US President Donald Trump has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that if Iran does not fully reopen the vital waterway without threats within the given timeframe, the United States will destroy Iran’s power plants, starting with the largest one. The statement was reported by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Iran has claimed responsibility for attacks on two US military bases located in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, the assaults were carried out using missiles and drones. The developments come amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran, the US, and several Gulf states.

The situation underscores escalating hostilities around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor, with potential implications for regional stability and global oil supply if the standoff continues.

Twelve people were killed when a passenger bus collided with a train at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Cumilla on Saturday night, March 21. The incident occurred under the flyover in Sadar Dakshin upazila when a Chuadanga-to-Lakshmipur-bound bus named Mamun Special was hit by the Dhaka Mail train coming from Chattogram. Police and fire service teams conducted rescue operations at the site, while injured passengers were taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

Railway authorities have formed three separate investigation committees, including officials from various railway departments, to determine the cause of the accident. Additionally, the Cumilla district administration has set up a five-member committee led by the Additional District Magistrate, with representatives from BRTA, highway police, the station master, and the fire service. The committees have been instructed to submit their reports within three working days.

Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md Reza Hasan confirmed that families of the deceased will receive Tk 25,000 in financial assistance. He also reported that 18 injured passengers received primary treatment, five remain under care, and one is in the ICU.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman exchanged Eid-ul-Fitr greetings with three senior journalists over the phone on Friday, March 21, 2026. The journalists were Ekushey Padak recipient Shafik Rehman, The New Nation editor Md. Mokarram Hossain, and journalist Anis Alamgir. The Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary, Mostafa Zulfiqar Hasan (Hasan Shiplu), confirmed the calls, saying the Prime Minister conveyed Eid greetings and inquired about their health.

Md. Mokarram Hossain, a former managing director of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, said the call from the Prime Minister was completely unexpected and that he was pleased by the gesture. He expressed happiness at the Prime Minister’s courtesy during the festive occasion. Anis Alamgir also said that the Prime Minister called him around 7 p.m. to ask about his health and extended Eid greetings to him and his wife.

The calls reflected a gesture of goodwill from the head of government toward senior members of the media community during the Eid festival.

Rail communication between Chattogram and the rest of Bangladesh resumed eight hours after a fatal collision between a passenger bus and a mail train at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing in Cumilla. The accident occurred around 3 a.m. on Saturday night when a Chattogram–Dhaka mail train struck the bus, dragging it about half a kilometer. A relief train arrived from Akhaura five hours later to assist in rescue operations, and by Sunday morning, the relief team had cleared the tracks and recovered the mail train, restoring normal train movement.

According to Chattogram divisional manager Mostafizur Rahman, the bus was removed from the tracks and rail operations returned to normal. So far, authorities have recovered 12 bodies, with two victims identified. Fire service, army, police, and Rapid Action Battalion personnel participated in the rescue efforts.

Three investigation committees have been formed to probe the incident, and families of the deceased have been granted financial assistance of 25,000 taka each.

Three weeks after the US-Israel war against Iran began, the conflict has entered an uncertain phase marked by contradictory statements from President Donald Trump. While Trump has claimed the war is nearly over and the situation is calming, US and Israeli airstrikes continue across Iran, and American Marine units are reportedly moving into the region. In a Truth Social post, Trump warned that if Iran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, US forces will begin targeting Iranian power plants, starting with the largest one.

Trump earlier published a list of US military objectives in Iran, including destroying Iran’s defense infrastructure and nuclear program, but notably excluded securing the Strait of Hormuz, saying that responsibility should fall to other oil-dependent nations. Despite his insistence that the US is not reliant on Middle Eastern oil, analysts note that global oil price fluctuations still affect American fuel costs.

Reports indicate the Trump administration is preparing a $200 billion emergency funding request to Congress for the ongoing operation, suggesting a prolonged and costly conflict. Congressional reactions have been cautious, with lawmakers seeking clarity on strategy and financial implications.

