A massive fire broke out at a sales center of Guardian Publications in Bangla Bazar, Old Dhaka, causing the loss of books worth millions. The fire started at around 4 AM on Thursday. Nazmul Huda, General Manager of the publishing house, confirmed the incident. According to him, the fire was reported to the fire service at 5 AM, and firefighters managed to extinguish it by 7:30 AM. The fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage for further details.

In recognition of outstanding contributions in various fields, the Ekushey Padak will be awarded to 18 distinguished individuals and the SAFF-winning Bangladesh women's football team this year. The Chief Adviser will present the awards at a special ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Thursday at 11 AM. The event will be broadcast live on BTV. Established in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement, the Ekushey Padak has been awarded annually since 1976 to prominent figures in literature, journalism, arts, education, research, economics, and other fields.

A delegation from Gano Odhikar Parishad is set to meet with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) today. The five-member team will be led by the party’s president, Nurul Haque Nur. This information was confirmed in a press release issued on Wednesday by Abu Hanif, a senior council member and media coordinator of the party.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 3 PM on Thursday at the Election Commission headquarters. However, it remains unclear how many Election Commission representatives will be present at the meeting.

A shocking incident in Shreepur, Gazipur, saw a police officer being dragged for nearly a kilometer by an auto-rickshaw after attempting to impound the unauthorized vehicle. The incident was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media. The arrested driver, 24-year-old Jony Ahmed, ignored repeated pleas from passengers to stop the vehicle while the uniformed officer clung to the rickshaw’s metal frame. Local residents and police eventually intercepted and detained the driver at a traffic jam. Authorities have confirmed that legal action will be taken against him.

Bangladesh police have arrested 532 individuals in the last 24 hours as part of ‘Operation Devil Hunt.’ Additionally, 1,151 others were arrested in connection with separate cases, bringing the total number of arrests to 1,683. The police headquarters reported that law enforcement recovered one foreign-made pistol, a magazine, steel machetes, rusted knives, a kirich (curved blade), and two Burmese daggers during the operation. Since the operation began on February 8, a total of 6,414 individuals have been detained, including several leaders and members of ruling party affiliates.

Two people were killed in a joint forces operation in the Basila area of Mohammadpur, Dhaka. At least five others were injured in the incident, which occurred around 1 AM on Wednesday. According to Abdur Rab, a wireless operator at Mohammadpur police station, the army was conducting routine patrols when armed assailants opened fire on them. The army retaliated, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. No military personnel were injured in the exchange, and the identities of the deceased have yet to be confirmed.

A leader of the ruling Awami League has been arrested while attempting to enter the Bangladesh Secretariat using an expired and invalid pass. The detained individual, Sagir Ahmed, is the secretary of the Uttara Thana Awami League and a close associate of former Education Minister Dipu Moni. The Deputy Commissioner of the Secretariat confirmed the arrest, stating that Ahmed tried to forcefully enter the premises using an expired vehicle pass. Following discussions with the Home Ministry, he was handed over to Shahbagh police station.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has issued traffic guidelines for International Mother Language Day on February 21. According to an official notice, the Central Shaheed Minar will be open to the public from 12:45 AM. Visitors paying tribute will not be allowed to carry bags, cartons, or flammable substances. Pedestrians must follow a designated route: entering via Palashi Crossing, Sculpture Crossing, and Jagannath Hall Crossing, and exiting through Romana Crossing and Doel Chattar. Additionally, from 6 PM on February 20, traffic movement will be restricted in Shahbagh, Nilkhet, Shahidullah Hall, Chankharpul, Palashi, and Bakshibazar to ensure smooth observance of the event.

During the recent border conference between the Border Security Force (BSF) of India and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Bangladeshi delegation strongly demanded a complete end to border killings. Led by BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, the Bangladeshi representatives emphasized that criminals should be prosecuted under standard legal frameworks rather than being shot on sight, as such actions violate human rights. In response, the BSF claimed that they resort to gunfire only when under attack by organized criminal groups and expressed willingness to cooperate in preventing such incidents. The BGB also protested against India’s unilateral construction of barbed-wire fences without a joint survey. Unlike previous years, the BSF did not arrange a sightseeing tour of Indian attractions for the BGB delegation, and the conference duration was reduced from the usual five to six days to just four.

At a workshop on money laundering and tax evasion, top officials from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) revealed that banks are obstructing investigations by providing incorrect information, delaying reports, or outright refusing to share data regarding financial misconduct by oligarchs involved in bank and stock market fraud. Officials reported that a fraudulent pay order was created to legalize 5 billion taka belonging to the two sons of businessman S Alam. Upon discovery, details of the bank accounts were deliberately concealed. The director general of the Credit Information Bureau (CIB) remarked that Bangladesh has witnessed one of the largest banking frauds in history. Investigations found transactions amounting to 2.42 trillion taka linked to Alam’s company. Even with 10 computers and seven officials working for a month, data entry was incomplete. Furthermore, although the company earned 678.1 billion taka in bank interest, it was not reported in tax returns. Shockingly, despite being born in Bangladesh, Alam renounced his citizenship to acquire foreign nationality, allegedly for financial maneuvering.

A United Nations human rights report has revealed that during the July coup, state security forces and armed ruling party members used sexual violence to suppress female protesters. The report states, “Physical attacks on female protesters often targeted specific body parts such as the face, chest, pelvis, and buttocks, indicating an intent not only to cause pain but also to humiliate them based on their gender.” Additionally, it documents the use of derogatory slurs such as ‘prostitute’ and ‘whore’ against female demonstrators. The findings highlight systematic gender-based violence as a tactic to silence dissent.

Workers staged protests at the Adamjee Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Narayanganj after a female worker reportedly died due to being denied leave despite her illness. The protests subsided after the factory management declared a holiday. According to EPZ authorities, the worker, Lima Akter (30), fell sick and later passed away while receiving treatment at a hospital. However, fellow workers claim she felt unwell at work on February 18 and requested leave, which was denied. Forced to continue working, she collapsed and died at the factory around 9 PM.

Biplob Mondal, a 33-year-old salon worker from Naogaon, was shot and killed during the August 5 mass uprising in Dhaka’s Baipayl area. That morning, he had promised his daughter he would bring her chocolate on his way home—but he never returned alive.

His father recalled their last phone call on August 4, when Biplob warned his younger brother to stay indoors due to the worsening situation in the country. The next day, when his father tried to call him, his phone was unreachable. As they waited anxiously for his return, they received the devastating news—Biplob was dead. However, his body was not found until the next day at the morgue.

Now, his grieving family, left without their sole breadwinner, is demanding a government job for a family member and financial support for his daughter’s education.

Police have intervened in a protest march by private primary school teachers demanding nationalization of their institutions. The march, called ‘March to Jamuna,’ was planned to reach the Chief Adviser’s residence. Teachers set off from the National Press Club on Wednesday, following their previous day’s announcement. Protesters are demanding government benefits, including housing and medical allowances, full festival bonuses, and the nationalization of MPO-enlisted institutions. Police claimed that after discussions, the teachers agreed to halt their march and later gathered in a demonstration at Topkhana Road near the Press Club.

To mark International Mother Language Day on February 21, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has unveiled a commemorative postage stamp, along with a first-day cover and a special postmark.

At the same event, another commemorative stamp, first-day cover, and postmark were released to celebrate the upcoming 7th National COMDECA 2025.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Advisers Nahid Islam and Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdh, along with Postal & Telecommunications Secretary Muhammad Mushfiqur Rahman and Director General of the Postal Department S.M. Shahabuddin.