Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed announced the adjournment of the 13th National Parliament session until March 29. The decision came at the end of the second day of the first session, held on Sunday. The Speaker informed members that the next sitting would resume at 3 p.m. on March 29 and extended advance Eid greetings to all participants.

The second day of the session began at 11 a.m. with recitation from the Holy Quran and was presided over by the Speaker. Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tareq Rahman, as well as Leader of the Opposition Shafiqul Rahman, were present during the proceedings. The 13th National Parliament’s first session had begun the previous Thursday.

Earlier, the opening day of the session saw protests from opposition members, including those from Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens Party (NCP), who staged a walkout following President Md. Shahabuddin’s address to the Parliament.

The Appellate Division of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has released the full verdict reinstating the caretaker government system for election periods. The 74-page judgment, written by former Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed and published on the court’s website on March 15, 2026, states that the most recently retired chief justice will serve as the head of the caretaker government. The ruling was originally delivered on November 20, 2025.

According to the verdict, the caretaker system will take effect from the 14th national election. Legal experts noted that the current parliament retains the authority to amend or remove this provision if it chooses. The decision has been described by BNP lawyer Ruhul Quddus Kajol as a milestone for the nation, emphasizing that it serves the entire country rather than any political party.

The ruling reverses the earlier abolition of the caretaker system, which had been a subject of intense political debate in Bangladesh. The publication of the full verdict provides legal clarity ahead of future elections.

US Senator Chris Murphy stated that President Donald Trump has lost control over the ongoing war with Iran, which he said has pushed the Middle East into deepening crisis. In a post on social media platform X, Murphy warned that the conflict has already engulfed the region in violence and that Trump misjudged Iran’s capacity for retaliation.

Murphy highlighted that the first major crisis has emerged around the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Washington of underestimating Tehran’s ability to control the route. He said Trump wrongly assumed Iran would not close the strait, but rising oil prices now prove otherwise. According to Murphy, Iran’s use of drones, speedboats, and sea mines has made securing the waterway extremely difficult, putting US naval forces at serious risk.

The senator also pointed to a second crisis stemming from the growing role of drones in modern warfare. He warned that Iran could indefinitely target oil facilities across the region using its large fleet of inexpensive drones.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad announced that reading speeches directly from written texts is not permitted in the Bangladesh Parliament. He urged lawmakers to develop the habit of speaking without reading, addressing his remarks to Jamaat-e-Islami MP Masud Bin Saidi and Islami Andolan MP Oli Ullah during Sunday’s session. Both members had read their entire speeches from papers while participating in the discussion on the President’s address. The Speaker reminded them that parliamentary rules require prior permission before reading written statements.

Masud Bin Saidi, elected from Pirojpur-1, pledged to uphold the trust of his constituents and follow the ideals of his late father, Allama Delwar Hossain Saidi. He emphasized justice, independence of education and judiciary, and a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, citing a Transparency International report on alleged misappropriation in the Roads and Highways Department. He also called for institutionalizing the renunciation of government privileges.

Saidi further commented on the BNP’s decision not to take oath in the Constitution Reform Council, saying it created public confusion. He urged the party to respect the people’s mandate and participate in constitutional reform efforts.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad is traveling to Vienna to attend the two-day Global Fraud Summit 2026, jointly organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Interpol. The summit will be held at the Vienna International Conference Centre on March 16–17, 2026. According to a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the minister will lead a five-member Bangladeshi delegation to the event.

During the summit, Salahuddin Ahmad will participate in the opening and plenary sessions, as well as high-level roundtable meetings and special sessions as a panelist. On the sidelines, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Executive Director of UNODC and the Minister of State for the Home Department of the United Kingdom.

The minister is departing Dhaka on March 15, 2026, at 4:50 p.m. via Ethiopian Airlines and is expected to return on March 20, 2026, at 5:35 a.m. on a Turkish Airlines flight.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury has criticized the sound system and headphones used in Bangladesh’s National Parliament, alleging that the equipment was part of a scheme for financial misuse. Speaking during an unscheduled discussion on Sunday, he displayed the large headphones and said they were unnecessarily heavy and uncomfortable for members to wear for long periods. He claimed that the procurement might have been designed to benefit certain groups financially.

The session, chaired by Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, followed earlier complaints about technical faults in the sound system during the first sitting of the new parliament on Thursday. That day, the Speaker had to use a handheld microphone after a malfunction forced a 20-minute recess. Several MPs had drawn attention to the issue, including Jamaat MP Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem, who wrote on Facebook that the headphones caused pain and had poor sound quality.

Members urged modernization of the sound system and replacement of the current heavy headphones with simpler, more comfortable alternatives.

Iran has arrested 20 individuals in its northwestern region on charges of attempting to provide secret information to Israel. According to a report by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the arrests were made following an announcement from the prosecutor’s office in West Azerbaijan Province. The statement alleged that the detainees tried to send details about the locations of Iran’s military and security facilities to Israel.

The prosecutor’s office said that several mercenary networks linked to the “Zionist regime” had been identified. These networks were allegedly transmitting information about military, law enforcement, and security installations to Israel. The 20 suspects were detained under a judicial order for their involvement in these activities.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Israel had launched a new phase of attacks inside Iran based on information provided by local informants. The attacks reportedly targeted security checkpoints and strategic facilities within the country.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Parliament on Sunday that implementing the referendum verdict related to the July Charter would require amending the Constitution. He made the remarks around 12:15 p.m. in response to opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s comments on the July Charter. The minister emphasized that the government would follow the Charter strictly within the framework of existing laws and the Constitution.

