Iran has denied passage through the Strait of Hormuz to the Bangladeshi-flagged vessel 'Banglar Joyjatra', owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and operated by a Singapore-based firm. The ship, carrying 37,000 tons of fertilizer, remains near a UAE port after repeated failed attempts to obtain clearance from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman raised the issue with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in Turkey, seeking safe passage for the vessel.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka suggest that Iran’s decision stems from dissatisfaction with Bangladesh’s response to recent Middle East conflicts. Following U.S. and Israeli attacks in Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials, Bangladesh issued a statement condemning Iran’s retaliatory strikes for violating other nations’ sovereignty but did not denounce the initial attacks. This omission reportedly angered Tehran. Iran’s ambassador in Dhaka publicly expressed disappointment, saying Bangladesh’s position lacked clarity.

Bangladesh continues diplomatic efforts to secure clearance for the ship, while analysts note that the episode underscores the sensitivity of Dhaka’s foreign policy balance amid regional conflict.

The NCP Diaspora Alliance has alleged that Bangladeshi expatriates in Spain are facing administrative complications, delays, and harassment in renewing or obtaining new passports and police clearance certificates. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organization presented five demands to address these issues, urging urgent action from relevant authorities.

According to the group, Spain’s legalization program has created a historic opportunity for many Bangladeshis, but bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption are preventing them from obtaining essential documents. The alliance emphasized that the problem affects not only individuals but also national interests, as legalization would enhance employment, remittance inflows, and economic strength. The organization called for a one-stop service at the Bangladesh Embassy in Spain, faster passport processing, effective monitoring under the Home Ministry, a special task force for coordination, and strict action against fraud networks.

The NCP Diaspora Alliance warned that without swift measures, thousands of expatriates risk losing this opportunity, which could negatively impact individuals, families, and the state.

Armed robbers wearing police uniforms carried out three separate home robberies in Baraitali Union of Chakaria upazila in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday night. According to victims, the gang held family members at gunpoint and looted cash, gold ornaments, mobile phones, and other valuables. The incidents occurred between 3:15 a.m. and 3:45 a.m. in the Chowkidar Kata and Sikdar Para areas.

In Sikdar Para, resident Jahanara Begum said a group of armed men in police uniforms entered her house around 3:30 a.m., claiming to search for drugs. They forced her to open a cupboard and took 250,000 taka in cash and about two bhori of gold worth roughly 500,000 taka. The robbers then took her to a neighbor’s house, where they also looted 20,000 taka. Earlier that night, the same group reportedly robbed the home of Mohammad Nurul Absar in Chowkidar Kata, taking cash, mobile phones, and valuables.

Chakaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Monir Hossain said he was unaware of the incidents and that no formal complaint had been filed.

Jashore-2 Member of Parliament Dr. Mosleh Uddin Farid has strongly demanded the establishment of an agricultural university in Jashore. He made the call on Tuesday during a session of the National Parliament while addressing an urgent public issue. Farid emphasized that despite being a key agricultural region in the southwest, Jashore lacks a specialized institution for higher education and research in agriculture.

Highlighting Jashore’s agricultural potential, he described it as the flower capital of Bangladesh, producing about 70 percent of the country’s flowers from the Gadkhali area. The district also contributes significantly to national food security through year-round production of vegetables, rice, and jute. However, he noted that the region still lacks an effective research center to address challenges such as waterlogging, salinity, and cyclones.

Farid added that 173 acres of unused land at the research center in Chowgacha could be utilized for the university, saving both time and cost. He mentioned that the education ministry has already sent a proposal to the University Grants Commission for feasibility assessment and urged the education minister to take immediate action.

Ongoing warfare in the Gulf region has triggered a major shift in the long-term defense strategies of its nations. Ahmed Helal, managing director for GCC affairs at Asia Group, described the transformation as a strategic inevitability. He told Al Jazeera that Qatar is no longer acting as a traditional mediator because it has itself come under attack and sought external intervention. The region’s immediate focus is now on reducing hostilities and reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

To strengthen defense capabilities, Gulf countries are actively pursuing new security partnerships. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, resulting in several agreements on drone defense technology and combat experience sharing. According to Helal, the Gulf defense market is now open to all—from Washington to Seoul—as these nations seek to diversify their military suppliers.

