The Taliban government of Afghanistan has called on Pakistan to engage in dialogue to resolve ongoing tensions between the two countries. The appeal came after Pakistan publicly declared war against Afghanistan. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Afghanistan has always sought to resolve issues through discussion and remains committed to a peaceful solution. Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October, cross-border attacks resumed on Thursday night, escalating into heavy exchanges between the neighboring nations. Pakistan accused Afghanistan of opening fire along the border. According to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson, Musharraf Zaidi, Pakistan’s operations have killed 297 Afghan personnel and injured more than 450, destroying 89 military posts and 135 armored vehicles across 29 locations. In response, an Afghan Taliban spokesperson claimed that their forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and damaged 19 Pakistani military posts. The situation marks a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries, with both sides reporting significant losses.

From midnight tonight, all fishing activities will be suspended for two months in six rivers, including the Padma and Meghna in Chandpur, to protect hilsa fry and other fish species. The government will provide each of the 9,100 registered fishermen in Matlab North upazila with 160 kilograms of rice in four installments during the ban period. Violators may face one to two years in prison, a fine of up to 5,000 taka, or both. The fishing ban, enforced every March and April since 2006, aims to increase hilsa production and ensure safe movement of juvenile fish. During this period, fishing, buying, selling, storing, and transporting fish are strictly prohibited across 30 kilometers from Shatnol to Amirabad Bazar and 70 kilometers up to Charbhairabi in Haimchar. Joint operations will be conducted by the local administration, fisheries department, naval police, coast guard, and navy. Officials and researchers emphasized that administrative enforcement alone is insufficient for long-term sustainability unless fishermen’s financial security is ensured. Awareness campaigns and strict monitoring will continue throughout the ban period.

Afghanistan carried out attacks on several Pakistani army camps on Friday, according to the Afghan Ministry of Defense. The strikes took place around 11 a.m. local time and targeted multiple military sites inside Pakistan. The ministry reported that drone strikes were conducted on a military camp near Islamabad’s Faizabad, a headquarters in Nowshera, and additional locations in Jamrud and Abbottabad. The operation was described as successfully executed. Afghan Army Chief Fasihuddin Fitrat stated that any attack from Pakistan would face a strong response. He pledged to safeguard Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and warned that if further attacks occur, major Pakistani cities, including Islamabad, would be targeted. Fitrat assured the Afghan people that all acts of aggression would be answered. Reports citing sources indicated that tanks and both light and heavy weapons have been prepared for any potential conflict between the two neighboring countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that the United States will not intervene in the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He made the remarks when asked about the possibility of Washington mediating or taking part in efforts to end the hostilities. Trump emphasized that he maintains a very good relationship with Pakistan, describing its prime minister and military chief as individuals he respects. According to a spokesperson for Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s military operations have resulted in the deaths of 297 Afghan soldiers. The spokesperson also reported that 89 Afghan military posts and 135 tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed in attacks carried out across 29 locations in Afghanistan. Several countries have called on both Pakistan and Afghanistan to end the conflict, though no details were provided about specific diplomatic initiatives or responses from either side.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, declined to use a government protocol car during his first visit to Sylhet in this capacity. The incident occurred on Friday, January 27, at Sylhet MAG Osmani Airport, where a government vehicle and an assistant commissioner had been waiting to receive him. Upon arrival from Dhaka, Rahman returned the car, saying he would use it only after February 12, when the parliamentary session begins. During the day, Rahman attended three events in Sylhet. He addressed the closing session of a Jamaat-organized training camp, offered Friday prayers at Kudratullah Mosque, and spoke to journalists. Commenting on the new cabinet, he criticized what he called irresponsible remarks by government ministers, saying such behavior could destabilize society. He declined to comment on the issue of the president’s impeachment, noting that discussions were still ongoing. In the evening, Rahman joined iftar gatherings at the Sylhet Press Club and Aman Ullah Convention Center, where other political figures were also present.

