QatarEnergy has declared a force majeure on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies as the ongoing war in the Middle East severely disrupts energy production and delivery systems. According to Al Jazeera, the company announced the legal measure on Tuesday, applying it to several long-term supply contracts with major customers including Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China.

The force majeure clause allows a party to suspend contractual obligations due to unforeseen events such as war or natural disasters. Similar declarations have recently been made by petroleum companies in Kuwait and Bahrain. The decision follows escalating instability in the region after U.S. and Israeli attacks in Iran on February 28, which have pushed the global energy market into deep uncertainty.

The closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and repeated Iranian missile and drone strikes on oil and gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf have further intensified supply risks, heightening global concerns over energy security.

Qatar has denied media reports suggesting that the proposed United States–Iran agreement might include the closure of the large US airbase at Al-Udeid in Qatar. A government spokesperson stated that the report was incorrect and that there were no plans to shut down the facility.

According to the spokesperson, the current regional crisis is expected to further strengthen Qatar’s existing partnership with the United States and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. The clarification came after speculation circulated in the media about potential changes to US military presence in the region.

The statement underscores Qatar’s continued commitment to its defense and diplomatic ties with the United States and its Gulf partners, countering rumors of any shift in its strategic alignment.

Pakistan’s army leadership has initiated mediation efforts between the United States and Iran amid an ongoing conflict. The White House confirmed that Army Chief Asim Munir spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss ways to end the war that began about a month ago. Diplomatic sources indicated that Washington and Tehran could meet in Islamabad later this week for talks, though neither side has formally agreed to participate.

Following the Trump-Munir call, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, with both leaders agreeing on the need to reduce tensions and pursue diplomatic solutions. Reports suggest Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is preparing to visit Islamabad, while Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf may lead Tehran’s delegation, though he has dismissed reports of such talks as false.

Iranian diplomatic sources expressed deep mistrust toward Washington, rejecting any negotiations involving Witkoff or Jared Kushner. Tehran views recent US overtures as deceptive, especially after the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which undermined earlier dialogue efforts.

U.S. President Donald Trump has attempted to shift responsibility for the Iran war onto his Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. Speaking at a roundtable meeting of the Safe Task Force in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday, Trump said Hegseth was the first among his administration members to advise him to launch an attack on Iran. During the discussion, Trump recalled consulting several senior officials about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional activities.

At the meeting, Trump, seated beside Hegseth, said he had called in military leaders to discuss Iran’s alleged terrorism over the past 47 years and its proximity to obtaining nuclear weapons. He quoted Hegseth as having urged immediate action to prevent Iran from acquiring such weapons. While assigning blame, Trump also praised Hegseth’s role and leadership.

Trump further claimed that the United States was engaged in positive discussions with Tehran. However, Iranian authorities dismissed his statement as “fake news,” calling it a delaying tactic. The remarks were reported by The Hill.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that his country is prepared to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran if both sides agree. In a post on X on Tuesday evening, he said Pakistan would feel honored to organize meaningful and conclusive discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

Sharif emphasized that Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to end war in the Middle East in the interest of peace and stability. His statement highlights Islamabad’s willingness to play a constructive role in regional diplomacy if Washington and Tehran consent to direct talks.

The offer reflects Pakistan’s positioning as a potential mediator in regional conflicts, though the source does not specify any response from the United States or Iran to this proposal.

The symbolic one-minute blackout planned for the night of March 25 to mark Genocide Day will not take place. Earlier on March 24 morning, a government information release had announced that the blackout would be observed across Bangladesh from 10:30 p.m. to 10:31 p.m. to commemorate the dark night of March 25, 1971. Key Point Installations, emergency facilities, and foreign missions in Bangladesh were to remain exempt from the program.

Later that night, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, M A Khayer, informed journalists that the blackout would not be held. He did not provide any explanation for the cancellation. The symbolic blackout was introduced during a previous Awami League government to honor the victims of the 1971 atrocities.

Last year, the symbolic blackout was observed from 10:00 p.m. to 10:01 p.m. nationwide. The reason for this year’s cancellation remains undisclosed.

Amid reports of mediation between the United States and Iran, Tehran has taken a notably harder stance in its negotiations. Three senior Iranian sources told Reuters that since the outbreak of war, Iran’s tone has shifted significantly, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) now exerting greater influence over policy decisions. Tehran has made it clear that any meaningful talks would require major concessions from Washington.

According to the sources, Iran’s conditions include guarantees against future military action, compensation for wartime damages, and formal control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also refused to discuss any restrictions on its ballistic missile program, calling it a non-negotiable red line. While U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that intense talks have been ongoing for three weeks, Iran publicly denied this, saying only preliminary contacts occurred with Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt.

A potential direct meeting in Islamabad could take place this week if finalized, with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi expected to attend. However, sources emphasized that the IRGC will ultimately determine any final decision.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly pressuring U.S. President Donald Trump to continue military attacks on Iran. According to a report by The New York Times, the crown prince argued that the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign presents a historic opportunity to reshape the Middle East. The report stated that the two leaders held several discussions over the past week regarding the situation.

The crown prince reportedly told Trump that Iran poses a long-term threat to Gulf countries and that this threat could be eliminated by removing the Iranian government. However, Saudi officials have denied that the crown prince took such a position, according to the same report.

The report did not specify any official U.S. response or potential next steps following these discussions.

