Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that a final decision on 133 ordinances issued during the interim government period may be made tonight. He made the statement on Sunday, March 29, after a parliamentary meeting of the ruling party. The parliamentary special committee responsible for reviewing the ordinances is scheduled to meet tonight to finalize its decisions.

Committee chairman Zainul Abedin stated that consensus has not yet been reached on 24 of the ordinances, and these will be discussed further in the special committee meeting. The thirteenth national parliament session resumed after about 13 days and officially began at 3 p.m. The special committee meeting is set to take place after the parliamentary session concludes.

The parliamentary session began under the chairmanship of the Speaker in his absence, with Prime Minister Tareq Rahman and Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman present. The session opened with a recitation from the Quran following Eid and other holidays.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh arrived at the National Parliament in Dhaka five minutes before the start of the third day of the first session of the 13th National Parliament. The session began at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2026, with the Prime Minister taking his designated seat ahead of proceedings.

At the beginning of the session, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, who represents the Netrokona-1 constituency, delivered a welcome address. In the absence of the Speaker, Barrister Kamal presided over the parliamentary sitting.

The session marks the continuation of the 13th Parliament’s inaugural proceedings, with the Deputy Speaker temporarily overseeing responsibilities during the Speaker’s absence.

Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal presided over the national parliament session for the first time on Sunday at 3 p.m., pledging to perform his duties with complete impartiality. He vowed to uphold the rights, dignity, and equal opportunities of all members. The session began with Quran recitation following Eid and other holidays, attended by Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarek Rahman and Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman. Kamal sought cooperation from all members and announced that he had resigned from government and party positions to ensure neutrality.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam and Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman welcomed the Deputy Speaker, with the latter assuring cooperation from the opposition. The session also included prayers for the deceased relatives of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and MP Moktar Ali. Kamal reflected on the 2024 student-people movement, describing it as a turning point for restoring parliamentary democracy.

He emphasized that democracy rests on the rule of law, human rights, and effective constitutional institutions, noting that both government and opposition play vital roles in ensuring accountability. Kamal urged members to maintain decorum and mutual respect, describing the parliament as the mirror of the nation.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have made their first social media post since being detained in the United States. The couple, held for about three months in a Brooklyn prison after being taken from Caracas by U.S. commandos, thanked their supporters and said they were well. The message, shared on Maduro’s X account, expressed gratitude for the love, letters, and prayers they had received, saying these had strengthened them spiritually. It remains unclear who posted the message on their behalf.

According to a source close to the Venezuelan government cited by AFP, Maduro reads the Bible in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where some inmates refer to him as “President.” The facility is known for its poor conditions. The source added that Maduro is allowed up to 15 minutes per phone call with his family and lawyers.

In their post, Maduro and Flores also praised the unity and solidarity of Venezuelans at home and abroad during this difficult time.

The government of Bangladesh has appointed new deputy commissioners (DCs) and district magistrates in 11 districts. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Sunday, March 29, 2026, signed by Deputy Secretary Aminul Islam. The order stated that the appointments were made in the public interest and would take immediate effect.

According to the notification, Kazi Shahidul Islam has been appointed to Rajshahi, Lutfun Nahar to Chuadanga, Hure Jannat to Khulna, Marzina Akter to Madaripur, Abu Sayeed to Brahmanbaria, Ahmed Ziaur Rahman to Chandpur, G.M. Sarfaraz to Habiganj, Israt Jahan Keya to Narsingdi, Shilpi Rani Roy to Meherpur, Md. Rashedul Haque Pradhan to Lalmonirhat, and Md. Saniul Ferdous to Bandarban.

The circular emphasized that the new appointments were made for administrative purposes and would be implemented without delay.

Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Kudddus Kajol announced that legal officers at the Attorney General’s Office accused of note trading and unethical activities will face action following investigation. He made the statement on his first working day as the country’s 18th Attorney General while speaking to journalists at his office on March 29, 2026.

Earlier in the day, he began his duties with prayers alongside senior lawyers, who congratulated him with flowers. Present at the event were Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Acting Secretary Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, former Attorney General Fida M Kamal, Member of Parliament and senior lawyer Fazlul Rahman, and Additional Attorneys General Arshadur Rauf, Muhammad Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan, and Mohammad Anik R Haque.

President appointed Barrister Ruhul Kudddus Kajol as the 18th Attorney General of Bangladesh on the preceding Wednesday.

Opposition members of Bangladesh’s Jatiya Sangsad held a meeting on Sunday morning ahead of the resumption of the adjourned parliamentary session. The meeting took place at 11 a.m. in the opposition conference room of the National Parliament Building, chaired by Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Opposition Chief Whip and NCP Convener Nahid Islam MP, Whip Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, and other MPs attended. Discussions focused on the opposition’s stance and strategy for the ongoing session.

The first session of the 13th National Parliament, which began on March 12, had been adjourned on March 15 due to Eid-ul-Fitr and other holidays. The session resumed at 3 p.m. on Sunday under the chairmanship of Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam stated that the third day of the session would feature discussions on the motion of thanks for the President’s address, with participation from both government and opposition members.

According to the parliamentary business advisory committee, the session will continue until April 30, with 50 hours of discussion scheduled on the President’s speech.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has departed for an official visit to the United States. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) announced the trip through its official Facebook page on Sunday, March 29, 2026. According to the post, the army chief left for the United States on Saturday, March 28, as part of his government assignment.

During the visit, General Waker-Uz-Zaman is scheduled to receive a recognition proposal from the Georgia State Capitol for the commendable contributions of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in United Nations peacekeeping missions. He will also deliver a special lecture at the Senate Chamber as part of the program.

