The National Citizens Party (NCP) has called an emergency press conference to address the local government elections and the overall situation in the country. According to a message from the party’s media cell on Tuesday afternoon, the briefing will be held at 7 p.m. at the party’s temporary office. Party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan will speak at the event.

The announcement also stated that the chairman of the local government election management committee, Md. Sarjis Alam, and the committee’s member secretary and Member of Parliament Abdul Hannan Masud will be present at the press conference. The NCP did not disclose further details about the agenda or expected statements.

The briefing comes amid ongoing discussions about the country’s political and electoral environment, with the NCP indicating that it will address both the election process and broader national issues during the session.

Leaders of the Barishal District Lawyers’ Association have announced a boycott of the Chief Metropolitan and Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Courts in Barishal. The decision was declared on Tuesday afternoon during a protest in front of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The lawyers, aligned with the BNP, demanded the removal of Magistrate Sarafat Ullah after he granted bail to Advocate Talukdar Md. Yunus, general secretary of the Barishal District Awami League and former MP for Barishal-2. They vowed to continue the boycott until the magistrate is removed.

According to the report, the bail was granted in a case involving vandalism and assault at BNP offices in Barishal. BNP-affiliated lawyers expressed outrage, alleging that individuals linked to violence and repression were being granted bail without remorse. During the protest, speakers accused the magistrate of pursuing a political agenda and claimed that Awami League leaders were receiving preferential treatment in lower courts. The protest was presided over by Advocate Sadiqur Rahman Linkon and attended by several senior lawyers.

The boycott has caused difficulties for litigants traveling from distant areas, as court activities remain suspended until further notice.

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Engineer Ishraq Hossain held a meeting with regional officials of Titas Gas on Tuesday at the ministry conference room to address the prolonged gas shortage in households across Dhaka-6 constituency. The meeting aimed to find solutions to the persistent supply disruptions that have caused severe inconvenience for residents in daily cooking and household activities.

According to meeting sources, residents of various areas in Dhaka-6 have long suffered from acute gas shortages and repeatedly lodged complaints about the issue. In response, the authorities have taken steps to strengthen coordination among relevant agencies to resolve the problem. Addressing the gas crisis was one of Ishraq Hossain’s key election pledges, and he has been holding regular discussions with Titas Gas officials to achieve a lasting solution.

The meeting discussed the current state of gas supply, pipeline pressure problems, illegal connections, and possible improvements to the distribution system. Sources indicated that effective measures would be taken soon to reduce public suffering.

Bangladesh Bank has issued show-cause notices to three of its officials after they publicly labeled Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur as a 'dictator' during a press conference held on February 16. The officials—Naushad Mostafa, A.K.M. Masum Billah, and Golam Mostafa Shraban—have been given ten days to respond. Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan confirmed the action, stating that disciplinary measures will follow if their explanations are deemed unsatisfactory.

The press conference criticized the governor’s handling of bank mergers involving EXIM and Social Islami Bank, and the process of granting digital bank licenses. According to internal regulations, central bank officials must obtain the governor’s approval before making public statements or holding press events. The spokesperson declined further comment until the replies are received.

Sources indicated that the officials’ actions violated staff rules, as grievances against senior management should be raised through internal forums. The incident has drawn attention to internal tensions within the central bank over governance, autonomy, and regulatory reforms.

Chattogram-10 Member of Parliament Saeed Al Noman stated that the government is committed to ensuring the highest level of medical care for those injured in the Halishahar gas line explosion. He made the remarks on Tuesday morning while visiting the burn victims at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. Noman added that additional medical assistance would be provided if necessary.

During his hospital visit, the MP spoke with doctors to learn about the patients’ current conditions and ongoing treatments. He also met with the families of the injured, assuring them of full government support. Noman urged the health minister to ensure the best possible treatment for the victims.

After the visit, he prayed for the souls of those who died in the explosion and wished a speedy recovery for the injured, reaffirming his commitment to stand by their families.

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury announced that the government will ensure the repatriation of deceased expatriates’ bodies to Bangladesh without any cost. He made the statement on Tuesday afternoon while inaugurating two newly added freezing ambulances at the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board premises under his ministry.

Chowdhury emphasized that expatriates represent Bangladesh abroad and contribute significantly to the nation’s economy through remittances. He said their contributions deserve recognition and that the ministry, through the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board, continues to work tirelessly for the welfare of expatriate workers and their families. The event was attended by State Minister Nurul Haque, Senior Secretary Dr. Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, and other ministry officials.

Responding to journalists, Chowdhury added that the ministry is newly formed under his leadership and that within the next 180 days, they will strive to implement the election pledges made for expatriates’ welfare.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of five savings certificates and five bank accounts belonging to former Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General Md Harun Ar Rashid and his wife Fateha Farvin Luna. The accounts and certificates hold a total of Tk 7.35 million. The order was issued on Tuesday afternoon by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez, confirmed by court bench assistant Riaz Hossain.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had earlier sought the freeze through an application filed by its Deputy Assistant Director Md Imran Akon. The ACC stated that an investigation is ongoing into allegations that Harun Ar Rashid amassed and laundered illegal assets worth Tk 10 billion. Investigators reportedly found substantial movable assets in the names of the couple without satisfactory sources of income.

According to the ACC’s submission, the couple was attempting to transfer or dispose of the assets, prompting the court to order the freeze to prevent such actions during the ongoing inquiry.

The future of Bangladesh’s mobile financial service provider Nagad will depend on the new government’s policy direction, according to economist Ahsan H. Mansur. Dhaka-14 Member of Parliament Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem Arman shared this after a meeting with the Bangladesh Bank governor on Tuesday. The discussion followed ongoing talks from the previous interim government period regarding potential foreign investment in Nagad.

