A major part of that has been cultivating an esoteric and underground music taste. Now, I’m aware that having hundreds of thousands of listeners means you’re not an underground artist, but this isn’t just a niche playlist, it’s also a performative one. And with 61,911 monthly listeners, I can tell people I listen to FIGHTMASTER and get the blank stare of performative victory in return. An artist with 12,467 monthly listeners, a soft and sweet melody, ambiguous lyrics and simple instruments. ‘Solar Flare’ is a weekly playlist column where Sun contributors spotlight a slice of musical taste with the campus community.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, on Monday held a phone conversation with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, to discuss Iran’s recent missile attack on Qatari territory. During the call, Khalilur Rahman strongly condemned the attack, calling it a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, airspace, and international law, and a clear breach of United Nations resolutions, according to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry. Both ministers reviewed the recent escalation of military tensions in the region and examined the serious implications for regional and international security and stability. He noted that Qatar has consistently sought to remain distant from regional conflicts and has worked to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the international community. The recent attack, he added, undermines these efforts, threatens mutual understanding, and jeopardizes the foundations of bilateral relations.

Md Muslim Chowdhury, chairman of the board of directors of state-owned commercial bank Sonali Bank, has resigned. Meanwhile, M Aslam Alam, chairman of the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (Idra), the regulatory body of the insurance sector, has also resigned. His resignation is seen as significant in the context of multiple changes in the financial sector in recent times. After the central bank, the resignation of the head of the insurance sector's top regulatory body is believed to indicate a series of leadership changes in the financial sector. However, no official announcement has been made by Idra regarding the appointment of a new chairman or transfer of responsibility.

The country's readymade garment (RMG) exports have shown a downward trend in the first eight months of the current FY26 (July-February). On the other hand, woven exports were $12.11 billion, which is 2.79% less than the previous year. RMG exports this month were $2.82 billion, which is 13.21% less than February 2025. Sector-wise, knitwear exports were $1.40 billion, down 15.46%, while woven exports were $1.42 billion, down 10.86%. According to experts, if the double-digit decline like in February continues, it may be difficult to achieve the total export target for the current fiscal year.

Mahfuzur Rahman, Editor of the United News of Bangladesh (UNB), has been appointed as the Speechwriter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification on Monday confirming the contractual appointment. According to the notification, “SAM Mahfuzur Rahman has been appointed on a contractual basis as the Honourable Prime Minister’s Speechwriter (Grade-1), subject to his relinquishing any employment or professional engagement with any other profession, business, or government, semi-government or private institution or organisation.”The notification further stated that the appointment will take effect from the date of his joining and will remain valid for the duration of the Prime Minister’s tenure or until further orders, whichever comes first.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday directed the authorities concerned to introduce a separate bus service for women in the capital to ensure safer and more comfortable public transport. He issued the instruction during a meeting with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Islam at the Secretariat in the afternoon. Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atiqur Rahman Rumon confirmed the meeting. After reviewing the situation, the prime minister gave necessary directives to ease public suffering and improve transport services. He stressed the need to take prompt steps to launch a dedicated bus service for women in the capital.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said on Monday that security measures in the diplomatic area, including the United States Embassy, have been strengthened in view of the ongoing global situation. The minister said that in addition to regular police forces, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed to reinforce security in the diplomatic area. During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including law and order, security cooperation, curbing illegal migration, counterterrorism, the SPEAR program to enhance diplomatic security, and the implementation of Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV). He emphasized the importance of implementing the “Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response (SPEAR)” to consolidate security for the US Embassy and the entire Diplomatic Area in Dhaka. The minister assured that necessary steps would be taken and directed relevant ministry officials to organize a meeting or workshop with stakeholders.

Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry said some operations at its massive Ras Tanura refinery on the Gulf coast had been halted on Monday, following an attack that caused a fire at the complex. The Ras Tanura facility along the kingdom’s eastern Gulf coast is home to one of the largest refineries in the entire Middle East and a cornerstone of the kingdom’s energy sector. Earlier, a source familiar with the incident told AFP the attack caused a fire at the Ras Tanura refinery, but the blaze had already been extinguished. A Saudi defense ministry spokesman said two drones had targeted the refinery and been intercepted, according to a statement posted by the Saudi Press Agency on X. “The attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Iran’s sights,” said Soltvedt in a note on the conflict.