The ISPR statement further mentioned that the army chief plans to hold bilateral meetings with relevant representatives of the United States during his stay.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman conducted unannounced visits to several ministries at the Secretariat on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Arriving shortly after 9 a.m., he bypassed his own office in the Cabinet Division and walked to Building No. 6, where he inspected the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and spoke with officials and staff. He continued to visit the Fisheries and Livestock, Water Resources, Women and Children Affairs, and Primary and Mass Education ministries located in the same building.

The Prime Minister then moved to Building No. 5 to inspect the Housing and Public Works Ministry and to Building No. 3 to visit the Commerce and Health and Family Welfare ministries. In total, he visited at least eight ministries before returning to the Cabinet Division. The visits were described as sudden and covered a wide range of administrative areas.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister was scheduled to chair a meeting on the farmer card program, with ministers and state ministers from Local Government, Finance, Agriculture, and Fisheries and Livestock ministries expected to attend.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) is set to announce its candidate for the upcoming city corporation election today. The announcement will be made at an emergency press conference called by the party’s Local Government Election Steering Committee. According to a message from the NCP media team, the event will take place at 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, at the party headquarters.

The press conference will be attended by key NCP leaders, including Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Chairman of the Local Government Election Steering Committee and Chief Organizer (North) Sarjis Alam, and Chief Organizer (South) Hasnat Abdullah. The announcement marks a significant step in the party’s preparation for the city polls.

The NCP’s decision to hold a late-evening press briefing underscores the importance the party places on the upcoming election and its candidate selection process.

The United States and Iran have issued conflicting statements regarding possible talks to end hostilities in the Middle East. On Saturday, President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, giving Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, on Monday he extended the deadline by five days, saying Iran had another opportunity. Trump claimed that the two countries had discussed a 'complete and comprehensive resolution of hostilities' in the region.

In contrast, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf denied any such talks, writing on social media platform X that 'fake news' was being used to influence financial and oil markets. Yet, a senior Iranian official told CBS News that Iran had received proposals from the United States through intermediaries and was reviewing them. CBS clarified that this step was a 'possible preparatory move' and not confirmation of ongoing negotiations.

The White House urged caution, noting that the situation remained fluid and that no meeting should be considered confirmed until an official announcement was made.

The first session of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament, which was adjourned earlier, will resume today at 3 p.m. in the Parliament House chamber. The session, initially convened on March 12, was suspended on March 15 due to Eid-ul-Fitr and other holidays. Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed will preside over the sitting.

Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam stated that the third day of the session will focus mainly on discussions over the motion of thanks on the President’s address. Members from both the government and opposition benches are expected to participate. The agenda also includes a scheduled question-and-answer session for ministers and discussions on national importance notices.

According to the decision of the Parliament’s Business Advisory Committee, the ongoing session will continue until April 30, with a total of 50 hours allocated for debate on the President’s speech.

Dr. Yusuf Zarif, in an article published on March 29, 2026, examines how Bangladesh’s political discourse evolved from labeling practicing Muslims as fundamentalists to portraying them as extremists. He argues that since independence, secular elites and Western-influenced intellectuals have shaped political narratives that marginalized Islamic values and national identity. According to the article, these narratives were reinforced through alliances among intellectuals, business elites, NGOs, and civil society, often supported by Western funding under the guise of human rights and gender empowerment.

The author traces three major phases: the 1980s’ anti-fundamentalist campaigns, the post-2001 anti-extremism agenda, and the post-2024 period when pro-Bangladesh movements were branded as extremist. He claims that successive governments and media institutions used these narratives to suppress nationalist and faith-based politics, consolidating elite and foreign influence. The July 2024 uprising is described as a popular rejection of this dominance.

Dr. Zarif concludes that without a cultural and intellectual revival rooted in justice and dignity, Bangladesh risks repeating past cycles of division and elite control.

An opinion essay published on March 29, 2026, by Md. Mahmudul Hasan reflects on the 2024 July Revolution in Bangladesh, describing it as a mass student uprising against the Hasina government’s quota policy and broader authoritarian practices. The author argues that the movement emerged when students protested a discriminatory quota system limiting public sector jobs, and the government responded with violent suppression, killing around 1,500 protesters and detaining many others. The piece portrays the crackdown as a massacre and a turning point in Bangladesh’s political history.

The essay situates the July Revolution within a broader context of alleged electoral manipulation, corruption, and repression during the Awami League’s rule from 2009 to 2024. It claims that students had long faced intimidation and abuse from the ruling party’s student wing, which controlled university dormitories and silenced dissent. The author contends that these conditions drove students to risk their lives for a fairer and more democratic Bangladesh.

The article concludes by urging citizens to preserve the spirit of the July Revolution and pass its lessons to future generations as a defense of national sovereignty and human rights.

Following the general election held on February 12, newly elected representatives of the ruling party announced they would not take oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. This decision sparked a national debate over the legality of the council, which had been established under the July Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order of 2025. Critics argue that the 1972 Constitution does not grant the president authority to issue such an order and that, without a separate election, parliament members cannot serve on the council.

The article explains that the July political uprising represented a constitutional moment when citizens directly asserted their sovereign power to reshape the state. It argues that the council’s legitimacy stems from this popular mandate, not merely from written constitutional provisions. The July Charter sought fundamental restructuring of state principles and institutions, changes that could not be sustained through ordinary amendment procedures due to the Supreme Court’s basic structure doctrine.

The author concludes that the council’s legitimacy arises from dual mandates—both the general election and the referendum approving the reform process—reflecting the people’s sovereign will to redefine the constitutional order.