In Gaibandha’s Phulchhari upazila, the banned Awami League has reportedly continued organizing political programs despite restrictions on its activities. On March 26, the party observed Independence Day in Erendabari Union under the leadership of mid-level leader Popel Ahmed. The event was attended by Phulchhari Upazila Awami League president and former upazila chairman GM Selim Parvez, along with leaders and activists from various affiliated organizations.

Local police sources said the officer-in-charge of Phulchhari Police Station, Durul Huda, was on leave at the time. Acting officer SI Abdul Kaiyum stated he would investigate the matter and report to his superior. Opposition figures criticized the incident, with BNP’s Phulchhari unit general secretary Abdus Salam asserting that a banned party cannot hold such programs, while Jamaat-e-Islami’s upazila chief Sirajul Islam called it a failure of law enforcement and demanded action.

Reports indicate that the banned Awami League had previously organized events on February 21 and March 25, raising further questions about the implementation of the ban.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the police are not a partisan force but should serve as friends of the people. He emphasized that the government aims to make the police a modern, service-oriented, and humane institution free from political influence. The minister made these remarks on Saturday morning at the passing-out parade of the 43rd BCS Police Batch at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Sardah, Rajshahi.

He said that as part of democratic reforms, a Police Reform Commission has been established to keep the force free from political interference, and its benefits will soon be visible. Addressing the new officers, the minister urged them to serve the public, uphold justice, and instill fear in criminals while ensuring peace for the innocent. He added that the government is following a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and encouraged officers to gain advanced technical knowledge to combat digital crimes.

The event underscored the government’s broader agenda to modernize law enforcement and strengthen public trust in policing.

U.S. President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the ongoing war with Iran, marking their first direct contact since the conflict began. According to a New York Times report citing unnamed U.S. officials, billionaire Elon Musk also participated in the call, which took place on Tuesday, March 24.

The report noted that the inclusion of a private individual like Musk in such a sensitive discussion between two heads of government was highly unusual. The White House described the conversation as productive. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi share a strong relationship and that the discussion was constructive.

The call occurred amid escalating tensions following multiple attacks in the region, including strikes on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility and missile attacks affecting industrial areas in the United Arab Emirates.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed at 19 fuel depots across nine districts to prevent unauthorized hoarding and ensure uninterrupted fuel supply. The deployment was announced on Saturday morning through a press release signed by BGB’s public relations officer Md. Shariful Islam. The move follows instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to the statement, the deployment comes amid a global rise in fuel prices and supply concerns triggered by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Authorities have observed attempts to hoard fuel illegally, prompting the government to take preventive measures. The BGB operation aims to maintain discipline in fuel marketing and safeguard depot security.

The BGB headquarters is overseeing the deployment under a structured plan. Temporary base camps have been set up in secure locations to facilitate duties at remote depots. The 19 depots are located in Dhaka, Kurigram, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Sunamganj districts.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr. Shafiqur Rahman expressed deep sorrow and condolence over the death of Dilara Hafiz, wife of National Parliament Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram. According to a statement issued on Saturday, Dilara Hafiz passed away in Singapore on March 28 at 1:30 p.m. local time while undergoing medical treatment.

In his condolence message, Dr. Rahman conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family and recalled Dilara Hafiz’s contributions to her family and society. He prayed for the departed soul’s eternal peace and for strength and patience for the grieving family to bear the loss.

The statement was released following the news of her passing, marking an expression of solidarity and respect from the opposition leader toward the Speaker’s family.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Dilara Hafiz, wife of National Parliament Speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed. According to BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan, she passed away at 1:30 p.m. local time in Singapore while undergoing treatment. Her body is expected to be brought back to Bangladesh tomorrow evening.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni also conveyed condolences. In their messages, they prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and extended sympathy to the bereaved family, relatives, admirers, and well-wishers.

Funeral prayers will be held on March 30 at 11 a.m. at the South Plaza of the National Parliament and after the noon prayer in front of the central mosque at the cantonment. She will be buried at the Banani Military Cemetery. Dilara Hafiz had been under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka before being flown to Singapore on Eid-ul-Fitr day.

US President Donald Trump expressed anger toward NATO for not standing by the United States a month after the start of the Iran war. Speaking at an investment forum in Miami, Florida, Trump said that since NATO countries did not help the US against Iran, America might no longer need to stand by its allies. He questioned why the US should continue supporting partners who did not reciprocate during the conflict.

The United States, along with Israel, decided to launch attacks on Iran late last month without consulting European allies. Many NATO leaders opposed the strikes. According to a source, the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is expected to be deployed near the conflict zone, though it remains unclear whether it will join or replace existing US carriers in the area. Additionally, more than a thousand troops are being deployed.

The remarks highlight growing tension between Washington and NATO members over military cooperation and strategic alignment following the Iran conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he believes he is a 'messenger of peace' and wants to be remembered that way. According to a report by the Associated Press published on Saturday, Trump made the remarks when journalists asked how he would like his legacy to be viewed. He responded that he wished to be remembered as a great messenger of peace.

Trump further stated that he truly believes he is a messenger of peace, even though it may not seem that way at the moment. His comments reflect his personal view of his role and how he wants history to record his presidency.

The report did not include additional context or reactions to his statement, focusing solely on his remarks about his desired legacy.

