Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Adviser Farida Akhter stated that she is not departing her position with a sense of failure, emphasizing that price control of meat and fish is beyond her authority. She made the remarks on Tuesday during a press briefing at the ministry’s conference room, noting that her 15–16 months of work should not be judged as a complete measure of performance.

Akhter explained that her ministry focused on improving production quality rather than relying on unregulated livestock fattening practices. She highlighted efforts to curb excessive fishing caused by the use of sonar, which had reduced the availability of hilsa and other fish species. According to her, the ministry successfully stopped this overfishing trend. She also mentioned that the sector received subsidies worth 100 crore taka, including electricity rebates, and that the number of beneficiaries increased from 132,000 to 1.5 million.

The adviser added that fishermen from the Sundarbans and haor regions would receive VGF support, underscoring the ministry’s continued commitment to vulnerable fishing communities.

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported on Tuesday that continuous heavy snowfall over nearly three weeks has killed 46 people and injured at least 558 across the country. The prolonged snow began in late January, blanketing vast areas of northern Japan and severely affecting daily life.

According to the report, coastal regions facing the Sea of Japan have experienced severe traffic congestion and widespread disruption to transportation and communication networks. AFP noted that the situation is most critical in Aomori Prefecture and other northern areas. Police and local officials said most fatalities occurred when heavy snow collapsed from rooftops or when people slipped while clearing snow.

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that snow accumulation in Aomori has reached about 1.3 meters, or more than four feet. Authorities have issued warnings that weather conditions could worsen further in the coming days.

The Jamuna Fertilizer Factory in Jamalpur resumed urea production at 1 p.m. on Monday, February 9, 2026, after completing repair work following a blackout caused by rodent damage to electrical wiring. The factory had been shut down since the night of February 5, when a short circuit in the power plant halted electricity supply and production.

According to factory officials, emergency repairs restored power and allowed operations to restart. General Manager (Operations) Md. Fazlul Haque stated that urea production has resumed at 75 percent capacity, with additional safety and monitoring measures introduced to prevent similar incidents. Deputy General Manager (Administration) Md. Delwar Hossain confirmed that mechanical faults in the power plant were fixed and that production will gradually increase as gas pressure stabilizes.

The factory’s management emphasized that normal operations have resumed and that preventive steps are being taken to ensure uninterrupted production in the future.

Tobacco cultivation has been completely stopped this year in the Manikchhari section of the Halda basin, according to a press release from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock issued on Monday. Last year, 11 farmers cultivated tobacco on about 20 acres in the area, but coordinated efforts by district and upazila administrations and the Department of Fisheries ensured full compliance with the government ban.

Experts cited excessive pesticide use and tobacco farming in the Halda basin as major causes of water pollution in the Halda River, the country’s only natural carp breeding ground and a declared fish heritage site. They expect the ban to have a positive impact on the conservation of fish resources and biodiversity. The ministry had amended the existing heritage gazette on November 5, 2025, officially prohibiting tobacco cultivation in the basin.

Following the decision, local authorities informed farmers about the government directive and advised them to avoid planting tobacco seedlings, which are usually sown in December and January. The Department of Agricultural Extension is now encouraging alternative crops such as mustard, maize, and vegetables. The ministry’s adviser Farida Akhter has instructed intensified monitoring to prevent any resumption of tobacco farming.

A Dhaka court has again postponed the submission of the investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam fixed April 1 as the new date after the Police Bureau of Investigation’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Md Azizul Haque, failed to submit the report on the scheduled day. The prosecution’s Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam Russell confirmed the development.

The case, filed by Runi’s brother after the couple’s killing on February 11, 2012, has seen repeated delays and transfers among investigative agencies. Initially handled by Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police, it was later moved to the Detective Branch, then to the Rapid Action Battalion, and finally to the Police Bureau of Investigation following High Court orders. In 2024, the High Court directed the formation of a four-member high-level task force led by the PBI chief to complete the probe within six months.

Among the accused, Tanvir Rahman Khan is on bail, while Palash Rudra Pal remains absconding after securing bail. The rest are in custody.

