Bangladesh is struggling to manage a worsening fuel supply crisis triggered by the ongoing Middle East war and rising global oil prices. Despite government assurances of adequate reserves, long queues persist at petrol stations, and dealers report receiving only half of their required petrol and octane. The government earlier introduced and then withdrew a rationing system, claiming the situation had normalized. However, conflicting statements from ministries, distributors, and fuel station owners continue to create public confusion.

Energy experts attribute the crisis to a lack of coordination among government departments, state-owned enterprises, and private distributors. They argue that the government failed to take timely, unified action after the outbreak of the conflict, which has disrupted global supply chains. The International Energy Agency (IEA) had warned of severe global shortages and issued ten recommendations, but experts say these were not considered by the authorities.

Experts urge the government to prioritize essential sectors such as agriculture, promote fuel-efficient practices, and encourage public transport use. They warn that ignoring the crisis could deepen its impact on the economy and daily life.

A Krishak Dal leader named Abul Kashem, aged 45, was hacked and beaten to death on Wednesday night in Kullagacha Bhaturia village under Harinakundu upazila of Jhenaidah district. Kashem, who served as the general secretary of the Kapashhatia Union unit of the Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal, was attacked by a group of assailants while walking in front of his house around 8:30 p.m. Locals rescued him and took him to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital, where he died around 9:30 p.m. while undergoing treatment.

Jhenaidah district Jubo Dal general secretary Ashraful Islam Pintu alleged that members of Jamaat-e-Islami were responsible for the killing and demanded a proper investigation and exemplary punishment for those involved. Harinakundu Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Kibria Hasan confirmed the incident and said multiple police teams were working to identify the perpetrators. Additional police forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

Police investigations are ongoing, and authorities have assured that efforts are being made to bring the killers to justice.

Former lieutenant general Masud Uddin Chowdhury, a controversial figure in Bangladesh’s military and political history, has been arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) police in Dhaka. He faces multiple charges including human trafficking, embezzlement, and murder. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case accusing him of misappropriating Tk 119 crore from workers seeking employment in Malaysia. A Dhaka court has scheduled a hearing on April 9 to decide whether he will be shown arrested in the ACC case. He was previously remanded for five days in a separate human trafficking case.

Masud’s career spans from allegations of relief theft during the 1974 famine to senior military and diplomatic positions, including serving as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Australia. He later entered business and politics, becoming a Member of Parliament from Feni-3 under the Jatiya Party. Authorities allege he built a vast financial network through illegal recruiting and money laundering operations involving thousands of migrant workers.

Investigators say the scale of his financial dealings and international links make the probe complex. Social media users have demanded a fair investigation and justice for victims defrauded in overseas employment schemes.

A special court in New Delhi has remanded two Bangladeshi nationals, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, to the custody of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) for 11 days. The pair were arrested in West Bengal and brought to Delhi on transit remand before being presented in court on Tuesday. They are accused of involvement in the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of the Bangladeshi Inquilab Mancha, who was shot dead in Dhaka on December 12, 2025. Authorities said the suspects entered India illegally through the Meghalaya border and were detained while attempting to return to Bangladesh via Bongaon.

During the hearing, the NIA argued that the illegal entry could be linked to a larger conspiracy requiring detailed investigation. The court also raised questions about its jurisdiction over the case. Investigators suspect that the murder might have international dimensions and that the accused may have received shelter or assistance while in India.

Indian intelligence agencies are also examining whether the case is connected to a broader sabotage plan, which has drawn attention to security and diplomatic implications between India and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s women’s wing and Islami Chhatra Shibir have expressed deep sorrow and concern over the fatal bus accident at the Daulatdia ferry ghat in Rajbari. In separate statements issued on Thursday, both organizations conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the recovery of the injured. The women’s wing, led by secretary Nurunnisa Siddika, urged authorities to intensify rescue operations involving the Navy, Fire Service, and Coast Guard, ensure medical and psychological support for survivors, modernize ferry terminal safety, and provide financial compensation to affected families.

