Global energy markets saw a sharp rise in oil prices, with Brent crude futures climbing by 5.7 percent to reach 114.2 dollars per barrel on Friday, March 27, according to Anadolu Agency. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures also rose by 6.18 percent, surpassing 100 dollars per barrel. Since late February, Brent prices have increased by about 45 percent, while WTI prices have grown by roughly 40 percent.

The report added that amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Russia has decided to halt petrol exports starting April 1. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak instructed the energy ministry to prepare a draft decision, with the restriction expected to remain in effect until July 31. Novak stated that the Middle East crisis has caused significant volatility in global energy markets, leading to fluctuating oil prices.

He further noted that while international demand for Russian energy remains high, maintaining domestic supply is now the government’s main priority.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the Home Minister to take strict measures against fuel hoarding and smuggling despite adequate national reserves. The order aims to prevent an artificial fuel crisis and ensure market stability. The government is currently providing a monthly subsidy of 200 crore taka to keep fuel prices steady, and Members of Parliament have been instructed to remain vigilant in their constituencies. Chief Whip Nurul Islam shared these details with reporters after a ruling party parliamentary committee meeting held on Saturday, March 28, at the National Parliament Building.

According to the Chief Whip, although global oil prices have risen due to the war situation in the Middle East, the government is making every effort to maintain domestic price stability. Reports of attempts by dishonest groups to create artificial shortages and smuggle fuel across borders have prompted the Prime Minister’s directive for a comprehensive crackdown. The meeting also discussed parliamentary committee formation, women’s reserved seats, and recent transport accidents, with ministers briefing the committee on preventive measures.

Further decisions on parliamentary committee formation are expected in the next meeting, while reports on pending bills are targeted for submission by March 30.

Authorities in Rangamati have deployed army personnel to petrol pumps to restore order following an artificial fuel shortage in the district. The deployment began on Saturday morning after large crowds gathered at the Mohsin Petrol Pump upon hearing that fuel was being distributed. The situation became difficult to control due to the heavy rush of buyers.

Under the direction of Assistant Magistrate Abu Huraira Ador and with support from the police, the army successfully brought the situation under control. Long queues of motorcyclists and people carrying bottles were seen waiting for hours to collect fuel. The district administration stated that the army would remain stationed at all petrol pumps across Rangamati to ensure discipline in fuel distribution.

According to the administration, the deployment aims to prevent hoarding and black-market sales of fuel. Officials emphasized that strict monitoring will continue to maintain order and ensure fair access to fuel supplies.

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has directed all fuel pumps across the country to display fuel supply information around the clock. The directive, announced on March 28, 2026, comes as part of efforts by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and BPC to maintain uninterrupted fuel distribution nationwide amid disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

According to a BPC press release, fuel supply operations through marketing companies are continuing smoothly. To ensure transparency and proper distribution, filling stations, packed point dealers, and petrol pumps must collect fuel from BPC depots between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day and display supply data on whiteboards in front of their premises. The displayed information must include the current month’s average fuel receipts, comparative data from the same month last year, and details of the fuel types received.

BPC’s public relations officer stated that the directive took effect on March 28, and officials are working nationwide to ensure continuous fuel supply.

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has announced a new schedule for fuel distribution from government depots. According to a press release signed by BPC Secretary Shahina Sultana on Saturday, the new timing will take effect to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply across the country. Under the revised schedule, fuel distribution from main depots will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., replacing the previous 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. window.

The change follows directives from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and BPC to maintain stable fuel supply amid disruptions caused by the ongoing war situation in the Middle East. The adjustment aims to improve coordination among marketing companies and ensure timely delivery to filling stations, packed point dealers, and fuel pumps nationwide.

The new schedule is intended to strengthen supply chain efficiency and prevent shortages during the current global energy uncertainty.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division of Bangladesh announced on Saturday, March 28, 2026, that there is no possibility of a fuel supply shortage in the country. In an official statement, the division said that fuel reserves and distribution remain normal and urged citizens not to panic or buy fuel excessively. It also warned that petrol, octane, and diesel are highly flammable and that illegal storage poses serious safety risks.

