Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain has alleged that several advisers of the interim government engaged in election engineering to defeat the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Speaking to journalists on Sunday afternoon at the inauguration of a playground and walkway in Halishahar, he said that despite such efforts, the people had countered the engineering and expressed their support for Tarique Rahman as the future prime minister of Bangladesh.

Dr. Hossain rejected claims that the BNP manipulated the national election, asserting that as a part of the government, he could confirm that no such engineering was done by the party. He reiterated that the attempts by interim government advisers to influence the outcome had failed. Addressing the upcoming Chattogram City Corporation election, he said he wanted a credible and fair vote to test his popularity among residents.

The mayor added that although his term legally extends until 2029, he prefers to hold elections sooner in the spirit of democracy and has already requested an early poll.

A group of extortionists demanded Tk 1 million from Asha Sheikh, a fish trader at Moylapota Sandhya Bazar in Khulna, threatening to shoot him and leave his body on the street if he failed to pay. The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday when the group created chaos at his business establishment named Allah’r Dan. Asha Sheikh later filed a written complaint with Khulna Sadar Police Station.

In his complaint, Sheikh mentioned that Ekram and several unidentified men came with a group to demand the money. He said he was not present at the market during the incident, but the attackers searched for him by name in front of the market president and others, ordering his fish shop to remain closed. For safety, Sheikh has since moved to Barishal with his family.

Khulna Police Officer-in-Charge Md. Kabir Hossain confirmed that police visited the scene, collected CCTV footage, and assigned Sub-Inspector Ibrahim Talukder to investigate. Authorities said those responsible would be identified and arrested.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed two separate cases against former Jessore-1 Member of Parliament Sheikh Afil Uddin and his wife, accusing them of amassing about Tk 63 crore in unexplained wealth. The announcement was made on Sunday at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, by the commission’s Director General (Prevention) Md. Akhter Hossain. The cases were filed under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004.

According to the first case, Sheikh Afil Uddin was found to possess assets worth Tk 53.86 crore, including both movable and immovable properties, against a legal income of Tk 7.60 crore, indicating Tk 46.26 crore in unexplained wealth. The second case alleges that his wife, Tahera Sobha, owns assets worth Tk 19.23 crore against a legal income of Tk 3.18 crore, resulting in Tk 16.05 crore in unaccounted wealth.

The ACC also issued notices to their three sons to submit wealth statements after discrepancies were found in their asset records, showing excess assets ranging from Tk 70 lakh to Tk 2.16 crore beyond known income sources.

Several top-level changes have been made in the Bangladesh Army, with new appointments announced on Sunday afternoon through an official order from Army Headquarters. Lieutenant General Mainur Rahman has been appointed as the new Chief of General Staff (CGS), the second most important position after the Army Chief. He previously served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of ARTDOC. The former Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hasan, has been transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an ambassador. The CGS post had remained vacant since January 17, following the tenure of Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim.

Major General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman has been appointed as the new PSO, replacing Hasan. He previously served as the GOC of the 24th Infantry Division. Major General Ferdous Hasan, formerly Commandant of the East Bengal Regimental Centre, has been named the new GOC of that division. In another major change, Brigadier General Kaiser Rashid has been promoted to Major General and appointed as the new Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), replacing Major General Jahangir Alam, who has been reassigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Additional transfers include Major General J M Imdadul Islam moving from the 55th Infantry Division to the East Bengal Regimental Centre, while Brigadier General Md Hafizur Rahman, previously posted at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, has been promoted to Major General and made GOC of the 55th Infantry Division.

A case has been filed against 150 people in connection with an incident at the central Shaheed Minar in Sarail, Brahmanbaria, where Member of Parliament Barrister Rumin Farhana was allegedly obstructed while paying tribute. The case was lodged on Sunday afternoon by one of her supporters, Ahad, at Sarail Police Station. Former Sarail Upazila BNP general secretary Anwar Hossain was named as the main accused, with five individuals identified and another 140–150 unnamed persons included. Officer-in-Charge Manjur Kader Bhuiyan confirmed that the case has been recorded and legal action will follow after investigation.

