Human Rights Commission to investigate rights violations by law enforcement. It also calls for reviewing the necessity of the Rapid Action Battalion, creating anti-corruption watchdog committees at police stations, and reforming recruitment, promotion, and training systems. Eleven proposals were identified as immediately actionable. Experts warn that without political commitment, the reform process may stagnate, undermining public trust in the police and hindering improvements in Bangladesh’s law and order system.

Four astronauts from NASA’s Artemis-2 lunar mission safely returned to Earth, landing in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of California on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 6:07 a.m. local time. The Orion spacecraft, carrying U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, completed its re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere before splashdown. U.S. Navy ships and divers participated in the recovery operation to secure the spacecraft and bring the crew aboard a naval vessel for medical checks. The 10-day mission began on April 1, marking a major milestone in NASA’s renewed lunar exploration program. During the mission, the crew traveled as far as 252,757 miles from Earth while orbiting the far side of the Moon, surpassing the distance record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. After initial health assessments, the astronauts will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The successful completion of Artemis-2 reinforces NASA’s progress toward future lunar and deep-space missions under the Artemis program.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that while Iran maintains goodwill toward the United States, it does not trust Washington. Speaking to Iranian state media, he said the Iranian delegation is confident but skeptical of its American counterparts. Ghalibaf added that if the United States is ready for a genuine agreement, Iran could also be prepared to engage. He emphasized that Iran’s past experiences in negotiations with the United States have consistently ended in failure and breaches of commitments. His remarks come as discussions between the two countries face renewed attention, with reports highlighting tensions over Iran’s assets and the Lebanon ceasefire issue. The comments signal Tehran’s cautious stance before any potential talks, underscoring a demand for credible assurances from Washington before progress can be made.

An Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived in Islamabad to hold discussions with US officials on a possible ceasefire. The team includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Council Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolkadr, Defense Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian, and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati. Upon arrival, the delegation was received by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Tehran University professor Zohreh Kharazmi told Al Jazeera that Iran entered the Islamabad talks with confidence, viewing the meeting itself as a sign of a shift in the US position. She noted that while former US President Trump had demanded unconditional surrender as recently as March 6, Washington is now at the negotiation table. Kharazmi emphasized that Iran remains firm on its conditions and expects some of them to be accepted in later rounds. Kharazmi also highlighted that control over the Strait of Hormuz remains central to Iran’s bargaining position, describing it as a means to recover war costs.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Islamabad to join talks between the United States and Iran, scheduled to begin Saturday, aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire in the Middle East. Before his departure, President Donald Trump told reporters that Iran’s nuclear program would be the main focus of the discussions and that no backup plan was necessary. He added that a good deal with Iran would mean the absence of nuclear weapons and claimed that regime change had already occurred in Iran. Trump also said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen soon, though he noted the United States did not need it. He rejected reports that Iran might impose tolls on ships passing through the strait, saying Washington would not allow that. Meanwhile, an Iranian delegation including senior officials such as Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already arrived in Islamabad for the talks. The discussions are expected to address Iran’s assets and the Lebanon ceasefire, though their duration remains uncertain, according to Trump.