The Bangladesh Government Officers and Employees Welfare Association has requested a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to discuss the publication and implementation of the ninth pay scale gazette. The organization submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office on March 29, 2026, outlining ten specific demands related to pay scale implementation and employee welfare.

According to the letter, government officers and employees play a vital role in state administration and public service but have long been deprived of fair benefits. Rising commodity prices, increased living costs, promotion delays, and unresolved block post issues have caused frustration and uncertainty among employees. The association noted that despite expectations of two pay scales over the past eleven years, none have been implemented, leaving lower-paid workers struggling.

The association believes that ensuring fair rights and welfare for government employees would enhance administrative efficiency and morale. It has proposed a 13-member delegation to meet the Prime Minister and present their demands directly.

The Thirteenth National Parliament of Bangladesh resumed its adjourned session on Sunday at 3 p.m. The first session, which began on March 12, had been adjourned until March 29. This resumed sitting is expected to be heated due to discussions surrounding the implementation of the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) and the Referendum Ordinance 2025. Opposition parties, including Jamaat and its allies, have demanded debates on these issues and submitted multiple notices, according to the Parliament Secretariat.

The day’s agenda includes question-and-answer sessions for the Local Government Division, the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Election Commission, and the President’s Office. Notices submitted under Rule 71 on urgent public matters have been resolved. The current session is scheduled to continue until April 30.

A special committee was earlier formed to review 133 ordinances issued during the outgoing interim government. Of these, 113 have already gained consensus between the government and opposition, while the remaining 20 will be discussed in the committee’s third meeting tonight. According to the constitution, ordinances must be passed within 30 days or they will be void, requiring completion by April 12.

The trial of the 2019 FR Tower fire case in Dhaka, which killed 26 people and injured 71, has encountered delays as several accused have approached the High Court seeking to halt proceedings. One accused, BNP leader Tajvirul Islam, has already obtained a stay order on the trial. The case, currently under the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, began in August last year after charges were framed against seven defendants. The next hearing for witness testimony is scheduled for April 5.

The case was filed following the March 28, 2019 fire at the FR Tower on Banani’s Kamal Ataturk Avenue. After investigation, police charged eight individuals in December 2022, excluding Rupayan Group chairman Liakat Ali Khan Mukul. The court later ordered further investigation by the Police Bureau of Investigation. Two of the accused have since died.

Defense lawyers argue that the accused were flat owners, not involved in the building’s construction, and that the real culprits were excluded from the charge sheet. The prosecution maintains readiness to proceed with witness testimony unless the High Court’s stay order prevents it.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that a final decision on 133 ordinances issued during the interim government period may be made tonight. He made the statement on Sunday, March 29, after a parliamentary meeting of the ruling party. The parliamentary special committee responsible for reviewing the ordinances is scheduled to meet tonight to finalize its decisions.

Committee chairman Zainul Abedin stated that consensus has not yet been reached on 24 of the ordinances, and these will be discussed further in the special committee meeting. The thirteenth national parliament session resumed after about 13 days and officially began at 3 p.m. The special committee meeting is set to take place after the parliamentary session concludes.

The parliamentary session began under the chairmanship of the Speaker in his absence, with Prime Minister Tareq Rahman and Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman present. The session opened with a recitation from the Quran following Eid and other holidays.

A major fire broke out on Sunday afternoon at the BD Food BD Sea Foods cold storage in Chattogram’s Sagorika area. The blaze spread rapidly throughout the facility after it started suddenly, fueled by a large stock of fish stored inside. Fire Service and Civil Defense units from Agrabad and Bandar stations initially responded, but as the situation worsened, the number of deployed units increased to eight. After nearly two hours of continuous effort, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control.

According to Fire Service Deputy Director Md. Jasim Uddin, more than two thousand tons of fish and cartons were stored in the cold storage, intensifying the flames. Firefighters faced difficulties due to narrow passages inside the facility while removing cartons, clearing smoke, and reducing internal heat. Preliminary reports indicated that no one was trapped inside during the incident, though rescue teams continued to search the area to confirm. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities are assessing the extent of the damage.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh arrived at the National Parliament in Dhaka five minutes before the start of the third day of the first session of the 13th National Parliament. The session began at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2026, with the Prime Minister taking his designated seat ahead of proceedings.

