Sheikh Ahmadullah, chairman of the As-Sunnah Foundation and a noted Islamic scholar, has issued an urgent warning to parents across Bangladesh regarding the ongoing measles outbreak. In a Facebook post on March 30, 2026, he advised parents not to panic if measles symptoms appear in children but to seek medical attention immediately. He highlighted the shortage of neonatal intensive care units and critical treatment facilities in government hospitals, describing it as a reflection of the country’s strained healthcare system.

Ahmadullah expressed concern that children are increasingly exposed to artificial lifestyles and deprived of natural environments, leading to weakened immunity. He also noted that many children are growing up under the care of domestic workers or in day-care centers, which, along with cultural influences, is affecting their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. He urged parents to ensure nutritious diets and closer contact with nature to strengthen their children’s health.

He concluded his message with a prayer for divine protection of all children from diseases, emphasizing the need for parental vigilance and faith-based patience during the crisis.

A devastating fire broke out late Tuesday night at the east side of Dhamura Bazar in Sholak Union under Uzirpur upazila of Barishal, destroying eight shops and causing losses estimated at over one crore taka. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m., and the fire spread rapidly before being brought under control after about an hour and fifteen minutes by a unit of the Uzirpur Fire Service.

According to fire service and local sources, the blaze completely gutted shops belonging to several traders, including sanitary, poultry feed, furniture, steel, and boat businesses. Fire Service and Civil Defense officer Abdur Rashid said the damage could amount to several crores of taka. Affected traders reported losing both cash and goods, with individual losses ranging from several lakhs to over half a crore taka.

Uzirpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Ali Suza visited the site and said that initiatives would be taken to provide necessary assistance to the affected business owners. The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation.

Two Chinese container ships have successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on their second attempt after initially turning back mid-journey last Friday. According to vessel tracking data, the ships passed through the critical waterway on Monday, sailing close to each other as they exited the Persian Gulf toward open waters. The ships are now moving rapidly toward the Gulf of Oman, Reuters reported.

Marine Traffic data confirmed the crossing, and Kepler analyst Rebecca Gardes noted that these are the first non-Iranian container ships to leave the region since the start of the ongoing conflict. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz but continues to allow passage for vessels from countries it considers friendly or non-hostile.

The successful passage of the two large COSCO Shipping-operated vessels is seen as a sign of diplomatic coordination between China and Iran, suggesting that Tehran may be expanding its list of friendly nations.

The Dhaka Metropolitan West unit of the Chhatra Dal has announced the dissolution of its Cantonment Thana committee. The decision was made to make organizational activities more dynamic and effective, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday by the unit’s office secretary, Md. Shahidul Islam. He stated that the existing committee had been dissolved due to the expiration of its tenure.

The press release further noted that the decision was approved by Dhaka Metropolitan West Chhatra Dal president Md. Robin Khan and general secretary Akram Ahmed. The organization also confirmed that a new committee will be formed soon to continue its activities under renewed leadership.

The announcement reflects an internal restructuring effort within the student organization aimed at strengthening its local operations and ensuring continuity in leadership.

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan has assured that the value-added tax (VAT) on imported newsprint, used as raw material for newspapers, will be reduced in the next fiscal year’s budget. He made the remarks during a pre-budget discussion held on Tuesday at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon, following proposals from the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB).

NOAB President and Manabzamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury urged the government to withdraw the existing 15 percent VAT on newsprint imports, reduce the 5 percent withholding tax on advertising income, and lower the 5 percent advance income tax on raw material imports. He highlighted that newsprint accounts for 50 to 60 percent of total production costs, creating a dual financial burden on the industry. NOAB also proposed reducing the corporate tax rate from 27.5 percent to 10 percent and exempting institutions from employees’ income tax liabilities.

In response, the NBR chairman confirmed that corporate tax would not increase and said employee income tax must be borne individually unless the ninth wage board is implemented by newspaper owners.

A Kuwaiti oil tanker named Al-Salmi caught fire after a drone attack near Dubai’s outer anchorage on Monday, according to local authorities who blamed Iran for the strike. The vessel, owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), suffered structural damage, and officials warned of possible oil leakage into the sea. Firefighting teams managed to control the blaze after several hours, and all 24 crew members were reported safe with no casualties.

The incident occurred just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran that the United States could destroy its power plants and oil wells if the Strait of Hormuz remained closed. The Guardian reported that since February 28, commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz have faced repeated attacks following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Al-Salmi attack marks the latest escalation in the ongoing regional conflict that has disrupted oil supplies and strained the global economy.

KPC said damage assessment is underway while monitoring continues. Crude oil prices briefly rose after the attack before stabilizing later in the day.

A 19-year-old Bangladeshi woman named Nishat Jannat was killed after being struck by a garbage truck while crossing the road near Jackson Heights in New York’s Woodside area around midnight on Sunday local time. Police said the truck, traveling west on Roosevelt Avenue, hit her while turning right onto 62nd Street. Emergency medical personnel declared her dead at the scene. Nishat was a student at City College of New York and worked as a receptionist at a parking garage on Parsons Boulevard in Jamaica.

Her father, Helal Uddin, an imam at Baitul Jannah Mosque in Woodside, said the family moved to New York eight years ago seeking a better future. Nishat was the second of four daughters. Her funeral prayer will be held Tuesday after noon at Baitul Jannah Mosque, followed by burial in New York.

Police confirmed that the 38-year-old female truck driver remained at the scene and received minor treatment. No arrests have been made, and the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. The truck’s owner, Royal Waste Services, said it is cooperating with police, while its parent company, Waste Connections, expressed deep condolences to the victim’s family.

