Global fertilizer supply chains have been severely disrupted following the United States and Israel’s military aggression against Iran, according to reports on March 29, 2026. Massive quantities of fertilizer shipments are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, while fertilizer plants in India, Algeria, and Slovakia have either shut down or reduced production due to soaring natural gas prices. China has imposed an export ban on fertilizers, and Australian wheat farmers have cut production. Meanwhile, U.S. corn and soybean growers have sought subsidies from President Donald Trump.

The conflict has driven up oil and gas prices, intensifying global economic concerns. Fertilizer prices have surged worldwide, heightening food security risks in several regions. The Middle East, a major fertilizer-producing area after Russia, supplies about one-third of global fertilizer through the Hormuz Strait. Independent Commodity Intelligence Services expert Dipika Thapliyal warned that the shortage is pushing prices higher and could lead to widespread agricultural strain.

A World Trade Organization report last week cautioned that food supply risks are rising globally, particularly in Gulf countries dependent on imports. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the conflict has destabilized trade in energy, fertilizer, and food, marking one of the most volatile periods in 80 years.

Despite the enforcement of new IPO regulations, Bangladesh’s stock market is unlikely to see new company listings soon. Market insiders indicate that the ongoing IPO drought, lasting nearly two years, may continue for another year. The new rules require audited financial statements not older than 120 days and prohibit IPO applications based solely on half-yearly or quarterly reports. As a result, only companies with fiscal years ending June 30 may be eligible to apply later this year, but approvals could take up to two years.

Financial institutions and multinational companies, which could have applied earlier, are showing little interest. Many local financial firms lack profitability, while multinationals are not obligated or motivated to list. Bureaucratic delays and board-level approvals have further stalled government plans to offload shares in state-owned multinational ventures. Consequently, experts predict that no new company will be listed in 2026, extending the IPO-free period.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission’s new rules, effective from December 30, 2025, include stock exchange recommendations in the approval process. However, even with faster reviews, the timeline suggests minimal chance of new listings within the current year.

Dr. Yusuf Zarif, in an article published on March 29, 2026, examines how Bangladesh’s political discourse evolved from labeling practicing Muslims as fundamentalists to portraying them as extremists. He argues that since independence, secular elites and Western-influenced intellectuals have shaped political narratives that marginalized Islamic values and national identity. According to the article, these narratives were reinforced through alliances among intellectuals, business elites, NGOs, and civil society, often supported by Western funding under the guise of human rights and gender empowerment.

The author traces three major phases: the 1980s’ anti-fundamentalist campaigns, the post-2001 anti-extremism agenda, and the post-2024 period when pro-Bangladesh movements were branded as extremist. He claims that successive governments and media institutions used these narratives to suppress nationalist and faith-based politics, consolidating elite and foreign influence. The July 2024 uprising is described as a popular rejection of this dominance.

Dr. Zarif concludes that without a cultural and intellectual revival rooted in justice and dignity, Bangladesh risks repeating past cycles of division and elite control.

Multiple Iranian cities were struck in recent hours by airstrikes from the United States and Israel, according to Iranian media reports. One of the attacks targeted a water supply facility in Haftkel, Khuzestan province, which contained a 10,000-cubic-meter reservoir. Israeli and American warplanes also reportedly hit two universities on Saturday night, causing damage in several areas including Tabriz, Shiraz, and Hormozgan.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA quoted Deputy Governor Valiollah Hayati as confirming the strike on the critical water facility. Al Jazeera’s Tehran correspondent Mohammad Val said Iran typically responds to such attacks with counterstrikes across the region, warning that the situation remains highly dangerous for civilians.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a strong statement threatening retaliatory attacks on US-linked universities across the region. The full extent of the damage in Tehran and other cities remains unclear as reports continue to emerge.

At Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh, 62 children have died over the past two and a half months amid a severe shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) facilities. Of these, 53 children died while waiting for ICU admission and nine after being admitted. Most of the deceased suffered from pneumonia and measles, conditions that doctors say require intensive care when complications arise. The hospital currently has only 12 ICU beds, with a few allocated for children, far below the demand.

The crisis is compounded by overcrowding in the pediatric ward, where multiple children share single beds and some receive treatment on the floor. A 200-bed specialized children’s hospital, built at a cost of about 350 million taka, has remained unused for three years. Local activists and parents have criticized the authorities for failing to operationalize the facility despite repeated child deaths. Hospital officials acknowledge the shortage and cite manpower and equipment constraints.

