A violent attack and looting took place at the home of visually impaired Gafur Mallik in Kholabaria village under Pachuaria Union of Rajbari Sadar upazila. The incident occurred on Friday evening when a group of armed assailants stormed the house, vandalized property, and allegedly stole about 55,000 taka. Police have arrested one woman in connection with the case, and a formal complaint has been filed by Gafur’s adopted son, Baten Mallik, naming several suspects including Nannu Sheikh, Saddam Sheikh, and Rezaul Islam Nazir.

According to the complaint, the attack was carried out due to a previous business dispute. The same group also reportedly attacked the nearby home of Gafur’s brother, Hanif Mallik, damaging furniture and taking valuables. Rajbari Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khondokar Ziaur Rahman confirmed that a case has been recorded and operations are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects.

Gafur Mallik, aged 75, has long earned his living selling traditional sweets on buses and trains. In recognition of his perseverance, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman had earlier provided him with financial assistance of 170,000 taka through party leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

A gun attack targeted the private car of former Chhatra Dal leader Amir Hossain, a supporter of BNP-nominated candidate Nazrul Islam Azad, in Araihazar, Narayanganj on Saturday night, February 1. The incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. near Baghanagar on the Araihazar–Bishnandi ferry ghat bypass road. Although bullets shattered the car’s windows, Amir Hossain and his companion, Mahmudpur Union BNP senior joint convener Md. Sadekur Rahman Sadek, escaped unharmed.

According to Amir Hossain, two unidentified men on a motorcycle approached from the same direction and fired at the right and front windows of his moving black car before fleeing the scene. Locals informed the police, who later inspected the site. The identities of the attackers and the motive behind the shooting remain unknown.

Araihazar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Alauddin stated that an investigation has been initiated based on the complaint and that necessary legal measures will be taken.

The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has issued a warning about a fraudulent group targeting officials assigned to the national election. According to a notice signed by Md. Mamun Ar Rashid, Deputy Director of the Department of Films and Publications attached to the EC, the fraudsters are contacting officials and asking for their bKash numbers under the false promise of paying election honorariums. The notice, released on Sunday, February 1, 2026, identified two phone numbers—01342046232 and 01612677074—used for these deceptive calls.

The EC clarified that all officials will receive their election honorariums through presiding officers after the upcoming referendum and national parliamentary polls, following official procedures. It emphasized that no individual or organization is authorized to collect personal financial details or distribute payments on behalf of the commission.

The commission urged all election officials not to respond to such fraudulent calls and to remain cautious against any unauthorized communication related to election payments.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against six former officials of Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), including former managing director Professor Dr. Ehsanul Kabir. The case alleges that they illegally appointed five officials on a contractual basis without prior approval from the EDCL board, causing financial losses to the state-owned company. The case was announced on Sunday afternoon at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, by the commission’s Director General (Prevention) Md. Akhter Hossain.

According to the ACC, Dr. Kabir, in collusion with other accused officials, abused his authority and engaged in fraud and criminal breach of trust by directing the unlawful appointments. The irregularities allegedly caused a financial loss of 3,614,943 taka to EDCL. The case has been filed under sections 409, 420, and 109 of the Penal Code, along with section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The other accused are former finance director and company secretary Muhammad Khurshid Alam, former general manager (procurement) Syed Zahir Uddin Jamal, former deputy general managers Md. Shawkat Ali and A. Kaiyum Khan, and former production manager Bikash Kumar Sarkar.

Senior Assistant Secretary Md. Kamal Hossain, serving as a special officer on special duty (OSD) under the Ministry of Public Administration, has been temporarily suspended for allegedly misusing power to obtain a BCS administration cadre position. The ministry issued the suspension order on Sunday following a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while he was serving as Upazila Nirbahi Officer in Nachol, Chapainawabganj. On January 28, a Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court denied his bail and sent him to jail.

According to the government order, the suspension was made under Section 39(2) of the Government Service Act, 2018, effective from January 28. During the suspension period, Kamal Hossain will receive subsistence allowance as per regulations. The ACC case, filed on December 26, 2024, alleges that he falsified his parentage to claim benefits under the freedom fighter quota.

The case statement says Hossain listed his uncle, freedom fighter Md. Ahsan Habib, and aunt, Mosha. Sanoara Khatun, as his parents instead of his real father and mother. Using this false identity, he gained university admission and later secured his BCS administration cadre post through the 35th BCS examination.

