Iran has executed a man convicted of collaborating with Israeli intelligence, according to the state-affiliated news outlet Mizan on Thursday. The individual, identified as Sultanali Shirzadi Fakhr, was accused of being a longtime member of the exiled opposition group Mujahedin-e-Khalq and of assisting Israeli intelligence agents. The report stated that Iran’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence, which was carried out after the completion of legal procedures.

The execution came a day after Iran carried out the death sentence of another individual, identified as Mehdi Farid, a senior civilian defense official convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad. Mizan, citing Reuters, reported that the Supreme Court had also confirmed his sentence before the execution took place.

Both executions were reported by Iranian media and cited by The Guardian, highlighting Tehran’s continued enforcement of espionage-related convictions involving alleged ties to Israel.

Six workers were reportedly abducted from a rubber plantation in the Hatirdera area of Tongkabati Union, Bandarban, late on Wednesday night, April 22. According to local sources, a group of armed men dressed in black took the workers away around 11:30 p.m. The abducted individuals were identified as Nurul Afsar, Md. Arafat, Ismail, Karim Ullah, Romit, and Sakib.

Tongkabati Union Parishad Chairman Mai Mro said he had heard that a group of men in black clothing carried out the abduction but could not confirm who they were. Bandarban Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Shahed Parvez told the media that police were aware of the incident and were verifying the details.

Authorities have begun preliminary investigations, but no group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction, and the motive remains unclear.

Lebanon and Israel are set to resume talks in Washington on Thursday aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between the two countries. This marks the second round of discussions following an earlier meeting that resulted in a temporary 10-day ceasefire beginning on April 16.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated that the ambassador-level talks will focus on ending Israeli aggression, withdrawing Israeli troops from Lebanese territory, releasing prisoners, deploying forces along the international border, and beginning reconstruction of war-damaged infrastructure. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have reportedly continued.

The renewed dialogue in Washington reflects ongoing international efforts to stabilize the region and move toward a more durable peace framework, though continued hostilities pose challenges to achieving lasting results.

Private sector lender Southeast Bank is struggling to recover its defaulted loans, with 71 percent of its total Tk 2,513 crore in defaults concentrated among the top 10 borrowers as of December last year. According to the bank’s internal report, these top defaulters owe Tk 1,779 crore, with KSRM and S Alam Group alone accounting for nearly Tk 1,000 crore. The Anti-Corruption Commission has filed a case against KSRM Group’s chairman Abdul Khaleq Pathan and six others for allegedly embezzling funds from the bank’s Gulshan branch using forged documents.

S Alam Group ranks second with Tk 474 crore in defaulted loans, followed by FARR Ceramics Limited with Tk 338 crore and Padma Poly Cotton Knit Fabrics Limited with Tk 171 crore. Other defaulters include Tang Hai Knitting and Dyeing, Bishwas Garments, Care Specialized Hospital, ABN Properties, Intramex Group, and NASA Group. Bank officials said recovery efforts are ongoing, though some defaulters have fled or been jailed.

Managing Director Khalid Mahmud Khan stated that the bank is maintaining contact with clients and attempting to regularize loans where possible, including through rescheduling and asset sales.

Biometric attendance machines installed in government primary schools of Matlab North upazila, Chandpur, to ensure teacher attendance have become non-functional, turning a multimillion-taka investment into a waste. The devices, installed about eight years ago across 180 schools during the 2018–19 fiscal year, cost each school between Tk 26,000 and Tk 35,000, though similar machines were available in the market for Tk 5,000–6,000. Many of the machines are now missing or disconnected, with no operational database links.

Teachers and local officials have alleged that the machines were supplied at inflated prices under political pressure from ruling party members and that the project lacked proper planning and technical support. Several head teachers said the devices never worked due to missing connections and oversight, calling the initiative a misuse of government funds. The Upazila Primary Education Officer confirmed that none of the machines are currently functional.