The United States has expressed support for Pakistan’s right to self-defense against attacks by the Taliban. In a statement issued on Friday, the U.S. State Department said it recognizes Pakistan’s right to defend itself from Taliban aggression. A spokesperson confirmed the position in an emailed statement, while U.S. diplomat Allison Hooker stated on X that she had spoken with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aamna Baloch regarding the situation. Washington also conveyed sympathy over the ongoing clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Amid the escalating conflict, Iran urged both neighboring countries to exercise restraint. In a statement released on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to respect each other’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty. Tehran also advised both sides to avoid actions that could further increase regional tension and conflict. The statements from Washington and Tehran highlight growing international concern over the deteriorating security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and its potential impact on regional stability.

Farmers in Nakla upazila of Sherpur have become distressed due to an artificial shortage of DAP fertilizer and sales at prices higher than the government-fixed rate. Despite normal supply, several BADC and BCIC-approved dealers allegedly bypassed buffer warehouses and unloaded fertilizers directly into their own storage facilities. Reports suggest that some warehouse officials colluded with dealers to reduce transport costs and share profits from the irregularities. Local sources said that Nakla has 10 BCIC-approved and 70 BADC-approved fertilizer dealers. On Sunday morning, locals and journalists intercepted two dealers storing fertilizers illegally, leading to the seizure of about 49 tons of urea by agricultural officials and police. Farmers complained that DAP fertilizer, officially priced at Tk 1,050, was being sold for Tk 1,400, while other fertilizers were also overpriced. Dealers were accused of creating an artificial shortage to raise prices. Sherpur’s deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension stated there was no real shortage of DAP fertilizer and that delays in imported fertilizer transport might cause temporary issues. He added that allegations of overpricing were under investigation and action would be taken if proven.

The Teesta Barrage Irrigation Project in Dalia, Nilphamari, built to boost northern Bangladesh’s agricultural economy, has become nearly waterless. Despite extensive canals, sluice gates, and control structures built at a cost of thousands of crores of taka, the project is now ineffective due to insufficient water flow in the Teesta River. Field visits revealed that the riverbed has turned into sandbanks, with dry season flows dropping to as low as 500 cusecs at Dalia, compared to over 200,000 cusecs during monsoon. Officials attribute the crisis to heavy upstream water withdrawal through India’s Gajoldoba Barrage. The project covers 766 kilometers of canals across 12 upazilas in Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Dinajpur, with 95 percent of expansion work reportedly completed. However, water has yet to reach most canals, leaving them dry. Farmers say they now rely on shallow machines and diesel pumps, doubling irrigation costs to 2,000–2,500 taka per bigha, compared to 200–300 taka if river water were available. Experts and river activists stress that infrastructure alone cannot revive the project without fair transboundary water sharing and long-term reservoir planning to store monsoon water.

A major fire broke out on Friday night, February 27, 2026, in the Munshirhat market area of Chandpur, where three parked Jainpuri Express buses were engulfed in flames. According to local sources and the Matlab South Fire Service, one bus was completely destroyed while two others were partially burned. The fire started suddenly in one of the parked buses and quickly spread to the adjacent vehicles. Fire Service Station Officer Md. Mehedi Hasan Tuhin confirmed that two units from Matlab South Fire Service responded promptly and managed to bring the blaze under control within about 30 minutes. Fortunately, no passengers, drivers, or assistants were present in the buses at the time, preventing any casualties. Authorities have begun investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the extent of the damage, though the source of ignition remains unknown.

The East India Company, once the foundation of British colonial rule in India, has permanently closed after declaring bankruptcy. The company, which had been revived in London as a luxury goods brand, failed to overcome financial difficulties and ceased operations. Reports indicate that in October 2025, a liquidator was appointed, and the company owed more than £600,000 to its parent entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, along with significant tax and employee liabilities. Its Mayfair store and website have since been closed. The company, originally founded in 1600 under a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I, had dominated trade across India and Asia before being dissolved by the British Parliament in 1874. Indian entrepreneur Sanjiv Mehta had purchased the rights to the company’s name in 2010, relaunching it as a retailer of premium tea, chocolate, and spices. The revival had drawn global attention as a symbolic reversal of colonial history. The closure marks the end of a modern chapter for a name long associated with both global trade innovation and colonial exploitation.

