Senior Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Ruhul Kudduz Kajol has been appointed as the 18th Attorney General of Bangladesh. The Ministry of Law issued a notification on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, confirming his appointment. He replaces Asaduzzaman, who resigned from the post after being elected as a Member of Parliament under the BNP nomination and later became the Minister for Law in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s cabinet.

Barrister Kajol is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, a former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and chairman of the executive committee of the Bangladesh Bar Council. He also serves as a senior joint secretary of the BNP-backed Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum and is a member of the BNP’s National Executive Committee.

A graduate of the University of Dhaka’s law department, Kajol began his legal career in 1995 and joined the Supreme Court Bar Association in 1996. He previously worked as a diplomatic officer at the Bangladesh High Commission in London from 2003 to 2006 and was recognized as a senior advocate by the Appellate Division in 2023.

Shakira’s concert scheduled for April 1 in Doha has been postponed due to instability across the Middle East linked to the ongoing Iran war context. The announcement was made through a social media post by the tourism website 'Visit Qatar'.

In addition, the Afflinitez Music Festival in Abu Dhabi, where Shakira and the Jonas Brothers were expected to perform, has also been postponed until November this year, according to the ticketing platform 'Platinum List'. The decisions reflect growing uncertainty surrounding large public events in the region.

Both postponements highlight the impact of regional tensions on entertainment and tourism activities, though no new dates beyond November have been confirmed.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that Switzerland has assured cooperation in recovering laundered money and supporting police reforms. The assurance came during a meeting at the Home Ministry in Dhaka between the minister and Swiss Ambassador Reto Renggli. The two discussed law and order, counterterrorism, parliamentary democracy, financial reforms, anti-money laundering measures, digital fraud prevention, and mutual legal assistance.

During the meeting, the Swiss envoy offered technical and strategic support for enhancing police capacity and reform initiatives. He also emphasized the importance of an effective parliament and peaceful political dialogue. The minister highlighted the government’s priority on improving law and order and practicing genuine parliamentary democracy, while criticizing past misuse of police power. Both sides agreed on the need for stronger cooperation to combat digital scams and ensure financial stability.

The Home Minister also met separately with Christian Holtz, the UNODC Regional Director for South Asia, to discuss related issues of crime and security cooperation.

A new digital platform called the 'Live Fuel Monitoring System' has been launched in Fatikchhari, Chattogram, to reduce public inconvenience caused by fuel supply shortages. Through this system, users can check via smartphone which fuel stations currently have supplies, where deliveries are ongoing, and the latest stock status. The initiative aims to save time and effort for residents who previously had to wait in long lines or return empty-handed.

According to the Fatikchhari Upazila administration, the system will enhance transparency and discipline in fuel management while improving public service efficiency. The platform was voluntarily developed by local technology entrepreneur Injamam Apu (Space Kahaf) with technical support from Fatikchhari Dot Com. Upazila Executive Officer Said Mohammad Ibrahim described the system as an easy and effective service that strengthens accountability and modernizes local service delivery.

Users can access the platform through a designated website on their smartphones to view real-time information on fuel availability, delivery schedules, and stock conditions across different pumps in Fatikchhari.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam has stated that there is no plan to appoint administrators in municipalities and upazila parishads. He said the ministry will soon hold elections in local government institutions where ADCs and UNOs are currently serving as administrators. Those elected by public vote will represent the institutions. The minister made these remarks on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to journalists after inspecting the construction of an approach road to a bridge in Shahjahanpur Union of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila.

He added that the bridge, built at a cost of Tk 8 crore, remains unusable due to the absence of the approach road. After the matter came to the attention of the Prime Minister, he was instructed to visit the site and take steps to make it suitable for public use. Accordingly, a seven-member committee headed by an additional secretary of the ministry has been formed to address the issue.

Local MP Nurul Islam Bulbul, Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, and other officials were present during the visit.

Barrister Md. Ruhul Kudduz Kajol has been appointed as the 18th Attorney General of Bangladesh. The appointment was confirmed by the Ministry of Law on Wednesday afternoon, with an official notification expected later in the day. Kajol, who currently serves as the elected secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, chairman of the Bangladesh Bar Council’s executive committee, and a member of the BNP National Executive Committee, expressed gratitude and pledged to fulfill his duties responsibly.

Kajol is a former student of the University of Dhaka’s Department of Law and became a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association in 1996. He also has prior experience in journalism. His appointment follows the resignation of former Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, who stepped down on December 27 citing personal reasons before being elected as a Member of Parliament and later assuming the role of Law Minister.

The official notification of Kajol’s appointment is expected to be issued soon, marking a new phase in the leadership of the Attorney General’s Office.

Hezbollah has claimed that it repelled an Israeli warplane during a possible attack in southern Lebanon. According to a statement from the group, the incident occurred on Monday evening when the aircraft was forced to retreat after being targeted by a surface-to-air missile launched by Hezbollah fighters. The group said the Israeli plane had been preparing to carry out an attack in the area.

Israel has not yet commented on the claim. The report, citing Al Jazeera, noted that the incident has raised concerns about escalating tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, an area that has seen repeated confrontations in recent months.

Observers fear that such incidents could further heighten instability in the border region if retaliatory actions follow, though no immediate response was reported at the time of publication.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the current state of global conflicts gives the impression that a third world war has already begun. Speaking at a meeting of the Gorchakov Fund’s Board of Trustees, he said some international relations experts have started describing ongoing regional conflicts as part of a global war. Lavrov attributed recent events in Latin America and the Middle East to Western efforts to maintain dominance and accused Western political elites of expending their remaining political and economic resources to confront Russia.

Lavrov expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, particularly worsening relations between Iran and its neighbors. He accused the United States and Israel of military aggression against Iran and warned that the situation could threaten global trade, energy security, and international communication systems. He said Russia is in contact with Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council countries to share its assessments.

