The hill town of Bandarban, long known as one of Bangladesh’s most popular tourist destinations, is preparing for a new phase of tourism growth. Following a busy winter season when hotels and resorts were fully booked, the area has entered a quieter period during Ramadan. Local businesses are using this time for renovation and maintenance, aiming to attract visitors during the upcoming Eid holidays and beyond.

Hotel owners report strong performance in the last tourist season and expect good business between Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. They have added new facilities and improved comfort to enhance visitor experience. Entrepreneurs note that despite Bangladesh’s tourism potential, the sector lags behind due to limited international branding and complex visa policies. They hope the new government will prioritize tourism development.

Newly elected Member of Parliament Saching Prue Jerry has pledged to protect the interests of small and medium tourism entrepreneurs. He emphasized developing eco-friendly resorts and homestays that preserve the natural environment while improving local livelihoods and promoting traditional crafts and cuisine internationally.

A fire broke out at the central July Memorial in Shariatpur district, according to a report published on March 29, 2026. The incident gained attention after Mohsin Madbor, identified as the district convener of a banned organization named Chhatra League, posted a video of the fire on his personal Facebook account last Friday.

Former convener of the District Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Imran Al Nazir, criticized the local administration, saying repeated incidents like this occur due to administrative failure. He described the fire as not only an act of arson but also an insult to the memory of July. Nazir warned that if those responsible are not arrested promptly, the administration itself should be held accountable.

The report did not mention the extent of the damage or whether any arrests had been made following the incident.

An Iranian official this week introduced a new condition for ending the war initiated by the United States and Israel, demanding recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, has become a central element of Tehran’s strategy. Iran now aims to turn it into a major source of annual revenue worth hundreds of billions of dollars while leveraging its global economic influence.

Analysts noted that Iran’s long-standing threat to close the strait in case of attack has gained new weight. The country’s leadership, including new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, emphasized the strategic importance of using the strait’s blockade potential. Bloomberg Economics’ Middle East head Dina Esfandiary said Iran was surprised by how effective and inexpensive it was to pressure the global economy through this route.

According to a CNN estimate cited in the report, if Iran charged $2 million per large oil tanker daily, its monthly income could exceed $800 million, potentially surpassing Egypt’s Suez Canal revenues.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has departed for an official visit to the United States. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) announced the trip through its official Facebook page on Sunday, March 29, 2026. According to the post, the army chief left for the United States on Saturday, March 28, as part of his government assignment.

During the visit, General Waker-Uz-Zaman is scheduled to receive a recognition proposal from the Georgia State Capitol for the commendable contributions of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in United Nations peacekeeping missions. He will also deliver a special lecture at the Senate Chamber as part of the program.

The ISPR statement further mentioned that the army chief plans to hold bilateral meetings with relevant representatives of the United States during his stay.

Three journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on March 29, 2026. The attack targeted a vehicle, killing a reporter from Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar television and two siblings, Fatima and Mohammad Touni. The incident occurred amid ongoing hostilities in southern Lebanon.

According to CNN, Al Manar reporter Ali Shuaib was among the dead. The Israeli military claimed Shuaib was acting as a terrorist under the guise of journalism and was revealing Israeli troop positions. In contrast, Al Manar described him as a “symbol of resistance journalism.” Iran-backed Al Mayadeen television confirmed the deaths of the Touni siblings and released a video showing their father expressing pride in his children despite his grief. Lebanon’s presidential office condemned the strike as a “clear crime.”

Israel’s statement did not mention the other two journalists. The incident has drawn condemnation from Iran, as reported separately, and may heighten tensions between Israel and Lebanon.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman conducted unannounced visits to several ministries at the Secretariat on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Arriving shortly after 9 a.m., he bypassed his own office in the Cabinet Division and walked to Building No. 6, where he inspected the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and spoke with officials and staff. He continued to visit the Fisheries and Livestock, Water Resources, Women and Children Affairs, and Primary and Mass Education ministries located in the same building.

The Prime Minister then moved to Building No. 5 to inspect the Housing and Public Works Ministry and to Building No. 3 to visit the Commerce and Health and Family Welfare ministries. In total, he visited at least eight ministries before returning to the Cabinet Division. The visits were described as sudden and covered a wide range of administrative areas.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister was scheduled to chair a meeting on the farmer card program, with ministers and state ministers from Local Government, Finance, Agriculture, and Fisheries and Livestock ministries expected to attend.

A new drone attack struck Kuwait International Airport, igniting a fuel tank and causing significant damage to key infrastructure. The incident occurred on Saturday, when multiple drones targeted the airport, leading to a fire that took several hours to control. Authorities confirmed that no casualties were reported, but the airport’s radar system suffered major damage.

According to Kuwait’s army, firefighters worked for hours to bring the blaze under control. Shortly after the fire was contained, sirens were sounded again to warn of a possible new attack. The repeated drone strikes have raised concerns about the security of critical facilities in the country.

The report, citing CNN, did not specify who was behind the attack or the extent of disruption to airport operations.

The prosecution has filed a petition to show Lieutenant General (Retd.) Mamun Khaled, former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), and Lieutenant General (Retd.) Masud Uddin Chowdhury as arrested in cases pending before the International Crimes Tribunal. The application was submitted on Sunday morning to Tribunal-2, confirmed by prosecutor Gazi M H Tamim.

According to tribunal sources, Mamun Khaled faces a case related to enforced disappearance, while Masud Uddin Chowdhury is implicated in a case concerning the July killings. Both cases are being handled under the jurisdiction of the International Crimes Tribunal, which deals with serious offenses under international and domestic law.