The ongoing strike at Chattogram Port, called to protest the leasing of the NCT terminal to a foreign company and disciplinary actions against workers, has been suspended until February 15. The Port Protection Struggle Council announced the suspension late Sunday night through a press release signed by coordinators Humayun Kabir and Ibrahim Khokon. The statement said the decision was made to help stabilize market prices ahead of the 13th national election and the upcoming Ramadan. Workers were instructed to return to work from 8 a.m. Monday.

The council noted that workers felt reassured after the government’s shipping adviser and BIDA chairman declared that the port would not be leased to foreign entities during the current administration. However, concern spread among workers after the port authority temporarily suspended 16 strike leaders and canceled their housing. Following the withdrawal of the blockade, container handling and cargo transport resumed, restoring normal operations at the port.

According to port officials, vessel movements and cargo deliveries have returned to normal, bringing relief to the country’s import and export sectors after nine days of disruption.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 11 bank accounts belonging to former Ekattor Television CEO Mozammel Haque Babu, his wife, daughter, and related entities. The accounts reportedly contain a total of 39 million taka. The order was issued on Monday, February 9, by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez, following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

According to the ACC’s application, Deputy Director Bayezidur Rahman Khan stated that Mozammel Babu and his family had acquired several movable assets without a clear source of income. The petition alleged attempts to transfer or conceal these assets, which could constitute an offense under the Money Laundering Prevention Act. To ensure a fair investigation, the ACC requested the court to block the accounts and prevent any transfer of ownership.

The court granted the request after a hearing, directing that the accounts remain frozen during the ongoing inquiry into the alleged unexplained wealth.

Cuba has decided to suspend the supply of jet fuel to aircraft for one month due to a severe energy crisis attributed to U.S. actions. A European airline official confirmed the decision on Sunday, stating that from midnight Monday, planes traveling to and from Cuba will no longer be able to refuel there. As a result, long-haul flights must now stop in other countries for refueling, and Air France has already implemented such measures.

The crisis deepened after Venezuela halted oil shipments to Cuba in January 2023 following U.S. measures. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had signed an executive order allowing tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba. In response, the Cuban government has introduced emergency measures, including a four-day workweek for state institutions, restricted provincial transport, temporary closure of some tourism facilities, reduced school hours, and relaxed attendance requirements at universities.

Cuba’s power plants are under strain due to the fuel shortage, raising the risk of blackouts. President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the country is ready to hold talks with the United States but not under pressure.

At least 13 people have died in Colombia following unusually heavy rainfall for this time of year, officials confirmed on Sunday. The National Meteorological Institute (IDEAM) reported that a fast-moving cold air mass from North America struck Colombia’s Caribbean coast, increasing rainfall by about 64 percent above the monthly average. The deadliest incident occurred in the southwestern Nariño province, where a landslide killed seven people after continuous rain caused a mountain stream to overflow and bury several homes under mud.

Video footage released after the disaster showed rescue workers using heavy machinery to clear debris and mud, while search dogs were deployed to locate missing persons. Earlier, on Thursday, the national disaster management agency UNGRD reported six additional deaths across various regions due to extreme weather conditions.

Meteorologists noted that climate change is disrupting Colombia’s traditional dry and rainy season patterns. Although the tropical country does not have sharply defined seasons, recent years have seen increasingly severe rainfall and drought events.

Gold prices surged to unprecedented levels, reaching an all-time high of $5,600 per ounce on January 29 before easing to just under $5,000 on Sunday. The surge reflects growing investor demand for gold as a secure asset amid fluctuating economic conditions and rising geopolitical tensions. Al Jazeera’s explainer details how gold’s value is determined by its weight in troy ounces and purity in karats, with one troy ounce equaling 31.1035 grammes.

Gold’s global pricing is set on spot markets in US dollars, primarily through exchanges in London and New York. Local prices vary due to currency conversion, dealer premiums, and taxes. For instance, India imposes a 3 percent GST on gold, while the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates levy none. The United States holds the world’s largest gold reserves at 8,133 tonnes, followed by Germany with 3,350 tonnes and Italy with 2,451 tonnes.

Over the past decade, gold’s price has quadrupled from $1,250 in 2016 to around $5,000 today, underscoring its enduring role as a safe haven asset during periods of market volatility and uncertainty.

