The election commission for the Chattogram District Lawyers’ Association has resigned five days before the scheduled election. All members resigned collectively on Tuesday evening following tensions between the BNP-Jamaat-backed Lawyers’ Unity Council and the Awami League-backed Lawyers’ Coordination Council. An ad-hoc committee will be formed on February 11, marking the first such incident in the association’s 132-year history. The election commission was left with no choice but to resign as both contesting panels remained firm on their constitutional claims. The elections must be completed within two months, after which the responsibilities will be handed over to the newly elected committee.

Bangladesh Bank has decided to freeze all its reserved lockers following suspicions by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that these lockers contain a large amount of undisclosed wealth. The ACC has stated that only the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit has the authority to freeze bank lockers. As a result, the ACC has requested banks not to allocate new lockers or open existing ones for now. Reports suggest that Bangladesh Bank has complied with this request. During an investigation into a former governor, the ACC discovered significant amounts of undisclosed wealth stored in lockers by other bankers.

SAFF-winning female footballer Mastusima Sumaiya has alleged threats of murder and rape in a Facebook post. She claimed that she has been receiving such threats since boycotting coach Peter Butler. The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has strongly condemned the incident and assured in a statement that action will be taken against those responsible.

In protest against Sheikh Hasina’s speech in Delhi, the Anti-Discrimination Movement has announced a new program. They stated on their verified Facebook page: After committing the most brutal genocide against the students of Bangladesh, Hasina is now showing the audacity to give a speech in Delhi aimed at the student community. In protest against such shamelessness, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will display videos, documentaries, and photos of the July genocide at every corner of Dhaka city tomorrow night at 9 PM (when Hasina is supposed to give her speech). You are urged to spread the video of the July genocide at every corner, market, and street throughout the country. A call is being made to broadcast a special bulletin on the “July Mass Uprising” on all government and private TV channels across Bangladesh tomorrow night at 9 PM. It is hoped that the media will be actively present alongside the students and public supporting the July Mass Uprising.

A fire broke out at a rubber warehouse in Hazaribagh, Dhaka, on Tuesday (February 4), but thanks to the swift action of firefighters, the blaze was quickly brought under control by 2:00 AM. The fire started around 1:00 AM, and two units of the Fire Service worked tirelessly to contain it. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage remain unclear. Authorities have praised the firefighters for their quick response, and investigations are ongoing.

The concluding prayer of the second phase of the first part of the Shura-e-Nizam Ijtema will take place today (Wednesday) at 12 PM, led by Maulana Zubair Ahmed. Today’s teachings were delivered by India’s Maulana Jamal, while Maulana Ibrahim Deol spoke with senior scholars, and Maulana Farid addressed students. After Zuhr prayer, Maulana Ismail delivered a sermon, followed by Maulana Zuhairul Hasan after Asr prayer. Later, dowry-free marriages were conducted. Tomorrow, sermons will be given by Maulana Faruq and Abdur Rahman.

There are allegations of appointing a favored individual as the Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL). Concerned parties claim that discrimination is being exercised to benefit certain individuals or groups. According to DMTCL’s articles, the chairman is not involved in the appointment process. Some metro rail officials are dissatisfied with the mandatory requirement for the candidate to be an engineer. Allegations suggest that despite lacking the necessary qualifications, a specific candidate was awarded higher marks by the appointment recommendation committee. The advisor to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges stated that the 2017 amendment has been repealed, and only individuals with metro rail experience will be appointed as MD.

A gunman opened fire at an educational center in Örebro, Sweden, killing 10 people, including himself. The attack took place on Tuesday afternoon, about 200 km west of Stockholm. The institution primarily serves adults who couldn’t complete their formal education on time. The motive remains unclear. Initially, police classified it as attempted murder, arson, and a serious weapons crime. Nearby schools were locked down but later evacuated. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called it a tragic day for the country.

During a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, recommendations were made to make the Foreign Ministry more efficient. In the first session, three advisors discussed internal matters of the ministry with Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain. The five-member committee, formed to assess the government’s response to the July coup, includes Advisor Touhid Hossain, Adilur Rahman Khan, Mahfuz Alam, the Foreign Secretary, and a representative of the Chief Advisor.

At 12:15 AM today, Jahangirnagar University (JU) administration decided to abolish the quota for employees’ dependents following student protests. Earlier, university staff and students staged counter-protests over the quota issue. The Vice-Chancellor stated that after discussions with all stakeholders, the central admission committee was assigned to review the matter. In an emergency meeting, the committee decided to cancel the quota.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Special Judge’s Court has granted permission for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to open the lockers of current and former Bangladesh Bank officials in the presence of a magistrate. The ACC Director filed a petition seeking permission to open the sealed safe deposits after discovering them during a search of the safe deposit vault of a former deputy governor, related to an ongoing investigation. He stated that these lockers might contain unprotected assets. The court later approved the request.

Former Chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), Shibli Rubaiyat-ul-Islam, was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) at around 10 PM on Tuesday. His passport was also recently revoked due to allegations of embezzlement in the stock market. Shibli Rubaiyat served as the BSEC Chairman from May 17, 2020, to August 10 of last year.

Tension erupted in Uttara after police detained three students—Akash, Robin, and Bappi—from a student gathering on Gausul Azam Avenue. Protesters first surrounded Uttara East Police Station before attacking Uttara West Police Station around 7 PM, injuring ASI Mahadev. Believing their peers were held at the East station, students clashed with police, throwing bricks and attacking the gate. Senior police officials, including DC Rawnak Jahan, arrived to negotiate. The situation calmed after discussions, and students suspended their protest upon police assurances.

A new study published in The Lancet reveals that air pollution is causing an increase in lung cancer cases among non-smokers, especially women and Southeast Asians. Researchers found that adenocarcinoma, a lung cancer subtype, is prevalent among non-smokers, accounting for 53% to 70% of cases. The highest rates were observed in East Asia, particularly China, where household fuel burning contributes to pollution. While smoking rates decline globally, lung cancer among non-smokers is now the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

The metro rail has generated revenue of 24.4 billion BDT from ticket sales during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, with an additional 1.8 billion BDT expected next year. Last Monday, a record 282,000 passengers traveled on the metro rail. The Agargaon section was launched on December 8, 2022, followed by the Motijheel section in October of the next year, and the Kamalapur section is set to open in June, completing the entire project. Initially, the metro operated 10 trips per day, but now it runs 200 trips daily. Once extended from Diabari to Tongi, the expected daily ridership will reach 500,000, eliminating the need for government subsidies.