The annual Dol Purnima observance at the shrine of mystic poet Lalon Shah began yesterday (March 2) at Chheuriya Akhrabari in Kushtia, drawing Baul singers and devotees despite a reduced schedule due to Ramadan.

A seven-year-old girl is fighting for her life at Chattogram Medical College Hospital after unidentified miscreants allegedly kidnapped her and slit her throat at Sitakunda Eco Park on Sunday.

At least two people were killed and 10 others injured yesterday in a clash between local BNP and Awami League groups over controlling a government-owned pond in Sirajganj’s Raiganj upazila, said police.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party MP Nurul Islam from Barguna-2 has been appointed chief whip for the 13th parliament.

Security measures in the diplomatic zone, including around the US embassy, have been strengthened amid the ongoing global tensions, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said yesterday.

The financial sector yesterday saw three high-profile resignations across three key institutions, including the chief of the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA).

Market Financial Solutions (MFS), which provided financing for a massive £295 million property portfolio belonging to former Bangladeshi land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, fell into administration last Wednesday, according to reports by The Financial Times (FT) and The Telegraph.

Bangladesh yesterday said it is saddened by the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a targeted attack on Saturday.

While a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could disrupt fuel flows, Bangladesh’s energy supply remains stable for now, with officials saying imports and distribution are continuing without interruption.

Prior to the national election on February 12, the interim government declared the then chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus as a “Very Very Important Person” (VVIP) for a period of one year starting from the date of the transfer of responsibilities.

The BNP has offered the post of deputy speaker to the opposition ahead of the first sitting of the newly elected parliament, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said yesterday.

Mohammad Obaidullah thought he was finally heading back to work in Dammam after two failed attempts. The 38-year-old, from Cumilla’s Muradnagar, had boarded a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight on February 28.

Bangladeshi expatriates across parts of the Middle East are living in fear and uncertainty after another Bangladeshi was killed and two others were injured in Bahrain yesterday.

Ekushey Padak-winning poet, literary editor and cultural personality Jahanara Arzu is no more.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to launching a dedicated bus service for women in Dhaka within 180 days of assuming power, as part of its election pledges.

The Rangsa river, a tributary of the Old Brahmaputra in Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh, was once an important waterway for transporting goods to different destinations in the region.

A suspected robber was allegedly beaten to death by locals at Chakpalashi village in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi early yesterday.

The High Court yesterday set today for delivering orders on two petitions challenging the legality of the Referendum Ordinance and July National Charter.

The government has deployed 475 mobile veterinary clinics (MVCs) nationwide to provide doorstep livestock services, particularly in remote areas.

A speechwriter and four deputy press secretaries have been appointed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the newly elected government.