A large-scale measles vaccination campaign has begun in Chandpur, aiming to immunize 321,000 children aged six months to five years. The program will continue until April 25, with an official inauguration scheduled at 10 a.m. on Monday at the District Collectorate School by Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, Member of Parliament for Chandpur Sadar.

Ahead of the campaign, a press conference was held at the Chandpur Press Club, where Dr. Md. Rafiqul Hasan Faisal, the Upazila Family Planning Officer, explained the symptoms and transmission risks of measles. He emphasized that the virus spreads rapidly and poses serious danger to young children, urging parents to ensure timely vaccination. To support the effort, 2,424 vaccination centers have been set up across the district, staffed by 313 teams.

Local journalists, including the president and former leaders of the Chandpur Press Club, attended the briefing and shared their views and suggestions regarding the campaign’s implementation.

Two sections of the Jamuna Riverbank protection area in Kazipur, Sirajganj, collapsed into the river on Friday night during the dry season. Locals blamed the erosion on illegal sand extraction using dredger machines in several nearby areas, including Kazipur Eco Park, Palashpur Ghat, Meghai Ghat, and Dhekuriya. The sudden collapse has caused widespread concern among residents living near the river.

According to the Water Development Board, the western bank protection work was completed in 2014 using stone blocks and sandbags. The recent collapse has raised fears of further damage to Meghai embankment, croplands, and nearby structures. Locals reported that around 40 sand points in Kazipur are now controlled by political groups, with large-scale sand trading continuing daily despite the absence of legal leases.

Officials from the Water Development Board and the Upazila administration stated that sandbags are being placed at the collapsed sites and that actions are being taken against illegal sand extraction. They assured that monitoring is ongoing and that no one will be allowed to extract sand in ways that damage the embankment.

Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission announced it is investigating the deaths of 12 civilians, including women and children, during a military operation in the restive Papua region. The incident occurred on Tuesday in Kemburu village, Central Papua, where the armed forces conducted what they described as a law enforcement operation against the TPNPB-OPM rebel group. Several others were also reported injured.

Commission chief Anis Hidayah told AFP that there is strong suspicion Indonesian soldiers were responsible. The military has not commented on the matter. Local media cited the army’s Habema Task Force as saying its troops killed four members of the separatist movement in a clash and were separately investigating the fatal shooting of a child in another village.

Komnas HAM, which operates independently within Indonesia’s state structure, stated that civilian casualties in any operation are unacceptable and constitute violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. The commission urged all sides to exercise restraint and called on the military to reconsider its operations against Papuan insurgents.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku has called for increased foreign investment to enhance development and production in Bangladesh’s fisheries and livestock sector. He made the appeal on Sunday during a courtesy meeting with Shibli Alam, the Civic Mayor of Tameside Council in Manchester, England, at his office in Dhaka.

During the meeting, the state minister highlighted the longstanding partnership and mutual understanding between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom. He urged British investors to expand their investments in Bangladesh to further strengthen bilateral relations. Mayor Shibli Alam raised several issues faced by businesspeople investing in Bangladesh, and the minister assured that existing problems would be resolved promptly.

Both sides discussed organizing a joint working group meeting to expand economic and trade relations between the two countries. The minister expressed optimism that through joint initiatives and coordinated efforts, Bangladesh and the UK would elevate their investment and trade cooperation to new heights.

The Imam-Ulama Council has initiated a plan to establish an Islamic University (Jamia) on abandoned land valued at Tk 500 crore in the suburban area of Gaibandha. On April 16, the council submitted an application to the district commissioner seeking allocation of 20 bighas of recovered land from a 60-bigha abandoned plot in Gobindpur mouza under Gaibandha Sadar police station. The proposed university will operate under the supervision of the Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasa Education Board and focus on higher studies in Hadith, Islamic law, and Tafsir.

According to the application, the project also includes plans for skill development training, a drug rehabilitation center, a large Eidgah ground, a Tablighi center, and other religious and social facilities. Hundreds of local worshippers signed a public petition supporting the initiative, which was formally submitted to the district administration. The district commissioner reportedly welcomed the proposal and assured necessary administrative action after field verification.

