The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has requested the Ministry of Shipping to initiate discussions with the Iranian government to ensure the safe return of the Bangladeshi-flagged vessel Banglar Joyjatra, which remains stranded near the Strait of Hormuz due to ongoing conflict. The state-owned ship, carrying 31 sailors, became trapped after leaving Qatar’s Mesaieed port for the UAE’s Jebel Ali port and is now anchored safely near Sharjah waters.

According to BSC, the vessel has been waiting for over two weeks to cross the Hormuz Strait but suspended attempts following reports of attacks on other ships. BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the corporation advised against taking additional risks and is seeking a diplomatic solution through Iran to move the ship into the Arabian Sea. The government is reportedly considering the proposal.

Meanwhile, Turkish-chartered firm Thaba has offered the ship a cargo transport assignment between Qatar and the UAE, which could help maintain crew morale and reduce food shortage risks. Maritime associations have urged prioritizing diplomatic efforts to avoid casualties similar to a previous BSC vessel incident.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the country’s Basij force. The confirmation came through a statement cited by Iran’s Tasnim news agency on March 18, 2026. According to the IRGC statement, Soleimani was killed in an attack carried out by what it described as American-Zionist enemies.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Katz claimed that Israel had killed both Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Soleimani in separate strikes. However, the IRGC statement only confirmed Soleimani’s death and made no mention of Larijani. The report was sourced from Al Jazeera, as cited by the Iranian outlet.

The confirmation marks a significant development amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, though the IRGC has not provided further details about the circumstances of the attack or its location.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has sharply criticized the United States and Israel for what he described as an unjustified attack on Iran, saying it lacked any basis in international law. In a post on social media platform X on Tuesday, he called for an immediate halt to the assault in the interest of Iran’s innocent children and global peace.

Swinney said Tehran was burning, with streets engulfed in flames, schools bombed, and thousands killed, describing the situation as indefensible. He urged diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and end the ongoing war. The conflict intensified after the United States and Israel launched a joint strike on Iran on February 28, which reportedly killed around 1,300 people, including then–Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has since retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will never participate in any military operation aimed at keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. He made the statement on Tuesday at the start of a cabinet meeting focused on the Middle East conflict. Macron emphasized that France would not take part in any such mission while the ongoing war between Iran, the United States, and Israel continues.

He explained that Paris is instead working to form an international coalition to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait once the war ends. Macron reiterated that France is not a party to the current conflict and will only consider taking responsibility for escort or security arrangements for maritime traffic when the situation calms and bombing stops.

According to Macron, France’s approach is to wait for stability before engaging in cooperative efforts to restore safe navigation in the region.

The Election Commission (EC) has announced expenditure limits for candidates contesting the upcoming by-elections in Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3 constituencies, scheduled for April 9. According to EC officials, candidates in Bogura-6 may spend up to 4.5 million taka, while those in Sherpur-3 may spend up to 4.1 million taka. The commission has also fixed the maximum expenditure per voter at 10 taka.

EC sources reported that Bogura-6 has 454,043 registered voters, including 222,796 men, 231,237 women, and 10 third-gender voters. Based on the per-voter limit, the maximum allowable expenditure for candidates in this constituency is 4,540,430 taka. Sherpur-3 has 413,377 voters, allowing a maximum spending limit of 4,133,770 taka per candidate.

The Bogura-6 by-election will feature candidates from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP, and Bangladesh Development Party. The seat became vacant after BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, who won it in the February 12 election, chose to retain his Dhaka-17 seat. The Sherpur-3 election was postponed earlier due to a candidate’s death and is now being held under a new schedule.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Doha has issued an urgent notice requesting Bangladeshi expatriates in Qatar to perform their Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at their nearest mosques. The directive, released on Tuesday, follows the Qatari Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ call for all residents to offer Eid prayers in mosques due to the ongoing conflict situation in the Middle East.

According to the embassy, the annual Eid congregation traditionally held at the Bangladesh MHM School and College grounds will not take place this year. The embassy emphasized respect for the Qatari government’s decision and urged all Bangladeshi nationals to observe the instructions carefully and maintain necessary precautions while attending prayers.

The advisory reflects Qatar’s broader security measures in response to regional instability, aiming to ensure public safety during the Eid celebrations.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam Rinku said the government is actively working to ensure the safety of a large number of Bangladeshi expatriate workers in the Middle East who are facing difficulties due to the ongoing war situation. Speaking on Tuesday, March 17, at an iftar and prayer event in Singhpratap village of Gatti Union, Saltha upazila, Faridpur, she stated that diplomatic efforts and foreign policy measures are being used to protect expatriates, and if necessary, arrangements will be made to bring them home safely. She also expressed hope for a quick end to the conflict.

The state minister added that the government has already begun implementing its promises to the people, including launching the family card program, waiving up to 10,000 taka in loans for farmers, and initiating canal excavation projects. She said farmer cards will be distributed after Eid. Shama Obaid emphasized unity beyond political divisions and urged everyone to work together for public welfare, announcing plans to establish a girls’ school in Saltha.

Local BNP leaders and community representatives attended the event, which was chaired by former union chairman Imamul Hossain Tara Mia.

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday announced its candidate list for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, with party chief Mamata Banerjee set to contest from Bhabanipur. The announcement was made at her Kalighat office in the presence of party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The Bharatiya Janata Party had released its list a day earlier, naming Suvendu Adhikari as its candidate for the same constituency. The Bhabanipur contest is expected to be a high-profile rematch between Banerjee and Adhikari, who defeated her in Nandigram in 2021.

