In Naogaon’s Sapahar upazila, a cooperative named Gram Janata Shramajibi Samabay Samiti Limited has been accused of absconding with deposits exceeding one crore taka from more than a hundred customers. The cooperative, which operated from Dighirhat Bazar, allegedly lured villagers with promises of high returns through a scheme called the 'Easy Investment Project.' Its office is now locked, and Managing Director Abdul Halim has been missing since the incident.

According to victims, Halim, along with relatives and eight staff members, collected deposits from local residents by promising extra profit on savings. When depositors recently sought their returns, Halim reportedly delayed payments and later disappeared with the funds. Victims such as Mokbul Hossain and Salma Begum said they had invested their savings and borrowed money, leaving them financially devastated.

Sapahar Upazila Cooperative Officer S.M. Jahangir Alam confirmed receiving complaints and said an investigation is underway. He added that legal action will follow under cooperative laws once the inquiry concludes. No police case or general diary has yet been filed, though affected customers have urged authorities to arrest the fugitive MD and recover their money.

Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall, celebrated for his performances in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has died at the age of 95, his wife Luciana Duvall announced in a Facebook post on Monday. She said Duvall gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. Tributes from across Hollywood followed, with Adam Sandler calling him one of the greatest actors ever and Michael Imperioli describing him as an actor’s actor.

Duvall’s career spanned nearly 100 films, including acclaimed roles as Tom Hagen in The Godfather, Lieutenant Colonel Bull Meechum in The Great Santini, and the title character in Stalin. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Tender Mercies in 1983 and received six additional Oscar nominations, including for Apocalypse Now. He also wrote, directed, and starred in The Apostle, earning another Oscar nomination.

Born in Annapolis, Maryland, Duvall was the son of a US Navy admiral and an amateur actress. He studied at Principia College, served in the US Army, and later moved to New York City, where he shared an apartment with Dustin Hoffman and befriended Gene Hackman during their early acting years.

A mobile court led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Shaikha Sultana conducted a special raid in Bashkandi Union of Shibchar upazila, Madaripur, on Monday, February 16, 2026. Acting on a tip-off, the team discovered a large quantity of counterfeit and adulterated goods inside a factory located in the house of Kalam Bepari. Two individuals, factory owner Ramzan Bepari (20) and fake cigarette seller Rasel Molla (30), were detained during the operation.

Following the raid, the court sentenced Ramzan Bepari to one month in jail and Rasel Molla to seven days. Approximately Tk 700,000 worth of adulterated food items, soft drinks, fake cigarettes, and raw materials were seized and destroyed on-site. Some confiscated products were publicly burned at the Shibchar municipal bus terminal to raise awareness among residents.

Executive Magistrate Shaikha Sultana stated that such operations would continue in Shibchar to protect public health and prevent the sale or production of harmful adulterated goods.

A leak has developed in the rubber dam built on the Chilai River in Boglabazar Union of Doarabazar upazila, Sunamganj. The rupture in the dam’s rubber bag has caused water to escape, preventing water retention upstream. As a result, irrigation across about 1,200 hectares of Boro farmland has been severely disrupted, leaving hundreds of farming families in Bogla and Banglabazar unions deeply concerned about their crops.

Local farmers reported that falling water levels have rendered irrigation pumps ineffective, causing farmland to crack due to lack of moisture. They have urged authorities to urgently repair the damaged rubber bag to restore normal irrigation. Boglabazar Union Parishad Chairman Mohammad Milon Khan said the leakage has put 1,200 hectares of farmland at risk and that he has contacted the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) for immediate repair. BADC’s Assistant Engineer for irrigation, Kazi Hosne Ar Rafi, confirmed that the issue is under their attention and that repair work will begin soon.

The damaged dam poses a serious threat to the ongoing Boro season, with potential impacts on local food production and farmers’ livelihoods if repairs are delayed.

Female tea workers in Sylhet continue to face deprivation and hardship despite their crucial role in Bangladesh’s tea industry. According to a report from Nabiganj, these women work long hours plucking tea leaves but earn only Tk 75 a day, far below their demand for Tk 250–300. Many live in poverty, lacking access to education, healthcare, housing, clean water, and sanitation. Their daily meals are meager, and they often struggle to feed their families.

