Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintu announced that the government will launch the Family Card program on a pilot basis before Eid, during the upcoming Ramadan. The decision was made at an inter-ministerial meeting held on Thursday at the Secretariat, after which the minister briefed reporters about the plan.

Mintu said the Family Card initiative was included in the government’s election manifesto, and discussions are ongoing about how to implement it effectively. He explained that the program is intended to be universal, without restrictions, though a committee has been formed to determine the rollout process. Initially, the cards may be distributed to the ultra-poor, followed by the poor and middle-income families.

When asked about political implications, the minister dismissed concerns raised by the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), which warned of electoral consequences if the program was delayed. He assured that the project would indeed begin before Eid and that the government is finalizing the operational mechanism.

The Road Safety Foundation reported that 487 people were killed and 1,194 injured in 559 road accidents across Bangladesh in January 2026. The organization also recorded six deaths and seven injuries in four waterway accidents, and 32 deaths with 17 injuries in 41 railway accidents. The data was released on Thursday morning through a press statement.

According to the foundation, motorcycle accidents were the most frequent, accounting for 208 incidents and 196 deaths, representing 40.24 percent of total fatalities. Regionally, Dhaka Division saw the highest number of accidents, with 143 incidents causing 119 deaths, or 25.58 percent of total accidents and 24.43 percent of deaths. Sylhet Division recorded the fewest, with 24 accidents and 18 deaths, representing 4.29 percent of total accidents and 3.59 percent of fatalities.

The report was compiled using information from nine national dailies, seven online news portals, various electronic media, and the foundation’s own data sources.

Six police officers were injured when a group of locals attacked them during an arrest operation in Rasulpur area of Satgram Union, Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj. The incident occurred late Wednesday night as police attempted to arrest Asma Begum, 45, a woman wanted in a CR case. Five people, including three women, were detained following the attack, according to police.

Police sources said officers from Araihazar Police Station launched the operation around 1 a.m. to apprehend Asma Begum, wife of Julhas Mia. Family members and some locals obstructed the officers, leading to an altercation that escalated into physical assault. The injured officers—SI Ajit, ASI Arif, ASI Faruk, ASI Sharif, ASI Saiful, and ASI Nizam—received primary medical treatment.

Investigating officer Ripon Kumar Sarkar stated that Asma pretended to be ill after her arrest, prompting relatives and neighbors to surround the police for about an hour until reinforcements arrived. The suspect was later taken away by her relatives, who claimed she was hospitalized in Madhabdi. Police have filed a case and are continuing efforts to identify and arrest others involved.

An internal investigation has confirmed multiple allegations against Chattogram Metropolitan Police’s Chawkbazar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Babul Azad. The probe, conducted following a report by the newspaper Amar Desh, found evidence of bribery, extortion, and abuse of power. A senior CMP official has submitted the investigation report to the Police Headquarters, which is expected to take action soon.

According to the report, eleven categories of allegations were proven, including taking money for releasing detainees, filing multiple cases when payments were refused, collecting money from drug dealers and gambling operators, and harassing opposition activists by labeling them as ruling party members. The Police Internal Oversight (PIO) unit initially compiled a five-page report based on complaints from Azad’s tenure at Double Mooring Police Station, which was later investigated by CMP’s Additional Commissioner Humayun Kabir.

The report also detailed instances of extortion, unlawful arrests, and torture in custody. Several officers were identified as his collaborators. Police Headquarters is expected to decide on disciplinary measures against Azad based on the findings.

In Parshuram municipality of Feni, lease prices for seven markets under municipal authority have risen sharply, with tenders finalized at rates four to five times higher than last year. The permanent cattle market was leased for Tk 6 million, compared to Tk 2.09 million in 2025, while the CNG stand went for Tk 2 million, up from Tk 443,000. The tender process, held on Wednesday, covered eight markets including vegetable, fish, poultry, and meat markets, most of which saw unprecedented bids.

Traders fear that the steep lease rates will lead to higher fees and prices for livestock and transport, causing hardship for buyers and passengers. They also worry that lessees may impose extra charges to recover costs, potentially harming both sellers and consumers. One lessee, requesting anonymity, said they would collect fees at a reasonable level to protect farmers and traders.

Parshuram municipal administrator and assistant commissioner (land) S.M. Shafayat Akhtar Nur stated that the tenders were opened without any syndicate involvement and that high bidders with proper documentation would receive leases following verification.

