Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdur Muktadir has expressed commitment to further strengthen and expand bilateral trade relations with India. He made the remarks on Monday, March 2, after a courtesy meeting with the Indian High Commissioner at the Secretariat in Dhaka. The Indian envoy also emphasized India’s interest in deepening ties with Bangladesh’s new government and enhancing people-to-people connections.

During the meeting, both sides discussed mutual cooperation in digital infrastructure and technology exchange to boost the existing trade volume of around 11 billion dollars, including 9.5 billion in imports and 1.5 billion in exports. They also focused on reopening closed border haats and improving land border infrastructure. India showed interest in using the newly built land port at Sabroom, while discussions were held on making operations at Benapole and other ports more efficient.

The minister added that Bangladesh has applied to the United Nations to extend its LDC graduation timeline and that the process is ongoing. He also noted that while there are concerns about possible disruptions in the Hormuz Strait, there is currently no threat to essential imports or fuel supplies.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has announced that MPO-listed teachers will receive their festival allowance ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr 2026. In a notice signed by Professor B M Abdul Hannan, the acting Director General of DSHE, all educational institutions were instructed to submit their festival allowance bills by March 4.

The directive, issued on March 2, aims to ensure timely disbursement of the Eid bonus for teachers under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme. The DSHE emphasized that heads of institutions must comply with the submission deadline to facilitate smooth processing of the payments.

This announcement brings relief to thousands of MPO-affiliated teachers who were awaiting confirmation of their Eid bonus payments.

Bangladesh’s export earnings declined by 12 percent in February, according to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Monday. The fall contributed to a 3.15 percent drop in total export income during the first eight months of the 2025–26 fiscal year compared with the same period last year. Total exports from July to February stood at 31.91 billion US dollars, down from 32.92 billion dollars a year earlier.

EPB attributed the overall decline to disruptions in port operations, the national election, and reduced demand in major global markets. The ready-made garment sector, which remains the country’s largest export earner, brought in 25.8 billion dollars during the period, marking a 3.73 percent decrease year-on-year. Within this sector, knitwear products continued to outperform woven garments.

Despite the overall downturn, several sectors including leather and leather goods, jute and jute products, home textiles, light engineering, and frozen fish recorded positive year-on-year growth. The United States remained Bangladesh’s largest export destination, with shipments totaling 5.87 billion dollars, up 0.74 percent, while exports to China rose by 19.12 percent.

Chevron has temporarily suspended production at Israel’s Leviathan gas field following joint U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliation. The Israeli Ministry of Energy ordered the shutdown as a precautionary measure, according to Al Jazeera. The Leviathan field, located in the Mediterranean Sea, is one of Israel’s largest natural gas sites.

The report states that expansion work was underway to raise the field’s annual production capacity to about 21 billion cubic meters as part of a $35 billion export agreement with Egypt. Chevron, the U.S. energy company operating the site, confirmed that its facilities at both Leviathan and the nearby Tamar gas field remain secure.

No further details were provided on the specific reasons for the temporary suspension or when production might resume.

A suspected robber was killed and seven others were injured in a mob beating early Saturday in Palashi village under Puthia upazila of Rajshahi. According to police, the group of eight allegedly entered the village in a truck carrying lock-cutting tools and local weapons, apparently preparing for a robbery. Villagers, suspecting their intent, detained them and beat them before setting fire to their pickup van. The injured were taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where one was declared dead.

Rajshahi Superintendent of Police Mohammad Naimul Hasan confirmed the incident, stating that the group had entered the village at dawn with tools and weapons. He said a case would be filed soon and that the injured suspects would be shown arrested once their condition improves.

The police have begun an investigation into the incident, focusing on the circumstances of the mob attack and the alleged robbery attempt.

Three individuals, including Shamim Hossain, general secretary of the Mongla Government College unit of the student organization Chhatra Dal, were arrested in Mongla, Bagerhat, on March 1 under the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025. The arrests were made by the Jessore Detective Branch (DB) police during separate operations in the Port Municipality area based on secret information. The detainees were identified as Shamim Hossain (26), Rubel Hawlader (24), and Shahadat Gazi (30), all residents of the municipality.

