At least six people were killed in a severe road accident in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Monday. The crash occurred in Naushahro Feroze district when a speeding car heading toward Karachi lost control and collided forcefully with a trailer. Rescue officials reported that the impact was so intense that the private car was completely crushed, killing all six passengers on the spot. Rescue teams transported the bodies to a nearby hospital, where doctors confirmed their deaths. Police have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Following the collision, local authorities carried out emergency rescue operations and arranged to send the injured to hospitals. Traffic on the national highway was temporarily suspended during the rescue efforts. The incident has once again highlighted the importance of road safety and controlling high-speed vehicles to prevent such fatal accidents in the future.

Dhaka College, established on November 20, 1841, stands as one of the subcontinent’s earliest centers of modern education. Founded through the efforts of Dr. James Taylor and Magistrate Mr. Grant, it became the nucleus of English education in East Bengal. The college’s first principal was J. Ireland, a Cambridge graduate and former Hindu College teacher. Over time, Dhaka College evolved through several names and affiliations, contributing significantly to the region’s academic and intellectual development. The institution played a key role in the establishment of the University of Dhaka in 1921, donating its buildings, books, and equipment. It also pioneered science education in East Bengal in 1875 and produced many renowned scholars and writers, including Akhtaruzzaman Elias and Humayun Ahmed. The college’s campus moved several times before settling permanently in Dhanmondi in 1955. Currently, Dhaka College offers higher secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs across 20 departments, serving around 22,400 students. Principal Professor A.K.M. Elias emphasized ongoing efforts to enhance educational quality, infrastructure, and digital learning integration.

Tarique Rahman took oath as the 11th Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath. Rahman entered the ceremony at 3:55 p.m., accompanied by his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman and their only daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman. Following the Prime Minister’s oath, 24 full ministers and 24 state ministers were sworn in. The full ministers include Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain, and others. Among them, Khalilur Rahman and Aminur Rashid took oath as technocrat ministers. The state ministers include M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, and several others. The event marks the formal beginning of Tarique Rahman’s tenure as the country’s 11th Prime Minister, with a newly formed cabinet comprising both political and technocrat members.

Three leaders from Cumilla have been invited to join the cabinet of the BNP government. They are BNP Vice Chairman Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman’s adviser Aminur Rashid Yasin, and BNP Labour and Employment Affairs Secretary as well as Cumilla South District BNP President Zakaria Taher Suman. Aminur Rashid Yasin will serve as a minister under the technocrat quota. The Cabinet Division informed them by phone at 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, according to close sources. Earlier in the day, at 10:40 a.m., members elected to the 13th National Parliament took their oaths, while the cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for the afternoon. News of Kaykobad’s appointment sparked celebrations in Muradnagar, Cumilla, with local BNP activists distributing sweets. Social media also filled with congratulatory posts for Yasin and Suman. The report notes that Cumilla residents are rejoicing over having three ministers from their district. It also mentions speculation that senior BNP Standing Committee member and former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain might be appointed president.

The Cabinet Division has begun inviting newly elected members of parliament from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take oath as state ministers following the swearing-in of the 13th National Parliament. The oath-taking ceremony for the new cabinet members is scheduled for the afternoon of February 17, 2026. Those invited to take oath as state ministers include M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Md Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, and Farhad Hossain Azad. Earlier in the day, BNP’s elected members of parliament had already taken their oaths. The Cabinet Division initiated the invitation process for the new cabinet immediately after the parliamentary swearing-in ceremony. The list of invitees indicates the composition of the upcoming BNP-led government’s cabinet. The report also notes that Khalilur Rahman will be part of the BNP government’s cabinet, while foreign dignitaries, including India’s Speaker and Foreign Secretary, are in Dhaka to attend the oath-taking ceremony.