The division stated that legal action is being taken against unauthorized fuel hoarding, with mobile courts operating under executive magistrates in every district. The government has not raised fuel prices and continues to import necessary quantities from the international market to ensure uninterrupted supply. To strengthen monitoring, tag officers will be appointed at all petrol pumps, with the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation overseeing those in Dhaka and Chattogram.

Additionally, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed at fuel depots nationwide to prevent illegal storage and maintain orderly distribution. The deployment follows instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs in response to global fuel market instability caused by the ongoing Middle East crisis.

The price of Kuwaiti crude oil has risen sharply, exceeding $118 per barrel, according to Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA. The report said the price increased by $8.10 to reach $118.93 per barrel. The surge is linked to the ongoing war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, which has disrupted global energy markets.

Tensions in the region have severely affected oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks or threats have nearly halted tanker movements. This strait handles about one-fifth of global energy exports, making its disruption a critical factor in the recent price spike.

The conflict has destabilized supply chains and heightened fears of a global energy crisis as the Strait of Hormuz becomes increasingly insecure, raising concerns about further economic strain worldwide.

The government has decided to appoint one tag officer at every petrol pump across the country to enhance supervision and coordination of fuel management activities amid the current global context. The decision was made during an online meeting chaired by Mohammad Saiful Islam, Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, on Friday.

According to the meeting resolution, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will appoint tag officers for petrol pumps in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas. Outside these cities, district commissioners and upazila executive officers will assign government officials as tag officers for each petrol pump within their jurisdictions. These officers will operate under procedures set by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and BPC, submitting daily reports.

All relevant offices and agencies have been requested to appoint the designated officers and send the information to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division as per the directive.

Incidents of fuel hoarding have increased across Bangladesh, prompting government action to prevent artificial shortages. Authorities have launched strict enforcement drives, leading to the detection and punishment of those storing large quantities of fuel illegally. In Sherpur, a mobile court fined a trader for storing 18,000 liters of diesel in a residential building without environmental clearance. In Jamalpur, police seized 3,010 liters of petrol and arrested 11 people for black-market sales, filing a case against 17 suspects.

In Chuadanga, officials reported no real fuel shortage but noted that panic buying by consumers fearing price hikes has intensified. Filling stations are struggling to manage the surge in demand, with daily sales rising significantly. In Gazipur’s Kapasia, a trader was fined for selling fuel above the government-fixed price, while in Tangail’s Sakhipur, two traders received five-day jail terms for illegal fuel storage and sales.

Officials stated that monitoring will continue to stabilize market prices and prevent exploitation of consumers through overpricing or hoarding.

The BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has launched an ambitious plan to create one crore jobs within the first 18 months of its tenure, prioritizing employment as a key election pledge. The plan targets nine priority sectors including industry, agriculture, information technology, SMEs, overseas employment, energy, retail trade, blue economy, and the informal sector. Ministries have been instructed to prepare coordinated action plans, with specific performance checklists to monitor progress.

Experts have praised the initiative’s scale but warned that achieving such a large employment target in a short time poses a serious challenge, especially amid global instability caused by the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran. The government’s plan includes reopening closed factories, waiving agricultural loans for 1.25 million farmers, and expanding IT training and startup support. It also envisions 600,000 green jobs through tree planting and waste management programs.

Analysts and business leaders, however, question the feasibility of the timeline, citing high energy costs, banking sector weaknesses, and limited foreign investment. They urge the government to adopt realistic strategies, create a favorable investment climate, and strengthen skilled workforce development.

As the United States-Israeli war on Iran enters its fourth week, global oil and gas markets face mounting pressure due to the near-total halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, which normally carries 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas, has seen traffic plunge by more than 95 percent since Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared it closed to certain nations. About 2,000 ships remain stranded, while some vessels from India, Pakistan, China, and Malaysia have been granted limited passage after securing Tehran’s approval.

