Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid said that newly elected members of the National Parliament are expected to take their oath within three or at most four days. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Saturday, he explained that the official gazette for the elected members has already been published, and according to law, the oath-taking must occur within three days from the start of the next working day. He indicated that the ceremony could take place by February 17.

Dr. Rashid added that preparations for the oath-taking are complete, but arrangements are also in place if it is delayed beyond the initial three days. The ceremony will be held at Bangabhaban, where about one thousand guests, including distinguished individuals, are expected to attend. He confirmed that, as per the constitution, the President will administer the oath to the members of the Cabinet.

Following the oath, participating political parties will select their parliamentary leaders. The leader of the majority members will inform the President, who will then appoint that person as Prime Minister according to constitutional procedure.

Interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Saturday personally called Tarique Rahman, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, and Nahid Islam to express his congratulations, thanks, and gratitude for their responsible roles in ensuring a festive and peaceful national election atmosphere across Bangladesh. During separate telephone conversations, he commended their contributions to maintaining calm and order during the electoral process.

According to the report, Yunus first spoke with Tarique Rahman, congratulating him on his party’s overwhelming majority victory. He then thanked Shafiqur Rahman and Nahid Islam for their success and for demonstrating responsibility in the post-election period. The Chief Adviser emphasized that the moderation and restraint shown by political parties helped sustain a celebratory and peaceful environment nationwide.

Yunus expressed hope that political parties would continue to act cooperatively and positively to uphold democratic continuity. He also urged all parties to work together to meet the expectations of the country’s citizens.

Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid said the Cabinet Division is fully prepared to hold the new government’s oath-taking ceremony on any day before February 17. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Saturday afternoon, he stated that preparations are complete even if the ceremony takes place as early as tomorrow. Around one thousand guests are expected to be invited to the event, and all necessary arrangements are being finalized.

Regarding who will administer the oath to the newly elected members of parliament, the secretary mentioned that the government may nominate someone for the task. He added that either the Chief Justice or the Chief Election Commissioner could conduct the oath ceremony. After the members of parliament take their oaths, the President will administer the oath to the leader of the majority party and the new cabinet, following established procedure.

The secretary’s remarks indicate that the administrative groundwork for the transition to the new government is complete, awaiting only the final scheduling of the ceremony.

In the 13th National Parliamentary Election for Netrakona-4 constituency (comprising Madan, Mohanganj, and Khaliajuri), BNP leader and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar won with 160,801 votes. His nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Al Helal Talukder, received 39,309 votes. Three other candidates—Joly Talukder of the Communist Party, Champa Rani Sarkar of the Revolutionary Workers Party, and Mokhlesur Rahman of Islami Andolan Bangladesh—failed to secure enough votes to retain their deposits.

According to the returning officer’s office, Netrakona-4 had 375,312 registered voters, with 206,307 valid votes cast and 6,106 votes canceled, marking a turnout of 56.60 percent. A candidate needed at least 12.5 percent of the valid votes, or 25,788 votes, to recover their deposit. Joly Talukder received 3,359 votes, Champa Rani Sarkar 282 votes, and Mokhlesur Rahman 2,025 votes.

Local BNP leaders said Babar’s past development work and employment initiatives in the haor region contributed to his wide margin of victory, leading several rival candidates to lose their deposits.

BNP candidate S M Jahangir Hossain, who won the Dhaka-18 constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, received a congratulatory visit from his closest rival Ariful Islam of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance. The meeting took place on Saturday at Jahangir’s residence in Uttara, Dhaka, where both leaders shared sweets in a friendly atmosphere.

During the visit, the two main contenders and local alliance leaders emphasized the importance of democratic practice and mutual respect following the election. Ariful Islam, an NCP leader, accepted the results and expressed his commitment to maintaining democratic continuity. The leaders also pledged to work together for the development of the Dhaka-18 constituency.

According to the official results, Jahangir Hossain secured 144,715 votes under the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol, while Ariful Islam received 111,297 votes, giving Jahangir a victory margin of over 33,000 votes.

Lutfur Rahman Khan Azad has been elected as a Member of Parliament from Tangail-3 (Ghatail) constituency for the fifth time. In the 13th National Parliamentary Election, unofficial results from 122 centers show that Azad, contesting as an independent candidate with the motorcycle symbol, received 106,794 votes. His nearest rival, BNP candidate Obaidul Haque Nasir, secured 81,734 votes.

