A devastating combination of diesel scarcity and rolling blackouts has brought irrigation to a standstill across major agricultural hubs in Bangladesh. From Rangpur to Cox’s Bazar, thousands of pumps are idle as the boro rice crop enters its most sensitive growth stage.
In its most significant political move since the August 2024 transition, the Bangladesh Awami League has released a 12-point list of demands. The manifesto calls for the unconditional withdrawal of all international and domestic cases against former PM Sheikh Hasina, the reinstatement of dismissed government officials, and urgent state intervention to stabilize the costs of essential goods and electricity.