Police have arrested Nurul Islam, known as Nura, the prime suspect in the widely discussed rape and murder case of a teenage girl in Narsingdi. The arrest took place on Friday night around 9 p.m. during a police operation in the Maona area of Sreepur upazila, Gazipur. Narsingdi Superintendent of Police Abdullah-Al Faruq confirmed the arrest. Another suspect, Hazarat Ali, was detained the same night in Gauripur, Mymensingh. So far, seven of the nine accused have been apprehended. According to the case details, the teenage victim was abducted by a group of young men in front of her father after she sought justice for a previous rape incident. Her body was recovered the next morning from a mustard field between Bilpara and Dorikandi areas in Narsingdi Sadar upazila. The victim’s mother filed a case at Madhabdi Police Station naming nine individuals, including Nura, as accused. Police stated that operations are continuing to arrest the remaining suspects linked to the case.

An article by Dr. Mohammad Abdul Majid, published on 28 February 2026 in Amar Desh, examines the final phase of India’s partition in 1947. It describes how, by mid-July 1947, the British withdrawal from India had accelerated, leading to rushed administrative decisions and secretive boundary demarcations. The Indian Independence Act, passed on 18 July 1947, legally ended British rule and created the dominions of India and Pakistan. The Radcliffe Commission, working under extreme time pressure, drew the borders of Punjab and Bengal without prior disclosure to political leaders, fueling uncertainty and violence. The article highlights how political bargaining, communal divisions, and British haste shaped the subcontinent’s fate. It references Alex Von Tunzelmann’s book “Indian Summer,” which explores the classified background of partition decisions, including negotiations over Chittagong’s inclusion in Pakistan. The narrative details disputes among Congress, the Muslim League, and British officials, showing how strategic decisions left East Bengal economically and politically vulnerable. The analysis concludes that the rushed and secretive process of partition sowed long-lasting instability across South Asia, with consequences still visible in regional politics and identity conflicts.

Iran has called on neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan to exercise restraint amid ongoing hostilities between the two countries. In a statement issued on Friday, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged both sides to respect each other’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty. The ministry also advised against any actions that could further escalate regional tensions or conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in a post on social media platform X that Tehran is ready to provide any necessary assistance to advance dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He added that Iran seeks to play a role in promoting understanding and cooperation between the two nations. The appeal comes as regional tensions remain high, with Iran positioning itself as a potential mediator to prevent further instability along its eastern borders.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire to end the ongoing violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan. His spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said on Friday that the Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the rising hostilities between the two neighboring countries, emphasizing that the conflict is directly affecting civilians. According to the statement, Guterres stressed the urgent need to implement a ceasefire and to resolve differences through diplomatic dialogue. The appeal comes as tensions continue to escalate, with reports of cross-border violence impacting communities along the frontier. The UN chief’s call highlights the organization’s concern over regional stability and humanitarian consequences, urging both sides to prioritize peace and civilian protection.

Professor Mujibur Rahman MP, Naib-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated that the government and opposition parties are not enemies but should act as partners in national development. He emphasized that when the ruling party makes mistakes, the opposition should point them out so the government can correct them, which would strengthen democracy. He warned that without political stability, the country’s development would be hindered. He made these remarks on Friday at the Engineers Institution auditorium in Dhaka during a discussion and iftar event titled “Significance of Ramadan,” organized by the Forum of Engineers and Architects, Bangladesh (FEAB) Dhaka South. Mujibur Rahman also highlighted the vital role of engineers in building the nation, saying that if they remain truthful and God-fearing, corruption and bribery would decline significantly. The event was presided over by Engineer Md. Moniruzzaman, with several political and professional figures attending, including Dr. M. Shafiqul Islam Masud MP and Engineer Golam Mostafa.