Previously, Azad was elected four consecutive times from the same constituency as a BNP nominee with the paddy sheaf symbol. Despite being denied party nomination this time, he achieved a decisive victory as an independent. During his earlier terms, he also served as a state minister in various ministries.

The result underscores Azad’s continued influence in Tangail-3, where his personal political base appears to have remained strong even after losing party endorsement.

In Pirojpur district, eight out of 13 candidates lost their election deposits in two constituencies, according to district election officer Abdul Mannan. In Pirojpur-2, five of seven candidates failed to secure one-eighth of the valid votes, while in Pirojpur-3, three of six candidates met the same fate. The forfeitures occurred because they did not reach the required vote threshold.

In Pirojpur-2, there were 409,288 registered voters and 230,238 valid votes cast. Candidates receiving fewer than 28,779 votes lost their deposits. Those affected included independent candidate Mahamud Hossain, Jatiya Party’s Mahibul Hossain, Islami Andolan’s Abul Kalam Azad, Faisal Khan, and Anisur Rahman Munna. In Pirojpur-3, with 237,744 voters and 136,987 valid votes, candidates with fewer than 17,123 votes forfeited their deposits. JASAD’s Karim Sikdar, Touhiduzzaman, and Jatiya Party’s Mashrekul Azam were among them.

The report also noted that in Pirojpur-1, only two candidates contested, with Jamaat’s Masud Saeedi winning, while BNP’s Ahmed Sohel Manjur and Ruhul Amin Dulal were elected from Pirojpur-2 and Pirojpur-3 respectively.

A local office of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Tongi, Gazipur, was vandalized and a volunteer leader assaulted on Friday night in the Sataish area. The injured, Mozammel Laskar, 49, joint convener of the Tongi West unit of the BNP’s volunteer wing, was attacked by a group of 15–20 men allegedly led by two local individuals. The attackers used iron pipes and sharp weapons during the assault. Locals later rescued Laskar and took him to Tongi Government Hospital for treatment. A written complaint has been filed with Tongi West Police Station.

According to Laskar, he had been running an electronics business in the area and had served as the coordinator for the polling center committee of the BNP’s election symbol during the recently concluded 13th national election. He claimed that local men became hostile toward him after he took on that role. Police said they responded to the incident and confirmed receiving a formal complaint. Officer-in-Charge Md. Shahin Alam stated that an investigation is underway and action will be taken based on findings.

The accused individuals could not be reached for comment as phone calls to one of them went unanswered.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu on February 14, 2026, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake’s epicenter was located about 50 kilometers west of Port Olry village on Espiritu Santo Island. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the tremor occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time but confirmed that no tsunami warning was issued.

A resort worker in Port Olry, Antelik Frank, described the quake as very strong and lasting nearly one minute, though no damage was observed in the surrounding area. Initial reports indicated no significant destruction or casualties.

Vanuatu lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region where earthquakes occur frequently. The island nation, home to about 320,000 people, often experiences such tremors due to its geological position.

BNP candidate Dr. Sansila Jebin has alleged irregularities and vote manipulation in the Sherpur Sadar-1 constituency election, calling for the suspension of results and a re-vote. Speaking to journalists at the Election Commission on Saturday, she claimed that votes for her party symbol, the paddy sheaf, were deliberately reduced through planned efforts.

In her post-election remarks, Dr. Jebin alleged that officials at polling centers were influenced in favor of her rival candidate, whose party symbol is the plough, representing the Jatiya Party. She further claimed that while agents of Jamaat, NCP, and Jatiya Party operated freely, BNP agents faced intimidation and obstruction inside polling centers.

According to Dr. Jebin, voters supporting her were deliberately delayed in queues to reduce turnout, which she described as a planned tactic. She urged the Election Commission to investigate the alleged irregularities and ensure a re-vote, asserting that the true will of the voters was not reflected in the results.

BNP candidate Shahjahan Chowdhury has been unofficially declared the winner in the Cox’s Bazar-4 constituency, comprising Ukhiya and Teknaf, for the fifth time. According to the district returning officer’s office, results were confirmed late on Friday night, February 13, 2026, following the national parliamentary election. Chowdhury, also the district BNP president, secured 123,582 votes, while his closest rival, district Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nur Ahmad Anwari, received 122,033 votes.

