India’s Ministry of External Affairs has refrained from commenting on whether two suspects in the murder of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi will be extradited to Bangladesh. The suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, were arrested by West Bengal’s Special Task Force on March 7 near the Bongaon border and have been placed on 14-day remand by an Indian court. During a weekly briefing in New Delhi, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said he had nothing to add beyond the statement issued by the West Bengal government.

Jaiswal also confirmed that Bangladesh’s DGFI chief had visited India and might have met Indian officials during the Raisina Dialogue. On energy cooperation, he said Bangladesh has requested additional diesel supplies amid the Middle East conflict, and India is considering the request after assessing refinery capacity and domestic demand. Similar requests have come from Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

He noted that India has been exporting refined petroleum products to neighboring countries and that diesel supply to Bangladesh from the Numaligarh refinery has continued since 2007 under a 2017 bilateral agreement.

BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has undergone brain surgery at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. The operation was completed on Friday, March 13, under the supervision of a medical board formed with specialist doctors. BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr. Rafiqul Islam confirmed the procedure, stating that the decision for surgery was made after reviewing all medical reports.

Earlier in the morning, a CT scan revealed a deterioration in Abbas’s condition, prompting the formation of a virtual medical board. The board, which included several prominent neurology professors, decided to proceed with the operation after consulting his family members. The surgery took place shortly before 4 p.m.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited Evercare Hospital after Friday prayers and was briefed by the medical board about Mirza Abbas’s condition and treatment progress.

An emergency meeting of the liaison committee of the eleven-party alliance, which includes Jamaat-e-Islami, has been called for Saturday at 11 a.m. The meeting will take place at Jamaat-e-Islami’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka. Following the meeting, the committee leaders are scheduled to brief journalists at 12:30 p.m.

According to Dr. AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, coordinator of the eleven-party alliance and assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, the meeting will review the current situation in the country and determine the next course of action. The announcement was made to the media on Friday.

The meeting aims to assess the prevailing national context and outline strategies for the alliance’s future steps, reflecting ongoing political coordination among the participating parties.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared that killing Iran’s top leaders, including the recently deceased Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was a “great honor.” In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday, Trump stated that the United States would completely destroy Iran’s “terrorist regime” militarily and economically. He claimed Iran’s navy and air force had been effectively wiped out, along with its missiles and drones, and said its leaders had been “erased from the face of the earth.”

Trump criticized a New York Times report suggesting the U.S. was losing the war, asserting that America possessed unmatched military power, limitless ammunition, and sufficient time to defeat Iran. He described Iran’s leadership as responsible for killing innocent people worldwide for 47 years and said that as the 47th U.S. president, he was now eliminating them, calling it a great honor.

According to the report, Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on February 28, the first day of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei, aged 56, as the new Supreme Leader.

Saudi Arabia announced that it intercepted 56 drones that entered its airspace on Friday morning, according to Al Jazeera. The country’s defense ministry stated that one of the drones attempted to enter the diplomatic area in Riyadh, which is under tight security. The ministry did not specify who launched the drones.

A day earlier, on Thursday evening, the Saudi defense ministry reported intercepting 53 drones and five missiles within a 24-hour period. The latest incidents highlight a continuing pattern of aerial threats targeting Saudi territory, though the source of the attacks remains undisclosed.

The ministry has not provided further details about the origin or purpose of the drones, leaving uncertainty about the actors behind the repeated incursions.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Germany does not intend to become involved in the ongoing conflict surrounding Iran, which has entered its 14th day of joint US-Israeli attacks. Speaking during his visit to Norway, Merz emphasized that Berlin has no plans to provide military protection for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, despite recent Iranian attacks in the area.

He reiterated that Germany is not part of this war and does not wish to be. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global energy supplies, and the recent escalation of tensions there has heightened international concern.

The statement underscores Germany’s cautious stance amid rising regional instability and reflects its focus on avoiding direct military engagement in Middle Eastern conflicts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey is pursuing strong diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation of violence centered on Iran. He made the remarks on Thursday in Ankara during a ceremony where he presented the Atatürk International Peace Award to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, according to Anadolu Agency.

Erdogan emphasized that diplomacy and dialogue are the safest paths to achieving fair and lasting peace. He acknowledged challenges in the diplomatic process involving the United States, Israel, and Iran but affirmed Turkey’s commitment to continue peace efforts with patience and determination. He also praised Guterres for his neutrality and wisdom since taking office in 2017 and for his contributions to refugee protection, global justice, and shuttle diplomacy amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Erdogan reiterated that Turkey’s foreign policy is guided by the principle of “peace at home, peace in the world,” inherited from the republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and reaffirmed Turkey’s strong support for the United Nations’ founding values.

Iran has launched attacks targeting US troops and officials across several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. In response, the United States has evacuated multiple bases and repositioned its forces strategically, leading to a severe housing shortage. Many American soldiers are now taking refuge in residential areas and hotels across the region.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence branch has urged local populations to report the locations of US troops hiding in civilian areas. The IRGC statement claimed that thousands of American soldiers are staying in hotels and private homes, accusing Washington of using Arab civilians as human shields. The statement warned residents to avoid contact with these troops and to share information about their whereabouts via Telegram.

