Pakistan’s defense minister has declared a ‘direct war’ against Afghanistan following airstrikes carried out by the Pakistani military in Kabul and two other provinces. The announcement marks a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two neighboring countries.

Afghanistan affairs expert Amin Saikal told BBC’s Newsday program that this represents a very serious development, indicating Islamabad’s intent to punish the Afghan Taliban for allegedly supporting armed groups behind recent attacks in Pakistan. Saikal, founder of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, noted that both sides have long been at odds, but Pakistan’s latest move shows it is striking harder in response to Taliban support for Pakistani militants.

Saikal, author of “Modern Afghanistan,” warned that the rising tension could be disastrous for the Afghan people, who are already struggling with severe economic hardship.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Md. Anwar, the prime accused in the rape of a six-year-old girl in Jorarganj, Chattogram. The arrest took place on February 27, 2026, at Khan City Center in the Baraiyarhat area, following a directive from Chattogram-1 (Mirsharai) Member of Parliament Nurul Amin. The victim’s parents had sought justice from the MP on February 23, prompting him to instruct authorities to ensure the suspect’s swift arrest.

According to RAB, the incident occurred on February 11 when the child went to play at Anwar’s house and was later found crying, alleging that he had assaulted her. The victim’s mother discovered signs of physical harm, and the child was taken first to Mirsharai Upazila Health Complex and later referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. A case was filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act on February 13.

RAB-7 officials confirmed that Anwar was handed over to Jorarganj police for legal proceedings, and the police later produced him before the court.

Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan Amir Maulana Habibullah Miyaji stated that true justice cannot be achieved without establishing Islamic governance based on the Quran and Sunnah. He argued that only divine laws can eradicate interest, bribery, and corruption from the country. Miyaji made these remarks on Friday at the Fars Hotel in Dhaka’s Paltan area during a discussion, prayer, and iftar event organized by the Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan to mark the 'Oath Day for Establishing Islamic Governance.'

He emphasized that since both the land and humanity belong to Allah, implementing divine laws in all spheres of life is the only guarantee of peace and salvation. Miyaji urged that during the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims should renew their commitment to strengthen efforts for establishing Islamic governance in the country.

The event was attended by leaders from various Islamic and political organizations, including Khelafat Andolan, Islami Andolan, Khelafat Majlis, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Andolan, and others.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of attempting to impose its internal conflicts on Afghanistan. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Mujahid said Afghanistan seeks positive relations with all countries, assuring the international community that Afghan territory will not be used against any nation. He emphasized that Afghanistan’s foreign policy is based on mutual respect and that it does not wish to pursue hostility toward others.

Mujahid described Pakistan’s internal conflict as a long-standing domestic issue, citing the ongoing fighting between Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Pakistani military since 2007. He noted that Afghanistan’s Taliban have been in power for nearly four years, arguing that Pakistan’s attempt to link its internal problems to Afghanistan is baseless. Mujahid further alleged that Pakistan has repeatedly violated Afghan airspace and targeted civilians, including women and children, in bombings.

He claimed Pakistan has broken previous ceasefire agreements and reiterated that Afghanistan has only exercised its legitimate right to self-defense. Mujahid called for resolving disputes through dialogue and reaffirmed the Taliban government’s commitment to peaceful solutions.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company has reached an agreement with the United States Department of Defense to provide its artificial intelligence technology for use within a classified network. The deal follows the withdrawal of Anthropic, the Pentagon’s previous contractor, which had raised ethical objections to the military’s use of AI. Altman said the Defense Department demonstrated a “deep respect for safety” and agreed that OpenAI’s technology would not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapon systems, emphasizing that humans would retain responsibility for the use of force.

The announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s technology, citing disagreements with the company’s leadership. Anthropic had refused to remove safeguards that prevented its AI from being used for surveillance or autonomous weapons. Reports also alleged that Anthropic’s Claude AI had been used by the U.S. military in the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year.

Human rights advocates have expressed concern about the unregulated use of AI in military operations, referencing similar systems reportedly deployed by the Israeli army in Gaza.

