Home Minister to visit Vienna to attend Global Fraud Summit 2026
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. File PhotoDHAKA, March 15, 2026 (BSS) - Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed is set to visit Vienna to participate in the two-day Global Fraud Summit 2026, scheduled to be held on March 16-17. The summit will take place at the Vienna International Conference Center, where the Minister will lead a five-member Bangladesh delegation. In addition to attending the opening and plenary sessions, the Home Minister will participate as a panelist in the high-level roundtable discussion titled "Global Fraud Response Mechanism." On the sidelines of the summit, the Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with John Brandolino and the UK Home Secretary Lord Hanson.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 09:01 UTC
Govt to re-check beneficiary lists of social safety net programmes: Farzana Sharmin
State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin. We’ll try to provide different allowances (under the social safety net) to the eligible people. She said the government has taken a decision to form the upazila-level committees to review and verify the beneficiary lists under different social safety programmes. She also mentioned that the various social safety net beneficiary lists prepared during the fascist regime would surely be scrutinized and thus they would go towards a solution. “We’re taking feedbacks so that we can go towards a solution after addressing the irregularities exist in the different social safety net allowances,” she added.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 08:55 UTC
Israel army says begun 'wide-scale' wave of strikes on western Iran
JERUSALEM, March 15, 2026 (AFP) - Israel's military said it began a broad wave of strikes on western Iran on Sunday, more than two weeks into the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic. "A short while ago, the IDF began a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in western Iran," the army said in a statement.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 08:35 UTC
From “This Isn’t New,” the (probably) first female Bozo scores a gig
Not exactly festive baggage, but it was the only thing she owned that was roomy enough for her clown paraphernalia. When Boza swept into a bow and said, “Boza the Clown, at your service,” the girl only nodded, swinging open the door. “I should check on him.”As she turned to go inside, Boza said, “Hey, um…what’s your name?”The girl pivoted. Boza remembered reading about that in The Rocky Mountain News, but she hadn’t connected it with her gig today. When I was young, I, um…I lost my mother, too.”Nodding, the girl again pressed her hand to her collarbone.
Source:Daily Sun
March 15, 2026 08:26 UTC
With 2024 election, Cynthia Swanson found theme for short story collection
SunLit: Tell us the backstory behind this short story collection – what’s it about and what inspired you to write it? Plus, I love the short form, so it was a natural fit to keep writing and publishing stories as I began writing novels. All along, I was also writing short fiction. That being said, writing short fiction is a great exercise for novelists, because learning to write tightly helps you discipline yourself during the revision stage of novel writing. Today, the novel writing is going very well, with a clear focus about what I need to do.
Source:Daily Sun
March 15, 2026 08:11 UTC
France picks mayors in test of political mood ahead of 2027 polls
PARIS, France, March 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French voters went to the polls onSunday to pick mayors and councillors in elections widely seen as a barometerof France's political mood ahead of the high-stakes 2027 presidential race. While nearly 90 percent of the French communes are small rural constituencieswhere local elections are traditionally depoliticised, the races couldnonetheless reveal key trends and dynamics, said political scientist NonnaMayer. By contrast, Le Pen's far-rightNational Rally, the hard-left party of firebrand Jean?Luc Melenchon andMacron's centrists have struggled to establish a strong local footprint. Following a record low turnout during the last local elections, held underthe shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, analysts will closely scrutinise the2026 races for possible signs of voter fatigue. The week between the two rounds is expected to see political partiesnegotiating deals with rivals and joining forces against strong opponents.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 07:55 UTC
Iran arrests 20 over suspected links to Israel: media
TEHRAN, March 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iranian authorities have arrested at least 20 people in the country's northwest on suspicion of cooperating with Israel, local media reported on Sunday, more than two weeks into the Middle East war. The arrests took place during raids on networks linked to Israel in the West Azerbaijan province, the Fars news agency said, quoting provincial prosecutor Hossein Majidi. "Twenty people were arrested and detained" after they were found to be "sending details of military, law enforcement and security locations to the Zionist enemy", it added. Authorities have carried out sweeping raids across Iran, arresting in recent days hundreds of people suspected of cooperating with Israel and the United States, local media reported. The conflict began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking Iranian retaliation.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 07:55 UTC