Calls have been made for an investigation and accountability to prevent similar irregularities in future education technology projects.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has described Israel’s attack on journalists as a clear war crime following the death of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil. He strongly condemned the Israeli strikes targeting journalists in southern Lebanon, particularly after Khalil was killed in an airstrike in the village of At-Tiri on Wednesday.

Salam stated that deliberately targeting journalists, preventing rescue teams from reaching them, and striking the same site again after rescuers arrive constitute a clear war crime. He added that such attacks on journalists performing their professional duties are no longer isolated incidents in the region but have become a systematic practice that violates international law and norms.

The incident occurred when an Israeli airstrike destroyed a building in At-Tiri, trapping Khalil under the rubble. She was later recovered dead, according to reports cited by Middle East Eye.

A day laborer named Abdul Karim from Ulipur upazila in Kurigram has built a bridge over the Burir Teesta canal, fulfilling a long-standing demand of residents from about ten nearby villages. After repeated appeals to government offices failed, Karim took the initiative himself, using his savings and personal assets to complete the project. He sold his motorcycle and two goats, invested his small savings, and borrowed 100,000 taka to finish the construction. The bridge, made of bricks, wood, and iron supported by concrete pillars, was officially opened for public use last Friday.

Karim said he was inspired to act after witnessing the daily struggles of students, patients, and elderly people crossing the canal. Local residents praised his effort, noting that the bridge has eased access to hospitals, schools, and markets. Businessman Robiul Islam and teacher Sharmin Jahan highlighted how the bridge has reduced travel time and improved safety.

Ulipur’s acting Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Mehedi Hasan described Karim’s initiative as a rare example of social responsibility, saying it should inspire others to contribute to community welfare.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the consequences of the ongoing Iran war are spreading into Europe and could worsen if peace is not achieved. He made the remarks during a telephone conversation with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, according to a report published on April 23, 2026.

Erdogan stated that the conflict in the region is beginning to weaken Europe and emphasized that the damage caused by the war could increase further without peace. He added that Turkey is working to end the Iran conflict through dialogue and to achieve a lasting peace.

The discussion between the Turkish and German presidents highlights Ankara’s diplomatic engagement amid regional instability, as Turkey seeks to position itself as a mediator in the Iran conflict.

Former NCP leader Dr. Tasnim Jara has strongly criticized Comilla-4 MP Hasnat Abdullah’s demand for personal cars for members of parliament. Her reaction came on April 22 through a detailed post on her verified Facebook page, following widespread social media debate over the issue. Jara condemned MPs for prioritizing personal benefits while citizens face economic and professional hardships.

In her post, Jara argued that MPs deciding their own salaries and benefits is a conflict of interest, as these funds come from taxpayers. She compared MPs’ privileges with the struggles of teachers, doctors, nurses, and farmers, emphasizing that public representatives should focus on solving citizens’ problems rather than expanding their own perks.

Jara proposed forming an independent committee to review MPs’ benefits objectively. The committee, she suggested, should include judges, economists, governance experts, and ordinary citizens to ensure fairness and proportionality between MPs’ entitlements and the general population’s living standards.

Tension broke out in Murshidabad district of West Bengal on Thursday, April 23, 2026, shortly after the start of the first phase of voting. The incident occurred in Shibnagar village under the Naoda assembly constituency, where supporters of the Trinamool Congress clashed with Humayun Kabir, a former party leader and founder of the Amjanata Unnayan Party (AUJP).

As Humayun Kabir arrived at a polling station, Trinamool supporters reportedly chanted slogans telling him to leave and surrounded his car, accusing him of being an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The confrontation created severe tension around the polling area, disrupting the atmosphere of the election process.

Humayun Kabir, currently a legislator from Bharatpur, was expelled from the Trinamool Congress in December of the previous year after proposing the construction of a mosque modeled after the Babri Masjid. Following his expulsion, he formed his own political party and is contesting again in the ongoing election.

