The historic Raiganj Press Club in Sirajganj has formed a new biannual committee. In the newly approved 11-member body, Ali Haider Abbasi, representative of the Daily Manabzamin, was elected president, and Golam Muktadir, representative of the newspaper Protidiner Bangladesh, was chosen as general secretary. The approval came at a meeting held yesterday morning, where the previous convening committee was dissolved under the chairmanship of former acting convener Atik Mahmud Akash and conducted by member secretary Ali Haider Abbasi.

The new committee includes Atik Mahmud Akash as vice president, Nurul Haque Nayon as joint general secretary, Nazmul Hossain Talukder Arafat as organizational secretary, Shihabul Alam Sayem as office secretary, and Abdul Latif as finance secretary. Saidul Islam Abir was elected as publicity and publication secretary, while KM Rafiqul Islam, HM Monaem Khan, and M Abu Hashem Moni were named executive members.

Speakers at the meeting expressed hope that the new leadership would play an effective role in improving journalistic standards, strengthening unity among members, and protecting press freedom.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and members of his new cabinet took the oath of office on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath to the newly appointed ministers and state ministers.

According to the announcement, 25 individuals are taking office as full ministers, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Additionally, 24 others are assuming roles as state ministers, among them M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku. The list also includes several technocrat members.

The swearing-in marks the formal beginning of the new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with the ceremony held in the presence of the President at the National Parliament complex.

February 21 is observed worldwide as International Mother Language Day, a date rooted in Bangladesh’s 1952 language movement. On that day, police opened fire on students in Dhaka demanding recognition of Bangla as a state language, resulting in the deaths of several young activists including Salam, Rafiq, Jabbar, Shafiur, and Barkat. The day is also commemorated as Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh.

The initiative to make February 21 an international observance began in 1998 when Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam, two Bangladeshi expatriates in Vancouver, petitioned UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Their proposal gained attention within the UN system and led to the formation of the organization “Mother Language Lovers of the World.” With support from Canada, India, Hungary, Finland, and Bangladesh, the proposal was presented at UNESCO’s Paris session on November 17, 1999. It received backing from 188 countries.

Since February 21, 2000, International Mother Language Day has been observed with due respect across UN member states, honoring linguistic diversity and the sacrifices made for language rights.

The oath-taking ceremony for the new government has begun at the National Parliament in Dhaka. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and members of his cabinet arrived at the venue on Tuesday afternoon. President Md. Shahabuddin is administering the oaths at the South Plaza of the Parliament building. A total of 25 individuals are being sworn in as full ministers, while 24 others are taking oath as state ministers.

The list of full ministers includes Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain, Khalilur Rahman (technocrat), Abdul Awal Mintoo, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Zahir Uddin Swapon, Aminur Rashid (technocrat), Afroza Khanam Rita, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Asadul Habib Dulu, Md. Asaduzzaman, Zakaria Taher Suman, Dipen Dewan, ANM Ehsanul Haque Milan, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain Bakul, Fakir Mahbub Anam, and Sheikh Robiul Alam.

Among the 24 state ministers are M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Forhad Hossain Azad, Md. Aminul Haque (technocrat), Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Habibur Rashid Habib, Rajib Ahsan, Md. Abdul Bari, Mir Shahe Alam, Md. Jonaid Abdur Rahim Saki, Ishraq Hossain, Farzana Sharmin Putul, Sheikh Faridul Islam, Nurul Haque Nur, Yaser Khan Chowdhury, M Iqbal Hossain, M A Muhit, Ahmed Sohel Manzur, Bobby Hajjaj, and Ali Newaz Khaiyam.

At least 14 people, including 11 security personnel and three civilians, were killed on Monday in two bomb attacks and a gunfight between police and militants in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Among the dead was a child. The incidents also left at least 25 others injured. The attacks occurred as Pakistani security forces were engaged in counter-insurgency operations along the Afghan border in the country’s southern and northern provinces.