Two gatekeepers, Mehedi Hasan and Helal Uddin, have been suspended following a deadly train accident at the Paduar Bazar railway crossing in Cumilla that left 12 people dead. The suspension was confirmed on Sunday morning by Mostafizur Rahman, the manager of the Chattogram Railway Division. Initial investigation identified a communication failure between the gatekeepers and the train as the cause of the accident. New gatekeepers will be assigned to the site.

Authorities have formed two investigation committees—one divisional and one regional—to determine the full cause of the incident. Legal action is also being initiated in connection with the accident.

The collision occurred around 3 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, when a mail train traveling from Chattogram to Dhaka struck a passenger bus at the crossing, dragging it for about half a kilometer. Twelve bodies were recovered, and officials indicated that the death toll could rise further.

Dhaka’s air quality remained at an unhealthy level on Sunday, March 22, 2026, despite the city being largely empty during the Eid holidays. According to data from the international air quality monitoring organization IQAir, the capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 165 at 8 a.m., placing it fourth among the world’s most polluted cities. Although traffic and industrial activity have significantly decreased due to the holiday, the expected improvement in air quality has not occurred.

IQAir’s data showed that Delhi topped the list of polluted cities with a score of 193, followed by Beijing at 178 and Incheon at 174. In contrast, Denver in the United States recorded the cleanest air with a score of 39, while Chicago followed with 42. The previous day, Dhaka ranked tenth among 121 cities with an AQI of 117, while Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo led the list with 173.

The persistence of unhealthy air despite reduced human activity highlights the severity of Dhaka’s pollution problem, even during periods of minimal traffic and industrial operations.

Rail communication between Chattogram and the rest of Bangladesh has been suspended following a fatal train accident in Cumilla that left 12 people dead and at least 20 injured. The collision occurred around 3 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, when a passenger bus from Chapainawabganj to Noakhali collided with a mail train traveling from Chattogram to Dhaka near the Paduar Bazar rail crossing. The injured were taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

A relief train from Akhaura reached the accident site about five hours later to begin recovery operations, according to the Chattogram divisional railway manager Mostafizur Rahman. He stated that the mail train involved in the crash was the only one operating on Eid day, and regular train schedules are expected to resume the following day. The official added that trains departing from Dhaka and Chattogram may face slight delays reaching Cumilla until the damaged train is cleared.

Authorities have formed three investigation committees and announced financial assistance of 25,000 taka for each victim’s family.

An Iranian missile strike hit the southern Israeli city of Dimona on Saturday, causing a building to collapse and injuring at least 47 people, according to Israeli media reports. Among the injured was a 12-year-old boy who sustained serious injuries from shrapnel. Footage broadcast by local outlets showed a large projectile descending rapidly from the sky before a powerful explosion.

Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported, citing the country’s emergency medical services, that at least 20 people were injured in the attack, including a 10-year-old child. Separately, Channel 12 said that in northern Israel’s Ma’alot-Tarshiha area, at least eight people were wounded in a rocket strike. The Times of Israel reported that Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets targeting that northern region, according to Al Jazeera.

The incidents come amid escalating cross-border hostilities, with reports of multiple overnight attacks across five Israeli cities and rising regional tensions involving Iran and its allies.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called journalist Anis Alamgir on Saturday evening, March 21, to convey Eid greetings. Alamgir confirmed the conversation, saying the call came around 7 p.m. and that he was surprised by it. The Prime Minister extended greetings to both Alamgir and his wife and mentioned hearing about his time in prison.

Anis Alamgir expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, praising his demonstration of harmony and goodwill during the Eid prayers. He also thanked Rahman for refraining from making comments about past negative politics since August 5, 2024. Earlier, Alamgir had exchanged Eid greetings with President Md. Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban.

Alamgir had been detained by the Detective Branch on December 14 of the previous year for questioning and was later shown arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The Anti-Corruption Commission also filed a case against him. After three months in jail, he was released on bail on March 14.

