Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the Family Card program on Tuesday morning at the T&T playground in Banani, adjacent to the Karail slum in Dhaka. During the ceremony, he distributed cards to 15 women, marking the official start of the initiative. The event was attended by cabinet members, diplomats, representatives from national and international development partners, and prominent citizens.

According to the announcement, the program will initially be implemented in 15 wards across 13 districts. Committees have been formed at ward, union, upazila, and district levels to collect and verify household data. Using automated software, families were categorized by poverty index into five economic classes. After verification, 37,567 women-headed households were finalized for allowance distribution, excluding those with government jobs, pensions, or duplicate benefits.

Field committees collected detailed socio-economic data from 67,854 women-headed families nationwide during the pilot phase. The initiative was a key component of the BNP’s election manifesto and aims to ensure targeted support for disadvantaged families.

Jamaat-e-Islami has appointed Dr. Ifftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, a former adviser to the caretaker government, as its consultant. The appointment became public after he attended a meeting in Dhaka with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur, where he was present as part of the Jamaat delegation. The meeting and subsequent media coverage sparked widespread discussion on social media regarding his role and affiliation with the party.

According to Jamaat sources, Chowdhury was appointed due to his interest and diplomatic experience. Party assistant secretaries general Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair confirmed that he is serving as Jamaat’s foreign affairs consultant. Chowdhury previously served as Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the United Nations and later as foreign affairs adviser in the Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government.

The appointment has drawn renewed attention to Chowdhury’s controversial past and his politically diverse family background, prompting debate within Bangladesh’s political and diplomatic circles.

Banned Awami League leaders and activists are reportedly returning to Bangladesh through the Comilla border ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr and Independence Day. Local sources said that following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in the July uprising, many Awami League and Chhatra League members had fled to India. Now, after the BNP formed the government, they are allegedly reentering the country illegally, as most lack valid passports. Intelligence sources claimed that some returning Chhatra League leaders brought foreign weapons with funding from former Awami League MPs.

Local residents reported that Sajjad Hossain Swapan, a fugitive Awami League leader accused in multiple murder cases, recently returned and began reorganizing party members. BNP officials in Comilla denied any institutional support for the banned group, though some local BNP figures were accused of sheltering Awami League members in exchange for money. The BNP’s grassroots expressed anger over joint iftar events involving both parties.

Border Guard Bangladesh officials stated that no illegal entry had been detected so far, while police confirmed that anyone accused in the July uprising cases would be arrested if found.

Reports indicate that Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has lost at least eight family members in airstrikes carried out by Israel and the United States. According to NDTV, Khamenei’s wife Zahra Haddad-Adel and one of his two sons were killed during the attacks linked to Iran’s nuclear program. His father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and mother Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh also died in separate strikes. In total, four of his closest relatives—father, mother, wife, and son—have been confirmed dead.

Additional reports suggest that four more of his relatives, including a sister, a nephew, a niece, and a brother-in-law, were also killed, though NDTV could not independently verify these claims. Chinese and Russian authorities have welcomed Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, a position chosen by an 88-member clerical council through an undisclosed vote count.

Despite the leadership transition, the conflict continues. Israeli forces launched new strikes in central Iran and targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, showing no sign of de-escalation.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said his party will speak for people's rights in parliament and support any initiative that ensures those rights. He warned that if rights are violated, they will not remain silent but will protest and, if necessary, resist. He made these remarks on Monday at an iftar event in Dhaka organized by the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), attended by leaders from several political parties.

Dr. Rahman expressed regret that some who were once oppressed are now acting differently, stressing that history repeats itself for those who fail to learn from it. He said their struggle against fascism, corruption, and extortion will continue until a permanent solution is achieved. He also reiterated that before the election, they sought victory for the nation’s 180 million people, not just for their party, but alleged that voting rights were violated.

He further commented on global unrest, saying the Muslim world is suffering the most. He affirmed that Jamaat stands for humanity and will oppose any forces acting against it, regardless of country or origin.

Mohammad Ali Hossain, an officer of the Law and Justice Division and a District and Sessions Judge, has been appointed as the Director General (Legal) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The appointment was announced on Monday through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration.

According to the notification, his service has been placed under the Cabinet Division. The appointment marks a new leadership move within the ACC’s legal wing, which handles legal affairs and proceedings related to corruption cases.

The announcement was reported by the national news agency BSS and published by the online edition of Amar Desh on March 9, 2026.

BNP Chairperson’s adviser and Member of Parliament Zainul Abdin Faruk stated that Tarique Rahman would continue as prime minister until 2042. He made the remarks on Monday, March 9, at a discussion and prayer meeting organized by the Ziaur Rahman Social Welfare Forum at the National Press Club. The event was held to pray for the late BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

Faruk emphasized that the main goal was to strengthen the leadership of Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia, and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, rather than focusing on who becomes an MP or minister. He said the new government, led by Tarique Rahman, had already begun implementing initiatives such as the family card and would soon launch an agriculture card and a tree-planting program involving one crore trees. He added that under the new administration, there would be no false arrests or harassment for differing opinions.

The meeting was presided over by Manjur Rahman Bhuiyan, president of the Ziaur Rahman Social Welfare Forum, and was attended by BNP central committee members Farida Yasmin and Advocate Rafique Sikder.

Bogura District Chhatra Dal has announced the dissolution of all ward committees under its upazila, union, and municipal branches to make organizational activities more dynamic. The decision, confirmed on Sunday night by district office secretary Sohan Islam, affects a total of 1,188 ward committees that had reached the end of their tenure.

