Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that local government elections in Bangladesh will be held at the scheduled time despite the recent appointment of administrators in six city corporations. Speaking to journalists at the BNP central office in Naya Paltan, Dhaka, on Monday, he said the government is giving top priority to holding the elections in accordance with laws and regulations. This was his first visit to the party office after assuming ministerial duties, where he exchanged greetings with party leaders, supporters, and staff.

Responding to questions about possible delays due to administrator appointments, Mirza Fakhrul clarified that the government will coordinate all matters to ensure timely elections. He also discussed criteria for party nominations in reserved women’s seats, emphasizing commitment to ideals, close ties with the people, and dedication to the party. On the issue of Awami League offices reopening, he said such activities would be reviewed as they are legally restricted.

He paid tribute to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and highlighted her role in democratic movements, expressing confidence in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership to strengthen the party and achieve national goals.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan announced that the government will introduce a farmer card as soon as possible, similar to the existing family card. He made the statement on Monday after an inter-ministerial meeting on the farmer card held at the Secretariat, chaired by the Prime Minister.

The minister said that the decision to issue farmer cards had been made earlier in principle, and the meeting discussed its implementation. He added that a pilot project would begin soon to distribute the cards. According to him, farmers will receive all production-related benefits through the card, and the initiative aims to prevent middlemen from taking undue advantage.

Swapan further noted that the smart farmer card will gradually be provided to all farmers across the country, ensuring that agricultural support reaches the intended beneficiaries directly.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat on Monday, February 23, 2026. During the meeting, China expressed its support for Rahman’s ‘Bangladesh First’ foreign policy and reaffirmed its commitment to continue all forms of cooperation to safeguard Bangladesh’s sovereignty.

The ambassador’s remarks followed his earlier meeting with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman on Sunday, February 22, where he conveyed similar sentiments to the media. The discussions underscored China’s willingness to maintain strong bilateral relations and assist Bangladesh in upholding its national interests.

The meeting highlighted the ongoing diplomatic engagement between Dhaka and Beijing, signaling continuity in cooperation and mutual understanding on key foreign policy priorities.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Ragib Rouf Chowdhury has been appointed as the new Attorney General of Bangladesh. The information was confirmed by the Ministry of Law on Monday, February 23, 2026. Chowdhury is recognized for his long-standing legal career and commitment to justice.

He is the son of the late Abdur Rouf Chowdhury, a language movement veteran and one of the organizers of the Liberation War, described as a selfless and visionary politician. Ragib Rouf completed his SSC from Kushtia Zilla School and HSC from Notre Dame College, Dhaka. He earned his honors in political science from Aligarh Muslim University and a master’s degree from the University of Dhaka. Later, he obtained law degrees from two universities in the United Kingdom and completed his Bar-at-Law from Lincoln’s Inn, London.

According to the report, ensuring proper application of law and establishing good governance will be among Barrister Ragib Rouf Chowdhury’s main commitments as Attorney General.

After a gap of 18 months, local leaders and activists raised the national flag at the Shahjahanpur Upazila Awami League office in Bogura. The flag was seen flying on Monday morning at the party office located beside the main highway in the upazila headquarters. According to local residents, the flag was hoisted early in the morning using a GI pipe on the rooftop.

Attempts were made to contact Shahjahanpur Upazila Awami League president and former upazila chairman Sohrab Hossain through WhatsApp, but he did not respond. Sub-Inspector Abu Zarra of Shahjahanpur Police Station stated that the police were unaware of the flag-raising event but would investigate the matter.

The incident marks the first time in a year and a half that the national flag has been displayed at the local Awami League office, drawing attention from residents and prompting official inquiry.

An article published on February 23, 2026, by Arif Bin Nazrul in Amader Desh explains how every online activity leaves behind a digital footprint. These traces, whether from social media posts, online shopping, or simple searches, remain stored across the internet. The report distinguishes between active footprints, created by deliberate sharing, and passive ones, formed unknowingly through cookies, IP addresses, and browsing data. It emphasizes that the internet rarely forgets, even when users delete content.