State Minister for Fisheries, Livestock, Agriculture, and Food Sultan Salauddin Tuku announced that the government has launched an initiative to provide affordable protein-rich foods, including milk, eggs, meat, and fish, to low-income families across Bangladesh during the holy month of Ramadan. The program aims to include around one million families nationwide, with expectations that it will help stabilize market prices and benefit general consumers.

The announcement was made on Thursday at the Livestock Research Institute in Mohakhali during the inauguration of a special Ramadan sales program for milk, eggs, and meat. The minister said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership to work for public welfare. He emphasized honesty, dedication, and teamwork in implementing the prime minister’s promises.

Tuku added that such programs will ease the burden on low-income groups affected by price hikes during Ramadan and that the government plans to expand the initiative in the future. He also mentioned upcoming plans to introduce family, agriculture, and health cards to fulfill electoral commitments.

At least ten people were killed and twelve others injured when part of a three‑storey residential building collapsed following a gas leak explosion in Karachi’s Soldier Bazaar No. 3 area on Wednesday night. The blast occurred on the building’s ground floor, causing a large section to cave in. Rescue teams immediately launched operations, pulling several victims—both alive and dead—from the debris using all available equipment.

Police said initial findings suggest the explosion may have been triggered by gas leaking from a cylinder or suction machine. Among the confirmed dead are ten‑year‑old Nazia and sixty‑year‑old Mohammad Riaz, while the body of one woman has been recovered and another victim’s identity is being verified. Several of the injured are children, including a fourteen‑year‑old girl in critical condition, all of whom were taken to hospital.

Officials fear at least two people remain trapped under the rubble. Narrow surrounding streets have slowed rescue efforts. Police have cordoned off the area, tightened security, and continued the rescue operation.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has announced a revised metro rail schedule for the capital during the holy month of Ramadan. The new timetable, effective from the first day of Ramadan until the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, was set to match the altered working hours of government offices. According to a DMTCL office order issued on 16 February, the first train from Uttara North to Motijheel will depart at 6:30 a.m., with the last train leaving at 9:30 p.m. In the opposite direction, the first train from Motijheel will depart at 7:15 a.m., and the final one at 10:10 p.m.

Train intervals, or headways, will range between 5 and 20 minutes depending on passenger demand, with peak-hour services operating every 5.5 to 6 minutes. To accommodate iftar time, passengers are now allowed to carry up to a 250-milliliter water bottle inside stations or trains, though other food items remain prohibited. DMTCL has instructed passengers to dispose of empty bottles in designated bins.

The company added that weekend and public holiday operations will continue under the previous schedule, with the new timing applicable only on working days.

Police in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar, arrested a woman named Ayesha Begum with 70,000 yaba pills during a raid on February 18 in the Khuniapalong Union’s Chadirkata area. The operation was conducted based on information that a fugitive accused, Abdullah, had stored a large quantity of yaba with the help of his sister for sale. The raid took place at the residence of Ziaur Rahman in the same area.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (Media) Alok Biswas, officers recovered 50,000 pills from a chicken coop on the north side of the house and another 20,000 pills from under dry bamboo leaves on the south side. Ayesha Begum, a resident of Ward 5 in Khuniapalong Union, was detained at the scene.

Ramu Police Station Officer-in-Charge Monirul Islam Bhuiya stated that legal proceedings under the Narcotics Control Act are underway in connection with the seizure.

A Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activist, Mohammad Delwar Hossain Chowdhury, 60, was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Barishal Sadar upazila’s Raypasha-Karapura union on Wednesday night. His body was found in a roadside ditch near Shibpasha Badamtala Bridge. Police from Barishal Metropolitan Airport Station recovered the body and sent it to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Local residents said they discovered an abandoned bicycle and scarf on the road, prompting a search for the owner. Shortly afterward, they found a body floating in the nearby ditch and informed police. According to local BNP leaders, Delwar was an active party worker who had disputes with several individuals in the area. They suspect the killing may have stemmed from those conflicts.

Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mizanur Rahman stated that Delwar was struck on the left side of his head with a sharp weapon and that a murder case is being prepared as part of an ongoing investigation.

The trial of the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram again drew attention for its slow progress after the plaintiff, Jamal Uddin, father of the slain lawyer, fell ill during cross-examination. Despite his illness, the 76-year-old continued to answer questions while seated in the courtroom. The hearing took place on Wednesday at the Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal, which set the next hearing date for March 9.

