Photo: BSSDHAKA, Mar 8, 2026 (BSS) - Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood today said the country has sufficient reserves of fuel and the government has introduced rationing of fuel due to the global situation. Iqbal Hassan said the war situation in the Middle East has created uncertainty in the global energy market. Iqbal Hassan, also BNP Standing Committee member, said the stock will increase further when oil supply from these ships starts. The government has no plans to increase oil prices for now,” he added. Regarding power supply, he said, the government has given special instructions to ensure that there is no load shedding during Iftar, Tarawih and Sehri during the month of Ramadan.

Bangladesh head coach Peter Butler expressed pride in the growth of women’s football in the country as he reflected on the team’s journey ahead of their final Group B match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 against Uzbekistan on Monday. Speaking on International Women's Day on Sunday, Butler said he feels honoured to coach the Bangladesh women’s team and praised the players for their resilience and determination despite the many challenges they face. “You shouldn’t ask me that, you’ll make me cry,” Butler said when asked about the progress of women’s football in Bangladesh. “We want to win because we are competitive, but that’s not the only reason we’re here,” Butler said. “The most important thing is the way they’ve participated, the way they’ve handled themselves and embraced professionalism.”Butler hopes the lessons from the tournament will help the players continue to grow and contribute to the development of women’s football in Bangladesh.

Equal justice is when laws from books starts to be enforced in real life. When women’s direct representation shrinks, the space for equal justice shrinks with it, because laws are not neutral. Action means enforceable labour rights, ending harmful practices through law, and more women across the justice chain. If rights and justice do not reach them, then our slogans are hollow. Dignity means services that meet her where she is, linking legal aid to healthcare, protection to livelihoods, and climate adaptation to women’s leadership.

According to BBS data, the rise in overall inflation was largely driven by a significant increase in food prices. Food inflation climbed to 9.30% in February, up from 8.29% in January. In February 2025, food inflation stood at 9.24%, indicating a slight increase on an annual basis as well. Recent increases in food prices, combined with fluctuations in supply and rising import expenses, have contributed to upward pressure on overall inflation. The latest BBS data suggests that controlling food price volatility will remain a key factor in stabilizing the country’s inflation rate in the coming months.

In Bangladesh, the story of women’s progress is often told in numbers … more girls in schools, more women in workplaces, more female entrepreneurs, more women in leadership. Progress does not emerge from numbers alone; it is built on countless acts of giving, often by women whose contributions remain unseen. The engine behind much of this visible progress is an invisible, undervalued workforce. If our progress depends entirely on the unpaid giving of women in the household, it is fragile progress. True progress will come when giving and gaining no longer fall along invisible gendered lines.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate a government program to provide monthly allowances to imams and muezzins of mosques across the country on Saturday. As part of implementing these pledges, Zabiullah said, the government has taken initiatives to introduce a monthly honorarium for imams, muezzins and khadems in mosques and individuals working in other places of worship. In the first phase, he said, the government will launch the program under a pilot scheme before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. Under the scheme, one mosque from each union and municipality has been selected, totaling 4,908 mosques, while for other places of worship, two temples from each upazila have been selected, totaling 990 temples, the adviser added. Noting that the money will be transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, he said, “This system leaves no scope for corruption”.

Former prime minister and former chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Khaleda Zia was honoured with the “Best Indomitable Woman” award for her role in advancing democracy. Her granddaughter Zaima Rahman received the award on her behalf. Khaleda Zia’s daughter-in-law Zubaida Rahman was also present at the ceremony. Mohammad Shahabuddin handed over the award to Zaima Rahman at a program marking International Women's Day at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 11am on Sunday. Nurun Nahar Akhter received the award in the economic category, while Babita Khatun was recognised in the “Women who have achieved success in education and employment” category.