The piece highlights that in today’s digital economy, data is power. Large technology companies analyze user behavior to tailor advertisements and content, turning personal information into a valuable commodity. However, when such data falls into the wrong hands through breaches or hacking, it can lead to identity theft, fraud, or financial harm. Algorithms also build behavioral profiles that influence what information users see, potentially narrowing their online experiences.

The article concludes that while erasing digital footprints is nearly impossible, users can control them through awareness, privacy settings, strong passwords, and cautious sharing. Personal responsibility remains key in managing one’s digital presence.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita announced her intention to break the existing airline ticketing syndicate, describing it as a major issue under government attention. She made the remarks on Monday, February 23, 2026, during a discussion with journalists at the Manikganj Circuit House auditorium.

Responding to questions about her ministry’s priorities, the minister said that after only three days in office, her team was already focusing on operationalizing the third terminal at the airport. She added that ensuring smooth travel for upcoming Hajj pilgrims and improving facilities for expatriates were also key priorities. Rita emphasized that returning expatriates should feel a visible improvement at the airport.

During her first visit to Manikganj after winning the election, the minister noted that many pending tasks needed to be understood and addressed gradually, following the Prime Minister’s instructions. Several local officials and press representatives were present at the event, where she was later greeted with floral tributes.

Nine members of the same family, including three children, were burned in a gas line explosion at a residential flat in Halishahar, Chattogram, early Monday morning. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. on the third floor of a six-story building named Halima Manzil in the H Block area. The fire spread rapidly throughout the flat, injuring all nine occupants. Two units of the Fire Service brought the blaze under control, and the injured were taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Doctors reported that four of the victims are in critical condition and preparations are underway to transfer them to Dhaka for advanced treatment.

Fire Service Deputy Director Jasim Uddin stated that the exact cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed. However, it is suspected that accumulated gas from a line leakage may have triggered the blast.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the explosion while ensuring medical support for the injured family members.

The government has appointed Advocate Aminul Islam as the new Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), replacing Tajul Islam. The appointment was confirmed through a government notification signed by Solicitor Manjurul Hossain on Monday. According to the notification, the Chief Prosecutor will hold the same rank, salary, and privileges as the Attorney General.

Tajul Islam had been appointed in September 2024 by the interim government with the rank of Attorney General. Under his leadership, the prosecution submitted 24 formal charges related to crimes against humanity committed during July–August 2024. Trials for these cases are ongoing in Tribunal-1 and Tribunal-2, with verdicts already delivered in three cases. Among the 26 convicted are former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and senior police officials. Two more verdicts, including one on the killing of Abu Sayeed during the July uprising, are pending, while another verdict is scheduled for March 4.

Trials are also underway for enforced disappearances and torture cases from the Awami League government era, involving several former ministers, MPs, and retired military officers.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman worked for the first time at the Armed Forces Division office located in Dhaka Cantonment on Monday morning. He arrived at the office at 9 a.m., where he was received by the chiefs of the three armed services. The prime minister exchanged greetings with them and, as part of the day’s schedule, conferred rank badges on Lieutenant General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman and Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury.

The event was attended by the prime minister’s defense adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hasan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan, Defense Secretary Md. Ashraf Uddin, Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumman, and Private Secretary-2 Md. Mehedul Islam.

This marks the first occasion a sitting prime minister has conducted official duties from the Armed Forces Division office within the Dhaka Cantonment.

A butcher named Mohammad Mujib, aged 45, was allegedly beaten to death after being called from his home in Kakara Union of Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar. The incident occurred near Shah Omar Mazar on Saturday evening. Locals found Mujib’s body around 11:30 p.m. with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape. He was taken to Chakaria Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Police later detained a 28-year-old man named Mohammad Arif from the same area in connection with the killing.

