At least 70 people were killed and 30 others injured in a series of gang attacks in Haiti’s Artibonite region, according to a human rights organization cited by Al Jazeera. The violence erupted near the Petit-Rivière area, known as the country’s breadbasket, and continued from early Sunday through Monday morning. The group’s figures far exceed the government’s official death toll of 16. Witnesses reported that gang members set homes on fire and caused widespread destruction.

The rights group Défenseurs Plus said around 6,000 people were displaced by the attacks, while the United Nations estimated that over 2,000 had already fled earlier violence. A UN spokesperson stated that the organization is closely monitoring the situation and believes the death toll could range between 10 and 80. In a joint statement with the Collective to Save the Artibonite, Défenseurs Plus accused authorities of failing to maintain security and effectively abandoning the region to armed groups.

An audio message circulating on social media featured gang leader Lackson Elan claiming the assault was retaliation for an attack by a rival faction. The Artibonite region, a key agricultural zone, has recently become one of Haiti’s most violent areas despite government pledges to strengthen security.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon reported that two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed and several others injured on Monday in southern Lebanon amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. The deaths occurred when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed a UN vehicle, marking the second fatal incident within 24 hours. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has launched an investigation into the incident, while Israel’s military said it is also probing whether the explosions were caused by Hezbollah attacks or Israeli operations.

The Lebanese army confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed in an Israeli strike in the south, while security sources said three Hezbollah members died in another Israeli attack near Beirut. The conflict intensified after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2, drawing Lebanon deeper into the regional war. Since then, Israeli forces have carried out extensive air and ground operations, with Lebanese authorities reporting over 1,200 deaths.

UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix condemned the attacks as unacceptable, while France and Spain called for Security Council action. Lebanon’s president and the UN’s special coordinator urged an immediate ceasefire to halt the destruction.

Bangladesh’s Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan, known for his past anti-cheating stance, is preparing to conduct the upcoming Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations from April 21, 2026, in a fully cheat- and leak-free environment. Within two months of assuming office, he has declared a zero-tolerance policy against exam malpractice and held multiple meetings with education boards and administrators to ensure strict compliance.

The Ministry of Education and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) have issued 11-point directives to all exam centers, mandating CCTV installation, strict mobile phone restrictions, and enhanced security measures. Each exam room must have functioning cameras and clocks, and female teachers will conduct body searches for female students. Education boards have also formed inspection teams to visit centers between March 29 and April 13 and submit detailed reports.

Officials emphasize that any negligence in implementing these measures will result in legal action. The initiative aims to restore integrity in public examinations and strengthen public confidence in the education system.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to transfer the Fire Service and Civil Defence from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Officials confirmed that the move aims to improve coordination in disaster response and ensure unified command during emergencies. The Fire Service has agreed to the separation, and the process is currently underway under the Prime Minister’s directive.

According to ministry sources, the current structure often causes coordination gaps during major disasters, as multiple agencies operate separately. The restructuring seeks to establish single-point leadership for faster decision-making and more effective action. Plans are also being developed to integrate volunteer groups such as CPP, Rover Scouts, BNCC, and Red Crescent under one coordinated framework.

The Disaster Management Ministry is preparing to keep 100,000 volunteers ready in Dhaka and surrounding areas for earthquake and large-scale disaster response. Officials expect that bringing the Fire Service under the ministry will enhance efficiency and ensure quicker, more organized emergency services.

Local BNP leaders in Fatullah, Narayanganj, have been accused of illegally extracting soil from the Dhaleshwari and Buriganga rivers and selling it to nearby brick kilns. The activity reportedly takes place openly using grab dredgers, with around 150,000 cubic feet of soil removed daily from the Dharmaganj and Baktabali areas. Despite the absence of official permission for dredging, the report alleges that some BIWTA officials and river police have been influenced to allow the operations.

The unplanned soil extraction has put surrounding farmland, roads, and villages at risk of erosion. Residents say the illegal dredging is damaging the rivers’ navigability and environmental balance, threatening homes and businesses. The syndicate allegedly includes both BNP and Awami League figures, with specific local leaders named as participants.

