Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate Sansila Zebrin Priyanka has demanded the cancellation of the Sherpur-1 (Sadar) constituency result and called for a re-election. She made the demand at a press conference held on Thursday at the Sagar-Runi auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity. In the thirteenth parliamentary election, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Hafez Md Rashedul Islam was declared the winner in the constituency. Priyanka alleged that many result sheets lacked polling agents’ names, signatures, and national identity numbers, and in some cases, presiding officers’ seals were missing. She claimed that presiding officers themselves filled in polling agents’ names and signatures, and overwriting was used to replace names. She also accused local officials, including the returning officer and assistant returning officer, of accepting incomplete documents and failing to act on repeated complaints. Priyanka further alleged post-election violence against polling agents who tried to present evidence of irregularities. She urged the Election Commission to conduct a transparent and impartial investigation into the allegations and take legal action. Priyanka also claimed that slow voting and interference by Jamaat supporters disrupted polling in areas where her support base was strong.

A high-level Turkish delegation led by Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, arrived in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday for a one-day visit to observe the current situation of Rohingya refugees who fled from Myanmar. The 11-member team includes former German World Cup-winning footballer Mesut Ozil. They were received at Cox’s Bazar airport by local officials before visiting the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s office and meeting with government representatives and Turkish aid organizations working in the camps. During a brief press briefing, Bilal Erdogan emphasized the need for continued international efforts to ensure the safe and dignified repatriation of Rohingya people to their homeland. He noted that Turkey has been actively involved in humanitarian assistance since the beginning of the 2017 Rohingya crisis and expressed gratitude to the government and people of Bangladesh for their support. The delegation later visited the Balukhali Camp No. 9 in Ukhiya, inspected Turkish-run facilities, and planned to join a charity football match and iftar with Rohingya refugees before returning to Dhaka at night.

A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of abusing power and leading a plan to impose military rule in December 2024. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, according to The Japan Times. Under South Korean law, the maximum punishment for masterminding a rebellion is either death or life imprisonment. The country last issued a death sentence in 2016 but has not carried out any executions since 1997. The 65-year-old former president received the sentence for his failed attempt to declare military rule. Yoon is expected to appeal the verdict, and any decision by the appellate court could later be challenged in the Supreme Court. He is already serving a sentence for issuing an order to impose military rule, while two other cases against him remain pending. Hundreds of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the courthouse during the verdict announcement, with the crowd reportedly larger than during a previous ruling last month.

An oil-carrying train derailed early Thursday, February 19, 2026, at Amnura in Chapainawabganj while en route from Khulna to the Amnura Power Plant. Following the incident, a relief train from Ishwardi arrived at the site around 10 a.m. but also derailed shortly after beginning rescue operations, causing further complications. According to Amnura Railway Station Master Hasibul Islam, the relief train was later recovered through the efforts of railway officials. He confirmed that the rescue work for the derailed oil train is still ongoing. The double derailment has suspended rail communication between Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj and disrupted several train schedules. Railway authorities are repairing the damaged track and working to remove the derailed train. Normal train operations on the route are expected to resume once repairs are completed. Passengers have experienced travel difficulties since the morning due to the sudden disruption.

Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has inaugurated the country’s first Election Lab, dedicated solely to election-based research. The initiative, led by the Department of Political Studies, was formally launched on February 19, 2026, at the Social Science Building by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury. The lab aims to conduct systematic and empirical studies on elections, voting behavior, and electoral processes. The Vice-Chancellor expressed hope that the lab would help improve future elections through data collection and analysis. The inauguration ceremony was attended by university officials, including Treasurer Professor Dr. Md. Ismail Hossain and department faculty members. Election Lab Director Professor Dr. Md. Shahabul Haque stated that the lab seeks to produce reliable research outcomes through scientific analysis of election-related data and to strengthen democratic practices. Following the launch, a seminar titled “Analysis of the 13th National Parliamentary Election Results” was held, where teachers and students discussed voting trends, political significance, and overall impacts. The lab was approved on February 1, 2026, to unify prior departmental research on electoral surveys and candidate data. It is supported by the development and civic organization Impact Initiative.

