The Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board has issued its 2026 recruitment circular, published on February 5 and 6, 2026. According to the notice, the board will appoint 48 qualified male and female candidates to six job categories on a permanent basis. The positions fall under the 16th, 19th, and 20th government pay grades, with monthly salaries ranging from 8,250 to 22,490 taka. Applicants must submit their forms online through the official website by providing educational certificates, national ID details, a color photograph, and a signature image.

The online application process began on February 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. and will close on February 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eligibility requirements vary by position, with educational qualifications ranging from completion of class eight to a bachelor’s degree. The age limit for general applicants is 18 to 32 years as of February 8, 2026. Application fees are set at 56 or 112 taka depending on the post.

The recruitment offers standard government employment benefits, and all details are available on the official website of the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board (https://bmeb.gov.bd).

Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS), a non-governmental organization, has published a recruitment notice offering positions across several job categories. The announcement, released on February 15, 2026, states that TMSS will hire qualified male and female candidates for a total of 12+74+02 positions in 04+09+01 job categories. Applications must be submitted online between February 15 and 22, 2026, including personal, educational, and experience details as required.

According to the notice, applicants must be at least 18 years old, and educational qualifications range from completion of class eight to a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, depending on the position. Both new and experienced candidates are eligible to apply. The monthly salary for the advertised posts ranges from 8,000 to 20,000 Bangladeshi taka. Applications can be submitted directly or by post.

The recruitment notice was published on February 11 and 15, 2026, and further details are available on the official TMSS website at https://tmss-bd.org.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast potential cyclonic activity and multiple heatwaves in the country over the next three months. According to its three-month climate outlook issued in early February, hailstorms and thunderstorms may occur toward the end of February and several times through April. The department also warned that by the end of this period, Bangladesh could experience three to five mild or moderate heatwaves and one to two severe heatwaves, with temperatures ranging from 36°C to 41.9°C.

The forecast further indicates that sea conditions may become rough several times before April, with two to three low-pressure systems likely to form, one of which could intensify into a depression or cyclone. Overall rainfall is expected to remain normal, though both day and night temperatures may stay above average during this period.

The outlook suggests that the transition from winter to spring will bring increased weather variability, requiring close monitoring of heat and storm developments across the country.

After nine months of diplomatic and inter-ministerial negotiations, Bangladesh has finalized the Agreement on BD-US Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States. The deal reduces the previously imposed 20 percent reciprocal tariff to 19 percent and grants zero-duty access for about 2,500 Bangladeshi products in the US market, according to a statement from the Chief Adviser’s Office. The agreement follows the US Executive Order No. 14257 of April 2, 2025, which had imposed reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

The ART covers a wide range of areas including goods, services, customs procedures, trade facilitation, investment, e-commerce, labor, environment, and transparency. Bangladesh’s commitments align with existing WTO, ILO, and TRIPS agreements, meaning no new conditions were imposed. The textile and apparel sector received special benefits, allowing duty-free access for garments made with US cotton and synthetic fibers. Bangladesh also included an exit clause in the agreement, unlike other countries.

Officials expect the ART to help Bangladesh maintain competitiveness in the US market, expand trade and investment, and generate broader economic benefits.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company has announced that gas pressure will remain extremely low across all its service areas, including Dhaka and surrounding regions. The company stated on Sunday that the disruption is caused by maintenance work at one of the LNG terminals, which has significantly reduced gas supply from LNG sources. The low-pressure situation is expected to continue until midnight on Monday.

According to Titas Gas, the maintenance-related shutdown of the LNG terminal has led to a notable drop in gas availability, affecting all categories of consumers under its network. The company expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience caused to customers and assured that normal supply would resume after the maintenance period.

The announcement serves as a caution for households and industries in the affected areas to prepare for limited gas availability until the stated time frame.

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has postponed the launch of the country’s first Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) SIM and its integrated triple-play package combining voice, data, and content services. The launch, initially scheduled for February 15, 2026, will now take place on March 1, 2026, according to an official announcement citing unavoidable reasons for the delay.