Arman stated that the current government has not yet finalized its stance on whether Nagad will be handed over to private investors. If the government decides to proceed as the interim administration had planned, the investment process will begin. Acting as a professional lawyer and local representative for foreign investors, Arman said the investors are mainly interested in Bangladesh’s digital banking sector and have expressed willingness to conduct an audit to assess Nagad’s profitability.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan confirmed that the central bank will act according to the new government’s decision and remains firm on its position.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired a meeting on the proposed 'Family Card' initiative at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. The meeting was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary, Atikur Rahman Rumman, who stated that it was held to advance the government’s electoral commitment to introduce the Family Card program.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister attended a separate policy meeting on the management and development of the New Mooring Container Terminal at the country’s main seaport in Chattogram. That meeting, which began at 10:30 a.m., was attended by the Finance Minister, the Minister of Shipping, the Minister of Law, and the Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Ashiq Chowdhury, along with senior officials from relevant departments.

The Family Card initiative is being discussed as part of the government’s broader agenda to fulfill its election pledges, though no further details on its implementation were disclosed in the meeting summary.

A third person has died following a gas explosion at a residential building in Chattogram’s Halishahar area. The deceased, 40-year-old Samir Ahmed, succumbed to burn injuries at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka around noon on Tuesday. According to the institute’s assistant professor Shawon Bin Rahman, Samir had suffered burns on 45 percent of his body and had been admitted the previous day. His death raised the toll from the incident to three.

Earlier, on Monday morning, 16-year-old Shawon, who was Samir’s nephew, died while undergoing treatment at the same institute. Shawon’s mother, Noor Jahan Akhter Rani, aged 40, had died earlier that day. The explosion occurred around 4:30 a.m. on Monday during sehri time at a third-floor flat of a six-story building named Halima Manzil in Halishahar’s H Block. Neighbors reported hearing a loud blast followed by a fire.

Nine members of the same family, including three children, were burned in the explosion. Six of them remain under treatment in Dhaka after being transferred from Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the withdrawal of 1,202 politically motivated cases filed against opposition leaders and activists during a 17-year period under what it described as a fascist government. The decision was announced on Tuesday through an official press release from the ministry, confirming that the approval was granted by the Home Minister.

According to the statement, this move follows a similar decision made on February 22, when the Home Minister, Salahuddin Ahmed, announced the withdrawal of 1,006 such cases from the same period. The ministry’s latest approval adds to the ongoing process of dismissing cases that were deemed to have been filed for political harassment.

The announcement marks another step in the government’s effort to address politically motivated legal actions from previous administrations, as stated in the ministry’s communication.

A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on two former vice-chancellors of the National University, Professor Dr. Harun-or-Rashid and Professor Dr. Md. Mashiur Rahman. The order was given on Tuesday by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md. Sabbir Foyez, confirmed by the court’s bench assistant Md. Riaz Hossain. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Muhammad Zainal Abedin had earlier filed a petition requesting the restriction.

According to the petition, a three-member inquiry team has been formed to investigate allegations of irregularities and corruption within the National University. The ACC stated that credible sources indicated the accused might attempt to flee abroad, prompting the request for a travel ban to ensure a fair investigation. After a hearing, the court approved the restriction.

Professor Harun-or-Rashid served two terms as vice-chancellor from March 2013 and was reappointed in May 2017. Professor Mashiur Rahman was appointed in May 2021 and resigned on August 11, 2024, following the fall of the Awami League government.

In Chattogram’s Lohagara upazila, BNP’s defeated candidate for the Chattogram-15 constituency, Nazmul Mostafa Amin, greeted Awami League leader Dula Mia with flowers upon his release from jail. Dula Mia, a leader of the Kolauzan Union Awami League, had been arrested before the election from his home in Chattogram in connection with a murder case filed at Lohagara Police Station.

Photos of the floral reception at the prison gate quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread negative reactions. Images also circulated showing Dula Mia with senior Awami League leaders and speaking at various party events. Local BNP leader Robiul Hasan Robi criticized the gesture, recalling that Dula Mia had allegedly persecuted BNP activists during the Awami League’s rule.

According to police, Dula Mia was arrested on January 4 from the Sugandha residential area under Panchlaish Police Station based on multiple allegations. His release and the subsequent reception have sparked debate within local political circles.

The High Court has ordered an investigation into allegations of irregularities, corruption, and nepotism in staff recruitment at the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna. The order was issued on Tuesday at 11 a.m. by a bench comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar.

The court directed the formation of a high-level committee led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology to conduct the investigation and submit a report within two months. The directive followed a writ petition filed seeking a judicial inquiry into reports of unprecedented irregularities, corruption, fraud, and favoritism in the recruitment process. The petition included newspaper reports related to the alleged recruitment fraud.

According to the petitioner’s lawyer, Masud Ahmed Saeed, the High Court’s order aims to ensure accountability in the recruitment process at the national nuclear power project.

Freedom fighter Md. Abdus Salam has formally assumed responsibility as the administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). The handover took place on Tuesday when he received the charge from Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. His appointment was made by presidential order on Monday, with the official notification signed by Joint Secretary Mahbuba Irene.

According to relevant sources, the appointment aims to strengthen DSCC’s administrative operations and enhance citizen service delivery. Abdus Salam is expected to lead ongoing development initiatives and urban management efforts under the corporation’s jurisdiction.

The new administrator’s leadership is anticipated to bring greater dynamism to DSCC’s service and development programs, focusing on improved governance and efficiency in city management.