A case has been filed under the Arms and Explosives Act against former Law Minister Anisul Huq, former MP of Sylhet-5 Hafiz Ahmad Majumder, former Sylhet City Mayor Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, former MP of Sylhet-3 Habibur Rahman Habib, and 473 others—all affiliated with the Awami League. The case was lodged by Sajib Ahmed, Religious Affairs Secretary of Sylhet District Jubo Dal. According to the complaint, on August 3, at around 4:00 PM, a demonstration was taking place in front of Sylhet Government Women’s College as part of the one-point movement against discrimination and in protest of student killings. The plaintiff, Sajib Ahmed, was participating in the protest when the accused allegedly marched from Rikabibazar and opened fire on the assembled students and citizens at Chouhatta, followed by detonating improvised explosive devices. Sajib Ahmed sustained injuries from the gunfire.

In a late-night raid on Thursday, a joint task force apprehended two members of a criminal gang in Dhaka’s Pallabi area, seizing a foreign-made pistol. The arrested individuals have been identified as Md. Hasan Mahmud (31) and Sabuj Howlader (28). Law enforcement recovered one foreign pistol, three empty magazines, 20 rounds of ammunition, a machete, and three iron hammers with bamboo handles from their possession. Several of their accomplices managed to escape upon sensing the presence of the authorities. A case has been filed against them under the Arms Act.

On Thursday at 9:00 PM Bangladesh time, billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), spoke on the phone with Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. US President Donald Trump was present during the conversation. Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Mexico, Mushfiqur Fazal Ansari, thanked their close friend, RH Griffiths, via a Facebook post for making this virtual conversation possible. He expressed excitement, stating that this meeting would mark the beginning of a new era for the development of SpaceX and Starlink technology in Bangladesh, opening vast opportunities for innovation, education, and economic growth. “I am thrilled to be a part of it from the start!” he wrote.

At 12:00 PM on Friday, customs officials at Sylhet Osmani International Airport seized eight gold bars, valued at approximately one crore taka, from a flight arriving from Dubai. The gold was discovered in empty seats of the aircraft. The total weight of the seized gold is 928 grams, with an estimated market value of one crore taka. Earlier, on February 6, two individuals were detained by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Customs Intelligence with gold worth around 21 crore taka.

The inauguration of the new phase of the “Alor Ishkul” program by the World Literature Center was held on Friday. The program was inaugurated by Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, President and CEO of the Center. He stated that books are entirely a medium for thought and that not everyone reads them. However, those who do, although few in number, are the ones who change the world. Citing the example of Greek civilization, he noted that just over 400,000 people created Greek civilization in 150 years. He emphasized that such leadership must emerge from our population of 180 million. He also described intellect as a divine gift, infinite in nature.

Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed in a recent interview that he had once faced the threat of death in Pakistan. He shared that the issue arose when a Facebook user posted a drawing of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which enraged the Pakistani government. As a result, the Pakistani government filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg and decided to personally charge him. Although Zuckerberg did not see it as a direct threat to himself, he considers it a major issue for tech companies and freedom of speech. He emphasized the need for U.S. government protection for tech companies.

On Friday, the Gano Odhikar Parishad of Dhaka Metropolitan staged a fascism-resisting protest and mass rally demanding justice for the 1971 genocide and the banning of the perpetrators’ political activities. During the event, Gano Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur stated, “Our party will not compromise on the question of banning the Awami League. It is the misfortune of this nation that its brave sons create new history by fighting in the streets while only a few benefit. Why, even six months after the people’s uprising, must we take to the streets to ban the Awami League?” He also called for the reorganization of the advisory council.

The three-day District Commissioners (DC) conference will kick off on Sunday, February 16. The Chief Adviser of the interim government, Mohammad Yunus, will inaugurate the event. A press conference regarding the conference will be held at the Secretariat on Saturday at 4:00 PM. The conference will commence on Sunday at 10:30 AM, at the Shapla Hall of the Chief Adviser’s office. The DC conference will feature 34 sessions, including discussions, a courtesy meeting with the Chief Justice, orientation sessions, and a closing ceremony. During the conference, proposals from the District Commissioners (DCs) concerning various ministries and departments will be discussed and decisions will be made in the presence of advisers and secretaries. DCs serve as representatives of the government at the grassroots level.

