In Chatmohar upazila of Pabna, octane is being sold at Tk 170 per liter, which is Tk 50 higher than the official price of Tk 120. Petrol is being sold at Tk 140 instead of Tk 116, and diesel at Tk 115 instead of Tk 100. Motorcyclists reported that sellers are charging extra citing the ongoing war situation as justification.

The report states that due to the current conflict involving the United States, Iran, and Israel, fears of a fuel price hike have led to increased demand and crowding at fuel stations. Some unscrupulous traders are reportedly hoarding fuel to exploit the situation. The owner of the only fuel pump in Chatmohar, KM Saeed Ul Islam Kafi, said his station sells fuel at official rates but demand exceeds supply.

Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Musa Naser Chowdhury said that operations will soon be conducted against dishonest traders charging excessive prices.

According to the latest data from air quality monitoring firm IQAir, Dhaka recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 253 in late February and early March 2026, ranking as the most polluted city in the world. The level is classified as “very unhealthy,” prompting health experts to urge residents—especially children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions—to avoid outdoor exposure. The Department of Environment confirmed that PM2.5 concentrations across the capital remain several times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits.

Experts identified dry winter weather, construction dust, vehicle emissions, and brick kiln smoke as major contributors. Around 30 percent of Dhaka’s air pollution reportedly comes from transport sources, particularly old buses, trucks, and auto-rickshaws. Hospitals have reported a rise in respiratory illnesses during winter, while doctors warn that prolonged exposure could increase risks of asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Authorities have announced measures such as mandatory emission tests for old vehicles, dust control at construction sites, and crackdowns on illegal brick kilns. However, environmental activists argue that deeper structural reforms—like improving public transport and promoting renewable energy—are essential for long-term relief.

Partial flight operations have resumed at Dubai Airport, according to a BBC report released on Saturday afternoon. Passengers have been advised not to travel without confirmed bookings, as schedules remain subject to change. Airlines are continuing to provide updates through their official communication channels.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s aviation authority announced that the country will partially reopen its airspace for the first time since the war began a week ago. The reopening will allow only evacuation flights for stranded individuals and emergency cargo operations. This marks a cautious step toward restoring limited air connectivity in the region amid ongoing instability.

The developments indicate a gradual attempt to normalize essential air travel in parts of the Middle East, though full operations remain uncertain due to the continuing conflict.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bakul made an unannounced visit to the Palash Upazila Health Complex in Narsingdi on Saturday morning, March 7, 2026. The inspection followed complaints that doctors were not arriving at their workplace on time. During the visit, the minister found that out of 21 doctors assigned to the hospital, five were on leave, and only eight of the remaining sixteen were present. Two of those present arrived after the scheduled time.

Minister Bakul stated that the visit confirmed reports of doctors failing to attend duty on time. He added that disciplinary action would be taken against those absent according to official regulations. The inspection aimed to ensure accountability and improve attendance among medical staff at government health facilities.

The minister’s action highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen discipline and service quality in public healthcare institutions, with further administrative measures expected following the findings of this visit.

Experts analyzing evidence have suggested that U.S. forces were likely responsible for a deadly strike on a school in Iran, according to a CNN report. The White House has not dismissed this possibility. The attack on February 28 targeted a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing 165 children. Satellite imagery, local videos, statements from U.S. officials, and assessments by weapons experts indicated that the strike coincided with a U.S. attack on an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base in the same area.

An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson stated that he was unaware of any Israeli operation in that region. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahraini, initially reported 150 student deaths, later revised to 165. A large funeral and mourning ceremony was held in Iran for the victims.

The report also noted that under international humanitarian law, deliberate attacks on schools, hospitals, or other civilian facilities constitute war crimes.

An Israeli airstrike on the Lebanese city of Nabi Chit killed 16 people and injured 35 others, according to Lebanese health officials. The attack occurred as part of continuing hostilities that have already claimed more than 200 lives in Lebanon since the conflict began.

Last week, the Israeli military ordered large-scale forced evacuations from southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut. This directive led to a mass exodus of civilians from those areas, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis.

Lebanese authorities estimate that around 95,000 people have been displaced since the start of the conflict, underscoring the escalating toll on the civilian population.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) carried out a drone strike on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday morning, according to Tasnim news agency. The attack reportedly targeted the vessel after it ignored a prior warning from the IRGC prohibiting navigation through the area. The tanker, named Prima, was sailing under the Maltese flag and was carrying oil and chemicals through the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime route for global energy shipments, and the reported strike underscores ongoing tensions in the region. The incident was first reported by Tasnim, with vessel tracking data from Marine Traffic confirming the tanker’s identity and route.

The report did not mention any casualties, damage details, or official responses from Iran or Malta following the attack.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the country’s interim leadership council has decided not to carry out further attacks on neighboring countries unless Iran is attacked from U.S. bases located there. He stated that Iran would only retaliate if an assault on its territory originates from a neighboring state. Pezeshkian expressed regret that Iran had to target Arab neighbors in recent operations.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghei said on state television that Iran’s actions against neighboring countries were driven by the presence of U.S. military bases on their soil, emphasizing that Iran holds no hostility toward its neighbors. He confirmed that the decision was approved in a meeting of the interim leadership council.

