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.

A statement by Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi, a former MP and defeated BNP candidate for Kushtia-4, has sparked widespread debate in the district. During an Independence Day discussion at the Kushtia District Shilpakala Academy auditorium on Thursday morning, Rumi said that his group had intentionally replaced the previous district commissioner because, in his words, “the government is ours.” The remark quickly spread on social media, drawing strong reactions.

Rumi alleged that he would have won the election by a margin of 100,000 votes if it had been fair, but lost by about 5,000 votes due to the actions of some “traitors” in the administration and his own party. He claimed to have received 140,000 votes and accused the then district commissioner Iqbal Hossain and parts of the Kumarkhali and Khoksa upazila administrations of working against him. He said he has filed a case in the High Court, with a hearing scheduled for June 24.

The event, organized by the district administration and chaired by current DC Touhid-bin-Hasan, was also attended by local officials and freedom fighters. The remarks have stirred significant political discussion in Kushtia.

Chattogram-10 Member of Parliament Saeed Al Noman has donated Tk 8.5 lakh to the family of expatriate Bangladeshi Abul Mohsin, who was killed in a missile strike in Bahrain during the Israel-Iran war. The donation was made on Friday to support the education of Mohsin’s only daughter, Tasnim Tamanna, on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Of the total amount, Tk 50,000 was handed over immediately for her higher secondary studies, while the remaining Tk 8 lakh will be provided through an offer letter to ensure her higher education.

Saeed Al Noman said the initiative was taken out of humanitarian responsibility to stand beside Mohsin’s family and to ensure that Tasnim Tamanna’s education continues uninterrupted. He stated that he has taken full responsibility for her education on behalf of the Prime Minister, emphasizing that education is the greatest strength in a person’s life. Several local BNP leaders were present during the donation event.

The contribution aims to secure Tasnim Tamanna’s future education and help her grow into a capable citizen of Bangladesh.

Amid an energy crisis caused by the ongoing Iran war, speculation spread on social media that India might impose a new lockdown. However, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government dismissed these rumors on Friday. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that no lockdown proposal is under consideration and urged the public not to spread misinformation during this sensitive global period.

The speculation intensified after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent parliamentary speech, where he mentioned preparations due to disruptions in energy supply and international markets. Officials clarified that Modi did not refer to any lockdown or movement restrictions. Government representatives described the panic as irresponsible and warned that false claims could cause unnecessary fear and disrupt daily life.

Puri added that the government is closely monitoring energy and power supply conditions, prioritizing stability and continuity over restrictions. Rising tensions near the Strait of Hormuz have strained global crude oil and energy markets, leading to confusion linking the current situation with India’s 2020 COVID-19 lockdown experience.

A Facebook post by Jahidul Islam Apu, convener of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal’s Kedarapur Union branch in Babuganj, Barishal, has stirred controversy in local politics. In the post, which also conveyed Eid-ul-Azha greetings, Apu expressed his wish to see Awami League member and former Kedarapur Union chairman Md. Nure Alam Bepari as a candidate for the same position again. The post included a photo card featuring Bepari’s image and greetings to residents of Kedarapur Union.

Local Sramik Dal leaders criticized the post, calling it contrary to the party’s ideology and discipline. Acting general secretary Md. Mizanur Rahman Mintu said organizational action would be taken if the allegation proved true. Sramik Dal president Farid Hossain also stated that no officeholder is allowed to make such statements or posts. Attempts to reach Apu for comment were unsuccessful as his phone remained switched off.

Several BNP and affiliated organization leaders demanded swift organizational measures, saying a party officeholder cannot publicly support a rival political figure. The incident has triggered mixed reactions across the local political scene.

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon declared that examinations in Bangladesh will no longer be conducted in the manner seen during the Awami League era. Speaking on Friday, March 27, 2026, at a meeting with education board officials and heads of institutions at the Cumilla Education Board conference room, he said that cheating in public exams had once been initiated and later stopped by teachers, but under the Hasina government, it had become widespread. He emphasized that teachers now have a crucial role in ensuring fair examinations.

Milon stated that teachers are the builders of future Bangladesh and described the Ministry of Education as a sacred responsibility entrusted to him by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He urged teachers to view their work as a form of devotion and moral duty. The minister announced that upcoming examinations, including the SSC, will be entirely free of cheating.

He further directed that all examination centers and educational institutions be brought under continuous CCTV surveillance, not only during exams but at all times, to ensure transparency and accountability.

Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu has alleged that the so-called 'Helmet Force', known for attacking BNP activists during the Awami League government, has resurfaced under a new name as the 'Secret Force'. He claimed that this group is attempting to create unrest and instability across the country through mob activities. Minu made the remarks on Friday afternoon while addressing a discussion meeting organized by the Rajshahi district BNP at a community center to mark Independence and National Day.

The minister said that after the fall of what he described as the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government, members of the former 'Helmet Force' have become active again and are working behind the current instability. He emphasized that BNP prioritizes national interest above all and believes in mutual friendship rather than dominance. He also stated that BNP is a party of workers, not individuals, and that its strength lies in its grassroots activists.

Minu further mentioned that although there are many government-owned lands under his ministry, the BNP will not occupy them for party offices. Instead, the party plans to legally purchase land in the name of its secretary general to build a permanent office.

The first meeting of the 13th National Parliament Committee will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Cabinet Room, Level-2, of the National Parliament Secretariat. The announcement was made in a notice issued by the Parliament Secretariat on Friday.