The Islami Chhatra Shibir leadership, including president Nurul Islam and secretary general Sibgatullah, cited media reports that the passenger bus plunged into the Padma River on Wednesday afternoon while boarding a pontoon, leaving at least 18 dead and many missing. They called for swift rescue efforts, a high-level impartial investigation, and accountability if negligence is found. The group also highlighted the rising number of transport accidents across Bangladesh and urged modernization of the country’s transport safety systems.

Both organizations emphasized the need for stronger oversight and safety reforms to prevent further tragedies on Bangladesh’s roads and waterways.

A journalist in Lakshmipur’s Komolnagar upazila has reported receiving a death threat online after posting a video about alleged canal encroachment during a government excavation program. Amzad Hossain Amu, the Komolnagar correspondent of the newspaper Amar Desh, filed a general diary with the local police on Tuesday night, accusing local BNP leader Sekantar Alam of issuing the threat through a Facebook comment.

According to the report, Amu visited the Koraitola Bazar area on March 24 to gather information about the Water Development Board’s alleged filling of a waterbody for shop construction. He later posted a 1-minute-35-second video on Facebook criticizing the encroachment. The video drew thousands of views and dozens of comments, including one from Sekantar Alam containing abusive language and a death threat. Alam later claimed his Facebook account had been hacked and said he planned to file a court case, without specifying details.

Komolnagar BNP president Nurul Huda Chowdhury stated that Alam no longer holds any party position and left the BNP years ago. Police confirmed the general diary and said legal action would be taken.

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary-General John Denton has warned that the world is heading toward the most severe industrial crisis in recent memory, driven by the ongoing United States-Israel war in Iran. Speaking on Wednesday in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Denton said the current energy crisis is far more serious than the oil shock of the 1970s, with global industries facing unprecedented disruption.

According to Denton, the crisis extends beyond soaring energy prices. Severe shortages of gas and other essential raw materials are crippling and displacing industrial production worldwide. The blockade in the Strait of Hormuz has halted the supply of fertilizers and agricultural inputs, threatening to drastically reduce crop yields in the next harvest season and endangering global food security.

Denton emphasized that the global trade environment is being redefined by conflict and geopolitical tensions. He called for a strong and effective multilateral trade system to help overcome the crisis.

A businessman named Md. Selim Khan, aged 32, was found dead by suicide at his residence in the Sigma Paradise building, Flat 9-C, located in the Khilbari Tek area of Bhatara, Dhaka. According to police, he had been mentally distressed due to family and business-related issues. Sub-Inspector Hasmat Ali of Bhatara Police Station recovered the hanging body on Wednesday morning, March 25, 2026, after breaking open the door. The body was later sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy.

Police reported that Selim Khan had been drinking at a bar in Gulshan from around 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday night before returning home at 3 a.m. He was later found hanging from a ceiling fan with a rope by Mizanur Rahman, who informed the police. Neighbour Abul Rabbi said Selim lived with his second wife, Afroza Sultana Shova, who was not home during the incident. Selim Khan was originally from Shibchar upazila in Madaripur district and was involved in the travel agency business.

Bangladesh Bank has issued new directives to resolve letter of credit (LC) complications in importing essential energy, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The central bank’s Banking Regulation and Policy Department (BRPD)-2 released a circular on Wednesday, aiming to maintain smooth energy supply across the country. The order temporarily suspends certain provisions of Section 26Ka(1) of the Bank Company Act, 1991, which restricts bank loans to a single person, institution, or group for energy imports.

According to the circular, the suspension will remain effective until December 31, 2026. During this period, Bangladesh Bank will determine the new upper limit replacing the previous 25 percent cap mentioned in the Act. The directive was issued under the authority granted by Section 121 of the Bank Company Act and has been sent to managing directors and chief executive officers of all scheduled banks.

The move is intended to ease financing constraints for energy importers and ensure uninterrupted fuel supply in the domestic market through year-end 2026.

A fire broke out in the power car of the Dhaka-bound Chattala Express train near the BMA Gate area of Faujdarhat in Sitakunda on Thursday morning. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. while the train was moving. Smoke and flames were seen coming from the power car, prompting railway authorities to stop the train and evacuate passengers immediately. The fire was brought under control without any reported casualties or serious injuries.

