The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will begin on Thursday, February 26, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurating the event at 2 p.m. The fair’s theme this year is “Multidimensional Bangladesh.” During the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister will also present the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2025. The event will be chaired by Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, President of Bangla Academy, with speeches from Director General Professor Mohammad Azam, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, and State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam.

The fair will remain open daily from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., except on holidays when it will open at 11 a.m. Entry will close at 8:30 p.m. A total of 549 publishing houses will participate, including 81 at the Bangla Academy premises and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, with 1,018 units in total.

Organizers aim to make this year’s fair environmentally conscious and “zero waste,” banning polythene and smoking. Stalls and materials will use eco-friendly items such as jute, cloth, and paper, with regular cleaning and mosquito control measures in place.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has described the 2009 Pilkhana tragedy as an attempt to undermine Bangladesh’s sovereignty and emphasized the need to commemorate it with state honor. Speaking on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at a discussion in Dhaka Cantonment marking National Martyred Soldiers Day, he said that failing to give the events of February 25 and 26 due state recognition would be an injustice to history and future generations.

Rahman paid tribute to the 74 people, including 57 army officers, who were killed in the 2009 incident, calling it a deep wound in the nation’s history. He also recalled the sacrifices of martyrs from the Liberation War, the 1990 mass movement, and the 2024 uprising. The prime minister said the government would work with the armed forces to preserve the memory of the tragedy and ensure long-term welfare for the victims’ families.

He further stated that the Pilkhana incident exposed weaknesses in national security and pledged to modernize and strengthen the country’s defense structure to align with global standards.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said that Bangladesh is reviewing trade and tariff issues with the United States, describing the situation as still evolving. He made the remarks on Wednesday, February 25, after a meeting with business representatives at the Ministry of Commerce to determine the next steps regarding the trade agreement with the U.S. State Minister for Commerce Md. Shariful Alam, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, senior officials, and business leaders were present.

The minister explained that the U.S. Supreme Court had declared previous tariff rates untenable, leading to new tariffs of 10 percent and later 15 percent for all countries. However, Bangladesh has not yet received any official written communication from the U.S. government. He added that under U.S. law, the new tariff interpretation must be approved by Congress within 150 days. The minister also noted that the previous interim government had signed a trade deal with the U.S., but its implications are still under review.

He emphasized that the agreement remains sensitive and that premature comments could be inappropriate. Business representatives discussed sectoral challenges and market issues during the meeting.

Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan announced that the government will review the final ordinance of the newly established Dhaka Central University, which was formed by merging seven government colleges in Dhaka. He made the statement on Wednesday afternoon at the Secretariat while speaking to reporters after publishing the results of the junior scholarship examination.

In response to questions about whether decisions regarding the seven colleges and education law were made hastily during the interim government period, the minister said the ordinance has been brought under review. A committee will be formed to examine the matter and determine whether the establishment of the university was rushed.

The gazette for Dhaka Central University was published on February 9 on the website of the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the replacement of the Bangladesh Bank governor is part of a broader set of changes under the new government. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on February 25, 2026, he explained that the government is making adjustments in various institutions to implement its priorities and programs. He described the process as normal and said further changes would occur as needed.

The government recently removed Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur from the post of Bangladesh Bank governor and appointed Md. Mostakur Rahman, F.C.M.A., in his place. According to a notification from the Financial Institutions Division, Rahman will serve a four-year term under the Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972, effective immediately. He must sever ties with other organizations before assuming office and will receive salary and benefits from the central bank as per contract terms.

Dr. Mansur had been appointed in August 2024 for a four-year term but was removed after about one and a half years in the position.

National Citizens Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam has called for the impeachment and arrest of President Md. Shahabuddin. He made the demand on Wednesday afternoon after visiting the graves of the Pilkhana massacre victims at the Banani Military Cemetery in Dhaka.

Nahid Islam alleged that President Shahabuddin failed to take effective measures to prevent the mass killings that occurred in July 2024. He stated that the president cannot avoid responsibility for the incident and urged that the first session of Parliament initiate impeachment proceedings. Following impeachment, he said, the president should be arrested for his role in the tragedy.

