Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sent special gifts for Bangladeshi pilgrims traveling for Hajj this year. The gifts, sent on his behalf, arrived at the Dhaka Hajj Office on Friday. According to the office’s director, Md. Lokman Hossain, the items include one hundred thousand bottles of mineral water, which are being distributed to pilgrims at the Hajj camp. Additional gift packages containing backpacks, soap, water pots, petroleum jelly, miswak, and Ajwa dates have also been prepared for the passengers of the inaugural Hajj flight.

The inaugural Hajj flight is scheduled to be launched tonight at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will officiate the ceremony. This year, a total of 78,500 Bangladeshi pilgrims are set to perform Hajj.

The initiative reflects the government’s gesture of goodwill toward the pilgrims, ensuring they receive essential items before their journey to Saudi Arabia.

Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah organized a symbolic protest in his constituency of Debidwar, Cumilla, by distributing candles among local residents. The event took place on Friday afternoon in Khaiyar village of Rasulpur Union, where he highlighted the suffering of people caused by the ongoing power shortages linked to the national energy crisis.

During his address, Abdullah criticized the government for not acknowledging the real situation, stating that while officials claim there is no fuel shortage, citizens are facing prolonged power outages. He explained that the candle distribution was intended as a symbolic act to draw attention to the persistent electricity crisis.

Local residents reported that frequent load-shedding has severely disrupted daily life, particularly during the hot weather. They urged the authorities to take immediate action to restore regular electricity supply and reduce public hardship.

A Bangladeshi citizen named Roti Joydhar was killed by gunfire from India’s Border Security Force (BSF) while allegedly attempting to cross into India through the Paliyanpur border in Maheshpur, Jhenaidah. His body was recovered four days later from the Ichamati River, about ten yards inside Bangladeshi territory. Local residents discovered the decomposed body under water hyacinths, prompting Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police to retrieve it.

According to Maheshpur police, the body showed signs of gunshot wounds on the neck, ribs, and back. The deceased was identified through documents found on him and later confirmed by his brother, Ronjit Joydhar. The body was sent to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital for autopsy, and a murder case was filed by the victim’s brother. Roti’s family had moved to India three months earlier, and he was reportedly trying to join them permanently.

The incident has cast a shadow of grief over Roti’s home village in Gopalganj, where preparations are underway for his funeral after the post-mortem examination.

Five children have died from measles and related symptoms across Bangladesh in the past 24 hours, with 1,278 new infections reported. Among the new cases, 127 were confirmed measles patients, while 1,115 were hospitalized with suspected symptoms. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) released these figures in a press statement on Friday, April 17, 2026.

According to the DGHS data, from March 15 to April 17, a total of 37 confirmed measles deaths and 174 suspected deaths have occurred nationwide. During the same period, 3,192 confirmed cases and 21,467 suspected cases were recorded, while 11,243 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The highest number of suspected infections was reported in Dhaka Division, with 9,274 cases, including 1,965 confirmed infections.

The health authorities stated that continuous monitoring is underway through an integrated control center, which collects and analyzes data regularly. The DGHS has urged the public to remain alert and ensure timely medical care for affected children.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid stated that empowering farmers is essential to reducing poverty and strengthening the national economy. He made the remarks on Friday morning at a program in Bibirbazar High School and College field in Jagannathpur Union of Cumilla’s Adarsha Sadar upazila, where agricultural cards were distributed to local farmers. The minister emphasized that around 70 percent of the population is directly or indirectly involved in agriculture, and improving their economic condition would benefit the entire country.

He added that former presidents and the current prime minister have all supported farmer-friendly policies. Since taking office, he has implemented initiatives such as strengthening agricultural loan waivers and introducing the “Agriculture Card” program, part of the government’s 31-point election pledge. He also urged farmers to use fertilizers and pesticides in consultation with agricultural supervisors to ensure better yields.

According to the Agriculture Department, 1,458 farmers in Cumilla received agricultural cards under a pre-piloting initiative aimed at building a unified farmer database to facilitate subsidies and services. The government is also expanding support programs like the “Family Card,” which has already benefited many farming families.

Factory, a startup developing autonomous AI coding agents called Droids, is in discussions to raise $150 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. The funding round will be led by Khosla Ventures, with venture capitalist Keith Rabois joining the board. Other investors include Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, and Blackstone. Factory’s technology allows its Droids to switch between AI models such as OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and China’s DeepSeek, depending on task complexity and customer needs.

The company’s flexibility has attracted enterprise clients including Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young, and Palo Alto Networks. Factory’s CEO and co-founder, Matan Grinberg, said the ability to dynamically route between models has proven valuable, especially during outages at Anthropic. The startup positions itself as an enterprise-focused AI agent developer, contrasting with competitors like Cursor, which targets individual developers.

Grinberg, who left his PhD program at the University of California, Berkeley after being encouraged by Sequoia investor Shaun Maguire, founded Factory in 2023. The company now competes with Cursor, Cognition, and major AI labs developing their own coding tools.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed never to close the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz again. He made the statement in a social media post, asserting that the waterway will never again be used as a weapon against the world. According to Trump, Tehran has consented to keep the strait permanently open for all commercial navigation.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply is transported. Over the past decades, Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the route amid regional tensions. Trump’s claim, if accurate, would mark a significant shift in Iran’s stance and could ease long-standing concerns over energy security and global trade stability.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that confirmation of such an agreement could bring major stability to international energy markets. However, as of now, there has been no official confirmation from Iran regarding Trump’s statement.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed willingness to provide military assistance to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a press conference on April 17, 2026, he urged all parties to intensify diplomatic efforts to ease ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States and to promote lasting peace in the Middle East.

