Police arrested former Gazipur City Corporation Ward 54 councillor Billal Hossain Molla, aged 45, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Sunday night while he was reportedly attempting to travel to Malaysia. He was later taken to the Gazipur Detective Branch (DB) office on Monday afternoon. Molla, a resident of Auchpara Mollabari in Tongi West, is the son of the late Momin Uddin Molla and had been a candidate for the presidency of Gazipur Metropolitan Jubo League. According to police, Molla is an accused in multiple cases related to the anti-discrimination student movement. Immigration police detained him at the airport’s departure area around 10:30 p.m. and informed Gazipur Metropolitan Police. Tongi West police subsequently took him into custody and, after completing legal formalities, handed him over to the Gazipur DB police. Gazipur Metropolitan Police (DB South) Officer-in-Charge Syed Mizanur Rahman confirmed that legal proceedings against Molla are underway. Authorities indicated that further legal action will follow as investigations continue into the cases filed against him.

Two teenage girls, Muslima Akter (12) and Sultana (16), have been missing for ten days in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj. Both families filed separate general diaries with Muksudpur Police Station after the girls disappeared on February 6. Muslima, from Paschim Laukhanda village under Nonikhir Union, and Sultana, from Ragdi Union, were students of Khadijatul Kobra Women’s Madrasa and close friends. According to family sources, Sultana called Muslima out of her home on February 6, saying they would go for a walk, but neither returned. Relatives confirmed that the girls have not visited any family members since then. The incident has cast a shadow of grief over the local community. Muksudpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdullah Al Mamun stated that general diaries have been filed and Assistant Sub-Inspector Khairul Islam is investigating the case. Legal procedures are ongoing.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s new government, formed under the leadership of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman. Turkish Under Secretary Beris Ekinci will also be present at the event, according to senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday afternoon. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where members of the new cabinet will be sworn in. Nearly 1,200 local and foreign guests are expected to attend. The BNP secured a decisive victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election held last Thursday, winning 209 seats on its own and 212 seats with allies. The party is set to form a government after nearly two decades. Foreign dignitaries from several South Asian countries, including Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, as well as representatives from the United Kingdom and other nations, have been invited by interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to join the ceremony.

Caretaker government Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus delivered a televised address to the nation on Monday, February 16, 2026, beginning at 9:15 p.m. The speech was broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar. The address is widely regarded as his farewell message to the nation, as a new government is set to take office the following day. According to the report, members elected to the 13th National Parliament are scheduled to take their oaths on Tuesday morning, February 17, 2026. Later that afternoon, ministers of the incoming government, led by Tarique Rahman, will also be sworn in. The transition marks the end of the interim administration headed by Yunus. The source notes that Yunus’s address referenced the significance of the recent election and the importance of implementing the July Charter to prevent the return of authoritarianism, underscoring the historical importance of the electoral process.

Two leaders of the Jubo Dal in Banaripara upazila, Barishal, have been expelled from the party for allegedly assaulting Bidhan Kabiraj, the organizational secretary of Bangladesh JASAD, over claims that he voted for Jamaat. The expulsion of Rafik Mallik, senior vice-president, and Maksudur Dalim, member secretary of the Baishari Union Jubo Dal, was announced in a press release signed by the party’s assistant office secretary Minhajul Islam Bhuiya on February 15, following a decision by the central executive committee. The statement cited violations of party discipline and actions contrary to the party’s ideals and unity. It also urged law enforcement agencies to take necessary legal action against the expelled leaders and instructed all Jubo Dal members to avoid organizational contact with them. The assault incident occurred last Friday at Kabiraj’s home in Baishari Bazar and was widely circulated through media reports and video footage. Following the attack, newly elected BNP MP S. Sarfuddin Ahmed Santu reportedly informed the central committee, prompting local Jubo Dal leaders to visit the injured JASAD leader. Both expelled leaders said they had seen the press release on social media but had not yet received official documents.

Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a standing committee member and key policymaker of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been elected as a Member of Parliament for the first time in his 60-year political career. He won the Dhaka-3 constituency in the 13th national election held on February 12, securing 98,785 votes under the BNP’s ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol. His closest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Shahinur Islam, received 82,232 votes. Born in 1951 in Mirzapur, Konda Union of Keraniganj, Roy began his political journey in 1966 at the age of 15 through progressive student politics. He was a member of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) in the 1970s and participated in the 1971 Liberation War. Joining the Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal in 1978, he served as its general secretary from 1987 to 2002 and is now a senior BNP policymaker. He previously served as a technocrat state minister for Environment and Forests and for Fisheries and Livestock from 1991 to 1996. Roy stated that he never sought party nominations and that his earlier defeats in 2008 and 2018 were due to alleged vote rigging. He emphasized that his goal has always been to be a good politician rather than to seek power.

A demand has been raised to posthumously confer the title of Field Marshal on General Ataul Gani (MAG) Osmani, the Commander-in-Chief of Bangladesh’s Liberation War. The call came on Monday during a discussion and prayer event held at the Helmet Hall of the RAOWA Club in Dhaka, marking Osmani’s 42nd death anniversary. The event was organized by the Retired Armed Forces Officers Welfare Association (RAOWA). Speakers at the event said Osmani was deprived of the honor he deserved, though the loss was the nation’s rather than his. They credited his leadership for maintaining unity among military and civilian forces during the war. BNP Standing Committee member Major (Retd.) Hafizuddin Ahmed Bir Bikrom, the chief guest, said Osmani’s recognition as Field Marshal would honor the nation itself. He urged the armed forces to formally request the defense minister or future prime minister Tarique Rahman to approve the title. Hafizuddin also commented on the politicization of history and praised the country’s armed forces for their discipline and role in ensuring a fair 13th parliamentary election held on February 12.

The Israeli government has approved the resumption of land registration in the West Bank, a move that has triggered strong criticism from Arab nations and rights groups. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the initiative aims to clarify land ownership and resolve legal disputes transparently, citing illegal registrations under the Palestinian Authority as justification. The registration will take place only in Area C, which covers about 60 percent of the West Bank and remains under Israeli security and administrative control. Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan denounced the decision as a violation of international law. Egypt described it as a dangerous step to consolidate Israeli control over occupied Palestinian territory, while Qatar warned it would undermine Palestinian rights by declaring land as “state property.” The Palestinian Authority called for international intervention, saying the move marks the beginning of annexation and weakens the foundation of a future Palestinian state. Israeli group Peace Now labeled the decision a “mega land grab.” Israeli media reported that this is the first time since the 1967 war that land registration will resume in the West Bank, where over 500,000 Israelis and about 3 million Palestinians currently live.

The British Museum has removed the term 'Palestine' from its ancient Middle East exhibition, triggering strong criticism from academics and rights activists. According to The Telegraph, the change followed a letter from the pro-Israel group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which argued that labeling the eastern Mediterranean coast as 'Palestine' and describing the Hyksos people as 'of Palestinian descent' obscured the history of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah. The museum replaced those labels with 'Canaan' and 'Canaanite descent'. A museum spokesperson said the decision was not made in response to any specific complaint, explaining that 'Palestine' was not a geographically accurate term for that period and that the museum uses United Nations terminology for modern maps. However, scholars speaking to Middle East Eye argued that 'ancient Palestine' is historically accurate for the region. Marcella Ward, a lecturer in Classical Studies at the Open University, said denying the term amounts to historical distortion. Advocacy groups also accused the museum of rewriting history and erasing Palestinian identity. The pro-Palestinian campaign group Energy Embargo for Palestine accused the museum of hypocrisy, alleging it collected Palestinian artifacts while now attempting to erase Palestine and its people from historical narratives.

In the 13th National Parliamentary Election, 17 out of 25 candidates in three constituencies of Madaripur lost their security deposits due to failing to secure the required number of votes. The results showed close contests among leading candidates, but most others could not gather significant voter support. In Madaripur-1, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish candidate Sayeed Uddin Ahmed Hanjala won with 64,909 votes, narrowly defeating BNP’s Nadira Akter, who received 64,528 votes. In Madaripur-2, BNP’s Jahandar Ali Mia won with 61,744 votes, while in Madaripur-3, BNP’s Anisur Rahman Khokon Talukdar secured victory with 96,188 votes. Voter turnout ranged from 44 to 56 percent across the three constituencies, with several thousand votes declared invalid. Analysis of the results indicated that despite competitive races among top contenders, a large portion of candidates failed to achieve the minimum vote threshold, resulting in a high rate of deposit forfeiture across the district.

