Bangladesh’s Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Anisul Huq stated that the country’s human rights indicators have improved, with extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances now reduced to nearly zero. He also said that false and fabricated cases have significantly declined. The minister made these remarks on Wednesday while addressing an iftar event organized by the Dhaka University LLM Lawyers Association (DULA) at the Dhaka Club.

Discussing Section 173(A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the minister explained that it serves as an effective safeguard for protecting citizens’ rights. He noted that in many instances, hundreds of people faced false charges and had to wait years for police reports, which hindered their business, travel, and medical opportunities. To address this, an interim police reporting system through higher authorities has been introduced.

The minister urged lawyers to uphold human values, integrity, and dedication to ensure rule of law, justice, and human rights in Bangladesh, emphasizing that all professionals ultimately serve the people of the country.

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz following attacks by the United States and Israel but continues to export large volumes of crude oil to China, according to a CNBC report published Wednesday. Satellite data from TankerTrackers shows that since the war began on February 28, Iran has shipped at least 11.7 million barrels of crude through the strait, all bound for China. Kepler, another shipping intelligence firm, estimated the figure at around 12 million barrels. The International Maritime Organization reported that at least ten vessels have been attacked in the strait since the conflict began, leaving seven sailors dead.

Despite threats to attack any vessel attempting passage, Iran has maintained exports mainly through its Kharg Island terminal, which handles 90 percent of its shipments. Tehran has also resumed loading at the Jask terminal on the Gulf of Oman, seen as a potential alternative route. Analysts noted that China remains Iran’s main crude buyer, with February exports reaching 2.16 million barrels per day, the highest since 2018. China’s crude imports rose 15.8 percent year-on-year in the first two months of the year as it built up reserves.

Global oil prices surged to record levels amid fears of supply disruption, while U.S. President Donald Trump urged ships near the strait to proceed despite Iranian threats.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education of Bangladesh has issued the 'Primary Scholarship Examination Policy 2026' to evaluate meritorious students in primary education. Signed by Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, the policy was published on the Directorate of Primary Education’s website. Under the new rules, the scholarship exam will now carry a total of 400 marks, and all related activities from 2026 will follow this policy. The 2025 exam will also be held under this framework as a special arrangement.

According to the policy, up to 40 percent of fifth-grade students from each school, based on their fourth-grade cumulative results, can participate. Participation is mandatory for all government primary schools, while private schools must follow the NCTB curriculum and be active in the IPEMIS system. The exam will cover Bangla, English, Mathematics, Bangladesh and Global Studies, and Primary Science, each worth 100 marks. Two types of scholarships—Talent Pool and General—will be awarded, maintaining equal gender representation and separate quotas for government and private institutions.

A national steering committee and local-level committees will oversee the exams, with strict disciplinary measures for irregularities. All previous scholarship policies, including that of 2008, have been repealed.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has protested what it described as increasing political interference in educational institutions. In a statement issued on March 11, 2026, by NCP’s Joint Member Secretary for Education and Research, Faisal Mahmud Shanto, the party criticized a preliminary decision made on March 10 during a meeting at the Secretariat attended by Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan and education board chairmen. The meeting reportedly decided to relax the educational qualification requirements for the position of chairperson of educational institution management committees.

The NCP statement condemned the move, arguing that it would enable unqualified individuals to exert undue authority over teachers and expand political influence in education. It recalled past instances where politically influential but underqualified persons served as chairpersons, leading to corruption, favoritism, and even harassment of teachers. The party noted that a previous interim government had made minimum educational qualifications mandatory for chairpersons, a reform welcomed by teachers, students, and parents.

The NCP urged the newly elected government and the Ministry of Education to cancel the preliminary decision and take effective measures to prevent political interference in educational institutions.

Iran has announced it will not participate in the upcoming World Cup due to ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in the Middle East. Sports Minister Ahmad Doniyamal stated in a television interview that the current situation makes it impossible for Iran to take part, citing two wars within months and thousands of casualties. He said the government decided not to send the national team to the tournament scheduled in the United States.