Narayanganj-4 MP Abdullah Al Amin condemned the illegal activity, warning that it endangers riverside communities. BIWTA’s director declined to comment, while the local river police officer-in-charge said he had recently joined and would investigate the matter and take strict action.

A Kuwaiti crude oil tanker anchored at Dubai port caught fire following an Iranian attack, according to state media reports on Tuesday. The incident occurred while the vessel was moored in the port area of the United Arab Emirates. No casualties were reported in the attack.

Kuwait’s state-owned oil company, cited by the official KUNA news agency, stated that the large crude carrier was deliberately targeted by Iran. The report was also confirmed by AFP from Kuwait City. In response, Kuwait’s military announced on social media platform X that it had activated its air defense systems to counter hostile missile and drone attacks.

The reports did not specify the extent of the damage or whether operations at Dubai port were affected by the incident.

A series of frequent transfers of officer-in-charge (OC) positions across police stations in Chattogram Metropolitan Police has raised questions about transparency and possible hidden influences. Over the past 20 months, at least ten transfer orders have repeatedly placed the same group of officers in key and economically significant stations. Civil society representatives, including Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJAN), described the trend as alarming for administrative stability, arguing that frequent reshuffles hinder effective policing and erode public trust.

The reshuffle pattern intensified after the political transition of August 2024, when large-scale reassignments began within the Chattogram police. Analysts observed that the process often involved rotating existing officers among influential stations rather than introducing new leadership. Police sources indicated that competition for “preferred postings” in high-profile stations is linked to lobbying and unofficial influence. Former adviser Khoda Bakhsh Chowdhury, however, defended the practice as a normal administrative measure to restore stability after political change.

Observers warned that if the transfer process remains opaque and policy-deficient, it could undermine long-term law enforcement effectiveness and public confidence in the police system.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that four Israeli soldiers were killed in clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. According to a report citing AFP, the IDF released a statement naming three soldiers from the same battalion who died during the fighting. In a separate statement, the military confirmed the death of another soldier whose identity has not yet been disclosed.

The IDF also reported that one soldier was seriously injured and a member of the reserve forces sustained moderate injuries in the same confrontation. The incident marks another escalation in the ongoing hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border.

The report, sourced from The Guardian, did not provide further details about the circumstances of the clash or the broader military situation in the area.

Global maritime trade is facing renewed instability as the Middle East war and a severe fuel crisis disrupt shipping routes. Main line operators are preparing to raise freight charges again from April 1, potentially increasing Bangladesh’s import and export costs. Container rates to Europe have already risen sharply, while connections on Middle East routes have nearly collapsed, with limited vessels charging several times higher rates. Freight for a 40-foot container from Chattogram to Europe has climbed from about $1,600–$1,700 in February to around $2,400 in March.

Shipping companies cite rising global fuel prices and war risks as reasons for the new rate adjustments, with expectations of a further 25–30 percent increase in April. Industry leaders warn that the surge will directly affect Bangladesh’s export sector, particularly the ready-made garment industry, as existing orders were priced under earlier freight structures. Freight forwarders also report a 20 percent rise in bulk cargo rates and growing risks in the Red Sea and Hormuz Strait.

Experts urge the government to closely monitor shipping line pricing and take measures to mitigate the impact on trade and the broader economy.

A mobile court in Matlab South upazila of Chandpur sentenced the owner of Nawrin Filling Station to one year of imprisonment and fined him 5,000 taka for failing to provide proper records of fuel collection and sales. The operation was conducted on the night of March 30 under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner Tanvir Rabbi, based on intelligence information.

According to the Chandpur District Administration, the filling station collected about 71,000 liters of petrol, octane, and diesel from Padma Oil Company between March 9 and March 24 but could not produce accurate documentation of the transactions. The station also failed to show its sales register for the same period.

Under Section 45 of the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, the mobile court imposed the sentence and fine. The magistrate also instructed that the stored fuel be supplied to customers present at the site.

