Authorities in Gafargaon, Mymensingh conducted an eviction drive on Wednesday afternoon at the historic Saltia Bazar area, reclaiming government land valued at approximately Tk 25 crore. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) Amir Salman Rony, who oversaw the demolition of illegal structures and unauthorized shop extensions built on public land.

The recovered land, located at the heart of the municipal area, will now be available for use by local residents and traders for market activities. The Gafargaon police and municipal authorities provided full support during the operation, ensuring the removal of all encroachments.

According to the Assistant Commissioner (Land), similar drives to remove illegal establishments and recover government property will continue in the future.

Pakistan’s security forces have killed at least 34 militants described as India-backed during operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released on February 26, 2026. The operations were carried out over several days based on intelligence reports targeting two groups identified as Fitna al-Kharij and Fitna al-Hindustan.

The ISPR said that on February 24, four separate clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the deaths of 26 members of Fitna al-Kharij, while eight militants from Fitna al-Hindustan were killed in an operation in Sambaza, Balochistan. One of the deceased was identified as an Afghan national. Additional operations were conducted in Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and North Waziristan districts, where further militants were killed after intense exchanges of fire.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants, according to the ISPR statement. The operations are part of Pakistan’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts in its northwestern and southwestern regions.

A team of the Detective Branch (DB) police in Netrokona came under attack by smugglers during an operation in the border area of Kolmakanda upazila on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred in Terotopa village of Rangchhati Union, leaving six DB members, including two sub-inspectors and one assistant sub-inspector, injured. Local police later rescued the injured officers and detained 15 individuals allegedly involved in the assault. Authorities recovered 4.65 million taka, five Indian cows, five bottles of Indian liquor, 20 yaba tablets, an unregistered motorcycle, and a money-counting machine from the scene.

According to police and local sources, the detained group is part of an organized network engaged in smuggling Indian cattle, sugar, cumin, and cosmetics across the Kolmakanda border. The DB team, led by Sub-Inspector Abdul Jalil, launched the operation following intelligence about illegal cattle trading and money exchange at the home of Sarful Islam in Terotopa village. The smugglers reportedly incited locals to attack the officers with iron rods and sticks.

Police are preparing multiple cases over the incident, confirmed Additional Superintendent of Police (Special Branch) Hafizul Islam.

A case has been filed in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, over an armed attack on three journalists working for national and regional newspapers. The case, lodged on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, by journalist A K M Iqbal Faruk of Dainik Amar Desh and Dainik Purbodesh, names 11 individuals including alleged illegal sand miner and hill grabber Nazim Uddin, along with 14 to 15 unidentified others, totaling 26 accused. Chakaria Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Monir Hossain confirmed the filing.

The attack occurred on Sunday, February 22, 2026, in the Ichachhari area of Harbang Union while the journalists were documenting illegal sand extraction. The assailants, led by Nazim Uddin, allegedly beat and hacked the journalists, leaving them seriously injured and temporarily detained at the suspect’s house. Locals later rescued them and took them to hospital for treatment.

In response, local journalists held a human chain and protest rally in Chakaria town on Tuesday, demanding the immediate arrest of those involved. Police said no arrests had been made yet but efforts were ongoing to detain the named suspects.

Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the world’s most-wanted drug traffickers, was killed in a Mexican military operation on Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The raid, supported by information from U.S. authorities, resulted in Oseguera and two others dying from injuries sustained during the mission. Four cartel members were killed at the scene, and three Mexican soldiers were injured. The U.S. State Department urged American tourists in affected areas to shelter in place as violence erupted across multiple states.

Following the operation, suspected cartel members torched buses, blocked roads, and attacked businesses in Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guanajuato. Flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara were canceled, leaving travelers stranded, though airports later resumed operations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the military’s coordination and said most of the country remained calm. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called Oseguera’s death a major development for both nations.

The operation marks a significant security milestone for Mexico amid pressure from the Trump administration to curb drug trafficking, though Sheinbaum has previously warned that targeting cartel leaders can trigger further violence.