The unrest intensified after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed in a joint U.S.-Israel attack on February 28, leading to retaliatory strikes by Iran and widespread regional instability. Doniyamal described the situation as untenable for international sporting participation, particularly in the U.S.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino had expressed that Iran would be welcome to compete without restrictions. The World Cup is set to take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with Iran originally scheduled to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in group-stage matches.

Iran announced a major shift in its military stance, declaring that its previous policy of retaliatory attacks has ended. In a statement from Tehran’s Khatam al-Anbia military command headquarters, spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari said the country will now follow a 'strike for strike' approach. He warned that Iran will not allow even a single liter of oil to pass through the Hormuz Strait to the United States, Israel, or their partners.

Zolfaghari further stated that any ship or tanker loyal to those nations would be considered a legitimate target. He cautioned that oil prices could reach 200 dollars per barrel, linking the potential surge to regional security conditions that he claimed have been undermined by those countries. The remarks underscore heightened tensions surrounding the strategic waterway, a vital route for global energy shipments.

The statement comes amid reports of rising oil prices in 85 countries since the start of the Iran conflict and a recent attack on a Thailand-bound Indian vessel in the Hormuz Strait.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir emphasized that media freedom is essential for the growth of democracy in Bangladesh. Speaking at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday before an iftar with journalists, he said that no pressure or control should be imposed on journalists and that establishing a free and independent media should be a shared goal.

He recalled the long-standing relationship between the BNP and journalists, noting that the party values the support it has received from the media. Remembering BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul said she always maintained good relations with journalists and prayed for her departed soul. He added that a new political opportunity has emerged to institutionalize democracy through a government based on public trust and support.

Fakhrul expressed hope that by making the parliament the center of all activities, democratic institutions could be further strengthened, calling on all who believe in democracy, liberal values, and media freedom to work together to build a truly democratic and liberal Bangladesh.

Spain has permanently withdrawn its ambassador from Israel, marking a severe downturn in bilateral relations. The decision, announced in Spain’s official gazette on Tuesday, follows months of escalating tension after Madrid opposed U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Spain’s foreign ministry said its embassy in Tel Aviv will now be managed by a chargé d’affaires.

The dispute began last September when Spain recalled its ambassador in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Madrid also banned the use of its airspace and ports by arms shipments bound for Israel, further straining ties. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar had labeled Spain’s stance as antisemitic. Relations deteriorated further after Spain recognized the State of Palestine, prompting Israel to withdraw its own ambassador.

Tensions intensified again after February 28, when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began. The diplomatic downgrade underscores the deepening divide between the two nations over Middle East policy and the Gaza conflict.

A joint operation led by the Bangladesh Army, supported by police, RAB, and BGB, has ended three decades of militant and land-grabber dominance in Jungle Salimpur, Chattogram. The operation, conducted on March 9, lasted ten hours and brought the area fully under state control. The Defense Intelligence Directorate (DGFI) provided detailed intelligence, mapping secret hideouts, weapon factories, and tunnels across 3,000 acres of hilly terrain. Using drones and dog squads, forces recovered 27 pipe guns, two pistols, 11 cocktails, over a thousand rounds of ammunition, and modern lathe machines used for illegal arms production.

Authorities described the operation as a restoration of state sovereignty after years of lawlessness. The area had long been outside administrative control due to extortion, illegal occupation, and armed activity. The operation freed 3,000 acres of land from illegal possession without major casualties.

Post-operation, mobile patrols and surveillance have been intensified. The government plans to establish public infrastructure and land offices on the reclaimed land. Security agencies confirmed that further operations will continue under the government’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and illegal occupation.

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has increased petrol and octane supply to filling stations by 10 percent, effective from Wednesday. Officials confirmed the decision, saying it follows a reduction in rationing from 25 percent to 15 percent, allowing 85 percent of normal fuel supply to resume. The government said fuel imports are continuing as scheduled, with shipments arriving regularly and distributed through depots and marketing companies to maintain supply stability.

At a press conference in Dhaka, the Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association demanded enhanced security at depots and filling stations, citing incidents of attacks and chaos amid public confusion over rationing. Association president Mohammad Nazmul Haque said many stations are not receiving regular deliveries and that actual shortages exceed official figures. Owners also opposed mobile court operations, claiming these actions socially humiliate them and disrupt business.