State ministers took oath on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath to the newly appointed state ministers. The ceremony marks a significant step in the formation of the new cabinet, which includes both full ministers and state ministers. According to the report, 25 individuals are set to become full ministers, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, and others. Additionally, 24 individuals are to serve as state ministers, among them M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Shama Obaid Islam, and Nurul Haque Nur. The list also includes several technocrat members. The oath-taking event signifies the formal beginning of responsibilities for the new ministers and state ministers under the current administration, as the government moves forward with its new leadership structure.

The article by Zahedul Islam Bandhan highlights February as the most glorious, mournful, and inspiring month in the Bengali national life. It recounts the 1952 Language Movement in Dhaka, when students defied Section 144 and protested for the recognition of Bangla as a state language. Police opened fire, killing several including Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar, and others. Their sacrifice led to Bangla gaining official status in Pakistan’s 1956 constitution alongside Urdu. The article notes that UNESCO declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day in 1999, now observed in about 188 countries. The piece traces the origins of the movement to 1947, when Pakistan was formed with Urdu declared as its sole state language despite Bengali being spoken by the majority in East Pakistan. It describes February as not just a calendar month but a symbol of identity, freedom, and cultural pride for Bengalis. The article also discusses the cultural legacy of the movement, inspiring poetry, songs, plays, and the annual Ekushey Book Fair, reinforcing the enduring spirit of linguistic and cultural unity.

The historic Raiganj Press Club in Sirajganj has formed a new biannual committee. In the newly approved 11-member body, Ali Haider Abbasi, representative of the Daily Manabzamin, was elected president, and Golam Muktadir, representative of the newspaper Protidiner Bangladesh, was chosen as general secretary. The approval came at a meeting held yesterday morning, where the previous convening committee was dissolved under the chairmanship of former acting convener Atik Mahmud Akash and conducted by member secretary Ali Haider Abbasi. The new committee includes Atik Mahmud Akash as vice president, Nurul Haque Nayon as joint general secretary, Nazmul Hossain Talukder Arafat as organizational secretary, Shihabul Alam Sayem as office secretary, and Abdul Latif as finance secretary. Saidul Islam Abir was elected as publicity and publication secretary, while KM Rafiqul Islam, HM Monaem Khan, and M Abu Hashem Moni were named executive members. Speakers at the meeting expressed hope that the new leadership would play an effective role in improving journalistic standards, strengthening unity among members, and protecting press freedom.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and members of his new cabinet took the oath of office on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath to the newly appointed ministers and state ministers. According to the announcement, 25 individuals are taking office as full ministers, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Additionally, 24 others are assuming roles as state ministers, among them M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku. The list also includes several technocrat members. The swearing-in marks the formal beginning of the new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with the ceremony held in the presence of the President at the National Parliament complex.

February 21 is observed worldwide as International Mother Language Day, a date rooted in Bangladesh’s 1952 language movement. On that day, police opened fire on students in Dhaka demanding recognition of Bangla as a state language, resulting in the deaths of several young activists including Salam, Rafiq, Jabbar, Shafiur, and Barkat. The day is also commemorated as Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh. The initiative to make February 21 an international observance began in 1998 when Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam, two Bangladeshi expatriates in Vancouver, petitioned UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Their proposal gained attention within the UN system and led to the formation of the organization “Mother Language Lovers of the World.” With support from Canada, India, Hungary, Finland, and Bangladesh, the proposal was presented at UNESCO’s Paris session on November 17, 1999. It received backing from 188 countries. Since February 21, 2000, International Mother Language Day has been observed with due respect across UN member states, honoring linguistic diversity and the sacrifices made for language rights.