United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday that all federal agencies must immediately stop using technology from artificial intelligence company Anthropic. The directive includes a six‑month phaseout period for the Department of Defense and other agencies where Anthropic’s systems are already embedded. Trump issued the order on Truth Social, saying the government would no longer do business with the San Francisco‑based startup. The move came during an escalating conflict between the Pentagon and Anthropic over the military’s use of AI in warfare.

The dispute centers on a $200 million Pentagon contract and disagreements about safeguards on Anthropic’s AI model, Claude. Anthropic had sought assurances that its technology would not be used for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, but said new contract language undermined those protections. The Pentagon had threatened to classify the company as a supply‑chain risk, while Trump warned of civil and criminal consequences if Anthropic failed to cooperate with the phaseout.

The decision drew criticism from Senator Mark Warner, who questioned whether national security policy was being guided by analysis or politics. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly supported Anthropic’s stance, reflecting broader unease in Silicon Valley over government pressure on AI firms.

Reports from multiple Afghan provinces indicate that no major clashes occurred overnight along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, though sporadic shelling and gunfire were heard in some areas. BBC correspondent Hefzullah Maruf said that in Kunar province’s border districts of Shultan, Dangam, and Nari, both sides occasionally fired artillery shells at each other. Civilian and Taliban casualties were reported, though exact numbers remain unconfirmed.

In Nangarhar province, no direct fighting was observed, but intermittent gunfire occurred near the Torkham crossing. Refugees were evacuated from a large temporary camp near the border due to fear of renewed conflict. Many families attempting to return to Afghanistan through Torkham reportedly turned back amid the tension. In Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces, sources described sporadic exchanges of fire despite the absence of full-scale battles.

Another source claimed that Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Paktika’s Sarobi district, though the Taliban government has not issued any official statement regarding the incident.

Dhaka-20 (Dhamrai) Member of Parliament Tamiz Uddin announced that no extortion will be allowed from any factory in the area. He stated that after August 5, several factories had faced extortion through motorcycle showdowns carried out under the name of the BNP. He emphasized that such activities will no longer be tolerated in Dhamrai.

The MP made these remarks on Friday at a reception and iftar event organized by Sharifbagh Islamia Kamil Madrasa in Dhamrai. The event was attended by former secretary and madrasa governing body president Md. Abdus Sabur, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Education Mirza Mohammad Ali Reza, Dhamrai Police Officer-in-Charge Monirul Islam, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Rafi, Dr. Md. Nasim Sarkar, the madrasa principal, and other local dignitaries, scholars, and political leaders.

The statement reflects a local political stance against extortion and aims to ensure law and order in the industrial areas of Dhamrai.

China has advised its citizens to leave Iran as security risks in the Middle East escalate. In a social media statement on Friday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Chinese nationals in Iran to strengthen safety measures and prepare to depart the country as soon as possible. The ministry also advised against traveling to Iran under current conditions. Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran and neighboring countries will assist citizens in relocating via commercial flights or land routes.

Additionally, Chinese citizens in Israel have been instructed to remain on high alert. State broadcaster CCTV reported that they were advised to avoid unnecessary outings and to familiarize themselves with nearby bomb shelters and evacuation routes. On the same day, the United States authorized the withdrawal of non-essential embassy staff from Israel as Washington reinforced its military presence in the region, including the expected arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford near Israel’s coast.

Despite mediation efforts between Iran and the United States through Oman, hopes for easing tensions remain uncertain.

The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw for the 2025–26 season was held in Nyon, producing several high-profile matchups. Real Madrid and Manchester City will face each other for the fifth consecutive season, continuing their intense rivalry in Europe’s top club competition. Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea will also meet again, recreating last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final in a battle for a quarterfinal spot.

Other fixtures include Barcelona against Newcastle, Liverpool facing Galatasaray, and Atlético Madrid taking on Tottenham Hotspur. Bayern Munich will meet Atalanta, Arsenal will play Bayer Leverkusen, and Sporting CP will face Bodø/Glimt. Arsenal appears to have a relatively favorable path, with a potential quarterfinal against the winner of Sporting CP and Bodø/Glimt if they overcome Leverkusen.