Polish prosecutors have filed criminal charges against two former intelligence chiefs for using Israeli-made Pegasus spyware in their official duties, alleging the act endangered sensitive state information. The National Prosecutors’ Office announced on Wednesday that Piotr P, former head of the ABW internal security agency, and Maciej Materka, former head of the SKW military counterintelligence service, lacked the required IT security accreditation to operate the software. Both face up to three years in prison for alleged dereliction of duty. Prosecutors said the men denied the accusations and refused to provide explanations during questioning.

Materka publicly identified himself and condemned the charges, asserting that all operations under his leadership were legally authorized and that he had served Poland with an impeccable record. The case forms part of a broader investigation into the use of Pegasus spyware by Polish officials.

Former Justice Minister and Attorney General Zbigniew Ziobro also faces separate charges, including abuse of power and misuse of funds intended for crime victims to purchase Pegasus, allegedly to monitor political opponents.

A newly built gas station in the Kalatali area of Cox’s Bazar municipality exploded and caught fire on Wednesday night, injuring at least 15 people. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. at the ‘N Alam’ filling station after a gas leak had started around 7 p.m. According to police, gas spread through the air for nearly three hours, covering about a one-kilometer radius and causing panic among residents.

Local residents reported difficulty breathing due to the strong gas odor before the explosion. The blast ignited multiple parts of the station and nearby structures, affecting densely populated neighborhoods such as Adarsha Gram, Chandrima Housing, and the jail area, where about 20,000 people live. Authorities evacuated residents and closed Kalatali Road to prevent further danger, disrupting travel toward Dhaka and Chattogram.

Fire service officials said seven units were working to control the blaze and stop the gas leak, though the fire remained partially uncontrolled after 90 minutes. Fifteen burn victims were taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, with one transferred to Dhaka and eight to Chattogram for advanced treatment.

Police have arrested Zahidul Alam Jahangir, the suspended president of the Mithamain Upazila unit of the BNP, in connection with a case over cutting trees planted on an embankment in Kamalpur area of Kishoreganj’s Mithamain upazila. The arrest took place on Wednesday evening in the district town, confirmed by Kishoreganj Superintendent of Police Dr. S M Farhad Hossain.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Upazila Engineer Faizur Razzak filed a case with Mithamain Police Station over the incident. Following the filing of the case, the BNP central committee suspended Jahangir’s primary membership and all organizational posts. According to the report, Jahangir had been cutting down trees since August 5 to make access to his home easier, removing about 20 trees planted to prevent river erosion.

Local residents said the trees were cut in phases, with the last batch of 10 to 12 trees felled on February 21 using an electric saw. Each tree was estimated to be worth between Tk 20,000 and Tk 25,000.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued four abducted fishermen and arrested eight members of the notorious Jahangir gang, including its leader, during operations in Cox’s Bazar. The rescue followed a robbery incident on February 24 near Sonadia Char under Maheshkhali police station, where a fishing boat named “FB Mayer Doa-3” was attacked. Acting on information received through the emergency hotline 16111, Coast Guard units from Cox’s Bazar and Maheshkhali launched a joint operation.

During the operation, a suspicious fishing boat ignored a stop signal and attempted to flee. The Coast Guard fired five blank rounds and successfully intercepted the vessel. A search recovered three homemade firearms, four live cartridges, and six local weapons. Jahangir, the gang leader, and four associates were detained, and two fishermen held hostage were rescued alive. Based on further information, another operation at Laboni Point led to the arrest of four more gang members and the rescue of two additional fishermen.

The Coast Guard reported that all rescued fishermen were found alive, and the seized weapons were taken into custody for further investigation.

A youth wing activist of the opposition party was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Raozan, Chattogram, on Wednesday evening. The victim, Mujibur Rahman, 50, was a resident of East Gujra Union’s Ward 4 and a follower of newly elected MP Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury. The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. inside a fruit shop at Olimiahat Bazar, where Mujibur was chatting before iftar. Witnesses said several attackers fired at him and fled immediately.

According to family members, Mujibur left home before iftar and was later found dead with three bullet wounds. His brother Abdul Aziz said he had an argument with some youths earlier that evening, which may have led to the attack. A medical officer at Raozan Upazila Health Complex confirmed that Mujibur died before reaching the hospital due to excessive bleeding.

Police have cordoned off the area and are working to identify and arrest the perpetrators. Local tension remains high following the killing.

