The government has appointed Dr. Nasimul Gani, currently serving as the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs on a contractual basis, as the new Cabinet Secretary, also on a contractual basis. The appointment was officially announced on February 16, 2026, according to the report.

Dr. Gani’s new role as Cabinet Secretary marks a transition from his previous position within the Ministry of Home Affairs. The report did not provide further details about the duration of his contract, the circumstances of the appointment, or any accompanying administrative changes.

No additional information was included regarding the outgoing Cabinet Secretary or the broader implications of this appointment within the government structure.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) will sign the July Charter this evening at the state guesthouse Jamuna. The party confirmed the decision in a message on Monday, stating that the signing ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. The event follows earlier signings by the interim government’s chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and leaders of 25 political parties at the South Plaza of the National Parliament on October 17 of the previous year.

Before agreeing to sign, the NCP had expressed reservations about the July Charter and presented three specific demands in a press conference held the day before the signing. The party called for the publication of the implementation order draft before the ceremony, issuance of the order by the chief adviser in line with the “sovereign will of the people,” and recognition of the July uprising as the source of legitimacy. It also demanded a referendum on the 84 proposed reforms and stated that if the people supported the charter, the next elected parliament would amend the constitution accordingly, to be titled “Constitution of Bangladesh, 2026.”

The signing marks NCP’s formal alignment with the July Charter process after earlier hesitation regarding its legal foundation.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman is scheduled to meet Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim this evening. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Amir’s residence, ‘Rupayan Swapna Niloy,’ located on Siddheswari Road under Ramna Police Station in Dhaka. The information was confirmed through a press release signed by Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Central Publicity and Dawah Secretary Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf.

According to the announcement, the meeting is described as a courtesy visit following the BNP’s victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The event marks part of Tarique Rahman’s series of meetings with leaders of various political parties. On Sunday evening, he separately visited the residences of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam for similar courtesy meetings.

The sequence of meetings indicates ongoing political communication between BNP and other parties following the recent election results, though no further details about the agenda were provided in the statement.

Final preparations are underway for the oath-taking ceremony of the 13th National Parliament members and the new cabinet led by BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman as Prime Minister. The event is scheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. According to the Parliament Secretariat, all arrangements have been completed. President Mohammad Shahabuddin will administer the oath to the new cabinet members, while newly appointed Cabinet Secretary M. Siraj Mia will conduct the ceremony.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) confirmed that about 1,200 local and foreign guests will attend. Foreign dignitaries expected include Bhutan’s Prime Minister Shering Tobgay, India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma, Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, and UK Under Secretary Seema Malhotra are also likely to attend. The ceremony breaks tradition by being held at the Parliament instead of Bangabhaban.

BNP’s legal adviser stated that foreign ministers from SAARC countries have been invited. The event has generated significant political interest across Bangladesh.

Demands are intensifying to appoint Dr. Reza Kibria, newly elected BNP lawmaker from Habiganj-1 (Bahubal-Nabiganj), as the finance minister in the new government. He won the 13th National Parliamentary Election with 111,999 votes. Local BNP leaders and residents argue that his background as an economist makes him a strong candidate for the post.

The constituency has a history of producing national leaders, including late Dewan Farid Gazi, who served as Minister for Local Government and Cooperatives from 1973 to 1975, and Dr. Kibria’s father, Shah AMS Kibria, who was finance minister under the Awami League government in 1996. Shah AMS Kibria was killed in a grenade attack in 2005, an incident for which Dr. Kibria has blamed local Awami League leaders. Analysts believe this event influenced his shift to the BNP.

Residents of Bahubal and Nabiganj expect that if Dr. Kibria becomes finance minister, long-neglected infrastructure and educational institutions in the area will see significant development, fulfilling his campaign promises.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its 10-party electoral alliance have called for a protest march and rally in Dhaka on Monday, alleging widespread violence, repression, killings, and sexual assaults across the country following the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The event is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at the north gate of the National Mosque, Baitul Mukarram. According to a press release issued on Sunday, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and other top leaders of the alliance will address the gathering.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election was held on February 12, with results announced for 297 of 299 constituencies. The 11-party alliance secured 77 seats in total, including a record 68 seats for Jamaat-e-Islami, six for the National Citizens Party, two for Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and one for Khelafat Majlish. The alliance claims that incidents of violence and abuse have occurred nationwide since the election.