According to court sources, the day had been scheduled for cross-examination by the defense. Defense lawyers for several accused sought additional time, which the court granted. One accused, Rajib Bhattacharya, who had previously confessed, cross-examined the plaintiff himself with court permission. The court also allowed time requests from other defense lawyers. Strict security was maintained at the court premises, and one accused, Chinmoy Krishna Das, appeared virtually from jail.

The prosecution’s lawyer, Assistant Public Prosecutor Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, said repeated time petitions from the defense were delaying proceedings. The testimony phase began on February 2, with 50 witnesses listed in the charge sheet.

Despite record imports of daily essentials ahead of Ramadan, prices in Chattogram’s Khatunganj wholesale market continue to rise. Warehouses are full and trading is brisk, yet consumers report price hikes of 5 to 7 taka per kilogram for most items in the six days following the election. Market monitoring by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and district magistrates, including fines, has not curbed the increases.

Traders say imports were higher than in previous years, but initial disruptions from the election and port labor unrest delayed market activity. Although supply is now normal, importers have reportedly raised prices as demand grows. Former Khatunganj Traders’ Association president Sulaiman Badsha said importers set the prices and that current hikes lack justification given adequate stock.

According to Chattogram Customs House, imports before Ramadan included 2.15 lakh tons of chickpeas, 10.38 lakh tons of edible oil, 3 lakh tons of sugar, and nearly 1 lakh tons of dates. CAB Chattogram president S.M. Nazer Hossain alleged that business syndicates are manipulating prices and urged stronger administrative action to stabilize the market.

Four electric transformers were stolen in a single night in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj, causing widespread concern among local electricity users. The thefts occurred on Monday night in Dobila village of Magurabinod Union, where three transformers were taken from poles on the land of Abu Yusuf Master and another from a nearby field belonging to Abdul Majid. The incidents left residents without power and forced them to bear heavy costs for replacement transformers.

According to the Tarash Palli Bidyut Samiti, customers must pay the full price of stolen transformers under existing rules, which has become a major burden for poorer households. Locals have begun chaining transformers to poles to deter thefts and have sought police help to identify the culprits. Abu Yusuf Master said the theft has severely affected irrigation for Boro rice cultivation.

Tarash Palli Bidyut Samiti’s DGM Azizul Haque urged public awareness to prevent further thefts and advised victims to file police cases. He noted that thieves typically remove valuable copper wires, leaving behind the metal casing and oil, and suggested monitoring scrap shops to catch the culprits.

The government has launched strict measures across Bangladesh to control markets, stabilize essential commodity prices, and maintain law and order during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. In Sitakunda, a mobile court led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah Al Mamun fined three businesses a total of Tk 28,000 for selling expired or overpriced goods and failing to display price lists. Similar initiatives were reported in Goaland, Raiganj, and Sreemangal, where local administrations held preparatory meetings and joint monitoring drives.

In Goaland, officials discussed preventing hoarding, adulteration, and artificial shortages while ensuring fair prices and uninterrupted utility services. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sathi Das emphasized strict oversight to deter dishonest traders. In Raiganj, the monitoring committee pledged regular inspections and firm action against price manipulation. In Sreemangal, joint teams from the administration, consumer rights authority, and business associations inspected markets to ensure accurate pricing and product quality.

According to local administrations, these monitoring and enforcement activities will continue throughout Ramadan to protect consumer rights and prevent market instability.

At the onset of Ramadan, prices of essential food items in Naogaon have risen sharply, according to a field report published on February 18, 2026. The prices of chicken, eggplant, green chili, lemon, ginger, garlic, and dates have all increased, while lentils, chickpeas, and edible oil remain stable. Broiler chicken now sells for 190–200 taka per kilogram, up by 30–40 taka in a week, while garlic and ginger prices have climbed to 130–140 taka per kilogram.

Consumers report struggling to balance household expenses as costs rise without corresponding income growth. Many blame unscrupulous traders for exploiting Ramadan demand and call on the new government to tighten market monitoring. Vendors, however, attribute the price hikes to higher consumer demand rather than supply shortages.

The Naogaon office of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection stated that markets are being monitored daily and warned that legal action will be taken against any trader found manipulating prices. Officials said further price changes will depend on import levels in the coming weeks.