Police in Uzirpur upazila of Barishal recovered the body of Mobarak Hawlader, 60, from the Sandhya River two days after he went missing. The body was found floating near the house of Mosharraf Dafadar in Dakshin Shikarpur area on Wednesday afternoon. Locals discovered the body while collecting water spinach and informed the police, who later retrieved it and took it to the police station. Family members later identified the deceased.

According to police and family sources, Mobarak Hawlader, a resident of Mundpasha village and son of the late Wahed Hawlader of Baherchar, had returned to Bangladesh after years of working in Saudi Arabia. He had purchased land and built a home in his village, where he lived with his wife and children. Reports indicate he had been suffering from stroke-related illness for a long time.

Uzirpur Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge Md. Rakibul Islam said the cause of death is under investigation, and further legal procedures will follow.

An allegation has been raised against Imran Hossain Pradhan, president of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal unit at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, for leading an assault on Deputy Registrar Khandaker Ehsan Habib. The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday when a group led by Imran visited the vice-chancellor’s office with various demands. Later, near the medical center, the group allegedly blocked Habib’s path, questioned his visit to the VC office, and warned him not to go there again. When Habib mentioned informing a local MP and syndicate member, Imran and another student, Hridoy, allegedly attacked him. Another deputy registrar, Aminul Islam, was also harassed when he tried to intervene.

Habib is known as a nationalist-leaning officer who previously faced multiple cases under the ICT Act and was dismissed from his job during the Awami League government for criticizing the administration on social media. He was later reinstated by court order. Attempts to contact Imran Hossain Pradhan for comment were unsuccessful.

The incident follows a February 15 allegation that some university officials tried to confine the vice-chancellor in his office.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained eight individuals, including the leader of the notorious Jahangir gang, during an operation in Cox’s Bazar. The raid, conducted near Sonadia Char under Maheshkhali police station on February 24, 2026, followed a report that a fishing boat named “FB Mayer Doa-3” had been attacked by pirates. Coast Guard units from Cox’s Bazar and Maheshkhali launched a rescue mission after receiving the alert through the emergency hotline 16111.

During the operation, the Coast Guard signaled a suspicious fishing boat to stop, but it attempted to flee. Officers fired five blank rounds and pursued the vessel, eventually detaining the suspects. A search of the boat uncovered three homemade firearms, four live cartridges, and six local weapons. Four fishermen who had been held by the pirates were rescued alive. Preliminary questioning revealed that the detainees had been engaged in sea piracy for an extended period.

Authorities stated that legal proceedings regarding the seized items, rescued fishermen, and detainees are underway, and the Coast Guard pledged to continue similar operations in the future.

A 20-year-old woman named Mousumi Akter died after jumping from the sixth floor of the new building at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Wednesday morning, February 25, 2026. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. when she came to the hospital with her mother for treatment. Police recovered the body and sent it to the hospital morgue.

According to family sources, Mousumi, daughter of Wazedul Islam from Kamarhia village in Tarakanda upazila, had been suffering from mental instability for a long time. Her brother Yusuf Ali said she had shown some improvement with regular treatment but had relapsed five days earlier, prompting the hospital visit. He also mentioned that he works at a Square establishment in Valuka and was on his way to the hospital after hearing the news.

Assistant Director of the hospital, Dr. Mohammad Main Uddin Khan, stated that preliminary findings suggest the young woman fell on her own. Police have been instructed to take necessary legal action regarding the incident.

A case has been filed at Kotwali Model Police Station against 12 members of the Barishal District Lawyers Association, including its president and secretary. Following the case, joint forces arrested association president Sadiqur Rahman Linkon from a room on the third floor of the association’s annex building around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. He was later handed over to Kotwali Model Police Station the same afternoon.

The other accused include Barishal District and Sessions Judge Court’s Public Prosecutor Abul Kalam Azad, Metropolitan Court’s PP Nazimuddin Panna, and several other advocates. After the arrest, BNP-aligned lawyers and association leaders protested within the court premises, demanding Linkon’s immediate release. General Secretary Mirza Mohammad Riaz Hossain condemned the arrest inside the court building, calling it a violation of law and demanding the removal of two magistrates he labeled as corrupt.

Members of the Nationalist Lawyers Forum also warned of tougher programs if Linkon was not released and announced a boycott of court hearings until his release.