Two candidates in the Bogura-3 (Adamdighi-Dupchanchia) constituency lost their security deposits in the parliamentary election held on February 12, 2026. According to the Upazila Election Office, under election rules, a candidate forfeits their deposit if they fail to secure one-eighth (12.5%) of the total votes cast. Out of 339,181 registered voters, 243,794 cast their ballots, with 4,198 votes declared invalid, resulting in a turnout of 73.10 percent. National Party candidate Shahinul Islam, who contested with the plough symbol, received 1,475 votes, while Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Shahjahan Ali Talukder, with the hand fan symbol, obtained 1,771 votes. Both failed to reach the required vote threshold. The election results show that BNP’s candidate Abdul Mohit Talukder, running with the sheaf of paddy symbol, won the seat with 127,406 votes. His closest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nur Mohammad Abu Taher, received 111,026 votes. The forfeiture of deposits underscores the wide vote gap between the leading candidates and the lower-performing contenders in the Bogura-3 race.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has announced special traffic arrangements for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, due to the oath-taking ceremonies of newly elected Members of Parliament at the National Parliament Building and newly formed cabinet members at the South Plaza. A large public gathering is expected in the area, prompting temporary traffic restrictions from Khejurbagan Crossing to Manik Mia Avenue and from July Memorial Museum (Ganabhaban Crossing) to Urojahaj Crossing along Lake Road. To minimize inconvenience, DMP’s traffic division has outlined several diversion routes. Vehicles from Mirpur Road toward Farmgate will be redirected via Defence Gap, China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center, and Bijoy Sarani Crossing. Similar diversions apply for traffic from Dhanmondi, Asad Gate, Indira Road, and the Elevated Expressway. Drivers are advised to avoid Manik Mia Avenue and Lake Road between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. DMP has requested full cooperation from city residents to ensure smooth traffic flow during the ceremonies and advised using alternative routes to avoid congestion.

Two people were killed in separate road accidents in Dhaka’s Shyampur and Mugda areas late on Monday, February 15. Police said Abdur Rahim, 46, was hit by an unidentified truck while crossing the road near Postogola Bridge in Shyampur. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he died around 2:45 a.m. His body was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy. In another incident the same evening, Nayon Moni, 46, a garment worker, died after being struck by her staff bus in front of Mugda Hospital. Her husband said she had just stepped off the bus and was crossing the road when the accident occurred. Police recovered the body and sent it for autopsy at Dhaka Medical College morgue. The driver and the bus involved were later detained. Both victims were from outside Dhaka—Rahim from Sirajganj and Nayon Moni from Shariatpur. Their families have since received the bodies after post-mortem examinations.

In the 13th National Parliamentary Election, deposits of 35 out of 48 candidates in six constituencies of Noakhali district were forfeited for failing to secure one-eighth of the total votes cast. The results were confirmed by the district returning officer and Noakhali Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shafiqul Islam after voting took place peacefully on February 12, 2026. According to the district election office, deposits were forfeited by five candidates in Noakhali-1, two in Noakhali-2, five in Noakhali-3, five in Noakhali-4, ten in Noakhali-5, and eight in Noakhali-6. In these constituencies, BNP candidates won in five seats, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) secured victory in one. The forfeited candidates represented parties such as Islami Andolan, Jatiya Party, JSD, and others, as well as several independents. The official results were announced on the night of the election day, with the election office confirming that the process was conducted in a fair and orderly environment across all polling centers.

The Taliban government has introduced sweeping reforms in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market to improve drug quality and boost domestic production. The move follows a November announcement to end long-standing dependence on medicine imports from Pakistan after deadly border clashes. Importers were given three months to find alternative legal sources, but traders report major challenges in ending old contracts and completing customs procedures. Pharmacists in Kabul say prices of several medicines have risen while some drugs are unavailable, causing hardship for patients. Transport costs have surged by up to 30 percent as imports shift to routes through Iran and other countries. The Health Ministry cites counterfeit Pakistani medicines as a key reason for the reform and says new supply links are being built with Iran, India, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Turkey, China, and Belarus. Local firms now produce about 600 types of medicines, including antibiotics. Experts caution that Afghanistan remains dependent on imported raw materials and faces high energy costs and limited infrastructure, making full self-sufficiency unrealistic in the short term. Doctors warn that the transition is complicating treatment and delaying patient care.