A CCTV camera installed at a polling center in Keraniganj, Dhaka, for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election has been stolen. The incident occurred at Amirabag Government Primary School, designated as a polling center under Dhaka-3 constituency. According to local administration officials, six cameras had been installed at the school’s old building on Thursday, but one camera placed at the main gate was found missing the following morning.

Keraniganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Umar Faruq and Jinjira Union Parishad Administrator Shiblizzaman confirmed the theft. A local vegetable vendor, Abul Hossain, said he saw the cameras being installed and later noticed one missing. He also heard that another camera from a nearby mosque building had been stolen. Officials visited the site and verified that one of the six cameras was taken.

Md. Umar Faruq stated that the perpetrators have not yet been identified and assured that all polling centers will have CCTV installations completed by February 5, with overall security measures strengthened.

A group of thieves stole five cows from the barn of farmer and grocery trader Rafiqul Islam in Kopatia Para, Maona Union of Sreepur upazila, Gazipur, early Sunday, February 1, 2026. The stolen livestock, including one bull, two cows, and two heifers, are valued at around seven lakh taka. Locals said the thieves emptied the barn, leaving the farmer destitute.

Rafiqul Islam reported that around 1 a.m. he checked on the cows and found everything normal. However, at dawn he discovered the barn door locked from outside. After calling his nephew Shamim to help open it, he found all the cows missing. He suspects the thieves locked him inside before stealing the animals.

The incident has caused alarm in the area, with residents claiming cattle thefts have recently increased. They urged authorities to identify and arrest the culprits. Rafiqul Islam said he is preparing to file a complaint with Sreepur Police Station, though the officer-in-charge could not be reached for comment.

Police in Mirsharai, Chattogram have arrested Imam Hossain, 25, joint convener of Baraiyarhat College Chhatra Dal, on charges of gang-raping a seventh-grade girl after forcing her to consume an intoxicating substance. The arrest followed a case filed on Sunday by the victim’s mother at Jorarganj Police Station, naming two other suspects, Hridoy, 25, and Rana, 27. The incident reportedly occurred on January 26 around 7 p.m. in a garden near a pond beside Shahjahan’s house in Jamalpur village under Baraiyarhat municipality.

According to the case statement, the accused threatened the girl not to disclose the assault and later pressured her family to avoid filing a case. Police confirmed that Imam Hossain is currently in custody while efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects. Chattogram North District Chhatra Dal General Secretary Sarowar Hossain Rubel said he would look into the matter and take necessary organizational action after returning from an election rally.

Law enforcement officials stated that the investigation is ongoing and further arrests are expected as part of the case proceedings.

Detective Branch (DB) police in Barishal faced obstruction from local BNP activists while attempting to arrest a leader of the banned Chhatra League in Babuganj upazila on Sunday evening. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. at Rahutkathi Bazar in Dehergati Union, where the DB team detained Yasir Arafat, also known as Sohel Kazi. As officers tried to place him in their vehicle, a group led by Babuganj Upazila Jubo Dal convener Rakibul Hasan Khan Rakib reportedly surrounded the car and forcibly freed the detainee.

DB Sub-Inspector Redowan confirmed that an incident took place but declined to provide details, while other senior police officials said they were unaware of the matter. Local sources said Sohel Kazi had been an active Chhatra League leader and a candidate for the upazila unit presidency before the organization was banned. He is also believed to be a close relative of Rakibul Hasan Khan Rakib.

The incident has sparked widespread discussion in the area. Concerned citizens described the act of obstructing law enforcement and snatching a detainee as a direct challenge to state authority and called for an impartial investigation and strict legal action against those involved.

A former local leader of the Krishak Dal, Helal Uddin Palowan, was killed in Kapasia, Gazipur, following a dispute with his nephew over a mobile phone theft. The incident occurred on Saturday night when Helal Uddin was attacked with a shovel, leaving him critically injured. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on Sunday morning.

According to police, the attack took place in the Kotbajalya area, where four to five unidentified assailants struck him from behind with local weapons and a shovel. The officer-in-charge of Kapasia Police Station said the killing appeared to be linked to a family dispute. The victim’s body was sent to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Gazipur district Krishak Dal member secretary Fakir Iskandar Alam described the killing as brutal and condemned the incident, expressing condolences to the family. Police said legal action would follow based on the complaint filed.

