ICT, Posts, Telecommunications, Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam Swapon announced that the government will create employment opportunities for one million young people in the ICT sector. He made the statement on Saturday morning while inaugurating a road construction project in Madhupur, Tangail. The minister said the government, under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, has been working from the first day to deliver development and services to people's doorsteps.

Swapon added that he aims to make Madhupur-Dhanbari a peaceful and safe area, free from extortion, terrorism, and illegal occupation, as part of his election pledges. He inaugurated the construction of a 700-meter road from Sathi Mor in Madhupur to ease long-standing public suffering in the town center. He emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward crime and expressed his desire to earn public trust through welfare-oriented development.

Local administrative officials, political leaders, and freedom fighters were present at the event, reflecting cooperation between government and community representatives in implementing local development initiatives.

Advance ticket sales for long-distance buses ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr will begin on March 3. Passengers will be able to purchase tickets for travel between March 12 and the day before Eid. The decision was announced at a meeting of the Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association held in Gabtoli, Dhaka, and confirmed by the association’s secretary, Shubhankar Ghosh Rakesh.

Rakesh stated that tickets will be available both at physical counters and online from the morning of March 3. Passengers can select their preferred bus and seat through the designated website. He emphasized that fares must comply with the rates set by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), and the same rates will apply online. Every ticket counter will be required to display the BRTA-approved fare chart.

To prevent black-market ticket sales, CCTV cameras have been installed at various counters. Rakesh added that any irregularities detected will lead to legal and administrative action by both authorities and the owners’ association.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has criticized the government for taking what it called a weak step in appointing the new governor of Bangladesh Bank. At a media briefing held on Saturday at the CPD office in Dhanmondi, Research Director Khondaker Golam Moazzem said the appointment process lacked transparency and that the state had the opportunity to select a more acceptable candidate. He emphasized that a stronger and more credible procedure should have been followed for such an important position.

Moazzem noted that discussions and criticisms have emerged regarding the current governor’s links to loan defaults and special privileges, suggesting that alternative candidates could have been considered to avoid controversy. He also highlighted the need for a clear qualification framework and a formal vetting process for future appointments. CPD praised former governor Ahsan H. Mansur for his reform efforts despite challenges and suggested that retaining experienced leadership could have been beneficial.

The organization further recommended establishing a legal basis and specific criteria for future appointments, similar to India’s Reserve Bank selection process, and warned against loosening financial market regulations amid existing sectoral weaknesses.

At least 20 people were injured in a clash between workers and police during a five-hour blockade on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Rupganj, Narayanganj, on Saturday. The blockade, organized by workers of B Brothers Company Limited, caused an 18-kilometer traffic jam, stranding passengers and ambulances. Police said the workers began protesting inside the factory over unpaid wages for December 2025 to February 2026, later moving to the highway where they blocked traffic.

Workers alleged that the factory management had been delaying salary payments and mistreating employees who protested. Tensions escalated when some workers were confined inside the factory while others demonstrated outside. Police attempted to disperse the protesters with batons, leading to a chase and counter-chase. Vehicles and parts of the factory were vandalized during the confrontation.

Local lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman Bhuiyan Dipu arrived at the scene and assured workers that December wages would be paid on Sunday and January wages on Wednesday. Following his assurance, the workers withdrew the blockade and returned to work.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will begin a 10-day special mosquito control 'crash program' from Sunday across its 10 regions. The initiative was announced by DSCC Administrator Md. Abdus Salam during an emergency meeting with health department officials at Nagar Bhaban Auditorium. He declared a 'zero tolerance' stance against negligence, failure, or corruption in mosquito control operations and said he would personally inspect the activities.

The meeting was called following a recent rise in mosquito infestation in DSCC areas. Officials emphasized ensuring the effectiveness of insecticides, following proper methods, and strengthening field-level monitoring. The health department was instructed to work in coordination with the waste management division and to raise public awareness. Mobile courts may be deployed if Aedes mosquito larvae are found.

Discussions also covered training for mosquito control workers and testing new, more effective insecticides. The administrator directed that strict legal action be taken against any public or private establishment that fails to act even after repeated warnings.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin Putul announced that the Family Card initiative aims to make families economically self-reliant. Speaking at Natore Circuit House on Saturday, February 28, 2026, she said the card will be issued in the name of the senior female member of each family, such as a mother or sister. The project is designed to be universal, with no specific target group, and will gradually include all families.

