An unapproved LPG filling station owned by an Awami League leader exploded in Cox’s Bazar’s Kalatali area on Wednesday night, injuring at least 15 people and damaging over 50 nearby houses and shops. The newly built ‘N Alam Filling Station’ caught fire while gas was being unloaded. Fire service, army, BGB, police, and air force units jointly brought the blaze under control after seven hours of effort.

Ten of the injured were admitted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, while six were later transferred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital and Dhaka’s Burn Institute for advanced treatment. A three-member investigation committee led by Additional District Magistrate Mohammad Shahidul Alam has been formed and has already visited the site.

Fire officials stated that the station was operating without approval or safety measures and that legal action would be taken against its owner, Nurul Alam, who is known to be active in Awami League politics. Local authorities confirmed that several houses and vehicles were damaged before the fire was contained.

The Bangla Academy has suspended the 2025 literary award of poet Mohon Raihan, citing questions raised about his writings and poems. The announcement came during the inauguration of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 at the Bangla Academy premises on Thursday, where Prime Minister Tarek Rahman presented awards to eight other recipients. The Academy had earlier announced nine winners, including Raihan, in a February 23 notice.

According to Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam, the decision to withhold Raihan’s award was made to allow further review of the concerns raised about his work. The Academy stated that a final decision will be made after examination. The other awardees include Nasima Anis, Syed Azizul Haque, Hasan Hafiz, Ali Ahmad, Mustafa Majid, Israil Khan, Farseem Mannan Mohammadi, and Moeedul Hasan.

In a social media post, Mohon Raihan expressed surprise at the suspension, saying he had not sought the award and that his name had been announced before the ceremony. He claimed a group influenced the decision due to his poem “Taher’s Dream,” written 41 years ago.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, stated that citizens have been left with a heavy debt burden due to past decisions in the power sector. Speaking on Thursday, February 26, at the ministry’s conference room during the handover ceremony of the Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) executive committee, he said it is better to endure hardship than to remain trapped in debt.

The minister criticized previous governments for failing to follow earlier policy guidelines that limited private participation in power generation to 35 percent. He noted that private involvement has now reached 82 percent, reducing government control and increasing financial liabilities. He also highlighted inefficiencies such as idle power plants requiring capacity payments and a rise in system loss from 6 percent to 10 percent over 19 years. Each percentage point of system loss equals about 5 million taka in losses.

Tuku said the government aims to reduce system loss to 3 percent, starting with a directive to bring it down to 5 percent. He added that discussions are underway with private power producers to reach a balanced solution without raising electricity prices.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has nominated Rezaul Karim Badsha as its candidate for the Bogura-6 by-election, a seat vacated by party chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Badsha currently serves as the president of the Bogura district BNP. The nomination was finalized on Thursday, according to party sources.

BNP lawmaker from Bogura-4, Md. Mosharraf Hossain, confirmed the decision, while BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan also verified it through a Facebook post. He stated that the nomination was officially handed over to Badsha from the party chairman’s office in Gulshan. The announcement marks the party’s formal preparation for the upcoming by-election in Bogura-6.

The decision underscores BNP’s internal organizational alignment in Bogura ahead of the by-election, with local leadership taking a central role in representing the party in the constituency vacated by its top leader.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has given policy approval for the proposed organogram of Naogaon University, subject to necessary additions and deletions. The decision was made at a meeting held on Thursday morning at the UGC office to finalize the organogram. According to the university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Dr. Moha. Hasanat Ali, the proposal was submitted to the UGC in November of the previous year and reviewed in the meeting. Following the decision, the organogram will now be sent to the Ministry of Education for final approval.

The vice-chancellor stated that Naogaon University began administrative operations in February 2023 and has already received approval to launch academic activities in two departments—Accounting and Law. In the 2025–2026 academic year, 40 students will be admitted to each department through the cluster admission system.

He also mentioned that the university, currently operating from a temporary campus, is progressing with land acquisition, building construction, and feasibility studies for a government-funded project worth 47.5 million taka. Overall, the university’s development activities are advancing rapidly.