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a disturbing plan to seize Gaza and expel Palestinians from the region, sparking widespread protests globally. Arab and Muslim-majority countries, in particular, strongly rejected his proposal, voicing fierce opposition. In response, Egypt announced the organization of an Arab summit, while Pakistan and Saudi Arabia decided to convene an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the Gaza crisis. Saudi Arabia has confirmed the hosting of an urgent summit on February 20, which will bring together leaders from four Arab countries to discuss Trump’s proposal to take control of Gaza. The summit will be attended by leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also participating. (Source: AFP)

As part of an ongoing prisoner exchange under the Gaza ceasefire, Israel will release 369 Palestinian detainees on Saturday in exchange for three Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Among the Palestinians set for release, 36 were serving life sentences, while 333 were detained after October 7, 2023. The exchange is mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Since the ceasefire began on January 19, Hamas has released 21 hostages, while Israel has freed 566 Palestinian prisoners. The war has left over 48,500 Palestinians dead.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dhaka Metropolitan North, has issued an ultimatum to the government, demanding the release of ATM Azharul Islam within seven days. He claimed that Azhar, the party’s former acting secretary-general, has been unjustly sentenced to death in a fabricated case solely for his political affiliation with Jamaat. Speaking as the chief guest at a rally in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Selim Uddin warned that if the government fails to comply, a mass movement will be launched to secure his release. He further stated that during the August uprising, all political groups took to the streets, yet only Jamaat was banned. Calling the movement’s participants “Razakars” led to widespread outrage, and within days of the ban, the ruling party was forced to flee. He asserted that those who conspire to eliminate Jamaat have always been erased from history.

A police officer in Bangladesh has gained widespread praise for dispersing protesters without using force. A viral video shows him striking the road and electric poles with his baton instead of attacking protesters, effectively breaking up the gathering near the Bangladesh Secretariat. Social media users hailed his approach as the ideal form of policing. Many called for him to be recognized and rewarded, believing such methods could restore public trust in law enforcement. Legal expert Dr. Asif Nazrul also expressed admiration for his actions.

The National Revolutionary Council has issued a one-month ultimatum to the interim government, demanding the reinstatement of the ban on Israel in Bangladeshi passports. The organization has also called for a ban on the use of Pegasus spyware, allegedly purchased for surveillance purposes. During a protest rally in front of the National Press Club on Friday, council leaders stated that despite the ceasefire agreement taking effect on January 19, Israel has killed 178 Palestinians. They accused Israel of attempting to take full control of Gaza and urged the Bangladeshi government to stand by the Palestinians by restoring the previous passport restriction as a symbolic gesture of support.

Hassan Mahmud Jewel, former chairman of Nandail Upazila and a leader of the Upazila Awami League, has been arrested. He was taken into custody from his residence on Friday afternoon. Reports suggest that Jewel is a close associate of former Nandail MP Anwarul Abedin Khan Tuhin. According to the police, the arrest is linked to a case filed on January 4 by BNP leader Tahmina Begum’s husband. The case stems from a violent clash over the placement of election posters during the 2018 elections, in which Jewel has been named the prime accused.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel allegedly entered Bangladesh and assaulted five farmers near the Krishnanandabaksi border in Kurigram’s Fulbari upazila on Friday afternoon. As villagers gathered and chased them, the BSF members fled back inside the barbed-wire fence. In response, hundreds of locals, armed with sticks, took position at the border in protest. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) later intervened to de-escalate the situation. According to eyewitnesses, the farmers were working in their fields when BSF personnel entered Bangladesh and confronted them. When the farmers objected, the BSF allegedly attacked them. The BGB has stated that if the incident is confirmed, they will formally protest.