West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has launched her party’s campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections from the northern region of the state. On Wednesday, she addressed two public meetings in Jalpaiguri district and one in Darjeeling district, where she described the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as 'politically blind'. During her speech in Maynaguri, Banerjee also accused the Election Commission of bias alongside her criticism of the BJP.

Separately, Trinamool Congress’s All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee made similar allegations against the Election Commission while speaking at a rally in Nandigram. The BJP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had already begun their election campaigns earlier.

On the same day, West Bengal’s Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, addressed a workers’ meeting in Ramnagar, East Medinipur, where he blamed the Trinamool Congress government for the deterioration of women’s safety in the state.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Ruhul Kudduz Kajol has been appointed as the 18th Attorney General of Bangladesh. The Ministry of Law issued a notification on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, confirming his appointment. He replaces Asaduzzaman, who resigned from the post after being elected as a Member of Parliament under the BNP nomination and later became the Minister for Law in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s cabinet.

Barrister Kajol is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, a former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and chairman of the executive committee of the Bangladesh Bar Council. He also serves as a senior joint secretary of the BNP-backed Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum and is a member of the BNP’s National Executive Committee.

A graduate of the University of Dhaka’s law department, Kajol began his legal career in 1995 and joined the Supreme Court Bar Association in 1996. He previously worked as a diplomatic officer at the Bangladesh High Commission in London from 2003 to 2006 and was recognized as a senior advocate by the Appellate Division in 2023.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that Switzerland has assured cooperation in recovering laundered money and supporting police reforms. The assurance came during a meeting at the Home Ministry in Dhaka between the minister and Swiss Ambassador Reto Renggli. The two discussed law and order, counterterrorism, parliamentary democracy, financial reforms, anti-money laundering measures, digital fraud prevention, and mutual legal assistance.

During the meeting, the Swiss envoy offered technical and strategic support for enhancing police capacity and reform initiatives. He also emphasized the importance of an effective parliament and peaceful political dialogue. The minister highlighted the government’s priority on improving law and order and practicing genuine parliamentary democracy, while criticizing past misuse of police power. Both sides agreed on the need for stronger cooperation to combat digital scams and ensure financial stability.

The Home Minister also met separately with Christian Holtz, the UNODC Regional Director for South Asia, to discuss related issues of crime and security cooperation.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam has stated that there is no plan to appoint administrators in municipalities and upazila parishads. He said the ministry will soon hold elections in local government institutions where ADCs and UNOs are currently serving as administrators. Those elected by public vote will represent the institutions. The minister made these remarks on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to journalists after inspecting the construction of an approach road to a bridge in Shahjahanpur Union of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila.

He added that the bridge, built at a cost of Tk 8 crore, remains unusable due to the absence of the approach road. After the matter came to the attention of the Prime Minister, he was instructed to visit the site and take steps to make it suitable for public use. Accordingly, a seven-member committee headed by an additional secretary of the ministry has been formed to address the issue.

Local MP Nurul Islam Bulbul, Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, and other officials were present during the visit.

Barrister Md. Ruhul Kudduz Kajol has been appointed as the 18th Attorney General of Bangladesh. The appointment was confirmed by the Ministry of Law on Wednesday afternoon, with an official notification expected later in the day. Kajol, who currently serves as the elected secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, chairman of the Bangladesh Bar Council’s executive committee, and a member of the BNP National Executive Committee, expressed gratitude and pledged to fulfill his duties responsibly.

Kajol is a former student of the University of Dhaka’s Department of Law and became a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association in 1996. He also has prior experience in journalism. His appointment follows the resignation of former Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, who stepped down on December 27 citing personal reasons before being elected as a Member of Parliament and later assuming the role of Law Minister.

The official notification of Kajol’s appointment is expected to be issued soon, marking a new phase in the leadership of the Attorney General’s Office.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir and Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim has called for urgent structural and policy reforms to make the country’s independence meaningful and effective. In a statement issued to the media on Wednesday marking Independence Day, he extended greetings to the nation and emphasized that without qualitative changes in the state, independence risks remaining only on paper.

He stated that merely changing individuals or ruling groups without reforming the state system leads to superficial freedom. Referring to the past, he noted that even after half a century of independence, instances of authoritarian rule under the guise of constitutional governance have persisted. He recalled that such autocracy was overthrown through a bloody mass uprising by students and citizens on July 24.

The Islami Andolan leader expressed concern over uncertainty surrounding the future of reforms proposed by political parties and approved through a referendum. He urged the government to promptly implement these approved reform proposals to ensure the permanent eradication of autocracy and paid tribute to the martyrs and victims of the Liberation War.

Sarjis Alam, the northern organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has questioned the use of Tk 1 million allocated for the poor in the Panchagarh-1 constituency. The allocation came from a government fund distributed to every Member of Parliament ahead of Eid. Sarjis raised the issue on Wednesday through a Facebook post, asking where the money for Panchagarh-1 had gone.

In his post, Sarjis referred to Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the NCP and an 11-party alliance candidate from Comilla-4, noting that Abdullah had publicly accounted for his constituency’s allocation. Sarjis contrasted this with the lack of transparency in Panchagarh-1. The NCP leader previously contested the 13th parliamentary election held on February 12 from Panchagarh-1, where he received 168,049 votes under the Shaplakoli symbol, while his opponent, Naushad Jamir, won with 186,189 votes under the Paddy Sheaf symbol.

The post has drawn attention to questions of transparency and accountability regarding the distribution of government funds for Eid assistance.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman chaired a special meeting on measures to address the national energy situation. The meeting was held on Wednesday morning at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat, according to Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Rony. The session focused on strategies to manage the country’s current energy challenges.