Monira Sharmin, Dr Mahmuda Mitu and Nusrat Tabassum have been elected convener, member secretary and chief organiser of the Jatiya Nari Shakti, women’s wing of National Citizen Party (NCP), respectively. NCP Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam announced the committee following a meeting held at the Sagar–Runi Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday. Speaking at the event, Nahid Islam said the party would work to identify women across the country whose voices were “lost in July.”He added that the formation of the committee aims to ensure women’s rights and strengthen their participation in society. He further noted that the names of the remaining members of the committee would be announced in phases.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman has accused the government of removing key state decisions and information published on government websites during the tenure of the interim government. The event was titled “Immediate Formation of the Information Commission and Necessary Amendments to the Right to Information Act 2009.”Iftekharuzzaman said that numerous important decisions and pieces of information have been taken down from government websites. It is unethical, contrary to the Right to Information Act, and against the interests of the state,” he said. Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJON), said that the Right to Information Act allows access to any information, ensuring transparency in government operations. Also present at the press conference were Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) and convener of the RTI Forum; Hasibur Rahman, Executive Director of Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI); and Zakir Hossain, CEO of Nagorik Uddyog.

“Let’s go to war,” Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said with a smile as he stepped out of his residence on Sunday morning to begin the first working day of the week. When the door opened, the Prime Minister greeted them with his customary smile and made the remark. “The Prime Minister used the phrase ‘Let’s go to war’ to express the determination to rebuild the country and tackle its problems,” Rumon added. To avoid such inconvenience and speed up government work, the Prime Minister is now working from the Secretariat,” Rumon said. After arriving at the office, he inquired about which ministers, state ministers and secretaries were present.

“Considering the circumstances, there will be no decorative illumination for Independence and National Day this year,” he said. The Home Minister explained that the decision was taken as part of austerity measures aimed at conserving energy and preventing a potential fuel crisis. “Every year, decorative lighting is arranged on government and private buildings to mark Independence and National Day. The government will ensure the highest level of security at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar on March 26 as the country observes Independence Day. He added that programmes marking Independence Day (Bangladesh) will not be limited to the capital.

After her husband left her, she decided to go to Saudi Arabia two years ago to support her two children. Sufia Begum from Faridpur, who returned from Saudi Arabia, said some workers resort to self-harm or even suicide to escape abuse. She later fled and took shelter at the Bangladeshi embassy in Riyadh before returning home two months later. 800 women returned home in coffinsAccording to the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare, the bodies of 799 female migrant workers were brought back to Bangladesh in coffins over the past eight years. He suggested that instead of sending women abroad primarily as domestic workers, they should receive training for safer and better-protected jobs.

Angry students and locals set three buses on fire in Jhenaidah after a youth was allegedly beaten to death by employees of a petrol pump. In protest, transport workers later blocked the road at the district’s central bus terminal on Sunday morning. Transport workers later withdrew the blockade after about two hours following assurances that those involved in setting the buses on fire would be arrested. Later at night, protesters vandalized a petrol pump in the Arappur area and set three buses on fire at the central bus terminal around 1am. “After giving assurances to the workers, the road was cleared and traffic resumed,” he added.

The World Disasters Report 2026 warns that harmful information and dehumanising narratives are increasingly undermining trust, putting the lives of humanitarian workers and communities at risk. Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General, said: “In every crisis I have witnessed, information is as essential as food, water and shelter. The report highlights that around 94 per cent of disasters are managed by national authorities and local communities without international assistance. Humanitarian agencies: Embed harmful information preparedness into humanitarian operations as a core function, with trained teams, standardised tools, predictive analytics, and strong community engagement to anticipate, detect, and respond to harmful narratives. The World Disaster Report 2026 is available to policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and the public, providing a roadmap for building resilience to harmful information before, during, and after crises.

Women in Bangladesh have played important roles in social and political change , but they are still largely excluded from positions of power and decision-making, speakers said at a town hall discussion marking International Women ’s Day on Sunday. However, she said women and girls are still facing violence, discrimination and limited participation in decision-making. She said women in Bangladesh have repeatedly shown courage and leadership but are still missing from places where real power exists. She described the Fourth World Conference on Women as a historic milestone that highlighted key issues affecting women worldwide. In 2025, 2,808 incidents of violence against women and girls were recorded in Bangladesh, including 786 cases of rape or gang rape.