Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin Ahmed will administer the oath to the newly elected members of parliament, as both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are absent. According to Article 158(2)(b) of the Constitution, the CEC is authorized to conduct the oath-taking ceremony in such circumstances. On Monday, Parliament Secretariat Secretary Kaniz Mowla visited the CEC’s residence with the formal invitation letter for the event, a responsible official from the Secretariat confirmed. The 13th parliamentary election was held on February 12, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured an absolute majority by winning 212 seats. The oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MPs is scheduled for Tuesday. Following the swearing-in, the formal process of forming a new government is expected to be completed soon. The developments mark the transition toward a new parliamentary session and government formation following the BNP’s decisive electoral victory.

The Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) has extended congratulations to all newly elected members of the 13th National Parliament. The message was conveyed during a board meeting held on Monday at a hotel in Dhaka, where the association also congratulated ten members from the housing sector who were elected as MPs. REHAB described their election as a significant milestone for the industry. During the meeting, the board noted that increased representation of the housing sector in Parliament could help address long-standing policy challenges, including tax reforms, urban planning, Detailed Area Plan (DAP) implementation, utility connections, and approval complexities. REHAB President Md. Wahiduzzaman said the election of ten members from the association marks both personal success and a strong foundation for the national housing industry, which contributes notably to employment, construction growth, and revenue. The president also congratulated the incoming government expected to form in two days, as well as the opposition. The meeting concluded with wishes for the MPs’ good health and effective roles in national development.

Leaders of the Dhaka North and South units of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) exchanged floral greetings with Tarique Rahman on Monday at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The event was held to formally congratulate him on being elected as a Member of Parliament from Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies. Present at the meeting were Rafiqul Alam Majnu, convener of Dhaka South BNP and newly elected MP from Feni-1, member secretary Tanvir Hasan Robin, and Aminul Haque, convener of Dhaka North BNP, along with other party leaders and activists. They congratulated Rahman for his electoral success and expressed commitment to continue working together to fulfill public expectations. During the exchange, Tarique Rahman thanked the leaders and activists for their support and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to strengthen party unity. He urged all members to play an active role in upholding democracy, development, and citizens’ rights across the country.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has invited Hefazat-e-Islam’s Amir Allama Muhibullah Babunagari to attend the new government’s oath-taking ceremony as a guest. The invitation was extended over the phone on Monday afternoon, February 16, 2026. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon, February 17, 2026, at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. According to the report, Tarique Rahman, who led the BNP to victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, is also set to meet Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, known as Pir Saheb Chormonai, on Monday evening. The invitation to religious leaders highlights the inclusion of key Islamic figures in the upcoming state event. The oath ceremony is described as a historic occasion, expected to mark the formal beginning of the new government’s tenure following the recent election.

A joint operation by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) rescued 15 people, including women, men, and children, who were being held for trafficking to Malaysia. The operation took place on Sunday, 15 February 2026, at Baharchhara in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq confirmed the rescue on Monday, stating that the victims were confined in a warehouse owned by alleged trafficker Md. Abdul Ali. According to intelligence sources, several organized trafficking groups had been luring Bangladeshi and Rohingya citizens from different parts of the country with promises of better living conditions, high-paying jobs, and low-cost travel abroad. They planned to smuggle the victims to Malaysia by sea. During the raid, the traffickers fled before security forces could detain them. The rescued individuals were later handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station for legal procedures. The Coast Guard stated that similar operations will continue to prevent human trafficking in the region.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman stated that no elements of 'election engineering' were observed in the country’s 13th parliamentary election. Speaking at a press conference at TIB’s Dhanmondi office in Dhaka, he said the election was largely acceptable, fair, neutral, and participatory. The event was organized to release TIB’s report titled 'Observation on the 13th National Election Process and Affidavit-Based Analysis.' The report, based on a representative random sample of 70 out of 300 constituencies, found that 99 percent of candidates violated at least one of 58 electoral codes of conduct. It also documented incidents such as attacks on independent female candidates, intimidation outside polling centers, expulsion of polling agents, voter harassment, proxy voting, and vote buying. Additionally, 21.4 percent of the sampled constituencies recorded at least one instance of ballot fraud. TIB’s findings further noted post-election violence, including 45 clashes between rival political groups, 34 cases of intimidation, and 18 attacks on homes or offices. The report concluded that while early signs suggested healthy competition, political violence and unhealthy rivalry increased during and after the election.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has resigned from the Bogura-6 parliamentary seat. On Monday, February 16, 2026, he submitted his resignation in writing. Rahman had contested and won in both the Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies during the 13th National Parliamentary Election. According to election law, a candidate elected from multiple constituencies can retain only one seat. In compliance with this rule, Tarique Rahman chose to vacate the Bogura-6 seat and decided to take oath as a Member of Parliament from Dhaka-17. The decision formally confirms his representation of the Dhaka-17 constituency in the new parliament. The resignation opens the Bogura-6 seat for a future by-election, as required by electoral procedures, though no schedule has yet been announced in the report.