The land in question has remained unutilized for 17 years despite previous administrative investigations and media reports since 2009. The council now seeks official allocation to develop the proposed Islamic University and associated institutions.

Md. Babul Mia, a 34-year-old from Paniumdah village in Habiganj’s Nabiganj upazila, described his harrowing experience during the recent conflict in Iran. Having moved to Oman in 2019 and later entering Iran illegally, he worked at a steel company in Hasinabad near Tehran. When fighting erupted on February 28, he and his coworkers endured continuous missile strikes, food shortages, and communication blackouts for weeks. Babul said he survived on dry food for 20 days, trapped amid collapsing buildings and constant air raid sirens.

He recalled that the area around his workplace suffered heavy bombardment, including an attack that killed 166 schoolchildren. With assistance from the Bangladesh Embassy, Babul eventually crossed into Azerbaijan and returned home to Bangladesh on April 15, 2026. He expressed gratitude to embassy officials who coordinated their evacuation through multiple cities and arranged a special flight to Dhaka.

Babul said he remains deeply shaken by the destruction he witnessed and uncertain about how Iran will recover from the devastation he left behind.

Security sources in Pakistan have indicated that new talks between the United States and Iran may begin before Friday. Two unnamed sources told Al Jazeera that several recent developments suggest this possibility. A US C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft reportedly landed at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, while roads leading to the capital’s Red Zone were temporarily closed, signaling tight security measures.

The sources also said that guests were being evacuated from Islamabad’s Serena and Marriott hotels, and no new bookings were being accepted until Friday. The first round of US-Iran discussions had taken place at the Serena Hotel on April 11. Analysts believe these preparations point to renewed diplomatic activity, although no official schedule for the talks has yet been announced.

The developments suggest that Pakistan may again serve as a venue for sensitive diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran, pending formal confirmation from either side.

A Bangladeshi expatriate named Alamgir Hossain, aged 28, from Batta village in Kargaon Union of Katiadi upazila, Kishoreganj, was killed in a road accident in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday morning. According to his younger brother Rubel Mia, Alamgir had gone to Saudi Arabia about one and a half years ago to improve his family’s financial condition and was employed as a laborer at Al Liyan Company. He died on the spot after being hit from behind by a car while on his way to work. The company supervisor confirmed the news of his death to the family over the phone.

Alamgir’s wife Jesmin Akter, along with his parents and local residents, have appealed to the concerned government authorities to assist in repatriating his body and to ensure compensation for the bereaved family. The report did not mention any official response or further details about the repatriation process.

The government of Bangladesh has appointed three retired officials to secretary-level positions on a one-year contractual basis as part of an administrative reshuffle. The Ministry of Public Administration issued separate notifications on Saturday night confirming the appointments.

According to the notifications, Dr. Mohammad Zakaria has been appointed Director General of the NGO Affairs Bureau under the Prime Minister’s Office, Md. Abdullah Al Baki has been made Chairman of the Land Appeal Board, and Safiz Uddin Ahmed has been appointed Administrator of the Waqf Administration under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Each appointment carries the rank of secretary and will be effective for one year from the date of joining.

The appointments were made under Section 49 of the Government Service Act, 2018, which requires the appointees to relinquish any professional or institutional affiliations before assuming their new roles.

Water Resources Minister Md. Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee stated that resolving waterlogging in Dhaka and across Bangladesh cannot be achieved in a short time. He made the remark on Sunday afternoon after a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Secretariat, emphasizing that the government remains committed to addressing the issue.

The minister explained that the government has undertaken a canal excavation program aimed at reducing waterlogging and ensuring irrigation for agriculture. As part of this initiative, canal excavation programs will be inaugurated in Jashore district on April 27 and in Sylhet on May 2.

These measures are part of ongoing government efforts to improve water management and mitigate flooding problems in both urban and rural areas.

The High Court of Bangladesh will hold a hearing on Monday regarding a petition demanding the closure of all educational institutions until the nationwide measles outbreak is brought under control. The date was set on Sunday, April 19, 2026, by a bench led by Justice Rajik Al Jalil. Barrister Purnima Jahan represented the petition in court.