The incident occurred around midnight on Friday when Rumin Farhana faced resistance from local BNP activists at the Shaheed Minar. Allegations suggest that under Anwar Hossain’s leadership, some activists chanted slogans and tore her floral wreath, leading to scuffles between the two sides. She left the area without placing her tribute.

In protest, her supporters blocked the Dhaka–Sylhet highway at Shahbazpur in Sarail for about an hour, disrupting traffic. Rumin Farhana had earlier been expelled from the BNP after contesting and winning the Brahmanbaria-2 seat as an independent candidate.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam has emphasized the need to ensure that Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims do not face any form of harassment. She said this during a review meeting on Hajj management progress held on Sunday, February 22, at the conference room of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. The minister also stressed that it is the moral duty of state employees to make every effort to help pilgrims complete their Hajj smoothly.

State Minister for Civil Aviation M. Rasheduzzaman Millat stated that the ministry will ensure that suitable individuals are assigned to appropriate responsibilities. Both the minister and the state minister expressed their intention to visit the Hajj camp to observe the overall situation firsthand. The meeting also discussed increasing the frequency of Hajj flights.

Senior officials, including Civil Aviation Secretary Nasrin Jahan and Religious Affairs Secretary Md. Kamal Uddin, attended the meeting, which focused on improving coordination and service quality for the upcoming Hajj season.

Bangladesh Bank has introduced a new policy allowing defaulted loan borrowers to pay their required down payment in two installments instead of a single payment. The central bank announced the decision in a circular sent to banks on Sunday, February 22, 2026, stating that the measure applies to loan rescheduling or restructuring cases. Borrowers can now pay 50 percent of the required down payment at the time of application and the remaining 50 percent within six months after the rescheduling takes effect. Institutions that have already received approval from the policy support committee but could not implement it on time will get an additional three months to do so.

The circular also mentioned that bank boards may decide on interest waivers under existing policies based on their relationship with clients. A Bangladesh Bank official said many struggling businesses were facing difficulties paying the full down payment at once, prompting this relaxation. The new measure aims to support financially distressed enterprises in reorganizing their operations and restoring stability.

The policy is expected to ease liquidity pressure on affected borrowers and help banks expedite the restructuring of non-performing loans.

Bangladesh’s Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan said the country must move beyond outdated thinking to make its education system modern and effective. He made the remarks on Sunday, February 22, during an introductory meeting with ministry officials at the Secretariat. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj was also present at the meeting.

Dr. Milan emphasized that fulfilling public expectations requires ensuring transparency and accountability not only within the Secretariat but also across all departments and agencies under the ministry. He said the goal is to bring visible change in the education sector through good governance. State Minister Bobby Hajjaj noted that the quality of education has not improved to the desired level for a long time and stressed that sustainable development of the overall education system is impossible without improving primary education.

During the meeting, Joint Secretary Nurunnahar presented a PowerPoint on the ministry’s overall activities, ongoing projects, and future plans. Secretary Abu Taher Rana and other senior officials were also in attendance.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced the formation of its new central executive council comprising 88 members. The council was constituted on Friday during a virtual session of the party’s central Majlis-e-Shura, presided over by Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Among the 88 members, 21 are women, marking their inclusion in the party’s top decision-making body.

The list of members includes senior leaders such as ATM Azharul Islam, Professor Mujibur Rahman, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, and Professor Mia Golam Parwar, among others. The women’s council includes Nurunnisa Siddika, Saeeda Rumman, Marzia Begum, Khondkar Ayesha Khatun, and several others. The announcement was published by Amar Desh Online on February 22, 2026.

The formation of the new council reflects the party’s internal organizational restructuring under the leadership of Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, with a notable representation of women in key positions.

MPO-listed teachers in Bangladesh have submitted 13 demands, including a call for full festival bonuses before Eid, to Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan. The delegation, led by Teachers and Employees Unity Council Chairman Principal Selim Bhuiyan, met the minister on Sunday at the Ministry of Education. State Minister for Education Bobby Hajjaj and senior ministry officials were also present at the meeting.

Selim Bhuiyan urged that non-government teachers receive their full festival allowance and salaries before Eid-ul-Fitr to ease financial pressure and allow them to focus on teaching. In response, the education minister said the proposal for full festival bonuses would be reviewed. He added that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has given top priority to the education sector, noting that 90 percent of a recent cabinet meeting was devoted to education issues.

