Barrister Jaima Rahman, daughter of BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, hosted an informal ‘tea chat’ with around 55 young men and women on Monday at the Banani DOHS playground in Dhaka. The event aimed to hear the thoughts, expectations, and dreams of youth regarding the country’s future. Jaima Rahman spoke directly with participants, listening to their ideas and sharing her own perspectives and experiences. During the discussion, she emphasized issues such as women’s empowerment, workplace safety for women, entrepreneurship development, investment-friendly environments, traffic congestion in major cities including Dhaka, and the prospects and challenges of future employment. The event was designed as a fair-like, interactive experience rather than a traditional meeting or speech. In the final part of the gathering, Jaima Rahman walked and conversed with participants instead of delivering a formal address. She also shared tea, chotpoti, jilapi, and jhalmuri with the attendees, which organizers said made the event more lively and engaging.

Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Gazipur, and Indonesia’s Politeknik Perkapalan Negeri Surabaya (PPNS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on February 1 at DUET’s conference room. The agreement aims to expand cooperation in education, research, and community service to advance human resource science and engineering technology. DUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Zainal Abedin and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Arefin Kawsar were present at the signing ceremony. According to the university, the MoU marks a milestone in knowledge exchange and technological collaboration between the two institutions. It includes provisions for joint research, publications, international conferences, social responsibility initiatives, faculty and student exchange programs, and shared use of laboratories and workshops. The initiative is expected to strengthen academic and cultural ties between Bangladesh and Indonesia. PPNS, under Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, is a state polytechnic based in Surabaya, specializing in shipbuilding, marine technology, and related engineering disciplines.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced its decision to appeal to a higher court against the anticipatory bail granted to 40 accused, including the prime suspect, in the murder case of Maulana Rezaul Karim, secretary of Sherpur’s Sreebardi upazila unit. The announcement was made on Monday afternoon at a press conference held at the party’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, by Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair. Zubair expressed the party’s dissatisfaction over the bail decision, questioning whether the killers would escape justice. He demanded the immediate arrest of those involved and called for proper legal proceedings to ensure justice. The press conference was also attended by Jamaat’s election committee member Oliullah Noman and Dhaka South assistant publicity secretary Abdus Sattar Suman. The party’s move to challenge the bail order underscores its frustration with the handling of the case and its insistence on accountability for the killing of its local leader.

A Dhaka court on Monday, February 2, 2026, ordered the imprisonment of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Shafiqul Rahman, his wife Bithi, and two others in a case filed over the alleged torture of an eleven-year-old domestic worker. Metropolitan Magistrate Raju Ahmed issued the order after police arrested the four from Uttara the previous night. The prosecution was represented by Sub-Inspector Tahmina Akter, who confirmed the court’s decision. The case was filed by the victim’s father, hotel employee Golam Mostafa, who alleged that his daughter Mohona had been severely abused while working at Rahman’s residence in Uttara Sector 9. According to the complaint, Mohona was employed there in June of the previous year, and after November 2, she was no longer allowed to meet her family. On January 31, she was returned to her father with serious injuries and was later hospitalized in Gazipur. During questioning, Mohona reportedly described repeated beatings and burn injuries inflicted by Rahman, his wife, and others. The court rejected a bail plea from the defense and ordered all four accused to remain in custody pending further proceedings.