Health authorities have pledged to strengthen vaccination drives as measles cases rise, while hospital management plans to activate a new 50-bed ICU complex once staffing and equipment issues are resolved.

An opinion essay published on March 29, 2026, by Md. Mahmudul Hasan reflects on the 2024 July Revolution in Bangladesh, describing it as a mass student uprising against the Hasina government’s quota policy and broader authoritarian practices. The author argues that the movement emerged when students protested a discriminatory quota system limiting public sector jobs, and the government responded with violent suppression, killing around 1,500 protesters and detaining many others. The piece portrays the crackdown as a massacre and a turning point in Bangladesh’s political history.

The essay situates the July Revolution within a broader context of alleged electoral manipulation, corruption, and repression during the Awami League’s rule from 2009 to 2024. It claims that students had long faced intimidation and abuse from the ruling party’s student wing, which controlled university dormitories and silenced dissent. The author contends that these conditions drove students to risk their lives for a fairer and more democratic Bangladesh.

The article concludes by urging citizens to preserve the spirit of the July Revolution and pass its lessons to future generations as a defense of national sovereignty and human rights.

Following the general election held on February 12, newly elected representatives of the ruling party announced they would not take oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. This decision sparked a national debate over the legality of the council, which had been established under the July Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order of 2025. Critics argue that the 1972 Constitution does not grant the president authority to issue such an order and that, without a separate election, parliament members cannot serve on the council.

The article explains that the July political uprising represented a constitutional moment when citizens directly asserted their sovereign power to reshape the state. It argues that the council’s legitimacy stems from this popular mandate, not merely from written constitutional provisions. The July Charter sought fundamental restructuring of state principles and institutions, changes that could not be sustained through ordinary amendment procedures due to the Supreme Court’s basic structure doctrine.

The author concludes that the council’s legitimacy arises from dual mandates—both the general election and the referendum approving the reform process—reflecting the people’s sovereign will to redefine the constitutional order.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led opposition alliance is preparing to raise two major issues—the implementation of the July Charter and the holding of local government elections—in the national parliament. Opposition MPs are expected to make the session heated today, with a preparatory meeting scheduled before the sitting. Jamaat and its allies have been demanding the enforcement of the February 12 referendum verdict, which they claim showed strong public support for constitutional reform. Opposition leader and Jamaat chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has warned that if parliament fails to resolve the issue, the alliance may resort to street protests.

The second issue concerns the government’s recent appointment of administrators to 11 city corporations and 42 district councils, which the opposition views as an attempt to delay local elections. Jamaat leaders argue that these partisan appointments undermine democratic norms. The alliance’s 11-party coordination committee is expected to meet soon to decide on next steps, while Jamaat has nearly finalized its candidates for upcoming local polls.

Several allied parties, including the National Citizens Party and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, have also criticized the government’s actions and announced rallies demanding swift elections and reform implementation.

Iran has claimed responsibility for a drone strike in Dubai that allegedly destroyed a Ukrainian anti-drone weapons depot. According to a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Command, the attack targeted a secret U.S. military site in Dubai where Ukrainian drone defense systems were reportedly stored. The spokesperson said 21 Ukrainian drone specialists were present during the strike and are feared dead.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry rejected the Iranian claim, calling it false. Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tikhiy stated that Iran frequently spreads misinformation and compared its actions to those of Russia. The Iranian statement was first reported by Tasnim News Agency.

The incident adds to growing tensions involving Iran, Ukraine, and the United States, though no independent confirmation of the alleged strike or casualties has been reported in the source.

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Masud Uddin Chowdhury and Lieutenant General (Retd.) Sheikh Mamun Khaled, both key figures of Bangladesh’s 1/11 interim government, are providing contradictory and evasive statements while in police remand. Mamun Khaled, arrested from Mirpur DOHS and placed on five-day remand, claimed he acted to help Tarique Rahman during the 2007–08 period, including facilitating his medical treatment abroad. Masud Uddin, detained from Baridhara DOHS and also on five-day remand, has been shifting blame to other former officers, saying he only tried to assist the Zia family.

Investigators report that both former generals have avoided direct answers about their alleged roles in torture, corruption, and political manipulation during the 1/11 period. Masud Uddin has accused former DGFI officials of implementing the “Minus Two Formula” and claimed India’s intelligence agency RAW planned the 1/11 government with DGFI involvement. Mamun Khaled faces allegations of large-scale corruption, enforced disappearances, and misuse of power during his tenure as DGFI chief.

