Sukanta Halder

Hidden within the bustling alleys in Old Dhaka’s Tikatuli lies a regal architectural gem -- the Rose Garden.

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) yesterday raised the price of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders by nearly 29 percent, as a sharp surge in global benchmark prices and import costs for suppliers amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.

Boro paddy cultivation has gradually expanded over the years, thanks to factors including wider access to irrigation, supportive weather, better prices and the return of once fallow land to the farming of staple rice.

Storms and heavy rain last month damaged a range of crops, including maize. For maize farmers, it was a cruel blow, as many had turned to the cereal after repeated losses from low potato prices.

The government is making urgent efforts to secure fertiliser, especially urea, from both regular and alternative sources to ensure food security and prevent any supply shortage after June amid the US-Israel war on Iran.

Mamunur Rashid expects to harvest his Boro paddy and maize in the coming months. The crops need no more fertiliser before reaping, and so far, he has not faced any major supply problem.

The country’s merchandised shipments of processed foods and agricultural products to Gulf nations are facing a serious shock from the war in the Middle East, with freight charges soaring fourfold and new orders plunging.

The country’s largest supermarket chain Shwapno has said hackers breached its customer database and are demanding a ransom of $1.5 million, or more than Tk 18.3 crore.

Consecutive days of rainfall across the country recently have brought some relief to farmers struggling to irrigate crops -- mostly Boro rice -- amid the supply shortage of fuel oil gripping the nation.

Hackers seek $1.5 million ransom

The prices of Sonali chicken have risen sharply across Dhaka’s kitchen markets following Eid-ul-Fitr, adding further strain to household budgets of consumers who prefer it over broiler chicken.

Domestic gold prices have fallen by nearly Tk 36,000 per bhori over the past 23 days, driven by a sharp decline in global rates amid shifting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Each bhori of gold costs Tk 2.41 lakh today, down from around Tk 2.77 lakh on March 3

In her childhood, Anwara Akhter would begin the day by collecting mango leaves or cutting a neem twig. She would chew one end until it frayed into bristles, then use the fibrous tip to scrub her teeth.

Beef, hilsa, vegetables see notable decline amid weak demand; chicken stable

Dhaka’s low-income residents face an Eid defined by hardship, as soaring inflation erodes their ability to celebrate

Price hikes compound pressure on low-income households amid rising inflation

Despite complaints over rising costs, shoppers fill malls and shops

Monjur Rahman took out a policy with Fareast Islami Life Insurance Company in 2012 to secure his financial future. When it matured in 2022 with a claim of Tk 11.19 lakh, he submitted all the required documents but has yet to receive any payment.

The government is seeking to import 200,000 tonnes of granular urea through private suppliers to secure supply and build stocks, amid uncertainty over shipments from the Gulf region due to the Middle East war, according to two notifications issued yesterday.