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.

Nahid Islam, the Dhaka-11 constituency candidate nominated by the 11-party alliance and convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), claimed that a group he described as a mafia is trying to halt the progress of his campaign symbolized by 'Shapla Kali'. In a verified Facebook post on Monday morning, he alleged that his campaign billboards and banners were being torn down in different areas, including one near Noorbagh Mosque in Ward 23 on the previous night.

He condemned the incidents as disgraceful and said those attempting to stop him through such acts were mistaken. Nahid Islam expressed confidence that residents of Badda, Bhatara, and Rampura would respond to these actions on the 12th of the month. His comments reflect growing tension around campaign activities in the constituency ahead of the upcoming political event.

The post underscores the candidate’s assertion that his campaign momentum has triggered fear among opponents, while he continues to emphasize public support as his strength.

Right-wing politician Laura Fernández has been elected president of Costa Rica following Sunday’s election, pledging to crack down on violence linked to the cocaine trade. According to AFP, she secured a landslide victory, surpassing the 40 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff. With 81.24 percent of votes counted, Fernández, the political successor to outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, received 48.94 percent, while her main rival, centrist economist Álvaro Ramos, obtained 33.02 percent.

Supporters of Fernández’s Sovereign People’s Party celebrated across the country, waving national flags in San José and other cities. In a video message at the party’s official event, the 39-year-old thanked Chaves for his trust and promised to work tirelessly for economic growth, freedom, and progress. She cited El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele’s strict anti-crime policies as an inspiration, and Bukele was the first foreign leader to congratulate her.

Analysts said Fernández’s victory signals a strengthening of right-wing politics in Latin America. Critics, however, fear possible constitutional changes, which she denied, reaffirming her commitment to Costa Rica’s democratic tradition.

A private car driver was killed in a road accident on Monday morning in Gopalganj’s Kashiani upazila. The incident occurred at the Pona Bus Stand area on the Dhaka-Khulna highway when a Dhaka-bound bus of Sohag Paribahan (Dhaka Metro Ba 15-2478) collided with a private car (Dhaka Metro Ga 27-0248) coming from the opposite direction. The driver, identified as Mohiuddin Mondal from Savar, Dhaka, died on the spot.

Inspector Md Masud Khan of Bhatiapara Highway Police confirmed the incident, stating that the car was severely damaged in the collision. Members of the Bhatiapara Fire Service recovered the victim’s body, and highway police quickly restored normal traffic flow on the highway.

The report did not mention any other casualties or the condition of the bus passengers. Authorities have not yet provided further details regarding the cause of the accident or any subsequent investigation.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies due to shortcomings in their operations and service quality. The ministry announced the decision on Sunday, stating that the agencies failed to meet required performance standards following a periodic evaluation.

According to the ministry, the agencies were assessed for efficiency and service quality, and deficiencies were identified in both areas. Each agency has been given ten days to improve performance and correct the issues. The ministry described the move as a regulatory measure aimed at ensuring compliance with approved standards and allowing agencies to rectify their shortcomings.

The ministry further clarified that if the agencies meet the required conditions within the given timeframe, their contracts will be reinstated. It also assured that the suspension will not affect visas or existing bookings for Umrah pilgrims. Earlier evaluations had found that out of approximately 5,800 Umrah operators, 1,800 showed performance and service gaps.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any US attack on Iran would trigger a severe response and could escalate into a full-scale regional war across the Middle East. His remarks were reported on Monday, February 2, 2026, by BBC News, amid Western media speculation about his absence from public view. Khamenei directly addressed US President Donald Trump, criticizing repeated threats of deploying warships to the region and asserting that the Iranian people are not intimidated by such military displays.

Khamenei emphasized that Iran would never initiate conflict but would respond firmly if attacked, warning that any war would not remain limited in scope. The statement came as tensions between Tehran and Washington remained high over US military movements in the Middle East.

Despite the sharp rhetoric, Iran’s National Security Adviser Ali Larijani indicated that diplomatic efforts were still underway, confirming that discussions between the United States and Iran continued to seek a resolution to the ongoing crisis.

