United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on governments and societies worldwide to take stronger measures against Islamophobia. In a video message posted on social media platform X to mark the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, he said Muslims across the world face discrimination and exclusion. Guterres noted that nearly two billion Muslims come from diverse regions and cultures but often encounter institutional bias and social barriers. He warned that Muslims are frequently subjected to socio-economic exclusion, biased immigration policies, and unjustified surveillance, adding that anti-Muslim rhetoric fuels these trends. The UN chief urged governments to counter hate speech, safeguard religious freedom, and uphold international human rights law. He also called on online platforms to protect individuals from harassment and hate speech based on religion or belief. Guterres concluded by urging renewed commitment to equality, human rights, and dignity for all, regardless of faith, and called for the elimination of Islamophobia from every country and community. The UN General Assembly had unanimously declared March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia in 2022.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has congratulated the Bangladesh cricket team for winning the One Day International (ODI) series against Pakistan. Bangladesh clinched the three-match series 2–1 after defeating Pakistan by 11 runs in the third and final match held on Sunday at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. In a statement following the victory, the Prime Minister praised the team’s courageous and united performance, describing the win as a testament to determination and teamwork. He said the thrilling 11-run victory in the final match demonstrated that success is possible even in challenging situations when there is strong resolve and collective effort. The Prime Minister added that the national team’s performance is a matter of pride for the country and expressed hope that such consistent success will continue in the future. The series win has been viewed as a significant achievement for Bangladesh cricket.

The government has appointed new police superintendents in three districts—Khagrachhari, Magura, and Madaripur. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ Police-1 Branch issued a notification on Monday announcing the changes. According to the order, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Molla Azad Hossain has been appointed as the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Magura, Magura SP Habibur Rahman has been transferred to Madaripur, and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) SP Mortoza Ali Khan has been assigned as the new SP of Khagrachhari. In separate notifications, the government also made several senior-level police appointments. Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ahsan Habib Palash has been appointed as the Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), while Additional Inspector General (AIG) Sardar Nurul Amin from Police Headquarters has been made the head of the Special Branch (SB). Additionally, Additional IGP Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has been appointed as the new chief of the CID. These appointments reflect a broader reshuffle within the Bangladesh Police leadership structure, as announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Nine international human rights organizations have sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, urging the abolition of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The letter, dated March 16, 2026, was also addressed to Law Minister Asaduzzaman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. The groups include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Fortify Rights, Article Nineteen, CPJ, and Civicus. In the letter, the organizations acknowledged that the new BNP-led government faces major challenges but viewed this period as an opportunity for long-term human rights reforms. They noted that during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, serious violations such as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings were reported. Although such incidents have declined since her fall, the groups said arbitrary detentions and attacks on journalists, religious minorities, and cultural institutions have not fully stopped. The letter also called for effective measures to protect the rights of more than one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and recommended establishing a strong, independent National Human Rights Commission. Several policy and legal reform suggestions were included to strengthen human rights protections.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Dr. Shafiquur Rahman, has praised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s canal excavation program. In a Facebook post on Monday, March 16, he commended the initiative, describing it as a positive step toward restoring the country’s waterways and addressing long-standing environmental challenges. Dr. Rahman noted that Bangladesh was once known as a riverine nation where rivers played a vital role in transport, agriculture, and fisheries. However, he said that after independence, many rivers, canals, and wetlands were filled up, leading to reduced water flow and increased flooding. He cited the impact of the Farakka Barrage and unplanned development as major causes of the current water management crisis. He emphasized that effective dredging and transparency in development projects are essential to restore navigability and ensure lasting benefits. According to him, canal excavation will only yield real results if the rivers regain their natural flow and vitality.

Israel has informed the United States that its stockpile of ballistic missile interceptors is running low as the war with Iran enters its third week, according to U.S. officials cited by the news outlet Semafor. The officials said Israel’s defense system had already been weakened by heavy interceptor use during last year’s conflict with Iran. Continuous missile attacks from Iran are now placing severe pressure on Israel’s long-range air defense network. The report added that Iran has equipped some of its missiles with cluster bombs, making them harder to intercept and accelerating the depletion of Israel’s interceptor reserves. Washington had been aware of the potential shortage for months. A U.S. official told Semafor that the situation had been anticipated, emphasizing that the United States itself has sufficient reserves and is not facing a similar shortage. It remains unclear whether the U.S. will supply Israel with additional interceptors. Previous military aid packages included missile defense systems, but new deliveries could strain America’s own stockpiles.

The High Court has ordered the preservation of ballot papers and result sheets for the Mymensingh-6 (Fulbaria) constituency. The directive was issued by a single bench of Justice Mohammad Ali on Monday, March 16, 2026, after accepting a petition filed by BNP candidate Md. Akhtarul Alam challenging the election results. The court also issued notices to the respondents in the case. Advocates Laxman Biswas and Md. Shamim Darji represented the petitioner during the hearing. The Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the same constituency is Kamrul Hasan Milon. The petition was filed under Section 49 of the Representation of the People Order, which allows for election petitions to be heard by an election tribunal formed under the High Court. The court’s order ensures that the election materials remain secured while the petition is under judicial consideration, marking an early procedural step in the legal review of the constituency’s election outcome.

