Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that since August 5, 2024, numerous cases have been filed with thousands of accused individuals allegedly for the purpose of harassment. Speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon, he said that many of these cases appear to have been initiated by opportunistic groups. The ministry plans to review and identify such cases to ensure the rule of law and prevent misuse of the legal system.

Responding to a question about case withdrawals, the minister explained that cases involving murder, drugs, and crimes against women and children have been excluded from consideration, while other cases are being reviewed. He also mentioned that he himself faces multiple cases, including those related to weapons and explosives.

Ahmed added that the government has taken a new initiative to review politically motivated cases for possible withdrawal, emphasizing that the process will be carefully examined to prevent abuse.

Newly appointed Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Aminul Islam, has pledged to maintain a fully corruption-free tribunal. Speaking at a press conference at his office on Tuesday, he warned that strict action would be taken against any prosecutor or individual found involved in irregularities or corruption. He emphasized that the tribunal would operate according to international standards of justice and that no discussions outside the legal framework would be tolerated.

Aminul Islam stated that his priority is to ensure the tribunal functions strictly in accordance with the law, with increased transparency and efficiency. He mentioned that 24 formal charges have already been submitted, and trials for 21 of those cases are ongoing in two tribunals. Although he has not yet reviewed the case materials, he has requested all files for examination. If any investigation is found inadequate or flawed, corrective measures will be taken as per the law.

He also discussed with the prosecution team ways to expedite case resolution in line with the aspirations of the July Revolution, promising prompt necessary steps.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, met with the United Arab Emirates Ambassador Abdullah Ali Al-Hamoudi on Tuesday at the minister’s office in the Secretariat. The meeting emphasized the long-standing historical and fraternal ties between Bangladesh and the UAE and reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to expanding and deepening their bilateral relationship.

Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in religious affairs, increasing people-to-people contact, and promoting cultural exchange to strengthen mutual understanding. Both parties also explored the use of digital technology to modernize religious services, build institutional capacity, and make faith-based education and support programs more effective and timely.

The meeting concluded in a spirit of goodwill and strategic partnership, with both sides expressing a shared vision to elevate Bangladesh-UAE relations to a higher level in the coming days.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that city corporation elections in Bangladesh will be held in phases according to the expiration of each corporation’s term. He said both the government and the Election Commission are prepared for the process. The minister made the remarks on Tuesday at the Secretariat after six newly appointed city corporation administrators formally took charge.

Responding to questions from journalists, Mirza Fakhrul said the decision on whether city corporation elections will be held under party symbols will be made in the National Parliament. He explained that political figures have been appointed as administrators instead of government officials to strengthen public engagement and improve service delivery. The minister emphasized that local government elections are a continuous process, beginning with those whose terms have already ended.

The six new administrators pledged to work on mosquito control, traffic management, and road repairs to reduce public suffering. They also announced plans to implement a 60-day action program to ensure better public service delivery.

The Election Commission (EC) has announced the schedule for the Bogura-6 by-election and the Sherpur-3 parliamentary election, which had been postponed earlier due to a candidate’s death. According to the schedule, voting in both constituencies will take place on April 9. The announcement was made by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed at a press conference held at the Election Building in Agargaon on Tuesday afternoon.

As per the schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers is March 2, scrutiny will be held on March 5, and the last date for withdrawal is March 14. The Sherpur-3 seat no longer requires a referendum since the “yes” vote won in the February 12 national election. BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who was elected from two constituencies, vacated the Bogura-6 seat, prompting the by-election.

The Sherpur-3 election was earlier suspended after Jamaat candidate Nuruzzaman Badal died on February 3 due to kidney disease. Under the Representation of the People Order, valid candidates from that constituency will not need to resubmit nomination papers.

Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the newspaper Amar Desh, stated that the ongoing killings in Gaza are connected to struggles over religious beliefs, global energy control, and the establishment of geopolitical hegemony. He made these remarks on Tuesday afternoon while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled “Global Zionist Aggression and Human Rights Violations in Gaza: Our Responsibilities,” organized by the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) during the sixth International Quds Week celebration.

Rahman argued that divisions among Muslims worldwide have enabled continued Zionist aggression and human rights violations in Gaza. He said that while a small state like Bangladesh cannot directly resist militarily or economically, it can contribute intellectually. He emphasized that Bangladesh can play a significant role from intellectual, moral, and diplomatic positions by building public opinion, conducting research and analysis, writing, and raising awareness internationally.

The discussion was chaired by JAKSU General Secretary Abdul Alim Arif and attended by several university teachers and student leaders, including Professor Dr. Mohammad Bilal Hossain and Mohayminul Hasan Riad.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned the police assault that seriously injured several journalists while they were performing their professional duties. In a statement issued to the media on Tuesday, the party’s Assistant Secretary General, Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, denounced the incident that occurred during an ongoing anti-drug operation at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

According to eyewitness accounts cited in the statement, at least three journalists—Tofail from Bangla News, Akash from NPB News, and Kawsar Ahmed Ripon from Ajker Patrika—were seriously injured while live broadcasting the event. The party described the attack as an unacceptable interference with press freedom and the right to gather news. Zubair emphasized that journalism serves the public interest by revealing the truth and should never be suppressed through violence.

He urged the government to ensure the safety of journalists and media institutions, provide proper medical treatment for the injured reporters, and identify and take legal action against the responsible police officers through a thorough investigation.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr. Shafiqur Rahman suddenly fell ill on February 24, 2026, while traveling to attend a discussion meeting and iftar gathering organized by Kafrul West Police Station in the Sheorapara area of Dhaka. He was scheduled to attend the event as the chief guest but became unwell on the way.

According to Dhaka North Jamaat’s Naib-e-Ameer Abdur Rahman Musa, Dr. Rahman began vomiting and became physically weak during the journey, which prevented him from reaching the venue. Dhaka North Jamaat Ameer Selim Uddin requested prayers for his quick recovery.

The report did not mention whether Dr. Rahman received medical treatment or his current health condition following the incident.

Three officials of Bangladesh Bank were transferred a day after receiving show-cause notices for calling Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur a 'dictator' during a press conference. The transfer order was issued on Tuesday by the central bank’s Human Resources Department. The officials are Naushad Mostafa, Director of the SME and Special Programs Department and General Secretary of the Blue Team; A.K.M. Masum Billah, President of the Bangladesh Bank Officers Welfare Council; and Golam Mostafa Shraban, the council’s General Secretary.

According to the report, the three officials had organized a sudden press conference on February 16, where they criticized the governor over several issues, including the merger of weak banks with EXIM and Social Islami Bank and the process of issuing digital bank licenses. Following the event, they were served show-cause notices and subsequently reassigned to different regional offices.

Naushad Mostafa was transferred from the head office to Barishal, Masum Billah to Rangpur, and Golam Mostafa Shraban to Bogura, as per the official order.

The government has appointed Md Ali Hossain Fakir, currently the head of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and an Additional Inspector General of Police, as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP). The appointment was announced on Tuesday through a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Md Ali Hossain Fakir is a member of the 15th batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service (Police) cadre. His ancestral home is in Bagerhat district. The official circular confirmed his promotion and new assignment as the country’s top police officer.

The announcement marks a key leadership change within the Bangladesh Police, as the government continues its process of senior-level appointments in the law enforcement sector.

United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur is scheduled to visit Dhaka in early March for a two-day official trip. This will be the first high-level bilateral visit from the Donald Trump administration following Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election, held on February 12. The election was described as peaceful, free, and fair, marking a significant moment for Bangladesh’s democratic process.

