Several countries including China, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Oman, Germany, Australia, and others have welcomed the recently announced ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The ceasefire, reportedly lasting two weeks, was described by many governments as a positive step toward easing tensions in the Middle East. Statements of support were issued through official channels and social media, with leaders emphasizing the need for dialogue and restraint. China’s foreign ministry said it had worked toward lasting peace in the region, while Japan called the truce a positive move and awaited a permanent peace deal. France’s President Emmanuel Macron praised the development but warned that Lebanon’s crisis must also be addressed. The UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to help sustain the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Oman, Germany, and Australia highlighted the importance of diplomatic efforts and thanked mediating nations such as Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Other nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq, and New Zealand, echoed calls for compliance with the ceasefire terms and avoidance of provocations. Many expressed hope that the truce would lead to a permanent resolution and regional stability.

A severe hailstorm struck Phulbari upazila in Dinajpur on Tuesday, April 7, causing extensive damage to around 4,000 houses and 1,528 hectares of cropland. The storm, which lasted from late afternoon to evening, hit several villages in Eluari Union, including Rudrani, Ushahar, Banahar, Panikata, Jalpaitli, and Damodarpur. Large hailstones pierced tin roofs and destroyed mango, litchi, and other fruit orchards. Local residents reported that their nearly mature paddy crops were completely ruined. Following the storm, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ahmed Hasan, Project Implementation Officer Mizanur Rahman, and Agriculture Officer Saif Abdullah visited the affected areas. The administration has prepared a preliminary list of damages, and committees have been formed in each ward to assess actual losses. Officials confirmed that the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry will provide assistance to affected families. According to the agriculture office, crop losses include 1,500 hectares of paddy, 10 hectares of maize, and smaller areas of vegetables and fruits. The local administration has informed higher authorities and expects special allocations for relief support.

Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCCL) has announced that internet services across the country may face disruptions for three days due to maintenance and repair work on the nation’s second submarine cable, SEA-ME-WE-5. The company issued a press release on Wednesday stating that the repair work will begin at 10 p.m. on Thursday and continue until 6 a.m. on Monday, April 13, totaling three days and eight hours of maintenance. The maintenance involves fixing a ‘shunt fault’ in the submarine cable system located in Kuakata. BSCCL expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience and assured users that efforts are underway through the consortium to complete the repair as quickly as possible. The company also confirmed that normal service will be restored within the scheduled timeframe once the repair is completed. During the maintenance period, internet users across Bangladesh may experience slow connectivity or temporary service interruptions, according to the BSCCL statement.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of six bank accounts belonging to Monir Ahmed, Managing Director of Ahmedia Finance and Commerce Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, and his wife, Sakhina Ahmed. The order was issued on Wednesday by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez, confirmed by court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inspector Billal Hossain had earlier filed a petition seeking to block the accounts. The petition stated that Monir Ahmed allegedly collected funds from around 1,000 to 1,100 members of the cooperative, promising high profits, and misappropriated approximately Tk 58.34 crore. The funds were reportedly used to purchase flats and land, linking him to money laundering and illicit wealth accumulation. The court deemed the account freeze necessary for proper investigation. The order aims to facilitate the ongoing investigation into alleged financial fraud and money laundering involving the cooperative’s leadership.

The Actors’ Association of Bangladesh has announced a special memorial event titled “Bondhu Priyo Shams Sumon… Smritite Amlan” to honor late National Film Award-winning actor Shams Sumon. The event will take place on Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The association’s general secretary, Rashed Mamunur Rahman Apu, confirmed the arrangement. According to the organizers, the gathering will feature a video documentary on Shams Sumon’s life and work, followed by recollections from his colleagues. Shams Sumon, who passed away on March 17, had a long and diverse career across stage, television, and film. He earned the National Film Award in 2008 for his supporting role in the film “Swapnopuron.” He also served as the station head of Radio Bhumi and as program director at Channel i. Once a familiar face in television dramas, Shams Sumon was admired for his acting talent, personality, and sincerity toward his peers, which made him beloved across the entertainment community.