The tribunal has also directed that Mamun Khaled and Masud Uddin Chowdhury appear before it on April 7, marking the next procedural step in the ongoing legal process.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) is set to announce its candidate for the upcoming city corporation election today. The announcement will be made at an emergency press conference called by the party’s Local Government Election Steering Committee. According to a message from the NCP media team, the event will take place at 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, at the party headquarters.

The press conference will be attended by key NCP leaders, including Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Chairman of the Local Government Election Steering Committee and Chief Organizer (North) Sarjis Alam, and Chief Organizer (South) Hasnat Abdullah. The announcement marks a significant step in the party’s preparation for the city polls.

The NCP’s decision to hold a late-evening press briefing underscores the importance the party places on the upcoming election and its candidate selection process.

The United States and Iran have issued conflicting statements regarding possible talks to end hostilities in the Middle East. On Saturday, President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, giving Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, on Monday he extended the deadline by five days, saying Iran had another opportunity. Trump claimed that the two countries had discussed a 'complete and comprehensive resolution of hostilities' in the region.

In contrast, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf denied any such talks, writing on social media platform X that 'fake news' was being used to influence financial and oil markets. Yet, a senior Iranian official told CBS News that Iran had received proposals from the United States through intermediaries and was reviewing them. CBS clarified that this step was a 'possible preparatory move' and not confirmation of ongoing negotiations.

The White House urged caution, noting that the situation remained fluid and that no meeting should be considered confirmed until an official announcement was made.

Several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, have imposed strict restrictions on posting videos of Iranian missile and drone attacks that have targeted U.S. military bases and other sites in the region. Hundreds of people have reportedly been arrested since the conflict began, many for sharing footage or images of the explosions. Authorities in some states have accused individuals of glorifying the attacks or spreading content deemed threatening to national security.

Sultan Al-Amer, a fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Policy Council, said the crackdown serves multiple purposes. He noted that Iranian intelligence could use such videos to identify air defense systems and improve strike accuracy, while Gulf governments aim to protect the image of their cities as secure and prosperous. The UAE, in particular, has long promoted itself as a safe destination for investors and tourists.

UAE media chief Abdullah Al-Hamed warned that a single image could spread panic or misinformation. The report also noted that the U.S. government has exerted pressure on its own media since the start of the Iran-related military operations.

In Netrokona’s haor region, several crop protection embankments have collapsed and developed cracks following light rainfall, causing panic among local farmers. The embankments, built annually under the government’s Kabita project through the Water Development Board (Paubo), are meant to protect boro crops from early flooding. This year, construction and repair work began late, and residents allege that inexperienced committees were formed under the scheme, leading to poor-quality work.

Reports indicate that embankments in Khaliajuri upazila’s Chakua union, including the Chautara haor and PI river embankments, have been damaged. Some projects allegedly involved minimal soil work, and protective measures such as sandbags and bamboo reinforcements were not completed on time. Paubo officials acknowledged the damage and said repair work was underway. Local officials, including the upazila executive officer and district administration, have instructed immediate repairs and regular monitoring.

According to official data, 202 project implementation committees were responsible for maintaining 136.798 km of embankments across five upazilas, covering about 134,000 hectares of farmland. The total estimated cost was around 310 million taka.

The first session of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament, which was adjourned earlier, will resume today at 3 p.m. in the Parliament House chamber. The session, initially convened on March 12, was suspended on March 15 due to Eid-ul-Fitr and other holidays. Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed will preside over the sitting.

Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam stated that the third day of the session will focus mainly on discussions over the motion of thanks on the President’s address. Members from both the government and opposition benches are expected to participate. The agenda also includes a scheduled question-and-answer session for ministers and discussions on national importance notices.

According to the decision of the Parliament’s Business Advisory Committee, the ongoing session will continue until April 30, with a total of 50 hours allocated for debate on the President’s speech.

Russia has sent a shipment of drones, including advanced models, to Iran to help counter potential joint attacks by the United States and Israel, according to US and European officials cited by the Associated Press this week. The drones were originally supplied by Tehran to Moscow after the start of the Ukraine war. The transfer marks a reversal in the flow of military technology between the two countries.

Following the February 28 US-Israeli strikes, Iran has carried out continuous drone attacks on Israel, its Gulf neighbors, and US bases across the Middle East for over a month. Although Iran possesses its own Shahed drones, Russia reportedly improved their design during the Ukraine conflict, adding enhanced navigation capabilities.

Officials said Russian and Iranian representatives held “very active” discussions this month about the drone transfer. However, it remains unclear whether the shipment is a one-time delivery or part of a larger series. The number of drones sent and the strategic significance of the transfer have not been disclosed, and Moscow’s motive for providing Tehran with advanced drones remains uncertain.

An opinion piece by Joseph Massad argues that Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military bases are facing greater danger rather than protection. The article claims that the United States prioritizes Israel’s security over that of Arab nations and uses regional tensions to intensify hostility toward Iran. It alleges that American and Israeli aggression in Iran, supported by U.S. defense and energy corporations, has drawn Arab countries into a conflict that primarily serves Western strategic and economic interests.

The report highlights that only Oman condemned the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran as a violation of international law, while most Arab governments remained silent. Iran’s retaliatory strikes have targeted U.S. bases in several Arab states, which the author says have surrendered parts of their sovereignty by allowing foreign military presence. The piece also notes that Arab leaders’ alignment with Washington and Tel Aviv has left their nations vulnerable to attacks and internal instability.

According to the article, Russia’s foreign minister told Arab diplomats that their alliance with the U.S. and Israel is the real source of their insecurity, warning that continued dependence on Western powers will deepen regional losses.