The United Arab Emirates is already using South Korean interceptor technology, considered more cost-effective and competitive than the U.S. Patriot system. This diversification marks a decisive move away from reliance on any single power for regional security.

General lawyers staged a protest in front of the Supreme Court Bar Building on Tuesday, demanding the withdrawal of the decision to conduct High Court sessions virtually on Wednesdays and Thursdays each week. The protest was organized under the banner of general lawyers, where speakers including Syed Mamun Mahbub and Barrister Ashraful Islam voiced opposition to the move.

The protesting lawyers argued that the government had already stated in parliament that there was no fuel crisis in the country, yet the decision to hold virtual court sessions was made citing energy concerns. They alleged that the decision was part of a conspiracy to undermine the government and urged the Chief Justice to immediately revoke the order. Participants chanted slogans calling for the withdrawal of virtual court operations.

Earlier, a notice signed by Supreme Court Registrar General Muhammad Habibur Rahman Siddiqui announced that, considering the global energy situation, the Supreme Court’s Appellate and High Court Divisions would operate virtually on Wednesdays and Thursdays, while other days would continue with in-person hearings.

The Directorate of Primary Education has issued a directive making health information mandatory in the unified admission form for all government primary schools across Bangladesh. The instruction, communicated through an official letter on Tuesday, requires that every district primary education officer be informed of the new requirement.

According to the directive, all government primary schools must include essential health-related details of students in a standardized admission form. The letter further states that for the current academic year, schools must record student admission data using this unified form and take necessary steps to implement the same process in the next academic year.

The move aims to ensure consistency in student data collection and streamline the admission process nationwide, aligning all government primary schools under a single documentation system.

The United States is considering a currency swap arrangement to help ease the dollar liquidity shortage in the oil-dependent economy of the United Arab Emirates. President Donald Trump confirmed the possibility in an interview with CNBC, saying the UAE’s central bank had requested the measure following economic disruptions linked to the Iran-US conflict. Trump expressed surprise at the request from such a wealthy ally but said he viewed it positively, emphasizing the UAE’s longstanding friendship with the United States.

The potential support reflects broader instability in Middle Eastern economies caused by ongoing regional conflicts. The move comes as diplomatic friction grows between the UAE and Iran after Emirati authorities arrested several Iranian nationals. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the arrests as baseless, urging the UAE to respect human rights and return to neighborly conduct.

The developments underscore the dual economic and diplomatic pressures facing Gulf states as they navigate the fallout from regional tensions and shifting alliances.

In the Bangladesh National Parliament on Tuesday, Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal ordered the expunction of a portion of remarks made by ruling party MP Lutfur Rahman Kajol from Cox’s Bazar-3. Kajol had claimed that opposition leaders were declaring they would not let the current government live in peace even for a day. His comments drew protests from opposition MPs, prompting the Deputy Speaker to remove the disputed part from the official record.

During the discussion on the president’s address, Kajol alleged that conspiracies against the BNP had persisted over time and compared the current opposition’s stance to that of the former Awami League government. He also referenced past political repression and urged the opposition to learn from history. The session saw brief exchanges between ruling and opposition members, including Jamaat MP Shahjahan Chowdhury, who was asked to sit down by the Deputy Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker clarified that the specific statement referring to not allowing peace for even a minute was expunged from the parliamentary proceedings.

More than two months after 14,384 candidates were finalized for assistant teacher posts in government primary schools, their joining process remains stalled, creating uncertainty. The candidates held press conferences demanding immediate announcement of joining dates and submitted memorandums to the Prime Minister through 61 district commissioners. The written exam was held on January 9, 2026, followed by the final results on February 8, and medical and verification processes completed by early March.

Despite completion of all administrative steps, the Directorate of Primary Education has not initiated the joining process, reportedly awaiting instructions from the ministry. Attempts to reach the director general and the state minister for primary and mass education for comments were unsuccessful. A reliable source within the directorate confirmed readiness to proceed once ministry approval is received.

Rumors of a possible review of the recruitment results have heightened anxiety among the selected candidates. They have urged the government to expedite the appointment process, citing prolonged uncertainty and social embarrassment caused by the delay.

