For the first time, Yemen’s Ansarullah forces have fired a missile at a U.S. F-16 fighter jet. Although the missile missed its target, it signals a significant advancement in Houthi military capabilities. The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed the incident. On the same day, the Ansarullah forces also launched a missile at a U.S. MQ-9 drone. Senior Pentagon officials are now debating the best strategy to counter the Houthis, with some advocating traditional counterterrorism measures while others push for continued military strikes.

The death toll in Gaza continues to climb as rescue teams recovered seven more bodies from the rubble, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency. The number of fatalities in the war-torn enclave has now reached 48,329. In the past 48 hours alone, two Palestinians have died due to Israeli shelling. Since the start of Israel’s offensive in October 2023, nearly 111,753 people have been injured. Many bodies remain trapped under debris, with rescuers struggling to reach them amid ongoing hostilities.

Following a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, U.S. Congressman Ronny Jackson expressed hope for stability amid the ongoing Middle East tensions. Speaking in Beirut on Saturday, Jackson stated that the U.S. envisions a new era of peace and stability in Lebanon and the region. During the discussions, Lebanese officials urged the U.S. to pressure Israel into withdrawing its troops from five strategic locations. Meanwhile, heightened security measures are in place for the farewell ceremony of martyr Nasrallah in Lebanon.

Eighty students from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) have set off for Dhaka in two buses at 8 AM to meet Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus regarding their six-point demand, including the removal and replacement of the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor. The students, wearing red cloths tied around their heads and eyes, expressed concerns over extreme insecurity. They stated that after submitting a memorandum to the Chief Adviser, they will not return to campus but will stay in a safer location and continue their movement online. Despite sending their demands via email three days ago, they have received no response from the government. They are also outraged that an unidentified case was filed instead of directly naming the accused individuals.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has intensified intelligence operations across the country to combat theft, robbery, murder, and armed looting, said Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman. During a late-night patrol inspection at 2 AM on Saturday, he stated that RAB is actively preventing destabilization attempts by vested interests aiming to spread fear and unrest. He also revealed that additional patrols are being deployed in high-risk areas and that several gang leaders in Mohammadpur have already been arrested.

A severe funding crisis has halted government incentives for leather and garment exports, while tax revenues continue to decline. Amid this turmoil, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has withheld loan disbursements until at least June. The government faces financial strain due to subsidies in electricity, fertilizer, food, and LNG sectors, while foreign debt and interest payments have also surged. Economic uncertainty is mounting, with inflation rising, foreign reserves dwindling, and exchange rates becoming unstable. The IMF has conditioned the loan on subsidy reductions, but the government remains reluctant to comply.

As part of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Hamas recently released four Israeli hostages. The handover took place on Saturday evening through the Red Cross, with the Israeli military receiving them. Witnesses at the exchange site in Nuseirat reported seeing the hostages smiling. In a striking moment, one of the hostages kissed a Hamas fighter on the forehead. The Israeli military confirmed the release and stated that the hostages would be taken to a hospital for evaluation. Previously, Hamas had released two other hostages, one of whom had been held since 2014.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt has stated that President Donald Trump is confident in ending the Russia-Ukraine war. According to her, Trump is focused on negotiating with both sides and could finalize a deal as early as this week. Additionally, the U.S. is working on a proposed natural resources agreement with Ukraine, which Trump believes will help the U.S. recover its financial assistance. The White House claims that this agreement will also support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction efforts.

Chittagong University has decided to rename six of its facilities, including three residential halls. The new names are as follows:
• Shahid Farhad Hossain Hall (formerly Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall)
• Shahid Hridoy Tarua Building (formerly Abu Yusuf Building)
• Bijoy 24 Hall (formerly Janonetri Sheikh Hasina Hall)
• Nawab Faizunnesa Hall (formerly Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall)
• July Revolution Park (formerly Bangabandhu Udyan)
• Chittagong University Gymnasium (formerly Sheikh Kamal Gymnasium)

Additionally, the decision to cancel the academic certificate of master’s student Afsana Enayet Emi has been suspended, though her permanent expulsion remains in effect. A committee has been formed to review the statements of two other expelled students.

Students staging a sit-in at Dhaka University’s Raju Sculpture have declared Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her party Awami League, and its allies as fascist, releasing a list of their ministers, advisers, and MPs. They demand their arrest and sentencing from 7 to 14 years, along with a ban on their electoral participation. The protest, which began on February 13, has shifted to an indefinite sit-in. Protesters also presented a five-point demand, including banning the Awami League and confiscating its assets.

A pedestrian, Md. Akhtar Hossain (52), was killed after being struck by a falling brick from an under-construction building in Tejgaon, Dhaka. The incident occurred around 6 PM on Saturday in the Madhya Kunipara area under the Tejgaon Industrial Police Station. Akhtar Hossain, a father of two, was on his way to offer Maghrib prayers when a brick fell from the fifth-floor rooftop of the building during rainfall, causing severe head injuries. He was first taken to Samorita Hospital and later transferred to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 8 PM, where doctors declared him dead.

Advisor Asif Nazrul is deeply missing his writing days. In a long Facebook post, he expressed, “My advisor life has taken away my sleep, left me disheartened, and shaken my trust in people to some extent.” He further wrote, “At the end of January last year, my novel Ami Abu Bakr was published. It went into ten reprints within a month. I wrote it with great courage—it highlights the brutal oppression faced by students in universities under the pretext of Jamaat-Shibir-Razakar labels.” Many advised him to be cautious after the book’s release. Later, as July arrived with changes and responsibilities, he wrote another book, Sheikh Hasinar Antimkal (The Final Days of Sheikh Hasina). He shared the good news that the second edition of this book has already sold out.

At the beginning of January, director Alok Hasan announced a new film titled Togor, featuring Ador Azad and actress Dighi. However, recent updates reveal that Dighi has been dropped from the project. In the motion poster, actress Puja Cherry has replaced her. Addressing the change, the director stated that he had multiple reasons for replacing Dighi but chose not to disclose them. He added that Puja Cherry is a perfect fit for the role. Cherry mentioned that she initially declined the offer but later agreed after the director convinced her.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to auction $10 billion through a three-year currency swap to address the banking sector’s liquidity crisis. This initiative, starting February 28, aims to inject approximately 870 billion rupees into the system. Analysts suggest it may also signal a shift in RBI’s forex policy. Despite a recent repo rate cut, cash shortages persist. The RBI has already infused 3.6 trillion rupees into banks, but further measures are needed as the liquidity deficit reaches 1.7 trillion rupees.

At a seminar hosted by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Saturday, top business leaders and economists emphasized the need to restore investor confidence by increasing private sector credit flow to double-digit levels. They also called for enhanced oversight to reduce non-performing loans, ensure financial sector governance, and lower lending interest rates. Additionally, they urged stricter market controls to curb inflation. Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, pointed out that collecting only $40 billion in revenue from a $500 billion economy is insufficient. He suggested that proper implementation of logistics policies and trade facilitation could reduce overall trade costs by 10–15%.