Former U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, setting a two-month deadline for reaching a nuclear agreement. Khamenei condemned Trump’s ultimatum as “bullying tactics.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the letter is still under review and a response is being prepared. Trump remarked, “We cannot allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons. While I prefer a peace agreement, other options remain on the table.”

The Technical and Madrasa Education Division announced on Thursday a proposal to provide government salaries to teachers of Qaumi madrasas as part of an initiative to improve the education system. Under this proposal, madrasas will be categorized into four grades based on student numbers and establishment years.
• Grade 1: Madrasas with over 500 students and established more than 25 years ago. The head of the institution would receive 10,000 BDT per month, while four teachers and one staff member would each receive 7,000 BDT per month.
• Grade 2: Madrasas with over 300 students and over 15 years old. The head would get 8,000 BDT, while four teachers and one staff member would receive 5,000 BDT each.
• Grade 3: Madrasas with over 100 students and at least five years old. The head would receive 5,000 BDT, while teachers and staff would get 3,000 BDT each.
• Grade 4: All other madrasas fall under this category.

The Advisory Council has approved an executive order granting government employees an extended nine-day holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr. Initially, five days of leave were planned from March 29 to April 2, with April 3 as a working day before the weekend break on April 4 and 5. However, to ensure a continuous holiday period, the government has declared April 3 a holiday as well, effectively extending the break to nine days.

The Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, announced that amendments to the Women and Child Repression Prevention Act have been passed. The decision was made during a meeting of the Advisory Council on Thursday. In a press conference, Shafiqul Alam stated that modifications have been made to provisions regarding forced intercourse under false promises of marriage. Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar and Apoorbo Jahangir were also present at the briefing.

Seven journalists were assaulted in Shahjadpur, Sirajganj, after reporting on a road blockade caused by dumped soil. Several motorcycles were vandalized during the attack. The injured journalists include Rajib Ahmed Russel, Selim Talukder, Shahan Ali, Md. Saheb Ali, Hiru Khandaker, and Jahangir Hossain. Russel stated that they witnessed a traffic jam due to the blockage and requested local youths to clear the road, which led to a confrontation and subsequent attack by two individuals, Imran (20) and Jamil (22), later joined by others.

Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, police have issued several safety guidelines to ensure a secure and smooth celebration. Citizens are advised to plan their travel in advance, avoid overcrowding on buses, and refrain from traveling on truck beds or bus rooftops. Pedestrians should use zebra crossings or foot overbridges when crossing roads. Drivers have been urged to avoid speeding and reckless overtaking. Additionally, ferry passengers are advised to check weather forecasts before departing and to ensure that passenger decks remain clear of excessive cargo.

Ali Riaz, head of the Constitutional Reform Commission, has stressed the urgent need for structural reforms to ensure political inclusivity and good governance. He emphasized that the existing system must be overhauled to prevent authoritarian rule and further political crises. Riaz criticized past elections as fraudulent and accused the judiciary of being manipulated to grant the Prime Minister unchecked power. He called for legal and constitutional reforms to restore accountability and democracy.

Former British minister Tulip Siddiq has accused Bangladeshi authorities of targeting her with baseless propaganda in an official letter. She stated that investigators never formally informed her of any allegations. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) responded, asserting that Tulip had benefitted from Awami League corruption. The letter also questioned her claims of ignorance regarding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's governance, stating that such claims were difficult to believe.

A devastating fire broke out at Green City Market in Rupganj, Narayanganj, around 2 AM on Wednesday. Fire service station officer Jahangir Alam stated that three fire service units battled the blaze for an hour before bringing it under control, and it was completely extinguished by 4 AM. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be determined. However, shops inside the market suffered severe losses, with furniture and valuable goods reduced to ashes.

Kolkata police have sought a 'Lookout Notice' against 69 Bangladeshi nationals accused of obtaining Indian passports using forged documents. These individuals, now residing abroad with Indian passports, will be restricted from traveling to other countries if the notice is issued. Any attempt to leave their current country of residence will be flagged to Kolkata police. The investigation began in late 2024 following allegations of passport fraud at Bhawanipur police station, leading to the arrest of 10 individuals, including a retired district intelligence officer and a Bangladeshi national. Of the 121 fraudulent passport applications, 73 passports have already been issued, and at least 20 individuals have traveled abroad using them.

At least six migrants lost their lives, and 40 remain missing after a boat capsized near Lampedusa, Italy, the United Nations refugee agency confirmed on Wednesday. The Italian Coast Guard has so far rescued ten individuals and resumed search operations at dawn to locate more survivors.

According to the rescued migrants, a group of 56 people fell into the water due to rough weather conditions. They had set out from Tunisia on a small dinghy, attempting to reach European shores. In 2023, a total of 41,584 migrants crossed the Eastern Mediterranean migration route into the EU, a significant increase from 12,758 in 2022.

A fifth-grade student accused of attempting to rape a four-year-old girl in Jashore has been taken into police custody. However, a group of enraged students repeatedly attempted to snatch him from police custody, injuring a constable in the process.

According to the child’s father, he and his wife were away for work when they returned home to find their neighbor’s son attempting to assault their daughter. News of the incident spread, prompting students from Jashore Government MM College and Zilla School to intervene. A clash erupted between the protesters and the suspect’s family, leading to a tense standoff before police secured the suspect and transported him to the station.

Two employees of the Raipura Upazila Election Office in Narsingdi have been arrested for illegally selling National ID (NID) data in exchange for money. The detainees are Nahidul Islam, a data entry operator, and Ashikul Islam, a scanning operator.

Election Officer Din Mohammad Russell stated that a four-member investigative committee from the National Identity Registration Division verified the allegations before making the arrests. Authorities found evidence of 1.2 million BDT in transactions in Ashikul’s mobile banking account, while Nahidul’s account showed transactions worth approximately 200,000 BDT.

Leading editors from print and electronic media have urged the government to prioritize inflation control, investment growth, and job creation in the upcoming budget. They recommended raising the personal income tax exemption threshold to over 400,000 BDT and expanding social security programs.

Economic Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed stated that the new budget will not include extravagant mega projects or empty promises but will focus on building an equitable and welfare-oriented economy. He emphasized that Bangladesh cannot afford to delay its transition from LDC status and must tackle corruption and reduce unnecessary expenditures.

Hefazat-e-Islam’s Joint Secretary General, Maulana Azizul Haque, has strongly condemned the Israeli military’s attacks on Gaza, accusing them of violating the ceasefire agreement. He claimed that the occupation forces, with backing from the US, have killed over 400 Palestinians. Haque urged the global community to stand by the oppressed people of Palestine and demanded that Netanyahu’s government be held accountable for war crimes.

He also expressed concern over the increasing persecution of Muslims in India, citing incidents where an imam was sued for using a loudspeaker for the call to prayer and Muslim worshippers were attacked under the pretext of Holi celebrations. Haque warned that if these injustices continue, resistance will be organized against the Indian authorities.