He added that Russia supports dialogue-based solutions in the Middle East, backs Cuba’s sovereign development rights, and continues cooperation with Arab and Muslim nations to ensure a just resolution of the Palestinian issue in line with UN resolutions.

During the seven-day Eid-ul-Fitr holidays from March 17 to 23, Bangladesh witnessed a sharp rise in road accidents, with conflicting death tolls reported by government and private sources. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) recorded 92 accidents causing 100 deaths and 217 injuries, while the non-governmental Road Safety Foundation reported 268 accidents resulting in at least 204 deaths and over 600 injuries. The discrepancy has raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of official data.

Reports indicate that several serious incidents, including a fatal bus crash at Comilla’s Paduar Bazar rail crossing that killed 12 people, were missing from the government’s list. Hospitals across the country, including Dhaka’s National Orthopedic Hospital, saw a surge in patients injured in traffic accidents, many involving motorcycles, battery-powered rickshaws, and easybikes.

Road Safety Foundation’s executive director warned that the final death toll could rise further, while the Passengers Welfare Association noted that accidents often increase when people return to work after Eid due to reduced monitoring and law enforcement on roads.

The Directorate of Primary Education has released the schedule for the 2025 primary scholarship examinations, set to begin nationwide on April 15, 2026. According to the announcement, all districts except the three hill districts—Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban—will start exams on April 15. The first exam, Bangla, will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by English on April 16, Primary Mathematics on April 17, and Bangladesh and Global Studies with Primary Science on April 18. Each exam will last two and a half hours.

For the three hill districts, a separate schedule has been arranged. Their exams will start on April 17 with Primary Mathematics, followed by Bangladesh and Global Studies with Primary Science on April 18, Bangla on April 19, and English on April 20. The notice also states that students with special needs will receive an additional 30 minutes for each exam.

The directive ensures uniform examination procedures across the country while accommodating regional and special requirements.

Diesel prices in Vietnam have more than doubled following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, according to data released Wednesday by the country’s Ministry of Trade. The ministry reported that since two days before the United States and Israel began attacks in Iran on February 26, diesel prices have risen by about 105 percent. The price increased from 19,270 dong per liter last month to 39,660 dong, or roughly 1.50 dollars. During the same period, 95-octane gasoline prices climbed nearly 68 percent, from 20,150 dong to 33,840 dong per liter.

The conflict has driven up global oil prices, raising fuel costs and sparking fears of a worldwide energy shortage. In response, Vietnam has sought energy assistance from countries including Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria, and Japan. On Monday, it signed an oil and gas production agreement with Russia. The Finance Ministry also proposed halving environmental protection taxes on petrol and diesel to ease domestic pressure.

Local residents have reported difficulties coping with the price surge, with some reducing vehicle use due to unaffordable fuel costs.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir and Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim has called for urgent structural and policy reforms to make the country’s independence meaningful and effective. In a statement issued to the media on Wednesday marking Independence Day, he extended greetings to the nation and emphasized that without qualitative changes in the state, independence risks remaining only on paper.

He stated that merely changing individuals or ruling groups without reforming the state system leads to superficial freedom. Referring to the past, he noted that even after half a century of independence, instances of authoritarian rule under the guise of constitutional governance have persisted. He recalled that such autocracy was overthrown through a bloody mass uprising by students and citizens on July 24.

The Islami Andolan leader expressed concern over uncertainty surrounding the future of reforms proposed by political parties and approved through a referendum. He urged the government to promptly implement these approved reform proposals to ensure the permanent eradication of autocracy and paid tribute to the martyrs and victims of the Liberation War.

Sarjis Alam, the northern organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has questioned the use of Tk 1 million allocated for the poor in the Panchagarh-1 constituency. The allocation came from a government fund distributed to every Member of Parliament ahead of Eid. Sarjis raised the issue on Wednesday through a Facebook post, asking where the money for Panchagarh-1 had gone.

In his post, Sarjis referred to Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the NCP and an 11-party alliance candidate from Comilla-4, noting that Abdullah had publicly accounted for his constituency’s allocation. Sarjis contrasted this with the lack of transparency in Panchagarh-1. The NCP leader previously contested the 13th parliamentary election held on February 12 from Panchagarh-1, where he received 168,049 votes under the Shaplakoli symbol, while his opponent, Naushad Jamir, won with 186,189 votes under the Paddy Sheaf symbol.

The post has drawn attention to questions of transparency and accountability regarding the distribution of government funds for Eid assistance.

A drone attack at Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday caused a fire in a fuel tank, according to the country’s Civil Aviation Authority. The agency confirmed that there were no casualties and described the damage as limited. Firefighters were deployed immediately after emergency measures were activated to bring the blaze under control.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s spokesperson, Abdullah Al-Rajhi, stated that relevant authorities implemented approved emergency procedures promptly. The incident follows a series of similar drone attacks on the airport since late February, when Israel and the United States began strikes on Iran, escalating regional conflict.

Earlier in March, multiple drone attacks targeted the airport’s radar system and fuel tanks, causing minor injuries and limited damage. The latest incident underscores the continued vulnerability of key infrastructure in Kuwait amid the broader regional unrest.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman chaired a special meeting on measures to address the national energy situation. The meeting was held on Wednesday morning at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat, according to Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Rony. The session focused on strategies to manage the country’s current energy challenges.

Before the meeting, Prime Minister Rahman arrived at the Secretariat at 9:02 a.m. and completed some official tasks. He also unveiled a commemorative postage stamp marking the Independence and National Day before presiding over the energy-focused meeting in his office at the Cabinet Division.

The report did not provide further details about the discussions, decisions, or participants of the meeting beyond the official confirmation of its occurrence.