According to a security official, one of the attacks took place in Bajaur district when a vehicle loaded with explosives was driven into the wall of a religious college, killing eight police and Frontier Corps members and injuring ten others. A child died when nearby houses collapsed. In a separate incident in Bannu city, a bomb planted in a rickshaw exploded near the Miryan police station, killing two civilians and injuring 17 others. Officials warned that the death toll could rise.

The violence followed an earlier ISIS-claimed suicide bombing this month at a Shia mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people and injured 169.

Bobby Hajjaj, chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and member of parliament for Dhaka-13, has been invited to join the new cabinet led by Tarique Rahman. Hajjaj confirmed the news to the newspaper Amar Desh on Tuesday afternoon, saying he had received the call to join the cabinet. The swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building.

Earlier in the day, at 10:40 a.m., newly elected members of parliament from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) took their oaths in the parliament’s oath room, administered by Chief Election Commissioner A. M. M. Nasir Uddin. However, BNP lawmakers did not take oaths as members of the Constitutional Reform Committee. Following the BNP’s landslide victory in the 13th national election, Tarique Rahman is set to be sworn in as the new prime minister.

Bobby Hajjaj, son of businessman Prince Musa Bin Shamsher, is known as a writer, teacher, and politician. He is recognized for his advocacy of patience, tolerance, and non-violent politics, and teaches at a leading private university in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which secured a decisive victory in the 13th national parliamentary election, has sworn in its elected members of parliament on Tuesday morning. Later in the afternoon, the new cabinet members are scheduled to take their oaths at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. The cabinet, led by BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, will include 25 full ministers and 24 state ministers, forming a 50-member council of ministers.

Among those appointed to the cabinet are several figures who had not been widely discussed in political circles prior to the announcement. These include Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Khondaker Abdul Muktadir, Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul, Fakir Mahbub Anam, and Sheikh Robiul Alam. Their inclusion highlights a mix of familiar and lesser-known faces in the new administration.

The swearing-in marks the formal beginning of the BNP-led government following its overwhelming electoral success, setting the stage for the party’s return to executive leadership.

Nasir Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate who won the 13th parliamentary election from Sunamganj-2 (Dirai-Shalla), took his oath of office on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The oath ceremony was held for all newly elected members of the 13th National Parliament, where Chowdhury appeared in a wheelchair to take his oath.

Chowdhury is a member of the BNP’s central executive committee and a former Member of Parliament. He was first elected to parliament in 1996 after defeating national leader Suranjit Sengupta with the plough symbol. Before his recent victory, he also served twice as chairman of Dirai Upazila Parishad.

Speaking about his development plans, Chowdhury said that the people of his area had elected him with love and high expectations. He expressed his own aspirations to implement various development projects and pledged to work hard to bring smiles to the faces of local residents.

The Cabinet Division of Bangladesh began inviting newly selected members to join the upcoming cabinet immediately after the swearing-in of parliament members. President Md. Shahabuddin is scheduled to administer the oath to 49 cabinet members on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. The list includes 25 full ministers and 24 state ministers.

Despite earlier discussions suggesting their inclusion, several senior political figures were excluded from the final list. Those left out include Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Dr. Osman Faruk, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Lutfozzaman Babar, Dr. Reza Kibria, Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partha, Khairul Kabir Khokon, and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon. The full ministers include Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, and others.

The cabinet formation follows the recent parliamentary oath ceremony, marking the next step in establishing the new government structure.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami held a parliamentary party meeting at the National Parliament Building on February 17, 2026, following the oath-taking of its newly elected members of parliament. The meeting was chaired by Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and attended by MPs from the 11-party alliance, including the National Committee Party (NCP).

Earlier in the day, Jamaat MPs took their oaths at 12:30 p.m., followed by NCP lawmakers. Members of the 11-party alliance also took oaths as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. The NCP, a key component of the Jamaat-led alliance, has six MPs: Nahid Islam, Akhtar Hossain, Hasnat Abdullah, Abdul Hannan Masud, Abdullah Al Amin, and Atikur Rahman Mojahid.