The rally aims to protest these alleged post-election incidents and demonstrate the alliance’s political stance following its significant electoral gains.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman described the 38.50 percent vote share received by the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance as a major and meaningful public mandate. In a verified Facebook post on Sunday night, he urged party members and citizens not to be disheartened or confused by fragmented media reports on the election results. He said that despite widespread irregularities and corruption, nearly 28.8 million voters expressed confidence in the alliance, which he called a significant reflection of public trust.

Dr. Rahman stated that Jamaat has broken many past records and emerged as one of the country’s largest opposition forces, growing from two parliamentary seats in 2008 to millions of supporters today. He said almost half of the voters stood for reform, accountability, and principled politics. He called on party members to show discipline and political maturity, strengthen organizational unity, and prepare for broader public trust in future elections.

He concluded that the party’s journey would continue with sacrifice and effort, expressing optimism about a promising future.

Bangladesh’s landmark election, held last week, concluded with the long-established Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) securing a decisive victory over a Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance that included the youth-driven National Citizen Party (NCP). Official results released on Saturday showed the NCP, born from the 2024 Gen Z-led uprising, winning only six of 297 declared constituencies in the 350-member parliament. BNP leader Tarique Rahman, whose party previously governed three times, is set to become prime minister following what observers describe as one of the country’s most consequential elections.

Many young Bangladeshis, voting for the first time, described the election as historic but disappointing in terms of youth representation. Some expressed frustration that the NCP failed to build sufficient support and criticized its alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud said the party would regroup in opposition and focus on upcoming local elections. Analysts noted that the alliance alienated young voters seeking a break from traditional politics.

The election outcome is viewed as a step toward restoring stability after the 2024 uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rahman pledged to prioritize rule of law and maintain peace and order once sworn in.

In the 13th National Parliamentary Election, 27 out of 41 candidates in Narsingdi’s five constituencies lost their security deposits, according to unofficial results signed by District Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Anwar Hossain. The results show that in Narsingdi-1 (Sadar) six of eight candidates, in Narsingdi-2 (Palash) three of six, in Narsingdi-3 (Shibpur) five of eight, in Narsingdi-4 (Monohardi-Belabo) seven of nine, and in Narsingdi-5 (Raipura) six of ten candidates failed to retain their deposits. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won all five seats in the district.

According to election rules, candidates must secure at least one-eighth, or 12.5 percent, of total votes cast to retain their deposits. Those receiving fewer votes lose the amount submitted with their nomination papers. The analysis of the district’s results highlights that a majority of participating candidates across multiple parties, including the Jatiya Party, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, and others, failed to meet the required vote threshold.

The outcome underscores BNP’s dominance in Narsingdi’s constituencies, as all five seats went to the party while most rivals lost their deposits.

The Sirajganj district unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has suspended all party positions of two local leaders following allegations of voter intimidation and assault in the Sirajganj-5 (Belkuchi-Chauhali) parliamentary constituency. The decision was announced late Sunday night through two letters signed by district BNP office secretary Tanvir Mahmud Palash.

The suspended leaders are Mostafizur Rahman Mondal, former general secretary of Ward No. 4 of Belkuchi municipality BNP, and Shihab Mondal, organizational secretary of the Belkuchi municipal branch of the Nationalist Cyber Team. According to the letters, the suspensions were issued due to cases filed against them for violating party discipline and engaging in threats and assaults with local weapons after the 13th national parliamentary election. The decision was approved by district BNP president Rumana Mahmud and general secretary Saidur Rahman Bacchu.

The action reflects the district BNP’s attempt to address internal discipline issues following the recent election period.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s elected Members of Parliament will not accept tax-free cars or government plots, according to party leader and Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir. He announced the decision on Monday through a verified Facebook post, reiterating that the MPs would follow the party’s earlier pledge to reject such privileges.