The government of Bangladesh has approved the import of nearly 175,000 metric tons of fuel oil worth Tk 1,698.21 crore to address urgent energy needs arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The approval came on Tuesday during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division submitted the proposals for the imports.

According to the Finance Ministry, the committee approved the purchase of 50,000 metric tons of EN590-10 PPM diesel and 25,000 metric tons of gasoline 95 unleaded (octane) from DBS Trading House FZCO through direct procurement, costing Tk 1,023.61 crore. Additionally, 100,000 metric tons of EN590-10 PPM sulfur diesel will be imported from Archer Energy LLC under the same method for Tk 674.60 crore. The ministry noted that fuel import proposals have been approved in almost every recent committee meeting.

The meeting also approved consultancy contracts for Dhaka WASA’s DESWS project and procurement of 30 million new hessian bags for the Food Department through open tendering.

At Chattogram Government City College, violent clashes broke out between members of the student groups Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir on Tuesday following a dispute over graffiti related to the 'July Movement'. Witnesses reported seeing several individuals armed with sharp weapons such as machetes and cleavers running toward a Shibir procession. At least 20 people from both sides were reported injured, and one Shibir activist allegedly suffered a severe leg injury. Police and college authorities intervened to restore order, but renewed clashes occurred during a subsequent Shibir protest.

Video footage circulating online showed masked or helmeted youths wielding weapons and moving rapidly across the campus. However, the administration stated that it could not confirm the attackers’ organizational affiliations from the footage. Local sources said the violence intensified after the graffiti, originally reading “student politics and Chhatra League-free campus,” was altered by Chhatra Dal activists to include the word “Gupta.” The incident spread fear among general students as armed groups appeared across campus.

Police said efforts are underway to identify those involved in the attack.

Local Member of Parliament Dr. Mosleh Uddin Farid has called for establishing a full-fledged agricultural university at the Jagadishpur Cotton Research, Training and Seed Multiplication Farm in Jhikargacha upazila of Jashore. He raised the demand during Tuesday’s session of the National Parliament, noting that the farm’s operations have become stagnant due to manpower shortages, mismanagement, and long-term neglect. He argued that setting up a university there would utilize the unused land and open new opportunities for agricultural education in Bangladesh.

The farm, inaugurated on November 19, 1980, by then-President Ziaur Rahman, was established with financial assistance from the Government of Bangladesh and the former European Economic Community. Covering 63.70 hectares, about 14.72 hectares remain unused. The facility currently conducts research in five disciplines and includes residential training facilities for 120 people. Local journalists and agricultural officials believe the existing infrastructure could easily support a university and that the region’s fertile soil and low disaster risk make it ideal for agricultural research.

Officials added that nearby water bodies and fallow land could also support fisheries and livestock research, further expanding the scope of agricultural studies in the area.

Bangladesh emphasized the need for stronger regional cooperation at the 82nd session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), held in Bangkok from April 21 to 24, 2026. The session, themed “Leaving no one behind: Building an inclusive society for all ages in Asia and the Pacific,” was inaugurated by Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Bangladesh’s delegation was led by Fakir Mahbub Anam, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology.

In his address, the minister highlighted the importance of closer collaboration among regional countries to tackle climate change, global economic pressures, and uncertainty. He stressed that mutual partnerships and coordinated initiatives are essential for achieving sustainable development. The minister also outlined Bangladesh’s priorities, including support for small and medium enterprises, attracting investment, and promoting innovation. He further emphasized skill development, job creation, and increased participation of youth and women in the digital economy.

The session underscored the shared regional commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable progress through cooperation and innovation.

The government has officially changed the name of Shaheed M. Mansur Ali Medical College in Sirajganj to Sirajganj Medical College. The decision was announced on Tuesday through a notification issued by the Health Education and Family Welfare Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The order, issued by the authority of the President, states that the new name takes effect immediately.

According to the notification signed by Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, Secretary of the Health Education and Family Welfare Division, relevant authorities have been instructed to make necessary administrative and academic adjustments following the name change. The directive ensures that all institutional activities align with the new designation.

The renaming marks an official administrative update for the government medical institution in Sirajganj, with immediate implementation across all departments and records.