At Jagannath University, AKM Rakib, president of the JBU Student Rights Council and vice president candidate backed by the BNP-aligned student group, issued a stern warning to the government regarding the implementation of the referendum. His statement came late on March 30 through a verified Facebook post, following the announcement of the repeal of the Referendum Ordinance Bill. Rakib reaffirmed his strong stance in favor of the referendum and cautioned the authorities against any irregularities in its execution.

In his post, Rakib criticized both the BNP and the government for their positions opposing the referendum. He argued that the July movement, which led to the formation of an interim government, had broad participation across political lines and that the referendum was a key part of the reform process initiated by that government. He questioned why the ruling party was now hesitating over the referendum despite previously supporting it during the national election.

Rakib declared his continued commitment to anti-fascist activism and vowed to resist any attempt to undermine the July movement or the referendum process.

Professor Mahbubur Razzak has called for reforms to ensure fairness in public examination results across Bangladesh’s 11 education boards. He noted that in the 2025 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams, the average pass rate was 58.83 percent, with significant variation among boards. Dhaka Board recorded a 64.62 percent pass rate, while Comilla Board had only 48.86 percent. The Madrasa Board achieved the highest rate at 75.61 percent, and the Technical Board 62.67 percent. Razzak argued that such disparities raise questions about consistency in question difficulty and grading standards.

He emphasized that differences in pass rates between boards and across years create inequities for students competing for university admission and employment. Authorities attributed last year’s poor results to long-term learning deficiencies, but Razzak urged the new education minister to take balanced measures so that stricter exam administration does not unfairly penalize any group of students.

He proposed adjusting grade boundaries annually based on question difficulty to align pass and GPA-5 rates across boards. This, he said, would make the grading system more equitable and prevent lasting disadvantages for students from certain boards or exam years.

India is renewing its strategic partnership with Russia as the Iran war disrupts global energy and diplomatic alignments. On March 27, the Modi government approved a $25 billion purchase of Russian defense equipment, including fighter jets, S-400 air defense systems, drones, and anti-tank munitions. This move follows India’s earlier $40 billion arms deal with France and comes as energy security becomes a central concern due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict in Iran has severely affected global energy flows, raising prices and exposing India’s vulnerability as much of its oil and gas imports pass through the Gulf. India’s earlier decision to reduce discounted Russian oil purchases under U.S. pressure has intensified domestic inflation and energy costs. Analysts see India’s renewed engagement with Moscow as a pragmatic shift prioritizing energy stability over alliance politics.

While the move risks straining relations with Washington and potential sanctions, it underscores India’s long-standing strategy of maintaining autonomy between major powers. For Russia, deepening ties with India offers an economic lifeline as Asian markets replace Europe in its energy exports.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran has received various proposals and requests for talks from the United States, but these were delivered through intermediaries, including Pakistan, rather than directly. He clarified that since the start of the ongoing conflict with the United States, Iran has not engaged in any direct negotiations.

Regarding a possible ceasefire, Baghaei reaffirmed that Iran remains firm in its previous stance. He emphasized that with continued U.S. military aggression, Tehran’s main priority is to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and existence. His remarks came amid heightened tensions and conflicting statements between the two nations.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had claimed that discussions between the United States and Iran were continuing and progressing positively. Iran directly rejected that claim, asserting that it has not participated in any such talks and that Washington’s statements do not reflect reality.

The government has directed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to investigate the operations of three private submarine cable companies—Summit Communications Limited, Metacore Subcom Limited, and CdNet Communications—and the legality of their jointly formed consortium. The directive, issued by the Posts and Telecommunications Division, seeks a detailed report on whether the consortium was formed with prior approval and if it complies with licensing conditions and government guidelines.

According to the ministry’s letter, each company received separate submarine cable licenses in September 2022 to strengthen Bangladesh’s internet infrastructure and reduce state monopoly in the sector. The three firms later formed the “Bangladesh Private Cable System” consortium to establish a 1,300-kilometer submarine cable link with Singapore. Officials from Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCCPLC) have expressed concern that the consortium may have violated licensing rules by installing fewer fiber pairs than required and by planning to connect through a branch cable mostly located in Myanmar’s shallow waters.

The government aims to ensure compliance with licensing terms for national security and sectoral discipline. If irregularities are found, authorities may take action against the involved companies.