Authorities reported finding evidence on their mobile phones linking them to online scam and gambling platforms. The suspects allegedly used SIM cards registered under different national identity numbers while operating the scam. Police have begun legal proceedings and are examining seized devices for further evidence.

Bagerhat district DB officials stated that strict measures against online fraud and cybercrime will continue. Local residents expressed concern that such illegal activities could harm the community’s social and economic stability.

Gold prices in Bangladesh have reached a new record after the Bangladesh Jewellers Samity (Bajus) announced another increase. According to a Bajus notice issued on Monday, March 2, 2026, the price of 22-carat gold rose by up to Tk 5,424 per bhori, bringing the new rate to over Tk 274,000. The revised prices took effect from 10:30 a.m. the same day.

The notice also detailed updated rates for other categories: 21-carat gold is now priced at Tk 261,682 per bhori, 18-carat at Tk 224,299, and traditional gold at Tk 183,533. Alongside gold, silver prices have also been raised. The new price for 22-carat silver is Tk 7,173 per bhori, while 21-carat, 18-carat, and traditional silver are priced at Tk 6,682, Tk 5,890, and Tk 4,432 respectively.

The latest adjustment reflects continued upward movement in the local precious metals market, with Bajus implementing the new rates nationwide from Monday morning.

Seven police officers, including a female constable, were injured in an attack in Nijmaona village of Gazipur’s Sreepur upazila on Sunday evening, March 1. The incident occurred when a team from Tangail Sadar Police Station, assisted by Sreepur police, attempted to arrest two suspects, Monir Hossain and his son Adil, wanted in a kidnapping case. As the suspects were being handcuffed and placed in a police vehicle, their relatives shouted that the officers were fake police and robbers, prompting locals to attack.

During the assault, the crowd tried to snatch the detainees from police custody. The injured officers received treatment at Sreepur Upazila Health Complex and were later released. Additional police from Sreepur arrived to control the situation and arrested four people, including the two suspects. Two women were detained in connection with the attack, and a case is being processed.

According to local police officials, the situation was brought under control after reinforcements arrived, and legal proceedings are underway regarding the assault and attempted rescue.

Dr. Mohammad Abdul Mazid, former secretary and chairman of the National Board of Revenue, emphasized that zakat can play a vital role in implementing effective social safety programs in Bangladesh. Writing on March 2, 2026, he described social security as an essential component of a welfare state, aimed at supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. He noted that Islam introduced zakat to ensure equitable wealth distribution and reduce economic inequality, requiring wealthy Muslims to allocate a fixed portion of their assets to the poor.

The article explains that zakat, when properly collected and distributed, can alleviate hunger, poverty, and unemployment by providing basic needs to the underprivileged. It highlights that zakat covers various assets, including money, gold, livestock, and agricultural produce, and serves both moral and economic purposes. The author recalled that early Islamic governance treated zakat as a mandatory social obligation.

Dr. Mazid argued that current informal zakat practices fail to empower recipients, often turning them into dependents. He suggested that a government-led, institutionalized zakat collection and distribution system could significantly reduce national poverty levels.

Japan’s stock market suffered a sharp decline on Monday following military strikes by the United States and Israel in Iran, which reignited global economic concerns. According to AFP reports from Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index dropped 2.07 percent to 57,628.07 points in early trading, marking a significant setback at the start of the week.

Analysts attributed the fall to heightened tensions in the Middle East, which have created uncertainty and fear among investors. The resulting anxiety has spread across Asian markets, leading to widespread caution. Many investors have reportedly adopted a wait-and-see approach as they monitor the evolving situation.

The report noted that the sudden and steep decline reflects the sensitivity of regional markets to geopolitical developments, particularly those involving energy-producing regions like the Middle East.

Crude oil prices rose sharply on Monday following a US-Israel strike on Iran that disrupted supply and limited investor access to oil. Brent crude jumped about 13 percent in a single day, while the international benchmark increased nearly 5 percent. By midday in Tokyo, the price per barrel reached 76.48 dollars, according to Al Jazeera.

