Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) has expelled one student permanently and imposed varying punishments on eight others for sexually harassing a female student on social media. The decision was announced on Tuesday, January 17, following a meeting of the university’s disciplinary committee. The main accused, Suman Majumder of the Computer Engineering and Technology Department (2024–25 session), was expelled for life. According to university sources, the disciplinary actions were based on the findings of a sexual harassment investigation committee under Section 6 of the RUET Disciplinary Ordinance. Three students were expelled for three academic years for assisting the main accused, while five others were expelled for one academic year for incitement. Additionally, eight of the accused were permanently expelled from university dormitories, and none will receive a character certificate. RUET’s Director of Student Welfare, Professor Dr. Robiul Islam Sarkar, stated that the university prioritizes the safety and dignity of all students and took prompt action based on the investigation report. He emphasized that RUET maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward harassment on campus.

The Election Commission (EC) has temporarily suspended Kallol Biswas, the election officer of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia, over allegations of embezzling government funds. The suspension order, signed by EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, was issued on Tuesday, according to an official directive cited in the report. The order stated that a departmental case had been filed against Biswas, who previously served in Monirampur, Jashore. Following an investigation that found the allegations to be proven, a committee recommended his dismissal from service. Acting under Section 39(1) of the Government Service Act, 2018, the EC decided to suspend him temporarily. Despite the suspension, the directive confirmed that the upazila election officer will continue to receive subsistence allowance and other applicable benefits during the suspension period.

Outgoing Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus exchanged greetings with newly sworn-in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday, February 17, following the oath-taking ceremony of the new government and cabinet members. The meeting took place after the official swearing-in event, and a related post was shared on Professor Yunus’s verified Facebook page. On the same day, Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), took oath as the 11th Prime Minister of Bangladesh after his party secured a majority in the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Following his swearing-in, a 49-member cabinet comprising both new and experienced politicians also took oath under his leadership. The exchange of greetings between the outgoing interim government head and the new Prime Minister marked a formal transition of power after the national election, signaling the beginning of the new administration’s tenure.

Mongla Port, Bangladesh’s second-largest seaport, has achieved record container handling in the first seven months of the 2025–26 fiscal year. Between July 2025 and January 2026, the port handled 21,651 TEUs of containers through 31 foreign container ships, marking a 79.19% increase compared to the entire previous fiscal year. During the same period, 515 foreign commercial vessels arrived, 6,404 reconditioned cars were imported, and cargo handling reached 8.266 million metric tons, up 25.03% from the same period last year. According to Deputy Director Md. Makruzzaman, the port authority congratulated the newly elected BNP-led alliance government formed after the 13th national election. He expressed optimism that under the new administration, ship arrivals and trade through Mongla Port would continue to grow, strengthening the national economy. To improve operational capacity, three new anchor berths—HP-1, HP-2, and HP-3—have been declared operational at Hiron Point. Sixteen commercial ships with a 9.00-meter draft have already completed trial operations there, allowing vessels up to 200 meters in length to conduct cargo operations at these berths.

Bangladesh’s newly appointed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, leader of the BNP-led government, will begin his first official working day at the Secretariat on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. His day will start at 10 a.m. with a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar to honor the heroes of the Liberation War. He is scheduled to arrive at the Secretariat by 12:30 p.m., where he will work from the office allocated to him in the Cabinet Division and attend several key meetings. According to Cabinet Division sources, Rahman will first meet officials of the division for introductions and a brief exchange of views. After lunch, at 3 p.m., he will chair a special meeting with members of the new cabinet, marking the first formal policy discussion of the new government. Later, at 4 p.m., he will meet secretaries from various ministries to outline the government’s priorities and directions for implementing public expectations. The 13th parliamentary election results have been officially gazetted, with the BNP securing 209 of 297 seats, followed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami with 68 seats. Many of the newly elected lawmakers are first-time members of parliament.