The association presented eight demands, including deployment of police and army personnel for security, equal fuel distribution to all pumps, and strict punishment for illegal hoarding. They also urged authorities to stop unauthorized entry into fuel depots and to ensure fair monitoring practices.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Md. Nahid Islam has called for nationwide unity if members of the Constitutional Reform Council do not take their oath. He made the statement at the NCP’s divisional iftar and prayer gathering held at Shaheed Abu Sayeed Stadium in Rangpur. Nahid said the new parliamentary session would begin the next day and the nation was watching to see whether ruling party MPs would take the oath and whether the president would be removed.

He emphasized that these demands were not only his party’s but represented the aspirations of a new Bangladesh, urging all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to raise their voices. Nahid also expressed hope for a functional parliament where the opposition would be allowed to speak and all commitments would be honored. Remembering Shaheed Abu Sayeed, he pledged that Rangpur Division would face no discrimination in the future.

The event was attended by NCP leaders, members of allied parties, and representatives from the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, reflecting broad political participation.

Fuel prices have risen sharply in 85 countries since the outbreak of war between Iran and the United States-Israel alliance on February 28, 2026. The conflict has severely disrupted global oil supply chains, with the closure of the Hormuz Strait causing acute shortages, particularly in Asia. According to the American Automobile Association, the average price of regular gasoline in the United States increased by 20 percent to $3.58 per gallon, while in California it exceeded $5 per gallon, the highest in two years.

Global Petrol Prices data show Vietnam experienced the steepest rise, with prices jumping nearly 50 percent per liter, followed by Laos, Cambodia, Australia, and the United States. Japan is preparing to release oil from its strategic reserves, and South Korea has imposed maximum price caps for the first time in 30 years. Bangladesh and Pakistan have implemented emergency measures, including university closures and reduced workweeks, to conserve fuel.

Economists warn that disruptions in transport and logistics are increasing inflation and unemployment simultaneously, raising the risk of global stagflation similar to past oil crises.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on citizens to take preventive measures against dengue and chikungunya through a special video message released on Wednesday. He warned that both diseases have become serious threats to public health but emphasized that awareness and early prevention can protect people from infection. Experts noted that Aedes mosquitoes transmit these diseases, making proactive control essential.

The Prime Minister explained that although dengue outbreaks are most common from June to October, infections can occur at any time. He urged people to prevent water from accumulating in containers such as drains, flower pots, buckets, and discarded tires, and to keep water tanks covered. He also announced a nationwide cleanliness campaign starting March 14, to be conducted weekly, with members of parliament and local representatives encouraged to lead community cleaning efforts every Saturday.

Rahman reiterated that the government’s health policy prioritizes prevention over treatment and reminded citizens that cleanliness and awareness remain the most effective defenses against mosquito-borne diseases.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that several historic decisions will be made during the first session of the 13th National Parliament, scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday. He described the session as highly significant and historic for the nation, marking the culmination of a 16–17-year-long struggle toward democratic transition.

The minister stated that Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman will deliver the opening address. As the Speaker and Deputy Speaker had not yet been finalized, the session will begin with a temporary presiding member, who will oversee the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker according to parliamentary rules. Following their election, the President will administer the oath to both officials.

The announcement underscores the government’s emphasis on the symbolic and procedural importance of the inaugural session, which is expected to set the tone for the new parliamentary term.

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam announced that legal action will be taken if allegations against prosecutors of the International Crimes Tribunal are found to be true. He made the statement on Wednesday during a press conference at his office. A fact-finding committee was formed on Tuesday to investigate claims of unethical conduct involving members of the prosecution team or related individuals.

According to Aminul Islam, one complaint has already been received and is being treated with utmost seriousness. The committee will investigate whether any member of the prosecution team or associated person was involved in unethical activities. The Chief Prosecutor also stated that any other complaints related to the tribunal will be examined.

The controversy began after leaked WhatsApp call recordings of former prosecutor Saimum Reza Talukder surfaced. He allegedly demanded one crore taka from the family of former MP A.B.M. Fazle Karim Chowdhury, accused in a crimes against humanity case, in exchange for securing bail.