The Government of Bangladesh has decided to award the Ekushey Padak 2026 to nine distinguished individuals and one organization for their significant contributions in various fields. The announcement was made on Thursday, February 19, through a press release issued by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs’ event division. The honorees include Farida Akhtar Bobita for acting, Professor Dr. Md. Abdus Sattar for fine arts, Marina Tabassum for architecture, Ayub Bachchu (posthumously) for music, Orthy Ahmed for dance, Islam Uddin Palakar for folk performance, Shafik Rehman for journalism, Professor Dr. Mahbubul Alam Majumdar for education, and Tejas Halder Jos for sculpture. The band Warfaze will also receive the award in the music category. The Ekushey Padak, instituted in 1976, is Bangladesh’s second-highest civilian honor, recognizing exceptional contributions by individuals and institutions in fields such as language, literature, arts, education, research, journalism, economics, and social service.

Philippine Vice President and newly declared presidential candidate Sara Duterte has been hit with a fourth impeachment complaint, according to documents obtained by AFP on Thursday. The complaint, filed Wednesday just hours after she announced her 2028 presidential bid, accuses Duterte of misusing public funds and improperly handling undeclared assets. Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was impeached by the House of Representatives last year, but the Supreme Court dismissed that case due to procedural errors. Under the Philippine constitution, if the impeachment is accepted, the Senate will begin a trial. A conviction would disqualify Duterte from politics and end her presidential ambitions. Lawmaker Paolo Ortega of La Union province, one of two supporters of the complaint, said the issue concerns constitutional accountability and undisclosed wealth. Another supporter, Leila de Lima, described the new filing as an improved version of the case dismissed last year. Analysts cited in the report said Duterte’s 2028 candidacy aims to unify her allies and strengthen her faction’s chances of returning to power.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claimed during a parliamentary discussion on Tuesday that Palestinians kill each other and that the Israeli government bears no responsibility. His remarks, reported by Middle East Eye, triggered widespread anger and condemnation. The debate arose as Palestinian lawmakers, including Iman Khatib-Yassin, argued that Smotrich’s proposed 1.5 percent property tax on vacant land would harm Palestinians, who own property but are not permitted to develop it. The lawmakers accused the government of failing to curb rising violence within Palestinian communities. In response, Smotrich said the government could not be blamed for killings among Palestinians and urged education and condemnation of terrorism, calling for Hamas to be defined as a terrorist organization. His comments were denounced as hateful and racist by opponents. According to the human rights group Abraham Initiatives, 51 Palestinians have been killed in Israel so far this year, following 252 killings in 2025 across 218 incidents—a record figure nearly four times higher than the previous decade’s average.

Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, central general secretary of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, has called for financial assistance to organize iftar events at mosques, madrasas, and orphanages in Babuganj and Muladi upazilas of Barishal. He made the appeal on February 18 through a video message posted on his Facebook page, emphasizing the need for prayers and financial cooperation to ensure smooth iftar arrangements during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. Fuad stated that his constituency, Barishal-3, includes more than 600 mosques, madrasas, and orphanages where iftar is regularly arranged every Ramadan. He noted that providing for these institutions, many located in remote and river-surrounded areas, often becomes difficult. Therefore, he urged affluent individuals and expatriates to come forward with support. In his message, Fuad also referenced the ongoing process of building a new Bangladesh following the 2024 mass uprising. He called for unity in creating a humane and just society inspired by the sacrifices of martyrs and encouraged participation in social and cultural initiatives promoting justice and freedom.

A new study published in The Lancet Global Health has confirmed that more than 75,000 people were killed in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks. The report, titled “Gaza Mortality Survey,” found that between October 7, 2023, and January 5, 2025, a total of 75,200 violent deaths occurred, representing about 3.4 percent of Gaza’s pre-war population of 2.2 million. The findings indicate that the death toll has exceeded earlier official statistics. The study also supports the Gaza Health Ministry’s data, suggesting that its figures were not exaggerated. As of February 16, the ministry reported at least 72,063 deaths since the war began, including 603 deaths after a ceasefire was declared on October 10, 2025. Israel has repeatedly questioned the ministry’s numbers, but an Israeli military officer reportedly acknowledged in January that around 70,000 people had been killed during the conflict. The Lancet’s confirmation of the scale of casualties underscores the devastating human cost of the prolonged conflict and may influence future assessments of humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Gaza.