The report highlights that tea workers’ wages have increased only marginally over the years—from Tk 32 in 2007 to Tk 75 at present. Elderly workers receive limited annual food aid worth Tk 5,000 from the Ministry of Social Welfare, achieved after repeated protests. Workers like Onika Rani, who has labored in the Bhaban Tea Garden since age 15, describe severe financial strain and limited educational opportunities for their children.

Bhaban Tea Garden manager Binoy Chandra Barma acknowledged the lack of schools, hospitals, and safe water but said the authorities plan to build such facilities. Despite these assurances, the workers’ living conditions remain dire.

A journalist in Nageshwari, Kurigram, has alleged that he was verbally abused and threatened with death while filming a police anti-drug operation. The incident occurred on the night of February 15, when police led by Sub-Inspector Alok Roy raided an abandoned house in the BSC Mor area of Nageshwari municipality. Journalist Mutasim Billah Tanim, a local correspondent for the daily Gankontho, filed a general diary at Nageshwari Police Station on Monday night following the threats.

According to police sources, officers broke into the house after receiving no response for about half an hour and detained three individuals. They reportedly recovered cannabis, liquor bottles, yaba tablets, and heroin-use equipment. During the operation, the house’s alleged owner, Moslem Uddin, became enraged at the journalist for recording the event and issued threats.

Local leaders and journalist associations condemned the incident. Nageshwari BNP convener Golam Rasul Raja stated that his party opposes drugs, while Kurigram Journalists’ Union joint convener Babul Zaman demanded the arrest of the person who issued the threats. The local police chief said the matter is under investigation and legal action will follow.

A man named Nazim Uddin was seriously injured in an attack allegedly carried out by Ali Hossain and his associates in Naopara area of Durduaria Union, Lalpur upazila of Natore on Monday evening. The incident reportedly stemmed from a long-standing dispute between the two families. According to the complaint, the attackers arrived with local and firearms, verbally abused Nazim Uddin, and beat him when he protested. Family members who tried to rescue him said the attackers fired blank shots to create panic. Nazim was later taken to Lalpur Upazila Health Complex for treatment.

Nazim’s son, Nazmul Hossain, filed a complaint with Lalpur Police Station, alleging that around ten people were involved in the assault. Officer-in-Charge Mojibur Rahman said police visited the scene but found no evidence of gunfire, suggesting the attackers might have used firecrackers to cause fear. He confirmed that legal action would follow after investigation.

The police investigation is ongoing to determine the authenticity of the gunfire claim and identify those responsible for the attack.

At least two people were killed and three others were seriously injured in a shooting during a high school ice hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States. The incident occurred on Monday, February 16, when local police received the first emergency call at 2:28 p.m. According to Al Jazeera, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said the suspected shooter is believed to have taken his own life after firing the shots.

Goncalves described the attack as possibly premeditated and linked to a family dispute, though authorities have not released details about the suspect or the victims. Investigators are examining what led up to the shooting. A Providence Journal report cited video footage capturing about 13 gunshots within six seconds, followed by another shot roughly 11 seconds later.

Witnesses said spectators and students dropped to the floor and sought safety as the gunfire erupted, before quickly evacuating the area. The incident has caused widespread panic in the community.

Police in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah, have arrested Palash Mia, a warrant-listed suspect in a mobile banking fraud case. The arrest took place around 11 p.m. on Sunday near the Kaliganj main bus stand after a local Jamaat leader, who had previously been defrauded, recognized him and, with the help of locals, detained him. Palash Mia, aged 30, is the son of Chan Mia from Par Dakhilpur village in Harinakundu upazila.

According to police sources, Palash Mia had been involved in fraudulent activities for a long time, using the mobile financial service bKash to deceive people and collect money illegally. In one instance, he allegedly withdrew 25,000 taka from the Jamaat leader through deception before going into hiding. Following the issuance of an arrest warrant in the fraud case, he remained a fugitive until his capture.

Kaliganj Police Officer-in-Charge Jellal Hossain confirmed that Palash Mia faced multiple fraud cases and was sent to jail through the court after his arrest.

Unregulated brick kilns continue to operate across Netrakona district, posing serious threats to agricultural land, public health and the environment. According to local sources, 32 brick kilns are currently active this year, but only four have environmental clearance. Despite mobile court fines imposed on six kilns earlier in the season, no closures have been enforced, allowing illegal operations to persist.

