Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has announced special traffic arrangements for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, due to the oath-taking ceremonies of newly elected Members of Parliament at the National Parliament Building and newly formed cabinet members at the South Plaza. A large public gathering is expected in the area, prompting temporary traffic restrictions from Khejurbagan Crossing to Manik Mia Avenue and from July Memorial Museum (Ganabhaban Crossing) to Urojahaj Crossing along Lake Road.

To minimize inconvenience, DMP’s traffic division has outlined several diversion routes. Vehicles from Mirpur Road toward Farmgate will be redirected via Defence Gap, China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center, and Bijoy Sarani Crossing. Similar diversions apply for traffic from Dhanmondi, Asad Gate, Indira Road, and the Elevated Expressway. Drivers are advised to avoid Manik Mia Avenue and Lake Road between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

DMP has requested full cooperation from city residents to ensure smooth traffic flow during the ceremonies and advised using alternative routes to avoid congestion.

In the 13th National Parliamentary Election, deposits of 35 out of 48 candidates in six constituencies of Noakhali district were forfeited for failing to secure one-eighth of the total votes cast. The results were confirmed by the district returning officer and Noakhali Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shafiqul Islam after voting took place peacefully on February 12, 2026.

According to the district election office, deposits were forfeited by five candidates in Noakhali-1, two in Noakhali-2, five in Noakhali-3, five in Noakhali-4, ten in Noakhali-5, and eight in Noakhali-6. In these constituencies, BNP candidates won in five seats, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) secured victory in one. The forfeited candidates represented parties such as Islami Andolan, Jatiya Party, JSD, and others, as well as several independents.

The official results were announced on the night of the election day, with the election office confirming that the process was conducted in a fair and orderly environment across all polling centers.

Muhammad Asadullah, a journalist for Amar Desh and central joint convener of the National Youth Power under the National Citizens Party (NCP), has been arrested, prompting his family to allege a politically motivated conspiracy. His wife, Naima Akter Rima, said police detained him last Friday without prior notice, claiming an old case was deliberately revived to humiliate him socially and politically. The family insists the arrest is part of a planned campaign of harassment rather than a routine legal process.

According to the family, the incident followed an attack by local political activists who smeared color on Asadullah and his father after the election. They allege the arrest was retaliation for protesting that assault. The family also reported threats from influential local ruling party leaders after Asadullah’s sister posted on social media, leaving them fearful for their safety.

Police stated that Asadullah was arrested under a 2024 cheque dishonor case in which he was a convicted and warrant-listed accused. However, they did not explain why the warrant had not been executed earlier. Asadullah is currently held in Pabna District Jail, and his family has appealed for his protection and a fair trial.

BNP Secretary General and Standing Committee member Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Bangladesh Medical University on Monday, February 16, to check on the health condition of the party’s Health Affairs Secretary and prominent urologist Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, who is currently under treatment. During the visit, Fakhrul spoke with the attending doctors and was briefed about Rafiqul Islam’s physical condition and progress.

Present at the time were several senior faculty members and administrators of the university, including Professor Dr. Shamim Ahmed, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Registrar Professor Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, and other specialists from the Urology and Surgical Oncology departments. Earlier, on Sunday, BNP Standing Committee member Dr. A. J. M. Zahid Hossain had also visited the ailing leader.

Dr. Rafiqul Islam was admitted to the hospital on February 14 after falling ill. A 19-member medical board was formed on February 15 to oversee his treatment.

Former Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who resigned in 2025 amid violent anti-corruption protests, has re-entered active politics ahead of the March 5 parliamentary election. The 73-year-old communist leader, who has served four terms as prime minister, is campaigning to regain a parliamentary majority through his Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML). His campaign officially begins Monday, with Oli portraying the election as a contest between forces of destruction and those of nation-building.

Oli faces a strong challenge in his constituency from 35-year-old rapper-turned-mayor Balendra Shah, who presents himself as a symbol of youth aspirations. The former leader’s resignation followed deadly unrest in September 2025 that left at least 77 people dead after protesters set fire to government buildings. Oli later denied ordering police to open fire, blaming “anarchist forces” for the violence.