The Road Safety Foundation reported that 487 people were killed and 1,194 injured in 559 road accidents across Bangladesh in January 2026. The organization also recorded six deaths and seven injuries in four waterway accidents, and 32 deaths with 17 injuries in 41 railway accidents. The data was released on Thursday morning through a press statement. According to the foundation, motorcycle accidents were the most frequent, accounting for 208 incidents and 196 deaths, representing 40.24 percent of total fatalities. Regionally, Dhaka Division saw the highest number of accidents, with 143 incidents causing 119 deaths, or 25.58 percent of total accidents and 24.43 percent of deaths. Sylhet Division recorded the fewest, with 24 accidents and 18 deaths, representing 4.29 percent of total accidents and 3.59 percent of fatalities. The report was compiled using information from nine national dailies, seven online news portals, various electronic media, and the foundation’s own data sources.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad is prepared to launch new attacks in Afghanistan if Kabul fails to provide credible assurances of peace. Speaking to France 24 on Wednesday, Asif said that despite efforts by several allied countries to mediate between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid rising tensions, those attempts have not produced results. The warning follows an unprovoked terrorist attack from Afghan territory on a Pakistani border post in October last year, which led to subsequent clashes along the border. Asif accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to act against terrorist groups despite multiple rounds of talks. He also alleged that India, Kabul, and militant organizations share a common stance and blamed New Delhi for waging a “proxy war” against Pakistan through militant attacks. Asif further stated that since the May 2025 war between India and Pakistan, there has been no direct or indirect contact between the two countries. He dismissed the possibility of establishing diplomatic ties with Israel, saying such a move could only be considered if an independent homeland for Palestinians is ensured. Asif added that Pakistan is ready to contribute to Trump’s international peace force if conditions become favorable.

Israel has announced that 10,000 Palestinian worshippers will be permitted to attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan. The announcement came on Wednesday, February 18, following the start of Ramadan, according to Arab News. The approval applies specifically to weekly Friday prayers at the site. The Israeli defense ministry’s agency for civilian affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, COGAT, stated that entry will be allowed only under certain restrictions. Men aged 55 and above, women aged 50 and above, and children up to 12 years old accompanied by a first-degree relative will be eligible. Each worshipper must also obtain a separate permit for every Friday throughout Ramadan. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, is located in East Jerusalem, a territory occupied and annexed by Israel in 1967, a move not recognized internationally. Normally, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians attend prayers there during Ramadan.

Prime Minister Tarek Rahman held an inter-ministerial meeting at the Cabinet Division in Dhaka on Thursday to finalize the implementation plan for the government’s proposed Family Card distribution program. The meeting began around 11:30 a.m. at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat, marking his second day in office. Earlier in the morning, he met separately with the directors general of the NSI and DGFI, as well as the chiefs of the three armed forces. According to the Prime Minister’s schedule, the Family Card meeting was part of a series of official engagements aimed at launching new national initiatives. Later in the day, at 2:00 p.m., another inter-ministerial meeting was scheduled to discuss a five-year plan to plant 2.5 billion trees and to undertake dredging and re-excavation of rivers, canals, and water bodies across the country. The meetings reflect the new administration’s focus on social welfare and environmental restoration programs, as outlined in its early policy agenda.

Six police officers were injured when a group of locals attacked them during an arrest operation in Rasulpur area of Satgram Union, Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj. The incident occurred late Wednesday night as police attempted to arrest Asma Begum, 45, a woman wanted in a CR case. Five people, including three women, were detained following the attack, according to police. Police sources said officers from Araihazar Police Station launched the operation around 1 a.m. to apprehend Asma Begum, wife of Julhas Mia. Family members and some locals obstructed the officers, leading to an altercation that escalated into physical assault. The injured officers—SI Ajit, ASI Arif, ASI Faruk, ASI Sharif, ASI Saiful, and ASI Nizam—received primary medical treatment. Investigating officer Ripon Kumar Sarkar stated that Asma pretended to be ill after her arrest, prompting relatives and neighbors to surround the police for about an hour until reinforcements arrived. The suspect was later taken away by her relatives, who claimed she was hospitalized in Madhabdi. Police have filed a case and are continuing efforts to identify and arrest others involved.