United News of Bangladesh

Afghanistan’s Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid on Sunday said the country does not intend to escalate hostilities with Pakistan and favors resolving tensions through dialogue. In an interview with TOLOnews, Mujahid emphasized that Afghanistan has not provoked recent clashes but has been forced to respond to incursions. “Our message to the mediating countries is that we do not seek war and that we believe in negotiations,” he said. Military tensions between the two neighbors have risen in recent weeks, with both sides accusing each other of initiating violence.

Preliminary and partial results released Saturday showed a new political party led by an ex-rapper is in front in Nepal's parliamentary election, the country's first since last year's youth-led revolt. The Rastriya Swatantra, or National Independent, party, had already won 60 of 165 directly elected seats and was leading in 61 other constituencies in the results published by Nepal's Election Commission. Its prime ministerial candidate is rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral race and emerged as a leading figure in the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. The 35-year-old highlighted health and education for poor Nepalis as a key focus of his campaign, which rode a wave of public anger toward traditional political parties. Shah, running directly against Oli in a southeastern district, won the seat with a wide margin securing almost four times as many votes as the former prime minister. The 13 seats announced so far for other parties went to the Nepal Congress party and two communist parties. Voters are directly electing 165 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Parliament. The remaining 110 seats in the 275-member body will be allocated through a proportional representation system, under which political parties are allocated seats based on their share of the vote. Vote counting was continuing in most of the country's constituencies Saturday and final results are expected within the next two days. Ballot boxes were being collected from remote mountain villages in the northern parts of the country using helicopters. The election is widely seen as a three-way contest, shaped by voter frustration over widespread corruption and demands for greater government accountability. The Rastriya Swatantra Party was founded only in 2022, but gained huge support this election, posing a strong challenge to two long-dominant parties: the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) The 2025 protests against corruption and poor governance were triggered by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular revolt against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured when protesters attacked government buildings and police opened fire on them.

Indian authorities have provided refuge to 183 sailors aboard the Iranian warship IRIS Lavan after the vessel requested urgent assistance amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. According to a Indian government official, the ship sent a distress call on February 28, the same day the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, reports Al Jazeera. India approved the ship’s berthing in Kochi on March 1, and it has been docked there since March 4. The government has arranged accommodation for the sailors during their stay. The announcement comes amid criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government after an Iranian ship, IRIS Dena, which had participated in Indian-hosted naval exercises, was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine. The attack killed more than 80 sailors, rescued 32, and left hundreds missing. India has so far avoided publicly criticizing the U.S. over the incident. Officials stressed that the Lavan docking was granted due to urgent technical issues and was unrelated to the previous attack on the Dena.

The European Union (EU) congratulated the interim government of Nepal and the electoral and security authorities for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they took place, said the EU Spokesperson in a statement on Friday. The EU said it looks forward to further deepening our longstanding partnership with Nepal and to advancing our shared priorities.

Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged multiple cross-border attacks on Friday, each claiming to have killed dozens of the other side’s troops in the deadliest fighting yet between the neighbors, a conflict Islamabad has declared an “open war.” The clashes, now in their ninth day, have continued despite repeated international calls for restraint. A suicide car bombing in North Waziristan, near the Afghan border, killed one civilian and injured 18 others, with suspicion likely falling on the Pakistani Taliban (TTP). Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Defense Ministry said its forces destroyed several Pakistani military posts along the border in Nangarhar, Kandahar, Kunar, Paktia, and Khost, killing dozens of Pakistani soldiers. Meanwhile, Pakistani state media reported heavy losses inflicted on Afghan forces and the TTP by airstrikes and ground operations, without specifying numbers. Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering the TTP, a claim Kabul denies, and says military operations will continue until Afghanistan curbs militants operating from its territory. The clashes have displaced roughly 115,000 people in Afghanistan and around 3,000 in Pakistan, according to the U.N. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan has urged for a halt in the fighting, saying it’s worsening Afghanistan’s already grave humanitarian situation. The mission, known as UNAMA, said Friday on X that so far, 56 civilians have been killed inside Afghanistan. Casualty claims vary widely: Afghanistan says 150 Pakistani soldiers have been killed since the fighting began, while Pakistan claims 527 Afghan soldiers dead. Independent verification is difficult due to the region’s inaccessibility and ongoing militant activity. Efforts at mediation are underway: Turkey and Malaysia have offered to broker ceasefires, but a resolution remains uncertain following the collapse of a truce signed in Qatar and extended in Istanbul last year.

Indonesia will ban social media for children under 16, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said Friday. Hafid in a statement to media said that she just signed a government regulation that will mean children under the age of 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. The implementation will start gradually on March 28. “The basis is clear. Our children face increasingly real threats. From exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and most importantly addiction. The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight alone against the giant of algorithms.” Hafid said.  