The statement marks a strong political move by the opposition, directly accusing the head of state of negligence in a major national crisis.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained eight individuals, including the leader of the notorious Jahangir gang, during an operation in Cox’s Bazar. The raid, conducted near Sonadia Char under Maheshkhali police station on February 24, 2026, followed a report that a fishing boat named “FB Mayer Doa-3” had been attacked by pirates. Coast Guard units from Cox’s Bazar and Maheshkhali launched a rescue mission after receiving the alert through the emergency hotline 16111.

During the operation, the Coast Guard signaled a suspicious fishing boat to stop, but it attempted to flee. Officers fired five blank rounds and pursued the vessel, eventually detaining the suspects. A search of the boat uncovered three homemade firearms, four live cartridges, and six local weapons. Four fishermen who had been held by the pirates were rescued alive. Preliminary questioning revealed that the detainees had been engaged in sea piracy for an extended period.

Authorities stated that legal proceedings regarding the seized items, rescued fishermen, and detainees are underway, and the Coast Guard pledged to continue similar operations in the future.

Nagad has announced a special campaign for users of its Islamic Wallet during the holy month of Ramadan, offering participants the opportunity to perform Umrah. According to the company, users must complete transactions totaling at least 3,000 taka, excluding person-to-person (P2P) transfers, to qualify for the campaign. The initiative will run from the first to the last day of Ramadan, with winners selected through a lottery among eligible participants. Selected winners will be contacted directly by Nagad Islamic’s customer service center.

Professor Dr. H. M. Shahidul Islam Barakati, chairman of the Nagad Islamic Shariah Board, stated that the campaign aims to encourage devout Muslims to use Nagad Islamic for their Ramadan purchases and transactions, offering them a chance to visit the holy Kaaba. Nagad clarified that all campaign-related decisions rest with the company and that participants must have active, fully verified Islamic Wallet accounts.

The company also warned that any attempt to misuse the campaign or engage in suspicious transactions would result in immediate disqualification from the program.

Sarjis Alam, the chief organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP) for the northern region, shared photos of President Md. Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his verified Facebook account, making serious allegations. In his post on Wednesday, he claimed that the 2026 national election was engineered through a secret understanding between the BNP and the Awami League after the BNP realized it could not win alone. He alleged that the two parties, along with parts of the administration and foreign agents, collaborated to form the government.

Sarjis further accused the Awami League of orchestrating the Pilkhana massacre and criticized the BNP for rehabilitating the same party. He stated that the BNP had once been persecuted by the Awami League, including the imprisonment of Begum Zia and the exile of Tarique Rahman, yet now had taken responsibility for the Awami League’s return to power.

He warned BNP grassroots members that if they again face persecution or violence from the Awami League, the responsibility would lie with Tarique Rahman and the BNP leadership.

Japanese trading and investment giant Mitsui & Co. has entered into a strategic partnership with ACI Logistics Limited, the operator of Bangladesh’s largest retail chain, Shwapno. The agreement was signed on February 25, 2026, at the ACI Centre in Dhaka, attended by senior executives from both organizations. Under the deal, Mitsui, through its subsidiary, will provide a structured convertible loan facility in foreign currency to ACI Logistics, subject to legal approvals.

Mitsui & Co., a multinational enterprise with operations in over 60 countries, is recognized for its technical expertise, global sourcing capabilities, and extensive industrial experience. The partnership aims to support ACI Logistics in achieving its strategic goals, with Mitsui expressing strong confidence in Shwapno’s leadership, operational efficiency, and ability to deliver quality products and superior shopping experiences to Bangladeshi consumers.

Looking ahead, Mitsui plans to work closely with Shwapno to enhance operational excellence, governance, supply chain optimization, and sustainability within Bangladesh’s modern retail sector.

At a citizens’ dialogue held Wednesday at the National Press Club, Badiul Alam Majumdar, editor of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN), stated that political parties are bound to fully implement the July Charter following the referendum’s ‘yes’ victory. He emphasized that the referendum carries the same weight as the constitution and criticized members of parliament who have not yet taken the oath for the constitutional reform assembly, calling it disrespectful to the public mandate.

