A severe fuel shortage has spread across Bangladesh as most petrol pumps remain closed or impose strict rationing due to global war-related supply disruptions. Reports from Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Cumilla, Barishal, Cox’s Bazar, and Mymensingh show long queues, limited distribution, and widespread public suffering. In Rajshahi, pumps have run out of fuel since Monday, while in Khulna and Cumilla, drivers wait for hours only to receive small amounts. In Rangpur, allegations surfaced that some dealers are selling fuel on the black market at inflated prices.

The crisis began after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran led to the closure of the Hormuz Strait, pushing global oil prices above $100 per barrel. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) introduced rationing by vehicle type to manage the shortage, but supply gaps forced many stations to shut down. Local pump associations have urged authorities to deploy the army to prevent chaos during fuel distribution.

Officials and pump owners expect partial improvement within days, though uncertainty remains about when normal supply will resume.

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to European Union countries, the sector’s largest destination, dropped sharply at the start of 2026. According to Eurostat data, exports in January 2026 fell by 25.25 percent year-on-year to 1.43 billion euros, down from 1.91 billion euros in January 2025. The decline was driven by a 17.49 percent fall in export volume and a 9.41 percent drop in average price per kilogram. Industry stakeholders expressed concern that a prolonged downturn in the EU market could negatively affect Bangladesh’s overall economy, as nearly half of its export earnings come from this region.

Analysts attributed the slump to weaker consumer demand in Europe, rising living costs, higher interest rates, and slower retail sales. Increased competition from China, India, Vietnam, and other exporters has also intensified price pressure. Other major suppliers, including Turkey and China, also saw export declines. Former BGMEA director Mohiuddin Rubel noted that EU apparel imports overall fell by about 15.48 percent in January, reflecting a broader market slowdown.

Industry representatives urged swift policy action, emphasizing product diversification, higher value addition, stronger trade diplomacy, and exploring new markets to sustain export growth.

Israel has incurred more than $57 billion in economic losses due to its two-year-long military campaign in Gaza, according to the Bank of Israel’s 2025 annual report, as cited by Bloomberg. The report states that from 2023 to 2025, the country lost about 177 billion shekels, equivalent to roughly 8.6 percent of its gross domestic product. The majority of this loss was attributed to the Gaza conflict.

The report did not include the economic effects of Israel’s ongoing war with Iran, which involves Israeli airstrikes and retaliatory attacks. Earlier in March, Israel’s wartime cabinet approved a revised 2026 budget allocating an additional $13 billion to fund the war. The Bank of Israel also noted that trade with eight European Union countries criticizing Israeli strikes on Iran fell by $1.5 billion in 2025.

The report further warned that exports to countries taking a critical stance toward Israel could continue to decline, reflecting early signs of reduced trade activity.

The Bangladesh government has initiated the process of purchasing 1.8 million tons of diesel from the international spot market to address the ongoing fuel crisis. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has already begun discussions with several international suppliers, including two American companies and one based in Hong Kong. The procurement will follow current global market prices, which have surged sharply in recent weeks. BPC’s board has approved proposals to buy diesel from four companies, including Maxwell International SPC, AP Energy Investments Ltd, Superstar International Group Ltd, and DBS Trading House FZE.

Global diesel prices have fluctuated dramatically, rising from around 85 dollars per barrel in late February to over 213 dollars by late March. Officials said the government is cautious about fixed-price contracts due to potential price drops if U.S.-Iran talks progress. Despite high import costs, the government has no immediate plan to raise domestic fuel prices, raising concerns about subsidy burdens. BPC’s reserves have dropped to cover only six to seven days of demand, leading to pump closures and long queues nationwide.

Authorities expect new shipments to arrive soon and are optimistic that the crisis will ease once additional consignments reach the country.

A sudden and intense hailstorm on Tuesday night caused extensive damage to Boro rice fields across the haor regions of Kishoreganj, leaving thousands of farmers in Austagram, Itna, and Mithamain deeply worried. The storm, which began around 8 p.m. with strong winds and heavy rain, lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes and struck during a critical growth stage for the rice crop.

Farmers reported that the hail severely battered the rice plants, breaking stems and damaging the developing panicles, which could significantly reduce yields. Local farmer Nurul Islam Laldhon expressed sorrow, saying that hopes for a bumper harvest this year may be shattered by the untimely storm. The full extent of the damage will become clearer after field inspections.