At the beginning of the session, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, who represents the Netrokona-1 constituency, delivered a welcome address. In the absence of the Speaker, Barrister Kamal presided over the parliamentary sitting.

The session marks the continuation of the 13th Parliament’s inaugural proceedings, with the Deputy Speaker temporarily overseeing responsibilities during the Speaker’s absence.

The United States military on Wednesday confirmed that it is using multiple artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, said the systems help process vast amounts of data quickly to support faster decision-making. The announcement underscores the Pentagon’s deepening reliance on technology firms, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Palantir, and Anthropic, which have become increasingly embedded in US defense operations.

The report traces the long history of collaboration between the US military and private corporations, dating back to World War II when IBM built electromagnetic calculators for ballistic computations. The military’s partnerships have since expanded to include the creation of ARPANET, the precursor to the internet, and the development of GPS for precision bombing. More recent projects include Google’s involvement in Project Maven, Microsoft’s augmented reality headset program, Amazon’s cloud infrastructure for classified data, and SpaceX’s Starshield satellite network.

The Pentagon recently blacklisted Anthropic after it refused to remove AI safeguards, while Palantir and other firms have faced criticism for their roles in conflicts such as Israel’s war on Gaza. The growing integration of AI in warfare has raised global concerns about ethics and accountability.

A Houthi-affiliated official has warned that the group may close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, effectively halting oil exports through the Red Sea. The statement, made by Houthi Information Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Mansour, described the closure as one of several options under consideration. The strait, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, is about 26 kilometers wide at its narrowest point and connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

According to the report, approximately 12 percent of the world’s seaborne oil passes through Bab al-Mandeb, while 20 percent moves through the Strait of Hormuz, which is under Iranian control. If both straits were closed, global oil supply disruptions could reach 32 percent. Saudi Arabia has been using its east-west pipeline as an alternative route to maintain exports and stabilize oil prices.

Mansour linked the potential closure to rising tensions involving Israel and the United States, adding that a final decision could be made soon.

Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal presided over the national parliament session for the first time on Sunday at 3 p.m., pledging to perform his duties with complete impartiality. He vowed to uphold the rights, dignity, and equal opportunities of all members. The session began with Quran recitation following Eid and other holidays, attended by Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarek Rahman and Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman. Kamal sought cooperation from all members and announced that he had resigned from government and party positions to ensure neutrality.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam and Opposition Leader Shafiqul Rahman welcomed the Deputy Speaker, with the latter assuring cooperation from the opposition. The session also included prayers for the deceased relatives of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and MP Moktar Ali. Kamal reflected on the 2024 student-people movement, describing it as a turning point for restoring parliamentary democracy.

He emphasized that democracy rests on the rule of law, human rights, and effective constitutional institutions, noting that both government and opposition play vital roles in ensuring accountability. Kamal urged members to maintain decorum and mutual respect, describing the parliament as the mirror of the nation.

A Dhaka court has ordered a six-day remand for retired Lieutenant General and former MP Masud Uddin Chowdhury in a human trafficking case filed at Paltan Police Station. The order was issued on Sunday, March 29, 2026, by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam after the accused was produced before the court following a previous five-day remand. The investigating officer, DB Police Sub-Inspector Md. Raihanur Rahman, had sought a seven-day remand for further interrogation.

According to the prosecution, Chowdhury’s name appears in the case’s first information report, which accuses him of involvement in a syndicate that dominated the overseas labor market and extorted large sums from recruiting agencies. The plaintiff, Altab Khan, owner of Afia Overseas, alleged that the group forced him to pay Tk 12.56 crore and caused business losses worth Tk 20 crore. The defense argued that there were no specific allegations beyond the FIR and that the repeated remands were intended to humiliate the 72-year-old accused.

The court granted six days of remand, citing the need to question Chowdhury about agency selection processes, FWCMS operations, and recovery of embezzled funds.

The United States-Israel war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions have disrupted about one-third of global helium supplies, a gas essential for medical imaging and high-tech manufacturing. The disruption stems from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Qatar’s energy infrastructure, which forced QatarEnergy to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and cut helium exports by 14 percent annually. Qatar, responsible for roughly a third of global helium output, ships all exports through the strait, now largely inaccessible to vessels linked to the US, Israel, and their allies.