The oath-taking ceremony for the new government has begun at the National Parliament in Dhaka. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and members of his cabinet arrived at the venue on Tuesday afternoon. President Md. Shahabuddin is administering the oaths at the South Plaza of the Parliament building. A total of 25 individuals are being sworn in as full ministers, while 24 others are taking oath as state ministers. The list of full ministers includes Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain, Khalilur Rahman (technocrat), Abdul Awal Mintoo, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Zahir Uddin Swapon, Aminur Rashid (technocrat), Afroza Khanam Rita, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Asadul Habib Dulu, Md. Asaduzzaman, Zakaria Taher Suman, Dipen Dewan, ANM Ehsanul Haque Milan, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain Bakul, Fakir Mahbub Anam, and Sheikh Robiul Alam. Among the 24 state ministers are M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Forhad Hossain Azad, Md. Aminul Haque (technocrat), Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Habibur Rashid Habib, Rajib Ahsan, Md. Abdul Bari, Mir Shahe Alam, Md. Jonaid Abdur Rahim Saki, Ishraq Hossain, Farzana Sharmin Putul, Sheikh Faridul Islam, Nurul Haque Nur, Yaser Khan Chowdhury, M Iqbal Hossain, M A Muhit, Ahmed Sohel Manzur, Bobby Hajjaj, and Ali Newaz Khaiyam.

At least 14 people, including 11 security personnel and three civilians, were killed on Monday in two bomb attacks and a gunfight between police and militants in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Among the dead was a child. The incidents also left at least 25 others injured. The attacks occurred as Pakistani security forces were engaged in counter-insurgency operations along the Afghan border in the country’s southern and northern provinces. According to a security official, one of the attacks took place in Bajaur district when a vehicle loaded with explosives was driven into the wall of a religious college, killing eight police and Frontier Corps members and injuring ten others. A child died when nearby houses collapsed. In a separate incident in Bannu city, a bomb planted in a rickshaw exploded near the Miryan police station, killing two civilians and injuring 17 others. Officials warned that the death toll could rise. The violence followed an earlier ISIS-claimed suicide bombing this month at a Shia mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people and injured 169.

Bobby Hajjaj, chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and member of parliament for Dhaka-13, has been invited to join the new cabinet led by Tarique Rahman. Hajjaj confirmed the news to the newspaper Amar Desh on Tuesday afternoon, saying he had received the call to join the cabinet. The swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. Earlier in the day, at 10:40 a.m., newly elected members of parliament from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) took their oaths in the parliament’s oath room, administered by Chief Election Commissioner A. M. M. Nasir Uddin. However, BNP lawmakers did not take oaths as members of the Constitutional Reform Committee. Following the BNP’s landslide victory in the 13th national election, Tarique Rahman is set to be sworn in as the new prime minister. Bobby Hajjaj, son of businessman Prince Musa Bin Shamsher, is known as a writer, teacher, and politician. He is recognized for his advocacy of patience, tolerance, and non-violent politics, and teaches at a leading private university in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which secured a decisive victory in the 13th national parliamentary election, has sworn in its elected members of parliament on Tuesday morning. Later in the afternoon, the new cabinet members are scheduled to take their oaths at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. The cabinet, led by BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, will include 25 full ministers and 24 state ministers, forming a 50-member council of ministers. Among those appointed to the cabinet are several figures who had not been widely discussed in political circles prior to the announcement. These include Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Khondaker Abdul Muktadir, Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul, Fakir Mahbub Anam, and Sheikh Robiul Alam. Their inclusion highlights a mix of familiar and lesser-known faces in the new administration. The swearing-in marks the formal beginning of the BNP-led government following its overwhelming electoral success, setting the stage for the party’s return to executive leadership.

Nasir Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate who won the 13th parliamentary election from Sunamganj-2 (Dirai-Shalla), took his oath of office on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The oath ceremony was held for all newly elected members of the 13th National Parliament, where Chowdhury appeared in a wheelchair to take his oath. Chowdhury is a member of the BNP’s central executive committee and a former Member of Parliament. He was first elected to parliament in 1996 after defeating national leader Suranjit Sengupta with the plough symbol. Before his recent victory, he also served twice as chairman of Dirai Upazila Parishad. Speaking about his development plans, Chowdhury said that the people of his area had elected him with love and high expectations. He expressed his own aspirations to implement various development projects and pledged to work hard to bring smiles to the faces of local residents.