United News of Bangladesh

Around 346 people claiming to be descendants of former Bengal ruler Mir Jafar have been removed from the electoral rolls in Murshidabad, leaving them scrambling to prove their citizenship before tribunals, local residents said on Tuesday, Times of India reported. The affected names, previously registered at booth number 121 at Lalbagh Nav Adarsh High School, were marked “under adjudication” during a recent special revision of voters’ lists and subsequently deleted, officials said. Among those struck off is 82‑year‑old Syed Reza Ali Meerza, known locally as “Chhote Nawab,” whose name and those of nine family members, including his son who serves as a Trinamool councillor, were removed despite earlier assurances from election officials that their names would remain on the list. Meerza, a 15th‑generation descendant of Mir Jafar, lives near Killa Nizamat in Lalbagh, a neighbourhood still home to many extended family members. He said their family’s Indian identity is unquestionable and pointed to past legal recognition of their lineage by India’s Supreme Court. The family also highlighted historical claims, including asserting that one ancestor refused to become Pakistan’s president after Partition and helped keep Murshidabad within India. While the family can appeal the deletions before electoral tribunals, they fear the process may not conclude before the first phase of polling on April 23, effectively disenfranchising them in this election. Murshidabad’s district magistrate R Arjun said no formal complaints of widespread deletion have been received so far, but officials will guide those affected on how to approach the tribunal if complaints are filed.

Rescue teams launched a search operation early Tuesday for 27 people believed to be drifting on a raft in Indonesian waters after their boat sank amid rough seas. The vessel had left Taliabu port in North Maluku province shortly after dusk on Sunday and was heading to Kema in North Sulawesi when it went down in waters north of Taliabu Island, said Muhammad Rizal, head of the search and rescue office in Palu. According to the owner of the Nazila 05, the captain reported that high waves damaged the bow, causing the boat to sink during bad weather. “All 27 people on board were able to evacuate using a longboat before the vessel sank,” Rizal said, adding that their whereabouts remain unknown. Family members told authorities that the passengers had secured themselves to a raft, while the National Search and Rescue Agency said a rescue ship was heading toward the suspected area where the raft may be drifting in turbulent waters. Search efforts also include an inflatable boat, with assistance from local fishermen, Rizal added. The Nazila 05 was commonly used for carrying tourists and also operated as a fishing or small passenger vessel. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on boats for transport. However, maritime accidents are frequent due to lax safety measures and overcrowding.

China’s national carrier has resumed direct flights between Beijing and North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, after a six-year suspension, shortly after passenger train services between the two cities restarted. The Air China flight arrived on Monday and was received by Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun along with other diplomats, Chinese state media reported. Passenger train services between the two countries resumed on March 12. Both flights and train services had been halted since early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea’s national airline, Air Koryo, had already restarted flights between the capitals in 2023. During the pandemic, North Korea banned all foreign tourists but has recently begun easing restrictions. A Russian tour group was allowed to enter the country in 2024. Before the travel ban, Chinese tourists accounted for about 90 percent of all visitors to North Korea. The delay in allowing Chinese tour groups to return had raised questions among observers. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key ally, although Beijing has repeatedly expressed concern over Pyongyang’s missile tests, which could potentially target South Korea and the United States. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Beijing in September to attend a large military parade, marking the first time in decades that a North Korean leader joined such an event in China.

Nepal’s newly elected lawmakers were sworn in on Thursday, with nearly two-thirds of them belonging to a political party that is less than four years old. The 275 members of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, will serve five-year terms. The election, the first since last year’s youth-led uprising, was won by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah. Shah is expected to be elected as parliamentary party leader later on Thursday  and formally inform President Ram Chandra Poudel, who will then appoint him as prime minister. Shah is scheduled to take oath on Friday. Nepal expresses interest in deepening ties with Bangladesh The RSP secured 125 directly elected seats and 57 more through proportional representation, taking its total to 182 in the 275-member House. The Nepali Congress finished second with 38 seats. Under Nepal’s electoral system, 165 lawmakers are elected directly, while the remaining 110 seats are distributed proportionally based on parties’ vote share. Shah, also the RSP’s prime ministerial candidate, previously won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral election and rose to prominence during the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. Founded in 2022, the RSP gained massive public support, challenging the long-dominant Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (UML). Last year’s protests, sparked by a social media ban and grievances over corruption and governance, turned into a массов uprising. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured during clashes between protesters and security forces.

Japan has started releasing another portion of its strategic oil reserves in an effort to cushion the impact of rising global prices triggered by the war involving Iran, an official said. Kaname Morimoto of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said the release of national stockpiles to oil refiners began at 10:59am (01:59 GMT). The move follows Tokyo’s earlier decision to release government reserves equivalent to one month of supply, alongside an additional 15 days’ worth of petroleum from private-sector reserves. Japan, the world’s fifth-largest oil importer, relies on the Middle East for over 90 percent of its crude supply. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the transfer of oil from part of the reserve facilities to four refining companies was scheduled to begin on Thursday. #From Al Jazeera