A Dhaka court has granted a four-day remand for Md. Abdus Salam, who was arrested for allegedly impersonating the Prime Minister’s Personal Secretary (PS) to commit fraud. The order was issued on Tuesday by Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid after a hearing. The court rejected Salam’s bail plea and approved the remand request submitted by the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Md. Bulbul Ahmed of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

According to the case details, Salam had long been using the false identity of the Prime Minister’s PS to engage in various fraudulent activities, including illegal financial transactions and recruitment scams in government and private offices. Following reports and verified evidence reaching different levels of government, an investigation was launched. Based on confirmed information, a law enforcement team conducted a raid early in the morning at Salam’s residence in Agargaon and arrested him.

The remand will allow investigators to question Salam further to uncover the extent of his fraudulent operations and identify possible accomplices, according to the case proceedings.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a warning of potential attacks on Israeli positions in the Gaza Strip. In a statement released on March 24, 2026, the IRGC accused Israel of exceeding all limits in what it described as acts of genocide, declaring that such actions could no longer be tolerated.

The statement further cautioned that if crimes against Lebanese and Palestinian civilians continue, Iran would launch heavy missile and drone strikes on enemy gathering sites in occupied northern Palestine and the Gaza Strip. The warning was framed as a direct message to the Israeli military, signaling heightened tensions in the region.

The IRGC’s declaration underscores escalating rhetoric amid ongoing violence in Gaza and neighboring areas, though no immediate timeline or operational details were provided in the statement.

An abandoned house belonging to Aminul Islam Akash, a Swechchhasebak League leader currently in hiding, was set on fire by unidentified individuals in Boyradi Dighi village of Ashokpur Union, Shahjahanpur upazila, Bogura. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, destroying stored agricultural products and old furniture. Akash previously served as the district unit’s finance secretary.

According to Shahjahanpur Fire Service officer Delwar Hossain, two fire service units responded quickly and brought the blaze under control. The house had no electricity connection and was used to store potatoes and other crops. Akash claimed the fire was politically motivated and estimated his losses at about 150,000 taka.

Shahjahanpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ashiq Iqbal stated that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and police have visited the scene to investigate the matter further.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that Dhaka’s traffic congestion is expected to ease significantly by the end of April if short-term plans are implemented as scheduled. He made the statement on Tuesday, March 24, after a meeting at the Secretariat chaired by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman on resolving traffic congestion and modernizing traffic management in the capital.

The minister said the meeting discussed short-, medium-, and long-term strategies for improving the traffic system. Representatives from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, both city corporations, the Home Ministry, RAJUK, BUET experts, DTCA, and other relevant agencies attended. He noted that resolutions from the meeting would be shared later but expressed optimism that short-term measures would be completed by April, leading to noticeable improvement in traffic conditions.

Ahmed added that medium- and long-term plans would further enhance the traffic system. He also mentioned that traffic signals are being automated using local technology, with seven intersections already upgraded and six more to follow within a week, eventually covering around 120 signals across Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s Minister for Cultural Affairs, Advocate Nitae Roy Chowdhury, has alleged that the Awami League government attempted to erase the historical legacy of late President Ziaur Rahman. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after visiting the Zia Memorial Museum in Chattogram’s Kazi Deuri area, he said that despite various efforts, the true history of Ziaur Rahman could not be erased. The minister emphasized that the nation’s identity depends on preserving its history and announced plans to restore and modernize the museum.

He stated that during the Awami League’s tenure, items such as the transmitter, table, and chair used by Ziaur Rahman to declare independence from Kalurghat Radio Centre were removed from the museum, but initiatives are now underway to return them. The government plans to preserve the room where Zia was killed, improve the museum’s landscape, and appoint an architect for modernization. Additional staff will be recruited, and earthquake safety measures will be implemented.

Chowdhury added that the government has a broader plan to integrate the Kalurghat Radio Centre and the Zia Memorial Museum under a unified heritage framework to honor Ziaur Rahman’s contributions.

Two Russian Navy ships, Rezki and Sovershenny, arrived at Chattogram Port on Tuesday for a four-day goodwill visit to Bangladesh. Upon arrival, the Chief Staff Officer of the Commander of Chattogram Naval Area welcomed the ships’ captains, officers, and sailors. The Russian Deputy Ambassador to Bangladesh, along with military, air, and naval attachés and senior local naval officials, were also present at the reception.

Earlier, as the vessels entered Bangladesh’s territorial waters, the Bangladesh Navy ship BNS Omar Faruq formally greeted them. Both sides expressed hope that the visit would enhance professional exchanges and strengthen mutual relations between the two navies, further deepening the existing friendly bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Russia.

The Russian Navy ships are scheduled to leave Bangladesh’s territorial waters on March 27, marking the conclusion of the goodwill mission.

Former interim government religious affairs adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain has warned that disregarding the July Revolution would lead to national disaster. Speaking on Tuesday at a memorial and reunion event in Satkania, Chattogram, organized by the group 'Alor Feri' to honor the martyrs of the 2024 mass uprising, he described the revolution as a crucial turning point in the nation’s history.

Dr. Hossain said the sacrifices made during the July Revolution are an invaluable asset for the nation. He emphasized that the blood and labor of the July fighters would never go in vain, noting that their sacrifices enabled many to regain political power, return from exile, and secure the release of unjustly imprisoned individuals. He urged that the revolution’s legacy must be upheld to build a just state for future generations.

Addressing the political culture, he stated that citizens expect a healthy democratic environment and warned that reliance on unconstitutional or unethical means to retain power could again provoke mass uprisings.