Super Star Sporting Club Sualak won the Bandarban Hill District Council T20 Cricket Tournament by defeating Rhythm Royal Club by three wickets in a tense final held on Saturday afternoon at Bandarban Stadium. Rhythm Royal Club scored 129 for 8 in 20 overs, while Super Star Sporting Club reached 130 for 7 in 18.5 overs, led by Rafi’s 66 runs and Dr. Tarek’s 25.

Following the match, a prize-giving ceremony was held under the chairmanship of Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Md. Saniul Ferdous, with Member of Parliament Saching Prue Jerry attending as chief guest. In his speech, the MP emphasized that sports help people avoid negative habits and called for expanding annual sports competitions in educational institutions. He also announced plans to arrange advanced sports training for boys and girls in collaboration with the administration to nurture emerging athletes from Bandarban.

Other speakers included the Superintendent of Police Abdur Rahman, former BCB director Dr. Siraj Uddin Mohammad Alamgir, and district council members. The winners received trophies and awards from the guests.

Bangladesh’s opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said workers’ earnings are falling due to a nationwide fuel shortage. Speaking on Saturday at the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Federation’s district and metropolitan leaders’ conference in Dhaka, he claimed transport workers wait three to five hours daily for limited fuel, losing valuable work time. He added that fuel stations are receiving only half their usual supply, worsening workers’ financial hardship.

Rahman alleged that the government’s policies have deepened the crisis and that opposition voices are being silenced in parliament. He also criticized the new banking law, saying it hands public deposits to “bank robbers.” Addressing labor leaders, he urged them to continue fighting for workers’ rights peacefully and to avoid unrest that could harm both owners and workers. He called on the government to establish specialized hospitals in labor-intensive areas and ensure education for workers’ children.

Jamaat’s deputy leader A.N.M. Shamsul Islam echoed the need for dialogue-based solutions to labor issues, saying workers have long been exploited for political gain.

At least 20 people were injured in a violent clash between residents of two villages in Kushtia over local dominance. The confrontation took place on Saturday morning in Ujan and Gajanbipur areas under the Islamic University police station in Kushtia Sadar upazila. During the violence, around 30 houses were reportedly vandalized, and several of the injured were admitted to Kushtia General Hospital for treatment.

According to local sources, two rival groups from six nearby villages, including Ujangram and Gajanbipur, have long-standing disputes over influence in the area. The clash began in Gajanbipur and later spread to Ujangram, escalating into widespread violence. Police were deployed to restore order, and the Islamic University police confirmed that army patrols were active in the area throughout the day to maintain control.

Authorities said the situation was brought under control by evening, though tensions remained high in the affected villages.

The Narendra Modi government faced a major setback in the Lok Sabha on April 18, 2026, as it failed to secure passage of the constitutional amendment bill aimed at increasing the number of seats and implementing women’s reservation. The proposed amendment required a two-thirds majority in the lower house, but the ruling NDA alliance managed only 298 votes in favor against 230 votes opposed. Following the defeat, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the government would not proceed with the remaining two amendment bills.

The debate in Parliament centered on the 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, as well as the delimitation of constituencies. Home Minister Amit Shah responded to opposition members before the voting took place. During the session, the government unexpectedly implemented the women’s reservation law passed about two and a half years earlier, effective from April 16, 2026.

The defeated 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill had proposed that women’s reservation be enforced based on the redrawing of electoral boundaries, linking the reform to future delimitation exercises.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) in Brahmanbaria has solved the murder of six-year-old schoolgirl Nishat, whose body was found in a sack near her home on April 17, 2026. PBI Superintendent Sachin Chakma stated that neighbor Isha Mia, an autorickshaw driver, confessed to killing Nishat after failing in an attempt to sexually assault her. The suspect was taken into custody from Mohanpur village on April 18.

According to police, Nishat went missing on April 15 after leaving home to buy chips. Isha lured her to a park in Rasulpur, then brought her to his house at night, where he attempted to assault her. When Nishat threatened to tell her mother, he suffocated her with his shirt. The next day, he hid the body in his house and later dumped it in an open area near the home.

