A violent clash erupted between two local factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Hakimpur village of Shailkupa upazila, Jhenaidah, on Wednesday night, March 4, 2026. The confrontation, reportedly over local dominance, left at least 23 people injured and resulted in the vandalism of three homesteads. Police arrived promptly to bring the situation under control and transported the injured to Shailkupa Health Complex and Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.

According to police, the conflict involved supporters of Bokul Biswas, president of the Hakimpur Union BNP, and Tarun Biswas, president of the Union Swechchhasebak Dal. The dispute had been ongoing over influence in the area and escalated into violence when both sides armed themselves with local weapons. The incident spread panic throughout the village.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that the situation is now under control, with additional police deployed to prevent further clashes. Patrols have been intensified to maintain order in the affected area.

Hundreds of young people gathered at the Hazrat Shahjalal (R.) shrine area in Sylhet on Wednesday night, chanting slogans demanding justice for Hadi’s killing. The demonstration erupted after Tarawih prayers, coinciding with the presence of Nasir Uddin Patwari, joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), who had attended a party iftar and prayers at the Dargah Jame Mosque.

As Patwari and other NCP leaders prayed, crowds of youths assembled in the shrine courtyard and nearby streets, filling the area with chants such as “We want justice for Hadi’s murder.” The protest reflected growing anger over the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a prominent activist of the July–August movement and a candidate for Dhaka-8, who was shot dead on December 12 after Friday prayers.

According to the report, Patwari is touring various parts of the country during Ramadan, meeting people after Tarawih prayers. His supporters have been voicing demands for justice for Hadi and for a country free from extortion.

Nepal began voting on Thursday, March 5, 2026, to elect a new parliament, marking the first national election since the government fell six months ago following a deadly anti-corruption uprising. The vote, running until 5 p.m. local time, is being described as one of the most competitive since the end of the civil war in 2006. Around 19 million registered voters are choosing representatives to replace the interim government that has ruled since the September 2025 protests.

The 2025 Gen Z–led movement began as opposition to a temporary social media ban but grew into a nationwide campaign against corruption and economic mismanagement, resulting in at least 77 deaths and the fall of former Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli’s administration. Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki urged citizens to vote without fear, while thousands of security personnel were deployed to maintain order.

Over 3,400 candidates are contesting 165 directly elected seats in the 275-member lower house, with the remaining 110 to be allocated by party lists. Analysts expect no single party to win an outright majority, and preliminary results are expected within 24 hours.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur held a meeting in Dhaka with a six-member delegation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moin Khan. The meeting took place on Thursday, March 5, 2026, during Kapur’s official visit to Bangladesh.

Paul Kapur arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday night, March 3, 2026, via Delhi for a two-day visit. Upon arrival, he was received by officials from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy in Dhaka. On Wednesday, March 4, he met with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid, Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir. Kapur also attended a discussion session with a business delegation that evening.

The meetings were part of Kapur’s scheduled engagements during his visit to Bangladesh, focusing on diplomatic and bilateral discussions with government and political representatives.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S. Paul Kapoor held a meeting in Dhaka with a five-member delegation from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday, March 5, 2026. The meeting took place during his official visit to Bangladesh.

Kapoor arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday night, March 3, 2026, after traveling from Delhi for a two-day visit. He was received at the airport by officials from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy in Dhaka. On Wednesday, March 4, he met with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid, Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir. He also attended a discussion with a business delegation that evening.

The series of meetings formed part of Kapoor’s broader diplomatic engagements in Dhaka, focusing on bilateral and regional issues, though specific discussion details were not disclosed in the source.

The United States Senate has rejected a proposal aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations in Iran. The measure, which sought to restrict Trump’s ability to launch further military actions without congressional approval, failed by a vote of 47 in favor and 53 against. Lawmakers were largely divided along party lines during the vote.

The proposal called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from conflicts unless Congress explicitly authorized their involvement. Previous attempts to impose such limits had also failed, and even if this initiative had succeeded, it remained unclear how much it would have altered the course of the conflict. Democrats argued that Trump had bypassed Congress and offered inconsistent justifications for military actions, while most Republicans opposed the measure but indicated they might reconsider if the conflict expanded.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the same issue tomorrow. Some senators told reporters that if the war continues for several more weeks, they may be more inclined to support future efforts to restrict presidential war powers.

The Kishoreganj District Bar Association election concluded on Wednesday with candidates from the BNP-backed Nationalist Lawyers Forum winning nine out of fourteen posts. Voting took place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the District Bar Association building, and results were announced later that night. Advocate Mizanur Rahman was elected president, while Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan was re-elected general secretary for the sixth consecutive term.

The Nationalist Lawyers Forum fielded candidates for eleven positions and secured victories in nine, including key posts such as vice president, library secretary, cultural secretary, auditor, and three member positions. Five Awami League-leaning independent candidates won the remaining posts, including one vice president, two joint general secretaries, and two members. Senior lawyer Md. Idris Ali served as the chief election commissioner.

The results indicate continued influence of the Nationalist Lawyers Forum within the Kishoreganj legal community, with Ratan maintaining his leadership role for multiple terms.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada cannot completely rule out participation in a possible war against Iran. He made the remark during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, emphasizing that the possibility of involvement cannot be entirely dismissed.