An Indian fighter jet crashed during a training flight in the northeast, killing its two pilots, the Indian air force said Friday. The two-seater long-range Sukhoi fighter jet crashed in Assam state’s Karbi Anglong district after it took off from an airbase late Thursday, IAF said in a statement. Officials were investigating the cause of the crash. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of the two pilots. The Russian-designed Su-30MKI is produced under license by India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The Indian air force operates over 260 of them. India has had other crashes of the jet in June 2024 and January 2023.

Election officials were counting votes Friday, a day after a parliamentary election in Nepal which was the first nationwide poll since a violent, youth-led uprising forced the former government from power in September. The Election Commission said they had begun vote counting in 53 of the 165 constituencies by Friday morning, and expect to begin work in the remaining areas by the end of the day. Some of the polling stations are high up in remote mountain villages, which are accessible only by days of hiking, leading authorities to arrange the transport of ballot boxes by helicopter to counting centers. Results were expected by the weekend, according to election officials who estimated voter turnout to be around 60%. Voters are directly electing 165 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Parliament. The remaining 110 seats in the 275-member body will be allocated through a proportional representation system, under which political parties nominate lawmakers based on their share of the vote. Crowds gathered outside the centers where votes were being counted. In the capital Kathmandu, supporters cheered and chanted slogans in favor of their candidates. The election is widely seen as a three-way contest, shaped by voter frustration over widespread corruption and demands for greater government accountability. The National Independent Party, founded in 2022, is considered the front-runner, posing a strong challenge to two long-dominant parties: the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). The new party’s prime ministerial candidate is rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral race and emerged as a leading figure in the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. The 35-year-old Shah, riding a wave of public anger toward traditional political parties, had highlighted health and education for poor Nepalis as a key focus of his campaign. The 2025 protests against corruption and poor governance were triggered by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular revolt against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured when protesters attacked government buildings and police opened fire on them. While the Congress and the Communists retain loyal voter bases, Shah’s party has drawn larger crowds on the campaign trail, highlighting its growing appeal among younger voters seeking an alternative.

A total of 200 Afghan prisoners were released from detention centres in Pakistan last week and have returned to Afghanistan, the country’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said on Thursday. According to the ministry, the prisoners had been held in several jails across Pakistan on different charges for periods ranging from one day to two months. They re-entered Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak border crossing in the southern Kandahar province, the ministry said. 67 Afghan security members killed in ongoing clashes, says Pakistan After arriving in the country, the returnees received emergency assistance to meet their basic needs before being sent back to their respective home areas, it added.

Millions of Nepalis are preparing to vote in crucial parliamentary elections on Thursday, the first since a violent youth-led uprising toppled the previous government and brought forward demands for sweeping reforms across the Himalayan nation. Authorities have deployed tight security nationwide, with regular police reinforced by thousands of temporary officers and army troops — usually confined to barracks — patrolling streets and guarding polling stations. The government has declared a three-day public holiday to allow voters to return home, while schools and public buildings have been converted into polling centers serving both remote Himalayan villages and urban areas in the southern plains. Youth to play decisive role The Election Commission of Nepal reported that over one million voters have been added to the rolls since 2022, many of them first-time voters who participated in last year’s protests that led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. Analysts say this young electorate is expected to significantly influence the election outcome, demanding accountability from political leaders. “This election, all political parties, whether old or new, are more focused on the youth. That is a major shift in our electoral history,” said Bhojraj Pokharel, an independent political analyst and former chief election commissioner of Nepal. Voters seek change Many citizens are seeking a break from traditional parties, calling for new leadership to combat corruption and strengthen governance. “People don’t have big expectations from those being elected. They just want corruption controlled and better governance,” said Swastika Lamichane, a 28-year-old office worker. Nepal’s FM Sharma to join  oath-taking ceremony Others expressed frustration with the political establishment. “For generations, the same old politicians and parties have been in power but have always failed us,” said Kalpana Saud, a 25-year-old housewife. Three-way contest The election is mainly a contest among three parties. The National Independent Party, formed in 2022, is seen as the frontrunner, challenging the long-dominant Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), which have alternated in power for decades. The party’s prime ministerial candidate, Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician who won Kathmandu mayoralty in 2022, has emerged as a prominent voice of discontent and enjoys strong support among young voters seeking alternatives. While the Nepali Congress and Communist Party maintain loyal voter bases, Shah’s party has drawn larger campaign crowds, signaling its growing influence. Monarchy supporters seek representation Groups advocating for the return of the monarchy also hope to win seats, citing rising public support for former king Gyanendra Shah, who remains a symbolic protector of the Hindu majority. Thousands of his supporters have rallied for his restoration, although his immediate return to power is considered unlikely. Challenges ahead for new government The incoming administration will face major challenges, including delivering on the demands of last year’s protests, tackling entrenched corruption, and managing relations with powerful neighbors India and China, both of which have historically sought influence in Nepal. “The people have very high expectations from the new government, but resources are limited, making it difficult to meet all aspirations,” said Guna Raj Luitel, editor of popular Nepalese newspaper Nagarik.