A press release stated that BTCL successfully completed call tests for key MVNO services on February 8, 2026. These included voice and data calls, Alap-to-Mobile, Alap-to-Alap, and GPON integration. Despite earlier media reports suggesting a February 15 rollout, BTCL confirmed that the new date has been finalized for pilot marketing of the MVNO service.

Previously, the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology had announced that the MVNO SIM and triple-play package would be available at BTCL’s sales centers in Ramna, Gulistan, and Gulshan from February 15. The revised schedule now sets March 1 as the official market introduction date.

Bangladesh’s stock market saw a sharp rise following the national election in which the BNP secured a two-thirds majority and is set to form the next government. On the first trading day after the election, the Dhaka Stock Exchange’s main index, DSEX, jumped by 190 points within the first two and a half hours of trading, marking an increase of more than 3.5 percent. Trading volume also surged to around Tk 800 crore during the same period.

Analysts said investors who had been waiting on the sidelines during the election period have now become active, driving both the index and trading volume upward. They advised investors to focus on company fundamentals rather than market rumors. Among the traded issues, prices rose for 370 companies, fell for 17, and remained unchanged for 4.

The market optimism reflects renewed investor confidence following a peaceful election and the country’s return to a democratic process after 17 years.

A new team of four astronauts reached the International Space Station (ISS) after a 34-hour journey aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on Saturday. The mission, known as Crew-12, includes American astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev. They will stay for several months to conduct scientific research in microgravity.

Jessica Meir, the mission commander and a marine biologist, said the crew is continuing humanity’s legacy of over 25 years of continuous presence in space. The mission follows the early return of Crew-11 in January due to a medical emergency, marking the first such incident in ISS history. Crew-12 fills that gap, restoring full operations at the station, which orbits 400 kilometers above Earth.

Sophie Adenot, the second French woman in space, will test the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality for self-administered medical ultrasounds. NASA plans to deorbit the ISS in 2030, making Crew-12 one of its final long-duration teams.

At least four people were killed in Mozambique when Cyclone Ghazni struck the southern coastal province of Inhambane on Saturday. The storm hit with winds reaching 215 kilometers per hour, according to meteorologists cited by AFP. The country’s national electricity company reported that fallen trees and broken power lines left more than 13,000 people without electricity, while water supply was disrupted in several districts of Inhambane.

A day earlier, the same cyclone caused severe destruction in Madagascar, where 41 people were killed, 427 injured, and about 16,300 displaced. The government there declared a national emergency, estimating damages at around 142 million dollars. Mozambique, which frequently experiences natural disasters, has seen the intensity of such events increase due to climate change.

Authorities in both countries are assessing the full extent of the damage as recovery efforts continue in affected areas.

After a three-day closure due to the 13th parliamentary election, referendum, and weekly holidays, import and export operations between Bangladesh and India resumed at Hili land port in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur. The trade activities restarted on Saturday afternoon when Indian trucks began entering Bangladesh. Workers returned to their duties in the morning, and port operations gradually increased throughout the day.

According to port sources, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Indian cargo trucks carrying corn, spices, and fruits crossed the border and entered the Hili yard. The goods were unloaded and dispatched to various destinations across the country. Officials from Panama Port Limited, customs, and plant quarantine departments confirmed that all administrative, customs, and inspection activities had returned to normal. The Hili Importers and Exporters Group stated that traders had also resumed their business operations at the port.

The resumption of trade is expected to restore regular cross-border commerce and stabilize supply chains disrupted during the election-related closure.

Heavy rainfall on Friday caused severe flooding across New Zealand’s North Island, leading to one death, widespread power outages, and major road damage. Authorities declared a state of emergency in Otorohanga District, located about 180 kilometers south of Auckland, where many residents were evacuated from their homes.