At the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Wednesday, Muni Akter, wife of slain Nazrul Islam, testified as the third witness against dismissed army officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan. She stated that on March 15, 2010, five to six men in plain clothes abducted her husband from Bamta Mor in Kotalipara, Gopalganj, and he was never seen again. Later, police recovered his body from the Baleshwar River in Sharankhola, Bagerhat. She said she later learned that then RAB intelligence chief Ziaul Ahsan was responsible for her husband’s disappearance and killing. Muni Akter told the tribunal that her husband had worked as a medical assistant at the BDR headquarters in Pilkhana and fled after witnessing the 2009 BDR mutiny killings. He later took a job at Madhumati Clinic in Kotalipara under a false name. After his disappearance, she filed a case with Kotalipara Police Station. Authorities later informed the family that his body had been buried as unclaimed, and it was reburied after DNA confirmation. She appealed for justice for her husband’s abduction and murder, asserting that he was targeted for witnessing the BDR killings.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Shishir Muhammad Monir stated that the main challenge with the July Charter lies in its implementation process rather than its content. He made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled “State Reform from July Spirit: Challenges and Prospects,” organized by the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir. Monir alleged that the government altered the previously agreed framework for constitutional reform after the election, abandoning the planned referendum meant to gather public opinion on four key issues. He explained that the reform council was supposed to complete its work within 180 days and form a bicameral parliament, but the process stalled as council members did not take oath. Out of 84 reform proposals, 47 were constitutional and 37 non-constitutional, with 30 of the constitutional ones reaching consensus. He emphasized the need for structural reforms to overcome political stagnation, including limiting the prime minister’s tenure and separating party and government leadership. Monir also warned that weak state institutions allow hidden forces to influence governance and urged young people to prepare for ethical leadership in the future.

OpenAI has introduced a new policy blueprint aimed at reinforcing child protection frameworks in the United States amid the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. The initiative, developed in collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Attorney General Alliance, and other child safety organizations, outlines a coordinated approach to prevent and detect child sexual exploitation online. The blueprint emphasizes modernizing laws to address AI-generated and altered child sexual abuse material (CSAM), improving provider reporting and coordination for investigations, and embedding safety-by-design measures into AI systems. The framework integrates legal, operational, and technical strategies to identify risks earlier, accelerate responses, and enhance accountability across the digital ecosystem. It underscores that no single intervention can solve the problem alone, calling for shared standards and stronger collaboration between technology providers and law enforcement. State Attorneys General Jeff Jackson and Derek Brown, co-chairs of the Attorney General Alliance’s AI Task Force, endorsed the blueprint as a significant step toward aligning industry practices with enforcement needs. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Attorney General Alliance both commended OpenAI’s continued commitment to child safety and responsible AI design, highlighting the importance of collective action to protect children online.

A rural businessman named Ziaul Haque from Cox’s Bazar has allegedly been targeted with a series of false cases aimed at seizing his shrimp farms. According to his wife, Nishat Tajnim Reshmi, a group led by Awami League leader Waz Karim Babul has filed more than 30 fabricated cases against her husband over the past three years. She claims the group, consisting of local criminals and political beneficiaries, is attempting to take control of their legally leased shrimp and salt fields in the Choufaldandi area. Reshmi stated that the family’s livelihood and that of many workers depend on the business, which was established through a valid lease from local landowner Mostak Ahmed Chowdhury. She alleged that the police recently accepted a case against her husband instead of charging an armed suspect caught by locals. Ziaul Haque’s mother, Matiunnesa, also said the lease was legitimate and accused the group of trying to occupy the land while the owner was abroad. Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge Mohammad Sami Uddin said two cases have been filed and that the investigation will determine the actual offenders.

The CIA used a previously undisclosed technology called “Ghost Murmur” to locate and rescue an American airman shot down in southern Iran, according to The Post. The system, employing long-range quantum magnetometry and artificial intelligence, detects the electromagnetic fingerprint of a human heartbeat and isolates it from background noise. This marked the tool’s first operational use, and both President Trump and CIA Director John Ratcliffe referenced it during a White House briefing. The airman, identified publicly only as “Dude 44 Bravo,” survived two days in a mountain crevice before being found. Sources told The Post that Ghost Murmur was developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division and had been tested on Black Hawk helicopters for potential use on F-35 jets. The barren desert terrain provided ideal conditions for the technology’s debut, with minimal electromagnetic interference and strong thermal contrast aiding detection. The system’s sensitivity stems from advances in quantum magnetometry using synthetic diamond sensors, though it requires significant processing time and works best in low-clutter environments. The CIA’s success in confirming the airman’s survival triggered the mission’s execution phase, with Trump praising the agency’s performance and hinting at the classified nature of the technology.