Majumdar reiterated that all power belongs to the people, and the referendum represents their direct decision on national reform. He said the government’s legitimacy stems from this public vote, which approved the July Charter Implementation Ordinance (2025) and specific constitutional reform proposals with 68 percent support. He rejected claims that the referendum was invalid, asserting that it reflects the people’s sovereign will.

The dialogue, jointly organized by the Referendum and July Charter Implementation Citizens’ Forum and Voice for Reform, also featured coordinator Fahim Mashroor, who warned that ignoring the referendum’s outcome could politically harm the government and parties. He expressed hope for a timely political decision by the authorities.

Newly appointed administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan, began his duties by inspecting the city’s mosquito control operations. The handover ceremony took place at the Gulshan Nagar Bhaban, where outgoing administrator Suraiya Akhter Jahan formally transferred responsibilities to him. Soon after assuming office, the new administrator, accompanied by State Minister for Health M A Muhit, visited the DNCC mosquito control chemical storage facility in Mirpur-2.

During the visit, the effectiveness of mosquito control chemicals was tested, and the corporation’s overall preparedness for mosquito management was reviewed. The administrator emphasized the goal of working collectively to make Dhaka a safe and livable city.

Senior DNCC officials, including Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Asaduzzaman and Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, were present during the inspection.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (GAKRIBI) in Gazipur has developed the country’s first high drought-tolerant inbred soybean variety named ‘GAU Soybean 6’. The innovation, led by Professor Dr. M. A. Mannan of the Department of Agronomy, marks the university’s 94th crop variety development. The National Seed Board officially released the variety on November 11, 2025, following five years of successful field evaluation in Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Bhola with support from Solidaridad Network Asia.

The variety was selected from 250 germplasms collected from Taiwan, Bangladesh, and South Korea after three years of testing. It can withstand severe drought conditions at 50–60% field capacity and yield 3.2–3.8 tons per hectare. Each plant produces 80–100 pods, and the seeds weigh about 230 grams per 1,000. Its low trypsin content enhances protein absorption in poultry feed, making it valuable for the poultry industry. The crop matures in about three months, offering farmers higher returns in less time.

University officials described the innovation as a milestone for sustainable agriculture, with potential to strengthen food security and improve farmer livelihoods in drought-prone coastal regions.

A 20-year-old woman named Mousumi Akter died after jumping from the sixth floor of the new building at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Wednesday morning, February 25, 2026. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. when she came to the hospital with her mother for treatment. Police recovered the body and sent it to the hospital morgue.

According to family sources, Mousumi, daughter of Wazedul Islam from Kamarhia village in Tarakanda upazila, had been suffering from mental instability for a long time. Her brother Yusuf Ali said she had shown some improvement with regular treatment but had relapsed five days earlier, prompting the hospital visit. He also mentioned that he works at a Square establishment in Valuka and was on his way to the hospital after hearing the news.

Assistant Director of the hospital, Dr. Mohammad Main Uddin Khan, stated that preliminary findings suggest the young woman fell on her own. Police have been instructed to take necessary legal action regarding the incident.

China has announced plans to increase its investment in Bangladesh, citing the country’s current political stability. The decision was conveyed by Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon. The minister urged Chinese investors to expand their ventures in Bangladesh, emphasizing the long-standing friendship and strategic partnership between the two nations.

During the meeting, both sides discussed enhancing cooperation in security, law enforcement, cybercrime prevention, police training, and trade. The ambassador noted that around 10,000 Chinese nationals are working in various sectors in Bangladesh and stressed the importance of maintaining law and order to support investment growth. He also invited Bangladesh to join China’s proposed International Alliance Combating Telecom and Cyber Fraud.

The Home Minister directed officials to review the expired memorandum on law enforcement training cooperation and informed the ambassador of his intention to visit China at a convenient time. Senior officials from the ministry and the Chinese embassy attended the meeting.