AB Bank PLC recently hosted an Iftar Mahfil to honor the media personnel of the country. The event was organized for the 10th time to recognize the courageous and objective role of the journalists. Reazul Islam, managing director and CEO (acting) of AB Bank, delivered a speech at the program in the presence of a significant numbers of journalists from various media outlets, along with senior officials of the bank. He praised the impartial role of the journalists in helping restore discipline in the banking sector.

The Government of Japan has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Rohingya humanitarian response by approving JPY 500 million (approximately $3.2 million) in funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The funding will enable UNFPA to sustain essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence services for Rohingya refugees and surrounding host communities. Despite these growing needs, the funding environment became increasingly constrained, leaving the 2025-2026 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis significantly underfunded. “The Government of Japan’s continued partnership comes at a critical moment for women and girls in the Rohingya response,” said Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh. The partnership also successfully expanded survivor-centred GBV services through Women Friendly Spaces and Women-Led Community Centres, reaching thousands of vulnerable women and girls.

Confidence is gradually building around the newly appointed central bank governor, Md Mostakur Rahman, despite the controversy that surrounded his sudden elevation to the post. On February 25, economist Dr Ahsan H Mansur’s appointment was cancelled, and Rahman was named governor on the same day. Focus on interest rates and credit flowHigh lending rates have long burdened businesses and industry. The new governor has indicated that lending rates will be reconsidered in line with inflation trends. Banking reforms and governanceAlongside monetary policy adjustments, Rahman has pledged to continue structural reforms in the banking sector.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman at his office in the capital’s Bashundhara area. The meeting was held at 11am in a cordial and warm atmosphere at the Opposition Leader’s office in Dhaka, said a press release. During the meeting, the ambassador congratulated Dr Shafiqur Rahman on his election as the Leader of the Opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad and wished him every success in his new role. The two sides held open discussions on issues of mutual interest concerning the two countries. They expressed hope that economic, political, trade and diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China would be further strengthened in the coming days, enhancing bilateral development and cooperation.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday put emphasis on building a clean and green city and protecting city dwellers from mosquito infestation. Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) administrator Md Safiqul Islam Khan and Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) administrator Md Shawkat Hossain Sarkar was present in the meeting. "We have sought a block allocation from him to run the city corporation. "If we proceed based on all the work orders they have given, the city corporation will collapse. Talking to journalists, Dhaka North City Corporation administrator Md Safiqul Islam Khan also highlighted the corporation's financial distress.

More than 100 Bangladeshis have been recruited into Russia’s war against Ukraine, and dozens have been killed on the front lines, according to rights groups, which say many of the men were misled, exploited or financially trapped before being sent into combat. Speaking after the event, John Quinley told the Dhaka Tribune that Bangladeshi men are being trafficked into the war. The 62-page report states that Bangladeshi men were forced to take part in the war through coercion and abuse. Without understanding the contents, they signed the papers and later learned that they had been sent to work in a war zone. According to the findings, at least 104 Bangladeshis were identified as having been recruited, with at least 34 confirmed dead based on Ukrainian information.

The Iranian Red Crescent said Tuesday that more than 780 people have been killed nationwide since the United States and Israel started striking Iran. AFP was not in a position to verify the toll given by the organization. “According to field reports from operational teams, unfortunately, 787 compatriots have been martyred in these attacks,” the Red Crescent said on its website. It said strikes since Saturday had hit 153 cities and more than 500 locations across Iran in more than 1,000 attacks. Separately on Tuesday, loud explosions were heard in Tehran according to AFP journalists, while Iranian media reported blasts in Karaj west of the capital and in the central city of Isfahan.

More than 30,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Lebanon by the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, the United Nations said Tuesday. Hezbollah on Tuesday said it had targeted three Israeli military bases in response to Israeli strikes on the group’s strongholds in Lebanon, including the south Beirut suburbs. UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani voiced grave concern at the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon. She cited reports of civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, plus significant re-displacement in southern Lebanon. “Within hours of shelters opening in Lebanon, WFP was on the ground -- providing hot meals, ready-to-eat rations, and bread to families who had nowhere else to turn,” the agency’s Middle East regional director Samer Abdeljaber said.

Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC has launched UnionPay International (UPI) branded Khidmah Credit Card on Tuesday at Islami Bank Tower. Md Omar Faruk Khan, managing director of the bank, was present as chief guest at the ceremony. Cai Huiming, head of South East Asian Branch of UPI was present as special guest. Engineer Mohammad Jamal Uddin Mazumder, additional managing director, delivered the welcome address. Masud Raihan, country manager of UPI, discussed the features and benefits of the card.

Mercantile Bank Training Institute has organized a Workshop on “Centralized Foreign Trade Operations” at MBL Center to strengthen awareness and capacity among the officials of Centralized Trade Processing Centre (CTPC). Chief guest of the program was Mati Ul Hasan, managing director of the bank, while special guests were Shamim Ahmed, DMD & CAMLCO and Md Abdul Halim, SEVP & COO. The program was chaired by SM Salim Uddin, head of training & development. Distinguished speakers including Md Khairul Alam Chowdhury, SEVP and head of business operations division, UCB, and ATM Nesarul Hoque, EVP and head of MTB Financial Institution Services, Mutual Trust Bank PLC were present as guests. A total of 67 participants attended the program.

Railway Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Tuesday announced a 25% fare concession for persons with disabilities, students and citizens aged above 65 on metro rail and all other railway services. “It may take some time for the concession to come into effect,” said the minister while talking to reporters at Secretariat. Students must show valid student ID cards while persons with disabilities will need to display the government-issued disability card. The Minister also said there will be no opportunity to charge excess fares during Eid travel. “We are keeping them under monitoring and this will be enforced at any cost,” he said, expressing hope that Eid travel will be comfortable with everyone’s cooperation.

The Election Commission (EC) has directed its field-level officials to expedite the disposal of pending voter registration applications submitted by Bangladeshi expatriates. The EC issued the directive to upazila and thana election offices, asking them to complete the local verification process of expatriate applicants without further delay. However, it said that due to their involvement in election duties, the local verification activities of a significant number of expatriate voter applications remain pending. The EC has now instructed the officials to treat the matter as “highly urgent” and complete the pending verifications promptly. According to EC officials, the commission has planned to expand the expatriate voter registration and National Identity (NID) services to 40 countries.

The United Nations on Tuesday urged all parties to “come to their senses” and end the war in the Middle East, with fear and panic spreading across the region and beyond. UN human rights chief Volker Turk said he was “deeply shocked” by how the conflict was affecting civilians. Turk “implores all parties to come to their senses, and to end this violence,” she added. Shamdasani said the laws of war were clear: civilians and civilian objects are protected, and all states and armed groups must abide by the law. “We are also concerned for the welfare of hundreds of political prisoners that continue to be arbitrarily held in Iran.

While fighting intensifies, diplomatic fault lines between global powers have become increasingly visible. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain was not involved in the attacks and would not join military operations against Iran. Beijing called for an immediate halt to military operations and urged all parties to exercise restraint. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, declared that Iran would make “no compromises” with the United States. Widening geopolitical divideAs missile exchanges continue and military rhetoric escalates, the global response reflects a deepening geopolitical divide.

Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo, literatures in English, died on Feb. 11 in Lagos, Nigeria at the age of 80. His research spanned across several disciplines, including African drama and theater, African and Caribbean ‘Anglophone’ literatures, Marxist theory, colonial and postcolonial studies and African and Afro-American critical thought. Emeritus Paul Sawyer, Literatures in English, in an interview with The Cornell Chronicle. In addition to teaching at Cornell, Jeyifo served as a professor at the University of Ibadan, the University of Ife in Nigeria, Oberlin College and Harvard University. Emeritus Satya P. Mohanty, literatures in English, commented on Jeyifo’s impact on him, both through his academics and his character.