Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday inaugurated a new financial assistance program for religious leaders of all faiths at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. The event brought together imams, muezzins, khadems, priests, monks, and pastors from across the country. Rahman emphasized that people of all religions and beliefs in Bangladesh stand together in harmony and must not allow division or discord to arise among them.

The program was launched by handing over a check to Hossain Ahmed Abdullah, the imam of Bogura’s Baitul Rahman Central Mosque, followed by the transfer of funds to designated bank accounts through the IBAS system. Rahman announced that the initiative would gradually extend financial support to khatibs, imams, muezzins, and other religious figures nationwide. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the financial and social security of all citizens, regardless of religion or profession.

The initiative marks a state-backed effort to promote interfaith solidarity and provide economic support to religious service providers across Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has inaugurated a government honorarium program for imams, muezzins, and leaders of various faiths across the country. The initiative was described as a milestone for religious harmony and social security. Following the announcement, Sargis Alam, chief organizer (northern region) of the National Citizens Party (NCP), publicly thanked the prime minister in a Facebook post on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

According to the program details, 4,908 mosques, 990 temples, 144 Buddhist monasteries, and 396 churches are included in the first phase. Under the pilot project, each mosque will receive 10,000 taka, distributed among the imam, muezzin, and khadem. Each temple, monastery, and church will receive 8,000 taka, shared among their respective religious leaders and assistants.

The initiative aims to strengthen interfaith respect and provide financial recognition to religious service providers, marking a new step in the government’s approach to promoting social inclusion and religious coexistence.

The first session of Bangladesh’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad will run until April 30, with sittings held daily at 3 p.m. except on public holidays. The decision was made on March 14, 2026, during the first meeting of the Business Advisory Committee at the National Parliament Building, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tareq Rahman and other committee members attended the meeting.

The committee discussed the agenda and duration of the session, setting a total of 50 hours for discussions on the President’s address. The Speaker was authorized to modify the schedule or working days if necessary. According to the Parliament Secretariat, a total of 468 questions have been submitted for this session—eight for the Prime Minister and 460 for other ministers. Additionally, 27 notices under Rule 71 and 97 notices under Rule 131 have been received.

Several senior ministers, opposition leaders, and the Deputy Speaker also participated in the meeting, reflecting broad representation in planning the session’s proceedings.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that discussions and decisions regarding the Constitutional Reform Council will take place in the National Parliament. He made the statement on Saturday, March 14, following a meeting of the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee.

The minister explained that the meeting discussed the duration of the first parliamentary session, topics for discussion, proposed laws, and the time allocation for debate on the President’s address. He added that 133 ordinances issued during the interim government will be referred to a special committee. Until the formation of standing committees for various ministries, such special committees will operate under parliamentary tradition. The ordinances and bills will be reviewed in the committee and later presented to Parliament as reports.

When asked whether this process could be completed within the current session, Salahuddin Ahmed confirmed it would be possible. He said the Law Minister will present the proposal on Sunday, March 15, after which the special committee will deliberate and submit its report to Parliament.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the Iran war would end when he personally feels it is time. He made the remark on Friday in response to a journalist’s question about when the conflict would conclude. Trump said, “When I feel it from within,” emphasizing that the decision would depend on his own sense of timing.

Trump also claimed that Iran has been “completely defeated.” In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he asserted that Iran wants to make a deal that he will not accept. However, Iranian officials have pledged to continue the war, signaling no immediate resolution to the conflict.

The statements highlight a continuing standoff between the United States and Iran, with both sides maintaining firm positions and no clear timeline for peace.

The eleven-party alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami, has warned that it will launch street protests if the government fails to implement the July Charter by tomorrow. The announcement came after an emergency meeting of the alliance’s liaison committee held at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar on Saturday. Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami, Hamidur Rahman Azad, conveyed the warning during a press briefing following the meeting. He stated that the alliance will hold another meeting with top leaders on March 28 to outline and announce the next phase of their movement.

Azad criticized the government for not convening the Reform Commission session within the stipulated 30 days, which ends tomorrow. He said the government and the leader of the parliament must take responsibility if the session is not called. The alliance also protested the appointment of administrators in six cities and alleged widespread politicization in the administration. Azad reiterated that the alliance demands full, not partial, implementation of the July Charter.

He added that the alliance’s leader and opposition leader, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, expressed willingness to cooperate with the government but warned that failure to act properly would force them to take to the streets.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced that his government has begun implementing election promises even before the voting ink has faded. Speaking on Saturday morning at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, he inaugurated a program to provide government honorariums to imams, muezzins, and religious leaders of various faiths. He emphasized financial assistance and employment creation to reduce economic inequality, particularly for disadvantaged groups.

Rahman detailed several new initiatives, including a Family Card program for economically vulnerable women, which will gradually reach four crore families across Bangladesh. He also announced that a pilot project for a Farmer Card will begin on April 14, and a canal excavation program will start on March 16 in Dinajpur. The financial support program for religious leaders also began that day.

He stated that the government aims to ensure political and economic empowerment for every citizen, regardless of religion or profession, to build a strong foundation for the nation and prevent any authoritarian forces from undermining freedom.

Brazil has revoked the visa of Darren Beattie, a far-right adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, after he planned to visit former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently imprisoned in Brasília. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed the visa cancellation on Friday.

The move follows an earlier decision by the United States to cancel visas of Brazilian officials in Washington, D.C. Speaking at an event in Rio de Janeiro, Silva said Beattie had expressed his intention to meet Bolsonaro, but was told not to do so. Silva added that he had barred Beattie from entering Brazil until the U.S. released the visa of Brazil’s health minister.

