United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) predicted rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind and lightning flashes in parts of the country in 24 hours commencing 9am on Monday. “Rain/thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind and lightning flashes is likely to occur at a few places over Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Chattogram divisions with hails at isolated places,” said a Met office bulltin. There is also a chance of hailstorms at isolated places, it added. Weather elsewhere in the country may remain mainly dry with a temporarily partly cloudy sky. Day and night temperatures are likely to rise slightly across the country, according to the forecast.

Ancient grains like quinoa and spelt are often promoted as healthier alternatives to modern grains, but scientists say the benefits may not be as clear as widely believed. Ancient grains refer to crops that have changed very little over hundreds or even thousands of years. Unlike modern grains such as wheat, which have been developed through selective breeding, these older varieties have largely kept their original genetic traits. Recently, they have gained popularity, with many claims suggesting they are richer in nutrients. However, experts say there is limited evidence to prove that ancient grains are significantly better for health than modern ones. Grains such as rice, wheat, oats and corn form a major part of diets worldwide, providing carbohydrates, fibre and some protein. Nutritionists recommend that at least half of the grains people consume should be wholegrains. These include all parts of the grain – bran, germ and endosperm – and are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Wholegrains have been linked to a lower risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers. But researchers caution that these benefits may also be influenced by overall healthier lifestyles among people who eat more wholegrains. Ancient grains differ from modern ones mainly in how they have been cultivated. Modern crops have been bred over time for higher yields and better taste, while ancient grains remain closer to their original forms. Examples include spelt and emmer, which date back thousands of years. Despite their historical value, ancient grains are not widely grown today, as modern varieties are more productive and easier to farm. They are also more suitable for making foods like bread. One clear advantage of some ancient grains is that they are naturally gluten-free. For example, quinoa and millet can be suitable options for people with gluten intolerance. Some studies also suggest quinoa may help improve early signs of type 2 diabetes, such as lowering blood sugar levels. Even so, researchers say there is little proof that modern farming has reduced the overall nutritional quality of grains in a major way. Experts believe the growing popularity of ancient grains is partly driven by hype. While they can be beneficial in certain cases, especially for those avoiding gluten, their overall health advantages may not be significantly different from modern grains. Instead, nutritionists suggest that the key to a healthy diet is eating a variety of grains, particularly wholegrains, rather than focusing only on whether they are ancient or modern. “Variety is the best strategy,” experts say, noting that consuming different types of grains helps ensure a wide range of nutrients. With inputs from BBC

State Minister for Food Md. Abdul Bari on Sunday said the government currently has 19.20 lakh metric tons of food grains in its public godowns and has taken various initiatives to increase the stock through both international and domestic procurement. The State Minister disclosed the information in the Parliament in response to a starred tabled question from BNP lawmaker elected from Noakhali-1 AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon. He said that as of March 30, 2026, the government’s food godowns hold some 19.20 lakh metric tons of food grains, including 15.79 lakh metric tons of rice and 3.39 lakh metric tons of wheat. The state minister said the government is increasing food stocks through imports of rice and wheat from abroad under government-to-government (G2G) arrangements and open international tenders, alongside domestic procurement of paddy and rice from contracted rice mills and genuine farmers holding agricultural assistance cards at government-fixed prices during Boro and Aman seasons. Regarding international procurement, the state minister said that in the current 2025-26 fiscal year, contracts have been signed to import a total of 6 lakh metric tons of rice — 5 lakh metric tons through international tenders and 1 lakh metric tons through G2G arrangements. Of this, 3 lakh metric tons of rice has already been received and the remaining 3 lakh metric tons is expected to arrive soon. For wheat, contracts have been signed to import a total of 7.10 lakh metric tons of wheat— 50,000 metric tons through international tenders and 6.60 lakh metric tons of wheat from the United States under G2G arrangements. So far, 5.35 lakh metric tons of wheat has been received and the remaining 1.75 lakh metric tons is expected to arrive within the scheduled time. The state minister said the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) under the Ministry of Food is responsible for setting policies for domestic food grains procurement. Under the upcoming Boro procurement season 2026, scheduled from May to August 2026, the government plans to procure 5 lakh metric tons of paddy and 12/13 lakh metric tons of rice domestically. He added that necessary food grains will also be procured from both international and domestic sources in the 2026-27 fiscal year as per requirement.

