The Government of Bangladesh has assured full support for the crew of the national flag carrier vessel ‘Banglar Joyjatra’, currently stationed at Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates. In a video message on Monday, March 2, 2026, Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Bridges, and Railways Sheikh Robiul Alam praised the sailors’ courage and professionalism amid a tense situation, calling their conduct a source of national pride.

The minister expressed hope that the ongoing crisis would soon be resolved, allowing the 31-member crew to continue their duties safely. He confirmed that the sailors’ families have been contacted and that Prime Minister Tarek Rahman is personally monitoring the situation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has established a special control cell at its Chattogram headquarters to support the crew and their families, maintaining regular virtual communication with the vessel.

The minister added that the Bangladesh Embassy in Dubai is overseeing the matter continuously, while local agents and expatriate entrepreneurs are on standby to assist if needed. Ensuring the sailors’ safety and morale remains the government’s top priority.

An Iranian Shahed-136 drone struck Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil refinery in Ras Tanura, causing a temporary shutdown of operations. The attack led to a limited fire that was quickly brought under control, and no casualties have been reported so far.

The incident comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, where Iran has recently launched missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf countries and Israel. The Ras Tanura refinery, located in eastern Saudi Arabia and operated by Aramco, is one of the world’s largest and most important oil export centers, processing over 550,000 barrels of crude oil daily. It includes extensive refining units, storage tanks, pipelines, and a major port for international oil shipments.

Given Ras Tanura’s central role in global energy supply, any disruption there could affect international crude oil prices and contribute to instability in the global energy market.

An allegation has surfaced in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur district that a man named Billal Hossain, identifying himself as a youth leader, has occupied a government canal and is constructing a permanent building. The incident occurred in Brahmpara village of Kanchanpur Union, where Billal, a tea seller, has reportedly been continuing the construction for about a month along the Ramganj-Hajiganj road at Katakhali without any official intervention.

Local residents said Billal has been using his claimed political identity to exert influence and continue the work. In response, Billal stated that many influential people have already occupied government canals and built structures, and he is doing the same on Water Development Board property. He added that some people visited the site but did not ask him to stop the work.

Ramganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farashid Bin Enam confirmed receiving reports about the illegal occupation at Katakhali and said that legal action will be taken soon.

U.S. First Lady Melania Trump is set to preside over a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, marking the first time a First Lady will chair such a session. Her office stated that she will emphasize the role of education in promoting tolerance and advancing global peace. The announcement came shortly before the United States began military action against Iran.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that this will be the first instance of a First Lady leading a Security Council meeting. The United States holds the rotating presidency of the Council for March. Melania Trump has previously engaged in diplomatic efforts, including advocating for the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

The development comes amid growing political and financial tensions between Washington and the United Nations. Analysts suggest President Donald Trump may be seeking to bypass the Council through his “Peace Abroad” initiative, which recently convened in Washington to discuss Gaza reconstruction funding.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has rejected the bail petition of Awami League leader Humayun Kabir Patwari in a case related to the killing of five people, including students, during the July uprising in Lakshmipur. The three-member panel, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, also ordered submission of a medical report from the head of the Hematology Department of Bangladesh Medical University and a report on the allegations by March 30, when the next hearing is scheduled.

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam opposed the bail plea, while the defense argued that they had not received prior instructions regarding the required reports. The tribunal noted that the requested reports had not yet been submitted. Jail authorities informed that the accused is under treatment, and the prosecution sought an additional month for submission.

Humayun Kabir, president of Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila Awami League and former chairman of Char Ruhita Union Parishad, was first arrested in August 2024 in another murder case and later shown arrested in this crimes against humanity case, which remains under investigation.

Trita Parsi, co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, stated that he believes the United States and Israel pursued a strategy of targeting Iran’s senior leaders until someone agreed to surrender. He described this as a miscalculation, arguing that Iran’s leadership fears surrender far more than war.

According to Parsi, former U.S. President Donald Trump assumed that deploying aircraft carriers to the Gulf would intimidate Iran into submission. However, Parsi explained that Iran’s rulers believe they can survive a war but not a surrender. He warned that if no one in Iran agrees to surrender, the approach would require not only removing successive leaders but effectively destroying the entire country.

Parsi added that the Trump administration did not understand how long such a campaign might take or whether it was even possible. During that time, he said, Iran’s strategy would be to inflict as much damage as possible on the United States, its forces, the global economy, neighboring states, and international markets to make such an initiative prohibitively costly.

The state-owned vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has become stranded at Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates amid the ongoing war in Iran and the Middle East. Cargo unloading operations from the ship have been suspended. The vessel is currently docked at the port with 31 Bangladeshi sailors on board.

BSC Managing Director Commodore M Mahmudul Malek stated that all crew members are safe and maintaining regular contact with their families. The ship arrived at Jebel Ali on February 27 carrying 38,800 metric tons of steel coils from Mesaieed Port. BSC currently operates a fleet of seven ships, with only the Banglar Joyjatra active in the Gulf region.

The situation underscores the operational challenges faced by Bangladeshi vessels in conflict-affected areas of the Middle East, though authorities have confirmed the safety of the crew and are monitoring developments closely.

Smoke was seen rising over the area surrounding the United States Embassy in Kuwait on March 2, 2026, according to reports from Reuters and AFP. Firefighters and ambulances were present at the scene, though no further details about the cause of the smoke were provided. Following the incident, the US Embassy issued an alert advising people not to approach the embassy and to remain indoors.