Pakistan says hit military facilities in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Pakistan said on Sunday itsforces had attacked military facilities in southern Afghanistan, as well as"terrorist hideouts", in the latest strikes between the two sides. Local residents in Kandahar told AFP they saw jet planes flying over the cityand heard explosions during the night. "Military planes flew over the mountain where there is a military facility,and an explosion followed," one said, adding flames could be seen. Islamabad launched a military operation against Afghanistan last month,targeting what it said were Islamist extremists following attacks inPakistan. The UN mission in Afghanistan said on Friday that at least 75 civilians havebeen killed and 193 injured in Afghanistan as a result of the clashes sinceFebruary 26.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 07:53 UTC
Cloth produced from silk yarn sold at own showroom in Rajshahi
Rajshahi Silk Factory showroom sells pure silk fabrics nationwide as Eid demand grows for traditional Rajshahi silk. Photo : BSSRAJSHAHI, Mar 15, 2026 (BSS) - Cloth made from silk yarn is now being sold at the Rajshahi Silk Factory's showroom. Fabrics are produced directly at the Rajshahi Silk Factory and sold through its own showroom. Within a few years, silk yarn production is expected to increase significantly, enabling the country to produce silk entirely from domestic yarn. The goal is to spread 100 percent silk products across the country and reestablish Rajshahi silk as a well-known national brand.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 07:35 UTC
Govt lifts restrictions on fuel oil sale
DHAKA, Mar 15, 2026 (BSS) - The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has decided to lift all restrictions, including rationing, imposed on the sale of fuel oil. Therefore, the government has decided to lift all restrictions, including rationing, on the distribution of fuel oil to ensure smooth Eid journey of home-goers and considering the demand of farmers' demand during the Boro season, the press release said. Until further orders, fuel oil distribution will continue from today at all distribution points as per demand. The rationing system was introduced on the sale of fuel oil on March 6. Later, the limit for selling oil on motorbikes for ridesharing drivers was increased from two litres to five litres.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 06:40 UTC
NBR extends February VAT return deadline to March 29
DHAKA, March 15, 2026 (BSS) – The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has extended the deadline for filing online Value Added Tax (VAT) returns for the month of February 2026 to March 29, 2026. The revenue authority issued the directive in the public interest to facilitate taxpayers following a period of technical congestion and system latency within the electronic filing infrastructure. According to an official notification issued today from the E-VAT Unit, the extension was necessitated by a reduction in the processing speed of the E-VAT system services. The NBR explained that the recent long public holidays observed for Holy Eid-ul-Fitr and the Great Independence Day impacted the system's performance, leading to the decision to provide additional time for taxpayers to complete their submissions smoothly.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 06:30 UTC
Congo-Brazzaville president set to extend four-decade rule
BRAZZAVILLE, March 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Congo-Brazzaville holds elections Sunday in a vote expected to extend 82-year-old President Denis Sassou Nguesso's more than four decades in power in the oil-rich central African country. Six candidates are standing against Sassou Nguesso but the main opposition is divided and largely absent, leaving him set to win another five-year term. The president has toured the country during the election campaign, which ended Friday, backed by the ruling Congolese Workers' Party (PCT), urging voters to come to the ballot box. - Corruption -Sassou Nguesso stressed the issue of security during his final election meeting in Brazzaville Friday, attended by thousands of enthusiastic supporters. During his election campaign, the president underlined his economic record, having pushed to modernise the country's infrastructure and develop the gas and agriculture sectors in a bid to make Congo self-sufficient.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 06:23 UTC
SAC unveils two books on agricultural trade, agroecology
SAARC Agriculture Centre unveils books on food safety and agroecology at Ekushey Book Fair Dhaka. Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Mar 15, 2026 (BSS) - SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) has unveiled two publications at Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 highlighting key regional priorities in agricultural development and sustainable food systems in South Asia. Dr Md Harunur Rashid, Director of the SAARC Agriculture Centre, presided over the event. He noted that stronger cooperation among researchers and policymakers can help improve food safety systems and support sustainable agricultural development across the SAARC region. Speaking as the chief guest, Dr Chandra Shekara highlighted the growing need for harmonised food safety standards to facilitate agricultural trade within South Asia.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 15, 2026 06:20 UTC