A young woman was arrested in Brahmanbaria’s Bijoynagar on Friday night, and police seized 3,000 yaba pills from her possession. The arrest occurred around 11:30 PM at Chandura Dakbanglo Mor. The woman, identified as Mariyam Begum, was initially questioned by the police during their routine patrol. After a search, the yaba pills were found. The police have announced that a drug-related case will be filed against the arrested woman, according to Officer-in-Charge Md. Rowshan Ali.

Speakers at a seminar organized by Citizen Initiative claimed that the police are refusing to file cases because they are involved in the murders themselves. They emphasized that fascism should be judged in international courts. According to the speakers, reconciliation without justice is dangerous. Since August 5, only three of the disappeared persons have been released, while the others remain missing. BNP leader Salahuddin Khan alleged that the ruling Awami League, using law enforcement agencies, has been involved in forced disappearances and killings to suppress opposition. Speakers also noted that they would seek UN assistance to secure justice.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the United States at the invitation of President Donald Trump, where several significant issues were discussed, including trade, immigration, and visa policies. Notable figures such as Elon Musk and top White House officials were present. While the discussion avoided sensitive topics like mutual tariff policies, human rights, and minority persecution, experts suggest that India’s role as a major trade partner and counter to China has reduced the importance of human rights concerns for the US. Trump mentioned that Modi had promised to reduce unreasonable tariffs, making it more difficult for American goods to enter the Indian market. Modi also expressed support for Trump’s MAGA movement, and both leaders agreed on a prisoner exchange. Modi also expressed support for Trump’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

A violent clash erupted between two villages in Sunamganj’s Jagannathpur on Friday, sparked by a fight among transport workers. At least 30 people were injured, including one person who was shot. The incident occurred at the Jagadishpur field around noon. Police, the military, and the UNO arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control. Eyewitnesses reported that the altercation between transport workers from the two villages escalated into a heated argument, which eventually turned into a violent clash with local weapons. The injured were taken to MAG Osmani Hospital and the upazila health complex for treatment.

In Ashulia, Savar, 11 people, including women and children, were injured in a gas cylinder explosion while preparing traditional sweets for Shab-e-Barat. The incident occurred around 9:30 PM on Friday. Witnesses reported that Sumon, a garment worker, lived on the second floor of a building with his two children. That night, his brother Sohel came to visit with his family, and they were preparing sweets when the gas cylinder exploded. As a result, 11 people suffered burn injuries. They were initially taken to the Ashulia Women and Children’s Hospital and later transferred to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College for further treatment.

Since taking office for a second term, President Donald Trump has dismissed nearly 10,000 government employees as part of a cost-cutting initiative. On January 20, he established a new office, “Government Spending Reduction and Workforce Efficiency,” led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. However, Congress has not recognized the office as a ministry, keeping Musk in an advisory role. The layoffs affect multiple departments, including Energy, Health, and Veterans Affairs. The IRS announced that over 1,000 more employees will be dismissed next week.

In Shibchar, Madaripur, three individuals were arrested by the joint forces for impersonating army officers and committing fraud. The arrests were made during an operation conducted from Thursday to Friday across various areas. The arrested individuals are Jahangir (35), Simanta Malo (20), and Kawser Sikdar (21). According to police sources, the suspects called a woman and demanded 3,000 taka, claiming that the glass of an army vehicle had been broken during a conflict at her shop. They threatened her with a legal case if she refused to pay. In this manner, the group extorted a total of 25,000 taka. Following a complaint to the police, the joint forces took action, leading to their arrest.

The death toll in the second phase of the 58th World Ijtema has risen to three following the death of another worshipper. The deceased have been identified as Abdul Aziz Sheikh (62) from Shariatpur, Nazmul Hossain (75) from Bogura, and Didar Torfadar (55) from Khulna. Abdul Aziz and Nazmul Hossain passed away on Friday, February 14, while Didar Torfadar died on Thursday. The information was confirmed by Mohammad Sayem, the media coordinator for the second phase of the World Ijtema. The ongoing event is being held by the Saad faction, with the concluding Akheri Munajat scheduled for Sunday.

