Hasnat Abdullah, convenor of the anti-discrimination student movement, and Sargis Alam, chief organizer of the Citizen Committee, have posted on their verified Facebook pages seeking public opinions on a new political party. The party, which will be led by students and youth, is expected to be launched this month. In their post, they ask the public to share their preferences for the party’s structure through a short form, taking only five minutes to complete.

A major fire broke out at Kolkata Airport on Wednesday near the conveyor belt, but no casualties have been reported. The fire began during welding work when sparks ignited a flex, causing it to spread to nearby items. The airport staff managed to control the fire within 15 minutes before the fire services arrived. Despite the scare, flight operations were not affected. This incident raised concerns ahead of the World Bengal Business Summit, which began on the same day.

The Public Administration Reform Commission has recommended the formation of a ‘Capital City Government,’ federally controlled like New Delhi, to manage the sprawling Dhaka Metropolitan Area. The proposal, presented to the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government, includes additional reforms such as dividing the country into four provinces and changing the titles of deputy commissioners. This comes as part of the broader state reform efforts, with six commissions submitting their reports so far.

The Home Affairs Advisor has stated that efforts are underway to arrest those involved in the July uprising murders who have fled abroad. Among the 105 accused in the International Crimes Tribunal, 35 have been arrested, which has caused some anger. When asked about the public’s satisfaction with the law and order situation, the advisor said that the public can answer that, and the media colleagues can compare the current situation with when they took on their responsibilities. Efforts are being made to bring back foreign criminals through Interpol’s red alerts.

The National Revenue Board has exempted VAT on the fees, hotel charges, and hospitality expenses of foreign doctors who came to treat those injured in the anti-discrimination student movement. This exemption has been granted under the powers conferred by Section 23 of the Income Tax Act.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has declared that Awami League should be banned from Bangladeshi politics, citing alleged genocide and crimes against humanity. He criticized what he described as contradictions in government actions—calling for Awami League’s prohibition while still allowing their programs and using police to suppress opposition activities. Salahuddin emphasized that BNP had previously proposed amendments to the International Crimes Tribunal Act to prosecute Awami League as an organization. He warned that any political or administrative decision to regulate Awami League’s activities without a formal trial would be a weak move.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has received the report from the Judiciary and Public Administration Reform Commission. Although the report was scheduled for submission last month, the commission’s head stated that fieldwork delayed the process. The report contains over 100 recommendations, though specifics were not disclosed. The commission was initially formed on October 8 to address reforms in public administration and the judiciary.

Police have arrested Sujanagar Upazila Awami League President and Mayor Abdul Ohab. Earlier, 12 individuals were arrested in connection with his forcible release from police custody. Locals claim that Ohab surrendered voluntarily, while police state that he was arrested based on secret intelligence while in hiding. Ohab had been previously arrested last Saturday but was forcefully taken away by hundreds of Awami League activists and local residents.

An Indian citizen, Akhtar Jamal Roni, was shot by the Border Security Force (BSF) while returning from Bangladesh illegally on Tuesday (Feb 4). According to BSF Tripura Frontier, Roni had entered Bangladesh on Monday to attend a religious event and was accompanied by a woman. BSF claims they fired in self-defense following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). While Roni was injured and taken to GBP Hospital in Agartala, the woman managed to escape to a nearby village.

In a meeting with Nirapad, an organization working for worker safety, Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus stated that labor law reforms are being undertaken to meet International Labour Organization (ILO) standards. During the meeting, Special Envoy of the Chief Advisor, Lutfi Siddiqui, mentioned that the government has already signed an 18-point agreement with labor unions and manufacturers, bringing stability to the sector. Nirapad Chairperson Simon Sultana thanked the Chief Advisor for initiating these reforms in the garment sector.

The High Court has acquitted all the defendants, including nine individuals previously sentenced to death, in the assassination attempt case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The appeal and death reference hearing took place on January 30. The case dates back to September 23, 1994, when Hasina was traveling by train from Khulna to Saidpur. BNP leader Zakaria Pintu and his associates allegedly attacked the train with gunfire and explosives at Ishwardi Station in an attempt to assassinate her. In 2019, nine individuals were sentenced to death, while 25 others received life imprisonment.

On February 4, students in Kaliganj surrounded the local police station, demanding the arrest of a dismissed lecturer from North Bengal College in Lalmonirhat. Lecturer Tamanna is accused of vandalizing a police vehicle and assaulting the officer-in-charge (OC). She had earlier organized a human chain protest demanding the resignation of the college principal and the Upazila Executive Officer. However, local residents and students disrupted the protest. Later, she staged a hunger strike in front of the Kaliganj police station but had to take shelter inside due to pressure from protesting students. The students are demanding her immediate arrest.

India has stated that the installation of barbed wire fencing along the Bangladesh border aims to prevent cross-border crimes. According to a statement titled Fencing on the India-Bangladesh Border, the total border length between the two countries is 4,096.7 kilometers, of which 3,232 kilometers have been fenced. The construction adheres to all protocols and agreements, and India expects continued cooperation from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). However, 864 kilometers remain unfenced due to issues like wetlands and land acquisition, with 174 kilometers deemed impossible to fence for these reasons. Additionally, BGB has raised strong objections to fencing in certain areas. These details were disclosed by India’s Minister of State for Home Affairs in response to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The student leaders who spearheaded the July uprising are set to launch a new political party. Alongside top leaders from the National Citizens’ Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, student representatives currently in the government may also be part of this initiative. Before assuming political roles, they will resign from their current positions, but they want to ensure student representation remains in the government. These details were revealed in a report by Dainik Manabzamin. It is also reported that three advisors may resign in phases, though no final decision has been made yet. Changes in the advisory council are expected, and a joint convenor of the new party hinted that one student representative might join the advisory panel.

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam accused BBC Bangla of being biased in favor of Sheikh Hasina in a Facebook post. He alleged that the media outlet omits key details when reporting on Hasina, particularly her alleged escape to India. He accused Hasina of ordering mass killings, unprecedented violence, looting, corruption, extrajudicial killings, and the disappearance of over 3,000 people before fleeing to India. He also cited a Human Rights Watch report that claimed Sheikh Hasina was responsible for issuing orders related to killings and disappearances.