Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has invited Hefazat-e-Islam’s Amir Allama Muhibullah Babunagari to attend the new government’s oath-taking ceremony as a guest. The invitation was extended over the phone on Monday afternoon, February 16, 2026. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon, February 17, 2026, at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka.

According to the report, Tarique Rahman, who led the BNP to victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, is also set to meet Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, known as Pir Saheb Chormonai, on Monday evening. The invitation to religious leaders highlights the inclusion of key Islamic figures in the upcoming state event.

The oath ceremony is described as a historic occasion, expected to mark the formal beginning of the new government’s tenure following the recent election.

A joint operation by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) rescued 15 people, including women, men, and children, who were being held for trafficking to Malaysia. The operation took place on Sunday, 15 February 2026, at Baharchhara in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq confirmed the rescue on Monday, stating that the victims were confined in a warehouse owned by alleged trafficker Md. Abdul Ali.

According to intelligence sources, several organized trafficking groups had been luring Bangladeshi and Rohingya citizens from different parts of the country with promises of better living conditions, high-paying jobs, and low-cost travel abroad. They planned to smuggle the victims to Malaysia by sea. During the raid, the traffickers fled before security forces could detain them.

The rescued individuals were later handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station for legal procedures. The Coast Guard stated that similar operations will continue to prevent human trafficking in the region.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman stated that no elements of 'election engineering' were observed in the country’s 13th parliamentary election. Speaking at a press conference at TIB’s Dhanmondi office in Dhaka, he said the election was largely acceptable, fair, neutral, and participatory. The event was organized to release TIB’s report titled 'Observation on the 13th National Election Process and Affidavit-Based Analysis.'

The report, based on a representative random sample of 70 out of 300 constituencies, found that 99 percent of candidates violated at least one of 58 electoral codes of conduct. It also documented incidents such as attacks on independent female candidates, intimidation outside polling centers, expulsion of polling agents, voter harassment, proxy voting, and vote buying. Additionally, 21.4 percent of the sampled constituencies recorded at least one instance of ballot fraud.

TIB’s findings further noted post-election violence, including 45 clashes between rival political groups, 34 cases of intimidation, and 18 attacks on homes or offices. The report concluded that while early signs suggested healthy competition, political violence and unhealthy rivalry increased during and after the election.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has resigned from the Bogura-6 parliamentary seat. On Monday, February 16, 2026, he submitted his resignation in writing. Rahman had contested and won in both the Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies during the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

According to election law, a candidate elected from multiple constituencies can retain only one seat. In compliance with this rule, Tarique Rahman chose to vacate the Bogura-6 seat and decided to take oath as a Member of Parliament from Dhaka-17. The decision formally confirms his representation of the Dhaka-17 constituency in the new parliament.

The resignation opens the Bogura-6 seat for a future by-election, as required by electoral procedures, though no schedule has yet been announced in the report.

The Jubo Dal has expelled Imam Hossain Pobi, member secretary of the Sonagazi upazila unit in Feni, for alleged involvement in activities contrary to the party’s policies, ideals, and organizational unity. The decision, which includes termination of his primary membership, was confirmed on Monday through an official statement by Minhazul Islam Bhuiyan, assistant office secretary of the central Jubo Dal. The expulsion was approved and implemented by the organization’s central executive committee president Abdul Monayem Munna and general secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Noyon.

According to the statement, the organization will not bear any responsibility for any misconduct committed by the expelled leader. It also instructed all party members and activists to refrain from maintaining any organizational contact with him.

The announcement underscores the Jubo Dal’s emphasis on maintaining internal discipline and adherence to party principles within its local units.

Mark Bonwick, 62, who served as Arsenal’s kitman for 22 years, claims he was dismissed after criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza. He said he was fired following a December 2024 social media post condemning Israel’s military operations. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Bonwick stated that his remarks were political expressions, not hate speech or discrimination. He is now pursuing legal action against the club, with mediation expected in June and the process possibly extending to 2028.

