U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he wants to take control of Iran’s oil resources and its key energy hub, Kharg Island. He made the remarks in an interview with the Financial Times published on March 30, 2026. Trump said his preferred action would be to seize Iran’s oil, though some in the United States oppose the idea. He described those critics as foolish.

In the same interview, Trump said the United States might or might not take over Kharg Island, emphasizing that Washington has many options. He added that such a move could require a temporary U.S. presence there. When asked about Iran’s defense systems on the island, Trump claimed he did not believe Iran had any and asserted that it could be captured easily.

The report, citing the BBC, comes amid broader discussions involving Iran, including Trump’s claim of progress in talks through Pakistan and rising global oil prices surpassing 116 dollars per barrel.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued another message, though he has yet to appear in public. According to a BBC report on Sunday, the message expressed gratitude to Iraq’s religious leaders and people for taking a clear stance against aggression toward Iran. Iranian media said the message was delivered to an Iraqi official following a meeting between the speaker of Iraq’s Supreme Islamic Assembly and Iran’s ambassador in Baghdad.

Since assuming the position of Supreme Leader earlier in March, several written messages have been released in Mojtaba Khamenei’s name, but he has not been seen publicly or on state television. His appointment followed the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, the first day of a major attack.

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei is either dead or in very poor condition, citing his absence from public view. However, Iran’s ambassador in Geneva stated that security reasons are preventing the new leader from appearing publicly.

Nepal’s new Prime Minister and Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Balendra (Balen) Shah has announced major changes to the country’s education system during his first cabinet meeting. The government has introduced a 100-point reform program, with a large portion focused on education. As part of this initiative, all politically affiliated student organizations in schools and universities have been banned, and campuses have been instructed to remove them within a set timeframe. In their place, non-political student councils will be formed within 90 days to represent students’ genuine interests.

According to official documents, the government also aims to depoliticize the administration by prohibiting civil servants and teachers from joining political parties and dissolving party-based trade unions. To reduce exam pressure, all traditional internal exams up to grade five have been abolished, replaced by alternative and psychological assessment methods. Schools with foreign names have been ordered to adopt Nepali names by the end of the year to promote national identity.

The reforms also include removing the citizenship certificate requirement for undergraduate admissions and decentralizing teachers’ pension and record management to provincial education ministries from the next fiscal year.

A special committee of Bangladesh’s National Parliament has decided not to present the referendum ordinance as a bill, citing that its effectiveness has already expired. The decision was made during a meeting held on Sunday night at the Cabinet Room of the Parliament, where the committee completed its review of 133 ordinances issued during the interim government period. The committee plans to submit its report to Parliament on April 2.

Opposition party Jamaat-e-Islami objected to the decision, arguing that the referendum involved the entire nation and its outcome should be implemented. Jamaat members also opposed several other ordinances, including those related to the Human Rights Commission, Police Commission, and enforced disappearance prevention, submitting notes of dissent on 15 ordinances. They accused the ruling party of attempting to restore partisan control over key institutions.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that some ordinances would be passed as they are, others would be amended, and a few might be deferred to the next session. He reiterated that the referendum ordinance no longer required ratification or conversion into law.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced a five-point demand calling for the completion of all levels of local government elections within the next six months. The announcement was made on Sunday night at a press conference held at the party’s temporary central office in the Rupayan Trade Center in Dhaka, where party member secretary Akhtar Hossain presented the demands.

The demands include completing all local government elections within six months, refraining from appointing administrators at the upazila, municipality, union, and ward levels, ensuring that no administrator contests in local elections, maintaining neutrality of the government, Election Commission, and local administration, and conducting elections under the reformed ordinance without party symbols or nominations. NCP convener Nahid Islam, spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, and Local Government Election Steering Committee chairman Sarjis Alam were also present at the event.