The Jubo Dal has expelled Imam Hossain Pobi, member secretary of the Sonagazi upazila unit in Feni, for alleged involvement in activities contrary to the party’s policies, ideals, and organizational unity. The decision, which includes termination of his primary membership, was confirmed on Monday through an official statement by Minhazul Islam Bhuiyan, assistant office secretary of the central Jubo Dal. The expulsion was approved and implemented by the organization’s central executive committee president Abdul Monayem Munna and general secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Noyon. According to the statement, the organization will not bear any responsibility for any misconduct committed by the expelled leader. It also instructed all party members and activists to refrain from maintaining any organizational contact with him. The announcement underscores the Jubo Dal’s emphasis on maintaining internal discipline and adherence to party principles within its local units.

Mark Bonwick, 62, who served as Arsenal’s kitman for 22 years, claims he was dismissed after criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza. He said he was fired following a December 2024 social media post condemning Israel’s military operations. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Bonwick stated that his remarks were political expressions, not hate speech or discrimination. He is now pursuing legal action against the club, with mediation expected in June and the process possibly extending to 2028. Bonwick argued that his comments were part of a broader call to speak out against injustice, comparing them to global discussions on apartheid in South Africa and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He accused the media of emphasizing antisemitism allegations instead of the political context of his statements. Bonwick insisted there was no antisemitic content in his post and noted that neither police nor the Football Association had contacted him. He cited the case of Bristol University academic David Miller, arguing that the same standards of free political expression should apply to everyone, regardless of profession.

In Sunamganj’s Dharampasha upazila, a woman named Joybanu Akter, aged 60, lodged a written complaint on Sunday afternoon with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) against her 30-year-old son, Md. Wasim, accusing him of physical assault and issuing death threats. The incident occurred in Baulam village under Paikurati Union. According to the complaint and local residents, Wasim, who has long been addicted to drugs, demanded Tk 10,000 from his mother over the past two weeks. When she refused, he allegedly beat his mother, elder brother, and sister-in-law, and vandalized household items last Friday night. Joybanu stated that her son has been using various drugs, including alcohol and cannabis, and has identified himself as a hijra for the past three years. She expressed fear for her family’s safety and sought justice through the UNO. UNO Jony Roy confirmed receiving the complaint and forwarded it to the officer-in-charge of Dharampasha Police Station for legal action. Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahid Ullah said the matter would be investigated and appropriate legal steps taken. Authorities indicated that if Wasim is indeed addicted, his family should arrange medical treatment alongside legal proceedings.

Abdul Mannan Matubbar, a member of the Boalmari Thana Awami League, was arrested by a joint force on Tuesday afternoon in front of the Boalmari Upazila Health Complex in Faridpur. He had formally joined the BNP on February 14 at the party’s temporary office after leaving the Awami League. Within days of his defection, allegations emerged that he instigated attacks and vandalism in his locality. According to the report, on February 14, about a hundred people led by new BNP leaders allegedly loyal to Mannan attacked several homes in Parameshwardi Charpara village, damaging properties and injuring residents. Locals claimed that during the Awami League government, Mannan controlled the Moyendia market and collected monthly payments from traders. They alleged he returned to the area to regain influence ahead of the upcoming national election. Boalmari police said Mannan was detained in connection with both the recent violence and older cases. The Faridpur assistant superintendent of police confirmed that clashes between rival groups caused the unrest and that legal proceedings are underway against all involved.

A national referendum held on February 12 alongside Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election approved the July National Charter for constitutional reform, with over 60 percent of votes cast in favor. Out of 127.7 million registered voters, 77.7 million participated, with more than 48 million voting 'yes' and over 22.5 million voting 'no'. The result formally clears constitutional barriers to implementing the reform package. Under the July National Charter Implementation Order 2025, newly elected members of parliament will serve as members of the Constitutional Reform Council, tasked with enacting the proposals within 180 working days of the first parliamentary session. The referendum included 84 proposals, 47 of which were constitutional. Despite broad political consensus on many points, the BNP opposed several provisions. Analysts note that, given the BNP’s two-thirds majority in parliament, proposals marked by their dissent may not be implemented. Key proposals include limiting a prime minister’s tenure to ten years, reducing prime ministerial powers, expanding presidential authority in some areas, and introducing a bicameral legislature. However, disputes over the structure of the upper house and other provisions suggest continued political and constitutional debate.

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.