The petition, filed on April 2, seeks a directive to keep schools closed until the measles situation improves and requests the formation of a high-level investigation committee into the deaths of 47 children reportedly caused by the disease. In addition, a legal notice was sent to the health minister, health secretary, and the director general of the Directorate General of Health Services, urging immediate action to ensure measles vaccination for all children within 24 hours.

The notice stated that vaccine shortages have led to infections, hospitalizations, and deaths among children, while authorities have yet to take effective measures. Media reports on child deaths and hundreds of infections were attached to the notice as supporting evidence.

The central committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing expelled two leaders following a violent clash between rival groups at Mymensingh Medical College dormitory. The decision, announced in a press release signed by central office secretary Md Jahangir Alam on Saturday night, removed senior joint convener Nure Jawad Rutap from his post and suspended Nafiu Islam’s primary membership. The expulsion was approved by the organization’s president Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir. A separate one-member inquiry committee led by vice president Hafizur Rahman Sohan was formed to submit a report within 12 hours.

Police and college sources said the clash began Friday night over a minor dispute involving motorcycle fuel. The altercation escalated into physical violence, leaving two third-year students, Mo. Muaz and Mir Hamidur, injured. Police intervened to restore order and detained Nafiu Islam. Muaz was later transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment.

Following the incident, the college academic council suspended all classes and exams for seven days and ordered students to vacate dormitories. The college also formed a separate three-member investigation committee to report within a week.

Mexico, Spain and Brazil have jointly called for a sincere and respectful dialogue with Cuba as tensions with the United States intensify. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the three left-leaning governments expressed concern over what they described as Cuba’s “dramatic situation,” noting that the Cuban people are facing a severe humanitarian crisis. The statement urged all parties to take necessary measures to alleviate the situation.

The appeal was made during a leftist leaders’ conference in Barcelona, led by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and attended by Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The leaders emphasized the need to protect democracy and to find a lasting solution that allows the Cuban people to determine their own future in full freedom.

The call comes as US President Donald Trump has issued multiple warnings toward Cuba and imposed an oil blockade that has worsened the country’s long-standing economic and energy crisis.

The Cambodian government has announced a limited-time opportunity for Bangladeshi nationals residing irregularly in the country to return home without facing legal consequences. The special provision will remain effective until April 30, after which authorities warned that strict legal action will be taken against foreigners staying illegally. The Bangladesh Embassy in Bangkok issued an urgent notice explaining that the initiative mainly targets those whose visas have expired and individuals working in online scam centers.

According to the embassy, assistance is being provided to ensure the safe return of irregular Bangladeshis, including waivers of overstay fines and the issuance of travel passes. Many Bangladeshis have already received travel passes through a consular camp held in Phnom Penh. However, the embassy observed that some individuals, despite obtaining travel passes, have not returned home and are attempting to remain in Cambodia or enter other countries illegally, which increases their risk of punishment.

The embassy urged interested individuals to apply promptly via email or by submitting hard copies, and to avoid misinformation or delay in taking advantage of the repatriation window.

Farmers in Sarishabari municipality of Jamalpur staged a road blockade on April 18, 2026, protesting a severe shortage of petrol and diesel at local filling stations. The unrest erupted after allegations surfaced that Messrs Jhinai Filling Station and Messrs Chan Filling Station were supplying fuel irregularly and favoring certain individuals through a syndicate. Farmers said they had been unable to obtain diesel for three to four days, halting irrigation for maize and paddy cultivation. The protest disrupted traffic on the Sarishabari-Dikpait highway until local authorities intervened to restore order.

Farmers accused the stations of prioritizing commercial vehicles over agricultural ones and claimed that only 130 out of 300–400 farmers received diesel. They alleged that some people were allowed to buy fuel multiple times while others waited in vain. Station owners denied the allegations, asserting that fuel distribution followed government rules. Acting Upazila Nirbahi Officer Liza Richel stated that the complaints would be investigated and that legal action would be taken against anyone found creating an artificial crisis.

The incident highlights growing tension over fuel distribution fairness in rural agricultural areas, with farmers demanding transparent and equitable supply management.