The announcement follows a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials in Tehran. In response, Iran launched counterstrikes on Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East, led by the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American defense companies have agreed to quadruple the production of advanced weapons amid ongoing conflict with Iran. He made the statement on Friday through his social media platform, Truth Social, following a meeting with top defense manufacturers. Trump said the companies had already begun increasing production three months prior to the meeting.

According to the report, Iran has been carrying out attacks on U.S. bases across the Middle East and targeting Israel’s missile defense systems, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Patriot batteries. These sustained assaults have raised doubts about the long-term resilience of U.S. and Israeli defense systems. In response, Trump held discussions with executives from major defense firms such as BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, L3 Harris Missile Solutions, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.

The decision to boost production reflects Washington’s effort to maintain military readiness and replenish its arsenal as regional tensions intensify.

At a discussion organized by the July Charter Implementation Movement Committee at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday, speakers alleged that BNP’s central leadership is denying the July Revolution to conceal its own failures. Mamunul Haque said grassroots BNP activists played a vital role in the revolution, but their sacrifices are being undermined by party leaders. He added that BNP leaders initially accepted part of the July Revolution but later opposed it, failing to recognize the role of students in the movement.

Haque further stated that thousands of BNP activists have endured imprisonment, disappearances, and killings over the past 16 years, and their sacrifices should inspire the party to implement the July Charter. He warned against disregarding the charter, which he claimed had won about 60 percent support in a public referendum. DUJ President Shahidul Islam and former Assistant Attorney General Golam Rahman Bhuiyan also criticized the government for allegedly betraying the July Charter, arguing that any administration formed without honoring it lacks legitimacy.

The meeting was chaired by retired Lieutenant General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, with several senior journalists and political figures also addressing the event.

UNICEF has reported that more than 190 children have been killed within a week of escalating military conflict across the Middle East following attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. In a statement shared on social media, the organization warned that the growing violence is having a devastating impact on children, emphasizing that while children do not start wars, they pay the highest price.

According to UNICEF’s statement, 181 children were killed in Iran, seven in Lebanon, three in Israel, and one in Kuwait since the weekend surge in hostilities. The agency called for urgent protection of children across the region as fighting intensifies.

The statement underscores the worsening humanitarian toll of the conflict and highlights the need for immediate measures to safeguard children amid the expanding regional violence.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it carried out large-scale coordinated attacks on US installations across the Middle East using a new generation of missiles and drones. According to the IRNA news agency, one of the main targets was the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.

The IRGC stated that the assault destroyed an advanced warning radar system, a hangar used for MQ-9 drone maintenance, and facilities linked to US intelligence aircraft. It also claimed responsibility for a heavy missile strike on Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, saying that cruise and ballistic missiles damaged the base’s radar system, fuel storage facilities, and two runways used by the US Air Force.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not mention any immediate response from the United States or regional governments, leaving the broader impact of the attacks unclear.

The 14th Battalion of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified patrols, searches, and intelligence surveillance along the Naogaon border to prevent fuel smuggling. The measures were confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday, March 7, 2026, by Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Mamun, commanding officer of the Patnitala 14 BGB Battalion. Additional personnel have been deployed in the border areas under the battalion’s jurisdiction.

According to the statement, the decision follows instability in the international fuel market caused by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has raised concerns about global energy supply and price uncertainty. The BGB has increased monitoring of fuel transportation and supply routes to curb illegal cross-border movement.

The battalion also remains alert to prevent illegal crossings, drug trafficking, and other transnational crimes while maintaining law and order in the Naogaon and Joypurhat border regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East, according to a Kremlin statement. During the call, Putin expressed condolences over the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his family members, and senior military officials in a joint U.S.-Israel attack.

The Kremlin said Putin emphasized the urgent need to end hostilities and return to political and diplomatic solutions, reaffirming Russia’s stance against the use of force. It also noted that Putin has been maintaining regular contact with leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as tensions in the region escalate.

According to the statement, Pezeshkian thanked Moscow for its support during the crisis and expressed gratitude for Russia’s solidarity with the Iranian people defending their sovereignty and independence. He also briefed Putin on the latest developments, and both sides agreed to continue communication through various channels.

Home Minister Salauddin Ahmed said the BNP wants to move away from the poor culture of parliament. He stated that new members of parliament will work to meet public expectations and are being trained for that purpose. He made these remarks on Saturday morning while speaking to journalists.

The second day of a training workshop for BNP lawmakers was held at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka, ahead of the first session of the 13th National Parliament. Members from Dhaka, Mymensingh, Faridpur, and Dhaka divisions attended the morning session, while MPs from Sylhet, Comilla, and Chittagong divisions joined in the afternoon. Experienced MPs shared their insights with the newly elected members.

The workshop covered parliamentary procedures, codes of conduct, bill drafting and review, budget document analysis, and the functions of parliamentary committees. The initiative aims to prepare BNP lawmakers for a more welfare-oriented and widely accepted parliament.