Austagram Upazila Agriculture Officer Abhijit Sarkar said hail was reported in three unions of the upazila. He noted that officials would begin field visits early in the morning to assess the actual scale of the losses.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Md. Helal Uddin, the gatekeeper accused in the case filed over the train and bus collision in Cumilla that killed 12 people. The arrest took place on Tuesday evening in the Shankuchail area of Burichang upazila, near the border. The arrest was confirmed by Tahura Jannat, Superintendent of Police of the Chattogram Railway region, who said that efforts are ongoing to capture the other fugitive accused, Mehedi Hasan.

Following the incident, RAB launched a shadow investigation. Authorities stated that detailed information will be shared in a press briefing after Helal Uddin’s interrogation. The collision occurred at around 3 a.m. on March 21 at the Padua Bazar rail crossing in Cumilla, resulting in 12 deaths. Injured passenger Shefali Akter filed a case with the Laksam Railway Police Station, naming Helal Uddin and Mehedi Hasan as the accused.

Police officials said further details about the investigation and the circumstances of the crash will be disclosed tomorrow.

A violent clash erupted on Tuesday night between two rival groups from Deopara and Shekhpur villages in Chandraganj, Lakshmipur, reportedly over local dominance. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. near the BNP office at Afzal Road in Chandraganj West Bazar. During the exchange of gunfire, a passerby named Abdur Rahim, aged 55, was shot in the leg, while Saiful Islam Manik, 19, was beaten with a chain. Chandraganj Union Chhatra Dal joint convener Yakub Munna Ripon was also injured in the attack.

Witnesses and local sources said the confrontation followed a dispute between the two villages the previous day. The Deopara group was reportedly led by Rakib Patwary, who was armed and facing murder and weapons charges, while the Shekhpur group was led by a man named Mitul. Locals rescued the injured and took them to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital.

Hospital authorities confirmed that Abdur Rahim was later transferred to Noakhali General Hospital for further treatment, while Manik remained under observation. Police said they had received reports of the shooting but were yet to gather full details.

QatarEnergy has declared a force majeure on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies as the ongoing war in the Middle East severely disrupts energy production and delivery systems. According to Al Jazeera, the company announced the legal measure on Tuesday, applying it to several long-term supply contracts with major customers including Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China.

The force majeure clause allows a party to suspend contractual obligations due to unforeseen events such as war or natural disasters. Similar declarations have recently been made by petroleum companies in Kuwait and Bahrain. The decision follows escalating instability in the region after U.S. and Israeli attacks in Iran on February 28, which have pushed the global energy market into deep uncertainty.

The closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and repeated Iranian missile and drone strikes on oil and gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf have further intensified supply risks, heightening global concerns over energy security.

A Dhaka court has granted a four-day remand for Md. Abdus Salam, who was arrested for allegedly impersonating the Prime Minister’s Personal Secretary (PS) to commit fraud. The order was issued on Tuesday by Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid after a hearing. The court rejected Salam’s bail plea and approved the remand request submitted by the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Md. Bulbul Ahmed of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

According to the case details, Salam had long been using the false identity of the Prime Minister’s PS to engage in various fraudulent activities, including illegal financial transactions and recruitment scams in government and private offices. Following reports and verified evidence reaching different levels of government, an investigation was launched. Based on confirmed information, a law enforcement team conducted a raid early in the morning at Salam’s residence in Agargaon and arrested him.

The remand will allow investigators to question Salam further to uncover the extent of his fraudulent operations and identify possible accomplices, according to the case proceedings.

An abandoned house belonging to Aminul Islam Akash, a Swechchhasebak League leader currently in hiding, was set on fire by unidentified individuals in Boyradi Dighi village of Ashokpur Union, Shahjahanpur upazila, Bogura. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, destroying stored agricultural products and old furniture. Akash previously served as the district unit’s finance secretary.

According to Shahjahanpur Fire Service officer Delwar Hossain, two fire service units responded quickly and brought the blaze under control. The house had no electricity connection and was used to store potatoes and other crops. Akash claimed the fire was politically motivated and estimated his losses at about 150,000 taka.

Shahjahanpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ashiq Iqbal stated that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and police have visited the scene to investigate the matter further.

The government of Bangladesh is preparing an incentive framework to encourage investment, according to Prime Minister’s Economic and Planning Adviser Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir. He made the statement on Monday night after a discussion meeting on industrialization prospects in Panchagarh district, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room.

Dr. Titumir said that previous administrations had not taken initiatives to generate employment through investment in the northern region, despite its potential. The current government, committed to achieving regional balance, is therefore designing various incentive structures to promote investment. He emphasized that the government is committed to providing necessary tax benefits and financial support to investors.

He added that the government aims to reopen closed factories, including sugar mills and jute mills, and called on entrepreneurs to invest in agricultural and agro-processing industries in Panchagarh to foster significant growth in the sector.

Twelve people were killed in a collision between a train and a bus at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing in Cumilla early Saturday night during Eid. Following the accident, local residents accused the on-duty gatekeepers of negligence, claiming they were under the influence of drugs and failed to hear the train’s signal. Evidence of drug use, including yaba and cannabis paraphernalia, was reportedly found in the gatekeepers’ quarters.

Locals alleged that the government quarters for gatekeepers are often used for drug gatherings due to a lack of regular supervision. They claimed that on the night of the accident, gatekeepers Mehedi and Helal were intoxicated with outsiders. However, Cumilla Railway Station Master Sheikh Anwar Hossain denied the allegations, saying no drug use occurs in the gatekeepers’ rooms and that the engineering department will determine the actual cause. Railway security officials said action would follow any confirmed complaints.

Three investigation committees have been formed to determine the cause of the accident, with a 72-hour deadline to submit reports. The Cumilla district administration assured that legal action will be taken against anyone found responsible.

Retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury was presented before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka on Tuesday for a remand hearing in a case filed at Paltan Model Police Station. The case involves allegations of embezzling Tk 24,000 crore through a syndicate and human trafficking. Following the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid granted a five-day remand as requested by the Detective Branch (DB) police.

After the court approved the remand, unidentified individuals threw dirty drain water at Chowdhury in the court premises while he was being taken to the detention cell. The incident occurred amid tight security and protests outside the court. According to the prosecution, the accused faces serious charges that require interrogation for investigation purposes.

DB sources stated that Chowdhury is accused in multiple cases, including fraud, extortion, and murder, and that an arrest warrant had already been issued against him in a separate case in Feni. He was detained late Monday night during a DB operation in Baridhara DOHS, Dhaka.

A video showing an orphaned girl crying beside her mother’s grave in Lalmai upazila, Cumilla, went viral on social media, prompting immediate intervention by local authorities. The girl, identified as Samia Akter, had reportedly suffered prolonged physical and mental abuse from her stepmother, Ayesha Akter, while her father was abroad in Saudi Arabia. Following the viral spread of the video, the stepmother and the child were brought before the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) on March 24, where the stepmother apologized publicly and signed a written pledge not to repeat such behavior.

According to local sources, the girl had been subjected to repeated beatings and was even tied up and confined indoors for two days. The UNO, Umme Tahmina Mitu, assigned the acting chairman of Bagmara Dakshin Union Parishad, Md. Lokman Hossain, to investigate the matter. Authorities have placed the child under local surveillance to ensure her safety.

Local residents and officials, including police and community leaders, were present during the proceedings. The community has welcomed the administration’s quick response and called for continued monitoring to protect the child.

The Central Board of Film Certification in India has blocked the screening of the Tunisian film 'The Voyage of Hind Rajab', which was nominated for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars. According to The Guardian, the board cited 'political sensitivity' as the reason for denying clearance. The film’s Indian distributor, Manoj Nandwana of Joy Bhiratra Entertainment, said he had applied for certification in February with plans to release the film on March 6, before the Oscars. He was reportedly told that the film could strain India-Israel relations, a claim he rejected.

The film, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, is based on the real-life death of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab during the 2024 Gaza conflict. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a 20-minute standing ovation and won the Silver Lion award. News of the ban has sparked strong reactions in India, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calling the move 'shameful' and an attack on freedom of expression.

Analysts cited in the report suggested that India’s growing diplomatic alignment with Israel under Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have influenced the censorship decision. The censor board has not issued an official statement on the matter.