According to the Eastern Railway’s general manager, the power car was quickly detached from the passenger coaches to prevent the fire from spreading. A technical committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire. Passengers described panic inside the train as smoke filled the compartments, but emergency measures helped avoid a major accident.

Railway officials said an alternative power car is being arranged to resume the train’s journey to Dhaka. Rescue and recovery operations are ongoing to ensure passenger safety and restore normal service.

Bangladesh’s Department of Narcotics Control has uncovered a large-scale illegal ketamine production laboratory in a residential area of Uttara, Dhaka. The operation, led by Deputy Director Md. Mehedi Hasan of the divisional intelligence office, began early Wednesday, March 25, 2026, and remains ongoing. Authorities seized a fully equipped lab, raw materials, chemicals, and a significant quantity of prepared ketamine. Three foreign nationals were arrested at the scene.

Investigators said the arrested individuals are members of an organized network involved in the illegal production and distribution of ketamine in the capital. Preliminary findings suggest possible links to international drug networks. Officials described the site as a major production center using modern equipment to manufacture the drug.

A case under the Narcotics Control Act is being processed, and authorities are interrogating the detainees to identify their associates and broader network. Law enforcement agencies have announced plans to intensify similar operations against drug production and supply rings in Dhaka.

A young man named Jumman Hossain was killed when a freight lorry struck a parked motorcycle in Fatullah, Narayanganj, on Wednesday morning. Another youth, Arman, was seriously injured and later admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The accident occurred in the Prosannagar cluster village of Boktabali Union under Fatullah Police Station. Jumman was the son of Mobarak Hossain from the same village.

According to initial information, Jumman and Arman had parked their motorcycle near a roadside tea stall and were drinking tea when the lorry lost control and ran over them. Both sustained injuries and were first taken to Khanpur Hospital, where doctors declared Jumman dead. The lorry driver fled the scene immediately after the crash.

Sub-Inspector Shahidul Islam of Fatullah Model Police Station said Jumman’s body was sent to Narayanganj General Hospital morgue for autopsy, and legal procedures regarding the incident are underway.

Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani announced that Bangladesh currently holds a one-month reserve of fuel oil, exceeding the usual 15-day stock. He said the government is working to further increase reserves to ensure supply stability. The statement came during a press briefing at the Secretariat following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Gani explained that the Prime Minister reviewed the national energy situation, assessing ministry actions and available resources. He urged the public not to panic-buy fuel, noting that excessive purchases could lead to waste. The government has approved the purchase of two LNG cargoes through the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement to maintain energy supply amid international market challenges.

Addressing rumors of possible fuel price hikes, the Cabinet Secretary said he was unaware of any such plans or indications. He also clarified that all types of fuel currently have sufficient reserves and that international jet fuel price increases have not directly affected domestic pricing.

A woman named Bonani Shikdar, wife of police officer Subrata Shikdar, was allegedly beaten to death by neighbors in Madaripur’s Bahadurpur Union following a dispute over children setting off firecrackers. The incident occurred in Rakhalhati village, where Bonani was struck with a plowing stick by neighbor Montu Shikdar after an argument. She was seriously injured and later died on Tuesday night while being taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

According to relatives and locals, the conflict began on March 19 when sparks from a firecracker landed on the clothes of Montu Shikdar’s wife, leading to a heated exchange. Police from the Srinadi outpost recovered the body and sent it for autopsy. A written complaint was filed by the victim’s family at the local police station.

Madaripur Sadar Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam Azad confirmed that a case was filed by the victim’s husband and three suspects were arrested, while efforts to apprehend the remaining accused are ongoing.

India has resumed importing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Iran for the first time in several years, despite ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters, the shipment became possible after the United States temporarily eased sanctions on Iranian oil and energy exports. The sanctioned tanker named 'Aurora', carrying Iranian LPG, is expected to arrive soon at Mangalore port on India’s western coast. The cargo will be distributed among three state-owned energy companies: Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation.

India had halted energy imports from Iran in 2019 due to pressure from Western sanctions. The renewed trade comes as energy transport through the Hormuz Strait has been disrupted following the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, leaving India among the most affected countries.

The development highlights India’s efforts to secure energy supplies amid regional instability and fluctuating global sanctions policies.