An Indian man whose life support was withdrawn following approval from the Supreme Court has died, marking the country’s first case of court-approved passive euthanasia. Harish Rana, 31, died on Tuesday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was receiving palliative care after life-sustaining treatment was withdrawn. Rana had been in a coma since 2013 after falling from a fourth-floor balcony while he was an engineering student, suffering severe head injuries. He had no “living will”, a legal document that allows individuals to state their medical treatment preferences in case they become unable to make decisions. In India, passive euthanasia was legalized by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, allowing withdrawal of life support under strict conditions, while active euthanasia remains illegal. As Rana could not consent and had no prior directive, his parents sought court permission to withdraw treatment. Their plea was initially rejected by the Delhi High Court in 2024 and later declined by the Supreme Court. They approached the apex court again in 2025, saying their son’s condition had worsened and that he was being kept alive through artificial support. Two medical boards later examined Rana and found he had almost no chance of recovery, with permanent brain damage and dependence on external support for basic functions. On March 11, the court allowed doctors to use their clinical judgment, leading to the withdrawal of life support. Rana was then shifted to a palliative care unit, where he died. Lawyers said the case could set a precedent, as many similar patients across India remain on prolonged life support.   With inputs from BBC

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Tuesday released American academic Dennis Coyle after holding him for more than a year, saying the move was made on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. In a statement, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said Coyle was freed in Kabul following an appeal from his family and after the country’s Supreme Court deemed his previous detention sufficient. Coyle had been detained in January 2025 over alleged legal violations, though authorities did not specify the charges. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the development, saying the release reflects President Donald Trump’s commitment to securing the freedom of Americans held abroad. “Dennis joins over 100 Americans who have been freed in the past 15 months under his second term,” Rubio said, while adding that further efforts are needed. Earlier this month, the US State Department designated Afghanistan as a country involved in wrongful detention, accusing it of engaging in “hostage diplomacy” alongside Iran. Kabul rejected the allegation, insisting that foreigners are detained only for legal violations, not for political leverage. The State Department believes at least four US nationals remain in Taliban custody, including Mahmood Habibi, who was reportedly taken in 2022. Afghan authorities, however, deny holding him. Habibi’s brother, Ahmad Habibi, welcomed Coyle’s release but expressed hope for his brother’s safe return. Rubio also referred to Paul Overby, who disappeared in eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province in 2014 while working on a book, and called for the immediate release of all detained Americans. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi reiterated that Afghanistan does not detain foreign nationals for political purposes, saying Coyle was released after completing legal procedures. Both sides acknowledged the role of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in facilitating the release. The ministry said Muttaqi had met former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Kabul prior to the development. The Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces after nearly two decades, said the release was carried out on humanitarian grounds and expressed hope for improved trust and dialogue between the two countries.

At least 55 people were injured after a fire broke out at an auto parts factory in South Korea’s central city of Daejeon on Friday, with authorities warning the number could rise. The National Fire Agency said 24 of the injured were in serious condition. Officials could not immediately confirm if any were in life-threatening danger. Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of Daejeon’s Daedeok district, said rescue teams were searching for at least 14 people believed to have been inside the facility when the blaze erupted. Footage from the scene showed thick gray smoke rising from the complex, with some workers seen jumping from the building to escape. The fire was reported at around 1:18 pm. While the exact cause remains unclear, officials said it likely spread quickly following an explosion reported by witnesses. Nam said one factory building was destroyed, and firefighters were unable to enter due to fears of collapse. Efforts focused on stopping the flames from reaching nearby structures and removing hazardous materials from the site. Authorities said about 200 kilograms of highly reactive chemicals were stored at the facility. Some of the injuries occurred when workers jumped to safety, while others suffered from smoke inhalation. Police were using mobile phone signals to trace the missing individuals. More than 500 firefighters, police, and emergency responders were deployed, supported by around 120 vehicles, evacuation aircraft, and specialized equipment, including an unmanned water cannon and firefighting robots for hard-to-reach areas. President Lee Jae Myung ordered full mobilization of resources to bring the fire under control and assist rescue efforts.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has appeared to avoid directly committing to US President Donald Trump’s call for allied warships to be deployed to the Strait of Hormuz, media reports said. Trump has repeatedly shifted his stance over the past week on whether NATO members and allies, including Australia, South Korea and Japan, should provide maritime support in the strategic waterway. According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, Trump raised the issue during a meeting with Takaichi at the White House on Thursday. In response, the Japanese leader outlined “in detail what Japan can do and cannot do” under its legal framework. Although Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force is among the world’s largest naval forces, its operations are limited by the country’s pacifist constitution. Takaichi is believed to have indicated willingness to assist in other ways. Trump later told reporters that Japan was fulfilling its responsibilities, in contrast to some NATO countries, the report said. “I expect Japan to step up, because we have that kind of relationship,” Trump said. “We have 45,000 soldiers in Japan… we spend a lot of money on Japan… so I expect, I’m not surprised that they would step up.”  #From Al Jazeera

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reaffirmed that his country is maintaining a neutral stance in the ongoing Israeli-US conflict with Iran, rejecting allegations of favouring any side. Addressing parliament following a meeting with Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India, the president responded to criticism surrounding recent government decisions. Dissanayake said some groups had claimed that Sri Lanka delayed allowing an Iranian vessel due to alleged defence agreements with the United States. “Certain parties are saying that we have signed defence agreements with the US, and that’s why we delayed to entertain the Iranian vessel,” he said. “They are saying we are partial,” he added, stressing, “We are impartial.” The president also revealed that both Iran and the United States had recently requested permission for their militaries to make port calls in Sri Lanka. “As a neutral nation, we declined both requests. That is impartiality,” he said. #From Al Jazeera