Bonwick argued that his comments were part of a broader call to speak out against injustice, comparing them to global discussions on apartheid in South Africa and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He accused the media of emphasizing antisemitism allegations instead of the political context of his statements. Bonwick insisted there was no antisemitic content in his post and noted that neither police nor the Football Association had contacted him.

He cited the case of Bristol University academic David Miller, arguing that the same standards of free political expression should apply to everyone, regardless of profession.

In Sunamganj’s Dharampasha upazila, a woman named Joybanu Akter, aged 60, lodged a written complaint on Sunday afternoon with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) against her 30-year-old son, Md. Wasim, accusing him of physical assault and issuing death threats. The incident occurred in Baulam village under Paikurati Union. According to the complaint and local residents, Wasim, who has long been addicted to drugs, demanded Tk 10,000 from his mother over the past two weeks. When she refused, he allegedly beat his mother, elder brother, and sister-in-law, and vandalized household items last Friday night.

Joybanu stated that her son has been using various drugs, including alcohol and cannabis, and has identified himself as a hijra for the past three years. She expressed fear for her family’s safety and sought justice through the UNO. UNO Jony Roy confirmed receiving the complaint and forwarded it to the officer-in-charge of Dharampasha Police Station for legal action. Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahid Ullah said the matter would be investigated and appropriate legal steps taken.

Authorities indicated that if Wasim is indeed addicted, his family should arrange medical treatment alongside legal proceedings.

Abdul Mannan Matubbar, a member of the Boalmari Thana Awami League, was arrested by a joint force on Tuesday afternoon in front of the Boalmari Upazila Health Complex in Faridpur. He had formally joined the BNP on February 14 at the party’s temporary office after leaving the Awami League. Within days of his defection, allegations emerged that he instigated attacks and vandalism in his locality.

According to the report, on February 14, about a hundred people led by new BNP leaders allegedly loyal to Mannan attacked several homes in Parameshwardi Charpara village, damaging properties and injuring residents. Locals claimed that during the Awami League government, Mannan controlled the Moyendia market and collected monthly payments from traders. They alleged he returned to the area to regain influence ahead of the upcoming national election.

Boalmari police said Mannan was detained in connection with both the recent violence and older cases. The Faridpur assistant superintendent of police confirmed that clashes between rival groups caused the unrest and that legal proceedings are underway against all involved.

A national referendum held on February 12 alongside Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election approved the July National Charter for constitutional reform, with over 60 percent of votes cast in favor. Out of 127.7 million registered voters, 77.7 million participated, with more than 48 million voting 'yes' and over 22.5 million voting 'no'. The result formally clears constitutional barriers to implementing the reform package.

Under the July National Charter Implementation Order 2025, newly elected members of parliament will serve as members of the Constitutional Reform Council, tasked with enacting the proposals within 180 working days of the first parliamentary session. The referendum included 84 proposals, 47 of which were constitutional. Despite broad political consensus on many points, the BNP opposed several provisions. Analysts note that, given the BNP’s two-thirds majority in parliament, proposals marked by their dissent may not be implemented.

Key proposals include limiting a prime minister’s tenure to ten years, reducing prime ministerial powers, expanding presidential authority in some areas, and introducing a bicameral legislature. However, disputes over the structure of the upper house and other provisions suggest continued political and constitutional debate.

Police arrested former Gazipur City Corporation Ward 54 councillor Billal Hossain Molla, aged 45, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Sunday night while he was reportedly attempting to travel to Malaysia. He was later taken to the Gazipur Detective Branch (DB) office on Monday afternoon. Molla, a resident of Auchpara Mollabari in Tongi West, is the son of the late Momin Uddin Molla and had been a candidate for the presidency of Gazipur Metropolitan Jubo League.

According to police, Molla is an accused in multiple cases related to the anti-discrimination student movement. Immigration police detained him at the airport’s departure area around 10:30 p.m. and informed Gazipur Metropolitan Police. Tongi West police subsequently took him into custody and, after completing legal formalities, handed him over to the Gazipur DB police. Gazipur Metropolitan Police (DB South) Officer-in-Charge Syed Mizanur Rahman confirmed that legal proceedings against Molla are underway.

