British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke met with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman today. The commitment was made when the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman at the foreign ministry, said a ministry’s press release here. During the meeting, the Foreign Minister appreciated the UK for sending Seema Malhotra, Minister for the Indo-Pacific, to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new government. The High Commissioner assured that she would convey the Bangladeshi candidate’s credentials to the UK headquarters and that due consideration would be given to the candidature. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cooke said, “I've just come from a very good meeting with the honorable foreign minister.

LONDON, March 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - European stock markets slid further at the start of trading on Tuesday and the region's natural gas prices soared once more as the Iran war shook financial markets. Frankfurt's DAX index of top German companies shed 2.0 percent, the Paris CAC 40 lost 1.8 percent and London's FTSE 100 retreated by 1.4 percent in value. The Dutch TTF natural gas contract, considered the European benchmark, shot up more than 33 percent having rocketed almost 40 percent on Monday after Qatar halted liquefied natural gas production following Iranian attacks on state processing facilities.

DHAKA, March 3, 2026 (BSS)- Only two Bangladesh players-- Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain-- have secured spots in the final list for The Hundred Auction 2026, set to take place at Piccadilly Lights in central London on March 11 and 12. A total of 23 Bangladeshi players had registered for the draft, but apart from the duo, none made the shortlist. Left-arm pacer Mustafizur and leg-spinner Rishad, both of whom recently impressed in Australia's Big Bash League, are among more than 400 cricketers featured in the auction pool. Mustafizur has been placed in the highest base-price bracket among the Bangladeshi players at £100,000 (pound) while Rishad carries the second-highest reserve price of £75,000. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed last month that nearly 1,000 players from 18 countries registered for the 2026 auction.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh SAIDA Shinichi called on Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat on Tuesday. Photo: MinistryDHAKA, March 3, 2026 (BSS) - Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has sought Japan's cooperation in reforming and restructuring Bangladesh Police to further strengthen law enforcement and public safety. He made the call during a courtesy meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh SAIDA Shinichi at the Secretariat's Home Ministry Office here today. The discussions covered a range of issues of mutual interest, including law and order, security cooperation, police modernization, traffic management, trade and investment. The envoy mentioned that the DMP's traffic safety project was completed last year and expressed Japan's interest in expanding cooperation with the police.

British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke met with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman today. Photo: MoFaDHAKA, March 3, 2026 (BSS) – Britain looks forward to continuing to work closely together in the new chapter for Bangladesh, British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said today after a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman. “I've just come from a very good meeting with the honorable foreign minister. “We had a very good discussion where we reaffirmed the strength and depth of the UK- Bangladesh partnership,” She added. The British envoy said the talks covered a wide range of priority areas.

DHAKA, Mar 03, 2026 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has fixed the price of a 12-kilogram (kg) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder at Tk 1,341. “From 6:00 pm on March 2, a 12 kg LPG cylinder will be sold at Tk 1,341 at the retail level across the country,” said a BERC announcement. BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed announced the new price, saying that all licensed LPG marketing companies must implement it. As per the BERC decision, 12.5 kg LPG has been refixed at Tk 1,397 at retailer level, 15 kg at Tk 1,676, 16 kg at Tk 1,788, 18 kg at Tk 2,011, 20 kg at Tk 2,235, 22 kg at Tk 2,458, 25 kg at Tk 2,794, 30 kg at Tk 3,352, 33 kg at Tk 3,587, 35 kg at Tk 3,911 and 45 kg at Tk 5,028.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. File PhotoDHAKA, Mar 3, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the immediate removal of banners and billboards displayed across the capital congratulating him and featuring his photograph. Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman said that the premier issued the directive to the concerned authorities today. He added that a few days ago, while passing through Bijoy Sarani, the premier saw his photograph displayed on an LED screen with congratulatory messages and ordered its immediate removal. Ruman said the Prime Minister today arrived at his Cabinet Division office in the Bangladesh Secretariat at 9:10 am.