Twelve people were killed in a collision between a passenger bus and a train at Padua Bazar rail crossing in Cumilla on Saturday night. The accident occurred when a Mamun Paribahan bus traveling from Chapainawabganj to Noakhali was hit by a mail train heading from Chattogram to Dhaka. At least fifteen others were injured and taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Following the incident, two separate investigation committees have been formed, each consisting of six members. One committee includes officials such as the DTO, DEN-1, DSTE, DME (Loco), DMO, and Commandant (RNB), while the other includes COPS, CE, CME, CMO, CSTE, and CC (RNB). The information was confirmed by Mostafizur Rahman, Divisional Manager of the Chattogram Railway Division, and Sirajul Mostafa, Officer-in-Charge of Cumilla Sadar South Police Station. Dr. Amit Bhowmik of Cumilla Medical College confirmed the deaths.

Authorities have initiated investigations to determine the cause of the collision and assess safety measures at the rail crossing.

Six people were killed in separate road accidents in Feni and Jhenaidah districts on Sunday, March 22, 2026. In Feni, three people died in a three-vehicle collision involving a bus, an ambulance, and a motorcycle on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway near Rampur Latumia early in the morning. Police said the crash occurred when a Shyamoli Paribahan bus hit a slow-moving ambulance, leading to a traffic jam. Moments later, a Doel Paribahan bus rammed into the stationary vehicles, causing the fatal collision. The deceased included a motorcyclist, a bus supervisor, and a passenger, while several others were injured and taken to Feni General Hospital.

In Jhenaidah, two separate accidents in Nagarbathaan Bazar and Keshabpur village left two people dead and three injured. One victim, a school student named Abdul Gafur, died after falling from a moving Nosimon vehicle, while another, Roni Hossain, was killed in a motorcycle collision. Police confirmed both incidents and said the injured were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Authorities have confirmed the incidents and initiated standard procedures for investigation and medical support.

At least 12 people were killed and several others injured when a passenger bus collided with a train at a level crossing in the Paduar Bazar Bishwaroad area of Cumilla on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway. The accident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Cumilla Sadar South Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sirajul Mostafa confirmed the incident, adding that the death toll could rise. Dr. Amit Bhowmik of Cumilla Medical College also confirmed the deaths.

According to train passengers, the bus from Chapainawabganj was crossing the railway gate when the collision occurred, and the gate was reportedly not lowered at the time. Local sources said the train dragged the bus up to Jangalia Station after the impact. Police, army, and fire service personnel arrived soon after to begin rescue operations, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.

Authorities have formed three investigation committees and announced financial assistance of Tk 25,000 for each victim’s family.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will attack Iran’s power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. The warning was issued through a post on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, where he stated that the strikes would begin with Iran’s largest power facility. The report was published by Al Jazeera and cited by Amar Desh Online on March 22, 2026.

Analysts believe the threat could further complicate the already tense situation in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime route for global energy supplies, carrying a significant share of the world’s oil shipments. Any disruption or escalation around this strategic waterway could have major consequences for the global economy.

The ultimatum adds new uncertainty to regional stability, as tensions involving Iran, the United States, and neighboring countries continue to rise.

About 150 families were evacuated from the southern Israeli city of Arad after an Iranian missile strike, according to the city’s mayor, as reported by Al Jazeera. The evacuation was carried out swiftly to ensure the safety of residents living in the area where the missile landed. Emergency services in Israel confirmed that at least 64 people were injured in the attack, with several in serious condition.

The strike caused extensive damage in the affected area, prompting ongoing rescue and relief operations. Local authorities are continuing efforts to assess the full extent of the destruction and provide assistance to displaced families. The incident marks another escalation in regional tensions following recent reports of Iranian attacks on Israeli facilities.

Emergency response teams remain active in Arad as recovery work continues, with officials prioritizing medical care and shelter for those impacted by the missile strike.