Bangladesh is confronting simultaneous challenges to its energy security, foreign reserves, and interest rate policy as the Middle East conflict disrupts global energy flows. The ongoing war, uncertainty over Qatari LNG supplies, and drone attacks on Saudi energy facilities have placed the country’s import-dependent energy system under renewed strain. The article identifies three critical policy questions: whether to raise fuel prices, how to manage reserves, and if lowering interest rates is justified during wartime instability.

The analysis warns that direct energy price hikes could trigger a double inflation trap, urging instead a targeted pricing reform to reduce consumption and support efficient production. It highlights the need for strategic reserve management through prioritizing essential energy imports, curbing luxury imports, allowing managed currency depreciation, and securing long-term energy payment plans. The author argues that lowering interest rates during uncertainty may not boost investment but could encourage capital flight and misuse of cheap credit.

The piece concludes that Bangladesh’s stability depends on coordinated energy, monetary, and fiscal policies. It recommends forming a national crisis team of experts to guide sustainable decisions beyond political popularity.

Global energy markets saw sharp price increases after Iran launched attacks on U.S. and Israeli-linked facilities across the Middle East on Monday. The strikes targeted Saudi Aramco’s oil refinery and Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, forcing both to halt production. Additional attacks on fuel tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about 20% of global oil and gas shipments, further disrupted supply and drove prices higher.

Brent crude rose by 10% to over $82 per barrel before easing to $79, while U.S. crude climbed 7.6% to $72.20. Qatar Energy suspended LNG operations after the attack, pushing European gas prices up by about 45%. Stock markets worldwide fell amid uncertainty, with London’s FTSE 100 down nearly 1%, France’s CAC 40 down 1.6%, and Germany’s DAX down 1.7%. Airline shares also dropped as Middle Eastern airspace closures disrupted routes.

Analysts warned that prolonged conflict could further raise oil prices beyond $100 per barrel, potentially affecting inflation and interest rates. Gold prices rose 2.3% as investors sought safe assets.

Complaints have emerged in Rajshahi city over irregularities in the distribution of low-cost products by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) during the holy month of Ramadan. Hundreds of buyers have been forced to stand in long queues under the sun, with many returning empty-handed while some individuals reportedly received products multiple times. TCB trucks, scheduled to arrive at 10 a.m., often reached between 11:30 a.m. and noon, worsening the situation.

Field visits to several city points revealed that demand far exceeded supply, with both lower- and middle-income families seeking affordable essentials. Each TCB truck sells a package of five items for Tk 590, including edible oil, lentils, sugar, chickpeas, and dates, for 400 customers per truck—double last year’s allocation. However, allegations persist that certain groups collect products repeatedly to resell at higher prices, and that dealers favor acquaintances.

TCB’s regional deputy director Atiqur Rahman acknowledged attempts by some groups to exploit the system and create disorder. He said letters have been sent to law enforcement and city authorities seeking assistance to restore order and ensure genuine consumers receive the benefits.

The Teknaf land port, a key import-export hub in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, has remained inactive for ten months due to internal unrest in neighboring Myanmar. Cross-border trade through the Naf River has been suspended, leaving local traders and importers in severe financial distress. Thousands of port workers have lost their jobs and are struggling to survive without income. Stakeholders are waiting for effective government action to restore operations at the port.

According to port business associations, millions of taka remain stuck with Myanmar traders, and large quantities of goods stored in warehouses are rotting. The general secretary of the Teknaf C&F Agents Association said the prolonged closure has caused extreme financial strain, making it difficult to pay bank installments, office rent, and staff salaries. Workers dependent on port activities have fallen into debt and are unable to support their families.

The government is also losing significant revenue, as imports of timber, dried fish, ginger, and onions have stopped. The disruption began after Myanmar’s Rakhine State came under control of the Arakan Army, halting vessel movement on the Naf River. No timeline has been announced for resuming trade, though business groups believe diplomatic efforts could help reopen the port.

A bumper harvest of sweet potatoes has been reported in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur this season. Favorable weather, low production costs, and strong market prices have led to increased farmer profits and enthusiasm. Compared to paddy, sweet potatoes have yielded three times more profit, prompting many farmers to shift to this crop.

