The Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) has declared a five-day holiday for newspaper industry employees during Eid-ul-Fitr. The announcement was made on Tuesday through a notice signed by NOAB President A K Azad. According to the notice, the holiday will run from March 19 to March 23, 2026.

As a result of this schedule, no newspapers will be published from March 20 to March 24, 2026. The decision applies across the newspaper sector and is intended to allow workers to observe the Eid festival with their families.

The announcement provides clarity for newspaper employees and readers regarding publication schedules during the upcoming Eid period.

A massive traffic jam stretching about 30 to 35 kilometers has paralyzed the Comilla section of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway since Tuesday morning. The congestion, mainly on the Chattogram-bound lane from Daudkandi to Comilla Cantonment, caused severe suffering for thousands of passengers. Highway police officials said the jam resulted from slow road repair work and a blockade by garment workers demanding unpaid wages.

Workers from Chandina Denim Garments blocked the highway near Harikhola Mazar area after not receiving three months of salaries and bonuses. The protest quickly expanded, halting traffic across Daudkandi, Gauripur, Chandina, Nimsar, and Cantonment areas. Passengers, including women, children, and the elderly, were seen walking to their destinations under intense heat during Ramadan.

Police later intervened to clear the blockade and restore movement. The factory’s CEO, Jahangir Alam, said workers would receive January salaries by Thursday and February wages with Eid bonuses by March 16, blaming an unnamed group for inciting the protest.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) under the Ministry of Education has issued ten directives for all educational institutions under its jurisdiction. According to a recent circular signed by Professor Dr. Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, each institution will organize a one-day training program titled 'Scientific Lifestyle Development and Mental Health Service Activities' for teachers and students. The initiative will be implemented free of cost in collaboration with the non-governmental organization Quantum Foundation under a memorandum of understanding.

The directives include forming a monitoring pool in each institution to ensure daily practice after the training, providing counseling services as per the manual, and involving Bangladesh Scouts as volunteers. Institutions may also include parents in the program if deemed necessary for awareness on non-communicable disease prevention and mental health protection. Regional education officials will assist in coordinating the implementation.

The program aims to promote mental well-being and healthy lifestyle practices among students and teachers through structured meditation and counseling sessions guided by the Quantum Foundation’s manual.

The Ministry of Health of Bangladesh has decided to suspend all classes and examinations at both public and private medical colleges starting Tuesday. The decision was made on Monday during a meeting at the ministry, according to the Director General of the Directorate General of Medical Education, Professor Dr. Nazmul Hossain. The suspension will remain in effect until after the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, when academic activities are expected to resume.

A formal notice has already been issued, confirmed the ministry’s public relations officer Mahmudul Hasan. The move follows a government directive aimed at conserving electricity and fuel nationwide in response to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has affected energy supplies. The Ministry of Education had earlier announced a similar suspension for all public and private universities across the country.

The coordinated closures reflect the government’s broader strategy to manage energy consumption during a period of heightened global uncertainty and domestic energy-saving measures.

A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft made an emergency landing on the runway in Jashore on Monday, March 9, 2026. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) confirmed the incident in a message released around 1 p.m. that day.

According to the ISPR statement, the emergency landing occurred after the aircraft experienced a mechanical fault during flight. The pilot landed the plane safely, and no damage was reported to the aircraft. The statement also confirmed that the aviator remained unharmed.

The report did not mention any disruption to airport operations or further investigation into the cause of the mechanical issue.

Dhaka University has decided to suspend all classes and examinations from Monday, March 9, 2026, until Saturday, March 28, 2026, in observance of the upcoming Eid holidays. The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the Syndicate Management Team (SMT) held on Sunday night, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan.

The meeting discussed the government’s circular and a letter from the University Grants Commission (UGC), which guided the temporary suspension of academic activities. The university’s Public Relations Office confirmed the decision through a notice signed by Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.

According to the announcement, university offices will remain open on March 9, and a further decision regarding administrative operations after that date will be announced later.

The Ministry of Education has announced that all English-medium schools across Bangladesh will remain closed starting Monday, March 9, 2026. The closure, declared ahead of the holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, was confirmed in a statement signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Shirin Akter of the Secondary and Higher Education Division’s Private Secondary-1 branch.

According to the statement, the decision was made unanimously in a meeting chaired by the Education Minister with representatives of English-medium schools. The schools will stay closed until the government-declared Eid holidays. The ministry said the move aims to ease public inconvenience in major cities, including Dhaka, during Ramadan.

Two special directives accompanied the announcement. Schools following foreign curricula must continue mandatory examinations as per their pre-announced schedules, and all coaching centers—both Bangla and English-medium—must suspend operations during this period.

The Ministry of Education in Bangladesh has announced that all English medium schools operating under foreign curricula will suspend classes from March 9 until the end of the government-declared Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. However, mandatory examinations may proceed according to previously set schedules. The decision was made during a key meeting on policies for English medium schools and coaching centers held at the Secretariat.

The meeting was chaired by Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan and attended by senior officials, including the Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, Abdul Khaleque. Discussions focused on easing public inconvenience during Ramadan and considering the current global situation. Representatives of English medium schools participated in the talks, which led to unanimous decisions on school closures and related matters.

According to the meeting’s resolution, all coaching centers, including those for both Bangla and English medium students, will also remain closed during this period. The ministry’s public relations department later confirmed the decisions through an official press release.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku said the government is giving the highest priority to primary education and taking steps to make the teaching profession more respected and appealing. He stated that primary education forms the foundation of a nation, and the goal is to turn the job of a primary school teacher into a desirable career that attracts talented individuals. He made these remarks on Saturday afternoon while addressing a recognition and award ceremony at the Tangail Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall.