Ahead of the visit, US Ambassador Brent Christensen met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in Dhaka, where Kapur’s upcoming trip was a key topic of discussion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that both sides emphasized mutual respect, shared democratic values, and a commitment to peace and development as the foundation of their long-standing partnership. They reviewed cooperation in trade, investment, defense, security, development, migration, and people-to-people exchanges.

Discussions also covered the Rohingya crisis, with Bangladesh expressing gratitude for continued US humanitarian support and seeking sustained political assistance for the safe and sustainable repatriation of displaced Rohingya to Myanmar. Both sides expressed optimism about elevating bilateral relations through expanding cooperation across all sectors.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has distributed responsibilities among his ten advisers who hold the rank of ministers and state ministers. The Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani issued a gazette notification on Tuesday, under the order of the President, confirming the allocation of duties.

Among the five advisers with ministerial rank, three have been appointed as political advisers—Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Nazrul Islam Khan, and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed. Md. Ismail Zabiyullah has been assigned to the Ministry of Public Administration, while Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir will oversee the Ministry of Finance. Advisers with the rank of state minister include Humayun Kabir, who will handle the Foreign, Disaster Management and Relief, and Civil Aviation and Tourism ministries; Brigadier General (Retd.) Shamsul Islam for the Defence Ministry; Zahed Ur Rahman for Policy and Strategy; Mahdi Amin for Education, Primary and Mass Education, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Labour and Employment; and Rehan Asif Asad for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology.

The gazette formalizes the distribution of responsibilities among the advisers, marking a key step in organizing the Prime Minister’s advisory structure.

July Oikya has strongly condemned and protested what it described as misleading references to its organization in a recent interview of President Md. Shahabuddin published by the newspaper Kaler Kantho on February 23, 2026. Although the printed interview did not directly name July Oikya, a related video posted the same day on Kaler Kantho’s official Facebook page explicitly mentioned the group. In a statement sent to the media on Tuesday, July Oikya said the president’s remarks appeared to associate the organization with a ‘mob,’ which it called contrary to reality.

The group stated that since its formation on May 6, 2025, its activities have been limited to seeking justice for the 2024 killings, demanding a ban on the Awami League, and organizing July-related programs. July Oikya accused Kaler Kantho of publishing the president’s comments without proper context, thereby misrepresenting the organization. It demanded that all misleading reports and videos be withdrawn and an apology issued.

The statement further requested an official clarification from the president and drew the attention of the Bangabhaban Press Wing, expressing hope that the matter would be resolved with mutual respect and transparency.

Students of Dhaka University staged a sit-in protest in front of Shahbagh Police Station on Tuesday afternoon, condemning an alleged police assault on Naimuddin, a student of the university’s anthropology department. The demonstration, which began at 1 p.m., drew over a hundred students from various departments. They demanded the removal of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ramna Zone Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam and exemplary punishment for those involved.

According to the protesters, the incident occurred Monday night during an anti-drug operation at Suhrawardy Udyan, where police allegedly attacked university students and journalists, injuring two reporters who were later treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Students accused the police of unprofessional behavior, describing the operation as a “drama” and criticizing what they called “celebrity policing” by broadcasting raids live on social media. They also alleged previous incidents of police abuse at Shahbagh Police Station.

The students presented three demands: an immediate end to all forms of harassing policing, a formal investigation into the assault, and assurance of student safety and human rights. They also called for disciplinary action against all officers involved and an unconditional apology from DC Masud Alam.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has called an emergency press conference to address the local government elections and the overall situation in the country. According to a message from the party’s media cell on Tuesday afternoon, the briefing will be held at 7 p.m. at the party’s temporary office. Party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan will speak at the event.

The announcement also stated that the chairman of the local government election management committee, Md. Sarjis Alam, and the committee’s member secretary and Member of Parliament Abdul Hannan Masud will be present at the press conference. The NCP did not disclose further details about the agenda or expected statements.

The briefing comes amid ongoing discussions about the country’s political and electoral environment, with the NCP indicating that it will address both the election process and broader national issues during the session.