The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified surveillance across the country’s borders to prevent fuel smuggling, citing the ongoing global energy situation. In a brief statement issued on Wednesday, BGB said maximum precautionary measures have been implemented at various border points to stop illegal cross-border movement of petroleum products.

According to BGB headquarters, heightened alert has been declared in all frontier areas considering the current volatility in the international energy market. The force warned that any attempt to smuggle diesel, petrol, or other petroleum products across the border will be dealt with strictly under the law. Intelligence monitoring and regular patrols have also been reinforced to ensure tighter control over border activities.

The measures reflect Bangladesh’s effort to safeguard its energy resources and maintain stability in fuel supply amid global market uncertainty.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md Abdus Salam has warned that contractors charging more than Tk 100 for household waste collection will face action. He made the statement while addressing a special cleanliness and mosquito control program at Shahidnagar cremation ground in Lalbagh, organized under DSCC’s month-long campaign. Dhaka-7 MP Hamidur Rahman Hamid attended as a special guest.

The program, held in Ward 24, involved around 200 DSCC workers from the waste management and health departments. They cleaned canals, drains, and footpaths and applied mosquito repellents. A public awareness rally was also held with local residents’ participation. Abdus Salam urged citizens to report any overcharging, promising contract cancellation if complaints are proven.

He also announced that burial and cremation registration fees at DSCC cemeteries and cremation grounds have been reduced from Tk 1,000 to Tk 500, following the Prime Minister’s directive. The administrator called on all political activists and residents to support efforts to make Dhaka cleaner and more livable under the “Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka” initiative.

A container ship was struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz, north of Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred on Wednesday, causing a fire in the vessel’s engine room. Immediate reports of casualties or damage were not available at the time of the announcement.

UKMTO, which monitors commercial shipping activity, stated that there were no reports of environmental impact following the attack. The organization continues to assess the situation in coordination with relevant maritime authorities. The source of the missile strike and the identity of the vessel were not disclosed in the initial report.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime route for global oil and goods transport, and any disruption in this area can affect international shipping operations. However, the report did not indicate whether broader shipping activity had been impacted by this specific incident.

European Council President Antonio Costa spoke by phone with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to reaffirm the European Union’s full support for Spain. The conversation came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to halt all trade with Spain for refusing to allow the use of its military bases in a mission related to Iran.

In a post on social media platform X, Costa said he had expressed the EU’s full solidarity with Spain. He added that the Union would always ensure the complete protection of its member states’ interests, while reiterating its commitment to international law and the global rules-based order.

The exchange has brought renewed attention to diplomatic tensions between the European Union and the United States following Trump’s warning, highlighting potential strains in transatlantic relations.

Black flags were seen flying at the Iran-Turkey border following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the report, the flags replaced Iran’s national flag at the Razi border crossing on the Turkish entry point. The incident occurred after widespread attacks across Iran began on February 28, reportedly carried out by the United States and Israel.

The black flags are believed to have been raised as a symbol of mourning for Khamenei’s death. The report cited BBC as the source of this information. The attacks and the leader’s death have drawn attention to heightened tensions in the region, though no further details were provided about the ongoing situation or official responses.

The display of mourning at the border underscores the gravity of the event within Iran and its symbolic impact on neighboring areas, particularly along the shared frontier with Turkey.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed that an American submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean using a torpedo. The incident reportedly occurred near Sri Lanka, resulting in at least 80 deaths, according to Sri Lankan authorities. The country’s deputy foreign minister told local television that the vessel was returning to Iran from an eastern Indian port when it was attacked.

The Iranian frigate, identified as IRIS Dena, had participated in India’s multinational naval exercise ‘Milan 2026’. It had also joined the same exercise in 2024. After completing this year’s drill, the warship began its journey back to Iran but never reached its destination. Questions have since arisen about why the Iranian vessel was positioned near Sri Lanka at the time of the attack.

The sinking has drawn attention to rising tensions in the Indian Ocean region, though the source does not specify any official responses from Iran or the United States beyond the initial claim.

Bangladesh Bank has postponed a scheduled meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) that was set for Wednesday at noon to discuss a possible reduction in the policy interest rate. The meeting was called by the new governor, Mostakur Rahman, who recently took office and had planned to lower the policy rate by 50 basis points in the first phase. The proposed cut was expected to bring down lending rates across the banking sector.

The seven-member MPC is chaired by Governor Rahman and includes Deputy Governor Md. Habibur Rahman, Chief Economist Md. Akhtar Hossain, BIDS Director General A.K. Enamul Haque, Dhaka University Economics Department Chair Ferdousi Nahar, and Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Mahmud Salahuddin Naser. The only board-nominated member, Sadiq Ahmed, has reportedly resigned from the committee.

The previous governor, Ahsan H. Mansur, announced the last monetary policy last month, keeping the policy rate unchanged at 10 percent, a level maintained since October 2024. Inflation, which peaked at 11.38 percent in November, eased to 8.58 percent by January.

The death toll in Iran has risen to 1,045 following joint airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency on Wednesday. The attacks took place on Saturday and reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior officials.

In response, Tehran has launched retaliatory strikes targeting US bases in the Middle East and Israeli installations, as reported by Al Jazeera. The escalation marks a significant intensification of hostilities involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

The situation remains volatile as both sides continue military actions, raising concerns about broader regional instability.

Turkey has claimed that Iran attempted to launch a missile targeting Turkish territory, but the projectile was destroyed before reaching its destination. According to a report by AFP citing Turkish officials, NATO’s air defense system intercepted and neutralized the missile while it was still over Iraqi and Syrian airspace.

