Fuel is being sold at inflated prices across several districts of Bangladesh, with sellers citing supply shortages. Consumers are being forced to pay more for petrol, octane, diesel, and kerosene, which is driving up the prices of essential goods. In Jamalpur, new official rates have been set, but many stations are charging extra, leading to long queues and frustration among buyers.

Reports from Faridpur, Rangpur, and Bogura describe irregularities such as phone-based fuel sales, syndicate control, and deliberate supply halts. In Sunamganj, a mobile court fined a businessman for overpricing fuel, while in Chuadanga, 300 liters of illegally stored diesel were seized and resold to farmers at official rates. The Coast Guard in Bhola confiscated 4,000 liters of petrol being transported illegally, and in Narayanganj, a company was fined for selling diesel and furnace oil without valid documents.

Authorities in several districts have launched mobile court operations and enforcement drives to curb illegal sales and stabilize the market, though widespread public hardship continues.

An adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran as meaningless. The adviser said Washington cannot impose any conditions on Tehran, asserting that the United States has been defeated in the conflict. He added that a defeated side cannot dictate terms during ongoing tensions.

The remarks came amid continued disputes over the US naval blockade and stalled negotiations. Iranian officials have warned that sustained pressure could further escalate the situation. The comments reflect Tehran’s firm stance against US actions in the region.

Earlier, Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire with Iran in a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. He also ordered the US military to maintain the naval blockade against Iran, citing requests from Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to delay attacks until Tehran presents a unified proposal.

Lightning protection rods installed in the haor areas of Sunamganj have become ineffective, leading to an increase in lightning-related deaths and growing public fear. The region, known as one of the most lightning-prone areas in the world, has recorded 68 deaths from lightning strikes between 2022 and April 18, 2026. Despite government efforts, the installed rods have failed to reduce casualties.

According to the report, the Disaster Management Department spent two crore taka during the 2021–22 fiscal year to install 18 lightning rods across six upazilas, mainly on government buildings such as union council offices and land offices, rather than in open haor fields where farmers and fishermen work. Field visits revealed that many rods are nonfunctional, with meters not working and no lightning measurement taking place. Environmental activists blamed mismanagement and climate change for worsening conditions, urging the establishment of small shelters and a weather center in Sunamganj.

District relief officials acknowledged the need for improved safety measures but cited budget and planning constraints. They stated that rods were placed in populated areas, though all are currently inactive.

A Bangladeshi expatriate businessman, Abu Naser Shamim, aged 50 and originally from Noakhali’s Companiganj upazila, was shot dead by armed assailants in front of his business establishment in the Bara area near Johannesburg, South Africa. The attack occurred around 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, when the assailants held a pistol to his head and fired multiple rounds, killing him instantly. The incident has plunged his family and local community into mourning.

According to his son, Abu Rafsan Piyas, Shamim had first migrated to South Africa in 2007 and returned there after a brief stay in Bangladesh to expand his business. He reportedly owned four to five enterprises in South Africa. Recently, he had disputes with a business partner from Noakhali over the sale of a large shop, prompting him to install bulletproof glass and hire a security guard for safety. The murder occurred while he was speaking with the guard outside his shop.

Members of the Bangladeshi expatriate community expressed deep sorrow, while the victim’s family urged the government to ensure a proper investigation and repatriate his body to Bangladesh.

Lawmakers in Bangladesh’s National Parliament have renewed calls to reopen the Shamshernagar Airport in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar to enhance tourism and local business. The issue was raised through an emergency notice by Moulvibazar-3 MP M Naser Rahman, who urged the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister to consider partial civilian use of the airbase currently under the Air Force. The discussion took place in a recent parliamentary session, where the agenda was confirmed by the Legislative Support Wing of the Parliament Secretariat.

The airport, built during World War II over about 800 acres, has a 6,000-foot runway and is now used for Air Force training. Local residents and expatriates claim vested interests have blocked its reopening, though they argue it would benefit the economy and tourism. Another MP, Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, also supported the demand, citing easier access to nearby tourist sites such as Lawachara and Madhabkunda.

