Bangladesh’s aviation sector is facing severe pressure after the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) raised jet fuel prices twice in March 2026, increasing the domestic rate from 112.41 to 202.29 taka per liter and the international rate from 0.7384 to 1.3216 dollars per liter. The 80 percent rise within just 16 days has forced private airlines to raise fares by up to 1,200 taka on domestic routes and more on international ones. Airlines warn that several routes may be suspended due to declining passenger demand and rising operational costs.

Industry representatives, including the Aviation Operators Association of Bangladesh, have criticized the price hike as unjustified, noting that Bangladesh’s jet fuel prices are now far higher than in neighboring countries. They argue that there is no supply shortage, as 25 oil tankers arrived recently with fuel purchased at previous rates. Experts warn that the sudden increase will strain airline finances, reduce passenger growth, and disrupt operational stability.

The higher fuel costs are also expected to affect cargo transport and overall economic activity, particularly for smaller and newer airlines struggling to manage expenses.

India faces severe economic and humanitarian risks from the ongoing Iran war and the prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, despite not being directly involved in the conflict. The strait handles about one-third of global seaborne oil exports, and India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, relies on it for around 2.5 million barrels of crude oil daily. The disruption has already raised global fertilizer prices and threatens India’s agricultural production and food supply.

Nearly 90 percent of India’s crude oil demand is imported, and about half of its annual 9 million tons of urea comes from the Middle East, mainly Oman and Saudi Arabia. The closure of Hormuz has also disrupted liquefied natural gas shipments from Qatar, affecting domestic fertilizer production. Rising fertilizer costs have pushed government subsidies to record levels, while reduced fertilizer use could lower crop yields and increase food prices, potentially driving millions into poverty.

If the conflict continues, India’s GDP growth could fall from 7 to 6 percent, with inflation and current account deficits worsening. Analysts say the crisis exposes India’s dependence on fragile supply chains and underscores the need for long-term food security reforms.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Saim, the prime accused in the widely discussed Munna murder case in Bogura. The arrest was made during a joint operation by RAB-12 Bogura and RAB-1 Uttara, Dhaka. The development was confirmed at a press briefing held at the RAB-12 Bogura camp on Thursday night, March 26, 2026, by Squadron Leader Firoz Ahmed, the company commander.

According to RAB, Saim, aged 36, is the son of the late Azizur Rahman from Shaharpukur area of Fapore Union in Bogura Sadar. The victim, Ariful Islam Munna, aged 43, was from the same union’s Khandkarpara area. Preliminary investigation revealed that both men were involved in drug trading and had disputes over drug transactions. Munna had also filed a cheque fraud case against Saim months earlier, which is still under trial.

RAB reported that Saim attacked Munna with a sharp Burmese knife on March 23, leading to Munna’s death the next morning. After remaining fugitive, Saim was captured in Dhaka’s Turag area and handed over to Bogura Sadar Police for legal proceedings.

Five people, including four members of the same family, were killed in a road accident on Thursday evening in the Kalakchua area of Burichong upazila, Cumilla, along the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. in front of the Miami Hotel when a Chattogram-bound Star Line bus hit a private car from behind, crushing the vehicle. Four people died on the spot, and another succumbed to injuries later.

Police confirmed that the deceased were Mufti Abdul Momin, 50, his wife Jharna Begum, 40, their children Saif, 7, and Labiba, 18, all residents of Chatarpaiya in Noakhali’s Sonaimuri upazila, and the car’s driver Jamal Hossain, 52, from Barishal. Another family member, Abrar, 12, was injured and is receiving treatment at Moynamoti Army General Hospital.

Authorities said two bodies were kept at Eastern Medical College Hospital and two at Cumilla Medical College Hospital. The victims were returning to Dhaka when the accident occurred. Police reported that traffic on the highway remained normal and that the bodies would be handed over to the families after legal procedures.

Police in Faridpur arrested Mohammad Tahsin Islam Siam, 23, also known as Teko Siam, who served as the assistant general secretary of the district unit of the banned Chhatra League. The arrest took place around 10 p.m. on Thursday near the Textile Engineering College on the city’s bypass road. A team from Kotwali Police Station carried out the operation.