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will now begin on February 21 instead of February 20, according to the fair’s organizing committee. The decision was made because Prime Minister Tarek Rahman’s schedule did not align with the earlier date. The committee confirmed on Tuesday evening that the fair will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister at 11 a.m. on February 21 at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. Sources from the organizing committee and Bangla Academy said preparations for the event are nearly complete, including stall construction, infrastructure readiness, security planning, and cultural programs. Publishers have already received their stall allocations, and arrangements for iftar and prayers have been made in view of the upcoming Ramadan. Officials explained that the fair was delayed by a day as the new government has just been formed and the official confirmation of the Prime Minister’s schedule was received informally. Since he was available only on February 21, the inauguration and opening were rescheduled accordingly.

Police in Companiganj, Sylhet, arrested two individuals early Tuesday during a raid in Nobagi village, seizing a Noah microbus loaded with 1,225 bottles of Indian liquor of various brands. The seized liquor and vehicle are valued at approximately half a crore taka, according to police sources. The operation was conducted based on a tip-off after officers noticed a suspicious black Noah vehicle moving near the border area late at night. The raid was led by Sub-Inspectors Kamrul Alam and Amirul Islam, along with Assistant Sub-Inspectors Mohammad Ali and Abul Kalam. The suspects, identified as Rakibul Islam Rubel from Kishoreganj and Sagar Molla from Manikganj, were detained from a dirt road in front of a house in Nobagi village. Police said the liquor was being transported illegally from the border area for distribution across the country. Companiganj Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam Khan stated that regular checkpoints and raids are being carried out based on intelligence reports. The detainees have been charged under the Narcotics Control Act and sent to court.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has called on the current government to take strict and effective measures to control the prices of essential commodities during the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement released to the media on Tuesday, he urged citizens to uphold the sanctity of the month and emphasized that Ramadan is a time for piety, tolerance, and compassion. Dr. Rahman said the government should pay special attention to law and order, rising commodity prices, and improving the living standards of ordinary people. He warned that dishonest traders remain active in society and must be prevented from raising prices of daily essentials and iftar items. He also called for breaking all syndicates and establishing a transparent and well-planned market system, suggesting subsidies to keep basic goods affordable for low-income citizens. He further noted that the 13th national parliamentary election was held on February 12 in what he described as a fascism-free environment, marking a new democratic journey for the nation. He urged unity against destabilizing efforts and called for continued struggle to establish a peaceful and humane Bangladesh.

The Dhaka University White Panel, a group of teachers aligned with Bangladeshi nationalism, has extended heartfelt congratulations to the newly formed cabinet led by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman. The message was issued on Tuesday, February 17, following the thirteenth national parliamentary election in which Rahman’s party achieved an absolute majority and formed the government independently. The panel expressed optimism that under Rahman’s leadership, Bangladesh will advance toward democracy, development, and stability. In their statement, convenor Professor Dr. Morshed Hasan Khan and joint convenors Professor Dr. Abdus Salam and Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Sarkar said the new government emerged through the restoration of voting rights and freedom of expression after a long struggle. They voiced expectations that the administration would build an inclusive and accountable governance system, strengthen the rule of law, and ensure judicial independence. The panel also urged the government to address inflation, create employment, and attract foreign investment to build a sustainable economy. They emphasized improving education quality, protecting university autonomy, and restoring Dhaka University’s historic legacy.

A house belonging to Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader Yasin Ali Sujon was set on fire after being locked from the outside in Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila early Monday night. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. in Nalarchar village of Chanandi Union, where Sujon’s father, Belal Mia, usually resides. Local sources said a group of miscreants locked the door from outside before setting the house ablaze, destroying furniture and valuables completely. No casualties were reported as Sujon’s father was not home at the time. Sujon alleged that the attack was retaliation for his public statement dismissing a rape allegation related to voting at Prokolpo Bazar as false. Former Hatiya BNP president Alauddin condemned the incident, saying post-election violence was destabilizing the area and that arson terrorism was unacceptable. Hatiya Jatiya Nagorik Party convener Shamsul Tibriz said he had just learned of the matter and would gather more details. Hatiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam confirmed that police visited the scene and said legal action would follow upon receiving a written complaint from the affected family.

