Ishraq Hossain and Barrister Rumin Farhana took oath as members of parliament on Tuesday at around 12 noon. They were sworn in alongside MPs from the Jamaat alliance, according to the report published on February 17, 2026. The oath-taking took place in the presence of Jamaat alliance representatives, marking their formal assumption of parliamentary duties. The event was part of a broader swearing-in ceremony involving multiple MPs from the alliance. The report also mentioned that the Indian Speaker and Foreign Secretary were in Dhaka to attend the swearing-in ceremony, indicating international diplomatic interest in the proceedings.

At least 28 people were killed and many others injured in a drone strike on a market in Sudri, Kordofan, Sudan, according to the human rights group Emergency Lawyers on Monday, February 16. The attack occurred during a busy period on Sunday, worsening the already dire humanitarian situation. The group warned that the death toll could rise and described repeated drone strikes in populated areas as a grave disregard for civilian life. It urged all sides to immediately halt such attacks, claiming the strike came from army-operated drones. Two unnamed military officials told the Associated Press that the army does not target civilian sites and denied any involvement in the incident. Just a week earlier, another drone strike near Rahad killed at least 24 people, including eight children, while a World Food Programme convoy was also attacked the previous day. The conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023, has escalated into a nationwide war. The World Health Organization reports at least 40,000 deaths and 12 million displaced people, with aid agencies warning the real figures may be higher.

Newly elected Member of Parliament for Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda), Professor Mohammad Aslam Chowdhury, was honored by local fishing communities and Hindu devotees on February 16 in Sitakunda. During the reception, he announced coordinated actions with the Coast Guard to combat sea piracy that affects fishermen. He also promised fair government assistance for fishermen during fishing bans and declared the installation of a deep tube well to address local drinking water shortages. Chowdhury further pledged to build modern shelters for pilgrims visiting Chandranath Hill and to work with the Shrine Committee and local administration for phased implementation. Later, at another event organized by the Shivchaturdashi Mela Committee, he announced plans to install a cable car at Chandranath Hill to assist elderly pilgrims and ensure safer travel to the temple located about 1,250 feet high. Local leaders and community representatives attended the events, expressing hope that the announced initiatives for fishermen and pilgrims would be implemented soon.

In Naogaon’s Sapahar upazila, a cooperative named Gram Janata Shramajibi Samabay Samiti Limited has been accused of absconding with deposits exceeding one crore taka from more than a hundred customers. The cooperative, which operated from Dighirhat Bazar, allegedly lured villagers with promises of high returns through a scheme called the 'Easy Investment Project.' Its office is now locked, and Managing Director Abdul Halim has been missing since the incident. According to victims, Halim, along with relatives and eight staff members, collected deposits from local residents by promising extra profit on savings. When depositors recently sought their returns, Halim reportedly delayed payments and later disappeared with the funds. Victims such as Mokbul Hossain and Salma Begum said they had invested their savings and borrowed money, leaving them financially devastated. Sapahar Upazila Cooperative Officer S.M. Jahangir Alam confirmed receiving complaints and said an investigation is underway. He added that legal action will follow under cooperative laws once the inquiry concludes. No police case or general diary has yet been filed, though affected customers have urged authorities to arrest the fugitive MD and recover their money.

Former government adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has criticized the new parliament’s start, saying it defied the people’s referendum verdict. In a verified Facebook post on Tuesday, he remarked that the parliament began its journey by disregarding the public mandate expressed through the recent referendum. According to the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, a Constitutional Reform Council was to be formed with members elected in the 13th National Parliament. Elected representatives were expected to take oaths first as MPs and then as council members. However, 209 BNP lawmakers took oath only as MPs, refusing to be sworn in as members of the reform council. Related sources said this refusal has already disrupted the interim government’s reform initiatives and could lead to a new political crisis. BNP maintains that the current constitution contains no provision for a Constitutional Reform Council or a separate oath for its members, and that the Chief Election Commissioner has no authority to administer such an oath.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) members elected to the 13th National Parliament have decided not to accept any government plots or tax-free (duty-free) cars. The decision was made at a meeting of party lawmakers held on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., and later confirmed to journalists by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The announcement follows a similar declaration by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, who stated earlier that any elected MP from his party would also refrain from using state-provided plots or duty-free vehicles. The BNP’s move aligns with this stance, signaling a unified position among opposition parties on rejecting such state privileges. The decision underscores the BNP’s effort to project a stance of restraint and integrity among its newly elected representatives in the 13th Parliament, though further details on implementation were not provided in the report.

Tension has arisen within the BNP-Jamaat alliance over the oath-taking of members for the Constitutional Reform Council following the recent referendum victory of the 'Yes' side. According to procedure, each newly elected Member of Parliament must take two oaths—one as an MP and another as a member of the council. The oath ceremony was scheduled for Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in the oath room of the National Parliament Building, with preparations made by the Parliament Secretariat for both the 13th Parliament and the council. BNP has announced that while its members will take the oath as MPs, they will not take the oath as council members. BNP’s Cox’s Bazar–1 MP-elect Salahuddin Ahmed stated that they were not elected as council members and would act only after constitutional approval in Parliament. In contrast, Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP leaders said they would take both oaths. Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher said their MPs were scheduled to take the oath at noon but warned that if BNP abstains, Jamaat MPs will also refrain, viewing a non-reformed Parliament as meaningless. Of the 300 parliamentary seats, voting took place in 299 constituencies last Thursday, with one postponed due to a candidate’s death and two under court injunctions.

Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall, celebrated for his performances in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has died at the age of 95, his wife Luciana Duvall announced in a Facebook post on Monday. She said Duvall gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. Tributes from across Hollywood followed, with Adam Sandler calling him one of the greatest actors ever and Michael Imperioli describing him as an actor’s actor. Duvall’s career spanned nearly 100 films, including acclaimed roles as Tom Hagen in The Godfather, Lieutenant Colonel Bull Meechum in The Great Santini, and the title character in Stalin. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Tender Mercies in 1983 and received six additional Oscar nominations, including for Apocalypse Now. He also wrote, directed, and starred in The Apostle, earning another Oscar nomination. Born in Annapolis, Maryland, Duvall was the son of a US Navy admiral and an amateur actress. He studied at Principia College, served in the US Army, and later moved to New York City, where he shared an apartment with Dustin Hoffman and befriended Gene Hackman during their early acting years.

Members of Parliament from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have declined to take the oath as members of the newly formed Constitutional Reform Council, though they have already been sworn in as MPs. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the party will decide on the council oath after the parliamentary session begins. In contrast, elected representatives from the Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizens Party (NCP)-led 11-party alliance have taken both oaths as MPs and as council members. The National Parliament Secretariat had prepared for two separate oaths following the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, which mandates the formation of a Constitutional Reform Council composed of newly elected representatives. However, BNP’s 209 MPs refused to take the second oath, arguing that the existing constitution does not recognize such a council or authorize the Chief Election Commissioner to administer its oath. Observers noted that BNP’s refusal has created an early obstacle for the interim government’s reform initiatives and may lead to a new political crisis.

Permanent Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed stated on Tuesday that his group remains committed to implementing the July Charter. Speaking to journalists around 12:30 p.m., he clarified that none of them were elected as members of the Constitutional Reform Council and therefore did not take any oath. The remarks were made amid ongoing political developments, including reports of oath-taking by alliance members under Shafiqur Rahman’s leadership and upcoming demonstrations in the capital by Jamaat. Salahuddin’s statement emphasized adherence to the July Charter as a guiding principle while distancing his group from the constitutional reform process. Further details about the implementation steps or political implications of the July Charter were not provided in the report.

Members of Parliament from the Jamaat alliance took their oaths under the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday at 12:24 p.m. in the oath room of the National Parliament building. The oath was administered by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin. BNP-elected MPs did not take their oaths as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. Later in the day, at 4 p.m., the cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in at the South Plaza of the Parliament building. Following the landslide victory of the BNP in the 13th national election, party chairman Tarique Rahman is set to take oath as the new Prime Minister. The day’s events mark the formal transition toward a new government formation after the election, with Jamaat alliance MPs joining Parliament while BNP prepares for executive leadership.

A total of 45 vehicles have been prepared and lined up at the Secretariat for newly appointed cabinet members. The vehicles were arranged on Tuesday morning in front of Building No. 1 of the Secretariat. According to the Cabinet Division, the Government Transport Department was instructed to ensure the required number of vehicles were ready for use. In line with that directive, 47 vehicles have been initially prepared for ministers. Officials explained that under VVIP protocol, a few extra vehicles are always kept ready to ensure immediate replacement in case any vehicle becomes unusable or faces an accident. The arrangement aims to maintain uninterrupted transport support for cabinet members. The preparation reflects standard administrative practice for ensuring smooth logistical support during the formation of a new cabinet, as indicated by the Cabinet Division sources.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a protest rally and gathering in Dhaka today, citing dissatisfaction with the prevailing national situation and instability. The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the north gate of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, organized by the Dhaka Metropolitan South unit of the party. The announcement was confirmed by Abdus Sattar Suman, assistant publicity secretary of the unit. The protest comes amid uncertainty surrounding the oath-taking of newly elected members of the National Parliament. According to the report, Jamaat-e-Islami and an eleven-party alliance held a similar demonstration at the same location on Monday. The party’s latest call for protest reflects its continued opposition to the current political and social conditions. The timing of the demonstration, coinciding with parliamentary developments, indicates Jamaat’s intent to maintain pressure on political authorities during a period of national uncertainty.

Ehsanul Haque Milon, Member of Parliament for Chandpur-1 and former state minister for education, has been invited to take oath as a minister in the new BNP government. Milon confirmed the invitation to the media on Tuesday morning, and the cabinet swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for the afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament building. Earlier in the morning, at 10:40 a.m., newly elected BNP members of the 13th National Parliament 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 oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. Milon won the Chandpur-1 (Kachua) constituency under the BNP’s “sheaf of paddy” symbol. Following the BNP’s landslide victory in the 13th parliamentary election, party chairman Tarique Rahman is set to take oath as the new prime minister later in the day.

Bangladesh’s recently concluded 13th parliamentary election has drawn attention for the absence of post-election violence against religious minorities, a recurring issue since 1991. Reports indicate that no major incidents or propaganda campaigns targeting minorities have surfaced this time, marking a significant departure from previous elections. The BNP-led alliance achieved a landslide victory, while Jamaat-e-Islami emerged as a strong opposition force. In earlier elections, particularly under Sheikh Hasina’s rule, widespread attacks on minority homes, businesses, and temples were documented by rights groups. The 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections saw hundreds of violent incidents, including arson and assaults, often leaving minority communities in fear. Transparency International Bangladesh had warned before the latest election about potential risks of violence and religious influence, but those fears did not materialize. Analysts cited the absence of the Awami League as a key factor behind the peaceful outcome, suggesting that previous propaganda and political exploitation of minority issues were absent this time. The election’s calm conduct has been described as unprecedented in the country’s electoral history.