At a press briefing at the National Press Club on Saturday, Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) Executive Director and former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K. Chowdhury said that an integrated education law is essential to implement the new government’s 12-point education reform agenda. She criticized the hurriedly enacted education law of the previous interim government as unacceptable and stated that CAMPE has submitted its own proposals aligned with the government’s plan to the Ministry of Education and is preparing for discussions with the minister.

Speakers at the event, including BRAC University’s Emeritus Professor Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, emphasized that the 12-point plan is not a complete reform blueprint and called for a comprehensive strategy, task force formation, and political commitment. CAMPE’s proposals addressed issues such as increasing education budget allocation, ensuring transparency in development spending, improving school sanitation and nutrition programs, and introducing digital tools for teachers.

Rasheda K. Chowdhury also urged the formation of an expert committee to establish a National Education Reform Commission and suggested using corporate social responsibility funds and an education surcharge to strengthen the education budget.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman worked at his Tejgaon office on Saturday, a government holiday. He arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office around 10:15 a.m. after leaving his residence in Gulshan. According to Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumman, the Prime Minister’s schedule included a meeting with officials and employees of his office.

During the meeting, Tarique Rahman sought cooperation from officials and staff to implement his election manifesto. Several advisers, including Mirza Abbas, Ismail Zabihullah, Rashed Humayun Kabir, Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, retired Brigadier General A.T.M. Shamsul Islam, Zaher Ur Rahman, and Chief Secretary A.B.M. Abdus Sattar, attended the discussion.

The Additional Press Secretary also said that the Prime Minister would attend an iftar hosted by Jamaat-e-Islami at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the afternoon. Tarique Rahman assumed office as Prime Minister on February 17 and has worked on every Saturday since then, including the previous week at the Secretariat.

A shocking double murder occurred in Bhabanipur Uttarpara village under Dashuria Union of Ishwardi upazila, Pabna, where a grandmother was killed and her teenage granddaughter was abducted, raped, and murdered. Police recovered the bodies on Saturday morning after residents discovered the grandmother’s bloodied body in the yard and later found the granddaughter’s body in a nearby mustard field. The victims were identified as Sufia Begum, 65, and her granddaughter Jamila Akter, 15.

Ishwardi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mominuzzaman confirmed that the bodies were sent for autopsy and that an investigation had begun to uncover the motive and perpetrators. Local political figures claimed the victims were relatives of a local student leader and suggested the killings might be linked to political rivalry following a recent election. However, police have not confirmed any motive.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Sarkar stated that the case is being treated with utmost seriousness and that legal action will follow once the investigation identifies those responsible. The incident has sparked grief and anger in the area, with residents demanding swift arrests and exemplary punishment.

From midnight tonight, all fishing activities will be suspended for two months in six rivers, including the Padma and Meghna in Chandpur, to protect hilsa fry and other fish species. The government will provide each of the 9,100 registered fishermen in Matlab North upazila with 160 kilograms of rice in four installments during the ban period. Violators may face one to two years in prison, a fine of up to 5,000 taka, or both.

The fishing ban, enforced every March and April since 2006, aims to increase hilsa production and ensure safe movement of juvenile fish. During this period, fishing, buying, selling, storing, and transporting fish are strictly prohibited across 30 kilometers from Shatnol to Amirabad Bazar and 70 kilometers up to Charbhairabi in Haimchar. Joint operations will be conducted by the local administration, fisheries department, naval police, coast guard, and navy.

Officials and researchers emphasized that administrative enforcement alone is insufficient for long-term sustainability unless fishermen’s financial security is ensured. Awareness campaigns and strict monitoring will continue throughout the ban period.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, declined to use a government protocol car during his first visit to Sylhet in this capacity. The incident occurred on Friday, January 27, at Sylhet MAG Osmani Airport, where a government vehicle and an assistant commissioner had been waiting to receive him. Upon arrival from Dhaka, Rahman returned the car, saying he would use it only after February 12, when the parliamentary session begins.

During the day, Rahman attended three events in Sylhet. He addressed the closing session of a Jamaat-organized training camp, offered Friday prayers at Kudratullah Mosque, and spoke to journalists. Commenting on the new cabinet, he criticized what he called irresponsible remarks by government ministers, saying such behavior could destabilize society. He declined to comment on the issue of the president’s impeachment, noting that discussions were still ongoing.