According to the Upazila Agriculture Extension Department, sweet potatoes were cultivated on 365 hectares of land this season, nearly double last year’s 190 hectares. The main varieties grown include BARI Sweet Potato-8, BARI Sweet Potato-4, and improved local types. Twelve farmers received demonstration plots of the BARI-8 variety to encourage wider adoption. Farmers across several unions are now busy harvesting their crops.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Habibur Rahman said favorable weather and regular technical support contributed to the strong yields. With an estimated 9,200 tons produced this season, sweet potatoes have become a promising cash crop in the region due to their nutritional value and growing market demand.

Police in Dhamrai, under Dhaka district, are struggling to provide adequate public safety services due to a severe shortage of vehicles. The shortage follows the destruction of five pickup trucks and one prison van during a student and public protest on August 5, 2024. The Dhamrai police station covers a large area of 304 square kilometers, including 16 unions, one municipality, and more than 400 villages with a population exceeding 600,000.

Because of the lack of vehicles, police are unable to conduct regular patrols, respond promptly to emergencies, or carry out operations to arrest criminals. The shortage has also affected VIP protocol duties and routine law enforcement activities. As a result, incidents of drug trading, theft, robbery, and other crimes are reportedly increasing across the area.

Officer-in-Charge Nazmul Huda Khan stated that despite their willingness, police are struggling to maintain law and order and are relying on rented local vehicles such as lagunas and CNGs for nightly patrols. He emphasized that additional vehicles would significantly improve public safety services.

Bangladesh Bank is considering a reduction in its policy interest rate following the appointment of new governor Mostakur Rahman. The central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is scheduled to meet at noon on Wednesday to decide on a possible 50 basis point cut from the current 10 percent rate. Officials said the move could lower lending rates across banks and support the governor’s plan to create one crore new jobs.

An unnamed central bank official explained that the policy rate had been kept high for a long time to control inflation, which has eased but remains above target due to supply-side issues. The previous governor, Ahsan H. Mansur, had maintained the policy rate at 10 percent in the last monetary policy announcement. Inflation peaked at 11.38 percent in November and declined to 8.58 percent in January.

Economists and bankers cautioned that inflation remains elevated and that any rate cut should be limited and carefully implemented to avoid undermining recent progress.

Bangladesh Bank’s latest report shows that default loans in the banking sector dropped by Tk 872.98 billion during October–December 2025, bringing the total to Tk 5.57 trillion, or 30.60 percent of total loans. At the end of September, defaults stood at Tk 6.44 trillion, or 35.73 percent. The decline followed large-scale loan rescheduling and policy support introduced ahead of the national election.

Officials said banks typically reduce defaults in the final quarter of the year through intensified recovery efforts and by taking advantage of central bank rescheduling facilities. Under these measures, Tk 26,114 crore in defaulted loans were regularized. The interim government, after taking office, revealed the true scale of defaults previously understated under the former Awami League administration and later introduced initiatives to reduce them.

Sector-wise, state-owned banks held Tk 1.46 trillion in defaults, private banks Tk 3.89 trillion, foreign banks Tk 29.84 billion, and specialized banks Tk 185.46 billion. Provision shortfalls also fell sharply to Tk 1.91 trillion in December from Tk 3.44 trillion three months earlier, indicating improved balance sheet conditions across the sector.

Bangladesh’s export earnings declined by 3.15 percent in the first eight months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). From July to February, total export income stood at 31.91 billion dollars, down from 32.94 billion dollars in the same period of the previous year. The sharpest fall occurred in February, when export earnings dropped to 3.50 billion dollars, a 20.81 percent decrease from January and 12.03 percent lower than a year earlier.

The EPB data show that the apparel sector, which contributes 80.85 percent of total export earnings, experienced the most significant contraction. Exports of agricultural products, leather goods, and home textiles also fell, while pharmaceuticals and jute products saw modest growth. Economists and exporters attributed the downturn to additional tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and weakening global demand following joint U.S.-Israeli attacks in Iran.

Experts warned that the ongoing geopolitical tensions could further depress export performance in the coming months, potentially deepening economic challenges for Bangladesh.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved a chargesheet against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, his wife, and 33 others for allegedly embezzling Tk 230 million from United Commercial Bank’s (UCB) Karwan Bazar branch in Dhaka. The case involves accusations of taking loans under the name of a paper-based company falsely registered under an employee’s ownership. The information was confirmed by ACC Assistant Director Md. Tanzir Ahmed on Monday.