Before the meeting, Prime Minister Rahman arrived at the Secretariat at 9:02 a.m. and completed some official tasks. He also unveiled a commemorative postage stamp marking the Independence and National Day before presiding over the energy-focused meeting in his office at the Cabinet Division.

The report did not provide further details about the discussions, decisions, or participants of the meeting beyond the official confirmation of its occurrence.

The government is taking measures to tackle the ongoing energy crisis caused by the war situation, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan announced at a press conference at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday morning. He urged citizens not to panic as the authorities work to stabilize the situation.

During the briefing, the minister also stated that the draft of the July Freedom Fighters Indemnity Act will be presented in the current parliamentary session. He added that a unanimous decision has been reached on the matter, and the law will be enacted following approval in the next session.

The announcements reflect the government’s attempt to manage both the immediate energy challenges and legislative priorities under current national conditions.

In a commentary published on March 25, 2026, in the newspaper Amar Desh, editor Mahmudur Rahman discussed the rise of Dr. Zahed-ur Rahman, who currently serves as the Prime Minister’s strategic adviser with additional responsibilities for the culture and information ministries. Rahman highlighted that Dr. Zahed described Prothom Alo as the only 'powerful, secular, and liberal' newspaper in Bangladesh, while dismissing other media outlets as inferior. Dr. Zahed reportedly expressed pride in being a columnist for Prothom Alo and criticized Amar Desh in his online content.

The article accused Dr. Zahed of harboring hostility toward Amar Desh and ignoring the repression the paper faced under Sheikh Hasina’s government. It contrasted Prothom Alo’s and The Daily Star’s alleged pro-government roles with Amar Desh’s opposition stance during the 2007–2024 period. Rahman argued that Dr. Zahed’s favoritism toward certain media reflects ideological bias inconsistent with his official responsibilities.

The piece concluded by questioning how Dr. Zahed’s leadership in the culture and information ministries might influence national media policy and cultural direction under the current administration.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman unveiled a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion of Bangladesh’s Independence and National Day. The unveiling took place at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday morning at around 9:30 a.m. The event was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumman, who stated that the Prime Minister arrived at the Secretariat at 9:02 a.m., completed some official work, and then proceeded with the stamp unveiling ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by Post and Telecommunications Minister Fokir Mahbub Anam, Post Secretary Abdun Naser Khan, and Director General of the Postal Department Kazi Asadul Islam. The commemorative stamp was issued to honor the nation’s Independence and National Day, reflecting the government’s continued recognition of the country’s historical milestones.

The release of the stamp adds to the series of national commemorations held annually to mark Bangladesh’s independence, symbolizing national pride and remembrance.

Iran’s military has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for negotiations, issuing a strong statement through Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. In a statement published by Fars News Agency on March 25, 2026, Zolfaghari questioned whether the United States was facing such internal crisis that it needed to negotiate with itself.

He dismissed the idea of labeling U.S. failures as agreements and declared that there would be no return to previous global arrangements or oil price stability until Iran’s conditions were met. Zolfaghari emphasized that only when all hostile intentions against the Iranian nation disappear could a new situation emerge. He added that Iran would never compromise with parties like the United States, declaring, “Not now, not ever.”

The statement signals a further escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions, suggesting that diplomatic engagement between the two countries remains highly unlikely in the near term.

Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah from Cumilla-4 (Debidwar) has publicly released a detailed account of government allocations and humanitarian aid spending for Eid-ul-Fitr. On the night of March 24, he shared the expenditure report and beneficiary list through a Facebook post, setting an example of transparency in public fund management.

According to the information he provided, Tk 1 million allocated for the poor and underprivileged in Debidwar was fully distributed. Each of 1,000 beneficiaries across 15 unions and one municipality received Tk 1,000. Additionally, 500 more families received Eid essentials through personal and party initiatives. Abdullah stated that political affiliation was not considered in preparing the list and that efforts were made to reach genuine beneficiaries in every ward.

He acknowledged that the allocation was limited compared to the need, covering a total of 1,500 people. For security reasons, parts of national ID and mobile numbers were masked in the published list, but full data remains available for administrative verification. Abdullah said the initiative aimed to ensure transparency.

The banned Awami League has announced programs under the banner of 'Sheikh Hasina Oikya Parishad' demanding withdrawal of restrictions on its activities. The group plans a human chain in front of the National Press Club and a tribute at the National Memorial in Savar on March 26, coinciding with Bangladesh’s Independence Day. Law enforcement agencies have been placed on high alert as intelligence reports suggest the events may serve to signal the party’s political presence.

Authorities report that several former leaders, including Shahriar Suman, Hanif Khan, Saiful Alam Babul, and Farida Ilyas, are involved in organizing the activities. Intelligence sources also claim that a group of journalists and intellectuals are covertly aiding the banned organization’s revival efforts. Across multiple districts, attempts have been made to reopen sealed party offices and stage flash processions.

Police, RAB, and intelligence units have intensified nationwide security measures from March 25 to 26 to prevent unrest. Cyber monitoring teams are tracking online propaganda, while checkpoints and patrols have been reinforced in Dhaka and other key areas.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran’s system of governance has changed following recent attacks in the country. He stated that Iran has agreed to a condition under which it will never produce nuclear weapons. Trump made these remarks while commenting on the aftermath of the attacks and their impact on Iran’s internal situation.

According to Trump, Iran’s naval, air, and communication systems have been completely destroyed, leaving the country unable to maintain internal coordination. He described this breakdown in communication as Iran’s biggest problem at present. The statement was reported by the BBC and reflects Trump’s assessment of Iran’s current military and political state.

Trump also said that Iran is now very eager to reach an agreement, though no details of such a deal were provided in the report.