A Green Line transport bus caught fire while traveling on the Dhaka-Barishal highway on Thursday morning. The bus was carrying 20 passengers at the time, but fortunately, no one was injured. Fire service officials reported that the fire broke out when the bus reached the South Bamrail area of the highway. All passengers, including the driver, assistant, and supervisor, managed to evacuate before the fire spread. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar faced a violent protest by Khalistani separatists during his visit to the UK. As Jaishankar left Chatham House following a discussion with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, a protester ran toward his car and tore an Indian flag in front of police officers. Law enforcement quickly intervened, arresting the protester and several others. Analysts suggest this incident, allegedly orchestrated by the ‘Sikhs for Justice’ organization led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, highlights security lapses in Jaishankar’s protection.

India’s central government is now aiming to take control of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the country is progressing in phases. “We have already completed several steps—first, revoking Article 370; second, boosting development and economic activity in Jammu and Kashmir; and third, holding legislative elections there,” he said. “Now, we are entering the fourth phase: integrating the region that is currently occupied by Pakistan into India’s map.”

Dhaka has seen multiple fire incidents in recent days, raising safety concerns. In the past week alone, a fire at a residential hotel in Shahjadpur, Gulshan, claimed four lives. Soon after, major fires broke out at Gabtoli Shahi Mosque slum and Abul slum in Bhashantek. In response, the Bangladesh Army has issued a set of precautionary measures, including enhanced CCTV monitoring, restricted access to high-risk areas, legal actions against suspicious activities, improvements in firefighting infrastructure, and regulations to prevent electrical overload.

Officials of the Election Commission are opposing the government’s plan to transfer National ID (NID) services under a separate commission. In response, they are preparing for protests. Some employees have already gathered outside the office of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin to voice their discontent. They warned that if their demands are not met, they will first observe a half-day work stoppage, followed by a full-day strike, and eventually, a nationwide shutdown of Election Commission activities. The government, meanwhile, is working on an ordinance titled “Civil Registration Commission, 2025” to integrate birth registration, NID, and passport services under a unified system.

A violent scuffle broke out between security personnel and family members of the October 7 attack victims as they attempted to enter Israel’s parliament during an ongoing session. At least two people were injured in the altercation. Opposition leader Yair Lapid shared a video of the incident, which was also reported by Al Jazeera. The chaos ensued when members of the NGO ‘October Council’ tried to gain access to the Knesset. They were later allowed in and protested during Netanyahu’s speech by turning their backs on him while holding up placards. The NGO represents over 1,000 families affected by the attack.

Speaking at a workshop in Rangpur on Thursday morning, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Islam emphasized that the nation would not forgive if cases related to the July coup are not properly investigated and resolved.

He stressed the need for thorough investigations and fair trials, warning that failure to deliver justice would lead to public dissatisfaction. The IGP also mentioned efforts to restore the honor of the police force by prosecuting and removing officers involved in crimes after August 5. He urged civic society to support the police in this endeavor.

On Thursday at 11:00 AM, Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan visited the grave of martyr Abrar Fahad in Kumarkhali, Kushtia. Following the visit, he met with Abrar’s family members and inaugurated an expansion project for the Abrar Fahad Jame Mosque.

Later, he attended the opening ceremony at the Abrar Fahad Stadium, located beside the Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway. He is also scheduled to hold a discussion session with various officials during his visit.

The government has warned launch operators against charging extra fares during Eid travel. Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain stated that fare charts must be publicly displayed, and violations will lead to fines and route permit cancellations. Authorities will also enforce traffic regulations at Sadarghat and prohibit speedboats and bulkheads from operating at night. Fitness inspections for launches will begin immediately. Officials have assured strict action, including license suspension, against those who break regulations or disrupt transport order.

The High Court has summoned Senior Home Secretary Nasimul Gani for demeaning and disrespecting the Chief Justice and the judiciary in a state security directive. A joint High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Nazib and Justice Shikdar Mahmudur Raji issued the order on Thursday, directing the Home Secretary to appear in court on March 18.

According to lawyer Shishir Monir, the state security directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on March 2 placed the Chief Justice below the Home Secretary and Range DIG in terms of status. However, according to the state’s hierarchy of ranks, the Chief Justice holds a much higher position.

A Dhaka University (DU) staff member arrested for harassing a female student was granted bail within 24 hours of his arrest. The accused, Mostafa Asif Arnab, was taken into custody following allegations that he verbally harassed the student in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture on March 5. According to the complaint, he confronted her about not wearing a veil and made inappropriate remarks. When she attempted to call the university proctor, he fled the scene. Later, the proctor handed him over to Shahbagh police. Despite police efforts to keep him in custody, the court granted him bail soon after his arrest.

Thirteen fishermen, stranded at sea for four days after their fishing trawler’s engine failed, were rescued by the Bangladesh Coast Guard near Dublarchar in the Sundarbans. The fishing boat MV Ma Babar Doa had been drifting helplessly when an emergency call was made to the national helpline (999). Acting on the distress call, a four-member rescue team from the Coast Guard’s western zone reached the scene and successfully rescued all 13 crew members. The fishermen were later taken to safety along with their vessel.

The death toll in Gaza has risen to 48,450 after 30 more bodies were recovered from the rubble. According to reports, four more Palestinians were killed in Israeli shelling in the past 48 hours, while another wounded victim succumbed to injuries. The ongoing ceasefire agreement has halted the mass killings that lasted over 15 months, but search and rescue operations continue to recover bodies from destroyed areas.

The Bangladeshi government has formed 15 reform commissions to prevent further human rights violations, with six commissions already submitting their reports. These reports align with findings from the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner. Legal Advisor Asif Nazrul stated that Bangladesh will work even more closely with the UN Human Rights Office to implement these reforms. He made these remarks at the “Charting the Path Forward” event, attended by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The event also screened the documentary Jatrabari: An Evidence to Massacre, created by journalist David Bergman.

A Dhaka University student was harassed on the street for her choice of clothing, leading to the arrest of the perpetrator, Mostafa Asif Arnob (25). A group of people gathered at Shahbagh Police Station late at night, demanding his release. After an eight-hour protest, they dispersed around 9:30 AM. Shahbagh Police Station’s officer-in-charge confirmed that Arnob had been presented in court. University authorities handed him over to the police on Wednesday evening after he stopped the female student on the street and aggressively criticized her attire, accusing her of not adhering to conservative dress codes. Arnob worked as a bookbinder at the university’s central library.