The news circulating on Facebook about the appointment of eight new advisers is completely false, confirmed Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser. Earlier, a document without any official signature surfaced on Facebook, claiming that eight individuals had been appointed as advisers to the interim government. The document, dated March 8, 2025, falsely stated that these individuals had been “approved for swearing-in as advisers.” The government has dismissed this as misinformation.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, individuals under the age of 15 will not be allowed to perform Hajj this year. The age will be determined based on the date of birth mentioned in the pilgrim’s passport. Both government-registered and private Hajj agencies, as well as banks involved in Hajj-related transactions, must strictly follow this directive. Those above 15 years must complete pre-registration and official registration to be eligible for Hajj. There will be no exceptions for those under 15.

A BNP leader in Sonargaon’s Noagaon Union was allegedly assaulted by Jatiya Party leader Hazrat Ali and his followers after protesting extortion. According to reports, Hazrat Ali’s associates forcibly took a cable machine and 200,000 BDT in cash from Aman, a friend of BNP leader Sanaullah, and demanded additional extortion money. When Sanaullah attempted to mediate the issue in a local arbitration, the attackers refused to return the machine and instead launched an armed attack on him.

Senior executives of Turkey’s Koç Group have visited Dhaka to reinforce business ties with Bangladesh. As one of Turkey’s leading investors, the conglomerate reaffirmed its commitment to expanding operations in the country. Koç Group’s flagship consumer durables brand, Beko, operates in Bangladesh through Singer Bangladesh Ltd., a subsidiary of the group. Koç Holding CEO Levent Çakıroğlu stated that Bangladesh and the broader South Asian region present significant opportunities for investment in sustainable consumer goods, energy, local manufacturing, research, and exports.

Police used water cannons and batons to disperse protesting teachers who were marching towards the Chief Adviser’s residence, demanding nationalization of their schools after being excluded from the latest MPO (Monthly Pay Order) enrollment phase. The confrontation, which took place on Wednesday afternoon, left at least five teachers injured. Earlier, the police attempted to negotiate with the teachers, suggesting that only a small delegation proceed to the residence. However, the protesters refused and continued their march, leading to the clash.

Intern doctors at various hospitals, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), have launched a strike demanding five key points, leading to the suspension of outpatient services. Healthcare services at major hospitals like Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital have also been affected, leaving low-income patients in distress. Under the banner of “Doctors and Medical Students of All Levels,” the protesters staged day-long demonstrations before announcing their work stoppage at a press conference. The strike was officially declared by intern doctor Nadim Hossain.

The High Court has revoked its earlier directive to appoint overseers for 169 companies under Beximco Group, owned by Salman F Rahman. This ruling allows the prominent industrial conglomerate to manage its operations independently. Barrister Ruhul Kuddus, legal representative of Bangladesh Bank, confirmed the cancellation of the oversight appointment. However, regulatory bodies have been instructed to continue monitoring the group’s activities.

The Election Commission (EC) has invited the heads of 19 foreign missions in Dhaka for a high-level briefing on March 17 at 11 AM, chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). Seven officials from the EC Secretariat have been assigned to oversee the reception of the distinguished guests. The invited countries include Afghanistan, Algeria, Brunei Darussalam, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

In a landmark ruling, the High Court has declared that only individuals holding MBBS or BDS degrees can use the title “Doctor” before their names. However, those who have used the title without these qualifications up to this point will not face any legal action. Starting Thursday, anyone violating this ruling by misusing the title will be subject to legal consequences. Welcoming the verdict, protesting medical professionals have urged the authorities to publish a gazette notification swiftly. They have also vowed to continue their movement until all their demands are met.

Renowned industrialist and former advisor to Bangladesh’s caretaker government, Syed Manzur Elahi, has passed away.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor, expressed deep sorrow, calling him a “visionary entrepreneur and a patriot.” Elahi played a significant role in advancing Bangladesh’s leather industry and served as an advisor in the 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments.

Dr. Yunus remarked, “His contributions to Bangladesh’s business sector were immense. He was a highly respected entrepreneur, and his passing is a great loss for the country.”

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has handed over the body of Al Amin, who was shot and killed at the Tetulia border. His body was returned on Tuesday night following formal procedures involving BSF, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Indian and Bangladeshi immigration police.

The body was later handed over to Tetulia Model Police Station, which then released it to his family. He was buried on Wednesday morning following funeral prayers.

The Bangladesh Army has renamed 16 institutions and facilities that were previously named after members of the Sheikh family. Bongobondhu Cantonment is now Jamuna Cantonment. Bir Muktijoddha Abdul Hamid Cantonment has been renamed Mithamain Cantonment. Sheikh Hasina Cantonment is now Barishal Cantonment. Sheikh Russell Cantonment has been renamed Padma Cantonment. The Ad-hoc Bongobondhu Military Museum is now the Bangladesh Military Museum. Bongobondhu Composite Military Farm Char Janajat has been renamed Composite Military Farm Jajira. Bongobondhu Museum is now the Independence Museum. Bongobondhu Cantonment Public School & College is now Jamuna Cantonment Public School & College. Sheikh Russell Cantonment Public School & College has been renamed Adamjee Cantonment Public School & College. The renaming follows a broader administrative restructuring within the military.

A court has issued arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina and eight others in a case filed by Hefazat-e-Islam over the alleged Shapla Chattar massacre. The accused include former Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former IGPs Hassan Mahmud Khandaker and Benazir Ahmed, as well as Imran H. Sarker of the Gonojagoron Moncho. Since Shamsul Haque Tuku, Shahidul Haque, Ziaul Ahsan, and Molla Nazrul Islam are already in prison, the court has ordered their formal arrest in this case. Hefazat-e-Islam initially filed charges against 50 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, at the tribunal’s prosecution on November 27.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Chad and Bangladesh topped the list of the world’s most polluted countries in 2024. Their average pollution levels were more than 15 times higher than WHO’s air quality guidelines.

IQAir, a global air quality monitoring agency, reported that only seven countries met WHO’s air quality standards: Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland. The battle against pollution is expected to become more challenging, especially after the U.S. discontinued its global air quality monitoring initiative.

In an unusual political sight, local leaders from both the BNP and the Awami League joined a rally in Ramgati, Lakshmipur, marking National Disaster Preparedness Day.

The event, organized by the Upazila Administration and Disaster Management Department, gained traction online after the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) posted photos on Facebook. The images, which quickly went viral, showed the UNO, Syed Amzad Hossain, standing alongside local Awami League leaders Kamal Uddin Manjur and Mozahidul Islam Didar. On the other side of the frame were BNP leaders Dr. Jamal Uddin and Md. Siraj Uddin.

The UNO later removed the photos from his account.