In the evening, Rahman joined iftar gatherings at the Sylhet Press Club and Aman Ullah Convention Center, where other political figures were also present.

Farmers in Nakla upazila of Sherpur have become distressed due to an artificial shortage of DAP fertilizer and sales at prices higher than the government-fixed rate. Despite normal supply, several BADC and BCIC-approved dealers allegedly bypassed buffer warehouses and unloaded fertilizers directly into their own storage facilities. Reports suggest that some warehouse officials colluded with dealers to reduce transport costs and share profits from the irregularities.

Local sources said that Nakla has 10 BCIC-approved and 70 BADC-approved fertilizer dealers. On Sunday morning, locals and journalists intercepted two dealers storing fertilizers illegally, leading to the seizure of about 49 tons of urea by agricultural officials and police. Farmers complained that DAP fertilizer, officially priced at Tk 1,050, was being sold for Tk 1,400, while other fertilizers were also overpriced. Dealers were accused of creating an artificial shortage to raise prices.

Sherpur’s deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension stated there was no real shortage of DAP fertilizer and that delays in imported fertilizer transport might cause temporary issues. He added that allegations of overpricing were under investigation and action would be taken if proven.

The Teesta Barrage Irrigation Project in Dalia, Nilphamari, built to boost northern Bangladesh’s agricultural economy, has become nearly waterless. Despite extensive canals, sluice gates, and control structures built at a cost of thousands of crores of taka, the project is now ineffective due to insufficient water flow in the Teesta River. Field visits revealed that the riverbed has turned into sandbanks, with dry season flows dropping to as low as 500 cusecs at Dalia, compared to over 200,000 cusecs during monsoon. Officials attribute the crisis to heavy upstream water withdrawal through India’s Gajoldoba Barrage.

The project covers 766 kilometers of canals across 12 upazilas in Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Dinajpur, with 95 percent of expansion work reportedly completed. However, water has yet to reach most canals, leaving them dry. Farmers say they now rely on shallow machines and diesel pumps, doubling irrigation costs to 2,000–2,500 taka per bigha, compared to 200–300 taka if river water were available.

Experts and river activists stress that infrastructure alone cannot revive the project without fair transboundary water sharing and long-term reservoir planning to store monsoon water.

A major fire broke out on Friday night, February 27, 2026, in the Munshirhat market area of Chandpur, where three parked Jainpuri Express buses were engulfed in flames. According to local sources and the Matlab South Fire Service, one bus was completely destroyed while two others were partially burned. The fire started suddenly in one of the parked buses and quickly spread to the adjacent vehicles.

Fire Service Station Officer Md. Mehedi Hasan Tuhin confirmed that two units from Matlab South Fire Service responded promptly and managed to bring the blaze under control within about 30 minutes. Fortunately, no passengers, drivers, or assistants were present in the buses at the time, preventing any casualties.

Authorities have begun investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the extent of the damage, though the source of ignition remains unknown.

Police have arrested Nurul Islam, known as Nura, the prime suspect in the widely discussed rape and murder case of a teenage girl in Narsingdi. The arrest took place on Friday night around 9 p.m. during a police operation in the Maona area of Sreepur upazila, Gazipur. Narsingdi Superintendent of Police Abdullah-Al Faruq confirmed the arrest. Another suspect, Hazarat Ali, was detained the same night in Gauripur, Mymensingh. So far, seven of the nine accused have been apprehended.

According to the case details, the teenage victim was abducted by a group of young men in front of her father after she sought justice for a previous rape incident. Her body was recovered the next morning from a mustard field between Bilpara and Dorikandi areas in Narsingdi Sadar upazila. The victim’s mother filed a case at Madhabdi Police Station naming nine individuals, including Nura, as accused.

Police stated that operations are continuing to arrest the remaining suspects linked to the case.

Professor Mujibur Rahman MP, Naib-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated that the government and opposition parties are not enemies but should act as partners in national development. He emphasized that when the ruling party makes mistakes, the opposition should point them out so the government can correct them, which would strengthen democracy. He warned that without political stability, the country’s development would be hindered.