A survey carried out shortly after the United States and Israel launched a major military operation against Iran suggests that only about a quarter of Americans support the attacks, highlighting weak public approval amid a widening regional conflict. The Reuters–Ipsos poll was conducted from Saturday to Sunday, before President Donald Trump’s administration confirmed that the first US troops had been killed. Democrats are closely watching public opinion as the November midterms approach, with affordability central to their campaign messaging. They have criticized Trump’s military actions, including the US abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, as out of step with his promises. Democratic reactions to the Iran strikes have varied, with some praising the action, others welcoming Khamenei’s death while questioning the justification, and several openly condemning the attacks.

Each tremor, no matter how small it appears, is a warning that our preparedness must move beyond rhetoric and momentary reactionary panic. To that end, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent directive to mobilize 100,000 volunteers in Dhaka, identify open spaces for relocation, and procure emergency equipment, is a welcome and pro-active step. For too long, disaster management in this country has been reactive, with lives lost and infrastructure crippled before action is taken. Open spaces must be secured and mapped, not merely identified. The only defense is readiness, and readiness must be comprehensive, from the government to civil society to the citizens working together.

Expressing deep sorrow over the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a targeted attack, Bangladesh on Monday said ensuring the safety and security of more than six million Bangladeshis living in the Middle East remains its top priority. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and representatives from the relevant Ministries are attending the meeting. The Foreign Minister is scheduled to brief the media at 4:30pm Monday. Meanwhile, the MoFA in a statement said the government is "saddened to learn" that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in a targeted attack which is a violation of international law and norms. It has been reported that one Bangladeshi national has been killed and three more have been injured in Bahrain.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 31 people on Monday, authorities said, following rocket fire from Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader. Israel’s military vowed to intensify its attacks on the country and make Hezbollah pay a “heavy price” after launching several strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and south Lebanon, areas where Hezbollah holds sway. “The strikes continue, their intensity will increase,” he was quoted as saying in a military statement hours after the first strikes were fired. On Monday, a military statement said Israeli forces “precisely struck” senior Hezbollah members in the Beirut area, and another in the south. Israel then issued an evacuation warning to residents of about 50 towns and villages in Lebanon’s south and east -- both Hezbollah strongholds.

The recent Israel-US strike on Iran has understandably sent tremors across the Middle East, while Pakistan’s simmering animosities with Afghanistan, being closer to home, do no favours in calming the South Asia region. It is most acutely felt by the thousands of our remittance workers who are stranded in the Middle East, caught between borders and battle lines. For a nation like ours, which depends so heavily on the sacrifices of its migrant workforce, war is not just a geopolitical headline but a direct assault on our collective well-being. It is time to acknowledge a truth too often ignored: There are no victors in war. The destruction of lives, economies, and trust leaves scars that last generations.

Oil and gas prices soared while stocks fell in Asia on Monday after US-Israeli strikes on Iran sent investors fleeing the prospect of an extended conflict in the crude-rich Middle East. “If higher oil prices persist, it raises the risk of stickier headline inflation and can slow the pace at which inflation prints improve,” wrote Saxo Markets’ Charu Chanana. While Iran has not officially closed the Strait of Hormuz, its Revolutionary Guards have warned against transiting the waterway. In theory, oil-importing countries have reserves, with OECD members required to maintain 90 days’ worth of stocks, but prices above $100 cannot be ruled out. Gas prices also soared Monday -- dealing another blow to the world economy -- as Qatar is a key exporter of liquefied natural gas, heightening inflationary risks.

At least 555 people have been killed across Iran in joint US-Israeli attacks targeting 131 counties so far, according to the Iranian Red Crescent as fighting escalates across the Middle East. Israel said it is striking at the “heart of Tehran” and has launched attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at northern Israel. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 31 people were killed and 149 others wounded in Israeli air attacks. In the Gulf, Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said several US warplanes crashed inside the country, adding that all crew members survived. US President Donald Trump warned that attacks on Iran would continue until all objectives are achieved and vowed to avenge the deaths of three US soldiers.