The announcement reflects the NCP’s emphasis on timely and impartial local elections and administrative neutrality in the electoral process.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has announced its mayoral candidates for five of the country’s twelve city corporations ahead of the upcoming local government elections. The announcement was made on Sunday night at the party’s central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka, by NCP convener and opposition chief whip in parliament, Nahid Islam.

According to the declaration, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, the party’s spokesperson, will contest from Dhaka South City Corporation, while Ariful Islam Adib, convener of NCP’s Dhaka North unit, will run for Dhaka North City Corporation. Advocate Tarikul Islam, convener of the party’s National Youth Force, has been nominated for Comilla City Corporation, Advocate Md. Abdur Rahman Afzal for Sylhet City Corporation, and Md. Mobashwer Ali for Rajshahi City Corporation.

During the announcement, Nahid Islam expressed concern about the current Election Commission, questioning whether elections under its supervision would be acceptable.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Md. Nahid Islam left for Saudi Arabia today to perform the holy Umrah pilgrimage. According to the NCP media cell, he will complete the religious rituals during his stay and has requested prayers from the people of Bangladesh for his safe journey and successful worship.

The party also informed that Nahid Islam is expected to return to the country on April 4 if everything goes as planned. The announcement marks a personal religious trip by a senior political figure, with no additional political engagements mentioned in the statement.

His departure underscores the observance of religious duties by political leaders, reflecting a moment of personal devotion amid ongoing political activities in Bangladesh.

Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman described the home minister’s remarks in parliament as regrettable and undesirable, saying they came even after the speaker had issued a ruling. He made the comment on Sunday evening, March 29, 2026, while speaking to journalists after the parliamentary session.

Dr. Rahman stated that explanations regarding their statements should come from the law minister or the prime minister, not the home minister. He expressed disappointment that the home minister continued to speak despite the speaker’s ruling. Referring to a motion of adjournment, he said his party had submitted a notice for discussion on March 29 after the speaker’s earlier instruction on March 15. The speaker ruled that the discussion would take place on March 31.

Dr. Rahman added that the same order that authorized the national election also covered the referendum, arguing that both should be treated equally. He expressed hope that the ruling party would cooperate in the upcoming discussion to resolve the ongoing political crisis.

A report has revealed extensive corruption and financial irregularities in Bangladesh’s Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) project initiated during the former Awami League government. The project, valued at about Tk 3,825 crore for purchasing 150,000 machines, allegedly caused financial losses of around Tk 3,172 crore due to inflated pricing—nearly ten times higher than market rates. The audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General found that the procurement bypassed open tendering, using direct purchase through a military-run enterprise while importing components from abroad.

The report implicates several influential figures, including a former security adviser, senior election officials, and executives of the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory, in what is described as a coordinated institutional corruption scheme. Many of the machines are now unusable, with only a few thousand operational, raising further questions about quality and intent. The Anti-Corruption Commission has begun investigations after finding one in three machines defective.

The current Election Commission’s decision to discontinue EVM use and the Election System Reform Commission’s similar stance are seen as tacit acknowledgments of the project’s failure. Calls have intensified for a full, impartial investigation and prosecution of those responsible.

NCP lawmaker Abdul Hannan Masud told Parliament on Sunday that Generation Z no longer supports Bangladesh’s 1972 Constitution. Speaking during the discussion on the President’s address, Masud identified himself as part of the Gen Z generation and argued that those born decades after independence question why they have not fully enjoyed voting rights. He said that although the country gained independence, flag, and borders, young citizens still do not feel secure in Bangladesh.

Masud also raised issues from his constituency, including river erosion in Hatiya and attacks on his motorcade during the election period. He accused ruling party members of benefiting from sacrifices made by July Movement activists and warned against repeating the irregularities of the 1994 Magura by-election. He alleged post-election violence, including an assault on him and a rape incident linked to political retaliation, criticizing delays in investigations and DNA reports.

Other opposition MPs, including Khandaker Abu Ashfaq, Abdul Aziz, and Mohammad Abdul Malik, also participated in the discussion on the President’s speech.

Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has said that the current activities of the National Parliament show no reflection of the July Charter or the referendum held alongside the national election. Speaking on Sunday, March 29, during a session of the 13th National Parliament, he remarked that observing the ongoing proceedings gives the impression that no such referendum ever took place.

Nahid Islam argued that before conducting regular and daily parliamentary business, the House should first discuss the referendum and the July Charter implementation order as matters of national importance. He emphasized that these issues deserve the highest priority in parliamentary discussions and should be resolved before proceeding with routine activities.

He added that a notice had already been submitted on behalf of the opposition leader under parliamentary rules. Nahid appealed to the Speaker and the House to prioritize discussion on the referendum and the July Charter implementation order as the first agenda item.

Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman MP on Sunday raised an adjournment motion in parliament regarding the delay in convening the session of the Constitutional Reform Council as required under Article 10 of the July National Charter and Constitutional Reform Implementation Order 2025. With the Speaker’s permission, he presented the motion, recalling those who suffered or died under past authoritarian rule and emphasizing that the current parliament was formed in a special context following years of struggle against fascism.

Dr. Rahman stated that despite legal provisions requiring the council to be convened within 30 calendar days of the national election results, no such session had yet been called. He argued that this inaction disregards public expectations and urged immediate discussion on the matter. The Speaker later ruled that a two-hour discussion would be held on March 31.

Earlier, heated debate arose between government and opposition members over the motion notice, but the situation normalized after the Speaker allowed the notice to be raised following question-answer and Rule 71 discussions.

The Ministry of Public Administration has issued 11 directives requiring government employees to remain in their offices from 9:00 to 9:40 a.m., conserve electricity and fuel, and maintain cleanliness in office spaces. The instructions were sent on Sunday to all departments, agencies, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and upazila executive officers. The ministry emphasized that earlier guidance from the Cabinet Division on similar matters had not been fully followed, prompting the renewed call for compliance.

The directives include mandatory presence in offices during the specified morning period, efficient use of natural light, limiting use of electrical appliances, maintaining air conditioner temperatures at or above 25 degrees Celsius, and ensuring all electrical equipment is turned off after office hours. Offices are also instructed to avoid unnecessary lighting, practice fuel efficiency, and keep all areas clean, including corridors and stairways.

Each office has been asked to form a vigilance team to monitor adherence to these directives, reinforcing accountability and energy-saving practices across government institutions.

Bangladesh’s Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal announced on Sunday that the parliament will hold a two-hour discussion on March 31, Tuesday, regarding the convening of the Reform Council session. The discussion will take place as the final agenda item of the day. The decision followed a motion raised by Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman under Rule 62 of the parliamentary procedure.

Law Minister Asaduzzaman supported holding the discussion, calling the matter important, and requested that members be provided with documents including the current constitution, the July National Charter, the Constitution Reform Implementation Order 2025, and the Medina Charter before the session. However, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed questioned the procedural validity of the motion, arguing it should fall under Rule 68, which allows only a half-hour discussion, and cited Rule 63 to note that matters requiring legal amendments cannot be discussed under a postponement motion.

Despite the procedural objections, the Deputy Speaker confirmed the two-hour discussion for March 31 and declined further floor requests from the Home Minister, moving on to other parliamentary business.

The United Arab Emirates has called for strict security guarantees and compensation from Iran as part of any political settlement to the ongoing conflict between the two countries. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, stated on social media that any agreement must include a firm commitment to a 'non-aggression' policy to prevent future attacks. He emphasized that Tehran should compensate for assaults on Gulf countries’ civilian infrastructure and populations.

Gargash accused Iran of misleading neighboring states about its intentions before the conflict and claimed that Iran carried out a 'premeditated aggression' despite regional efforts to avoid escalation. He said mandatory security assurances and reparations are now essential to address what he described as the main threat to Gulf security.

The remarks, reported by Middle East Eye, come amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing discussions about possible political solutions to the Iran-UAE conflict.