Iran has warned that any facility providing support or services to the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford in the Red Sea will be considered a legitimate target. The warning came on Sunday from a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, who described the carrier’s presence in the region as a threat to Iran. Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters operates under the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces and is responsible for planning and coordinating military operations involving various Iranian units. The statement follows the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran on February 28, according to the report. The warning underscores heightened regional tensions and signals that Iran may expand its military response to include indirect targets associated with US operations in the Red Sea.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has extended the deadline for submitting the investigation report in the war crimes case concerning the killing of 11 people, including student leader Wasim, during the July uprising in Chattogram. The case involves former Chattogram-6 MP A B M Fazle Karim Chowdhury and several others. The new submission date has been set for April 12, following an order issued on Monday by a three-member panel led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mojumdar. Other tribunal members include Justices Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury. The accused, including Fazle Karim, were brought to the tribunal from prison for the scheduled hearing. The prosecution had earlier sought an eight-week extension on January 12 to complete the investigation report. Meanwhile, prosecutor Saimum Reza Talukder has resigned following allegations that he demanded one crore taka in bribes from Fazle Karim’s family in exchange for bail. After audio recordings of the alleged demand surfaced, a five-member fact-finding committee was formed on March 10, and defense lawyers have called for a reinvestigation of the case.

Mohammad Ayub Mia has resigned from his position as chairman of the board of directors of Sammilit Islami Bank PLC, a state-owned financial institution in Bangladesh. He submitted his resignation letter on Monday, March 16, 2026, to the secretary of the Financial Institutions Division under the Ministry of Finance, citing personal reasons for his decision. Sammilit Islami Bank was formed through the merger of five liquidity-strapped banks: EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, and Union Bank. The bank has an authorized capital of Tk 40,000 crore and a paid-up capital of Tk 35,000 crore, of which the government contributed Tk 20,000 crore, while the remaining Tk 15,000 crore is expected to come from depositors’ shares. Mohammad Ayub Mia, a former government secretary, had been appointed as the first chairman of Sammilit Islami Bank on December 7 of the previous year.

Commerce, Industry, Textile and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir announced that a fact-finding committee will be formed after Eid to examine unacceptable differences between retail and wholesale prices of essential and agricultural goods. He said the government remains alert to ensure that price variations do not reach unreasonable levels. The committee will include representatives from business, professional, and administrative sectors and will hold public hearings with consumers and traders. The minister made the remarks on Monday morning while inaugurating the excavation of Champatali Canal in Osmaninagar upazila of Sylhet. He noted that Sylhet is mainly a single-crop area where irrigation shortages and waterlogging limit agricultural output. The canal re-excavation is expected to bring about 1,500 bighas of land under cultivation and help control floods. He added that saplings of various tree species will be planted along both banks of the canal, and local residents will begin to benefit from increased crop production, flood control, and afforestation within the first year.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Cuba is very interested in making a deal with the United States and suggested it could happen soon. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, noting that discussions with Cuba are underway but that his administration will first focus on resolving issues with Iran before turning full attention to Havana. Trump’s comments come as Washington has been increasing pressure on Cuba’s communist government for several months. In January, the U.S. placed the island under an oil blockade, cutting off its fuel supply, and Trump previously labeled Cuba an “extraordinary threat” to the United States. The decades-long economic embargo remains in place. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed last Friday that his government has held talks with the United States over bilateral differences, though he did not disclose details. The developments follow Washington’s recent actions in the Caribbean, including the ouster of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, whose government had relied on Cuba for cheap oil.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman visited the graves of his grandparents during his visit to Dinajpur on Monday. After inaugurating a canal re-excavation program in Sahapara area of Kaharol upazila, he paid respects at the graves of his grandmother Begum Taiyeba Majumdar, grandfather Iskandar Majumdar, and Begum Khaleda Zia’s cousin Meem. He stood silently for a while, offering prayers for the departed souls. Local BNP leaders, activists, and several administrative officials were present during the visit. Earlier the same day, Tarique Rahman inaugurated the Sahapara canal re-excavation program and planted trees along the canal bank. He also attended a rally organized by the Ministry of Water Resources and the Dinajpur District BNP. The government has launched a nationwide initiative to excavate and re-excavate rivers, canals, and water bodies as part of its election pledges. The Dinajpur event marked the simultaneous inauguration of excavation work on 54 canals across the country. The program aims to improve water management and restore natural waterways, aligning with the government’s broader environmental and development goals.

The government of Bangladesh has announced significant changes in the leadership of three key law enforcement agencies. According to separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday, new chiefs have been appointed for the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Special Branch (SB) of police. As per the ministry’s order signed by Deputy Secretary Tawsif Ahmed of Police Branch-1, Chattogram Range DIG Ahsan Habib Palash has been appointed as the new Director General of RAB. Sardar Nurul Amin, Additional IGP (HRM) at Police Headquarters, has been made the head of the Special Branch. Additionally, Additional IGP Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has been assigned as the new chief of the CID. The reshuffle marks a coordinated move by the government to reorganize top positions within the police force, as reflected in the official notifications issued on March 16, 2026.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense announced that it intercepted and destroyed more than 60 drones early Monday morning. In a series of statements posted on social media platform X, the ministry said a total of 61 drones were neutralized over the country’s eastern region. The latest wave included 12 drones destroyed after earlier incidents in which six and then five drones were shot down. The ministry stated that the air defense system was activated and successfully repelled all incoming drones. The report comes amid heightened regional tensions following Iran’s retaliatory attacks on February 28 against Israel and U.S. military bases across the Middle East. Those strikes were described as a response to earlier Israeli and American aggression, resulting in casualties among both U.S. troops and Iranian forces. The Saudi announcement underscores the continuing volatility in the region, though the source did not specify who launched the drones or whether any damage occurred inside Saudi territory.