U.S. President Donald Trump has said that indirect talks with Iran, conducted through Pakistan, are progressing well and could soon lead to an agreement. He made the remarks in an interview with The Financial Times, according to a report published on March 30, 2026.

The report states that despite previously threatening to seize Iran’s oil production centers, Trump confirmed that discussions through Pakistani intermediaries are moving forward positively. When asked whether a ceasefire deal could reopen the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, he declined to provide specific details. Trump also mentioned that Iran had allowed twenty Pakistan-flagged oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture to the White House, a move reportedly approved by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

The developments suggest cautious diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran, with Pakistan playing a mediating role, though the outcome and timeline of any potential agreement remain uncertain.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Sadiq Kayem has warned the government not to reject the recent referendum result, which he said reflected nearly 70 percent support for the 'yes' side. In a verified Facebook post on Monday, he accused the ruling BNP government of attempting to overturn the public mandate, calling it a deception against the nation. He demanded immediate passage of several ordinances, including those on referendum, enforced disappearance prevention, human rights commission, and judicial appointments.

Kayem cautioned that the government, formed through the sacrifices of the people, must not ignore their aspirations or attempt to reestablish a fascist system. His remarks came amid a statement from Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who said the ordinance under which the referendum was held had expired and therefore did not need to be passed as a bill in Parliament.

Following a special committee meeting, the minister added that out of 133 ordinances under review, some would be passed as they are, while others would be amended and presented as bills. The committee’s report is scheduled to be submitted to Parliament on April 2.

The ordinance under which the recent referendum was held has expired, and therefore it does not need to be presented in Parliament as a bill. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced this on Sunday night after a special committee meeting at the Parliament complex. He explained that since the ordinance has already been used and no further referendums will be held under it, there is no reason to reapprove it as a law.

Salahuddin Ahmed added that the special committee discussed 133 ordinances, deciding to pass many as they are while bringing some in amended form as bills. The committee’s report is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on April 2. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expressed dissent on 15 key issues, including the referendum, the Human Rights Commission, and the separation of the judiciary, according to the party’s Assistant Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan.

The developments indicate that while most ordinances are moving toward parliamentary approval, certain contentious issues remain unresolved within the special committee.

Two former senior military officers, Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury and Lt Gen (retd) Sheikh Mamun Khaled, are under renewed police remand in Dhaka over allegations linked to the controversial 1/11 caretaker government period. According to court proceedings on March 30, Masud was placed on a six-day remand in a human trafficking case after completing a previous five-day term, while Mamun Khaled’s five-day remand in a separate murder case was set to end the same day. Investigators allege both were involved in secret late-night meetings with Sheikh Hasina before her release from detention during the 1/11 period.

The report cites interrogation details claiming that the 1/11 government was planned with alleged coordination between certain DGFI officials and Indian intelligence, aiming to sideline major political parties. Both officers are also accused of large-scale corruption, including embezzlement and extortion through recruitment syndicates that exploited migrant workers. Prosecutors told the court that the syndicate collected billions of taka through illegal fees and coercion.

Investigators said further remand was necessary to recover embezzled funds and clarify operational details of the agencies involved in overseas labor recruitment.

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has approved the 2026 national budget while the country remains engaged in war with Iran. The total budget amounts to about 245 billion dollars, with more than 45 billion dollars allocated to the military sector. This represents an increase of over 10 billion dollars compared to the previous year.

The new defense allocation is more than double that of the 2023 budget, which had been passed in February before the outbreak of the Gaza war that year. Ahead of the vote, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the moment as a “historic turning point” for the country.

The expanded military funding underscores Israel’s heightened defense priorities amid ongoing regional conflict, reflecting a significant shift in national spending priorities.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran’s governing system has already changed. In an interview with The Financial Times, he said that the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials during the early days of the war resulted in a ‘regime change’ in Iran. Trump described the current Iranian leadership as a completely different and highly professional group.

He reiterated his claim that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, who had succeeded his father as Iran’s Supreme Leader, is either dead or critically injured. Trump stated that there has been no information about Mojtaba’s condition and asserted that he believes Mojtaba is dead.

Trump further expressed his belief that Iran may eventually reach an agreement with the United States. The interview was reported by BBC and published by Amar Desh Online on March 30, 2026.

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.