Motaharul Islam Riyad, the convener of Jubo Dal in Monirampur Upazila, Jessore, has been accused of assaulting Shahin Alam, an accountant clerk at the Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s (UNO) office. In protest, UNO Nishat Tamanna, Assistant Commissioner Niaz Makhdum, and other staff members formed a human chain on Thursday.

Shahin Alam recounted that on Wednesday afternoon, he was chatting with his colleague Saiful Islam in front of the office. At that moment, Saiful mentioned over the phone, “Shahin is right in front of me.” Riyad, who was on the other end, then insisted on speaking to Shahin. However, upon receiving the call, Riyad reportedly began verbally abusing him. When Shahin protested, Riyad arrived shortly with a group of 20-25 men. Allegedly, in Riyad’s presence, Shahin was physically assaulted.

A Bangladeshi youth named Sahed Mia was shot dead by Indian smugglers inside Indian territory near the Sylhet-Kanaighat border early Friday morning. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) stated that Sahed was involved in smuggling, and the incident occurred due to a conflict between smugglers from both countries. The process of repatriating the body is underway. Kanaighat Police Officer-in-Charge Awal Mia confirmed that the BGB informed them about the incident, and legal procedures are being followed to bring the body back.

The condition of the eight-year-old girl who was raped in Nijnanduali, Magura, remains critical, according to her family. She is currently undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Police have arrested the child’s brother-in-law and his father in connection with the incident.

On Friday, rumors spread on social media claiming that the victim had passed away. However, her uncle confirmed that she is alive but in a severe condition. The third-grade student had gone to visit her sister’s house on Saturday when, on Thursday morning, her sister’s father-in-law, Hitu Mia, allegedly lured her into a room and raped her. She was rushed to the hospital in a critical state.

Following water level assessments at Farakka on Tuesday, a joint committee of India and Bangladesh met at a Kolkata hotel on Thursday to discuss the implementation of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty. Representatives from both nations addressed concerns over reduced water flow and its impact. Mohammad Abul Hossain, leading the Bangladeshi delegation, told DW that they were satisfied with the discussions but acknowledged that lower water levels this year had affected both countries. The decreased flow has raised concerns about irrigation challenges in Bangladesh’s southwestern districts and potential threats to biodiversity in the Sundarbans. Talks will continue on Friday.

Filmmaker and advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki took to Facebook on Thursday to express his firm stance against misogyny. In his post, he questioned whether anyone had cared about the gender, attire, or political affiliation of their fellow protestors when fighting against Hasina’s oppressive regime in July. He pointed out that Bangladesh had opposed the stigmatization of beards, caps, and burqas in the past and should do the same now. His message was clear: “A straight ‘NO’ to all forms of misogyny—never before, not now, not in the future.” He ended his post with a thought-provoking question about who truly benefits from the political manipulation of power.

Despite prior warnings from Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir organized a “March for Khilafah” procession after Friday prayers at Baitul Mukarram. The march proceeded toward Bijoynagar but was intercepted by police after about 15 minutes. Law enforcement used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the protesters, causing them to scatter. However, the group regrouped and attempted to continue the demonstration, leading to another round of police action. Protesters retaliated by hurling stones and bricks at security forces. Several individuals were detained during the clashes.

Three leaders of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) resigned from their positions on Thursday, citing personal reasons. They submitted separate resignation letters to party convenor Nahid Islam. The resigning leaders include Joint Chief Coordinator Abu Hanif, Joint Chief Organizer (North Zone) Hanif Khan Sojib, and Joint Chief Coordinator Abduz Zaher. Sources revealed that Abu Hanif was previously a senior member of the Gono Odhikar Parishad. Hanif, along with at least 20 other leaders and activists from Nurul Haque’s Gono Odhikar Parishad, had recently joined the NCP. Their resignations came within a week of switching parties.

After an arduous nine-hour effort, forest officials and local villagers successfully rescued a wild elephant that had been trapped in the mud for 22 hours in Chattogram’s Banshkhali Upazila on Thursday afternoon. Anisuzzaman, a ranger at the Jaldi Forest Range, reported that the 40-year-old female elephant was already suffering from malnutrition and had become further weakened due to prolonged immobility. “We first sprayed water on the elephant to remove the mud from its body and soften the ground,” he explained. “With the help of at least 35 villagers, we were finally able to pull the elephant to safety.” The animal has been given saline-infused water, and further medical attention is being arranged.

On Wednesday, officials and employees of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) staged protests demanding the resignation of Chairman Khandaker Rashed Maksud and his leadership team. They continued their demonstrations with a strike on Thursday. Addressing the situation, Finance Advisor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed remarked, “This is beyond my jurisdiction. The BSEC Chairman is in charge, and he has been given full responsibility to handle the matter.” He further stated that the government had instructed Maksud to continue his work with even greater rigor. Meanwhile, Maksud affirmed that discussions with the government had taken place, emphasizing that their mandate remains firm: “We must stay on course and strengthen our efforts—there is no room for backing down.”

Dhaka University has reaffirmed its rule requiring students to keep their ears and faces visible during tutorial presentations and examinations. However, some female students have expressed unwillingness to comply. In response, the university’s public relations office issued a statement announcing that female students wearing niqabs or hijabs will be identified by female teachers, officers, or staff to maintain both personal privacy and institutional security. The administration also stated that female assistant proctors may be involved in the identification process when necessary. Additionally, authorities are exploring the feasibility of implementing fingerprint or biometric identification systems in the future.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested three members of the banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir while they were allegedly planning a pre-announced program at Baitul Mukarram. DMP spokesperson Muhammad Talebur Rahman confirmed the arrests on Friday morning. The detainees were identified as Monirul Islam (40), Mohtasin Billah (40), and Mahmudul Hasan (21). The DMP had earlier warned that any attempt by banned organizations to hold gatherings would face strict action. The arrests were made during a late-night raid in Uttara’s Sector 11 and Sector 12.

The Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (BNP’s student wing) has scheduled an emergency press conference on Friday, March 7, to address contemporary issues. According to a late-night press release by Chhatra Dal’s Office Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam, the conference will take place at 3:00 PM at the third-floor conference room of BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan. The student wing is expected to discuss pressing political and organizational matters.

In a special operation on Thursday evening, the Bangladesh Navy recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition in Kutubdia Upazila. While no suspects were arrested, officials revealed that the raid was conducted based on intelligence reports. The recovered items included a single-barrel shotgun, a shotgun, and six rounds of live ammunition, all found abandoned in the Manoharkhali area of Baraghop Union. The seized weapons have been handed over to Kutubdia police for further legal proceedings. The navy has assured continued efforts to prevent illegal arms trafficking in the region.

In a case related to the 2016 police operation at a so-called militant hideout in Kalayanpur, the International Crimes Tribunal has ordered the arrest of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque, former DMP Commissioner Md. Asaduzzaman Mia, and former Mirpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Jasim Uddin. The operation, which was later deemed controversial, resulted in the fatal shooting of nine young men with Islamic leanings, allegedly under a fabricated narrative. The tribunal has directed authorities to present the three accused before the court on March 24 in connection with charges of crimes against humanity.

The Jessore district BNP has suspended all positions held by Sharsha Upazila BNP Vice President Ruhul Kuddus following allegations of misappropriating rice from the government’s food-friendly program. In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Kuddus tearfully denied the accusations, claiming he had no involvement in the incident. He alleged that internal conflicts within the party led to a conspiracy against him, resulting in disciplinary action without any investigation. The allegations surfaced after reports that 155 sacks of rice were looted while being transported.