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.

A fragile ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel has been announced, but experts caution that oil and gas prices will take months to return to previous levels. During the conflict, Iran restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 20 percent of global oil and gas exports, causing prices to surge. Attacks on energy infrastructure in several Gulf countries also pushed up helium prices and disrupted fertilizer production, worsening inflation and shortages, particularly in developing nations across Asia and Africa.

Tufts University professor Rockford Wizd said no one knows when conditions will normalize, emphasizing that stability depends on safe and regular shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, 120 to 140 ships crossed daily, but only five and seven ships passed on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Reports suggested Iran was charging tankers fees, prompting former U.S. President Donald Trump to call for an end to such charges. The IMF’s Kristalina Georgieva warned that global growth forecasts will be lowered next week, even if the ceasefire holds.

Iraq could resume production of 3.5 million barrels per day, which may help reduce prices, but uncertainty over the ceasefire and past attacks keeps its output outlook unclear.

Israel and Lebanon are set to meet in Washington next Tuesday to discuss a possible ceasefire aimed at ending the ongoing conflict involving Hezbollah. The meeting will be mediated by the United States, according to a statement from the office of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. Representatives from both countries will convene at the U.S. Department of State to determine a date for announcing a ceasefire and initiating direct negotiations.

The arrangement for the talks followed a phone conversation between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel to the United States and the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon. The discussions are part of broader diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The upcoming meeting signals a potential step toward renewed dialogue between the two nations, though the outcome of the talks remains uncertain.

Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, has said that his country is prepared to do everything necessary and take as long as needed to help secure an agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending their ongoing conflict. He described the fact that discussions are taking place as a major success.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Sheikh explained that bringing Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table was not the result of any “magic word” but rather a process requiring persistence, patience, and continuous effort from all sides. He noted that each of these elements had been part of intensive diplomatic efforts over the past several weeks.

According to Sheikh, all parties have responded to Pakistan’s efforts to ensure a ceasefire and set a timeline for talks with a constructive attitude.

A persistent fuel shortage in Bangladesh’s Rangpur Division has intensified over the past six weeks, severely affecting daily life and work. Despite an average daily demand of 1 million liters of diesel, only 900,000 liters are being supplied. Supplies of petrol and octane have also dropped sharply, forcing many residents to stop using their motorcycles. Government-imposed time restrictions on fuel sales—from noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays—have further complicated access.

Local workers, teachers, and service employees report losing several hours each day waiting in long queues at filling stations. Many fuel pumps have closed due to insufficient supply, while others operate intermittently. Pump managers say depot deliveries are irregular and inadequate to meet demand. The Rangpur Petrol Pump Owners Association warns that without quick improvement in supply, owners could face heavy financial losses.

Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Shahidul Islam acknowledged shortages in petrol and octane but said diesel supply remains stable. He expressed hope that the crisis would be resolved soon and urged the public to use fuel responsibly.

Bangladesh’s Jatiya Sangsad has completed the process of validating ordinances issued by the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Out of 133 ordinances, 113 were approved through 87 bills, while seven were repealed through four separate bills. Thirteen ordinances, including those on referendum, police commission, and anti-corruption amendments, were not approved, causing a total of 20 ordinances to lose effect from today. The parliament passed 91 bills over six consecutive days, marking an unprecedented legislative pace in the country’s history.

The repealed ordinances include those related to the National Human Rights Commission, Supreme Court Secretariat, and parliamentary administration. The fate of actions taken under the unapproved ordinances remains unclear, raising questions about the legal status of the 2026 referendum and other activities conducted under them. The opposition walked out of parliament after accusing the ruling party of breaking a committee agreement by amending the July Uprising Museum Bill at the last moment.

The session concluded with the passage of 28 bills on its final day, covering development authorities, financial reforms, and social welfare measures. The next parliamentary sitting is scheduled for April 15 at 11 a.m.