An allegation has surfaced that the father of a local BNP leader has illegally occupied land belonging to C.N.B. Degree College in Niamati Union of Bakerganj upazila, Barishal, and started constructing tin-shed shops there. The incident has sparked anger and concern among residents. According to reports, on Thursday, a group led by Adud Farazi, father of Niamati Union BNP president Sohel Farazi, forcibly took possession of part of the college’s property and began building structures within the boundary of the old college building.

College founder Jobed Ali Khan stated that constructing private establishments on land officially recorded under the institution’s name is completely illegal and lamented the encroachment on educational property for commercial use. He alleged that Adud Farazi, along with Ashok Nandi and Swapan Nandi, occupied the land and erected tin-shed shops, demanding swift administrative action. Acting principal Biplob Halder confirmed that a legal case over the property is ongoing, yet construction proceeded despite the dispute. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rumana Afroze said she had not been informed earlier but promised an investigation and necessary measures.

Attempts to contact the accused for comment were unsuccessful, the report added.

Discussions have intensified over the appointment of a new administrator for the Chattogram Zila Parishad following the BNP’s formation of government after the thirteenth national election. The council, long run by government officials, may soon see a political appointment, with two senior BNP leaders—Engineer Belayet Hossain and Idris Mia—emerging as leading candidates. Party sources indicate that the government has begun vetting potential appointees, and the BNP high command may finalize the decision soon.

Belayet Hossain, a veteran leader from Sandwip and former joint convener of the BNP’s North Chattogram unit, has a long history of political activism and imprisonment. Idris Mia, the current convener of the South Chattogram BNP and a former upazila chairman, is also being widely discussed among party members. Both leaders have strong grassroots connections and are viewed as experienced organizers.

The Chattogram Zila Parishad has been administered by an additional divisional commissioner since its elected chairman’s post became vacant after the council’s dissolution in 2024. A new appointment could revitalize the council’s activities and local governance.

Bangladesh’s domestic debt increased by more than Tk 1.13 trillion during the 14 months of the interim government, according to data from Bangladesh Bank. The total domestic debt stood at Tk 9.24 trillion in July 2024, when the Awami League government was in power, and rose to Tk 10.36 trillion by the end of October 2025. This growth indicates continued borrowing from domestic sources, creating additional pressure on revenue management.

Bangladesh Bank data show that the government borrowed Tk 5.49 trillion from banks and Tk 4.88 trillion from non-bank sources, reflecting a strong reliance on domestic financial institutions. The upward trend in borrowing had already been visible earlier, with domestic debt increasing by about 10 percent year-on-year as of October 2024.

The report suggests that while new borrowing from banks may be slowing, the overall rise in domestic debt continues to strain fiscal stability and highlights the government’s dependence on internal financing channels.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest US aircraft carrier deployed to pressure Iran, departed the US Naval Support Activity Souda Bay base in Crete on Thursday, according to an AFP photographer. Its departure coincided with the start of a new round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva, mediated by Oman’s foreign minister.

The carrier had been stationed at the Crete base since Monday. The US Embassy in Athens declined to comment on the vessel’s presence. The report recalled that President Donald Trump had previously ordered an attack on Iran and repeatedly warned Tehran of military action if it refused to agree to a new nuclear deal. Western countries have expressed concern that Iran’s nuclear program may be aimed at developing weapons.

Washington currently maintains more than a dozen warships in the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, nine destroyers, and three additional warships, underscoring its continued military presence in the region.

Bangladesh Bank’s newly appointed governor, Mostakur Rahman, announced an 11-point plan on his first day in office aimed at accelerating economic recovery and strengthening growth. The central bank’s spokesperson released the written plan on Thursday, outlining measures to maintain macroeconomic stability while promoting investment-driven expansion to create employment opportunities.

According to the official statement, the interim government had stabilized the economy at a low equilibrium after a fragile period, and the new governor emphasized the need to move toward sustainable, inclusive growth. His plan includes maintaining macroeconomic stability, ensuring inclusive growth beyond GDP expansion, reopening closed factories and businesses, reconsidering high interest rates, controlling inflation, ensuring good governance in the banking sector, adopting objective-based and rule-based management, delegating authority to speed up operations, coordinating with other government agencies, and protecting the central bank’s reputation.