Following Isha’s arrest, local residents protested demanding his execution and set fire to his house.

The death toll in Gaza has reached 72,549 as Israeli attacks continue, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The ministry reported that since the Israeli military operation began on October 7, 2023, a total of 172,274 people have been injured. Bodies continue to be recovered from the rubble, and new strikes are adding to the casualties.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa stated that in the past 24 hours, health authorities received eight new bodies, including seven from recent attacks and one recovered from debris, while 24 others were injured. Despite a ceasefire declared on October 11, at least 773 Palestinians have been killed and 2,171 injured since then. Rescue teams have also recovered 761 bodies from destroyed buildings during this period.

Authorities said rescue operations remain severely hindered, with many victims still trapped under debris or lying on streets inaccessible to emergency teams. The Martyr Approval Committee has verified and added 196 more names to the death list, underscoring the scale of devastation.

National Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has urged opposition parties not to stage walkouts without valid reasons. He also called on the ruling party to allow the opposition adequate space to function and to maintain coordination with them. The Speaker made these remarks on Saturday afternoon while speaking to journalists after exchanging greetings with leaders of the Barishal Chamber of Commerce and Industries at the Barishal Circuit House.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed stated that walkouts are a legitimate political practice for the opposition, but prolonged boycotts harm the Parliament and deprive citizens of their rights. He emphasized the need for unity among those who fought against autocracy, warning that disunity could allow exiled figures to return and reestablish misrule. Reflecting on the past sixteen years, he described that period as one of darkness marked by sham elections and the absence of public rights.

Expressing optimism, the Speaker said political parties should remain united against autocracy to ensure democracy endures and citizens retain their right to choose their government freely.

Newly elected Member of Parliament Advocate Emran Ahmad Chowdhury from Sylhet-6 has announced the construction of a long-demanded bridge over the Korti Canal in Alinagar Union, Beanibazar upazila. The announcement came after 55 years of unfulfilled promises since Bangladesh’s independence. On Saturday afternoon, the MP visited the proposed site between Patan and Fulmalik villages along with the Upazila Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) to initiate the project.

Local residents expressed gratitude to the MP, noting that previous representatives had ignored their demand. Around ten villages, including Fulmalik, Ghagwa, Gobindasree, Deulgram, Patan, Chandragram, Kotlipara, and Angura, currently rely on a risky bamboo bridge to cross the canal for daily activities, schooling, and healthcare access. The area hosts six primary and three secondary schools, and students often face accidents while crossing.

Once completed, the bridge is expected to ease travel between Beanibazar and Golapganj upazila centers and significantly improve local living conditions.

Police recovered the body of a brick kiln worker named Mintu Mia, aged 48, from a paddy field in Akartoma area along the Paniyala road in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur district on Saturday afternoon. The discovery was made around 2 p.m. after local police received information and arrived at the scene. Mintu Mia was a resident of Char Motua village in Noakhali Sadar upazila and worked at Fahad Bricks Manufacturer in Ramganj.

According to police and local sources, the landowner found the body while inspecting his paddy field. The victim’s mouth was found tied with a towel. Ramganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Firoz Uddin Chowdhury confirmed the incident and said the body had been sent to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital morgue for examination.

Further details about the cause of death or possible suspects were not mentioned in the report.

A total of 34 bodies of Bangladeshi expatriate workers were brought back to the country on Saturday. According to the Expatriate Welfare Desk at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, 30 of the bodies arrived from Kuwait on a chartered Kuwait Airways flight in the evening. Four more bodies, two each from Malaysia and Libya, arrived on separate flights the same day.

Officials from the Expatriate Welfare Desk said that repeated flight cancellations caused by the ongoing war situation in the Middle East had delayed the repatriation of the deceased workers. The bodies had been scheduled to return earlier but were stranded due to the disruptions. Later, arrangements were made to bring them back on special flights.

An assistant director of the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board confirmed that the flight problems linked to the regional conflict had caused the delay, and the bodies were eventually transported on separate flights to Bangladesh.