Analysts describe Oli’s leadership style as authoritarian and personality-driven. His political future now hinges on whether he can overcome rising young leadership and return to power in a strategically vital nation between India and China.

BNP-affiliated student organization leader Nasir Uddin Nasir stated on Monday, February 16, that the allegation of sexual assault against a woman in Noakhali’s Hatiya, reportedly for voting for the Shapla symbol, was deliberately fabricated. In a Facebook post, he demanded that NCP leaders Hannan Masud, Asif Mahmud, and Sadik Kayem publicly apologize to the nation for spreading false information.

Nasir cited statements from local police, doctors, and eyewitnesses indicating the allegation was baseless. He noted that the accused was admitted to a hospital at 10:28 p.m. on February 13, making it impossible for him to be present at another location at the same time. Nasir criticized the use of such a sensitive issue for political purposes, calling it irresponsible and harmful to social stability. He also mentioned that Noakhali district Jamaat leader Ishaq Khondaker suspended a related program, which he said clarified the situation further.

Nasir urged all involved, including NCP and Jamaat-linked groups, to admit their role in spreading misinformation and to refrain from exploiting sensitive issues for political gain.

Encroachment on the banks of the Bankkhali River in Cox’s Bazar began immediately after the February 12 election, with individuals reportedly using the name of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to justify their actions. Witnesses said the process started on the night of the vote and that more than 50 tin structures have already been built along the river. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), responsible for river management, has sent letters to 15 government offices requesting urgent intervention to stop the illegal occupation.

Cox’s Bazar port officer Md. Abdul Wakil Sarkar confirmed that those previously evicted are now reoccupying the riverbank, and legal measures are being taken. Former city JCD joint secretary Shafayat Munna stated that the occupiers used BNP banners and posters to build illegal structures, which were later removed under the direction of newly elected MP Lutfur Rahman Kajol. Kajol urged police to arrest the encroachers and clarified that the BNP has no connection with the incident.

The BIWTA has also requested immediate action from the district administration and law enforcement agencies to prevent further encroachment.

The Chamber Court of the Appellate Division has suspended a High Court order that directed all government and private lower secondary and secondary schools to remain closed throughout the month of Ramadan. The suspension order was issued on Monday, February 16, 2026, by Justice Farah Mahbub of the Appellate Division’s Chamber Court.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik R Haque represented the state, assisted by Assistant Attorney General Maria Tanzima. The High Court had earlier, on Sunday, February 14, 2026, ordered the closure of all government and private lower secondary and secondary schools for the entire month of Ramadan.

With the Chamber Court’s suspension of the High Court directive, the earlier order to keep schools closed during Ramadan will remain inactive until further judicial proceedings clarify the matter.

Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus delivered a farewell speech to officials and employees at his office on Monday, February 16, 2026. Following the address, he participated in a photo session with the staff, marking his departure from the current role before the new administration takes office. The information was confirmed by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

The interim government led by Professor Yunus assumed responsibility on August 8, 2024. Its tenure concludes with the swearing-in of the new government on Tuesday, February 17, following the thirteenth national parliamentary election. In that election, the BNP-led alliance secured 212 seats, while the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance won 77 seats.

The transition signals the end of the interim administration’s term and the beginning of preparations for the incoming government to assume office.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman is scheduled to hold a meeting with the party’s newly elected members of parliament on Monday evening. The discussion will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Al-Falah auditorium in Moghbazar, Dhaka. The information was confirmed by Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, the party’s Assistant Secretary General and head of the central publicity and media department.

According to the report, Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 parliamentary seats in the 13th National Parliamentary Election held on February 12. The meeting is expected to serve as an introductory and consultative session between the party leadership and its new lawmakers following the election results.