Separately, a French soldier was killed and several others were seriously injured in an attack in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the assault as unacceptable and said necessary measures were being taken.

The D-8 summit scheduled to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, has been postponed due to the ongoing war situation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. According to Al Jazeera, Iran has been carrying out counterattacks following joint strikes by the US and Israel. Indonesian Foreign Ministry senior official Tri Tharyat confirmed that the summit, originally planned for next month, has been delayed because of the current regional instability. A new date has not yet been set.

The summit was initially scheduled to take place from April 13 to 15 in Jakarta. The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, established in 1997, aims to enhance economic collaboration among Muslim developing nations spanning Southeast Asia to Africa. Its member countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey, with Azerbaijan joining the group in 2025.

The postponement reflects how the escalating conflict in the Middle East is affecting international diplomatic and economic events, particularly those involving member states of the D-8.

A medical board at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka has decided to perform brain surgery on Mirza Abbas, a member of the BNP Standing Committee and political adviser to the Prime Minister. The decision was announced on Friday, March 13, 2026, by BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr. Rafiqul Islam, who said Abbas was taken to the operating theater at 3:10 p.m. following the board’s review.

Earlier in the day, a CT scan revealed a deterioration in Abbas’s condition, prompting an emergency virtual meeting of the medical board. The board, comprising prominent neurology specialists including Professors Ali Uzzaman Joardar, Kazi Din Mohammad, Shahabuddin Talukder, Rajiul Haque, Syed Saeed Ahmed, Kader Sheikh, and Shafiqul Islam, made the decision with the consent of Abbas’s family.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited Evercare Hospital after Friday prayers and was briefed by the medical board. Dr. Rafiqul Islam requested prayers from the public for Mirza Abbas’s recovery.

Iran’s Health Ministry has reported that at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured in attacks carried out by the United States and Israel across the country. The ministry released the figures in a statement published on Friday, according to Al Jazeera.

The attacks began on February 28 and have continued across multiple Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran. The strikes have reportedly targeted both military and civilian areas, damaging schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure. The ongoing assaults have caused widespread destruction and civilian casualties, according to the ministry’s statement.

The report did not include details about the reasons behind the attacks or any international responses. The situation remains critical as the strikes continue to affect major urban centers in Iran.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor A.J.M. Zahid Hossain said that the canal excavation initiative, emphasized by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman before the election, will help maintain environmental balance and increase agricultural production. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon after inspecting a canal at Balrampur Sahapara in Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur district.

The minister noted that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will visit Faridpur area in Dinajpur on March 16 to pay respects at the graves of his grandparents and aunt. He also highlighted that northern Bangladesh has fewer trees compared to other regions, with only about 8 to 9 percent of land covered by greenery, whereas at least 25 percent coverage is needed for a balanced environment.

As part of the government’s ongoing green revolution efforts, the minister announced that the formal inauguration of the canal excavation program will take place on March 16 in Kaharol, marking the beginning of this environmental and agricultural development initiative.

Iran has initiated the 44th phase of its military campaign named 'Operation True Promise-4', according to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The operation reportedly targets Israel-controlled areas and US military installations across West Asia. Conducted on the 23rd night of Ramadan, the strikes focused on northern Israeli cities including Haifa and Hadera.

The IRGC stated that the offensive was carried out in memory of key resistance leaders such as former Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Palestinian leader Ismail Haniyeh, among others. The statement also claimed that several US military facilities in the region were targeted, including the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain.

As of now, neither Israel nor the United States has issued any official response or confirmed details regarding casualties or damage resulting from the attacks.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued a stern warning to Lebanon following an Israeli military strike on the Zariyah Bridge over the Litani River. Katz stated that if Hezbollah is not disarmed, Israel will escalate its attacks and may seize Lebanese territory. The comments were reported by Al Jazeera and Israel’s Wynet News on Wednesday.

Katz accused the Lebanese government of failing to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah and warned that Lebanon would face increasing consequences. He said that Israel would target national infrastructure allegedly used by Hezbollah and that territorial occupation could be considered until the disarmament pledge is implemented.

The remarks have raised concerns about further escalation between Israel and Lebanon, adding to already heightened regional tensions.

The BNP government will begin a pilot program to provide monthly honorariums to imams, muezzins, and khadems at 4,908 mosques across Bangladesh before Eid-ul-Fitr. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the initiative on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the program on March 12.

The initiative also includes 990 Hindu temples, 144 Buddhist monasteries, and 396 Christian churches. Under the pilot phase, each mosque will receive Tk 10,000 per month, distributed as Tk 5,000 for the imam, Tk 3,000 for the muezzin, and Tk 2,000 for the khadem. Temples, monasteries, and churches will each receive Tk 8,000, divided among their respective religious leaders and assistants. Annual festival bonuses are also planned, with Tk 1,000 twice yearly for mosque staff and Tk 2,000 for other major religious festivals.

The government plans to implement the program in four phases, requiring Tk 1,100 crore in 2026–27 and rising to Tk 4,400 crore by 2029–30 for full implementation.