Police sources indicate Masud Uddin may face further remand for questioning in murder and money laundering cases filed in Dhaka and Feni after the fall of the Awami League government.

The Pentagon is preparing for several weeks of ground operations in Iran, according to a Washington Post report citing US officials. As part of the preparations, thousands of US Navy and Marine troops have arrived in the Middle East. The USS Tripoli has reached its designated area of responsibility, the US Central Command confirmed. However, it remains uncertain whether President Donald Trump will approve the deployment of ground forces, and the exact locations of troop positions have not been disclosed.

The report indicates that the planned operations would not constitute a full-scale invasion but rather a series of coordinated missions involving special operations units and conventional infantry forces. More than 4,000 US Marines are believed to be aboard ships heading toward the Gulf, and discussions are ongoing about sending additional troops.

The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the matter despite inquiries from the BBC, leaving the timeline and scope of the potential operations unclear.

Bangladesh Bank has not recovered Tk 68,250 crore lent to 12 commercial banks, according to central bank sources. The loans, issued by printing money during the previous Awami League government and the subsequent interim administration, were meant to be repaid within three months but remain unpaid after more than a year. The funds were extended under the tenures of former governors Abdur Rouf Talukder and Ahsan H. Mansur. The banks include First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Union Bank, Global Islami Bank, Bangladesh Commerce Bank, ICB Islami Bank, EXIM Bank, National Bank, Padma Bank, AB Bank, BASIC Bank, and Premier Bank.

Industry observers said the banks became financially weak due to large-scale irregularities and mismanagement, particularly under groups such as S. Alam. Despite repeated liquidity support, the sector shows little improvement. Former chief economist Mustafa K. Mujeri described the assistance as a temporary relief that fails to address structural problems like default loans and corruption.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan stated that the central bank was compelled to provide liquidity support to prevent depositor panic but acknowledged that such measures cannot continue indefinitely. The new governor is expected to decide on the next steps for the troubled banks.

The Gazipur-Airport Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project has become a major burden for the government after years of delays, flawed planning, and alleged corruption. Initiated in 2012 under the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project, the 20.5-kilometer scheme aimed to provide a fast, affordable, and eco-friendly transit system. However, after spending over Tk 4,000 crore, the project remains incomplete, with its operations suspended since December 2024 and the route now used as a regular road. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) rejected proposals to extend the project’s duration and budget following revelations of design weaknesses and mismanagement.

Experts and former officials have described the project as one of the worst examples of corruption and poor planning, citing copied foreign designs unsuited to Bangladesh’s traffic system. A special committee is investigating financial irregularities and design flaws. Interim government adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud called for legal action against those responsible, while the current administration awaits the committee’s report before deciding future steps.

Despite widespread criticism, some project officials remain optimistic, claiming that once completed, the BRT could still offer efficient urban transport if technical issues are resolved.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a second round of attacks on Israeli territory. According to Yahya Sari, spokesperson for the group’s military wing, the strikes targeted southern Israel on Saturday using cruise missiles and drones. He said several key military installations were hit during the operation.

The Israeli military confirmed detecting a missile launched from Yemen toward its territory and stated that air defense systems were active in response. This marks the first official acknowledgment of an attack from Yemen since the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel entered its second month. The Houthis later said they had fired ballistic missiles at Israeli military sites in the occupied West Bank, describing the action as retaliation for Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Iran, and Palestine.

Sari warned that if other parties join the war against Iran and its allies, the Houthis are prepared to expand their military operations.

Phulbaria upazila in Mymensingh, covering 399 square kilometers, is rich in natural and historical resources but remains underdeveloped as a full-fledged tourist destination due to insufficient government and private initiatives. The area features the country’s largest enclosed wetland, Barabila, and the mysterious Nabaikuri, which attract visitors with lotus blooms and migratory birds. Nearby stands the legendary site of King Anai’s palace, tied to a local folktale that continues to intrigue tourists.

Santoshpur forest, with its dense sal and gazari trees, wildlife, and a large rubber plantation, offers another attraction. The area’s “social monkeys,” known for their friendly behavior with visitors, have become a highlight. Other notable sites include the privately owned Deepto Orchid Garden in Dulma village, the historic Tamaltala Guptabrindaban, and a privately developed park in Betbari. Visitors can reach Phulbaria from Mymensingh for a modest travel cost.

Locals believe that with proper planning and investment, Phulbaria could emerge as one of Bangladesh’s most appealing tourism zones, generating significant annual revenue.