In response, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita said a feasibility study is underway to assess the airport’s commercial viability. The Moulvibazar Chamber of Commerce welcomed the parliamentary attention, noting that improved air connectivity could revitalize regional trade.

The Rangamati district administration has imposed a complete ban on all types of fishing in Kaptai Lake to ensure proper breeding, growth, and natural expansion of released fish fry. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi, who also heads the Kaptai Lake Management and Operations Committee. According to a press release from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the ban will take effect from midnight on April 24 and remain in place until further notice.

During the ban, fishing, transportation, and marketing of fish from the lake will be prohibited. However, fish already caught may be landed at the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) jetty until 4 p.m. on April 25. The release of new fish fry into the lake will begin on May 2. To enforce the restrictions, joint patrols by the naval police and BFDC will be conducted, with temporary checkpoints and mobile courts operating to prevent illegal fishing.

The ministry has also launched a humanitarian program to support 26,845 affected fishing families in Rangamati and Khagrachhari, providing 40 kilograms of rice per family over two months and transport allowances to ensure food security during the ban.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has suspended the transfer of cash dollars to Iraq and temporarily halted security cooperation with the Iraqi military. According to The Wall Street Journal, the move aims to pressure the Iraqi government to dismantle powerful Iran-backed militia groups operating within the country.

The report states that the US Treasury Department recently blocked a cargo plane carrying about 500 million dollars in cash destined for Iraq. The funds originated from Iraqi oil sales and were held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. US officials cited concerns over the influence and activities of the militias as the reason for withholding the money. Neither the Trump administration nor the Treasury Department has issued an official comment on the matter.

The suspension marks a significant escalation in US efforts to curb Iranian influence in Iraq, reflecting ongoing tensions in the region.

Iran has warned that oil production in Gulf countries could be targeted if their territories are used for attacks against Iran. The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force issued the threat, according to a report by the state-backed Fars News Agency. The warning comes as several Persian Gulf nations have previously allowed Iran’s adversaries to operate from their soil.

The report added that Iran’s list of potential targets has expanded beyond military installations to include major oil fields and refineries across the Middle East. The commander specifically mentioned locations in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. Many of these countries are U.S. allies and host American military bases.

The statement underscores rising regional tensions and signals that Iran may consider economic infrastructure a strategic target if hostilities escalate further.

Nahida Sultana Brishti, a former student of the Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering department at Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU), has been missing in the United States for five days. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of South Florida. According to her classmates, she went missing after going out with another student off campus, and both of their phones have since been switched off.

University and state police have begun a joint investigation, with the last phone signal traced inside the campus. The matter has been reported to the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Miami, which stated that the case is being treated seriously and that the FBI may be involved if necessary. Searches in nearby hospitals, airports, and detention centers have so far yielded no results.

Brishti’s family last spoke to her on April 16 and has since been unable to contact her. They have informed the police and the Bangladesh Embassy in the US and are seeking assistance for her safe return. Friends, classmates, and family members have appealed for information and expressed growing concern over her disappearance.

Gazipur Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md Nurul Karim Bhuiyan attended the wedding of Sreemati Preeti Rani Bashfor, a motherless bride from the Harijan community, as an invited guest. The event took place in Gazipur, where the DC’s presence deeply moved members of the marginalized Harijan group, who expressed joy and gratitude at his unexpected attendance.

Preeti Rani Bashfor is the daughter of Ratan Bashfor, a worker of the Bangladesh Harijan Oikya Parishad’s Gazipur metropolitan unit and a long-serving sanitation worker at Gazipur City Corporation. Her late mother, Seema Rani Bashfor, also worked as a cleaner at DUET in Gazipur. The family educated their daughter, who is now a second-year university student. The Harijan community, traditionally engaged in sanitation work, is often referred to as Dalit or marginalized in South Asia.

During the event, DC Bhuiyan emphasized constitutional equality for all citizens regardless of religion, caste, gender, or origin, and called for unity and respect across professions to build Gazipur as a district of equality and harmony.