Thousands of hectares of boro paddy in Sunamganj’s haor areas are under threat as severe waterlogging triggered by unusually heavy upstream rainfall continues to inundate croplands across the district. The situation has turned critical since the last week of March when excessive rainfall in upstream catchment areas caused rivers to swell and overflow, sending water rushing into the low-lying haors. Farmers are now locked in a dispute over how to manage the excess water. While those in the upper haors are pressing to cut embankments to ease waterlogging, downstream farmers are resisting the move, fearing their fields will be submerged. According to official data, at least 1,189 hectares of boro land have already gone under water. Sources at the Water Development Board (WDB) said 710 Project Implementation Committees (PICs) were formed this season across 53 haors to construct crop protection embankments. Although earthwork has been completed turfing is still underway in many areas. Rainfall data shows a sharp increase this year, with Sunamganj recording around 200 millimetres of rain in March compared to just 5 millimetres during the same period last year. “The excessive rainwater from upstream has overflowed rivers and entered haors from multiple points,” said a senior WDB official. An emergency meeting held by the district administration on March 31 was followed by field inspections to assess drainage requirements. Khulna division reports 56 suspected measles cases in 24 hours Authorities have so far cut embankments in at least 10 haors on a limited scale to release trapped water. However, tensions among farmers persist. “If farmers in the upper areas cut the dams, those downstream resist to protect their crops,” said Md Selim, a resident of Mohanpur village in Sunamganj Sadar upazila. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), boro has been cultivated on 223,511 hectares in more than 200 haors in the district this season. “If fully harvested, the crop could yield around 1.4 million tonnes of rice, with an estimated market value of Tk 5,050 crore,” said DAE Deputy Director Md Omar Faruk. “But farmers now fear significant losses due to waterlogging and the possibility of further heavy rainfall,” he said. Waterlogging has already affected several haors, including Mini Pagnar, Halir, Kailani, Chhayar, Putiyar, Dakuar, Joalbhanga and Kanlar. Local farmers complained that many natural drainage canals have been encroached upon or filled up over the years, worsening the situation. Chittaranjan Talukder, vice-president of Haor Banchao Andolan, said early and intense rainfall has overwhelmed the natural water bodies. “Rivers, canals and beels that usually act as reservoirs are already full and overflowing. Waterlogging is widespread, and farmers are struggling to cope,” he said. adding that proper dredging of rivers and wetlands could help mitigate the crisis. WDB Executive Engineer Mamun Howlader said emergency drainage   efforts are underway. “Rainfall in both Cherrapunji and Sunamganj has been significantly higher this year. Some haors are already being drained,” he said. Officials warned that the situation may worsen, with heavy rainfall forecast for April 6–7. “As the season progresses timely intervention is crucial to prevent large-scale crop losses,” said Omar Faruk. With uncertainty looming, haor farmers are now anxiously waiting for effective measures to save their standing crops.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted that rainfall is likely to increase in the next five days since 9am on Monday. “Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind and lightning flashes is likely to occur at one or two places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions,” said a regular bulletin of Met office. Weather may remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Day temperature may rise by 1-2°C and night temperature may rise slightly over the country. A trough of low lies over West Bengal and adjoining area. Seasonal low lies over South Bay.  

recast rains or thunder showers with lightning flashes in all divisions including Dhaka in 24 hours commencing 9am on Thursday. “Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind and lightning flashes is likely to occur at a few places over Rangpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions with hails at isolated places, said Met office bulletin. Day temperature may remain nearly unchanged and night temperature may rise slightly over thecountry. A trough of low lies over West Bengal and adjoining area. Seasonal low lies over South Bay.

