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 The advisor to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges stated that the 2017 amendment has been repealed, and only individuals with metro rail experience will be appointed as MD.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.

On the afternoon of February 4, a violent clash broke out between two groups in the Baipail area of Ashulia over control of the jhut (textile waste) business. Local weapons were seen at the scene, and multiple gunshots were fired. Upon receiving the news, police arrived and arrested six individuals. Harun Mondal had been running the jhut business at Prudent Fashion Limited, but after the government changed, a man named Alamgir attempted to take control. This led to the conflict. Police recovered 35 local weapons from the site.

Importers from Lalmonirhat have stopped importing goods through India’s Changrabandha land port since February 1, following disputes over stone export prices. As a result, the government has suffered a revenue loss of 20 million BDT. Since August 5, Bangladesh’s construction sector has slowed, leading to a drop in demand. Importers had requested exporters to lower prices, but after receiving no response, they decided to suspend stone imports indefinitely. This has resulted in a complete halt of imports and exports through Changrabandha port since February 2. Fifty Bangladesh-bound cargo trucks are stuck at the port, while over 500 trucks from Bhutan are stranded at Indian ports. Allegations have surfaced that India halted exports without prior notice.

College teacher Mukib Mia was arrested from the residence of the Deputy Registrar of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University for distributing leaflets in Dhaka demanding the resignation of the interim government. As there was already a case against him at Shahbagh police station, he was detained and sent there. He faced further trouble after pictures of him distributing the leaflets—reportedly under the directive of Sheikh Hasina, who is accused of crimes against humanity—went viral on social media.

The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has permanently expelled 8 students and imposed various disciplinary actions on 33 others, while issuing warnings to 27 students. The decision came after an administrative investigation found them guilty of violating university regulations based on student complaints. Twelve students have been suspended for six semesters, while six others face two-semester suspensions. However, the expulsion orders remain conditional—if they commit further offenses, the punishments will be enforced. Additionally, seven students have been expelled from the dormitories.

The family of Shaikh Ashhabul Yamin, the first martyr of the anti-discrimination student movement who was shot by police in Savar, obstructed efforts to exhume his body for an autopsy. As a result, the magistrate suspended the exhumation process. After failing to convince the parents, they formally objected to the exhumation, citing Yamin’s status as a martyr. The magistrate acknowledged their stance and stated that any further decision would be taken by the court.