BNP activists in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar have accused their own union leadership of attempting to rehabilitate a former chairman allegedly aligned with the Awami League. The allegations were made at a press conference held on April 18 at the Cox’s Bazar Press Club, where local BNP and affiliated organization members demanded the dissolution of the current Rashidnagar Union BNP committee and the formation of a new one.

Speakers at the event claimed that current union BNP president Mosleh Uddin and acting general secretary Ahmad Nabi were creating divisions within the party and damaging its image through unethical activities. They alleged that the two leaders were trying to reinstate former chairman Shah Alam, who was previously removed amid accusations of violence, land grabbing, and drug-related crimes. The activists said Shah Alam’s past actions, including alleged attacks and cases against BNP-Jamaat members, had caused deep resentment among grassroots workers.

The participants urged the party’s central leadership to cancel the current committee and stop any move to reinstate Shah Alam, warning that larger protests would follow if their demands were ignored.

Prime Minister’s Economic and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said Bangladesh’s people are becoming hostage to IMF loans due to past bailout decisions made under tough conditions. Speaking at a seminar at the Economic Reporters Forum office in Dhaka’s Paltan on Saturday, he claimed the previous government concealed the true economic crisis and pursued nepotistic policies. The event focused on economic stability, fiscal capacity, and the government’s 180-day action plan.

Titumir emphasized that the current administration inherited a fragile economy, with remittance inflows sustaining growth rather than structural reforms. He outlined five pillars of the government’s manifesto, including state reform, equitable development, and institutional strengthening. He also called for better coordination between fiscal and monetary policies and expressed confidence in Bangladesh Bank’s independence. Economist Mustafizur Rahman identified three major tests for the government: managing inherited crises, maintaining policy autonomy amid IMF conditions and geopolitical pressures, and ensuring inclusive growth.

Speakers from the garment and export sectors highlighted energy shortages, inconsistent policies, and declining exports as key obstacles to investment and employment recovery.

Battery-run rickshaw and van drivers in Domar upazila of Nilphamari blocked a road on Saturday morning to protest toll collection. The demonstration began around 11:30 a.m. when drivers gathered in the town center, alleging harassment in the name of tolls. During an argument, toll collector Abdur Rashid was beaten by the protesters. The blockade continued for about four hours, disrupting traffic in the area.

Drivers claimed they had long been subjected to harassment by those collecting tolls, including threats and confiscation of vehicle keys if payments were not made. Leaseholder Shariful Islam Pappu stated that the municipality had leased the right to collect tolls from auto-rickshaws and vans operating within its jurisdiction, and that each toll point had designated personnel. Domar Upazila Executive Officer Shayla Saeed Tonni said that extortion would not be tolerated and that only lawful municipal procedures would continue.

Authorities indicated that steps would be taken to ensure proper regulation of toll collection and to prevent further incidents of harassment or violence.

At least eight oil and gas tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Iran declared the reopening of the key trade route during a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. Ship-tracking data confirmed the movement, marking the first significant passage since the strait was closed by Iranian forces.

According to tracking firm Kpler, the vessels included one crude oil tanker, four liquefied petroleum gas carriers, two oil and chemical tankers, and one classified as an oil product ship. Another platform, Marine Traffic, showed several crude oil tankers still stationed near Iran’s Larak Island, which serves as a checkpoint for ships exiting the Persian Gulf and remains under Iranian blockade.

The closure of the strait had left hundreds of ships stranded in the Persian Gulf, sharply increasing transport costs. Many captains had avoided the area due to fears of attacks or mines, but the temporary opening allowed limited passage for some vessels.

United Medical College Hospital, a flagship institution of United Healthcare, has introduced a special health service initiative for Hajj pilgrims to ensure their well-being. A dedicated health service center has been set up at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, offering free primary healthcare and essential medicines directly to pilgrims before their departure.

Located on 100 Feet Madani Avenue, the hospital’s initiative allows travelers to undergo health check-ups before boarding flights, helping to reduce health risks during the long journey. The service center will remain open 24 hours a day from April 18, the date of the first Hajj flight, until the last flight departs.

According to the organizers, the initiative reflects a commitment to making quality healthcare more accessible and ensuring the safety and wellness of pilgrims. They also expressed hope that similar programs will continue in the future to support travelers’ health needs.