Asian stock markets opened lower as investors reacted to the oil price surge. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong fell around 1 percent, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped about 1.5 percent. In the United States, stock futures traded outside regular hours also showed significant losses, with both the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite down roughly 0.7 percent.

The developments suggested a volatile trading day ahead for global markets as energy costs spiked and geopolitical tensions heightened following the attack on Iran.

The new government of Bangladesh has launched a nationwide anti-drug campaign following directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Inspector General of Police Ali Hossain Fakir stated that the Prime Minister’s instruction is clear: there will be no drugs in society. The police have already begun implementing this directive through special operations across the country. The initiative aims to make Bangladesh drug-free, addressing a growing social concern that has alarmed parents and communities.

A recent survey by Bangladesh Medical University, supported by the Department of Narcotics Control, found that 8.2 million people—4.88 percent of the population—are addicted to drugs, with 92 percent aged between 8 and 25. Cannabis, yaba, and phensedyl are the most commonly used substances, while ice, LSD, and cocaine are spreading among affluent groups. The report identified 29 border districts as high-risk entry points, with drugs entering mainly from Myanmar and India.

The government’s strategy includes law enforcement operations, community awareness, and youth engagement through education, sports, and employment programs. Local leaders and citizens are urged to form committees to support the campaign and help identify drug hotspots.

Serious allegations have surfaced over the use of substandard bricks and sand in a Tk 3.73 crore road construction project in Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria. The project, under the Local Government Engineering Department’s (LGED) rural development initiative for Comilla, Chandpur, and Brahmanbaria districts, covers a 1,500-meter stretch from Guniouk Union Parishad to Bengauta. The contractor, E Smart Construction Ltd, owned by Khairul Hasan, is accused of ignoring instructions to use quality materials, prompting anger among local residents.

Locals claim the work, initially slow, suddenly accelerated to conceal irregularities. On-site observations confirmed workers using low-quality bricks and sand for the guide wall. Representatives of the contractor admitted using the materials supplied by the owner. The supervising officer, Arif Hossain, promised to prevent such practices in the future. Upazila Engineer Aminul Islam Mridha said repeated warnings failed to stop the use of poor materials, while District Executive Engineer Ibrahim Khalil assured that necessary action would be taken after consulting the upazila engineer.

The incident has raised concerns about oversight and accountability in rural infrastructure projects under LGED.

Authorities in Jamalpur recovered 1,444 liters of edible oil belonging to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) from an abandoned warehouse once owned by a local Awami League leader. The operation was carried out on Sunday evening at Bagherhata Bottola area by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and law enforcement agencies. The oil, stored in 722 bottles of two liters each, was found buried under bricks inside the warehouse of the late Jahurul Islam Monsur, a former joint general secretary of the district Awami League.

According to officials, the oil had been illegally stockpiled to create an artificial shortage in the market. Two individuals, Shahin and Swadhin Babu, were detained for questioning in connection with the incident. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) stated that an investigation is underway to identify all those involved, and legal action will follow once the inquiry is complete.

The discovery has caused widespread public concern in the area, with local residents demanding swift and strict action against those responsible.

Police in Dhaka have disclosed horrifying details of a murder following the recovery of dismembered body parts from different parts of the city. According to officials, the victim, identified as Obaidullah from Shibpur in Narsingdi, was allegedly killed by his roommate, Shahin, on the night of February 27. The killing reportedly stemmed from long-standing resentment over household chores and repeated arguments. After the murder, Shahin allegedly cut the body into seven pieces and disposed of them across several locations, including Paltan, the stadium area, and Kamalapur.

At a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road, Motijheel Division Deputy Commissioner Harun-or-Rashid said police identified the victim through fingerprint analysis after finding two severed hands near the stadium. Investigators later recovered other body parts from various sites and continued searching for the remaining pieces. Police stated that Shahin confessed to the crime during interrogation, describing how disputes over cigarettes, food, and loud phone conversations escalated into violence.

Authorities are continuing operations to locate the remaining body parts and complete the investigation.