Bangladesh Railway on Wednesday said there is no scope for ticket examiners or counters to charge extra fare from passengers, dismissing recent claims circulating on social media. In a statement, the railway authorities said fares are collected strictly according to government-approved rates and there is no instance of collecting additional money without issuing receipts. The clarification came after allegations spread online that passengers were being charged extra by travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) and ticket counters. According to railway rules, if a passenger is found travelling without a ticket, the TTE can collect the full fare from the starting station to the destination along with an equal amount as a fine. Citing a recent example, the authorities said a passenger travelling without a ticket on the Jayantika Express from Sylhet was caught at Dhaka Airport Railway Station. As the regular fare on the Sylhet-Dhaka route is Tk 410, a total of Tk 820 was collected as fare and fine in line with the rules. The railway also said short-distance tickets are restricted during Eid to prevent passengers from travelling longer distances using such tickets. In another case, a passenger without a ticket to Narsingdi was issued a ticket from Akhaura at a fare of Tk 195, which was collected as per rules. No extra money was taken in that case, it added. Probe body formed over derailment of Nil Sagar Express in Bogura Bangladesh Railway said all officials involved in fare collection are government employees and have no scope to charge beyond the fixed rates. It warned that legal action will be taken if any complaint of overcharging is proven and urged passengers not to spread misinformation that could harm the image of the railway.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted rains at many places over Rangpur, Barishal, Khulna and Rajshahi divisions in 24 hours commencing 9am on Sunday. “Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal divisions,” said a Met office bulletin. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Light rains likely in 4 divisions

Tensions between the United States and the United Kingdom have flared as President Donald Trump criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer over Britain’s limited involvement in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Trump, in an interview with The Sun, expressed disappointment that the U.K. did not match the cooperation of other European countries, saying, “The U.K. has been much different from others… It’s very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was.” Starmer initially blocked American planes from using British bases for the airstrikes launched on Saturday. He later permitted U.S. forces to operate from bases in England and on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, but restricted them to targeting Iran’s ballistic missiles and storage sites. The U.K. did not join attacks on other Iranian targets. Even after a drone strike over the weekend hit the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, Starmer reiterated that the U.K. “will not join offensive action.” He underscored that British military operations must have a lawful basis and a well-considered plan, implicitly challenging Trump’s approach. “President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest,” Starmer told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday. The spat highlights growing friction in the trans-Atlantic “special relationship,” strained in recent years by Trump’s “America first” policies and transactional approach to global diplomacy. Analysts say the Iran conflict has exposed divisions not only between Washington and London but also among European leaders, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praising the U.S. strike, while Spain condemned it as “unjustifiable” and “dangerous.” Britain, France, and Germany have collectively emphasized that they were not involved in the strikes but remain ready to support defensive measures to neutralize Iranian missile and drone threats. Domestically, Starmer faces pressure from Conservative politicians who criticized his refusal to join the offensive. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch backed U.S. action, saying Britain “stands behind America taking this necessary action against state-sponsored terror.” Despite the disagreement, Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty assured the Commons that the U.S.-U.K. relationship remains robust. “Our relationship with the United States is strong. It has endured, it continues to endure, and it will endure into the future on both the economic and the security fronts,” he said. The Iran war and the handling of the U.K.’s participation underscore the delicate balance Starmer faces in maintaining national interests while navigating the longstanding, though currently tested, alliance with Washington.

Light rain is likely in four divisions in next 24 hours from 9 am on Tuesday, according to the latest forecast of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. In a bulletin issued on the morning, the Met office said light rain may occur at one or two places over Dhaka, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. According to the forecast, day temperature may rise slightly while night temperature may fall slightly across the country. The synoptic situation indicates that a trough of low lies over West Bengal and adjoining areas, while the seasonal low lies over the South Bay, extending its trough to the Northeast Bay.