In response, regional producers are turning to three key pipelines to bypass the strait: Saudi Arabia’s East-West Petroline, the UAE’s Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, and Iraq’s Kirkuk-Ceyhan line to Turkiye. Combined, these routes can move around 9 million barrels per day—less than half the 20 million normally shipped through Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has sharply increased Petroline flows, but risks persist from potential Houthi attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The UAE’s Fujairah exports have risen modestly, while Iraq’s pipeline remains underused.

Despite these efforts, analysts note that the pipelines’ limited capacity and vulnerability to missile and drone strikes mean they cannot fully replace the disrupted seaborne exports.

A vessel named MV Ubon Naree carrying 62,150 tons of wheat from the United States has arrived at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port, marking the second phase of wheat imports under a government-to-government arrangement. The Food Ministry announced the arrival in a press release on Friday, noting that sample testing of the wheat has already begun and unloading preparations are underway.

Of the total shipment, 37,290 tons will be unloaded at Chattogram port and the remaining 24,860 tons at Mongla port. The ministry confirmed that all wheat contracted under the agreements has now reached Bangladesh. Earlier, the first shipment brought in 58,457 metric tons of wheat.

According to the ministry, Bangladesh’s annual wheat demand stands at around 7 million tons, while domestic production is about 1 million tons. The remaining demand is met through imports by both government and private sectors.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has initiated the process for disbursing Boishakhi allowances to MPO-listed teachers and employees across Bangladesh ahead of the Bengali New Year. The electronic fund transfer (EFT) bill submission option has been activated in the DSHE’s software, allowing institutions to submit bills online. This move is expected to ensure timely payments and remove uncertainty for several hundred thousand teachers and staff before the festival.

According to the DSHE’s EMIS Cell, the activation of the online submission system aims to prevent technical complications and guarantee that all eligible recipients receive their allowances on schedule. EMIS Cell programmer Md. Zahir Uddin urged teachers and employees to submit their bills as soon as possible to expedite the process.

While the Boishakhi allowance process is progressing, the proposal for March salaries has not yet reached the Ministry of Education. Bill submissions for March salaries began on Wednesday and will continue until Saturday, after which the verified bills are expected to be sent to the ministry by mid or late next week.

A total of 5,000 metric tons of diesel arrived in Bangladesh from India’s Numaligarh Refinery in Assam through a cross-border pipeline, reaching the Parbatipur railhead depot in Dinajpur late Thursday night. The delivery was confirmed Friday by the depot’s assistant in-charge, who said the transfer took about 60 hours. The diesel was distributed Friday morning to the Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna depots, with Padma receiving 18,500 metric tons.

According to official sources, the pipeline was established under a 15-year agreement signed on October 22, 2017, between Bangladesh and India to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply for irrigation and transport in eight northern districts. The agreement allows Bangladesh to import up to 180,000 metric tons of diesel in 2026. So far, 5,000 metric tons arrived in February and another 5,000 on March 11.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has proposed importing an additional 50,000 tons of diesel through the same pipeline within the next four months to meet growing demand.

The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has announced that individuals providing specific information about illegal fuel stockpiling will receive rewards. The decision, disclosed on Friday, March 27, 2026, aims to prevent an artificial fuel crisis across the country. Vigilance teams have already been formed in all districts to monitor fuel supply and identify illegal storage activities.

According to the ministry, a formal reward announcement will be made soon to encourage citizens to share concrete complaints and suggestions. Field-level operations have begun to curb illegal hoarding, including a raid in Chattogram’s Patenga area where approximately 6,000 liters of diesel stored in 30 drums were seized.

Authorities stated that district administrations are now taking strict measures to maintain discipline in the energy sector and ensure normal supply. All fuel depots, petrol pumps, and traders are under close surveillance, and similar operations will continue regularly in the public interest.