The first-leg matches of the quarterfinals are scheduled for March 10 and 11, with the return legs on March 17 and 18, according to the draw details.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said his party did not lose the recent election but was deliberately made to lose. Speaking on Friday afternoon at the closing session of the Sylhet District Jamaat’s Shura and Executive Council members’ training camp, he stated that people across the country were telling them they had been deprived of victory. He alleged that results in some constituencies were intentionally manipulated, with announcements halted in certain areas.

Dr. Rahman instructed party members to prepare for upcoming local government elections, describing them as the next phase of their political struggle. He said the party aimed to ensure no area remained vacant in the local polls and emphasized the need for dedicated and prudent leadership at the grassroots level.

Highlighting what he called Jamaat’s greatest success in parliamentary politics, Rahman noted that for the first time, the party had led a meaningful alliance and been recognized as the main opposition. He alleged that six opposing forces could not have defeated them without external support, citing similar observations from organizations such as TIB and Sujan.

The government has imposed a two-month ban on all fishing activities in six rivers of Chandpur, including the Padma and Meghna, to conserve juvenile hilsa (jatka) and boost overall hilsa production. The restriction begins after midnight on February 28 and will remain in effect throughout March and April. During this period, 9,100 fishermen in Matlab North upazila will receive 160 kilograms of rice each in four installments, while they focus on repairing boats and nets.

The ban, in place annually since 2006, covers a 30-kilometer stretch from Shatnol to Amirabad Bazar and a 70-kilometer area up to Char Bhairabi in Haimchar. Fishing, trading, storing, or transporting fish is strictly prohibited. Violators face one to two years in jail, fines up to 5,000 taka, or both. Joint enforcement drives will be conducted by the local administration, fisheries department, naval police, coast guard, and navy.

Experts noted that while the ban helps protect jatka, ensuring long-term benefits requires financial security for fishermen. Authorities have pledged strict monitoring throughout the sanctuary period.

Pakistan’s military said it has killed 274 Taliban and other armed group members in Afghanistan under an operation named “Ghazab-lil-Haq.” The announcement came from Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during a press briefing on Friday. He stated that Pakistan’s forces destroyed 73 Taliban military posts, captured 18, and destroyed 115 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery weapons.

The operation followed a deadly cross-border attack late Thursday night, when Afghan forces reportedly killed at least 55 Pakistani soldiers and captured several others at a post near the Durand Line in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was in retaliation for Pakistan’s February 21 airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, which killed more than 80 people.

Pakistan launched its counteroffensive at 3:45 a.m. Friday, conducting extensive airstrikes in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar as part of the ongoing operation.

Jamaat-e-Islami central Majlis-e-Shura member and Nilphamari-1 lawmaker Maulana Abdus Sattar stated that his party does not oppose the government merely for the sake of opposition. Speaking as the chief guest at an iftar gathering in Syedpur, Nilphamari, on Friday, he said they would speak against the government only when its actions go against national or public interests. The event was organized jointly by Syedpur upazila and town Jamaat at the Syedpur municipal community center, with Nilphamari-4 MP Hafiz Abdul Muntakim presiding.

Sattar compared the opposition’s role to a brake that controls a vehicle, saying that if the government acts against the country’s interests, the opposition will act immediately to stop it. He emphasized that after being elected, they represent all citizens, not just their party, and are committed to establishing good governance and maintaining zero tolerance against corruption.

He added that any instance of corruption would be firmly resisted to ensure accountability and protect the interests of the people.

An iftar and discussion meeting with young leaders was held in Uttara, Dhaka, on Friday at the Istikutum Community Center. The event, organized by the social organization Blood Connection, brought together representatives of the young generation in a lively atmosphere. Muhammad Selim Uddin, a central executive council member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Ameer of Dhaka North Metropolitan, attended as the chief guest.

The meeting was presided over by Blood Connection Chairman Kamrul Hasan, with special guests including Dr. Mostafa Faisal Parvez, Secretary of the International Islamic Students Organization (IFSU), and Habibullah Muhammad Iqbal, Chairman of the Tanzimul Ummah Foundation. Other attendees included Ibrahim Khalil, Ameer of Uttara Model Police Station, and Mazharul Islam, Ameer of Uttara West Police Station.

Speakers discussed the role and responsibility of youth leadership in national development, moral society building, and social service. They urged young people to take a more active role in the welfare of the nation, emphasizing that youth power is essential for building a prosperous country.