Officials from the Department of Environment and the district administration confirmed that Netrakona has 40 kilns across nine upazilas, with 28 running without permits. Each kiln employs 300 to 400 workers, providing jobs for 10,000 to 12,000 people and producing up to 10 million bricks per site. Environmental activists have expressed concern over pollution and the lack of compliance with regulations. Department officials cited legal complications as a reason for delays in shutting down illegal kilns but said enforcement drives would continue.

District authorities stated that joint mobile courts are regularly fining violators and that further action will be taken if specific complaints about illegal soil extraction from government or river lands are received.

Bangladesh’s financial sector is showing signs of recovery from a prolonged crisis as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) forms a new government after winning two-thirds of parliamentary seats. The interim administration led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, which took charge in August 2024, is credited with restoring stability through reforms that curbed irregularities, corruption, and capital flight. Economists note that the sector’s stabilization, rather than investment growth, was the interim government’s key achievement.

According to data cited in the report, foreign exchange reserves rose from 20 billion to over 34 billion US dollars, while inflation fell from 11.6% to 8.58%. The banking sector saw consolidation, including the merger of five weak Shariah-based banks into a new entity, and stricter loan recovery measures improved transparency. The trade balance turned from a 6.6 billion dollar deficit to a 3.29 billion dollar surplus, supported by higher remittances and export growth.

Experts warn that the incoming BNP government faces challenges including weak revenue collection, rising domestic and foreign debt, and the upcoming graduation from LDC status, which may test the sustainability of recent economic stabilization.

Agriculture and Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated that Bangladesh’s agriculture sector is now in a stable condition due to the combined efforts of all stakeholders. He made the remarks on Monday at a farewell reception organized by departments and agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council auditorium in Dhaka.

The adviser highlighted that during his one and a half years in charge of the ministry, several initiatives were taken to ensure food security and make the sector sustainable and farmer-friendly. He said the fertilizer crisis had been resolved, flood damages in several regions were managed, and the sector was now performing better than before. Fertilizer stocks were at a strong level, and agricultural product prices remained within a tolerable range.

In his farewell speech, he urged proper distribution of agricultural incentives, careful selection of beneficiaries, and strict monitoring of fertilizer sales at government-fixed prices. He also thanked all officials and agencies under the ministry for their cooperation.

The government of Bangladesh has reduced the value-added tax (VAT) on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), according to a statement issued on February 16. National Board of Revenue (NBR) public relations officer Md. Al Amin Sheikh confirmed that the decision was made to keep LPG prices stable and affordable for both industrial and household users. Previously, LPG was subject to a 7.5 percent VAT at the local production and trading stages and a 2 percent advance tax at import.

Following recommendations from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and a request from the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh, the government issued two separate notifications withdrawing the 7.5 percent VAT on local production and trading and the 2 percent advance tax on imports. Instead, a 7.5 percent VAT will now apply only at the import stage until June 30.

According to the NBR, this adjustment will remove VAT from the value added during local production and sales, reducing the overall tax burden on consumers by approximately 20 percent compared to previous levels.

Two separate fires broke out in Dhaka on Monday night, one at the timber market beside the TCB building in Karwan Bazar and another at a shoe factory on Agamasi Lane in Old Dhaka. Both incidents occurred around the same time and were brought under control shortly afterward by Fire Service and Civil Defence teams. No casualties were reported in either fire.

According to Fire Service sources, the Karwan Bazar fire began around 10:30 p.m., and ten units were dispatched to the scene. The blaze affected several floors of a five-storey building that housed diaper and wooden goods warehouses. Narrow access roads delayed firefighting efforts, and stored goods and furniture were damaged. The Old Dhaka fire started around 10:45 p.m. on the fourth floor of a seven-storey shoe factory building. Three units responded and controlled the fire by 11:35 p.m. The cause of both fires is under investigation.

Traffic in the affected areas was temporarily disrupted, and local residents assisted firefighters during the operations.

A fire broke out at a shoe factory located on Agamasi Lane, Agha Sadek Road in Old Dhaka on Tuesday night. The incident occurred around 10:45 p.m., prompting three units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence to rush to the scene and begin efforts to control the blaze. The factory is housed in a seven-story building, and eyewitnesses along with fire service sources reported that the fire originated on the fourth floor.

Fire Service officer Talha Bil Jasim stated that three units were dispatched immediately after receiving the report and that work to bring the fire under control was ongoing. He confirmed that no casualties had been reported so far and said the cause of the fire would be determined after an investigation.

Traffic movement in the area was disrupted due to the incident, while law enforcement personnel and local residents assisted the fire service in their operations.