Salahuddin Ahmed clarified that the President had convened a session of the National Parliament, not of any so-called “Reform Council.” He stated that under the current Constitution, no such council exists, and forming one would first require a constitutional amendment. The minister also noted that the legality of the proposed council under the July Charter has already been challenged in court, and a rule has been issued on the matter, which is now under judicial consideration.

He added that only after parliamentary discussion and constitutional amendment could the council be formally established and its members sworn in, if deemed necessary.

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has released the full verdict of its Appellate Division upholding the caretaker government system in the constitution. The 74-page judgment, authored by former Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, was published on the Supreme Court’s website on Sunday, March 15, 2026. The verdict had originally been delivered on November 20 of the previous year.

The caretaker government system was first introduced in 1996 through the 13th Amendment under the BNP government. In 2011, during the Awami League government, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court declared the 13th Amendment void, effectively abolishing the caretaker system. Following the fall of the Awami League government, an interim administration sought a review of the 2011 verdict, leading the Supreme Court to reopen the appeal.

The court has now declared the earlier annulment of the 13th Amendment invalid, thereby reinstating the non-partisan caretaker government system to oversee national elections.

State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin told Parliament on Sunday that all beneficiaries under the country’s social safety net programs will be brought under a single, integrated framework. She made the statement during the question-and-answer session chaired by Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, responding on behalf of the Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain.

Sharmin said irregularities have been reported in the distribution of allowances, including demands for money from beneficiaries, which she described as corruption. She emphasized the government’s effort to ensure transparency in the delivery process. The ministry has launched a major project called the “Family Card” to gradually integrate all beneficiaries within a unified household-based system. She noted that the country is facing a fragile economic situation and that the government aims to ensure equitable benefits through a coordinated structure.

The state minister added that existing beneficiary lists are being verified to remove nepotism and irregularities from past administrations. The goal is to identify genuine recipients and deliver benefits transparently, ensuring fairness and equality in the social welfare system.

Israeli military and political leaders have launched a coordinated effort to portray their ongoing war with Iran as a success, despite failing to achieve their initial goal of regime change in Tehran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long built his political career on promises to protect Israel from Iranian threats, described the conflict as a decisive battle for Israel’s existence. Military officials echoed this sentiment, calling the campaign essential for securing future generations.

Analysts noted that Netanyahu continues to claim victory even as Iran’s leadership remains intact. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier abandoned talk of regime change, but Israel still publicly discusses it. The Israeli government argues that a change in Iran’s leadership would weaken groups like Hezbollah and Hamas by cutting off Iranian funding and weapons. However, despite calls for protests after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, internal change has not materialized.

Observers suggest Netanyahu’s decision to suspend demands for regime change could pose political risks, as Iran-backed armed groups remain active and continue to challenge Israel’s security.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a direct threat to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declaring that he will be hunted down and killed if still alive. The statement came on the 16th day of the ongoing Middle East conflict, referring to Netanyahu as a 'child-killing criminal' and vowing to use full force against him.

Speculation about Netanyahu’s whereabouts has spread on social media after a video released on March 12 showed the 76-year-old leader speaking at a February 28 press conference. Some users claimed the footage was artificially generated, pointing to anomalies such as an apparent sixth finger. In the video, Netanyahu appeared to threaten Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and voiced support for Israeli military operations against Iran.

Conservative U.S. commentator Candace Wings questioned Netanyahu’s visibility, alleging that his office was releasing and deleting AI-generated videos. Netanyahu’s office dismissed the rumors, telling Anadolu Agency that the reports were false and that the prime minister was in good health, though no detailed official statement has yet been released.

A total of 133 ordinances issued during the interim government period have been sent to a special committee of the National Parliament for review. The committee has been instructed to submit its report by April 2. The proposal to send the ordinances to the special committee was made by Law Minister Asaduzzaman after 11 a.m. on Sunday in the National Parliament, and it was subsequently approved.

Earlier, during the first session, the Law Minister had presented the ordinances before Parliament, and on that same day, a special committee was formed to examine and select them. The review process is part of the legislative procedure to evaluate the ordinances enacted under the interim administration.

The committee’s findings are expected to guide Parliament’s next steps regarding the ordinances once the report is submitted by the specified deadline.

During a parliamentary session on March 15, 2026, MP Hasanat Abdullah questioned Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon about the current lottery-based admission system in primary schools. Abdullah argued that the shift from merit-based admissions to a lottery process had reduced the quality of education in feeder institutions and affected the supply of qualified students to universities. He asked whether the government planned to revise the system.

In response, Minister Milon acknowledged the importance of the issue and said it required broad discussion. He explained that Bangladesh’s education system operates differently in rural and urban areas, with competition being less intense in rural institutions. The minister noted that the previous government had introduced the lottery system to address urban admission complexities, but he personally found it unjustified. He added that the admission procedure for the next academic year would be decided after consultations with relevant stakeholders.

The parliamentary session began at 11 a.m. and included other scheduled discussions such as the president’s address and matters of public importance.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon informed the National Parliament on Sunday that the recruitment of 9,000 religious teachers is currently under consideration. He stated that teachers from all religions, not only Islamic education, would be included. The minister also mentioned that a committee has been formed to bring English medium schools under regulatory frameworks.

In a written reply to a question from Member of Parliament S M Jahangir Hossain, the minister said the government will decide on establishing new public universities after assessing necessity. He noted that Bangladesh currently has 57 public universities and that the government is committed to improving their quality. Additionally, he said the government will invite new applications for inclusion of educational institutions under the MPO scheme, and previous applications will be re-evaluated.

These statements outline the government’s ongoing review of teacher recruitment, university expansion, and institutional inclusion policies within the education sector.