The 23 individuals who perished in a boat sinking while attempting to reach Italy illegally via the Mediterranean had no Bangladeshi identification documents, despite the Red Crescent suspecting them to be Bangladeshi based on their appearance. Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Libya, Major General Abul Hasnat, confirmed this information during a Facebook Live session. According to him, a boat carrying 56 migrants departed from eastern Libya for Italy on January 25 but sank en route. Between January 30 and 31, 23 bodies were recovered, while two individuals were found in critical condition. The fate of the remaining 31 migrants remains unknown. The region where the incident occurred is under the control of rebel forces. Ambassador Hasnat stated that despite unsuccessful attempts to communicate with the local prosecution, efforts are ongoing to gather further information.

On Sunday (February 2), the body of an eighth-grade girl was recovered from Hatirjheel. The police have reported that the girl was raped by five people after being tied up, and then murdered. In connection with this incident, the police have arrested two youths. The girl went missing on January 16, and her father filed a general diary (GD) on January 19 and a case on January 27. On January 30, police arrested another youth named Rabbi Mridha based on mobile phone leads. Robin and Rabbi Mridha confessed in court under section 164 to the rape and murder of the girl. They met through Facebook, after which she was taken to a house, gagged, raped, and then killed. The bereaved father is demanding justice in this matter.

Abu Sadeq, the managing director of SS Group and leader of the DB Harun syndicate, was arrested on February 3 from his residence in Mohammadpur in connection with the abduction of businessman Zulfiqar Ali. The victim was abducted and taken to the DB office, where an attempt to extort 6 crore taka was made. This was part of a case filed on January 23. Other accused in the case include former DB chief Harun Ar Rashid, former DC Golam Sabur, a former additional DIG, Moniruzzaman Tarun, general secretary of Dhaka District Awami League, and Abu Sadeq’s manager. Abu Sadeq Chowdhury, being a trusted ally of former shipping minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, has used his influence to secure exclusive contracting opportunities in the Ministry of Shipping.

After the press secretary of the chief advisor, Shafiqul Alam, now Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has thrown garbage into a dustbin with Sheikh Hasina’s picture! He did this on February 2 at the book fair. In a Facebook post with a photo of him throwing garbage, he wrote, ‘City dwellers! Do not throw garbage anywhere, throw it in the appropriate places.’ Earlier, on February 1, press secretary Shafiqul Alam shared a photo of this dustbin on his Facebook page, in one of which he is seen throwing garbage as well. The dustbin was placed by the anti-discrimination student movement!”

Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, assured that the government would rehabilitate those injured in the July-August protests. He mentioned ongoing efforts to secure overseas employment for them and urged patience. Speaking to protesters outside the Chief Advisor’s residence, he acknowledged bureaucratic complications, the rise of middlemen, and internal disputes delaying the process. He criticized government negligence in providing medical care but promised to convey the protesters’ demands for urgent treatment.

Injured protesters from the anti-discrimination movement broke through police barricades at midnight on February 2 and gathered in front of the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna, demanding proper medical treatment, rehabilitation, and compensation. Shortly after, Hasnat Abdullah, the convener of the anti-discrimination student movement, arrived to speak with them. Earlier, on February 1, the protesters had blocked the road in front of Pangu Hospital, alleging discrimination in medical treatment and compensation. They continue to chant slogans for their demands.

On Sunday, February 2, at 11 PM, protesting students held a press conference in front of the main gate, announcing their continuation of hunger strikes and the Barasat Barricade to North City movement to demand university status for Titumir College. They have also declared an indefinite college shutdown starting Monday, February 3. Earlier, after a two-hour blockade, students returned to campus at 8 PM. While classes, exams, and administrative activities will remain suspended, Saraswati Puja celebrations on Monday will continue as planned. Their demands include: • University recognition for Titumir College, • The withdrawal of the education advisor’s statement, and • A public apology from the legal advisor for obstructing the formation of the Titumir Commission.

The government is considering providing lifelong medical care and allowances to those injured in the July people’s uprising, announced Faruk-i-Azam, Advisor to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. A department is being set up to implement this, with a budget of 232 crore Taka for this fiscal year. Martyrs’ families will receive savings bonds worth 10 lakh Taka each, and the injured will receive allowances ranging from 50,000 to 3 lakh Taka. The government aims to ensure comprehensive support and honor their sacrifices.

Under Donald Trump’s orders, the U.S. Air Force has conducted an airstrike on an ISIS secret base in Somalia. The regional authorities of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia, confirmed that several key leaders, including a senior member of the militant group, were killed or injured in the attack. This action is part of the United States’ efforts to counter the group’s activities in the war-torn country. Donald Trump confirmed this on his Truth Social platform, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also made a statement. No fatalities have been reported from the attack, but it is believed to have reduced the group’s capabilities. Following the strike, Somalia’s president thanked Trump.

The court has issued a travel ban against four individuals, including former Awami League Minister for Liberation War Affairs, A.K.M. Mozammel Haque, following a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The former minister is under investigation for allegations of receiving contractor commissions, irregularities, laundering illicit wealth abroad, and accumulating assets beyond known sources of income under his and his family’s names. The other three individuals facing travel bans are Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Farid Aziz, former Commissioner Mohammad Belal Hossain Chowdhury, and his wife, Hosna Ferdous Sumi. The ACC has also formed an investigation committee against them on charges of embezzlement, corruption, and money laundering.

Education Advisor Professor Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has stated that there is no scope for granting special privileges to Titumir College. He believes that Rajshahi College should be upgraded to a university at this moment, as it is one of the oldest colleges in Bangladesh. He also urged students of Titumir College to return to classes and avoid causing public inconvenience. Addressing the issue of Dhaka University and the seven affiliated colleges, he noted that since neither side prefers the current arrangement, steps are being taken to establish a separate university for the seven colleges. He further added that setting a strict deadline for fulfilling students’ demands is not desirable.

In the Mirpur 13 section, three advisors inaugurated the canal renovation project by walking on a red carpet placed over the temporary bridge of the canal. Present at the event were advisors Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adilur Rahman Khan, and Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan! When asked about the red carpet, she said, “I didn’t notice it.” She also mentioned that the goal is to make three rivers pollution-free by February. Each river contains five meters of plastic. An ADB team will visit on February 16, who will share their experiences of river restoration in China, Nepal, and Indonesia, said advisor Rizwana Hasan.

India’s special security forces have confirmed the deaths of eight Maoist rebels during an operation in central India. The clash occurred early Saturday morning in the forests of Chhattisgarh. Over the past decade, the insurgency has claimed 10,000 lives, including 287 deaths this year alone. Maoist rebels claim to be fighting for marginalized indigenous communities. Last year, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah declared that the insurgency would be completely crushed by 2026.

According to the 2022 Labor Force Survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 28 out of every 100 highly educated individuals are unemployed. The report highlights that labor force growth has been at 2% per year for the last decade, while GDP growth has remained between 5-7%. Despite the rise in graduate rates from 3.2-3.5% in the early 2000s to 9% in the last decade, employment opportunities have not increased proportionally. Lack of necessary skills is also a contributing factor to this high unemployment rate.

Cultural advisor Mustafa Sarwar Farooki has dismissed the police’s statement—that the Bangla Academy should be allowed to review books before printing—as a personal opinion rather than an official government stance. He called the remark “ridiculous” and reiterated that the government believes in freedom of expression, even if he himself is criticized. Farooki mentioned that in the past government, there were complications in the award nomination process due to a fellow awardee being nominated. During the inauguration ceremony of the 36th National Poetry Festival, he announced that a reform committee would be formed to investigate corruption in the Bangla Academy and restructure it.