In a notice published on its website, the embassy instructed residents to take shelter on the lowest floor of their homes, stay away from windows, and avoid going outside. It also urged US citizens in Kuwait to remain where they are, review their security plans, and stay alert for possible additional attacks. Embassy staff were reported to have taken shelter in place as well.

The situation prompted heightened caution among US nationals in Kuwait, though the source did not specify the origin or extent of the incident.

Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdur Muktadir has expressed commitment to further strengthen and expand bilateral trade relations with India. He made the remarks on Monday, March 2, after a courtesy meeting with the Indian High Commissioner at the Secretariat in Dhaka. The Indian envoy also emphasized India’s interest in deepening ties with Bangladesh’s new government and enhancing people-to-people connections.

During the meeting, both sides discussed mutual cooperation in digital infrastructure and technology exchange to boost the existing trade volume of around 11 billion dollars, including 9.5 billion in imports and 1.5 billion in exports. They also focused on reopening closed border haats and improving land border infrastructure. India showed interest in using the newly built land port at Sabroom, while discussions were held on making operations at Benapole and other ports more efficient.

The minister added that Bangladesh has applied to the United Nations to extend its LDC graduation timeline and that the process is ongoing. He also noted that while there are concerns about possible disruptions in the Hormuz Strait, there is currently no threat to essential imports or fuel supplies.

Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency has released a new video showing thousands of drones lined up inside underground tunnels built deep beneath Tehran. The footage depicts drones mounted on rocket launchers, with Iranian flags and images of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei displayed on the tunnel walls. The video appears intended to showcase the country’s military capabilities.

The report did not provide specific details such as the time, location, or types of drones featured in the footage. However, the release is believed to have come amid heightened regional tensions. The publication of the video follows a series of recent developments involving Iran and its regional activities, as noted in related news items.

The timing and content of the video suggest an effort by Iran to project strength, though the absence of technical or operational details leaves key aspects of the footage unverified.

A total of 39 international flights from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka were canceled on Monday, March 2, 2026, due to the ongoing closure of airspace across several Middle Eastern countries. The affected destinations included the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, the cancellations followed the temporary airspace shutdown announced by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan on February 28 amid heightened security concerns.

In the past three days, a total of 102 flights have been canceled, including 23 on February 28, 40 on March 1, and 39 on March 2. Airlines affected include Qatar Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air, Flydubai, Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and US-Bangla Airlines. Flights to destinations other than Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai have resumed.

Thousands of Bangladeshi migrant workers and business travelers have been stranded at the airport, with uncertainty remaining over when normal flight operations will resume.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has announced that MPO-listed teachers will receive their festival allowance ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr 2026. In a notice signed by Professor B M Abdul Hannan, the acting Director General of DSHE, all educational institutions were instructed to submit their festival allowance bills by March 4.

The directive, issued on March 2, aims to ensure timely disbursement of the Eid bonus for teachers under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme. The DSHE emphasized that heads of institutions must comply with the submission deadline to facilitate smooth processing of the payments.

This announcement brings relief to thousands of MPO-affiliated teachers who were awaiting confirmation of their Eid bonus payments.

Bangladesh’s export earnings declined by 12 percent in February, according to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Monday. The fall contributed to a 3.15 percent drop in total export income during the first eight months of the 2025–26 fiscal year compared with the same period last year. Total exports from July to February stood at 31.91 billion US dollars, down from 32.92 billion dollars a year earlier.

EPB attributed the overall decline to disruptions in port operations, the national election, and reduced demand in major global markets. The ready-made garment sector, which remains the country’s largest export earner, brought in 25.8 billion dollars during the period, marking a 3.73 percent decrease year-on-year. Within this sector, knitwear products continued to outperform woven garments.

Despite the overall downturn, several sectors including leather and leather goods, jute and jute products, home textiles, light engineering, and frozen fish recorded positive year-on-year growth. The United States remained Bangladesh’s largest export destination, with shipments totaling 5.87 billion dollars, up 0.74 percent, while exports to China rose by 19.12 percent.

Nurul Islam, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Member of Parliament from Barguna-2 constituency, has been appointed as the Chief Whip of the 13th National Parliament. The announcement was made through a gazette notification issued by the National Parliament Secretariat on Monday, March 2, 2026.

In a separate notification, the names of six other BNP lawmakers were declared as whips. They are G K Gaus from Habiganj-3, Rakibul Islam from Khulna-3, Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu from Shariatpur-3, M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu from Natore-2, Akhtaruzzaman Mia from Dinajpur-4, and A B M Ashraf Uddin Nizan from Lakshmipur-4.

The appointments mark the formal organization of BNP’s parliamentary leadership structure for the 13th National Parliament, as confirmed by the official gazette notifications.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that two Bangladeshi nationals were killed and seven others injured in recent missile and drone attacks across the Middle East. The attacks followed Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US bases in several countries. One of the deceased, identified as Saleh Ahmed from Sylhet’s Barlekha, died in Ajman, United Arab Emirates, after a civilian facility was hit. Another Bangladeshi was killed in Bahrain, where three others were also injured. Four more Bangladeshis were wounded near Kuwait’s civilian airport.

The ministry said Bangladesh’s embassies in the affected countries are in contact with local authorities and providing necessary assistance, including arrangements to repatriate the bodies once commercial flights resume. The Bangladeshi ship “Banglar Joyjatra” remains stranded at Jebel Ali Port in the UAE, though all crew members are safe.

Dhaka reiterated its deep concern over the escalating situation in the Middle East and stated that it is closely monitoring developments. The government emphasized that the safety of over six million Bangladeshi expatriates in the region remains its top priority and urged citizens to follow local advisories strictly.