Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar expressed deep sorrow and concern over the deaths of at least 18 Bangladeshis in a boat accident off the coast of Greece. The incident occurred on March 27 when a rubber boat carrying migrants from North Africa to Europe capsized, killing 22 people in total, including the 18 Bangladeshis. Porwar issued a condolence statement on March 29, mourning the loss and praying for the victims.

In his statement, Porwar urged the governments and international organizations to take swift and effective measures to ensure the safety of migrants who risk their lives on illegal sea routes. He emphasized the need for a humane and lasting solution to the migration crisis to prevent such tragedies in the future.

He also called on the governments of the concerned countries and international human rights organizations to provide appropriate financial compensation to the affected families and to take coordinated action to protect migrants’ lives.

Multiple Gulf countries experienced a series of attacks over the past 24 hours, targeting critical infrastructure. The United Arab Emirates faced its heaviest missile strikes in recent weeks, with Emirates Global Aluminium reporting severe damage to its main plant in Abu Dhabi and several workers injured. Aluminium Bahrain, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, was also hit, while Kuwait International Airport’s radar system suffered serious damage.

The attacks have raised concerns about economic stability and daily life across the Gulf region. In response, Gulf states have emphasized the importance of ensuring their participation in any future peace negotiations to safeguard regional interests.

However, the source notes that differences remain among these countries regarding their next steps and how to manage relations with Iran and the United States amid the escalating tensions.

A Houthi-affiliated official has warned that the group may close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, effectively halting oil exports through the Red Sea. The statement, made by Houthi Information Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Mansour, described the closure as one of several options under consideration. The strait, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, is about 26 kilometers wide at its narrowest point and connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

According to the report, approximately 12 percent of the world’s seaborne oil passes through Bab al-Mandeb, while 20 percent moves through the Strait of Hormuz, which is under Iranian control. If both straits were closed, global oil supply disruptions could reach 32 percent. Saudi Arabia has been using its east-west pipeline as an alternative route to maintain exports and stabilize oil prices.

Mansour linked the potential closure to rising tensions involving Israel and the United States, adding that a final decision could be made soon.

The United States-Israel war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions have disrupted about one-third of global helium supplies, a gas essential for medical imaging and high-tech manufacturing. The disruption stems from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Qatar’s energy infrastructure, which forced QatarEnergy to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and cut helium exports by 14 percent annually. Qatar, responsible for roughly a third of global helium output, ships all exports through the strait, now largely inaccessible to vessels linked to the US, Israel, and their allies.

The attacks on Qatar’s Ras Laffan and Mesaieed facilities destroyed about 17 percent of its LNG export capacity, causing an estimated $20 billion in annual losses. With helium extracted as a by-product of LNG, the production halt has tightened global supply chains. South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China, major buyers of Qatari helium, face potential shortages, while US distributor Airgas has declared force majeure and halved shipments. Market analysts warn that prolonged disruptions could raise helium prices by up to 50 percent.

The shortage threatens MRI operations and semiconductor manufacturing, as helium’s unique cooling properties have no substitute. Although research into helium-free or recycling MRI technologies continues, most systems still depend on liquid helium.

In Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, residents like Abdel Karim Salman face daily hardship due to the near-total absence of electricity. Displaced from northern Gaza after his home was destroyed in October 2023, Abdel Karim now lives in a tent with his family and relies on phone torches for light. He walks hundreds of metres twice a day to charge phones, paying up to 10 shekels daily, a heavy cost amid widespread unemployment. With municipal power absent for two years, solar lamps and generator-based systems have become prohibitively expensive, leaving most families in darkness.

The crisis began after Israel’s siege on Gaza in October 2023, which cut off electricity and fuel supplies. Gaza’s sole power plant shut down within days, plunging the territory into a full blackout. Since then, infrastructure damage and fuel shortages have left homes, hospitals, and water systems dependent on limited generator power. By 2025–2026, Gaza’s grid is described as effectively non-functional, with electricity access fragmented and unreliable.

Some residents, such as Jamal Musbah, have turned to small-scale solar charging services for income, but even these face equipment damage and fuel scarcity. The population continues to endure severe energy deprivation with no sustainable solution in sight.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned an Israeli attack in Lebanon that killed three journalists. In a statement on his official Telegram channel, Araghchi described the incident as a “planned assassination,” saying it represents a deep wound for the media in the region and the world, as well as a serious warning to global conscience.

He asserted that the attack was not merely an attempt to eliminate individuals but a deliberate effort to intimidate truth-tellers and silence voices that speak out. Araghchi also claimed that Israel has a long history of targeting media professionals, which he said constitutes a clear violation of international law and conventions.

The condemnation follows reports of the journalists’ deaths in the Israeli strike in Lebanon, drawing renewed attention to the safety of media workers in conflict zones.

The United States and Israel carried out the highest number of attacks in a single day since the start of the war in Iran. According to reports, between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday, at least 701 strikes were launched across the country, with about 74 percent concentrated around the capital, Tehran. The attacks caused extensive damage in the city and surrounding areas.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), cited by the BBC, reported that civilian casualties have reached 1,551 within the first month of the conflict, including at least 236 children. The scale of the attacks and the rising death toll underscore the severity of the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East have further escalated as Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a second round of missile strikes targeting Israel. Observers warn that the violence could spread across the region if the situation continues to deteriorate.

A drone attack launched from Iraq targeted a US military base in Kasrak, Syria, on the morning of March 29, 2026, according to Syrian Deputy Defense Minister Sipan Hamo. He stated that four drones were fired from Iraqi territory toward the base but were intercepted without causing any casualties. The Syrian official confirmed that the attack was successfully repelled.