Ahead of the April 23 West Bengal assembly election, reports allege that India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission have systematically removed large numbers of Muslim voters from the rolls. The revision process, known as SIR, began in November 2025 and resulted in 9.1 million voters being excluded from the final list published in April 2026. Analysts and opposition parties claim that 41 percent of those removed are Muslims, despite Muslims comprising only 27 percent of the state’s population. Districts with high Muslim populations, such as Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, and Malda, saw the highest numbers of deletions.

Reports from journalists and research institutes suggest that the voter exclusions disproportionately affect areas where the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, has historically dominated. The Sabar Institute’s analysis found that in Nandigram and Bhabanipur—key constituencies where BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is contesting—most of the removed names were Muslim. The Election Commission maintains that the process targeted deceased and fake voters, but opposition parties and analysts argue it was politically motivated.

Observers warn that the large-scale disenfranchisement could significantly influence the election outcome in closely contested constituencies.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States has completely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran wants to reopen it to earn about 500 million dollars daily. According to Trump, Iran has kept the vital waterway closed only to save face, as reported by Al Jazeera. He made the remarks in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump added that Iran’s real intention is to reopen the strait because keeping it closed causes financial losses. He claimed that Iran maintains the closure only because the United States has already imposed a full blockade. Trump further mentioned that four days earlier, people informed him that Iran wanted to reopen the strait immediately, but doing so could prevent any future agreement with Iran unless its leadership were destroyed.

The report highlights continuing tensions between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, with both sides asserting conflicting positions on its status.

French President Emmanuel Macron has intensified diplomatic efforts to ease tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory and the disarmament of Hezbollah. His appeal came during an ongoing temporary ceasefire, sparking renewed debate over regional stability.

In a social media message, Macron reaffirmed France’s support for Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and the Lebanese people, pledging continued assistance in addressing humanitarian challenges and helping displaced populations. He emphasized that lasting peace and stability between Lebanon and Israel can only be achieved through political compromise that ensures both nations’ security while safeguarding Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Macron also urged Hezbollah to halt attacks against Israel and abandon its role as an alternative military force. He called for international cooperation to rebuild and stabilize Lebanon. Analysts noted that France’s historical ties with Lebanon make Macron’s initiative a significant diplomatic move as cross-border clashes and rocket attacks have recently intensified, worsening civilian hardship and displacement.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced Principal Muhammad Shamsuzzaman Helali as its mayoral candidate for the upcoming Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election. Helali, a former councillor of the Soloshahar ward, was nominated following a meeting of the party’s city-level Shura council held on Monday night. The decision was confirmed by Morshedul Islam Chowdhury, the assistant secretary of the city Jamaat, who said the nomination was based on the opinions of city members and the central committee’s approval.

Helali previously contested the 13th parliamentary election from the Chattogram-10 constituency as a Jamaat candidate but lost to BNP’s Saeed Al Noman by a margin of 46,000 votes. A postgraduate by education, Helali was formerly a teacher and is now engaged in business. Before his nomination, former DUCSU vice president Sadiq Kayem and several other Jamaat leaders had also been considered for the mayoral race.

The party has also finalized candidates for councillor positions in 41 wards, though the list has not yet been made public.

A 17-year-old student named Ashfaq Kabir Sajid was killed on April 12 in Chattogram after being beaten and thrown into a lift shaft from an under-construction eight-story building. Sajid, a first-year student at BAF Shaheen College, had returned from his home in Badarkhali, Cox’s Bazar, earlier that day. Police said he was attacked by a group of youths in the Baklia area and tried to escape into a residential building, but was chased, beaten, and fatally pushed into the shaft.

Sajid had moved to Chattogram eight months earlier to pursue higher studies, living in a small rented room in the DC Road area. Coming from a lower-middle-class family, his parents had supported his education despite financial hardship. His death has left the family devastated.

Police arrested three suspects—Mishkatul Kayes, Enayetullah, and Enamul Haque—two days after the incident. Investigators described them as known local criminals linked to youth gangs, with multiple prior cases. The motive behind the killing remains unclear, according to police.