According to police, Siam had previously been jailed in connection with a vandalism case at Kotwali Police Station. After being released on bail, he allegedly became involved in several violent incidents in the area. Officers detained him after responding to a report of a fight. Siam is the son of Mostafizur Rahman from the city’s West Khobaspur area.

Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Shahidul Islam confirmed the arrest and stated that multiple cases were already filed against Siam. He will be presented before the court on Friday.

Several houses belonging to 10–12 Jamaat-e-Islami activists were vandalized and set on fire in Harinakundu upazila of Jhenaidah on Wednesday night. The attack reportedly followed the death of Abul Kashem, general secretary of the Kapashhatia Union Krishak Dal, with allegations that BNP supporters carried out the violence. Fire service units brought the blaze under control, and multiple homes, including those of Jamaat leaders Abdul Aziz, Nayeb Ali, and Matiar Rahman, were damaged.

Following the incident, the victim’s son filed a complaint naming 12 individuals and 10–15 unidentified persons, though police have yet to register the case. The BNP and its affiliated organizations held a protest rally demanding the arrest of those responsible for Kashem’s death. Police said the conflict began over a Facebook post that led to a dispute between BNP and Jamaat supporters, resulting in Kashem’s death during a clash.

In response, local Jamaat leaders denied involvement, claiming the death stemmed from a family dispute and accusing BNP activists of exploiting the situation for political gain.

Former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Lt Gen (retd) Sheikh Mamun Khaled was arrested late Wednesday night from his residence in Mirpur DOHS, Dhaka, by the Detective Branch (DB) police. On Thursday, a Dhaka court granted a five-day remand in connection with the July murder case, where he is accused of ordering armed attacks that killed Delwar Hossain. The court decision followed a DB request for seven days of remand, citing the need for intensive interrogation.

According to the prosecution, Mamun Khaled was a key figure in the controversial 1/11 government and later served as DGFI chief during the Awami League era. He faces multiple allegations, including misuse of DGFI for political repression, corruption in the Jalshiri housing project, and involvement in secret detention centers such as “Aynaghar.” Journalist Syed Abdal Ahmad also accused him of torture during the 1/11 period. The prosecution claims he played a role in evicting former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence and in orchestrating violence against student protesters.

Mamun Khaled denied all allegations in court, asserting he was not present at the crime scene and had no political involvement since retirement. His lawyers sought bail, arguing his name was not in the case’s initial report.

Farmers in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar district are set to receive farmer cards as part of a government pilot project covering 11 upazilas in 10 districts. The initiative aims to distribute 21,500 cards in the first phase, with 834 farmers from Phultala Union in Juri selected to receive them. The cards will be provided to landless, marginal, and small farmers to help them access annual cash incentives for agricultural activities, fisheries, livestock, and input support.

Moulvibazar district has 127,994 hectares of cultivable land, of which 93,596 hectares remain fallow annually. Officials expect that the farmer card program will encourage cultivation on previously unused land, boosting local food production. Farmers have welcomed the initiative, calling it a landmark step for agricultural development. They noted that the government has already waived agricultural loans and launched canal excavation programs to improve irrigation.

According to the district agriculture extension office, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the farmer card program on April 14, marking its official rollout in the selected upazilas. The department expects the scheme to expand gradually across all upazilas in the district.

Two motorcyclists were killed and another was seriously injured when a passenger bus hit two motorcycles on the Cox’s Bazar–Chattogram highway in Chakaria upazila early Thursday, March 26, 2026. The accident occurred in the Baniarchhara area of Baraitali Union. Police confirmed the incident after being informed by locals.

According to local sources, a ‘Lal Sobuj Paribahan’ bus traveling from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar was moving at high speed when it struck two motorcycles from behind in the same lane. The collision killed two riders on one motorcycle on the spot and left another rider from the second motorcycle critically injured. The deceased were identified as Shariful Islam, 30, and Raisul Islam Shishir, 30, both from Uttarkhan Atipara in Dhaka. The injured person was taken to Chakaria Upazila Health Complex, but his identity was not known.

Police from Chiringa Highway Station reached the scene, brought the situation under control, and confirmed that the bus driver fled after the crash. Legal proceedings are underway.