US Ambassador Brent T. Christensen called on Minister Afroz Khanam at Secretariat today. Photo : BSSDHAKA, March 3, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh and the United States today discussed avenues for strengthening cooperation in aviation sector development during a courtesy call by US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen on Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroz Khanam. During the meeting, both sides underscored the importance of further deepening the longstanding bilateral relations between Dhaka and Washington. The Bangladesh side sought enhanced US cooperation in the modernization and capacity development of the country's aviation sector. Ambassador Christensen reaffirmed Washington's continued support and assured maximum cooperation with the present government in advancing shared priorities.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has faced major disruption to its flight schedule due to the ongoing war situation in the Middle East and the resulting security risks in the region’s airspace. In light of the evolving situation, the national flag carrier has cancelled all flights on six important Middle Eastern routes . The cancelled routes include Dubai , Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates; Dammam in Saudi Arabia; Doha in Qatar ; and Kuwait. The airline stated that passengers will be informed about revised schedules of the cancelled flights depending on improvements in the situation. Amid the war situation and security risks in Middle Eastern airspace, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan temporarily closed their airspace from the afternoon of Saturday.

It is exceedingly rare for one country to deliberately and openly assassinate the leader of another sovereign state, even during armed conflict. A civilian leader or military targetA central issue highlighted by the Times is Khamenei’s dual role. Killing a foreign leader in peacetime, absent an imminent armed attack, would generally constitute an unlawful use of force under international law. Domestic legal questionsThe Times also examined whether the war itself was legally initiated under US law. The Times notes that targeting a sovereign head of state is categorically different from targeting a non-state militant leader.

BEIJING, March 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - China called on all sides in the Middle East war to maintain safety in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and gas, and vowed measures to ensure its energy security. Nearly a quarter of the world's seaborne oil supplies pass through the strait, as well as a significant amount of cargo. "China urges all parties to immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions, maintain the safety of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, and prevent a greater impact on the global economy," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news conference on Tuesday. "Energy security is of great importance to the global economy... China will take necessary measures to ensure its energy security," she said. China is the main buyer of Iranian oil, most of which passes through the strait.

Eight years on, trial begins in Argentina submarine implosionRIO GALLEGOS, Argentina, March 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Argentina opens a trial on Tuesday into a submarine implosion that killed 44 sailors in November 2017, the country's worst naval disaster in decades, and whose circumstances remain unclear. - 'Felt like nobodies' -None of the families of the victims - 43 men and one woman -- are expected to attend the trial. "The most important thing is that the trial is finally happening," she told AFP. "By taking the trial to Rio Gallegos (Santa Cruz's provincial capital), so far from Buenos Aires, they are trying to make the tragedy disappear," Tagliapietra told AFP. The hypothesis is that the submarine suffered a valve failure that allowed water to enter the battery compartment, triggering a fire and then an explosion.

KUWAIT CITY, March 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The US embassy in Kuwait on Tuesday said it was closed until further notice, a day after an AFP correspondent sawsmoke rising from the mission following Iranian attacks on the country. "Due to ongoing regional tensions, the US Embassy in Kuwait will be closed until further notice. We have cancelled all regular and emergency consularappointments," the embassy said in a statement on X.

The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking why the July National Charter and the Referendum Ordinance should not be declared illegal and beyond the authority of the constitution. The bench of Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Md Anwarul Islam Shaheen passed the order following writ petitions challenging the validity of the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, as well as Section 3 and the Schedule of the Referendum Ordinance. Earlier, on February 23, Supreme Court lawyer Chowdhury Md Redwan-e-Khoda filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order and Section 3 and the Schedule of the Referendum Ordinance. In his petition, Redwan-e-Khoda sought a rule asking why the implementation order and the relevant provisions of the Referendum Ordinance should not be declared unconstitutional for being inconsistent with the constitution. He further sought a stay on the operation of the implementation order and the oath letter until the matter is resolved.

Photo: CollectedGENEVA, March 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The warming El Nino weather phenomenon could return later this year as its cooling opposite La Nina fades away, the United Nations said Tuesday. The UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the recent, weak La Nina was expected to give way to neutral conditions, which could then swing into El Nino before the end of 2026. In May-July, the chance of neutral conditions drops back to 60 percent, with the chances of El Nino at 40 percent. El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there is a 50- to 60-percent chance of El Nino developing during the July-September period and beyond.