Sharmin explained that previous welfare cards, including widow, elderly, agricultural, and maternity allowances, faced corruption during distribution. To address this, the government plans to move toward an integrated system that consolidates all benefits into a single card. The Family Card will provide 2,500 taka per family, a higher amount than existing cards.

Initially, the program will prioritize extremely poor, poor, and lower-income families based on a proximity test and scoring system, with eventual expansion to middle- and upper-income groups.

Narsingdi Detective Branch police have arrested Hazrat Ali, accused in the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Madhabdi, from Gouripur in Mymensingh. He was detained on Friday night while drinking tea at Sohagbazar intersection in Chilimpur village under Achintapur Union. The arrest was confirmed by Gouripur Police Station’s investigation officer Salah Uddin Karim, who said the suspect’s location was traced using advanced technology before the operation.

According to local sources, Hazrat Ali, a van driver from Madhabdi, had taken shelter in the area through acquaintances working in garment factories. Sub-Inspector Jamal Uddin stated that the suspect had earlier discarded his SIM card in a nearby upazila to avoid detection. Based on his information, police later recovered his mobile phone from a local residence.

The victim’s body was found in a mustard field between Bilpara and Dorikandi areas of Mahishashura Union last Thursday. The incident sparked nationwide outrage, prompting rapid police operations that led to multiple arrests, including Hazrat Ali.

Police in Narsingdi have arrested seven of nine accused in connection with the rape and murder of a teenage girl named Amena in Madhabdi. Superintendent of Police Abdullah Al Faruk disclosed the information at a press conference held at his office on February 28, 2026. The main accused, Noor Mohammad Noora, and another suspect, Hazrat Ali, were arrested from Gazipur and Mymensingh respectively. Earlier, five others were detained in separate operations by RAB and district police.

According to the case details, Amena was abducted and repeatedly raped on February 10 by four men, including Noora, who later threatened her to remain silent. When the incident came to light, several local figures allegedly tried to suppress it and pressured the victim’s family to leave the area. On February 25, Amena was abducted again in front of her stepfather, and her body was found the next morning in a mustard field in Char Darikandi.

Police said operations are ongoing to arrest the remaining two suspects involved in the case.

The United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP) has formally accepted Bangladesh’s request to delay its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category by three years and has begun reviewing the proposal. The matter was discussed during the CDP’s five-day meeting in New York, and officials indicated that a final decision could take several weeks. Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the Enhanced Monitoring Mechanism subcommittee, confirmed receipt of the government’s letter but clarified that acceptance of the request does not mean approval, as the committee will first assess the justifications provided.

The Economic Relations Division sent the formal application on February 18, citing global and domestic disruptions that hindered preparation for graduation. The letter referenced the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Middle East instability, global financial tightening, and slow trade recovery. Domestically, it mentioned financial irregularities, political changes in July 2024, and pressure from hosting displaced Myanmar nationals, all contributing to economic instability.

According to CDP sources, a preliminary assessment report may be ready within two weeks, with a final recommendation expected by September following approval from the UN General Assembly.

A shocking double murder occurred in Bhabanipur Uttarpara village under Dashuria Union of Ishwardi upazila, Pabna, where a grandmother was killed and her teenage granddaughter was abducted, raped, and murdered. Police recovered the bodies on Saturday morning after residents discovered the grandmother’s bloodied body in the yard and later found the granddaughter’s body in a nearby mustard field. The victims were identified as Sufia Begum, 65, and her granddaughter Jamila Akter, 15.

Ishwardi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mominuzzaman confirmed that the bodies were sent for autopsy and that an investigation had begun to uncover the motive and perpetrators. Local political figures claimed the victims were relatives of a local student leader and suggested the killings might be linked to political rivalry following a recent election. However, police have not confirmed any motive.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Sarkar stated that the case is being treated with utmost seriousness and that legal action will follow once the investigation identifies those responsible. The incident has sparked grief and anger in the area, with residents demanding swift arrests and exemplary punishment.

From midnight tonight, all fishing activities will be suspended for two months in six rivers, including the Padma and Meghna in Chandpur, to protect hilsa fry and other fish species. The government will provide each of the 9,100 registered fishermen in Matlab North upazila with 160 kilograms of rice in four installments during the ban period. Violators may face one to two years in prison, a fine of up to 5,000 taka, or both.