Bolsonaro, a political ally of Trump, is serving a 27-year prison sentence for conspiracy to overthrow the government.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for unity and solidarity in the face of ongoing regional crises. Speaking at a party meeting in Ankara, he emphasized that Turkey has never divided people along sectarian or ethnic lines and has always stood by those facing injustice or conflict. Erdogan stated that in the region, people may identify as Shia, Sunni, Turk, or Kurd, but Turkey views them all as brothers and equals.

He further stressed the importance of humanity and national unity, saying that for the Turkish nation, there are no distinctions such as Turk, Kurd, Arab, Shia, or Sunni—only people and humanity. His remarks underscored Turkey’s position of inclusiveness and its call for cooperation among neighboring communities.

The speech comes amid heightened regional tensions, including reports of conflict and casualties in Iran’s Kurdistan region and drone attacks in Oman, highlighting the urgency of Erdogan’s appeal for solidarity.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that a nation cannot become strong if its citizens remain weak. He made the remarks on Saturday at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka while inaugurating an honorarium program for imams, muezzins, caretakers, priests, temple attendants, and monastery heads. Rahman said that after forming the BNP government, his administration began implementing its promises immediately.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the participants in the event are respected by people without any obligation and provide guidance during difficult times. He reiterated his government’s commitment to reducing inequality by offering financial assistance or employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged groups, fulfilling pledges made before the national election.

According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, honorariums will be provided to officials from 4,908 mosques, 990 temples, 144 Buddhist monasteries, and 396 churches. Under the pilot project, each mosque will receive 10,000 taka, each temple 8,000 taka, distributed among respective religious leaders and staff.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Iran has been 'completely defeated' in a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday. He stated that Iran wants to make a deal, but he will not accept it. Trump also criticized what he called 'fake news media' for not reporting how well the U.S. military performed against Iran. He did not provide further details about his claim or the nature of the alleged deal.

According to the report, Iranian officials have pledged to continue fighting despite Trump’s assertion of their defeat. The comments come amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, though the article does not specify the current status of the conflict or any official response from Tehran.

The report, citing The Guardian, does not clarify whether any negotiations are underway or what specific developments led to Trump’s statement.

The Punjab state government and several Indian farmers’ unions have publicly expressed solidarity with Iran amid continued US and Israeli attacks and the Indian government’s silence. Last week, the Punjab assembly observed a one-minute silence in support of the Iranian people. During a budget session recording, legislator Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi condemned the attacks that began on February 28, calling a school bombing that killed about 165 children inhumane. Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan urged members to honor the victims with silence.

Sukhi told The Wire that he raised the issue at the state level to alert other Indian states. Despite a meeting between India’s foreign secretary and Iran’s ambassador in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has not issued any formal statement on the war or the killing of Iran’s leader. Meanwhile, thousands of farmers across Punjab protested a recent US-India trade deal, expressing solidarity with Iran. Farmer leader Jagmohan Singh said both the war and the trade pact were anti-farmer.

Student and civil society groups in Punjab, as well as demonstrators in Indian-administered Kashmir, continue protests against US-Israeli aggression and in support of Iran and Palestine.

Prime Minister Tareq Rahman inaugurated an honorarium distribution program for imams, muezzins, khadems, priests, sebayets, and heads of Buddhist monasteries at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Saturday around 11:15 a.m. During the event, he personally handed over honorarium payments to several religious representatives.

According to an announcement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the initiative will cover 4,908 mosques, 990 temples, 144 Buddhist monasteries, and 396 churches. The program aims to provide financial recognition to those responsible for religious services across different faiths. The Ministry of Public Administration stated that under the pilot project, each mosque will receive 10,000 taka, distributed among the imam, muezzin, and khadem, while each temple will receive 8,000 taka, divided between the priest and sebayet.

The program marks a government effort to extend financial support to religious service providers across multiple faith communities in Bangladesh.

A new phase has begun in the long-running investigation into U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, accused of sexual crimes over several decades. In December 2025, the U.S. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, later signed by President Donald Trump, enabling the release of extensive documentation collected against Epstein. The U.S. Department of Justice has since begun publishing written documents, photos, videos, and emails detailing allegations of sexual abuse involving women and minors.

Among the 3.5 million released files, the names of several influential figures appear repeatedly, including President Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Steve Bannon. The New York Times reported that Trump’s name appears in over 5,300 documents, while Mirror US noted no direct evidence linking him to criminal acts. Some files include emails and financial records from Epstein’s personal archives.

The Justice Department also released testimony from a woman who alleged that Epstein introduced her to Trump when she was a teenager and that both men assaulted her. Trump has denied all allegations, and U.S. authorities have warned that some claims in the released materials may be false or sensational.

The ongoing war with Iran has created major political challenges for U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the upcoming congressional midterm elections in November. Despite campaigning on an 'America First' policy and promises to avoid foreign wars, Trump has launched multiple military operations, with Iran being the latest target. Most Americans reportedly oppose the conflict and do not view Iran as a direct threat. The war has caused heavy U.S. military casualties and disrupted bases in the Middle East, undermining Trump’s earlier expectations of quick success.

Polls indicate that public confidence in Trump’s leadership has dropped sharply, with his approval rating falling to 36 percent in a 2025 Gallup survey. NBC data show that 54 percent of voters disapprove of his actions against Iran. Rising oil prices, job losses, and inflation linked to the war’s cost have further eroded support. Analysts warn that if Republicans lose control of Congress, Trump’s agenda could stall, and Democrats might pursue impeachment. The Iran war’s economic and political fallout is reshaping voter sentiment and could decisively influence the midterm results.