The list includes senior leaders such as Debashis Kumar (Rashbehari), Firhad Hakim (Kolkata Port), Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay (Ballygunge), and Shashi Panja (Shyampukur). Former Rajya Sabha member Kunal Ghosh will contest from Beleghata, while younger leaders like Trinankur Bhattacharya, Debanshu Bhattacharya, and Shirshannyo Banerjee have also been nominated. Abhishek Banerjee stated that the party has fielded 52 women candidates, more SC-ST representatives than reserved seats, and around 47 minority candidates.

Former minister Jyotipriya Mallick, accused in a ration corruption case, will contest from Habra, while Partha Chatterjee, jailed in a teacher recruitment scam, was excluded. Paresh Adhikari will contest from Mekhliganj.

Iran has begun discussions with FIFA to hold its World Cup matches in Mexico rather than the United States. The confirmation came from Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, who said the decision followed concerns about the team’s safety on U.S. soil. He stated that former U.S. President Donald Trump himself admitted he could not guarantee the Iranian team’s security, prompting Iran to request that its matches be hosted in Mexico. FIFA has not yet issued any response to the proposal.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General Secretary Windsor Paul John said Iran remains a participant in the tournament and that the AFC is monitoring the situation. However, Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamall declared that the government had decided not to send the team to the United States under current conditions. Trump had earlier warned that Iran’s players could face life and safety risks if they traveled to the U.S.

The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with Iran’s group-stage matches originally planned for Los Angeles and Seattle.

Joe Kent, Director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has resigned, declaring his opposition to the ongoing war against Iran. Kent, appointed to the position in July of the previous year, announced his decision on social media platform X, stating that his conscience prevents him from supporting the conflict.

In his resignation letter to President Trump, Kent wrote that Iran poses no imminent threat to the United States and claimed the war began under pressure from Israel and its American lobby. He reaffirmed his support for Trump’s earlier foreign policy principles, emphasizing that Middle Eastern wars have drained American lives and resources. Drawing from his military background, Kent noted that he had served in 11 wars and lost his wife, Shannon, in a conflict he described as driven by Israeli interests.

Kent concluded that he could not support sending future generations to fight and die in a war that brings no benefit to the American people and cannot be justified even by sacrifice.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, chief executive of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN), stated that the BNP had agreed to accept the referendum verdict during discussions in the interim government’s consensus commission. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a press conference held at Kamal Hossain’s chamber in Motijheel, Dhaka.

Majumdar said that BNP representatives in the commission had expressed commitment to respect the referendum outcome. He added that the public had voted in favor of all 48 issues presented in the referendum and urged both the ruling and opposition parties to uphold the people’s decision through dialogue and constitutional amendments. He also noted that the formation of the constitutional reform council was still pending and expressed hope that political leaders would act wisely and avoid repeating past mistakes.

Majumdar further explained that the final decision on the caretaker government system would depend on the verdict of the 15th Amendment case and the implementation of the July Charter, which was approved in the referendum.

A Pakistani airstrike on Monday night in Kabul, Afghanistan, targeted a drug rehabilitation center, killing at least 400 people and injuring more than 250, according to the report. The attack, which occurred during the holy month of Ramadan, has drawn sharp condemnation from Afghan cricketers, who described it as a war crime.

Afghanistan’s cricket captain Rashid Khan wrote on social media that attacking civilian homes, schools, or hospitals—whether intentional or accidental—constitutes a war crime. He urged the United Nations to investigate the incident, calling it a sign of a sick mentality to disregard human life during Ramadan. Former captain Mohammad Nabi also condemned the strike, saying that hope was extinguished in a Kabul hospital where young patients were killed and families cried outside the gates. Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq expressed outrage, stating that it is difficult to distinguish between Pakistani and Israeli regimes.

The cricketers’ statements reflect widespread anger in Afghanistan and calls for international accountability following the high-casualty airstrike.

Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah launched a rocket attack targeting Israeli soldiers in the southern Lebanese city of Khiam. According to a message from Hezbollah on the social platform X, the Israeli troops were positioned near a municipal building in the city when the attack occurred.

Earlier, Hezbollah had announced that it carried out another strike targeting Israeli soldiers in the border town of Maroun al-Ras, located in Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil district. The report was sourced from Al Jazeera and published by Amader Desh Online on March 17, 2026.

The incidents reflect ongoing hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border, though the report did not specify casualties or further military responses.

The Sri Lankan government has announced a four-day workweek to save fuel, designating every Wednesday as a public holiday. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the country must be prepared for difficult times while maintaining hope. Under the new directive, schools and universities will operate four days a week, while essential services such as hospitals, police, and immigration will continue as usual. Wednesday was chosen to avoid a continuous three-day office closure.

The government has also made a national fuel pass mandatory for drivers, setting allocations of 15 liters for private cars and 5 liters for motorcycles. Many citizens have criticized these limits as insufficient. A similar measure was implemented during the 2022 economic crisis. Other Asian countries have also taken steps to address fuel shortages, including Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The global energy crisis has intensified after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran pushed oil prices to nearly 100 dollars per barrel, further straining regional economies.

Joe Kent, director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has resigned from his post, refusing to support the ongoing war with Iran. In his resignation letter to President Donald Trump, Kent stated that he could not accept the war and did not view Iran as a threat to the United States. He argued that the conflict was initiated under pressure from Israel and its American lobby.

Kent wrote that Iran posed no imminent danger to the nation and that the war was not justified. He also reflected on his personal experiences in war and the loss of his wife, saying his conscience no longer allowed him to support a conflict that brought no benefit to the American people. He emphasized that sending future generations to fight and die in such a war could not be morally defended.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, highlights Kent’s moral stance and his criticism of the political motivations behind the war decision.