Police in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur recovered 40 live rounds of ammunition found abandoned in the Kaliyand area on Sunday evening between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. According to police sources, Manik Sheikh, a 50-year-old tea stall owner near Kaliyand Qaumi Madrasa, noticed two suspicious packets placed on a stool in front of his shop. After returning from evening prayers, he found the packets still there and informed Boalmari Police Station.

Sub-inspector Sharif Abdur Rashid arrived at the scene and seized the packets through official procedure. Upon opening them, police discovered two boxes marked with the Bangladesh Army logo and labeled “7.62×39 mm Ball Ammo,” containing a total of 40 rounds. The ammunition was taken to the police station for safekeeping.

Officer-in-Charge Anwar Hossain stated that the bullets were found abandoned and that an investigation is underway to identify those involved. Legal procedures are in progress.

Bangladesh and China have signed a framework agreement for a project titled 'Procurement of Four New Ships,' valued at 1.67 billion RMB (approximately Tk 2,486.31 crore). The agreement was signed on Sunday by Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on behalf of Bangladesh, and Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen on behalf of China. Under the framework, China will provide a concessional loan at 2 percent interest for 20 years, including a five-year grace period.

According to an ERD press release, a loan agreement between the ERD and the Export-Import Bank of China will be signed soon under this framework. The project will enable the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) to purchase four new vessels, including two crude oil mother tankers and two mother bulk carriers.

The new ships are expected to enhance BSC’s capacity to transport crude oil and essential goods, contributing to Bangladesh’s long-term energy security and accelerating national development, according to the report.

The funeral and burial of Huzaifa Afnan, a child from Teknaf’s Hwaikyang Union who died after being injured by gunfire from Myanmar’s Arakan Army, were completed on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The funeral took place at the family graveyard in the Lambabil Techchibridge area of Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila. Local residents, along with political figures including former MP Shahjahan Chowdhury and Jamaat leader Maulana Nur Ahmad Anwari, attended the prayer service.

Huzaifa had been under treatment for 27 days after being critically wounded in the head by a bullet fired from Myanmar’s Rakhine State on January 11. He was initially treated at an MSF hospital, later transferred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, and finally to the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka, where he died on February 7.

After the funeral prayers, local residents and political leaders urged stronger border surveillance and patrols to prevent further loss of innocent lives in the border area.

Bangladesh Bank has announced temporary restrictions on mobile financial services (MFS) and internet banking to prevent misuse of funds ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The restrictions will be in effect from midnight on Sunday until 11:59 p.m. on February 12, covering a total of four days. During this period, customers of MFS providers such as bKash, Rocket, and Nagad will be allowed to send a maximum of 1,000 taka per transaction and up to 10,000 taka per day. Person-to-person transfers through internet banking and bank apps will remain suspended.

According to the central bank’s directive, the decision aims to curb potential abuse of MFS and interbank fund transfer (IBFT) systems under the National Payment Switch Bangladesh during the election period. Merchant payments and utility bill transactions will continue as usual, but other MFS services will be temporarily unavailable. Each MFS provider must establish an emergency response cell to handle complaints and monitor all transactions closely.

The directive also instructs MFS providers and banks to cooperate with the Election Commission and law enforcement agencies as needed during the restricted period.

Former Bangladesh Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1, alleging that officers sent from the army to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) returned as professional killers. He made the statement on Sunday before a two-member judicial panel led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, during testimony against Ziaul Ahsan in a case involving the disappearance and killing of over a hundred people.

In his deposition, Bhuiyan said he was deeply disturbed that professional officers from the army were turning into killers after serving in RAB. He introduced interviews for officers before and after postings to RAB, DGFI, and BGB, and tried to motivate them by emphasizing that killing was a grave sin. He also recounted that after hearing horrifying accounts of killings from returning officers, he became concerned about the army’s future and appealed to the Prime Minister to bring army officers back from RAB. The Prime Minister reportedly acknowledged RAB was worse than the former Rakkhi Bahini but took no further action.

Bhuiyan added that he encouraged officers to contact him directly if ordered to join any killing mission, promising honorable reinstatement in the army.