In Ukhiya’s 54 centers, Chowdhury obtained 60,011 votes against Anwari’s 58,939, and in Teknaf’s 61 centers, he received 62,337 votes compared to Anwari’s 61,104. Among 3,866 registered postal voters, 2,550 votes were valid and 36 were canceled. The official result sheet signed by presiding officer Mohammad Moazzem Hossain showed Anwari leading the postal ballots with 1,937 votes, while Chowdhury received 561.

After his victory, Chowdhury expressed gratitude to the people of Ukhiya-Teknaf for their trust, calling the win a victory for all residents. He pledged to work for development, peace, and stability in the area, serving all constituents regardless of political affiliation.

The United States military is preparing for a potential long-term operation against Iran, according to two US officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the planning. The operation would begin if President Donald Trump orders an attack on Iran. The Pentagon has already deployed the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East under Trump’s directive, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided missile destroyer in the Arabian Sea.

The report states that US forces could target not only Iran’s nuclear infrastructure but also its state and security installations. However, officials declined to provide specific details. The preparations come as US and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump has repeatedly warned of possible military action if no agreement is reached, cautioning that the alternative to diplomacy would be “very tragic.”

Iran has vowed to retaliate if attacked, raising fears of a wider regional conflict. Analysts warn that Iran’s large missile arsenal could pose significant risks to US forces and bases across the Middle East.

Three candidates from Gahira village in Raozan upazila of Chattogram have won three major parliamentary constituencies in the 13th National Election, all representing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) with the paddy sheaf symbol. The results, announced on Thursday, sparked widespread celebration in Gahira village, marking a rare event in the country’s political history.

Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury won the Chattogram-6 (Raozan) seat with 112,237 votes, defeating Bangladesh Islami Front’s Iliyas Nuri, who received 27,146 votes. His nephew Hummam Quader Chowdhury secured the Chattogram-7 (Rangunia) seat with 101,242 votes, while Saeed Al Noman, son of late BNP leader Abdullah Al Noman, won Chattogram-10 (Double Mooring, Halishahar, and Khulshi) with 121,374 votes. Their victories have created a festive atmosphere across the area.

The Election Commission published the official gazette of results for 297 out of 300 constituencies on Friday night, with two Chattogram seats pending due to court orders and one Sherpur seat postponed following a candidate’s death.

In the 13th National Parliamentary Election, 20 candidates including former state minister Alamgir Kabir are set to lose their deposits in Naogaon district. A total of 32 candidates, 27 from political parties and 5 independents, contested across six constituencies. According to the Election Commission’s rule, any candidate receiving less than one-eighth of the total votes cast in their constituency forfeits their deposit. Each candidate had deposited 50,000 taka with the commission before the election.

The official results announced from the returning officer’s office after Thursday’s voting show that several candidates, including former MPs and party nominees, failed to secure the required 8 percent of votes in their respective constituencies. In Naogaon-1, three of five candidates lost their deposits, while in Naogaon-3, six of eight candidates failed to retain theirs. Similar outcomes were reported in Naogaon-2, 4, 5, and 6 constituencies.

The district election officer confirmed that the forfeiture process will follow the Election Commission’s regulations. Across the six constituencies, Naogaon had 2,329,592 registered voters, with a turnout of 75.27 percent.

In the Gaibandha-3 (Sadullapur-Polashbari) constituency, eight out of ten candidates lost their election deposits after failing to secure the minimum required share of votes. The district election officer, Md. Shahidul Islam, confirmed that according to election rules, a candidate must obtain at least 12.5 percent of the total valid votes to retain their deposit. Those who failed to meet this threshold had their deposits forfeited.

The candidates who lost their deposits include Moinur Rabbi Chowdhury (Langol symbol), Suruj Mia (Truck), A.T.M. Awlad Hossain (Hand Fan), Abdullah Adil (Sickle), Mosaddikul Islam (Apple), Monjurul Haque (Pen), S.M. Khademul Islam Khudi (Horse), and Azizur Rahman (Dheki). Election officials noted that the lack of popularity among several candidates contributed to their inability to attract significant voter support.

The forfeiture highlights the competitive nature of the Gaibandha-3 race, where only a few candidates managed to secure notable public backing, reflecting shifting local political dynamics.