The event marks the first formal gathering between the Jamaat chief and the newly elected MPs since the election, indicating the party’s move toward internal coordination and strategic planning for its parliamentary activities.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has welcomed the decision by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance to form a shadow cabinet. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed made the statement on Monday while speaking to journalists in front of the party’s Gulshan office. He also commented on the Election Commission’s authority, noting that the Chief Election Commissioner can administer the oath to newly elected members of parliament in the absence of a Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Ahmed further explained that the current constitution does not authorize the Chief Election Commissioner to administer the oath to a constitutional reform council, though such a provision could be added through amendment. Another BNP Standing Committee member, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, said that the country faces challenges in all sectors, including the economy, education, and healthcare, which he described as broken systems.

The shadow cabinet announcement was made on Sunday through Facebook posts by Jamaat candidate and Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir, along with NCP leader Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and newly elected MP and Jamaat leader Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem.

Eight people, including the vice-chancellor and proctor of Sylhet Agricultural University, were injured on Sunday following a physical altercation among teachers on campus. The incident occurred when members of the BNP-leaning teachers’ group ‘Sada Dal’ clashed over internal disputes regarding the formation of a new committee that was due in December last year.

According to campus sources, the current committee’s president, Professor Kazi Mehtajul Islam, and general secretary, Professor Shahana Begum, led several teachers to the VC’s office, accusing him of having a ‘Jamaat tag’ and demanding he leave the campus. When the VC and security personnel resisted, they were allegedly assaulted. Later, the proctor, Professor Jasim Uddin Ahmad, and other teachers arrived, leading to further confrontation and injuries.

Professor Mozammel Haque claimed he was attacked by followers of the VC and proctor while raising concerns about administrative irregularities. VC Professor Alimul Islam accused a specific group of trying to destabilize the university to regain former administrative positions and called for justice over the incident.

India has nearly finalized plans to construct an underground railway through the narrow Siliguri Corridor, also known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, which connects the country’s northeastern states with the rest of India. The proposed 35.76-kilometer tunnel will run from Tin Mile Hat in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal to Rangapani near Siliguri, with two parallel tunnels designed for secure and uninterrupted transport. The project, estimated to cost around 12,000 crore rupees, awaits final approval. Separately, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a 16-kilometer tunnel under the Brahmaputra River in Assam that will accommodate both rail and road traffic.

Officials from Northeast Frontier Railway said the Siliguri tunnel aims to ensure safe connectivity through a region bordered by Bangladesh, Nepal, and China. Experts emphasize its strategic military value, as the corridor is India’s only link to the northeast and a key route for troop and equipment movement. The Brahmaputra tunnel will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh, reducing travel time and strengthening regional infrastructure.

Both projects are expected to enhance India’s logistical resilience, military mobility, and regional economic integration once completed.

National Youth Shakti and Student Shakti’s Sunamganj district branches held a press conference on Monday morning at the Jagatjyoti Public Library hall to protest the recent attack on Imandozza Ahmad, a central organizer of National Youth Shakti and former convener of the Sunamganj Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. The written statement was read by Ridwanul Haque Nihal, member secretary of the district branch of National Student Shakti.

According to the statement, the attack occurred on the night of February 13, 2026, around 10 p.m. Nihal described it as a premeditated political assault and demanded that those responsible be identified and brought to justice swiftly. The speakers asserted that such acts of terror and repression cannot silence activists and warned that they would take to the streets if necessary.

The conference also urged local authorities to strengthen citywide security and take effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Leaders rejected attempts to portray the attack as a personal dispute, insisting it was politically motivated.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman paid a farewell courtesy call on the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, on Monday at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. During the meeting, they exchanged greetings and held a brief discussion on various matters related to their respective tenures.

According to the report, the Chief Adviser expressed sincere gratitude to the Army Chief for the army’s cooperation during his tenure, particularly in the period surrounding the national parliamentary elections. The meeting was described as a formal farewell interaction marking the conclusion of their official collaboration.

The event highlighted the working relationship between the interim government and the Bangladesh Army during a politically significant period, underscoring mutual respect and institutional coordination as the interim administration transitions toward its next phase.