Authorities indicated that further legal action will follow as investigations continue into the cases filed against him.

Two teenage girls, Muslima Akter (12) and Sultana (16), have been missing for ten days in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj. Both families filed separate general diaries with Muksudpur Police Station after the girls disappeared on February 6. Muslima, from Paschim Laukhanda village under Nonikhir Union, and Sultana, from Ragdi Union, were students of Khadijatul Kobra Women’s Madrasa and close friends.

According to family sources, Sultana called Muslima out of her home on February 6, saying they would go for a walk, but neither returned. Relatives confirmed that the girls have not visited any family members since then. The incident has cast a shadow of grief over the local community.

Muksudpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdullah Al Mamun stated that general diaries have been filed and Assistant Sub-Inspector Khairul Islam is investigating the case. Legal procedures are ongoing.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s new government, formed under the leadership of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman. Turkish Under Secretary Beris Ekinci will also be present at the event, according to senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday afternoon.

The ceremony will take place on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where members of the new cabinet will be sworn in. Nearly 1,200 local and foreign guests are expected to attend. The BNP secured a decisive victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election held last Thursday, winning 209 seats on its own and 212 seats with allies. The party is set to form a government after nearly two decades.

Foreign dignitaries from several South Asian countries, including Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, as well as representatives from the United Kingdom and other nations, have been invited by interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to join the ceremony.

Caretaker government Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus delivered a televised address to the nation on Monday, February 16, 2026, beginning at 9:15 p.m. The speech was broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar. The address is widely regarded as his farewell message to the nation, as a new government is set to take office the following day.

According to the report, members elected to the 13th National Parliament are scheduled to take their oaths on Tuesday morning, February 17, 2026. Later that afternoon, ministers of the incoming government, led by Tarique Rahman, will also be sworn in. The transition marks the end of the interim administration headed by Yunus.

The source notes that Yunus’s address referenced the significance of the recent election and the importance of implementing the July Charter to prevent the return of authoritarianism, underscoring the historical importance of the electoral process.

Two leaders of the Jubo Dal in Banaripara upazila, Barishal, have been expelled from the party for allegedly assaulting Bidhan Kabiraj, the organizational secretary of Bangladesh JASAD, over claims that he voted for Jamaat. The expulsion of Rafik Mallik, senior vice-president, and Maksudur Dalim, member secretary of the Baishari Union Jubo Dal, was announced in a press release signed by the party’s assistant office secretary Minhajul Islam Bhuiya on February 15, following a decision by the central executive committee.

The statement cited violations of party discipline and actions contrary to the party’s ideals and unity. It also urged law enforcement agencies to take necessary legal action against the expelled leaders and instructed all Jubo Dal members to avoid organizational contact with them. The assault incident occurred last Friday at Kabiraj’s home in Baishari Bazar and was widely circulated through media reports and video footage.

Following the attack, newly elected BNP MP S. Sarfuddin Ahmed Santu reportedly informed the central committee, prompting local Jubo Dal leaders to visit the injured JASAD leader. Both expelled leaders said they had seen the press release on social media but had not yet received official documents.

Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a standing committee member and key policymaker of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been elected as a Member of Parliament for the first time in his 60-year political career. He won the Dhaka-3 constituency in the 13th national election held on February 12, securing 98,785 votes under the BNP’s ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol. His closest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Shahinur Islam, received 82,232 votes.

Born in 1951 in Mirzapur, Konda Union of Keraniganj, Roy began his political journey in 1966 at the age of 15 through progressive student politics. He was a member of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) in the 1970s and participated in the 1971 Liberation War. Joining the Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal in 1978, he served as its general secretary from 1987 to 2002 and is now a senior BNP policymaker. He previously served as a technocrat state minister for Environment and Forests and for Fisheries and Livestock from 1991 to 1996.

Roy stated that he never sought party nominations and that his earlier defeats in 2008 and 2018 were due to alleged vote rigging. He emphasized that his goal has always been to be a good politician rather than to seek power.