The first meeting of the committee of the 13th National Parliament began on Saturday at around 11:15 a.m. in the Cabinet Room, Level-2, of the Parliament Secretariat. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni presided over the session, which was attended by 11 committee members. The Parliament Secretariat confirmed the start of the meeting as part of the new parliamentary session’s formal activities.

Later in the day, at 4 p.m., the parliamentary meeting of the ruling party is scheduled to take place in the government party’s conference room within the Parliament complex. According to the Secretariat, these meetings are expected to play an important role in initiating the regular functions of the Parliament.

The 13th National Parliament held its first session on March 12, and preparations have been underway since then to advance parliamentary operations. With Saturday’s meeting, the activities of the parliamentary committees have officially commenced.

Former Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was arrested early Saturday, March 28, according to police reports cited by the BBC. Authorities are investigating whether he bears responsibility for the deaths that occurred during the Gen-Z-led protests in September 2025.

The protests, which began as a reaction to a temporary social media ban, evolved into a large-scale anti-corruption youth movement fueled by long-standing economic grievances. At least 77 people were killed during the unrest on September 8 and 9, including 19 young protesters on the first day of the crackdown. The demonstrations were directed against Oli’s government, which had been accused of corruption.

Following the violent suppression of the protests, Oli resigned after failing to control the mass demonstrations. His home minister, Chiren Ramesh Lekhak, had stepped down earlier. An interim government led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was later formed, which established a commission headed by former special judge Gauri Bahadur Karki to investigate the uprising and related incidents.

Retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, a key figure in Bangladesh’s controversial 1/11 government, is currently in the custody of the Detective Branch (DB) police on a five-day remand. According to multiple sources, during interrogation he claimed that India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had planned the formation of the 1/11 government, using several officials from Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). He was arrested on March 23 from Dhaka’s Baridhara DOHS area and later shown arrested in a human trafficking case filed at Paltan Police Station.

Investigators are questioning Masud about his alleged role in the 1/11 events, the reported torture of political leaders, and large-scale human trafficking and corruption. He has been accused of embezzling thousands of crores of taka through a manpower export syndicate named Five M International. Police say he is evading key questions and shifting blame to other former DGFI officers. Masud also faces murder charges related to the 2024 Feni shooting that killed 11 people.

When taken to court, Masud faced public outrage as protesters threw dirty water and burnt oil at him, reflecting widespread anger over his alleged actions.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep sorrow over a tragic train accident in Tangail’s Kalihati upazila that killed five members of the same family, including a child. The party’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, conveyed condolences in a statement issued to the media on Friday night following the accident that occurred around 8 p.m. on March 27 in Dholatengor area.

In his statement, Porwar described the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy for the nation and prayed for the departed souls. He extended sympathy to the bereaved family and urged authorities to take stronger measures to ensure safety on roads and railways. He emphasized the need for effective steps to prevent such accidents in the future.

Porwar also called on the authorities to provide adequate compensation and rehabilitation for the affected families, praying for divine mercy for the victims and strength for their relatives to bear the loss.

US President Donald Trump stated that the ongoing war with Iran is not yet over, speaking at the FII Summit in Miami, Florida. He emphasized that the conflict must be brought to an end but clarified that it has not reached that point yet. His remarks were reported by CNN.

Previously, Trump had repeatedly claimed victory over Iran, including in a White House speech earlier in the week where he said the United States had already won and blamed 'fake news' for suggesting otherwise. However, his latest comments indicate that US military operations against Iran are still being planned.

Trump mentioned that 3,554 Iranian targets remain on the US strike list and asserted that these would be completed 'very quickly.' He also claimed that Iran is no longer as powerful as it once was, describing the country as facing unprecedented challenges.

A clear generational divide has surfaced among US conservatives over President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran, as revealed at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held near Dallas, Texas. Younger conservatives expressed disappointment and a sense of betrayal, arguing that Trump’s military action contradicted his earlier promises to avoid foreign interventions. Several young attendees voiced concern about the possible deployment of US troops to the Middle East, with some saying the move undermines the 'America First' principle.

Older conservatives, however, largely defended Trump’s decision, describing it as a pragmatic response to Iranian threats. Veterans and senior participants said the action was not the start of a new war but a justified reaction to Iran’s long-standing activities. Prominent conservative figures also appeared divided, with commentator Tucker Carlson opposing the war and Homeland Security official Joe Kent resigning in protest, citing moral objections.

CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp acknowledged the internal split but noted that many conservatives still trust Trump despite growing unease. Some younger supporters warned that the movement risks fragmentation if unity cannot be restored.

In Osmaninagar upazila of Sylhet, allegations have surfaced that two gazetted July fighters and representatives of opposition alliance parties were deliberately excluded from the upazila administration’s Independence Day celebrations on March 26. The event, organized by the local administration, featured Sylhet-2 MP Tahsina Rushdir Luna as chief guest and was attended by many BNP leaders and government officials, but no representatives from Jamaat-e-Islami or allied parties were invited.

The two excluded July fighters, Enamul Haque (Gazette No. 180) and Ibrahim Ahmad (Gazette No. 336), claimed that since the current UNO Munmun Nahar Asha took office, they have been systematically left out of official events. Local opposition leaders, including those from the National Citizens’ Committee and Khelafat Majlis, accused the administration of politicizing a national day and prioritizing ruling party interests over neutrality.

The UNO did not respond to a request for comment. Reports also indicated that despite administrative instructions, no union parishads in the upazila held Independence Day programs, fueling further local discontent.