In Chandpur’s Faridganj municipality, grocery shop owner Shah Alam from Madhya Charkumira village has decided to sell eight essential food items at their purchase price during the holy month of Ramadan. The items include chickpeas, khesari lentils, gram flour, puffed rice, flattened rice, sugar, dates, and soybean oil. He has displayed a price list in his shop, and customers have been buying with satisfaction. Shah Alam previously sold these items with only one taka profit but has now continued his cost-price initiative for the second consecutive year. Local residents have praised Shah Alam’s generosity, noting that while many traders across Bangladesh raise prices during Ramadan, he has chosen to support fasting and low-income families. The initiative has drawn commendation from the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate’s Chandpur office, whose assistant director Abdullah Al Imran said other traders could learn from this example. Shah Alam explained that he usually keeps his profit margins low throughout the year to attract more customers and that his Ramadan initiative aims to ease the burden on poor and working-class people affected by price hikes.

A Dhaka court has sentenced domestic worker Survi Akter Nahid to death for the murder of Afroza Begum and her housemaid Diti in Dhanmondi seven years ago. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, by Judge Tawhida Akter of the Seventh Additional Metropolitan Sessions Court. Another accused, house staff member Bachchu Mia, was acquitted due to lack of evidence, according to state prosecutor Jamal Uddin. The case stems from the discovery of the bloodied bodies of Afroza Begum, mother-in-law of Kazi Monir Uddin Tarim, and her maid Diti on November 1, 2019, at a fifth-floor apartment in Dhanmondi’s Lobelia House. Both victims had their throats slit. Afroza’s daughter, Dilruba Sultana Ruba, filed the murder case two days later. The investigation was transferred from local police to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), which submitted charges against two suspects in February 2022. The court began trial in October 2022, hearing testimony from 25 of 32 witnesses before reaching the verdict. The ruling concludes a high-profile case that drew significant public attention in Dhaka.

A Sirajganj court has sentenced three accused to life imprisonment for the murder of seven-year-old schoolboy Tamim Hossain in Ullapara, following a dispute over local dominance. Each of the three convicts was also fined 20,000 taka. Another accused, Mannan Akand, received a two-year prison term, a fine of 5,000 taka, and an additional three months of imprisonment in default of payment. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. by District and Sessions Judge Md. Iqbal Hossain. According to the case details presented by the public prosecutor, Tamim had been living at his maternal grandfather’s home in Narsinghapara village for his studies. He went missing on February 10, 2017, and his body was found the next morning in a mustard field with rope marks around his neck and injuries on the back of his head. His father, Soleman Fakir, filed a case with Ullapara Model Police Station against unidentified persons. Police later arrested three suspects who confessed under Section 164 that the killing stemmed from a rivalry over local influence. After a lengthy trial and examination of evidence, the court found four individuals guilty, sentencing three to life imprisonment and one to a shorter term.

Former minister and Jatiya Party secretary general Mosiur Rahman Ranga suffered a major political setback in the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Contesting from his home constituency Lalmonirhat-1 (Hatibandha-Patgram), he finished fourth with 5,152 votes and lost his electoral deposit under election rules. The unofficial results show BNP candidate Hasan Rajib Pradhan winning with 138,686 votes, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Md. Anwarul Islam Raju with 129,572 votes, and independent candidate Shihab Ahmed with 7,959 votes. Local voters and analysts attributed Ranga’s collapse to several negative factors. Allegations of taking Tk 1.7 crore in bribes for nomination during the 11th election cycle went viral, damaging his image. His long absence from local engagement, perceived arrogance during campaigning, and controversial role as a former state minister under the ousted Awami League government further eroded public trust. Frequent shifts in political stance and expulsion from the Jatiya Party also alienated supporters. Ranga, who served as state minister for local government in 2014 and later as opposition chief whip, declined to comment further, saying he had nothing more to seek after 17 years in politics.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued nine fishermen who were stranded in the deep sea near Saint Martin after their fishing boat’s engine failed. The rescue took place on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as confirmed by Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq. The incident occurred the previous day, about 10 nautical miles from Saint Martin, when the boat became adrift. The Coast Guard was alerted through the emergency service number 16111. Following the alert, the Coast Guard vessel ‘Joy Bangla’ launched a special rescue operation in the area. All nine fishermen were found alive and brought to safety along with their boat. They were provided with food and medical assistance before being handed over to the boat’s owner. Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq stated that the Coast Guard will continue similar rescue operations in the future to ensure the safety of fishermen at sea.