Mahmudul Haque, the main accused in the murder case of Maulana Rezaul Karim, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Sreebardi upazila unit in Sherpur, filed an anticipatory bail petition with the High Court on Sunday. Haque is also the BNP candidate for the Sherpur-3 constituency. Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol is scheduled to represent him during the hearing before a High Court bench.

The case was filed by Rezaul Karim’s wife, Marzia, on Friday night, January 30, at Jhenaigati Police Station, naming 234 individuals and accusing a total of 734 people. The incident occurred on January 28 at Jhenaigati Mini Stadium during a manifesto presentation event for Sherpur-3 candidates, where a dispute over front-row seating led to clashes between BNP and Jamaat activists.

Although the situation initially calmed, violence resumed later that evening when Jamaat candidate Nuruzzaman Badol attempted to move toward the town with his supporters but was stopped by authorities. During the ensuing attack by BNP activists, Rezaul Karim was critically injured and died on the way to Mymensingh.

Bangladesh and the United States are expected to sign a bilateral trade agreement in Washington on February 9 aimed at reducing U.S. counter-tariffs on Bangladeshi goods and expanding trade benefits. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said the draft of the agreement has been prepared and submitted for approval. He confirmed that the signing schedule has been set for February 9, pending final authorization.

The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump had initially imposed 37 percent counter-tariffs on Bangladeshi products, later reducing them to 20 percent after several negotiation rounds, though no formal agreement was signed at that time. The upcoming deal is expected to further lower tariffs and secure duty-free access for garments made with U.S. cotton. To obtain these benefits, Bangladesh has pledged to reduce its trade deficit with the U.S. by increasing imports of Boeing aircraft, fuel, LNG, wheat, and cotton.

The commerce secretary clarified that military items such as fighter jets are not part of the trade deal. He added that Bangladesh is also advancing free trade agreements with Japan, South Korea, and other partners to strengthen its post-LDC graduation trade position.

Bangladesh Bank has asked all banks in the country to provide detailed information on agricultural loans up to Tk 10,000. The request followed a query from board member and Dhaka University professor Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir. The central bank’s Agricultural Credit Department sent an email after office hours on Thursday, instructing banks to submit the data by noon on Sunday. Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan confirmed the directive.

According to the letter, banks were told to report the total principal, interest or profit, and outstanding balance of loans and investments in the agriculture and rural sectors up to Tk 10,000 as of December 31 of the previous year. The reason for the sudden request was not disclosed, and the spokesperson said he was unaware of the purpose behind it. The report notes that the data collection was not discussed at any board meeting or through the usual internal approval process.

In the first six months of the current fiscal year, banks disbursed Tk 21,000 crore in agricultural loans, marking a 29 percent increase from the same period last year.

Bangladesh Bank reported that remittance inflows rose sharply in January 2026, reaching USD 3.17 billion, a 45.10 percent increase compared to USD 2.185 billion in January 2025. Sector insiders attributed the surge to funds sent ahead of the upcoming national election and Ramadan, as many candidates and families transferred money from abroad. The data was published in the central bank’s latest report.

From July 2025 to January 2026, total remittances amounted to USD 19.43 billion, up 21.80 percent from the same period of the previous fiscal year. Bankers explained that the decline in money laundering and increased use of formal channels have boosted remittance inflows, improving dollar supply and strengthening foreign exchange reserves. Bangladesh Bank has purchased USD 3.93 billion since July to maintain market balance.

As of January 29, 2026, the country’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 33.18 billion, or USD 28.68 billion under BPM-6 standards. The central bank noted that higher remittance inflows and dollar purchases have contributed to the recent rise in reserves.

India’s new fiscal year budget has increased grant assistance to Bangladesh by 74 percent, allocating 600 million rupees for the 2027 financial year. According to The Hindu Business Line, citing India’s central budget documents, this marks a significant rise from the revised figure of 344.8 million rupees in the previous year. The report noted that despite domestic discussions about anti-India sentiment, New Delhi expanded its allocation to Dhaka.

The budget also shows India halting all grants to Iran’s Chabahar Port, which previously received 4 billion rupees, reportedly due to U.S. sanctions pressure. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s grant rose by 50 percent to 1.5 billion rupees, and Bhutan remains the largest recipient with a total of 22.88 billion rupees. In contrast, allocations for Nepal, the Maldives, and Mauritius were reduced, with Mauritius facing the steepest cut of about 33 percent.

Overall, India proposed 87.92 billion rupees in total foreign grants and loans, down 27 percent from the previous year’s revised figure, signaling a strategic and financial restructuring of its foreign aid program.