State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, the 'National JuteDay-2026' is being celebrated across the country today with the theme"Develop the jute industry, create employment". The State Minister said since the export of raw jute is unprofitable; thegovernment is interested in exporting processed jute products while there aretax exemption facilities for entrepreneurs in this regard. Textiles and Jute Ministry Secretary Bilkis Jahan Rimi and senior officialsof the ministry and departments and organisations were present. Meanwhile, President Mohammed Shahabuddin today virtually inaugurated a nine-day 'Jute and Multipurpose Jute Products Fair' at the Bangladesh ShilpakalaAcademy premises.

17 detained for illegal Jatka fishing in Chandpur. Photo: BSSCHANDPUR, March 6, 2026 (BSS) - The District Task Force today detained 17fishermen for defying the ongoing government ban on catching juvenile hilsa(jatka) in the Padma-Meghna River sanctuary area of Chandpur. Sadar Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Mirza Omar Faruk confirmed theinformation to BSS, noting that the operation covered the stretch of theMeghna River from Harina to Kachikata in the Sadar area. The court fined 13 of the detained fishermen Taka 5,000 each, totaling Taka65,000 in penalties. The enforcement operation was conducted under the leadership of the ExecutiveMagistrate with the participation of Sadar Upazila Assistant FisheriesOfficer Md.

US cannot provide enough missiles for Gulf states and Ukraine: EU commissionerWARSAW, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States is not in a position to provide enough missiles to the Gulf states and Ukraine to defend themselves, EU defence and space commissioner Andrius Kubilius said Friday. "It's very clear that after Iranian crisis, if we can call it so, it became more urgent for us in Europe to ramp up production of air defence and anti-ballistic missiles," he said. "Because Americans really will not be able to provide enough of those missiles, both for the Gulf countries, for American army itself, and also for Ukrainian needs." Kubilius said Europe was facing a "huge challenge" in developing anti-missile defence.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States and Mexico said Thursday that negotiators will hold bilateral talks this month ahead of a joint review of the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact, in discussions that come amid tariff pressure from President Donald Trump. Negotiators are set to hold their first meeting the week of March 16 and convene regularly thereafter, the US Trade Representative's office said. Under the originally agreed terms, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is due to be reviewed in July. LeBlanc is due to be in Washington on Friday where he is set to meet US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. He also indicated in remarks that Trump's dismissive rhetoric about the USMCA does not match his trade team's posture.

Libya says identified three suspects in killing of Gaddafi's sonTRIPOLI, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Libyan prosecutors said Thursday they had identified three suspects in last month's killing of the son of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, without specifying their identities. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, once seen by some as Libya's heir apparent, was shot dead in his home in the northwestern city of Zintan in early February. The prosecutor's office said its investigation determined the "meeting place of the suspects, the time at which they went to the scene of the crime and committed it... as well as the identity of three suspects". Following a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, he was arrested by Libyan authorities in 2011. Marcel Ceccaldi, a French lawyer who had been representing Seif al-Islam, told AFP he was killed by a "four-man commando" who stormed his house.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Thursday said his government would soon take action to "reduce pressure on oil," after prices spiked due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. "Further action to reduce pressure on oil is imminent and the oil seems to have pretty much stabilized. He referenced having earlier taken "decisive action" by "offering political risk insurance for tankers transiting into the Gulf." On Tuesday, Trump ordered the US Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance for all maritime trade through the Gulf. He said the US Navy would "if necessary" begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible."

Trump says 'question of time' before US turns to Cuba after IranWASHINGTON, United States, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that he would turn to an unspecified project for Cuba, the Caribbean island already facing a US energy blockade, after the war against Iran. "We want to fix, finish this one first -- but that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba," Trump said at a White House reception. Addressing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Miami-born son of Cuban immigrants, Trump added: "You've been doing a fantastic job on a place called Cuba." Many in Cuba fear it could be next on Trump's list of foreign interventions, especially after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran that killed the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Both Trump and Rubio have made no secret of their desire to bring about regime change in Havana.