In contrast, MPs elected from the BNP took their parliamentary oaths but did not take the oath for the Constitutional Reform Council. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed stated that a decision on this matter would be made after the parliamentary session begins.

Six elected members of the National Citizens Party (NCP) took their oath as members of parliament at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the National Parliament Secretariat. The NCP, part of the 11-party electoral alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, includes MPs Nahid Islam, Akhtar Hossain, Hasnat Abdullah, Abdul Hannan Masud, Abdullah Al Amin, and Atikur Rahman Mojahid.

The Parliament Secretariat had prepared for two separate oaths for newly elected representatives: one as members of parliament and another as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. Following the July National Charter implementation order, the council is to be formed with representatives from the 13th National Parliament. While Jamaat-e-Islami alliance members took both oaths, BNP’s 209 elected MPs declined to take the second oath for the council.

BNP’s standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the party would decide on the Constitutional Reform Council oath after the parliamentary session begins.

Bangladesh’s Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin announced that the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has saved nearly Tk 1,000 crore in the current fiscal year due to improved transparency and accountability. Speaking at the inauguration of TCB’s Ramadan truck sale program in Dhaka on Tuesday, he said that if this trend continues, the government may no longer need to provide subsidies to TCB within the next four to five years. He also mentioned plans to add essential items such as soap and tea to TCB’s product list to further benefit consumers.

The Ramadan truck sale program will run from February 17 to March 12, excluding Fridays and holidays, offering affordable goods to low-income citizens. Each truck will serve about 400 people daily, reaching around 3.5 million beneficiaries nationwide with 23,000 tons of products. Items include edible oil, sugar, lentils, chickpeas, and dates at prices below market rates. The program will operate 450 mobile trucks across the country, with separate provisions for family cardholders.

If the savings trend continues, TCB’s operations could become self-sustaining, reducing the government’s fiscal burden in the coming years.

The Cabinet Division has invited 49 leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take oath as members of the new cabinet following the swearing-in of parliament members. The oath ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where President Md. Shahabuddin will administer the oath. Invitations began at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to the Cabinet Division, 25 individuals are set to become full ministers and 24 will serve as state ministers. The list includes senior BNP figures such as Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, and others, along with several technocrats. The announcement marks the formal beginning of a new cabinet formation process under BNP leadership.

The report also notes that some figures discussed earlier did not make it into the cabinet, while the National Committee Party (NCP) will not be part of the oath ceremony. A separate meeting of the Jamaat parliamentary group was also held ahead of the event.

Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election concluded in a festive atmosphere with broad public participation. Despite minor disputes over a few constituencies, candidates across parties displayed acceptance of results and mutual respect. Incidents of winners visiting defeated rivals’ homes with sweets and flowers, exchanging greetings, and pledging to build the nation together were widely reported. BNP leader Tarique Rahman met with leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizens Party, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh, assuring steps to prevent post-election violence.

Analysts described these gestures as a sign of a new culture of tolerance and harmony in national politics, unseen in the past decade and a half. They linked this shift to the “July Revolution,” which they said initiated a qualitative change in political behavior. Political scientists noted that such acceptance of differing opinions reflects the essence of democracy and could strengthen parliamentary cooperation.

Experts added that if this environment of goodwill continues, Bangladesh’s political culture may regain health and stability, fostering constructive governance and inclusive democratic practice.

Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday, February 17, to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet under Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they were received at the airport by Md. Nazrul Islam, Secretary (East and West) of the ministry.

The event is drawing several high-level foreign dignitaries. Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay have also arrived in Dhaka to attend the ceremony. Other attendees include Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma, Maldives’ Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, UK Under Secretary for India-Pacific Affairs Seema Malhotra, and Turkey’s Under Secretary Beris Ekinci.

The presence of multiple regional and international representatives underscores the diplomatic significance of the new government’s inauguration in Bangladesh.