Israeli media reported that the United States has informed Israel the ceasefire with Iran will expire on Sunday. According to Israel’s state broadcaster Kan, Washington told Tel Aviv that the deadline set by President Donald Trump for Tehran is nearing its end within a few days. The report added that Trump seeks to reach an agreement with Tehran rather than prolonging indefinite negotiations.

Israeli sources cited in the reports indicated that progress in the ongoing US-Iran discussions is unlikely this week. Earlier, White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt stated that President Trump had not set any specific deadline for receiving proposals from Iran. The information was originally reported by Middle East Eye and later circulated through Israeli outlets.

The approaching end of the ceasefire raises uncertainty about the next phase of US-Iran relations and potential regional tensions if no agreement is reached before the deadline.

Police in Brahmanpara, Comilla, arrested a local BNP leader named Sona Mia, also known as Ismail, with 600 yaba tablets during a special operation on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by Officer-in-Charge Md Faruk Hossain raided his residence in Dhanyadaul village and recovered the drugs. The suspect was taken into custody and brought to the local police station.

According to local sources, Sona Mia serves as the publicity secretary of the Brahmanpara Sadar Union BNP and is the son of Majid Member from Dhanyadaul village. Brahmanpara Upazila BNP’s joint general secretary Nazrul Islam stated that the party was unaware of his involvement in drug activities and emphasized that there is no place for drug dealers in the BNP.

OC Faruk Hossain said that a case under the Narcotics Control Act is being processed and that similar special operations will continue to curb drug trafficking in the area.

Bangladesh’s Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam announced that bus fares across the country have been increased by 11 paisa per kilometer, effective immediately from April 23, 2026. The minimum fare remains unchanged at 10 taka. The decision was made following a meeting with transport workers and owners at the Secretariat on Thursday.

According to the minister, the fare adjustment applies only to diesel-powered buses, while CNG-powered buses are excluded from this increase. He added that if fuel prices decrease in the future, bus fares will also be reduced accordingly. No decision has yet been made regarding fare adjustments for rail or water transport.

Currently, the fare for long-distance routes is set at 2 taka 12 paisa per kilometer, while in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas, the rate stands at 2 taka 42 paisa per kilometer.

The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) has announced a reduction in gold prices across the country. According to a notice issued on Thursday morning, the price of 22-carat gold has been cut by Tk 3,266 per bhori, setting the new rate at Tk 246,927. The revised prices took effect from 10 a.m. the same day. BAJUS stated that the adjustment was made considering the decline in the local market price of pure gold.

Under the new pricing, 21-carat gold now costs Tk 235,671 per bhori, 18-carat gold Tk 202,020, and traditional gold Tk 164,521. The previous adjustment occurred on April 15, when BAJUS raised the price of 22-carat gold by Tk 2,216 per bhori to Tk 250,193. That change also took effect at 10 a.m. on the same day.

So far in 2026, BAJUS has adjusted gold prices 56 times, increasing them 32 times and reducing them 24 times. In 2025, the association made 93 adjustments, with 64 increases and 29 decreases.

Iran has strengthened its control over the Strait of Hormuz as uncertainty persists over ending the ongoing war and no signs of renewed peace talks have emerged. Tehran has seized two ships in the strategic waterway, according to reports. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a unilateral ceasefire extension, saying it would remain in effect until discussions on an Iranian peace proposal take place.

Iranian officials have not confirmed whether they agreed to extend the ceasefire and criticized the U.S. decision to maintain a naval blockade on Iranian trade routes, calling it a wartime measure. Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that a full ceasefire would only be meaningful if the blockade were lifted. The war, which began on February 28 with a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, has seen little progress toward resolution.

Maritime sources said a third Liberian-flagged container ship was fired upon but not damaged. The U.S. military reported redirecting over 30 ships as part of the blockade and detaining at least three Iranian tankers near Asian waters.