District president Habibur Rashid Sandhan and general secretary M R Hasan Palash approved the move. According to Sandhan, the dissolution covers 108 union committees with 972 ward committees across 12 upazilas, as well as 108 ward committees under 12 municipal branches. However, the 12 municipal committees and all ward committees under Bogura Municipality remain active.

Sandhan stated that new committees will be formed soon through conferences to replace the dissolved units, signaling an upcoming phase of organizational restructuring within the district branch.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has called on BNP lawmakers to take oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council at the very beginning of the general session of the National Parliament on March 12. Speaking at an iftar event organized by the Khulna district unit of Jamaat-e-Islami, he said that two oaths were mandatory for the elected MPs to fully implement the July Charter, but the beneficiary party of the July uprising did not take the second oath. He stated that Jamaat would play the role of a responsible opposition party in parliament.

Porwar questioned whether the BNP had forgotten the sacrifices made during the July uprising and warned against authoritarian tendencies. He claimed that there had been a wave of public support for Jamaat’s electoral symbol and alleged post-vote manipulation in ballot sorting and result announcements. He said Jamaat would file a petition in the tribunal against the irregularities.

The event was presided over by Khulna district Ameer Maulana Emran Hossain, with several central leaders of Jamaat and allied organizations attending as special guests.

Two main suspects in the murder of Inquilab Manch convener Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, Faisal Karim Masud and his associate Alamgir Hossain, were arrested in West Bengal on Sunday. Following the arrests, the ruling Trinamool Congress questioned how the accused managed to enter India despite the Border Security Force (BSF) being under the authority of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Trinamool spokesperson Arup Chakraborty told BBC Bangla that the accused entered India through the Meghalaya border, where a BJP-allied government is in power. He accused Amit Shah of failing to protect the border and claimed that the suspects traveled through Assam and Tripura, both ruled by BJP governments, before being caught by West Bengal police.

BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar countered that West Bengal has become a safe haven for criminals from Bangladesh and other countries. He cited the porous 400-kilometer border and alleged that the state’s land policies have weakened BSF’s ability to secure the frontier.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has accused the United States of attempting to divide Iran with the aim of seizing its oil resources. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Baghaei said Iran remains committed to maintaining good and friendly relations with other countries but reserves the right to defend itself if any attack is launched using another nation’s territory. He emphasized that such defensive actions should not be interpreted as hostility.

Addressing recent allegations that Iranian drones or missiles struck targets in Turkey, Cyprus, and Azerbaijan, Baghaei denied any attacks originating from Iranian territory. He suggested that these claims might be a staged act by hostile forces to create rifts between Iran and its neighbors. When asked about possible mediation or ceasefire efforts, Baghaei stated that such discussions were not relevant at this time, as Iran’s focus remains solely on defending its homeland.

Baghaei further asserted that Iran did not initiate the current conflict and that the war, though imposed, has now become unavoidable.

NCP convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam has warned that the government’s legitimacy will be questioned if it fails to implement the July Charter, citing the old constitution as an excuse. He made the remarks on Monday at the NCP’s Khulna divisional iftar and prayer gathering held at Khulna District Stadium.

Nahid Islam stated that the current government did not come to power through a regular process and that its legitimacy, as well as that of the interim government, stemmed from the July uprising. He emphasized that ignoring the July Charter would undermine the government’s authority. Referring to the joint presence of leaders from BNP, Jamaat, NCP, and other parties at the event, he said the July uprising made such unity possible and called for the implementation of all ordinances issued by the interim government.

The event was attended by Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, Khulna City Corporation administrator Nazrul Islam Manju, and several senior NCP organizers.

Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan stated that modern journalism cannot thrive under outdated structures and emphasized the government's goal to establish an international standard of journalism in Bangladesh. Speaking as the chief guest at the Dhaka Sub-Editors Council’s iftar event at the National Press Club on March 9, he said that the government will ensure full media freedom and formulate necessary policies through discussions with journalists.

Swapan noted that while the government envisions complete media freedom, it must not lead to chaos. He added that the government will not tolerate media owners who fail to pay journalists’ salaries. He also stressed that only thoughtful individuals should remain in the journalism profession and announced that a comprehensive policy will be introduced soon.

The event was presided over by Dhaka Sub-Editors Council President Muktadir Anik and conducted by General Secretary Jawhar Iqbal, with additional remarks from leaders of the Dhaka Journalists Union.

Representatives of civil society have called on the government to pass the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025 in parliament without any amendments. The appeal was made on Monday during a discussion between newly appointed commissioners and civil society members at the commission’s conference room.

During the meeting, Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the ordinance provides sufficient authority for human rights protection and should be enacted unchanged. He urged the commission to take initiatives for the rights of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities, and to develop a comprehensive action plan for addressing human rights violations. CPD Fellow Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya expressed hope that the commission would work independently and emphasized the need for an ombudsman and anti-discrimination law. ALRD Executive Director Shamsul Huda also supported passing the ordinance intact.

Commission Chairperson Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury stated that the commissioners are committed to working sincerely and courageously within the law. He added that a strong, independent, and credible commission is vital for the nation’s interest and could help Bangladesh achieve ‘A’ status soon.

Bangladesh has requested consular access from India for two Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Kolkata in connection with the murder of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid confirmed the request on Monday while speaking to reporters at the ministry. She said Kolkata police detained the suspects on suspicion of involvement in the killing and placed them on a 14-day remand.

According to the minister, Bangladesh has sought access to verify the detainees’ identities, as current information remains insufficient. She noted that Bangladesh and India have a prisoner exchange agreement, which could be used to bring the suspects back once their identities are confirmed. However, she did not specify how long the repatriation process might take.

Hadi was shot and critically injured on December 12 last year in Dhaka’s Paltan area and later died on December 18 while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital.