NCP convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam has alleged that a culture of harassment through false cases, similar to that of the Awami League, has re-emerged. Speaking at the NCP’s Barishal divisional iftar and prayer gathering on Sunday at Halima Khatun Government Girls’ High School field, he claimed that a false case had been filed against Nasiruddin Patwari and warned that such actions would not silence party members.

Nahid Islam stated that the BNP should not emulate the Awami League, describing the BNP as an anti-fascist party that had stood on the streets during mass uprisings. He cautioned that if the BNP compromised with the Awami League or India and sheltered corrupt individuals, the NCP would resist on the streets. He also urged local leaders to prepare for upcoming local government elections, saying that while the party accepted alleged manipulation in national polls for the sake of stability, it would not tolerate irregularities in local elections.

The event was attended by NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adib, and National Youth Power convener Tarikul Islam.

President Md. Shahabuddin announced that the government has introduced a 'Family Card' program aimed at empowering economically disadvantaged women and promoting family self-reliance. The initiative will officially begin on March 10, 2026. He made the announcement on Sunday at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka during the International Women’s Day 2026 event organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

The president emphasized that women contribute about 16 percent to the country’s GDP and play vital roles across sectors including household work, healthcare, education, agriculture, industry, literature, and construction. He stressed that ensuring women’s safety both at home and in public is essential for achieving the benefits of development plans. Shahabuddin also noted that the government is taking strict measures to ensure swift justice and exemplary punishment for violence against women.

He further highlighted emerging challenges such as online harassment, cyberbullying, and child marriage, urging collective efforts through law enforcement and social awareness to address these issues effectively.

Bangladesh’s Minister for Road Transport, Bridges, Railways, and Shipping, Sheikh Robiul Alam, met with Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Reto Renggli on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Secretariat in Dhaka. The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohammad Ziaul Haque, Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division. Both sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations based on mutual interests and cooperation.

During the meeting, Ambassador Renggli congratulated the current government of Bangladesh and expressed Switzerland’s interest in enhancing collaboration in infrastructure development, technology, port management, and other development projects. He reaffirmed Switzerland’s willingness to continue supporting Bangladesh in these areas through partnership and assistance.

Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam welcomed the ambassador’s remarks and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in Bangladesh’s rapid development journey. He expressed hope that both countries would work together to expand foreign investment, technology transfer, and infrastructure growth. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to maintain communication and cooperation to further strengthen Bangladesh–Switzerland relations.

Two firefighters were killed in Kuwait while performing their duties, according to a statement from the Kuwait Fire Service. The announcement came amid ongoing Iranian retaliatory attacks on US installations in Gulf countries following joint US-Israeli strikes. The fire service disclosed the incident on social media platform X but did not provide details on the exact circumstances of the deaths.

Al Jazeera, citing Kuwaiti authorities, reported that the two officers were engaged in extinguishing a blaze at a fuel tank at the country’s airport when they lost their lives. The victims were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Emad Al-Sharah and Major Fahad Abdul Aziz Al-Mujammad.

The deaths occurred during heightened regional tensions, as Gulf states remain on alert over Iran’s continuing strikes and conflicting messages from Tehran.

The Ministry of Education in Bangladesh has announced that all English medium schools operating under foreign curricula will suspend classes from March 9 until the end of the government-declared Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. However, mandatory examinations may proceed according to previously set schedules. The decision was made during a key meeting on policies for English medium schools and coaching centers held at the Secretariat.

The meeting was chaired by Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan and attended by senior officials, including the Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, Abdul Khaleque. Discussions focused on easing public inconvenience during Ramadan and considering the current global situation. Representatives of English medium schools participated in the talks, which led to unanimous decisions on school closures and related matters.

According to the meeting’s resolution, all coaching centers, including those for both Bangla and English medium students, will also remain closed during this period. The ministry’s public relations department later confirmed the decisions through an official press release.