Railway police in Bhairab, Kishoreganj, have arrested Meraj Mia, 25, the prime suspect in the murder of college student Abu Sufian, also known as Shah Alam, aged 17. The arrest took place late Sunday night, February 1, during raids in different parts of the upazila. Meraj, a known mugger with 14 prior cases, and his associate Ibrahim, 24, were detained in connection with the killing near Bhairab Railway Junction. According to the case statement and police sources, Sufian had boarded the intercity Egarsindhur Express from Dhaka’s Kamalapur station on January 29 to attend a family event in Kishoreganj. When he failed to reach home, his family grew worried, and his phone was found switched off. Around 2 a.m., police recovered his bloodied body beside the railway tracks near Bhairab’s Newtown area. The Police Bureau of Investigation later confirmed his identity through fingerprint analysis. Police recovered Sufian’s mobile phone from the suspects and believe he was killed during a mugging attempt. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend others involved in the incident.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman, cardiologist and spouse of BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, inaugurated a 'Free Heart Camp' at the Ansar Camp field in Karail slum, Mohakhali, on Monday. The event was organized by the Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB), a pro-BNP physicians’ group, to mark the birth anniversary of former President Ziaur Rahman. Local residents received free medicines and medical check-ups during the program, where Zubaida Rahman also spoke with several patients. BNP Advisory Council member Abdus Salam was present at the event. Following the camp, Zubaida Rahman visited the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) office, where she listened to women’s health concerns and provided medical advice. The Karail slum area has around 45,000 voters. Earlier, on January 20, a prayer gathering was held nearby for the late former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Tarique Rahman attended that event and pledged to build multi-storey flats for slum dwellers if BNP comes to power. The initiatives reflect BNP’s growing focus on the Karail constituency, where Tarique Rahman’s candidacy has reportedly energized local residents.

The High Court on Monday, February 2, 2026, granted six weeks of anticipatory bail to 40 accused, including BNP candidate for Sherpur-3 constituency Mahmudul Haque Rubel, in a murder case filed over the death of Jamaat leader Maulana Rezaul Karim. The order was issued by a bench comprising Justice Kamrul Hossain Molla and Justice Faisal Hasan Arif after hearing the bail petitions. Defense lawyers Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol and Barrister Shahadat Hossain Ziko represented the accused during the proceedings. According to police, the case was filed by Rezaul Karim’s wife, Marzia, naming Rubel as the prime accused following a violent clash between BNP and Jamaat activists on January 28 at Jhenaigati Mini Stadium in Sherpur. The incident occurred during an election manifesto announcement event organized by the upazila administration, where a dispute over seating escalated into violence. Rezaul Karim, secretary of the Sribordi upazila Jamaat, was critically injured and died en route to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. The case includes 231 named and 400 unnamed accused, as confirmed by police at a press briefing on January 31.

BNP Standing Committee member and Dhaka-8 constituency candidate Mirza Abbas said he has been contesting elections in the area since 1977 but has never been certain of victory before any election. Speaking to journalists on Monday after prayers at the Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital Mosque, he said even as an experienced politician he cannot claim a guaranteed win, questioning how those without public engagement or local involvement can be so confident. Abbas conducted campaign activities in Shahjahanpur’s Income Tax Colony and nearby markets, seeking votes for the BNP’s symbol, the paddy sheaf. He later planned to meet residents at Jahaj Building Road in Shahjahanpur for further outreach. He expressed suspicion that some candidates who should not be winning are already claiming victory, suggesting possible election manipulation or engineering. He also commented on reports of hacked social media accounts, saying he was surprised at how quickly such accounts were recovered, implying doubts about the authenticity of those claims.

Justice Mamnoon Rahman of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court has submitted his resignation letter to the President of Bangladesh. The letter was sent through the Chief Justice, and he cited personal reasons for his decision. According to the report, Justice Rahman personally emailed his resignation letter to the Registrar General of the Supreme Court. The report indicates that the resignation was formally communicated via email and transmitted through the appropriate judicial channel involving the Chief Justice. No additional details were provided regarding the timing of the resignation’s acceptance or any official response from the President’s office. The development marks a notable change within the judiciary, though the source does not specify whether a successor has been named or when the resignation will take effect.

A press conference was held at Rajapur Press Club in Jhalakathi-1 constituency, where female activists of Jamaat-e-Islami alleged that they were obstructed by local Jubo Dal leaders while campaigning for Jamaat candidate Dr. Fayzul Haque’s ‘scales’ symbol. The event took place on Monday afternoon, with Khadija Begum, a member of the upazila women’s Jamaat council, presenting the allegations. According to the statement, the incident occurred in Pingri area of Shuktagar Union, Rajapur, when a group of Jamaat-supporting women faced resistance initially from Mazeda Begum, sister of a late BNP leader. She reportedly informed Jubo Dal leaders, who then arrived and blocked the campaign. The women claimed they were also prevented from campaigning in nearby areas, and that local BNP activists chanted slogans forbidding their activities. The women further alleged that Jamaat’s union leader Abdul Alim was confined when he arrived at the scene. They said they avoided confrontation to prevent escalation. Jamaat leaders stated that similar obstructions had occurred several days earlier in the same area.

The Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatri Sangstha organized a protest rally on Monday afternoon at the base of the Raju Sculpture, condemning alleged incidents of violence, harassment, and abuse of women by BNP and Chhatra Dal activists across the country. The organization’s statement said the demonstration aimed to protest what it described as a pattern of gender-based violence linked to opposition political groups. Speakers at the rally, including the DU branch president Tamanna, sharply criticized BNP and Chhatra Dal, accusing them of hypocrisy and demanding justice for victims of recent assaults. They cited a recent case involving a Chhatra Dal leader accused of raping a seventh-grade student as an example of ongoing impunity. Other speakers urged the government and administration to ensure women’s safety on campuses and nationwide. Participants chanted slogans calling for an end to violence against women and demanded exemplary punishment for those involved. The protest drew a large number of female students and members of the organization, who called for stronger social resistance against gender-based violence.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has stated that the government has shown weakness in ensuring accountability for army members allegedly involved in enforced disappearances. The observation came from a research report presented at a press conference held at TIB’s headquarters in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The report also noted that despite evidence tampering allegations against security and law enforcement agencies, the government has failed to bring those responsible under accountability. According to TIB, ten army officers managed to flee abroad despite arrest warrants and travel bans, while trials have begun against some law enforcement and army officials, but many key perpetrators remain beyond justice. The organization also reported that fifteen army officers accused of crimes against humanity and killings during the July uprising were being held in sub-jails inside cantonments, raising questions about fairness. TIB’s research covered issues including anti-discrimination movements, human rights violations, governance reforms, and corruption prevention. TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman expressed concern about the upcoming national election, citing the influence of money, muscle, and religion. He urged the government to take action against those who helped suspects escape accountability.

Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations), visited polling centers in Hatiya, Noakhali on Monday morning and instructed naval personnel to remain alert so that no acts of sabotage occur during the national parliamentary election. He emphasized that maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of people's lives and property are the navy’s primary objectives during the election period. Musa also stressed the importance of working closely with the local administration to ensure that the election and any referendum are conducted in a free, fair, peaceful, and festive manner. During his visit to the Hatiya Town Girls’ High School polling center in Ward No. 1, he was accompanied by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Md. Alauddin, Hatiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam, and other naval officers deployed in the area. Earlier, he inspected the navy camp at Hatiya Dwip Government College campus and later addressed naval members at the college field. The visit highlighted the navy’s active role in supporting local authorities to maintain election security and public confidence in the electoral process.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the closure of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, one of the country’s leading cultural institutions, citing renovation and restructuring needs. The plan calls for a complete shutdown of the center for two years starting July 4, coinciding with the United States’ 250th Independence Day. The decision still requires approval from the center’s board of directors, most of whom were appointed by Trump himself. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that halting all entertainment activities would allow faster and higher-quality renovation, calling it the quickest way to elevate the “Trump Kennedy Center” to new levels of success and grandeur. He argued that ongoing performances such as concerts, operas, and ballets would delay construction work. The announcement comes amid protests from artists and cultural groups who have canceled performances in opposition to Trump’s leadership and the addition of his name to the building. The Kennedy Center has not yet issued an official comment on the matter.

Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has won his first Grammy Award in the audiobook, narration, and storytelling category. The award was announced at the Grammy ceremony held in Los Angeles, recognizing the audio version of his book 'Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama'. Currently living in exile in India, the 90-year-old leader expressed gratitude, calling the honor a recognition of shared human values rather than a personal achievement. In a social media message, the Dalai Lama said he accepted the award with humility and gratitude, emphasizing peace, compassion, care for the environment, and unity as essential for the collective well-being of humanity. The audio project featured artists including Rufus Wainwright and Maggie Rogers, with Wainwright accepting the award on his behalf. The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a Chinese military crackdown and has since lived in India. The Chinese government labels him a separatist and claims authority over his succession, a claim he rejects, asserting that the decision rests solely with his office in India.