In addition to the committee meeting, a parliamentary meeting of the ruling party is also scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. This meeting will take place in the ruling party’s conference room within the Parliament complex, according to the Secretariat.

Both meetings mark the beginning of formal parliamentary activities under the 13th National Parliament, as outlined in the Secretariat’s official communication.

BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit the party’s central office in Naya Paltan on Saturday. The information was confirmed by BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan, who informed the media about the planned visit.

On Friday, March 27, Tarique Rahman announced his plan to go to the central office while speaking at a discussion meeting organized by the BNP at the Engineers Institution auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka. The event was held to mark the occasion of the country’s Independence and National Day. Following the meeting, he told party leaders and activists that he would visit the Paltan office the next day.

The visit marks a notable move by the BNP chairperson to engage directly with the party’s central operations, as indicated by his public statement during the commemorative event.

State Minister for Land and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Helal described Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as a simple, humane, and honest leader whose political legacy is rare worldwide. He made the remarks on Friday at the S Rahman Hall of Chittagong Press Club during a program organized by ‘Amra BNP Poribar’. The event included the presentation of financial gifts from the Prime Minister for the wedding of martyr Jamal’s daughter Tania Akter Rumi and for the education of Dhaka University student Jopel Chakma.

Mir Helal said Tarique Rahman, despite being the successor of former President Ziaur Rahman and three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, leads a modest life and believes in action over words. He emphasized Rahman’s compassion for people and animals and his dedication to humanitarian service even on public holidays.

During the event, the State Minister also announced a monthly scholarship for Jopel Chakma and provided medical assistance for Marzia Akter Maisha, a blood cancer patient. Several officials and members of ‘Amra BNP Poribar’ attended the ceremony.

Balendra Shah, leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), was sworn in as Nepal’s youngest prime minister during a special ceremony at the presidential residence, Sheetal Niwas, on Friday. President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shah, who becomes the country’s 47th prime minister.

Shah, a 35-year-old structural engineer and former rapper, won a decisive victory in the March 5 general election from the Jhapa-5 constituency, defeating former prime minister and CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli. The seat had long been considered Oli’s stronghold. The election followed last year’s anti-corruption ‘Gen Z’ protests, in which 76 people were killed. Shah’s RSP secured 182 of the 275 parliamentary seats, paving his way to the premiership.

As the former mayor of Kathmandu, Shah is also the first Madhesi—an inhabitant of Nepal’s southern plains bordering India—to hold the country’s top political office, marking a generational and social milestone in Nepal’s leadership.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that focusing excessively on the past blinds one eye, while forgetting it blinds both. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon at a discussion organized by the BNP at the Engineers Institution auditorium in Dhaka, marking Independence and National Day. Rahman said that over the past 17 years, excessive debate about history has overshadowed the country’s core historical narrative.

He emphasized that while national aspirations are limitless, resources are finite, and unity is essential to overcome challenges. The Prime Minister cautioned against diminishing the glory of the Liberation War under the guise of discussion or research. He stressed that Bangladesh’s independence and the Liberation War are inseparable from the role of Ziaur Rahman, whose contributions should be discussed and researched without undermining the nation’s founding history.

Rahman concluded that collective effort and unity could enable Bangladesh to handle any situation and build a self-reliant nation.

Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon emphasized the importance of credible communication, strong democratic institutions, and an independent media to ensure stability in a changing global order. He made the remarks on Friday at the International Strategic Communication Summit (STRATCOM) 2026 held in Istanbul, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other senior officials delivered opening speeches.

During a panel titled “New Global Structure: A Communication Perspective,” Swapon thanked the Turkish government for hosting the event and said such initiatives are vital amid global power shifts and the spread of misinformation. He highlighted that strategic communication has become a central element of governance and that states are increasingly judged by the credibility and consistency of their communication.

Swapon outlined Bangladesh’s ongoing reforms to strengthen democratic institutions, ensure media freedom, and review restrictive laws. He called for a balanced institutional approach to counter misinformation and proposed three guiding principles for strategic communication: credibility, democratic tolerance, and global cooperation.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit said the government is working to stand beside the underprivileged and marginalized communities. He emphasized that it is the state's duty to ensure a favorable environment for all citizens so that no group is left behind. He made these remarks on Friday at a one-time check distribution event for distressed individuals organized by the National Social Welfare Council at the Jessore Deputy Commissioner's conference room.

The minister stated that under the BNP government’s election manifesto, initiatives such as the Family Card and honorariums for religious and social service figures have been implemented. So far, 37,567 beneficiaries have received Family Cards, with plans to expand the program in June. He added that despite global fuel price increases in 80 countries, Bangladesh has no plan to raise fuel prices and currently faces no fuel shortage. Iran has allowed five countries, including Bangladesh, to use the Hormuz Strait for shipping, which he described as a major success for the government.

The event was organized by the Department of Social Services with support from the Jessore district administration.

Public protests have intensified across West Bengal over the ongoing voter list revision process, with many citizens alleging wrongful exclusion of their names. The final list, published on February 28, 2026, marked around six million names as 'under consideration' under judicial supervision. The Election Commission has since released an additional list on Monday and plans to publish a second supplementary list on Friday.

In Kolkata’s Dharmatala area, several civic and human rights groups organized a public meeting on Friday to protest the exclusions. Among those affected is Afroza Khatun, a college professor whose name remains under review, raising concerns about her right to vote. Human rights activist Ranjit Shur warned that those whose names are omitted could face broader loss of citizenship rights.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed anger over the process, alleging that names are being selectively removed despite the adjudication continuing for an extended period.