Indian police have arrested two Bangladeshi nationals, including Faisal Karim Masud, the main suspect in the murder of Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha. The arrests took place near the Bongaon border area of West Bengal between March 7 and 8, 2026. According to the West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF), the two men had illegally entered India after committing serious crimes in Bangladesh and were hiding near the border while planning to return.

The arrested individuals were identified as Rahul alias Faisal Karim Masud, aged 37 from Patuakhali, and Alamgir Hossain, aged 34 from Dhaka. Preliminary interrogation revealed that both were directly involved in the killing of political activist Osman Hadi in Dhaka. They reportedly entered India through the Meghalaya border and moved across several locations before being detained. A case has been filed against them under specific legal provisions, and a local court has ordered their police custody.

Osman Hadi was shot in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area on December 12, 2025, and later died in Singapore on December 18 after being transferred for advanced treatment.

Bangladesh Bank has introduced a new guideline to implement the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) model in the country's banking sector, aligning loan risk management and financial reporting with international standards. The central bank announced that the new system, based on the International Financial Reporting Standard IFRS-9, will take effect in 2028. Under this framework, banks must set aside provisions for potential loan losses before loans actually turn bad, replacing the current practice of provisioning after losses occur.

According to the guideline, loans will be classified into three stages depending on risk level, with provisions calculated for 12-month or lifetime expected losses. The new approach will also adjust interest income recognition based on loan risk, providing a more accurate reflection of banks’ income and exposure. Bangladesh Bank has allowed an additional five years for capital adjustment to ease the transition.

The guideline marks the first comprehensive step by Bangladesh Bank to implement IFRS-9, following a 2020 directive from the Financial Reporting Council. Several South Asian countries have already adopted similar standards.

The government of Bangladesh has introduced a monthly honorarium program for imams, muezzins, priests, monks, pastors, and other religious service workers across the country. The pilot phase, to begin before Eid-ul-Fitr, will cover 6,438 mosques, temples, Buddhist monasteries, and churches. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration, Md. Ismail Jabiuallah, at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Dhaka.

Under the plan, imams will receive Tk 5,000 per month, muezzins Tk 3,000, and mosque caretakers Tk 2,000. Priests, monks, and pastors will receive similar amounts according to their roles. Additionally, religious workers will get festival bonuses of Tk 1,000 for Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha, and Tk 2,000 for Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima, and Christmas. The pilot phase will cost about Tk 27.13 crore, to be disbursed through Sonali Bank by March 15.

The government plans to expand the scheme nationwide over four fiscal years, with an estimated annual cost of Tk 4,400 crore by 2029–30. A six-member committee has been formed to draft policy guidelines and recommend measures for skill development and job security of religious workers.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has strongly responded to former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s criticism of Britain’s position on Iran. In an interview with Sky News, Cooper said it was vital to learn from the experience of the Iraq war. She rejected Blair’s view that the UK should have supported the United States’ stance on Iran from the outset.

Cooper stated that some in politics believe Britain should always align with the United States, while others think it should never do so again. She argued that neither extreme serves the UK’s national interest. Cooper emphasized that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s responsibility is to make decisions prioritizing British citizens’ interests.

When asked if she was implying that Blair had been a “poodle” of the United States, Cooper replied that the key issue was learning from the mistakes made during the Iraq war, adding that Starmer was trying to do exactly that.

Bangladesh’s Food, Fisheries and Livestock, and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid announced that the government will take initiatives to export food items to Japan. He made the statement on Sunday after a meeting at the Secretariat with a delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), led by Chief Representative Ichiguchi Tomohide. The meeting discussed the JICA-funded Food Safety Testing Capacity Development Project and the possibility of introducing a unified food business licensing system similar to those in Japan and ASEAN countries.