According to the national weather service, a deepening low-pressure system over the island’s eastern region is expected to bring further heavy rain and strong winds through Sunday night, with conditions forecast to gradually improve by Monday. Reuters reported that extensive areas of the country were inundated following the downpour.

Otorohanga District Council said geotechnical teams assessed road stability overnight, while energy provider Powerco confirmed that around 2,452 homes and businesses remained without electricity. Images shared on social media showed semi-rural areas submerged, with sections of roads collapsing where floodwaters had receded.

Vegetable prices in Dhaka have surged sharply amid disruptions linked to the upcoming 13th parliamentary election and referendum. Limited movement of goods-carrying trucks and the closure of most wholesale markets have reduced supply, pushing up prices of onions, garlic, and vegetables. On Saturday afternoon at Karwan Bazar, traders reported that prices of some vegetables had more than doubled, with bitter gourd selling for Tk 180–200 per kilogram, up from Tk 90–100. New onions rose to Tk 60 per kilogram, while local garlic reached Tk 140.

Across the capital’s markets, vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, green chili, eggplant, and beans were selling at Tk 10–20 higher per kilogram than before the election period. Broiler and Sonali chicken prices also increased by Tk 10–20 per kilogram. Traders attributed the rise to transport restrictions and higher freight costs, which have risen up to double. Many wholesale outlets remained closed, and retail sales were low due to fewer customers.

Vendors expressed hope that once transport operations and wholesale markets resume normal activity, supply will improve and prices will ease. Other grocery items such as oil, sugar, lentils, and eggs have remained stable.

Loan disbursement through agent banking services in Bangladesh grew by about 46 percent over the past year, according to the latest quarterly report from Bangladesh Bank. As of December 2025, total loans under agent banking stood at Tk 35,023 crore, up from Tk 24,028 crore a year earlier. Deposits also increased by 18.51 percent to Tk 49,720 crore, while remittance distribution rose by 15.48 percent. Brac Bank led loan disbursement with 72.12 percent of the total, followed by City Bank, Bank Asia, Islami Bank, and Dutch-Bangla Bank.

Industry sources attribute the growth to easier loan procedures, lower interest rates, and the convenience of accessing services locally without visiting bank branches. Agent banking allows third-party outlets to provide nearly all banking services, including account opening, deposits, withdrawals, bill payments, and remittance collection. These outlets operate mainly in rural areas, where 84 percent of agents are based.

Despite the growth in transactions, the number of agents and outlets declined in 2025. The total number of agents fell to 15,327 from 16,021 the previous year, while outlets decreased by 747, indicating consolidation within the expanding service network.

Booker Prize–winning Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy has declined an invitation to the Berlin International Film Festival after expressing outrage at comments made by jury members regarding the situation in Gaza. In a statement on Friday, Roy said she was deeply hurt and disturbed by remarks from jury president Wim Wenders and others during a Thursday press conference, where they suggested filmmakers should stay away from politics.

The controversy arose when a journalist asked the jury about the German government's support for Israel and its stance on human rights. Wenders responded that filmmakers should not engage in politics, emphasizing that their work is for the public, not politicians. Roy condemned these comments as “conscience-less,” describing the Gaza situation as genocide by Israel against Palestinians. She argued that artists and filmmakers have a moral duty to speak out against such atrocities.

Roy’s 1989 film “In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones” was scheduled to be screened in the festival’s classics section from February 12 to 22, but she has now withdrawn her participation.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu on February 14, 2026, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake’s epicenter was located about 50 kilometers west of Port Olry village on Espiritu Santo Island. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the tremor occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time but confirmed that no tsunami warning was issued.

A resort worker in Port Olry, Antelik Frank, described the quake as very strong and lasting nearly one minute, though no damage was observed in the surrounding area. Initial reports indicated no significant destruction or casualties.

Vanuatu lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region where earthquakes occur frequently. The island nation, home to about 320,000 people, often experiences such tremors due to its geological position.