Earlier, Carney had commented that attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran were not consistent with international law. However, he also affirmed that Canada would stand by its allies, suggesting a balancing stance between legal concerns and alliance commitments.

The statement comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, though Carney did not specify any immediate military decisions or actions.

In Rangpur, members of the July fighters and families of martyrs have expressed fear after Awami League leaders and activists, whose activities were previously banned, allegedly began threatening plaintiffs and witnesses following their release on bail. The families claim that these individuals, accused in murder and sedition cases, are moving freely and issuing warnings to those involved in the cases. They also accuse the police of remaining inactive despite repeated complaints.

According to local sources, several Awami League leaders in Gangachara, Pirgacha, and Badarganj upazilas are openly engaging in political activities and intimidating witnesses. Allegations suggest that some police officers and BNP leaders are supporting or overlooking these actions, allowing the accused to operate publicly. Concerns have grown that this situation could lead to serious incidents if arrests are not made.

Police officials, including the Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the DIG of Rangpur Range, stated that law enforcement will act according to legal directives and that no offenders will be spared. Civil society representatives and university academics have urged authorities to arrest those involved in the July violence.

A majority of members in the United States Senate have expressed support for President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran. They voted to block a bipartisan proposal that sought to require congressional authorization for any further military action against Iran and to halt aerial combat operations. According to Al Jazeera, the Senate voted 52 against and 47 in favor of the measure, preventing it from advancing.

The blocked proposal, known as the War Powers Resolution, aimed to restrict the president’s ability to engage in hostilities without congressional approval. If passed, it would have required the withdrawal of US forces from ongoing operations in Iran unless Congress explicitly authorized them. Similar attempts had been made previously but also failed to pass.

The Senate’s decision effectively maintains the president’s authority to continue military actions in Iran without new congressional approval, leaving the scope of future operations unchanged for now.

Most Americans oppose a U.S. military strike on Iran, according to several recent surveys reported by Al Jazeera. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 43 percent of respondents opposed such an attack, while only about one-quarter supported a joint U.S.-Israel operation. The survey, conducted over the weekend, included more than 1,200 American adults.

A separate CNN-commissioned SSRS poll, conducted between February 28 and March 1, showed even stronger opposition, with about six in ten Americans rejecting military action against Iran. In that poll, 41 percent supported the move. Around 60 percent of respondents said President Donald Trump lacked a clear plan for handling the Iran situation, and 39 percent believed the U.S. had not pursued sufficient diplomatic efforts before considering force.

Both polls revealed sharp political divisions: 82 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of independents opposed the strike, compared with only 23 percent of Republicans expressing opposition.

Six days after the joint Israel–United States attack on Iran, uncertainty persists over why President Donald Trump initiated the war and what he aims to achieve. Initially, Trump and his administration said the goal was to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. Vice President JD Vance stated that the U.S. would ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. Later, Trump shifted his reasoning, citing regime change and the elimination of Iran’s missile and proxy capabilities as objectives.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth contradicted Trump by saying regime change was not the U.S. goal, though he acknowledged leadership changes in Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the U.S. acted preemptively, fearing Iranian retaliation after an Israeli strike. The lack of a clear post-war plan has drawn sharp criticism in Congress. Most Republicans support Trump, while Democrats argue he has no concrete strategy and warn of a prolonged conflict.

Democratic lawmakers, including Adam Smith and Elizabeth Warren, questioned the legality and intelligence basis of the attack, calling it unconstitutional and dangerous. They also raised concerns about Israeli influence and the absence of congressional authorization for war.

Analysts have questioned the Trump administration’s belief that military attacks could topple Iran’s ruling establishment. According to Al Jazeera, Maha Yahya, director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, said there is no organized opposition group in Iran capable of taking control of the state. She warned that power could instead fragment among various ethnic, political, and social groups.

Yahya noted that the only declared opposition leader is the son of former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who lives abroad. She dismissed the idea of a Kurdish-led uprising as unrealistic. In her assessment, Iran is more likely to face internal discord and instability in the coming days.

Yahya added that even if the fighting stopped immediately, Iran’s internal situation would remain fragile, and the post-conflict government in Tehran might intensify repression against dissenters.

Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council, issued a stern warning to U.S. President Donald Trump following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, Larijani said the assassination would exact a heavy price from the United States.

Larijani accused Trump of being lured by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions and dragging the American people into what he called an unjust war against Iran. He questioned whether Trump’s “America First” policy still stood or had shifted to “Israel First.”

According to the report, the killing occurred on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched widespread attacks across Iran. The incident has sharply escalated tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The Bangladesh government has transferred three senior army officers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on deputation for appointment as ambassadors. The decision was formalized through separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Wednesday. The officers are Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hasan, former Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division; Major General Md Jahangir Alam, former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI); and Major General Md Nasim Parvez, former Commandant of the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST).

The move follows a recent reshuffle in several key positions within the Bangladesh Army, after which new officers were appointed to replace the three officials now assigned to the Foreign Ministry. The government’s decision reflects an ongoing pattern of appointing senior military officials to diplomatic roles, aligning defense experience with foreign service responsibilities.

Further details regarding their specific ambassadorial postings or timelines were not disclosed in the official notifications.