The project, worth Tk 2,409.70 crore over ten years, aims to strengthen food safety testing capacity in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna through the establishment of a Food Safety Reference Laboratory, two regional testing labs, and a training facility. The minister emphasized that achieving international food safety standards would make food exports easier and called for cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure safe food from production to consumption.

He thanked JICA for its financial support and expressed optimism that the project’s successful implementation would bring discipline to the country’s food management system.

Around two thousand people in Israel have been hospitalized since the start of the war with Iran, according to the country’s health ministry. In the past 24 hours alone, 157 new patients were admitted. Among those hospitalized, nine are in critical condition, 42 sustained moderate injuries, and 70 have minor wounds.

The conflict began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. In response, Iran has carried out strikes on American facilities in Israel and Gulf countries. Israeli authorities reported that they are attempting to intercept missiles fired from Iran.

The Israeli military stated on Sunday that it had recently detected missiles launched from Tehran and that its defense systems are actively working to counter the threat.

A Dhaka court has sentenced three men to two and a half years in prison each for killing 20 dogs in the Lichu Bagan area of Dhaka’s Dhalpur in 2021. The verdict was delivered on Sunday by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Zakir Hossain. The convicted individuals are Md. Abul Khayer, Md. Apu, and Md. Manik. Manik was present in court and sent to jail after the verdict, while arrest warrants were issued for the two absconding convicts.

According to court officials, each convict received two years of imprisonment and a fine of Tk 1,000 under Section 16(b), with an additional 15 days if unpaid. They were also sentenced to six months under Section 16(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2019, along with another Tk 1,000 fine and 15 days in default. Both sentences will run concurrently, resulting in two years of imprisonment.

The case was filed on January 25, 2021, by Maruful Haque of Animal Lovers of Bangladesh after the accused were identified from video footage. The investigation concluded in September 2021, and the trial began in May 2024, leading to Sunday’s judgment.

A Dhaka court has rejected the bail petition of journalist Anis Alamgir in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The decision was delivered on Sunday by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez after a hearing. Defense lawyer Taslima Jahan Popy confirmed the court’s decision.

The ACC filed the case on January 15, accusing Alamgir of acquiring wealth beyond known income sources and money laundering. Investigators alleged that he possessed immovable assets worth Tk 2.5 million and movable assets worth Tk 38.46 million, totaling Tk 40.9 million. His legitimate income was reported as Tk 9.9 million, leaving an unexplained difference of Tk 32.6 million, or about 77 percent of his total assets. Alamgir had earlier been arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act in December and later received bail from the High Court in that case on March 5.

The court’s latest decision means Alamgir will remain in custody as the ACC continues its investigation into the alleged illicit assets.

At least 19 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a three-story building in the village of Sir al-Gharbiye in southern Lebanon, according to a report by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). The attack occurred on March 8, 2026, and among the dead were children, though the exact number was not specified.

Local civil defense teams and rescuers were working to remove debris, recover bodies, and provide medical treatment to the injured, the NNA report said. The incident adds to ongoing hostilities in the region, with Lebanon’s southern areas frequently affected by cross-border attacks.

The report, citing Al Jazeera as a source, did not provide further details on the cause or immediate aftermath of the strike, leaving the broader context of the escalation unclear.

A man named Ridoy, aged 26, was killed in a mob beating early Sunday morning in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj. According to police and eyewitnesses, Ridoy, originally from Rajshahi and residing in the Sanarpar area, was part of a three-member group attempting a robbery in the Jalakuri Koraitola area around 6 a.m. The group arrived on a motorcycle and tried to rob a pedestrian at knifepoint.

Local residents intervened, managing to capture Ridoy while the other two suspects escaped on foot. The crowd then beat Ridoy, resulting in his death at the scene before police arrived. Enraged locals also set fire to the motorcycle used in the attempted robbery. Police later recovered a knife and a machete from the scene.

Siddhirganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Abdul Barik confirmed that the suspect died before officers reached the location. The two fleeing suspects remain at large, and further investigation is underway.