A college student named Saidul Islam Sajib, aged 25, died early Tuesday after being seriously injured in an attack linked to a land dispute in Bakerganj, Barishal. He passed away around 2 a.m. while receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Sajib, a master's student at Government Barishal College, was attacked along with his relatives last Saturday when they began constructing a shop on disputed land near their home in Lochanabad village.

According to his father, Abul Hossain Khan, a group led by local resident Md. Milon Khan allegedly attacked them with sharp weapons and sticks, injuring several family members. Sajib was first treated locally and later transferred to Dhaka after his condition worsened due to brain hemorrhage. His parents and other relatives also sustained injuries and received treatment at Bakerganj Upazila Health Complex.

Police confirmed that both parties involved in the land dispute have filed separate cases. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are underway to arrest the accused.

US President Donald Trump has signaled that American forces may move to take control of Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub in the northern Persian Gulf. The island handles about 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports and lies in deep waters suitable for large crude carriers. The United States reportedly struck nearly 90 military targets on the island on March 13 but avoided oil infrastructure. Analysts suggest any US operation would likely be temporary, aimed at pressuring Tehran to ease its control over the Strait of Hormuz and meet Washington’s demands.

Iran has reinforced its defenses on Kharg Island, deploying surface-to-air missile batteries and warning of severe retaliation if US troops attempt to land. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf vowed that any invading force would face “a rain of fire.” The US has positioned about 5,000 naval personnel and 2,000 paratroopers in the region, fueling speculation about a potential assault.

Despite military readiness, the report notes that a prolonged occupation would be difficult for the US to sustain and unpopular domestically. Trump also indicated that ongoing talks with Iran could still avert a military confrontation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that more than half of Israel’s objectives in the war against Iran have been achieved, though he gave no timeline for its end. The conflict has spread across the region, with Israeli forces striking Tehran’s Imam Hossein University, reportedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and a separate airstrike near Beirut killing three Hezbollah members. Meanwhile, two UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon, and a drone attack targeting the US embassy in Baghdad was intercepted.

Iran’s parliament commission approved a plan to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy transport now largely closed due to the fighting. The G7 finance ministers pledged to take all necessary measures to stabilize energy markets. NATO intercepted a missile launched from Iran toward Turkey, marking the fourth such attempt since the war began.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged US President Donald Trump to help end the war, while Washington expressed cautious optimism about secret contacts with elements inside Iran. Trump warned that if no peace deal is reached soon, the US could destroy Iran’s key oil and power infrastructure.

Bangladeshi expatriates and members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Malaysia have submitted a memorandum demanding a fair and impartial investigation into the mysterious death of Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The memorandum was handed over to the head of chancery at the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur under the supervision of Nasir Uddin Nasir and Mohammad Minhaj Mondol.

Participants at the event stated that questions and doubts still persist among the public regarding Koko’s death. They called for the formation of an independent and internationally credible investigation committee. The memorandum also included eight demands, such as identifying and prosecuting those responsible, withdrawing allegedly corrupt officials from the High Commission, ensuring transparency in administrative activities, and taking action against corruption and human trafficking.

The submission program was conducted peacefully, with several BNP activists and expatriates present during the event.

Justice Md. Rezaul Hasan of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court has resigned following corruption allegations. His resignation letter, submitted to the Supreme Court, was forwarded to the President on Monday. The allegations were filed earlier with the Supreme Judicial Council by K.M. Mojibul Haque, chairman of Shah Group, accusing the judge of corruption, misconduct, and abuse of power.

The complaint requested the Supreme Judicial Council to investigate the matter and to recommend appropriate constitutional measures if the allegations were proven. It claimed that Justice Hasan acted with bias in two company cases from 2010 and 2011. In one case, arguments were attributed to a senior lawyer who was not present, and the ruling was later overturned by the Appellate Division. In another, 1.3 million shares belonging to an applicant’s wife were canceled without her being made a party to the case, which the complainant described as contrary to principles of justice.

The resignation follows the formal submission of these allegations, and the matter now awaits further constitutional procedures.

South Bangla Agriculture and Commerce (SBAC) Bank, established on April 3, 2013, will mark its 13th anniversary this April. Managing Director S M Moinul Kabir said the bank currently operates 90 branches, 32 sub-branches, agent outlets, and 77 ATMs, with both conventional and Islamic banking services. Its total deposits stand at about Tk 11,000 crore, loans and advances at Tk 9,265 crore, and total assets at Tk 13,360 crore. The bank’s capital adequacy ratio is 14.22 percent, exceeding regulatory requirements.

Kabir noted that non-performing loans rose slightly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the political unrest of August 2024 but remain manageable. SBAC is prioritizing SME and agro-based lending, aiming to raise SME loans from 38 to 50 percent of total disbursement. The bank is also investing in digitalization aligned with the government’s cashless vision and strengthening cybersecurity.

Kabir emphasized that the board allows management to work independently and that customer deposits have increased by about 30 percent since August 5. The bank’s goal is to become one of Bangladesh’s top 20–25 banks within three years.

The government of Bangladesh is considering introducing a blended education system combining online and offline classes in response to the global energy crisis. Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon said the proposal will be presented at the upcoming cabinet meeting on Thursday. He made the remarks after a meeting with Prime Minister Tareq Rahman at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

The minister noted that recent holidays, protests, and other disruptions have affected class schedules. To recover lost time, the government is considering six-day school weeks instead of five and expanding virtual classes. A survey found that about 55 percent of students and parents support partial online learning, though concerns remain about social isolation if education becomes fully online. The blended approach is being prioritized for schools, with possible extension to colleges, while universities may adopt separate arrangements.

Milon added that alternative transport options such as electric and solar-powered buses and metro systems are being explored to address traffic congestion and energy challenges in major cities.

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.