In a statement, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense said the ballistic missile was launched from Iran and was heading toward Turkey after crossing Iraq and Syria. NATO’s air and missile defense system deployed in the eastern Mediterranean detected and destroyed it in time, preventing any damage.

The incident follows a series of escalating attacks in the region after the United States and Israel jointly launched strikes on Iran the previous Saturday. Since then, Iran has reportedly fired multiple missiles and drones targeting various installations in Middle Eastern countries.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher has warned that no leniency will be shown to those responsible for causing public suffering. Speaking at a meeting with officials of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) in Dhaka on Wednesday, he emphasized that the ministry would support honest and dedicated employees. He directed that no file should be unnecessarily delayed and that all tasks must be completed within the designated timeframe to prevent citizens from repeated visits to offices.

The minister acknowledged that RAJUK faces widespread public complaints, including bureaucratic delays, harassment, irregularities, and unnecessary complexities. He said these issues have damaged the organization’s image and must be addressed immediately. His remarks underscored the government’s focus on improving efficiency and accountability within public service institutions.

The directive signals a renewed push for administrative reform within RAJUK, aiming to restore public trust and ensure smoother service delivery to citizens.

US-Bangla Airlines has announced a special flight operation on the Dhaka–Chattogram–Abu Dhabi–Dhaka route to bring back Bangladeshi nationals stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid the ongoing Middle East situation. The first flight is scheduled to depart from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, via Chattogram, and from Chattogram at 8:20 p.m. The return flight from Abu Dhabi will depart at 1:00 a.m. local time on March 5. The operation will use a 189-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft under flight numbers BS-349 and BS-350.

The Abu Dhabi Airport Authority has permitted US-Bangla Airlines, Etihad, and several other carriers to operate such special flights considering the current circumstances. Separately, US-Bangla has also arranged a special Dubai–Dhaka flight (BS-342) on March 4 to repatriate 28 Biman Bangladesh Airlines crew members stranded in the UAE since February 28 due to the conflict situation.

Priority will be given to Bangladeshi passengers whose visas have expired or are about to expire. Travelers are advised to contact US-Bangla sales centers or travel agencies in Bangladesh and the UAE for ticketing information.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard seized yaba tablets worth approximately Tk 7.5 crore in two separate operations in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, and arrested one drug trafficker. The operations were conducted early Wednesday, March 4, 2026, based on secret information. Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, the Coast Guard’s media officer, confirmed the seizures and arrest.

According to the Coast Guard, the first operation took place around 4 a.m. near Zero Point Sea Beach Ghat, where 140,000 yaba tablets worth about Tk 7 crore were recovered in an abandoned state. No suspects were detained as the traffickers fled the scene. In the second operation, conducted around 5 a.m. near the Marine Drive area, officials searched a suspicious easybike and found 10,000 yaba tablets worth Tk 50 lakh, arresting one trafficker identified as Shahid Hossain, 40, from Teknaf Sadar Union.

Authorities stated that legal procedures are underway regarding the seized drugs, vehicle, and the detained suspect. The Coast Guard affirmed that similar anti-narcotics operations will continue in the future.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has released constituency-wise results of the 13th parliamentary election, twenty days after voting took place. The results were published on Wednesday on the EC’s official website. According to an EC official, the election was held on February 12 across 42,651 polling centers in 299 of the 300 constituencies. The gazette of elected members was issued on February 13, and the detailed results for 297 constituencies have now been made public.

Officials stated that results for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 remain suspended due to pending court orders related to loan default allegations. The election in Sherpur-3 was canceled following the death of a candidate, and voting in its 128 centers will be held on April 9. A by-election for Bogura-6, vacated by Tarique Rahman, is also scheduled for the same day.

According to the EC’s final tally, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured 209 of the 297 declared seats, returning to power after two decades.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has formed a 10-member taskforce to strengthen VAT collection and prevent tax evasion during the final four months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, from March to June. The taskforce will prepare and implement a time-bound short-term action plan aimed at achieving revenue targets. The order to form the taskforce was issued by NBR’s VAT Implementation and IT Wing on Wednesday.

According to the directive, the taskforce will focus on enhancing revenue mobilization through comprehensive monitoring, preparing specific and time-bound plans for the next 180 days, and aligning its actions with the government’s sustainable development goals. It will also work on expanding the tax net, converting loss-making sectors into profitable ones, ensuring recovery of outstanding dues, and expediting the resolution of pending cases and audits. The taskforce is led by Md. Shamsul Islam, Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (North), with Ruhul Amin as member secretary.

NBR is also forming separate taskforces for income tax and customs divisions to improve overall revenue performance. The move follows a shortfall of 600 billion taka in revenue collection during the first seven months of the fiscal year.

An Iranian naval frigate reportedly sank off the coast of Sri Lanka following an attack from a submarine, according to Sri Lankan authorities. The incident occurred early in the morning when the vessel, identified as IRIS Dena, sent a distress signal. Sri Lanka’s navy and air force were deployed to assist in the rescue operation after receiving the alert.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament that the ship had 180 people on board. Thirty injured sailors were rescued and taken to a hospital in Galle port for treatment. Authorities confirmed that 32 people have been located so far, while the fate of the remaining 150 crew members remains uncertain.

Rescue efforts are ongoing as Sri Lankan forces continue to search the area for survivors. Officials have not yet provided details on the source of the submarine attack or the current condition of the wreckage.