Trump says Zelensky 'has to get a deal done,' insists Putin readyWASHINGTON, United States, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Thursday described Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky as the obstacle to a deal with Russia, whose leader Vladimir Putin he insisted was cooperative. "Zelensky, he has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done," Trump said in an interview with Politico. "I think Putin is ready to make a deal," Trump said. Trump has long said that US support for Ukraine is wasteful to the United States and has spoken admirably in the past about Putin, whom he invited to Alaska in August. Trump has balked at taking more aggressive action against Putin, arguing that he is the only leader who can negotiate with both sides.

Tehran denied the allegation and blamed Israel, Azerbaijan's ally, of trying to stage a provocation. "Today a terrorist act was carried out from the Iranian side against the territory of Azerbaijan," Aliyev told a hastily convened security council meeting. Fortunately, the drone targeting the school did not reach its objective and instead fell and exploded near the school," it said. "The pipeline is buried underground along most of its route, making it difficult to disable," he said, adding that "above-ground facilities -- such as terminals and pumping stations -- could still be vulnerable to Iranian drone strikes." Iran has long expressed concern that Israel -- a close ally of Azerbaijan and a key arms supplier -- could use Azerbaijani territory to stage attacks.

Amid fears that the Middle East war could trigger a fuel shortage or price hike in Bangladesh, drivers of private cars and motorcycles have been crowding petrol pumps in the capital to buy fuel. Long queues were seen at several fuel stations across Dhaka on Friday, similar to the previous day. Pump operators said many people are buying extra fuel due to rumours or concerns about a possible shortage, nearly doubling sales compared to normal times. However, officials said there has been no instruction so far to increase fuel prices or reduce supply. Meanwhile, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku is set to visit petrol pumps to monitor the situation.

An Indian fighter jet crashed during a training flight in the northeast, killing its two pilots, the Indian air force said Friday. The two-seater long-range Sukhoi fighter jet crashed in Assam state’s Karbi Anglong district after it took off from an airbase late Thursday, IAF said in a statement, reports UNB. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of the two pilots. The Indian air force operates over 260 of them. India has had other jet crashes in June 2024 and January 2023.

Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Mia Golam Parwar, on Friday signed the condolence book at the Iranian Embassy in Dhaka in honour of Iran's Supreme Religious Leader, Shaheed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R.A). Parwar expressed deep condolences to the government and people of Iran on behalf of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He said that the contributions of influential Muslim religious leaders throughout history are always remembered with respect. He prayed that Allah Almighty may grant His infinite mercy on them and give patience and strength to all concerned. They expressed their sympathy for the people of Iran and the Muslim Ummah, and prayed to Allah Almighty for peace, prosperity, justice, and stability for the Muslim world, including the Middle East.

The United Nations rights chief said Friday that 56 Afghan civilians had been killed -- nearly half of them children -- since hostilities with neighboring Pakistan intensified last week. The neighbors have clashed along the frontier since February 26, when Afghanistan launched a border offensive in retaliation for Pakistani air strikes. Turk said that since the intensification of hostilities, “56 civilians, including 24 children and six women, have been killed.”“A further 129 people, including 41 children and 31 women, have been injured,” he said. And since the start of the year, the numbers are even higher, with 69 civilians killed in Afghanistan and 141 injured, he said. Pakistan insists it has not killed any civilians in the conflict.

Ghorashal-Palash Urea Fertiliser Factory, one of Southeast Asia’s largest and environment-friendly fertilizer plants, has temporarily halted production due to an ongoing gas shortage in the country. The Polash plant has a daily production capacity of 2,840 metric tons, and sources from the factory said the shutdown is disrupting the production of roughly 2,800 metric tons of fertilizer each day. Factory insiders revealed that the warehouse currently holds 525,000 metric tons of fertilizer. For uninterrupted operations, the plant requires a daily gas pressure of 71–72 PSI, though production can continue at a reduced rate if gas pressure is maintained at 52–53 PSI. The factory’s temporary closure is expected to impact fertilizer supply in the coming weeks unless gas availability is restored.

Urging greater use of modern science and technology in the jute sector, President Shahabuddin said innovations and diversification should be introduced in jute products. We must create skilled manpower in this sector and ensure fair prices for jute products,” the President said. He said steps have been taken to make the jute sector technologically advanced, expand research, develop high-yield jute seed varieties, and use jute for diversified purposes. The President believes these initiatives will strengthen the economy and bring prosperity to the jute sector. Nurul Basir, and business representative Abul Hossain, President of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA), among others, spoke on the occasion.