He made these remarks on Friday at the Engineers Institution auditorium in Dhaka during a discussion and iftar event titled “Significance of Ramadan,” organized by the Forum of Engineers and Architects, Bangladesh (FEAB) Dhaka South. Mujibur Rahman also highlighted the vital role of engineers in building the nation, saying that if they remain truthful and God-fearing, corruption and bribery would decline significantly.

The event was presided over by Engineer Md. Moniruzzaman, with several political and professional figures attending, including Dr. M. Shafiqul Islam Masud MP and Engineer Golam Mostafa.

Comilla University has advanced 14 positions to secure the 9th spot among Bangladeshi universities in the 2026 Scimago Institutions Rankings, published on February 26. The Spain-based research organization evaluated 10,827 universities worldwide, including 47 from Bangladesh. Last year, Comilla University ranked 23rd, marking a significant improvement this year.

According to the data, the university ranked 8th in 2024, while it was not listed in 2023, 2022, or 2021. The ranking assesses institutions based on research quality, innovation, and social impact, weighted at 50%, 30%, and 20% respectively. In 2026, Comilla University placed 36th in research, 9th in social impact, and 68th in innovation, resulting in an overall 9th position nationally.

The top ten Bangladeshi universities in the 2026 Scimago ranking include Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Southeast University, University of Dhaka, Islamic University, Sylhet Agricultural University, University of Rajshahi, Begum Rokeya University, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Comilla University, and Patuakhali Science and Technology University.

Nahid Islam, the convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), expressed condolences to the family of a child who was brutally murdered in Rampura. On Friday night, February 27, he met the grieving family and assured them of his full support, pledging that justice would be ensured regardless of the perpetrator’s influence.

During his visit, Nahid Islam described the killing as a planned act and emphasized that those involved would face severe punishment. He urged the police administration to conduct an impartial investigation and ensure the swift arrest and prosecution of the offender. He also confirmed that one suspect had already been detained for questioning.

The visit highlighted the NCP leader’s call for accountability and justice in the case, as the investigation continues under police supervision.

Dr. A.H.M. Hamidur Rahman Azad, Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated that those who fear Allah cannot engage in election engineering or vote rigging. He made these remarks on Friday afternoon while addressing a discussion titled 'Significance of Zakat and the Month of Ramadan,' organized by the party’s Dhaka-6 parliamentary constituency committee.

Azad emphasized that fasting is a means to attain piety and that it should be observed solely for Allah, not for public display. He said true fasting leads to moral purification, and its success is reflected when individuals refrain from corruption, extortion, and violence after Ramadan. He also stressed that a society and state guided by the Quran would achieve dignity and success, as there is no alternative to establishing a Quran-based social order.

Highlighting the economic role of zakat, Azad explained that it was made obligatory in the second Hijri year to purify wealth and stimulate the economy, which in turn helps eradicate poverty. The event concluded with an iftar gathering attended by party leaders and local representatives.

The Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal has issued a show-cause notice to Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim, convener of the Jasimuddin Hall unit at Dhaka University, over allegations of organizational indiscipline. The notice requires him to appear at the central office within 24 hours and submit a written explanation in the presence of the central president and general secretary. The directive was announced in a statement signed by office secretary Md Jahangir Alam on Friday.

According to the statement, Hamim, who holds a responsible position within the hall unit, is accused of violating the organization’s discipline. The central leadership, including Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir, instructed that he provide justification for his actions or face possible permanent organizational measures.

The notice underscores the organization’s emphasis on maintaining internal discipline and accountability among its university-level leaders.

Prime Minister Tarek Rahman is scheduled to attend an iftar event organized by Jamaat-e-Islami at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka on Saturday. The information was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abu Abdullah M Saleh. According to the official schedule, the Prime Minister will first attend a meeting with officials and department heads at his Tejgaon office in the morning before joining the iftar in the evening.

Earlier, on February 25, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar and Assistant Secretary General Maulana Abdul Halim met the Prime Minister at the Secretariat and formally delivered the invitation letter. During that meeting, the Prime Minister agreed to attend the event. Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, also requested over the phone that the Prime Minister attend the iftar with his family.

The event marks a notable engagement between the head of government and the opposition party’s leadership, reflecting a gesture of political and social outreach during the Ramadan season.