The announcement marks the governor’s first policy direction since assuming office, signaling a focus on stability, governance, and coordinated economic management.

The Election Commission (EC) has released a revised gazette correcting the results of the referendum held on February 12, 2026, regarding the implementation of the 'July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Order, 2025'. According to the new figures, the total number of votes cast has decreased by 1,073,616 compared to the earlier gazette published on February 13. The updated count shows 47,225,980 'yes' votes and 21,960,231 'no' votes, reducing both categories by nearly one million and over one hundred thousand respectively.

The EC stated that the revised data was issued under the authority of the commission, though no specific reason for the correction was provided. The updated gazette also indicates that invalid votes increased by 12,559, bringing the total number of valid votes down to 69,186,211. The referendum was held to confirm public approval for the July National Charter, which emerged from the 2024 student and public uprising.

The revised results are expected to finalize the constitutional legitimacy and public consent for the July National Charter once officially endorsed.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury announced that online news portals and IPTV services in Bangladesh will be brought under a formal policy framework. He made the statement on Thursday, February 26, during a visit to the Nandail Press Club in Mymensingh. Chowdhury said that the ministry had been run with irregularities and corruption for the past 17 years, but now all activities would follow proper regulations. He added that discussions on the policy had been held with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The state minister emphasized that individuals operating online portals using only mobile phones must comply with government policies. He stated that the government led by Tarique Rahman does not intend to restrict media freedom, as the prime minister believes that a free press is essential for democratic development.

Later, Chowdhury attended a meeting with government officials at the Nandail Upazila Executive Officer’s conference room, where he provided various directives and advice. He also visited the Nandail Upazila Health Complex to check on patient care services.

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), warned that if reform processes do not proceed within the parliament, the movement will return to the streets. He made the remarks on Thursday at an event marking the founding anniversary of the National Student Power held at the Krishibid Institute in Dhaka. Nahid said preparations are underway for such a movement if parliamentary discussions remain blocked.

Reflecting on the NCP’s first year, Nahid acknowledged mistakes but emphasized that the party’s foundation lies in the July mass uprising. He alleged that although students played a leading role in that movement, political leaders are now reaping its benefits. He also claimed that, similar to the 1990 uprising, students have again been deceived in the 2024 movement, as leaders have avoided taking oaths for the reform council while citing referendums.

The event was attended by leaders and activists from various levels of the NCP and National Student Power, underscoring the party’s continued focus on student-led reform efforts.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan announced that newly appointed governor Mustakur Rahman has formally taken charge after stepping away from all business affiliations. The statement came on Thursday, February 26, following a meeting between the new governor and officials from various departments of the central bank.

According to the spokesperson, the governor’s main objective is to create employment opportunities. The meeting focused on high interest rates and inflation, with emphasis on maintaining price stability while exploring ways to ease interest rates. The governor also highlighted the importance of reopening closed factories and promoting inclusive economic growth through job creation.

Khan added that the governor instructed departments to coordinate their activities and prepare an action plan to ensure the government does not face challenges due to lack of coordination. The meeting reaffirmed the central bank’s commitment to good governance and policy coherence across departments.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has directed 30 major Hajj agencies to complete all visa processing for pilgrims by March 5. The instruction, issued on February 25, requires agencies to ensure that each pilgrim undergoes a medical check-up, obtains a fitness certificate, receives mandatory vaccinations, and completes group formation before visa submission. The ministry’s letter noted that 7,355 pilgrims under these agencies still need health examinations, including 1,306 from Bangladesh Overseas Services and 10 from Ehsan Air Travels.

According to the ministry, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set March 20 as the final date for completing visa processing. However, the process can take five to ten days after health and administrative requirements are fulfilled, with possible delays due to technical issues. The ministry also warned that offices in both Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia might close around Eid-ul-Fitr, urging agencies to act promptly.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs expressed hope that all agencies would take necessary measures to complete the required procedures within the given timeframe.