Merz described Iran’s recent announcement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a positive development but emphasized that the passage must remain permanent, safe, and completely free of tariffs. He also highlighted that both Hezbollah and Israel now have a historic opportunity to establish long-term peace. The chancellor noted that any German participation in such a mission would require approval from both the United Nations and the German Parliament.

Merz further stated that U.S. involvement in the proposed mission would be particularly desirable, and Germany’s assistance could include military cooperation and technical support such as mine clearance operations.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is currently verifying recent announcements regarding the reopening of the Hormuz Strait for commercial navigation. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated on Friday that the organization is focusing on ensuring freedom of navigation for all commercial vessels and adherence to the IMO’s Traffic Separation Scheme to guarantee safe passage. He emphasized that under international law, no country has the right to close this international waterway.

Earlier, Iran and the United States had separately declared that the Hormuz Strait would remain open to commercial ships, particularly during the ongoing ten-day ceasefire in Lebanon. Tehran confirmed that there would be no restrictions on maritime trade during this period. Dominguez added that the safe repatriation of around 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor are among the IMO’s top priorities.

He called on all parties to engage in constructive diplomatic dialogue to calm the situation and restore normal maritime supply routes, stressing that reopening this vital route is essential for global stability and energy security.

Bangladesh’s night sky will feature a striking celestial display from Friday, April 17, through April 30, as the Lyrid meteor shower becomes visible along with noticeable planetary movements. The Lyrids, one of the most captivating annual meteor events, occur when Earth passes through dust left behind by Comet Thatcher.

The meteor shower will be most visible from the night of April 22 to the early hours of April 23, with observers potentially seeing 10 to 20 meteors per hour under clear skies. The Lyrid meteors are known for their brightness and often leave long-lasting trails of light. During this period, Venus will remain bright in the western sky but gradually move lower toward the horizon, while Mars will appear prominently with its reddish hue in the evening sky.

Toward the end of April, Saturn will rise high in the eastern sky about two hours before sunrise, with Neptune positioned nearby. However, viewing Neptune will require a powerful telescope.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh stated that Tehran will not accept any temporary ceasefire, emphasizing that its goal is to end all wars across the region. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Khatibzadeh said any ceasefire must include all conflict zones from Lebanon to the Red Sea, describing this as a ‘red line’ for Iran. He insisted that the ongoing conflict should be brought to a complete end rather than paused temporarily. On the Strait of Hormuz, he noted that the waterway has historically remained open for international navigation despite being within Iran’s territorial waters.

He accused the United States and Israel of fueling instability in the region, saying their actions are harming global trade and the broader economy.

Iran has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain fully open to all commercial vessels during the ongoing ceasefire in Lebanon. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the decision in a post on social media platform X, stating that the move aligns with Iran’s support for the ceasefire and aims to maintain regional peace. The permission for cargo and trade ships to pass through the vital waterway will remain effective for the duration of the ceasefire.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical routes for global energy and trade, carrying nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas. The decision is being viewed internationally as a positive step toward stability. Iran had previously indicated that it would ensure safe passage through the strait if attacks against it ceased and regional stability was maintained.

Following weeks of conflict and tension that raised global concerns about maritime security, Iran’s latest announcement is expected to ease fears over energy supply and trade safety in international markets.

Thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun returning to their homes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and towns across southern Lebanon after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect. The return started early Friday amid cautious celebrations, with heavy traffic reported on northern roads leading back to the capital’s southern districts. Many returnees expressed joy by flashing victory signs as they made their way home after being forced to flee during the conflict.

Despite the ceasefire, the situation remains tense and far from normal. People are still cautious, and the country faces significant challenges in recovering from the damage caused by the fighting. The ceasefire has temporarily halted hostilities, but rebuilding lives and restoring normalcy will take time for Lebanon’s affected communities.

The 25th anniversary of the Barai Bari border clash between Bangladesh’s then BDR and India’s BSF will be observed tomorrow in Roumari upazila of Kurigram. On April 18, 2001, Indian border guards entered Barai Bari village and launched an attack that triggered a 42-hour-long confrontation. The fighting left three BDR members dead and six civilians injured, while 16 BSF soldiers were killed and two captured by locals. The violence destroyed 179 houses near the border.

Since then, local residents and the administration have commemorated the day as Barai Bari Day, but it has yet to receive official state recognition even after 25 years. Former lawmaker Ruhul Amin and local defense volunteers had joined the BDR in resisting the attack. A memorial now stands at the site honoring the three fallen BDR soldiers.

Residents continue to demand that Barai Bari be declared a “heroic village” and that Barai Bari Day be granted national recognition, reflecting the community’s long-standing call for official acknowledgment of their sacrifice.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has started interviewing candidates seeking nomination for reserved women’s seats in the upcoming 13th National Parliament. The two-day interview process began on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the party’s Gulshan office at 3 p.m. On the first day, aspirants from Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, and Faridpur divisions were interviewed. Candidates from five other divisions are scheduled to appear the following day.

The interviews are being conducted by the BNP nomination board, which includes party chairperson and prime minister Tarique Rahman, secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and senior leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Salahuddin Ahmed, and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Before the interviews began, Rizvi emphasized that women have played a crucial role in the party’s democratic struggle over the past 15–17 years and that their sacrifices would be duly recognized.

He added that the board would also consider candidates’ ability to speak effectively in parliament, contribute to lawmaking, and their educational qualifications before making final selections.