Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser has indicated that the country’s national elections are likely to be held in December. During a meeting with EU diplomat Hadja Lahbib on Monday, discussions also covered the Rohingya crisis. The EU has pledged €68 million in aid this year to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and local host communities, as well as to address Myanmar’s ongoing conflict. The EU Commissioner emphasized that lasting peace is the only solution to the crisis.

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has extended his prayers for BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s speedy recovery. In a social media post, he wrote, “May Almighty Allah grant him good health, Ameen.” Fakhrul fell ill after attending a book launch event at Suhrawardy Udyan last week, where excessive dust in the air reportedly caused health complications. Following medical advice, he was hospitalized yesterday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed former US President Donald Trump’s claim regarding a $29 million USAID-funded project in Bangladesh. The project, titled “Strengthening Political Landscape in Bangladesh,” was initiated during Trump’s first term and implemented through an international competitive process, with Development Innovations (DI) as the selected organization. The project, launched in 2017, executed activities worth $14 million and was co-managed by USAID and DFID. DFID had pledged an additional $10 million. The ministry clarified that allegations of the funds being channeled to private entities owned by two individuals are entirely false.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Tabith Awal met with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to discuss sports medicine and development cooperation ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming matches against India. Bangladesh will face India in Shillong on March 25, with the return leg scheduled for November 18 in Dhaka. The national team, led by Jamal Bhuiyan, will conduct a training camp in Saudi Arabia before the match, departing on March 5 and returning on March 18.

A recent report by the Indian media outlet The Tribune has been dismissed as misleading propaganda. Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, addressing the issue on Monday, reiterated that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the market. “The supply of soybean oil is slightly low, but this is not a crisis. We expect the situation to normalize soon,” he said. He further explained that while soybean oil prices have risen, palm oil is currently being sold at a lower rate than the government-mandated price. “Our market trends show mixed price movements, but the overall supply remains stable,” he emphasized.

Khaleda Zia was expelled from her residence at the military cantonment, once owned by Ziaur Rahman. Allegedly, a close relative of Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, Managing Director of United Group, played a key role in the demolition of the house. In the last 15 years, United Group has gained unprecedented privileges in the electricity sector, reportedly embezzling billions of taka. The demolition of the house is said to have paved the way for these illicit activities, with significant support from Prime Minister Hasina and Electricity Minister Nasrul Hamid Bipu, who was reportedly rewarded with 80 katha of land near a major road in the capital.

Following the resignation of Syed Jamil Ahmed, Advisor Mustafa Sarwar Faruqi and Jamil exchanged accusations. Prince Mahmud, on Facebook, expressed support for Faruqi, stating that he was acting sensibly and not showing childish behavior. He noted that Faruqi understands when and where to act. Mahmud added that centrism supports social balance and opposes any extreme political shift, whether right-wing or left-wing.

On Sunday evening, the Border Security Force (BSF) detained two Bangladeshi women for illegally entering Bangladesh from India. Following a flag meeting between the two forces, the women, Zarina Begum (42) and Shiuli Khatun, were returned to Bangladesh. The meeting, called by the BSF’s 194th Border Company Commander at the Sundarpur Camp, resulted in the transfer of the detainees back to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The High Court has issued a rule questioning why guidelines have not been created for the exercise of the President’s pardon power under Article 49 of the Constitution. The Court also inquired whether the lack of such guidelines violates constitutional provisions related to equal protection and individual rights. Cabinet Secretary, Secretaries from the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the Secretary of the National Parliament Secretariat, have been asked to respond within four weeks.

The Dhaka Premier League (DPL) faced disruption on its opening day. The match between Prime Bank Cricket Club and Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club was paused for almost 30 minutes due to a scuffle. In a critical moment, Irfan Shukkur was run out after trying to take a run during Fahad Hossain’s innings. This led to a confrontation between players, and the match referee, Akhtaruzzaman Shipar, threatened to suspend Talha Zubair. The game resumed after a brief break.

During Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, former Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Sitanshu Kumar Sur Choudhury, was allegedly involved in irregularities and corruption with little hindrance. Although Dr. Atiur Rahman was the official Governor, it was SK Sur who effectively ran the central bank. Sur was found to have approved significant loans from Sonali Bank using forged documents. During the loan fraud incident, Sur interfered with the bank’s regular audits and inspections. In a separate case, the ACC arrested Sur on January 14 for failing to provide an asset declaration.

The Ministry of Health has transferred 29 Civil Surgeons to the position of Officer on Special Duty (OSD). An official order, signed by Deputy Secretary Sonjida Shormin, was issued on Sunday by the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The directive states that the transferred officers are expected to join their new postings by March 6. If they fail to do so, they will be considered immediately released from their current positions starting from March 9.

Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin assured that the supply of soybean oil will return to normal within the next two days. Speaking to the media on Monday afternoon after inspecting a local market, he acknowledged a temporary shortage but expressed optimism about improvement starting today. “There is no shortage of essential goods. While the supply of soybean oil has decreased slightly, I expect the situation to improve from today,” he said. He also noted the fluctuation in cooking oil prices, stating that while soybean oil is being sold at higher prices, palm oil is being sold 25 BDT below the government-set price. “Palm oil accounts for 60% of our total edible oil consumption. Market prices have both increased and decreased simultaneously,” he added.

According to a report by India’s state-run news agency, Press Trust of India (PTI), at least 13 Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in Tripura and Meghalaya on charges of illegal entry. The Border Security Force (BSF) stated that four of them were detained in Tripura, while the remaining nine were apprehended in Meghalaya. Additionally, the BSF reported seizing illegal drugs and contraband worth approximately ₹21.3 million during the same operation.

Pakistan has appointed a new local coach to lead their team. The announcement comes as the team gears up for important international matches. In the FIFA World Cup qualifiers this month, Argentina will face Brazil and Uruguay. Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, has already named a 33-player preliminary squad, which includes star forward Lionel Messi. The team will take on Uruguay in Montevideo on March 22, and will host Brazil in Buenos Aires on March 26. Lisandro Martinez has been excluded due to injury, but the squad remains largely intact, with Scaloni fielding a fully-strength team for the upcoming qualifiers.