The Indian government has urged citizens not to engage in panic buying of fuel, asserting that the country has sufficient reserves of crude oil, petrol, and diesel. The appeal came as long queues formed at fuel stations across India despite official assurances. The government’s statement followed a sharp rise in global oil prices triggered by Iran’s restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Sujata Sharma, a senior official at India’s Petroleum Ministry, stated that there is no shortage of fuel and asked the public not to believe rumors. However, reports from various parts of the country indicated that many people continued to crowd fuel pumps, fearing potential shortages. One commuter told AFP that he had to wait nearly an hour to refuel.

The government’s reassurance aims to stabilize public sentiment and prevent unnecessary strain on fuel distribution networks as global energy markets remain volatile due to geopolitical tensions involving Iran.

Five people, including the driver of a private car, were killed in a collision between a Star Line Paribahan bus and a private car in front of Miami Hotel at Kalakchua in Burichong upazila of Cumilla. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. on Thursday, according to Md. Abdul Mumin, officer-in-charge of the Mainamati Highway Police Station. He confirmed that all the deceased were residents of Sonaiamuri upazila in Noakhali district.

Local sources said the Chattogram-bound bus hit the private car from behind, leaving the vehicle completely wrecked. Four of the bodies were taken to Eastern Medical College Hospital and Cumilla Medical College Hospital. One person was also injured in the crash. Police have contacted the victims’ relatives, who are on their way to the scene.

Traffic movement on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway remained normal after the accident, according to the highway police official.

The Ministry of Shipping has formed a six-member investigation committee following a fatal bus accident at Daulatdia Ghat in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila. The incident occurred on March 25 when a passenger bus fell into the Padma River while boarding a ferry. According to the ministry’s order issued on Thursday, at least 26 people have been confirmed dead, and the toll may rise further.

The committee is led by Additional Secretary Md. Mahidul Islam of the Ministry of Shipping. Other members include representatives from the Rajbari district administration, the river police, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), and the Fire Service and Civil Defence Department. The committee has been tasked with identifying the cause of the accident and determining those responsible.

The ministry has instructed the committee to submit its report within three working days. It may co-opt additional members if necessary to complete the investigation.

World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has warned that the global trading system is facing its most severe disruption in 80 years. She made the remark during the opening session of the WTO ministerial conference, emphasizing the scale of the challenges confronting the global economy.

The warning comes as global energy markets experience turmoil following U.S.-Israeli attacks in Iran. Tehran has nearly halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route that handles about 20 percent of the world’s energy supply. This disruption has intensified instability in global energy flows and heightened concerns about broader economic impacts.

The WTO chief’s statement underscores the growing strain on international trade and supply chains, with energy insecurity adding to existing global economic pressures.

A Rohingya youth was seriously injured when a landmine exploded inside Myanmar near the Ukhiya border in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday afternoon. The explosion occurred in the Chakmakata area along the Naf River, opposite the Palongkhali Border Outpost (BOP). The blast severed one of the victim’s legs. The injured man, identified as Mohammad Shahid, 26, from Block 5-E of Camp 16 in Ukhiya, was rescued by locals and given initial medical treatment.

According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the explosion took place about 2.5 kilometers southeast of the BRM-19 pillar and roughly 2 kilometers northeast of the Palongkhali BOP, inside Myanmar territory. Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of the 64 BGB Battalion, confirmed that the injured man had entered Myanmar before the explosion and later returned near the border area.

Authorities are investigating why the youth entered Myanmar. The BGB stated that necessary actions will be taken after the investigation is complete.

A construction worker named Samaul Islam, aged 55, died after being buried under a soil collapse in Chowgacha upazila of Jashore on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred at Sonu Doctor Mor in Chowgacha town while piling work was underway at an under-construction building. Samaul, a resident of Godadharpur village in Swarupdaha Union, was the son of Chatur Ali.

According to eyewitnesses, the soil suddenly caved in during the piling work, leaving Samaul trapped and injured. He was rescued and taken first to Chowgacha Hospital and later transferred to Jashore General Hospital for advanced treatment. He succumbed to his injuries around 3 p.m. while undergoing treatment.

Police confirmed the incident, and the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for further procedures.