The Bangladesh Parliament has passed the July Uprising Protection and Liability Determination Bill 2026. The bill was introduced by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday, April 8, and was approved unanimously by voice vote. The legislation provides legal immunity to participants of the July uprising by enabling the withdrawal of all civil and criminal cases filed against them. According to the law, all related allegations will be annulled following prescribed procedures, and no new legal action can be initiated against individuals involved in the uprising. This effectively grants full legal protection to those associated with the event. Earlier, the Parliament also passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance Bill 2026, which legally allows the government to ban any political party or organization accused of involvement in terrorism. This amendment ensures the legal basis for prohibiting political activities of the ousted Awami League.

NCP Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah has sharply criticized the formation of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), alleging that it has become politically biased. Speaking in the national parliament on Wednesday during discussions on the 'July Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Bill,' he claimed that the BCB is no longer a national institution but has turned into a partisan entity. Abdullah also demanded that the Human Rights Commission Ordinance be passed as a bill before approving the current legislation. He accused the government of politicizing constitutional institutions, citing examples such as the Bangladesh Bank and the cricket board. In response, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed countered that former interim government sports adviser Asif Mahmud had exercised government powers over councilors and conducted a one-sided voting process for the cricket board while a related High Court petition remained pending. The exchange highlighted growing political tensions over control of national institutions, with the BCB becoming a focal point of debate in parliament.

Two separate hearings were held in Chattogram on Tuesday concerning expelled ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is currently in jail in a sedition case. The hearings took place at the Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Court-2, where a petition was filed to show his arrest in a land-grabbing, vandalism, and looting case filed by former minister Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin. The case, lodged in 2023, accuses Chinmoy Krishna Das and six others of damaging property and looting fish from a pond on land owned by the plaintiff in Hathazari’s Mekhal Union. Although the hearing date was set for April 7, the accused was not produced before the court. The court stated that an order would be issued later, but none had been given at the time of reporting. In a separate case, the Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal continued cross-examinations in the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, but Chinmoy Krishna Das was again not presented before the court. The report notes that 24 of the 39 accused in the murder case were produced, while 14 remain absconding.

A large-scale conflict erupted after the United States and Israel launched major attacks on Iran on February 28, killing the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran retaliated, sparking a regional war that has left thousands dead across the Middle East, with most casualties reported in Iran and Lebanon. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 3,636 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, including more than 150 in attacks on girls’ schools. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported at least 1,900 deaths in Iran. Lebanese authorities said 1,530 people, including 129 children, were killed by Israeli strikes since March 2. Three Indonesian UN peacekeepers died in southern Lebanon, while Iraq reported 117 deaths. Israel’s ambulance service confirmed 23 deaths from Iranian and Lebanese missile attacks, and its military reported 11 soldiers killed. The US Central Command said 13 American soldiers were killed and over 300 wounded. Casualties were also reported in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Palestine, Syria, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and northern Iraq, underscoring the widespread regional impact of the conflict.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni announced that the ongoing session of the Bangladesh National Parliament will continue on Friday. He made the statement on Wednesday, April 8, during a break in the current parliamentary session. According to him, 44 ordinances have already been passed as bills, and the parliament aims to resolve all 133 ordinances by Friday. Considering the workload, the decision was made to hold the session on Friday as well. The Chief Whip expressed dissatisfaction over the malfunctioning and mismanagement of the parliament building’s sound system, alleging that the contractors who received the tender had outsourced the work to others. To meet the constitutional requirement of converting 133 ordinances into law, the parliament has been holding two sessions per day since Tuesday, April 7. The continuation of the session on Friday underscores the parliament’s effort to complete legislative obligations within the stipulated timeframe.