The fishing ban, enforced every March and April since 2006, aims to increase hilsa production and ensure safe movement of juvenile fish. During this period, fishing, buying, selling, storing, and transporting fish are strictly prohibited across 30 kilometers from Shatnol to Amirabad Bazar and 70 kilometers up to Charbhairabi in Haimchar. Joint operations will be conducted by the local administration, fisheries department, naval police, coast guard, and navy.

Officials and researchers emphasized that administrative enforcement alone is insufficient for long-term sustainability unless fishermen’s financial security is ensured. Awareness campaigns and strict monitoring will continue throughout the ban period.

Farmers in Nakla upazila of Sherpur have become distressed due to an artificial shortage of DAP fertilizer and sales at prices higher than the government-fixed rate. Despite normal supply, several BADC and BCIC-approved dealers allegedly bypassed buffer warehouses and unloaded fertilizers directly into their own storage facilities. Reports suggest that some warehouse officials colluded with dealers to reduce transport costs and share profits from the irregularities.

Local sources said that Nakla has 10 BCIC-approved and 70 BADC-approved fertilizer dealers. On Sunday morning, locals and journalists intercepted two dealers storing fertilizers illegally, leading to the seizure of about 49 tons of urea by agricultural officials and police. Farmers complained that DAP fertilizer, officially priced at Tk 1,050, was being sold for Tk 1,400, while other fertilizers were also overpriced. Dealers were accused of creating an artificial shortage to raise prices.

Sherpur’s deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension stated there was no real shortage of DAP fertilizer and that delays in imported fertilizer transport might cause temporary issues. He added that allegations of overpricing were under investigation and action would be taken if proven.

The Teesta Barrage Irrigation Project in Dalia, Nilphamari, built to boost northern Bangladesh’s agricultural economy, has become nearly waterless. Despite extensive canals, sluice gates, and control structures built at a cost of thousands of crores of taka, the project is now ineffective due to insufficient water flow in the Teesta River. Field visits revealed that the riverbed has turned into sandbanks, with dry season flows dropping to as low as 500 cusecs at Dalia, compared to over 200,000 cusecs during monsoon. Officials attribute the crisis to heavy upstream water withdrawal through India’s Gajoldoba Barrage.

The project covers 766 kilometers of canals across 12 upazilas in Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Dinajpur, with 95 percent of expansion work reportedly completed. However, water has yet to reach most canals, leaving them dry. Farmers say they now rely on shallow machines and diesel pumps, doubling irrigation costs to 2,000–2,500 taka per bigha, compared to 200–300 taka if river water were available.

Experts and river activists stress that infrastructure alone cannot revive the project without fair transboundary water sharing and long-term reservoir planning to store monsoon water.

A major fire broke out on Friday night, February 27, 2026, in the Munshirhat market area of Chandpur, where three parked Jainpuri Express buses were engulfed in flames. According to local sources and the Matlab South Fire Service, one bus was completely destroyed while two others were partially burned. The fire started suddenly in one of the parked buses and quickly spread to the adjacent vehicles.

Fire Service Station Officer Md. Mehedi Hasan Tuhin confirmed that two units from Matlab South Fire Service responded promptly and managed to bring the blaze under control within about 30 minutes. Fortunately, no passengers, drivers, or assistants were present in the buses at the time, preventing any casualties.

Authorities have begun investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the extent of the damage, though the source of ignition remains unknown.

The East India Company, once the foundation of British colonial rule in India, has permanently closed after declaring bankruptcy. The company, which had been revived in London as a luxury goods brand, failed to overcome financial difficulties and ceased operations. Reports indicate that in October 2025, a liquidator was appointed, and the company owed more than £600,000 to its parent entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, along with significant tax and employee liabilities. Its Mayfair store and website have since been closed.

The company, originally founded in 1600 under a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I, had dominated trade across India and Asia before being dissolved by the British Parliament in 1874. Indian entrepreneur Sanjiv Mehta had purchased the rights to the company’s name in 2010, relaunching it as a retailer of premium tea, chocolate, and spices. The revival had drawn global attention as a symbolic reversal of colonial history.

The closure marks the end of a modern chapter for a name long associated with both global trade innovation and colonial exploitation.