The minister assured teachers that they would not need to take to the streets for their demands, as the ministry would work on addressing them.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that approval has been granted to withdraw 1,006 politically motivated cases filed against opposition leaders and activists over the past 17 years. The decision was disclosed in a press release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday, February 22, 2026.

Earlier, on February 8, the interim government had withdrawn nearly 24,000 similar cases, following recommendations to drop 23,865 cases filed during the previous administration’s tenure. These cases had targeted members of various political parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam, and Gano Adhikar Parishad, reportedly affecting around half a million people.

The interim government had formed a district-level committee led by deputy commissioners and an inter-ministerial committee headed by Law Ministry adviser Asif Nazrul on September 22, 2024, to review petitions from political parties. The law ministry stated that the review process remains ongoing.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said that China is ready to begin work on the Teesta project as soon as the Bangladesh government gives its approval. He made the remarks on Sunday after a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and State Minister Shama Obaid in Dhaka. Yao emphasized that the project now depends entirely on Bangladesh’s decision and expressed optimism about its future.

During the meeting, discussions covered Bangladesh-China relations and the Rohingya crisis. The ambassador stated that Beijing would not accept interference from any third country in its relations with South Asian nations, including Bangladesh. He also said China supports the new government’s “Bangladesh First” policy and wishes to work toward stable governance.

Yao Wen added that China has invited Tarique Rahman for an official visit, which he expects to take place soon. He noted that the foundation of Bangladesh-China relations was laid by Ziaur Rahman, strengthened by Khaleda Zia, and that China hopes Tarique Rahman will elevate the relationship to new heights.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has decided to verify the list of genuine freedom fighters and preserve the accurate history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War. The decision was made on Sunday, February 22, 2026, during a meeting at the ministry’s conference room with members of the National Freedom Fighters Council (JAMUKA). The meeting was chaired by Liberation War Affairs Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Bir Bikrom), according to an official press release.

During the meeting, several key decisions were adopted to ensure the authenticity of the freedom fighters’ list and to safeguard the true historical record. The minister emphasized that the Liberation War is the fundamental basis of the country’s independence and should not be conflated with other movements. He expressed concern over the political misuse of the Liberation War’s spirit, noting that such misuse has deprived younger generations of learning the true history.

The minister further stated that the immense sacrifices and endurance of the freedom fighters remain unknown to many in the new generation, underscoring the importance of preserving the Liberation War’s legacy as the foundation of the nation.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen stated that Beijing will not accept interference from any third country in its relations with Bangladesh or other South Asian nations. He made the remarks on Sunday after a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and State Minister Shama Obaid in Dhaka. Yao affirmed that China stands by Bangladesh under the new government’s “Bangladesh First” policy.

During the meeting, the ambassador discussed the Teesta project, saying that the initiative now depends on Bangladesh’s decision, while China remains ready and optimistic about its progress. The discussions also covered bilateral relations and the Rohingya crisis, with China expressing willingness to work with the new government to ensure stable governance.

Yao Wen added that China has invited Tarique Rahman for an official visit, which is expected to take place soon. He noted that the foundation of Bangladesh-China relations was laid by Ziaur Rahman, strengthened by Khaleda Zia, and that China hopes Tarique Rahman will elevate the partnership to new heights.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has banned former national women’s team selector and manager Manjurul Islam following confirmation of a sexual harassment allegation. The decision was made during an online board meeting on Sunday, according to a BCB source cited by the daily Amar Desh. The board acted after reviewing an investigation report that found the allegation, raised by cricketer Jahanara Alam, to be true.

Manjurul Islam, who is currently working with women’s cricket in China, was accused of sexually harassing Jahanara Alam during his tenure with the Bangladesh national women’s team. The BCB-formed investigation committee verified the complaint and recommended disciplinary action. Based on that recommendation, the board decided to ban him from all forms of cricket activities in Bangladesh.

The BCB also stated that it would support Jahanara Alam if she chooses to pursue legal action against Manjurul Islam, reflecting the board’s commitment to addressing misconduct within the sport.