Tuku highlighted that temple-based education programs play a vital role at the grassroots level by nurturing students in morality, humanity, and social values while enhancing their educational skills. He also emphasized that in Bangladesh there should be no distinction between majority and minority communities, as all citizens are Bangladeshis who must work together for national progress. The government, he added, will provide full support to the Hindu community in all matters.

The event was chaired by Tangail Deputy Commissioner Sharifa Haque and attended by several local officials and education project representatives. Awards were presented to outstanding teachers, students, and sports competition winners.

The Comilla Education Board has suspended teaching and academic recognition for 13 educational institutions under its jurisdiction due to poor performance in the 2025 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination. The decision was confirmed through a letter signed by Exam Controller Professor Runa Nasrin on March 5, 2026. Board Chairman Professor Md. Shamsul Islam stated that the institutions failed to meet operational conditions and showed unsatisfactory results, prompting the suspension.

According to the board’s examination committee meeting held on January 7, 2026, institutions with pass rates between zero and five percent were deemed to have unsatisfactory outcomes. The suspended institutions include schools and colleges from Brahmanbaria, Lakshmipur, Comilla, and Chandpur districts. College Inspector Professor Md. Nurunnabi Alam said the suspension is temporary and that institutions may resume academic activities upon fulfilling required conditions.

The board emphasized that repeated poor performance and failure to improve despite prior warnings led to this action. Authorities also indicated that similar measures will be taken against other institutions if their results remain unsatisfactory.

In Dhaka’s Lalmatia D Block, a volunteer-run initiative called ‘Mehmankhana’ has become a vital source of daily meals for the city’s underprivileged. Without political or corporate backing, a group of young volunteers prepares and distributes iftar and one daily meal to around 1,500 to 2,000 people every day during Ramadan. The beneficiaries include rickshaw pullers, day laborers, street children, and low-income workers who gather before sunset to receive food in an orderly manner.

The initiative, founded by Asma Akhter Liza during the COVID-19 lockdown, began with meals for 50 to 100 people and has since expanded to serve thousands. Volunteers cook and serve dishes such as khichuri, chickpeas, puffed rice, fruits, and drinks, maintaining hygiene and discipline throughout the process. Contributions come from individuals donating rice, lentils, oil, chicken, or money via mobile payment.

Beyond Ramadan, Mehmankhana continues to distribute food across Dhaka and operates a small school named ‘Ananda Pathshala’ for disadvantaged children, reflecting its broader humanitarian mission.

The appointment process for a new vice-chancellor at Dhaka University has become uncertain after current Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan submitted his resignation on February 22 but continues in office as it has not yet been officially accepted. The delay in appointing a successor has caused administrative stagnation, with officials reporting that only routine tasks are being completed while major policy and academic decisions remain on hold.

State Minister for Education Bobby Hajjaj stated that Dr. Khan will remain in charge until formal handover, after which the next-in-command will temporarily assume responsibility before a permanent appointment is made following global best practices. The Prime Minister has reportedly shown interest in ensuring international standards in the selection process, possibly through a search committee led by the Education Minister.

University officials warned that prolonged uncertainty could further slow academic and administrative operations, affecting admissions, development projects, and upcoming events. The Education Ministry emphasized that the government aims to bring long-term reforms rather than make hasty decisions.

A severe traffic jam developed on the Dhaka-bound lane of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Gazaria, Munshiganj, on Monday night, causing significant suffering for passengers and drivers. The congestion began after midnight when repair work started on the Langalbandh Bridge in Sonargaon, Narayanganj. The slowdown on the bridge quickly affected the entire highway, extending the jam into the Gazaria section.

Truck driver Mohan Mia reported being stuck in traffic since crossing the Daudkandi Bridge around 3 a.m., while private car driver Ujjal Pradhan said about 13 kilometers of the Dhaka-bound lane in Gazaria had become nearly immobile. He noted that it took over two and a half hours to cross the Meghna Bridge, a journey that normally takes less than ten minutes.

Highway police officer Shawkat Hossain confirmed that the congestion was caused by the ongoing repair work on the damaged Langalbandh Bridge and said police were working continuously to ease the situation.

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan has called for creative proposals and effective initiatives to modernize and simplify Bangladesh’s education system. Speaking at a views-exchange meeting organized by the Directorate of Madrasa Education on Sunday, he emphasized that the ministry is a nation-building institution responsible for shaping the country’s future generations.

The minister urged the removal of unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and called on stakeholders to review their work and propose improvements to make courses and curricula more relevant and productive. He announced that a new curriculum committee must be formed and its members selected within the current month to meet the 2027 target, with the process starting next week. He also directed that syllabus preparation be completed within the set timeframe through coordinated efforts.

State Minister Bobby Hajjaj requested practical and specific solutions to address challenges in the education sector, including coordination issues and administrative complexities. Officials from the Directorate of Madrasa Education and related departments attended the meeting.

Train services in northern Bangladesh, particularly across Gaibandha, Bogura, and surrounding districts, are facing severe neglect, leading to daily hardship for passengers. Many trains, including the Korotoa and Dolonchapa intercity services, frequently miss schedules, operate with broken compartments, and lack basic cleanliness. Several railway stations along the Santahar–Bonarpara–Lalmonirhat route have been closed for years, causing crossing delays and extended waiting times for intercity trains.

Passengers report that compartments are filled with dust and dirt, toilets are unusable, and lighting is absent in some local trains. Overcrowding and the presence of unauthorized vendors add to the discomfort. The Bonarpara–Santahar college train runs beyond capacity without additional coaches, while ticketless travel and pickpocketing remain common due to the absence of inspectors.

Railway officials acknowledge the problems. Bonarpara station master Pradip Chandra said decisions depend on higher authorities, while Lalmonirhat divisional railway manager Taslim Ahmed Khan, newly appointed, promised to take measures after assessing the situation.