The announcement aligns with a prior declaration made by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Amir Shafiqul Rahman on November 7, 2025, during a convention in Sylhet. At that event, he stated that no Jamaat MP would take government plots or use tax-exempt vehicles. He also emphasized that if the party sits in opposition, it would support all humanitarian initiatives of the ruling party but resist any return to old political practices.

According to the Election Commission’s results for the 13th National Parliament election, the BNP won 209 seats, Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68, independents 7, the National Citizens Party 6, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 2, and several smaller parties one seat each.

In Munshiganj-2 constituency, a rare moment of political harmony emerged on Sunday night, February 15, when BNP candidate Advocate Abdus Salam Azad, the winner of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, was congratulated by his closest rival, NCP candidate Majedul Islam. The two exchanged floral garlands, shared sweets, and embraced each other, creating a scene that quickly drew local and social media attention for its display of mutual respect beyond electoral rivalry.

Residents of Tongibari described the meeting as unprecedented in Bangladesh’s political culture. Local resident Md. Mohiuddin, 68, expressed emotional appreciation, hoping such gestures of unity would continue in national politics. Several local coordinators and party representatives from NCP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and other groups attended the courtesy meeting.

Both candidates pledged to work together for the development of Louhajong and Tongibari upazilas. Advocate Azad emphasized that improving people’s quality of life, not victory or defeat, would remain his main goal, promising cooperation in all constructive initiatives.

The Nationalist Party and its allies have secured 212 seats in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election, achieving a two-thirds majority. The result grants the coalition sweeping authority to amend the constitution, restructure the state system, and introduce major policy or legal changes. The article questions whether such dominance will strengthen democracy or repeat past patterns of power centralization seen after the 2001 and 2008 elections.

To maintain institutional balance, Bangladesh is introducing an upper house for the first time, designed to review legislation and prevent anti-public laws. However, disputes have emerged over how its 100 seats will be distributed. While most parties agreed on proportional allocation, the Nationalist Party prefers distribution based on lower-house seats, a stance potentially supported by a clause in the July Charter. This could weaken the upper house’s intended role as a check on executive power.

The piece warns that Bangladesh faces fragile institutions, economic distress, and public mistrust after 17 years of authoritarian rule. The new government is urged to prioritize responsibility over control and to rebuild democratic credibility through inclusive governance.

Former Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko was detained while allegedly trying to leave the country, according to a statement from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). Authorities said his arrest is part of the ongoing 'Midas case,' a broad investigation into corruption within Ukraine’s energy sector. The bureau stated that the detention is linked to allegations of large-scale embezzlement and illicit enrichment.

The report notes that Galushchenko, a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky, was accused in September 2025 of illegally earning and transferring abroad about 100 million dollars. The scandal previously triggered a political crisis, leading both the sitting and former energy ministers to resign at Zelensky’s request, though both denied wrongdoing. Investigators claim the misappropriated funds came through state enterprises, including Energoatom, which operates Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.

Preliminary investigations remain ongoing, focusing on how funds intended for strengthening the security of critical energy facilities were allegedly diverted.

In Nilphamari-4 constituency, the recently concluded election ended with an unusual display of unity among rival candidates. Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hafez Maulana Abdul Muntakim, who won the seat, visited the homes of his closest rivals—BNP’s Abdul Gafur Sarkar and Jatiya Party’s Siddikul Alam—to exchange flowers and sweets. The gesture marked a sharp contrast to the heated campaign days, which had been filled with accusations, counter-rallies, and allegations of code-of-conduct violations.

Abdul Muntakim told Amar Desh that all parties now aim to work together for the development of Kishoreganj-Saidpur, setting an example of cooperation beyond political differences. BNP candidate Abdul Gafur Sarkar described the exchange as a democratic practice, emphasizing that political disagreements should not hinder local development. Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s candidate Md. Shahidul Islam also confirmed that the winning candidate met him to express shared hopes for progress.

The post-election gestures in Nilphamari-4 signal a rare moment of political reconciliation, with all sides pledging to prioritize development over division.