Hamo said Syria holds Iraq responsible for the incident and urged it to prevent such actions that threaten regional stability. The statement was posted on social media platform X, where he emphasized the need to stop the recurrence of similar attacks.

The report added that a day earlier, the Syrian army claimed to have intercepted another drone attack from Iraq targeting the Al-Tanf base in southeastern Syria, a site previously used by US forces.

At least six Palestinians, including a child, were killed in two Israeli airstrikes on police checkpoints in Gaza on March 29, 2026. The attacks targeted Hamas-led police positions in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to local medical workers. Three police officers and three civilians were among the dead, and four others were injured. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest strikes.

Local health officials reported that since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in November, more than 680 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. The continued airstrikes have raised concerns about the durability of the truce and the ongoing humanitarian toll in the region.

The incident underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the persistent violence affecting civilians in Gaza, with no immediate indication of de-escalation from either side.

A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Greece sank near the Greek island of Crete on Friday, March 27, 2026, killing at least 22 people. According to the Greek Coast Guard, 26 survivors reported that most of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals, including 12 from three upazilas of Sunamganj district. The deceased include six from Dirai, one from Dowarabazar, and five from Jagannathpur.

Relatives of the victims alleged that a human trafficker from Dirai arranged the journey for about 1.2 million taka per person, promising a large and safe vessel. Instead, the migrants were placed on a small, unsafe boat, which is believed to have caused the fatal accident. Local sources identified several of the deceased by name and expressed deep grief over the loss.

Community members in Sunamganj mourned the tragedy, calling the deaths on the perilous Libya–Europe route unbearable and urging accountability for those responsible.

Air strikes in northern Iraq on Saturday killed three members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and two Iraqi police officers, according to Iraqi security sources. The attacks targeted the PMF’s headquarters near Kirkuk Airport and another site in Mosul, wounding several others. The PMF, now part of Iraq’s regular army, blamed the United States and Israel for what it called a “treacherous Zionist-American” assault. The strikes came as the US-Israeli war on Iran continued to spill over Iraq’s eastern border.

Al Jazeera reported that Iraq is becoming an expanding battleground in the conflict that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The PMF, originally formed in 2014 to fight ISIL, includes factions loyal to both Baghdad and Tehran, complicating Iraq’s position between the two powers. Baghdad is struggling to balance its ties with both the United States and Iran amid the escalating violence.

In the Kurdish region, two drones targeted a US-led coalition base near Erbil Airport, while another drone struck the home of Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok. Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani condemned the attack and urged Baghdad to act. French President Emmanuel Macron described the rising attacks in Iraq as a worrying development.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it launched missile and drone attacks on aluminium facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The statement, broadcast by Iran’s state media overnight on Sunday, said the targeted sites were linked to the United States military. Aluminium Bahrain reported two employees injured, while Emirates Global Aluminium in Abu Dhabi confirmed significant damage and six injuries. The IRGC described the strikes as retaliation for a US-Israeli attack on Iranian industrial infrastructure allegedly launched from Gulf bases hosting US forces.

The attacks come amid escalating regional hostilities following the outbreak of the Middle East war at the end of February. Al Jazeera reported that between 4 to 9 percent of global aluminium supply originates from the Gulf, raising concerns about potential supply disruptions. Additional drone incidents were reported across the region, including an attack at Oman’s Salalah port that injured one worker and prompted Maersk to halt operations temporarily. Oman condemned the assault and began investigating its source.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also reported intercepting multiple drones over their territories. Analysts warned that continued retaliatory strikes could further escalate tensions across the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye have gathered in Islamabad for two days of talks with their Pakistani counterpart, aiming to de-escalate the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. The discussions, held on Sunday and Monday, are led by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Ahead of the talks, Dar announced that Iran had allowed 20 additional ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for over an hour as part of the preparations.

According to Al Jazeera’s Kamal Kyder, Pakistan has been acting as a key intermediary between the United States and Iran, relaying messages as part of mediation efforts. Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s role in attempting to halt aggression against Iran. Islamabad’s longstanding ties with Tehran and Gulf states, as well as its communication channels with Washington, have positioned it as a central player in the diplomatic process.

The talks come amid rising regional tensions, including Houthi attacks on Israel and the arrival of additional US forces in the Middle East, heightening fears of a broader conflict.

Iranian officials have warned that the United Arab Emirates will face extensive attacks on its state assets if the United States proceeds with a ground offensive against Iran. According to a report by Middle East Eye citing two senior Iranian officials, Tehran believes the UAE is playing an active role alongside the US and Israel in the ongoing conflict. The warning comes as US President Donald Trump reportedly plans a ground operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has kept closed since the war began.

The officials claimed that the US assault could target Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s crude oil exports, and that the operation might be launched from Gulf Arab states, including the UAE and Bahrain. They alleged that the UAE has provided air power and bases to US forces and that Iran has already conveyed a message to Abu Dhabi about potential consequences.

If the ground attack originates from Emirati territory, Iran said it will treat the UAE as a direct enemy and expand strikes beyond military and intelligence sites to include government-owned civilian infrastructure.

An Iranian official this week introduced a new condition for ending the war initiated by the United States and Israel, demanding recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, has become a central element of Tehran’s strategy. Iran now aims to turn it into a major source of annual revenue worth hundreds of billions of dollars while leveraging its global economic influence.

Analysts noted that Iran’s long-standing threat to close the strait in case of attack has gained new weight. The country’s leadership, including new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, emphasized the strategic importance of using the strait’s blockade potential. Bloomberg Economics’ Middle East head Dina Esfandiary said Iran was surprised by how effective and inexpensive it was to pressure the global economy through this route.

According to a CNN estimate cited in the report, if Iran charged $2 million per large oil tanker daily, its monthly income could exceed $800 million, potentially surpassing Egypt’s Suez Canal revenues.