According to police, Arif tried to portray the incident as a robbery but was detained after inconsistencies in his statements. Mujib’s family claimed that Arif had a long-standing land dispute with them, which had led to multiple clashes and ongoing court cases. Local residents described Arif and his father as known drug dealers who had been arrested several times before. Following the incident, tension spread in the area, prompting police to deploy additional forces.

Chakaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Monir Hossain said the body was sent to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy. He added that there were no visible injuries and suspected that Mujib was suffocated to death.

Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP), questioned whether those responsible for casualties during the July 2024 uprising would face justice and why banned Awami League offices were reopening across Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Monday morning in a verified Facebook post, tagging newly elected Comilla-4 MP and NCP organizer Hasnat Abdullah.

In his post, Patwari wrote that the Awami League had started reopening offices despite its activities being banned, adding that elections were over and now reforms and justice should follow. The comments come amid political shifts following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024, after a student–public uprising. An interim government took charge on August 8, and the BNP-led alliance later won a majority in the February 12, 2026, national election.

Hasnat Abdullah won from Comilla-4, while Patwari contested but lost in Dhaka-8. The issue of reopening Awami League offices has raised questions about accountability and the direction of political reforms under the new government.

The interim government has renamed 879 institutions and establishments that were previously named after the convicted former ruler Sheikh Hasina, her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and other members of their family. The changes were implemented over an 18‑month period following the July revolution that ousted Hasina. According to official sources, the highest number of renamings occurred under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which saw 205 institutions renamed, followed by the Secondary and Higher Education Division with 181, and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education with 84.

A prior statement from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing noted that during the previous 16‑year regime, 977 infrastructures and institutions had been named after Sheikh Hasina, her family, and Awami League politicians. The renamed entities include schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, research centers, military bases, roads, bridges, and other public facilities. Universities such as Sheikh Hasina University in Netrokona and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University in Kishoreganj have been renamed to reflect their respective locations.

The interim government also issued ordinances to rename medical universities and numerous sports complexes, academic buildings, and other public structures, marking a broad administrative overhaul of state‑owned institutions.

Bangladeshi exporters have expressed renewed concern following U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to increase a planned global tariff from 10 percent to 15 percent within 24 hours. The tariff, announced for 150 days after a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated Trump’s earlier reciprocal tariffs, has created uncertainty about when it will take effect. Although the new rate remains below the 19 percent set under the Bangladesh-U.S. trade agreement, exporters say the policy volatility poses long-term risks.

Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said the previous reciprocal tariff’s cancellation means the current trade deal with the U.S. will also lapse. However, trade experts caution that Bangladesh cannot easily withdraw from such agreements without facing pressure in global forums. Policy Exchange of Bangladesh Chairman Dr. M. Masrur Reaz noted that the Supreme Court’s ruling removes the threat of a 37.5 percent counter-tariff, opening room for renegotiation of unfavorable terms.

Market analysts believe the 15 percent tariff could temporarily benefit Bangladesh’s apparel exports by lowering import costs for U.S. buyers, but competition from China, Vietnam, and India is expected to intensify once the new structure takes effect.

Three people were injured in a violent attack on business establishments at Paghar Jhinu Market in Tongi, Gazipur, on Sunday afternoon. The victims, identified as businessman Shahadat Hossain, Firoz Mia, and shop employee Rohan, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Witnesses said a group of assailants fired several blank shots during the incident, spreading panic across the area. Police from Tongi East Station visited the scene following the attack.

According to local residents, the assault followed an earlier attack on Saturday on a local studio owner, allegedly by a group led by Jasim alias Chor Jasim. On Sunday, the same group reportedly launched another assault on Liton Enterprise, looting around seven lakh taka and several mobile phones. When shop owners tried to resist, the attackers allegedly stabbed several people before fleeing after firing blank rounds.

Tongi East Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mehedi Hasan confirmed the firing of blank shots and said legal action is in process. He suggested the incident may have stemmed from previous enmity.