India and several Arab countries have jointly called for the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state. The appeal was made on Saturday in New Delhi during the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates. The meeting, held after a ten-year gap, was attended by top Arab diplomats and the Secretary-General of the Arab League. The outcome was formalized in the 'Delhi Declaration'.

According to the declaration, the participating nations reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East in accordance with international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative. It called for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, living peacefully alongside Israel, and expressed support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

The declaration also welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached at the 2025 Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit and urged all parties to adhere to its terms. It further emphasized the need to ensure adequate, sustainable, and unhindered humanitarian and relief access throughout the region.

A ride-sharing motorcyclist named Abdul Hamid Khan, aged 45, was killed after being hit by a speeding pickup van while crossing the road near Gate No. 2 in Dhaka’s Hatirjheel area shortly after midnight on Sunday. Witnesses said Hamid, who lived in Tejgaon’s Kunipara and worked for ride-sharing apps, was returning home after parking his motorcycle when the vehicle struck him and fled the scene. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at 12:50 a.m.

Police and local sources reported that the pickup van sped away immediately after the collision. They suspect the driver lost control due to excessive speed on the nearly empty road. The body has been sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy, and the concerned police station has been informed.

Following the incident, social media users renewed calls for safer roads, urging authorities to curb the reckless speed of cargo vehicles at night in the Hatirjheel area. Police have begun collecting CCTV footage to identify the fleeing pickup.

A joint team of police and army recovered 95 crude bombs from the Poragacha Byaparikandi area of Moktarer Char Union in Naria upazila, Shariatpur, early Monday. The explosives were found stored in 12 buckets inside a mosque veranda and houses belonging to local residents Khalil Peda, Jilu Madbar, and Bachchu Peda. Three individuals—Mehedi Hasan, Bachchu Peda, and Roni Peda—were detained during the operation, which also yielded several sharp weapons including spears and machetes.

Sub-inspector Akhil Ranjan Sarkar brought the seized items and detainees to Naria police station around 8 a.m. Police said the operation followed intelligence reports about explosives stored for possible sabotage. The area had previously seen similar incidents, including the recovery of 60 crude bombs in August and a fatal explosion in a nearby village in January. In the past three days, police also recovered 22 crude bombs from three other locations in Naria.

Officer-in-Charge Bahar Mia stated that law enforcement remains active ahead of the election, with cases being filed and investigations underway to determine who stored the explosives and for what purpose.

Pakistan has decided to boycott its scheduled T20 World Cup match against India, sparking widespread debate. Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf publicly supported the decision, calling it necessary despite being difficult. In a post on X, Yousuf said the government’s stance prioritizes values over commercial interests and urged an end to what he described as opportunistic influences in world cricket.

Yousuf emphasized that cricket should be guided by fairness and equality rather than selective advantages. He used hashtags referencing the ICC, BCCI, BCB, and global cricket fairness. Previously, Yousuf had also supported Bangladesh’s decision to boycott matches in India over security concerns, criticizing the ICC for ignoring legitimate safety issues and questioning its governance consistency.

Pakistan will begin its World Cup campaign on February 7 against the Netherlands, followed by matches against the United States on February 10. The now-boycotted India match had been scheduled for February 15 at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium.

China has executed four additional members of a Myanmar-based mafia group connected to a large-scale online fraud operation, according to state media reports published on February 2, 2026. The four individuals, belonging to the notorious Bai family, were convicted by a court in Guangdong Province for crimes including fraud and murder.

The report noted that in November of the previous year, five other members of the Bai family, including their leader Bai Suocheng, had been sentenced to death. Bai Suocheng later died of illness following his sentencing. Earlier, Chinese authorities had already executed 11 members of the same family for their involvement in running scam centers in Myanmar.

Separately, a court in Zhejiang Province had sentenced members of the Ming family in September of the previous year for multiple serious crimes such as murder, illegal detention, fraud, and running gambling operations. The Ming family was among several influential groups controlling Laukkai, a small town near the China–Myanmar border that became known for casinos and nightlife under their rule.