The attacks on Qatar’s Ras Laffan and Mesaieed facilities destroyed about 17 percent of its LNG export capacity, causing an estimated $20 billion in annual losses. With helium extracted as a by-product of LNG, the production halt has tightened global supply chains. South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China, major buyers of Qatari helium, face potential shortages, while US distributor Airgas has declared force majeure and halved shipments. Market analysts warn that prolonged disruptions could raise helium prices by up to 50 percent.

The shortage threatens MRI operations and semiconductor manufacturing, as helium’s unique cooling properties have no substitute. Although research into helium-free or recycling MRI technologies continues, most systems still depend on liquid helium.

In Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, residents like Abdel Karim Salman face daily hardship due to the near-total absence of electricity. Displaced from northern Gaza after his home was destroyed in October 2023, Abdel Karim now lives in a tent with his family and relies on phone torches for light. He walks hundreds of metres twice a day to charge phones, paying up to 10 shekels daily, a heavy cost amid widespread unemployment. With municipal power absent for two years, solar lamps and generator-based systems have become prohibitively expensive, leaving most families in darkness.

The crisis began after Israel’s siege on Gaza in October 2023, which cut off electricity and fuel supplies. Gaza’s sole power plant shut down within days, plunging the territory into a full blackout. Since then, infrastructure damage and fuel shortages have left homes, hospitals, and water systems dependent on limited generator power. By 2025–2026, Gaza’s grid is described as effectively non-functional, with electricity access fragmented and unreliable.

Some residents, such as Jamal Musbah, have turned to small-scale solar charging services for income, but even these face equipment damage and fuel scarcity. The population continues to endure severe energy deprivation with no sustainable solution in sight.

A Tk 14 crore sanitary landfill and waste treatment plant in Kishoreganj town remains non-operational three years after its completion, leaving the facility buried under heaps of garbage. Located beside the Bhairab–Mymensingh regional highway, the site emits a strong stench, polluting the environment and damaging nearby farmland. Despite being built with Asian Development Bank funding in late 2022, the project’s modern pumps and filtration systems now lie idle and deteriorating.

Kishoreganj Municipality’s administrator, Zebun Nahar Shammi, acknowledged the problem and said the project became defunct because waste was not properly separated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable categories. She added that reviving the facility would cost nearly as much as its original construction but assured that efforts are underway to resolve the issue quickly. Meanwhile, 20 to 25 truckloads of municipal waste continue to be dumped daily beside the highway, worsening pollution.

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon’s Kishoreganj district president, Advocate Hamida Begum, warned that without a permanent solution, the environmental and public health situation could become even more severe.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have made their first social media post since being detained in the United States. The couple, held for about three months in a Brooklyn prison after being taken from Caracas by U.S. commandos, thanked their supporters and said they were well. The message, shared on Maduro’s X account, expressed gratitude for the love, letters, and prayers they had received, saying these had strengthened them spiritually. It remains unclear who posted the message on their behalf.

According to a source close to the Venezuelan government cited by AFP, Maduro reads the Bible in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where some inmates refer to him as “President.” The facility is known for its poor conditions. The source added that Maduro is allowed up to 15 minutes per phone call with his family and lawyers.

In their post, Maduro and Flores also praised the unity and solidarity of Venezuelans at home and abroad during this difficult time.

The government of Bangladesh has appointed new deputy commissioners (DCs) and district magistrates in 11 districts. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Sunday, March 29, 2026, signed by Deputy Secretary Aminul Islam. The order stated that the appointments were made in the public interest and would take immediate effect.

According to the notification, Kazi Shahidul Islam has been appointed to Rajshahi, Lutfun Nahar to Chuadanga, Hure Jannat to Khulna, Marzina Akter to Madaripur, Abu Sayeed to Brahmanbaria, Ahmed Ziaur Rahman to Chandpur, G.M. Sarfaraz to Habiganj, Israt Jahan Keya to Narsingdi, Shilpi Rani Roy to Meherpur, Md. Rashedul Haque Pradhan to Lalmonirhat, and Md. Saniul Ferdous to Bandarban.

The circular emphasized that the new appointments were made for administrative purposes and would be implemented without delay.