According to the ACC, the charges include violations under multiple sections of the Penal Code of 1860, the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1947, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act of 2012. Among the accused are Rukmila Zaman, wife of Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and former chairperson of UCB PLC, as well as former and current senior officials of the bank, several executives of Aramit PLC, and individuals linked to hundi operations.

Investigators allege that the accused abused power and influence to withdraw funds through fraud and forgery, later transferring and laundering the money abroad. The ACC has recommended exemption for one accused, Sharif Zahid, from the charges.

A man named Mamun Molla, aged 35, died on Sunday while receiving treatment in Dhaka after being injured in a bomb explosion during a clash in Terokhada upazila of Khulna. The incident occurred on February 25 in the Madhupur area, where tensions between two groups escalated into violence, leading to the explosion that severely injured Mamun. He was first taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Dhaka as his condition worsened.

According to Terokhada Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Shahidullah, the clash took place between two groups of the BNP, during which Mamun sustained injuries. He confirmed that investigations are underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Khulna district BNP convener Moniruzzaman Montu stated that the confrontation stemmed from a struggle for local dominance rather than political rivalry.

Mamun’s body is being brought back to Terokhada for further procedures, while police continue their inquiry into the cause and parties involved in the explosion.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) carried out a raid at the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) office in Chattogram on Monday following allegations of embezzlement and irregularities in several ongoing development projects. An enforcement team from the ACC’s Chattogram office visited the executive engineer’s office to collect his statement regarding the complaints.

According to ACC sources, allegations were received concerning misappropriation of allocated funds and irregularities in project work in Hathazari, Karnaphuli, and Anwara upazilas under the Chattogram district. To verify the authenticity of these claims, the enforcement team has requested all relevant project records for review.

ACC Chattogram Deputy Director Subel Ahmed stated that after examining the documents, a report will be submitted to the commission within a short time.

Newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Ali Hossain Fakir has issued a strict directive to all field-level police officers to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against extortion. Speaking on Monday, March 2, during an online meeting with district police superintendents from the Police Headquarters, he emphasized the need for firm action against snatching, extortion, and drug-related crimes.

The IGP instructed both highway and district police to intensify operations to curb extortion, robbery, and snatching on highways. He also directed measures to ensure safe and smooth travel for homebound people during the upcoming Eid, including preventing traffic congestion and ensuring passenger safety. Fakir urged officers to treat citizens respectfully at police stations so that they leave with satisfaction, stressing that no innocent person should face harassment.

He called on all district police superintendents to work in unity to build a safer Bangladesh. Senior officials, including additional IGPs, were present at the Police Headquarters during the meeting.

The prosecution has requested the International Crimes Tribunal-1 to formally frame charges and begin trial proceedings against former Food Minister Kamrul Islam and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon in a case related to crimes against humanity during the July Revolution killings. The hearing took place on Monday before a two-member judicial panel led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumdar, with Justice Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as the other member.

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam presented three charges against the accused, alleging that Kamrul and Menon incited the use of lethal weapons and curfews against unarmed students and civilians to sustain the Sheikh Hasina government. The prosecution claimed that their actions led to shootings in areas including Badda between July 19 and August 5, 2024, resulting in killings for which they bear superior command responsibility.

Following the hearing, the defense sought more time, and the tribunal scheduled the next hearing for March 11. Both accused, arrested in 2024, were brought from prison to the tribunal for the session.

India and Canada have signed a long-term agreement for uranium supply, announced after a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New Delhi. The deal, valued at around three billion US dollars and lasting ten years, was formally exchanged on Monday morning, followed by a joint press conference confirming the agreement.

Canada, the world’s second-largest uranium supplier, has been providing uranium to India since 2013. The newly signed contract will be executed by Cameco, one of the world’s leading uranium fuel producers. According to BBC reports, India is seeking alternative energy sources such as uranium, oil, gas, and coal amid pressure from the United States to reduce energy imports from Russia.

During Carney’s visit, the two countries also signed cooperation agreements in defense, education, and energy sectors. Both leaders indicated that India and Canada are moving toward finalizing an economic cooperation agreement within the year, following nearly fifteen years of free trade discussions.