The UN fact-finding mission’s report has documented cases of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and repression by Sheikh Hasina’s party, government, and state forces during the July uprising. The report also includes several recommendations. Rory Mungoven, an official from the UN office, stated that the collected data could be used in trials at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Human rights activists have emphasized the necessity of taking cases from domestic tribunals to the ICC. The UN recommendations call for impartial investigations and trials without human rights violations. Additionally, they suggest banning the death penalty in accordance with international standards, which could increase pressure on Bangladesh to abolish capital punishment. Some recommendations focus solely on political party reforms, while others require long-term structural changes, adding to the complexity of implementation.

A recent survey published by The Times of Israel on Saturday reveals that 61% of Israelis oppose resuming war with Hamas. Instead, they support moving forward with the second phase of the ongoing prisoner exchange to secure the release of hostages. The survey, conducted among 600 Israelis, found that only 18% support restarting military operations, while 21% remain undecided. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister announced the release of three Israeli citizens as part of the sixth phase of the prisoner exchange.

In a remarkable environmental initiative, over 1,000 students planted 40,000 Hijol and Koroch trees in a single day at Tanguar Haor, Bangladesh’s second-largest Ramsar site.

The tree plantation drive aims to protect 83 villages surrounding the 10,000-hectare wetland in Tahirpur and Madhyanagar upazilas from seasonal floods, according to the Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj.

Students from five secondary schools and one higher secondary institution participated in the event, which also included a clean-up campaign. To create a sense of ownership and long-term commitment, each tree will be tagged with the name of the student who planted it—allowing them to track its growth in the future.

At least 15 people were injured in a violent clash between two groups in Muradnagar, Cumilla, over the scheduled visit of controversial Islamic speaker Gias Uddin Taheri. The incident took place on Friday afternoon in Ampal village, prompting authorities to deploy additional police forces to maintain order.

Local sources reported that religious scholars and residents opposed to Taheri’s visit had announced a protest rally and demonstration on February 21 outside Suruj Fakir’s residence, where Taheri was set to appear. Following Friday prayers, as the protest rally began, supporters of Suruj Fakir allegedly attacked the demonstrators, leading to a full-blown clash between the two sides.

Opponents claim their peaceful march was disrupted by violence, while event organizers argue that rumors of an attack on a shrine prompted Taheri’s supporters to intervene, resulting in injuries to 7-8 of their members.

In a late-night raid on Thursday, a joint task force apprehended two members of a criminal gang in Dhaka’s Pallabi area, seizing a foreign-made pistol. The arrested individuals have been identified as Md. Hasan Mahmud (31) and Sabuj Howlader (28). Law enforcement recovered one foreign pistol, three empty magazines, 20 rounds of ammunition, a machete, and three iron hammers with bamboo handles from their possession. Several of their accomplices managed to escape upon sensing the presence of the authorities. A case has been filed against them under the Arms Act.

At 12:00 PM on Friday, customs officials at Sylhet Osmani International Airport seized eight gold bars, valued at approximately one crore taka, from a flight arriving from Dubai. The gold was discovered in empty seats of the aircraft. The total weight of the seized gold is 928 grams, with an estimated market value of one crore taka. Earlier, on February 6, two individuals were detained by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Customs Intelligence with gold worth around 21 crore taka.

The inauguration of the new phase of the “Alor Ishkul” program by the World Literature Center was held on Friday. The program was inaugurated by Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, President and CEO of the Center. He stated that books are entirely a medium for thought and that not everyone reads them. However, those who do, although few in number, are the ones who change the world. Citing the example of Greek civilization, he noted that just over 400,000 people created Greek civilization in 150 years. He emphasized that such leadership must emerge from our population of 180 million. He also described intellect as a divine gift, infinite in nature.