Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said the new government is working to make state institutions, long rendered ineffective, functional and properly institutionalized once again. Mirza Fakhrul, also the BNP Secretary General, made the remarks while responding to journalists after laying the foundation stone of a multi-storey building at Hajipara Hafizia Madrasa here. In reply to a question, he said, “For a long time, we have heard that the previous fascist government had weakened and rendered ineffective various state institutions. The major challenge before the new government is to restructure these institutions, ensure accountability, and restore the framework of good governance.”He further said, “I am most indebted to the people of Thakurgaon. I want to work responsibly to repay their trust and affection.”District BNP President Mirza Faisal Amin, leaders and activists of the party at various levels, dignitaries and local residents were present.

Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, today joined an Iftar with underprivileged women and children at the Ziaur Rahman Foundation office in Dhaka. Photo : BSSDHAKA, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS) - Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, today joined an Iftar with underprivileged women and children at the Ziaur Rahman Foundation office in the capital's Gulshan area. More than fifty underprivileged women and children took part in the event. Speaking as the chief guest, Dr Zubaida Rahman said women's security must receive the highest priority. Referring to garment workers, Zubaida Rahman said six months of paid maternity leave in all industries is crucial.

BNP candidate Rezaul Karim Badsha has collected nomination paper for the upcoming by-election to the Bogra-6 (Sadar) constituency. He collected the nomination paper from Returning Officer and District Senior Election Officer Fazlul Karim on Friday afternoon, accompanied by party leaders and activists. On Thursday evening, the Bogra district unit of the BNP nominated its president Rezaul Karim Badsha as the party’s candidate with election symbol, sheaf of paddy. Speaking on the occasion, BNP Bogra district president and by-election candidate Rezaul Karim Badsha urged voters to cast their ballots for the sheaf of paddy symbol to ensure overall development of Bogra. He said the party’s chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman nominated him as the BNP candidate to represent the party in the election.

A mobile court has fined a pharmacy owner Tk 5,000 for storing date-expired medicines at his pharmacy in Tungipara upazila of Gopalganj. Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Al-Amin Haldar fined Hedayet Molla, owner of Molla Pharmacy, for storing date-expired medicines at his pharmacy. Magistrate Al-Amin Haldar said that there had been several complaints against Hedayet Molla, owner of Molla Pharmacy, at Nilfa Bazar under Kushli Union, including allegations of selling date-expired medicines. During the mobile court operation at the pharmacy, date-expired medicines were found in stock. As a result, the pharmacy owner was fined Tk 5,000.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion have arrested the main suspect in the murder of a garment worker who was stabbed to death by her former husband in Gazipur after she refused his proposal to remarry him. The arrested suspect, Masud Rana, 38, was detained around 5:00am on Friday from the house of Mamor Uddin in Anantapur Char Union under Ulipur upazila of Kurigram. According to RAB, Masud Rana, son of Omar Munshi of the same area, had been living in a rented house in the Taltoli area under Joydebpur. RAB said that Masud Rana proposed Rishma that they remarry. When she refused, he stabbed her with a sharp knife, leaving her critically injured.

At least 10 people, including three policemen, were injured in a clash between two factions of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah on Friday. Witnesses said tension erupted between the two groups during the meeting and soon escalated into a clash. When police rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control, several individuals involved in the clash attacked the police as well. All the injured were rescued and taken to the Upazila Health Complex for treatment. “When police tried to control the situation, they were attacked, leaving three police members among 10 people injured,” he said.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam on Friday inaugurated the construction of two development projects worth nearly Tk 10 crore in Shibganj upazila of Bogra. The projects include the construction of a modern government rest house (dak bungalow) at Shibganj upazila headquarters at a cost of Tk 3 crore and a 590-metre RCC girder bridge at Sheeladevi Ghat in Mahasthangarh area over the Karatoya River, costing Tk 7.56 crore. Speaking at a function held at the Upazila Shishu Park premises, the state minister said the construction of a modern dak bungalow will facilitate improved accommodation for government officials, visiting guests and tourists, and help make administrative activities more dynamic. Later, around 12:30pm, he laid the foundation stone of the RCC girder bridge at Sheeladevi Ghat on the Hatibandha–Anantabala road in Shibganj. Officials of the concerned departments, local public representatives and community leaders were present at the events.

BNP Secretary General and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said the party, BNP, will move forward being inspired by the principles of 1952, 71, 90 and 2024. He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an Iftar program organized by the NGO Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) in Thakurgaon. “The government is only 15 days old, yet we are steadily moving towards our goals,” Mirza Fakhrul said, announcing the start of implementing his electoral promises in the district. Mirza Fakhrul said a team has already arrived to implement the Thakurgaon Medical College project as announced by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Parliament members from Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Dinajpur, government and NGO officials, politicians and dignitaries were also present.

A woman, identified as Hanufa Begum, died after being hit by a train in the Mohakhali area of the capital on Friday afternoon. According to OC Zainal Abedin of Dhaka Railway Police Station, when Hanufa Begum was crossing the railway line near Nakhalpara. She was hit by the Chilahati-bound train and died on the spot. The victim, a resident of Nakhalpara, was later taken by her family after completing legal formalities. Police have filed a case of accidental death in connection with the incident.

Several houses were swallowed by sudden river erosion along the Kushiyara River at Fatehpur village in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet on Tuesday, triggering panic among local residents. Within minutes, five to seven houses collapsed into the river along with trees and household belongings. The houses belonging to Abul, Muslim, Abul Khayer, Harun, Abdul and Kaher were among those lost to the river, locals said. A technical team will soon visit the affected area to assess the situation and determine necessary interventions. The latest erosion has heightened fears among residents living along the Kushiyara River, many of whom now worry that further sections of the riverbank could collapse without warning.

VIENNA, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The UN nuclear watchdog called on Iran to cooperate with it "constructively", stressing "the utmost urgency" of its request to verify all its nuclear material, according to a confidential report seen by AFP on Friday. "The director general calls on Iran to engage the agency constructively in order to facilitate the full and effective implementation of safeguards in Iran," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report said. "The agency's loss of continuity of knowledge over all previously declared nuclear material at affected facilities in Iran needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency," it said.

It wounded two or three children and two or three women," he told AFP, standing in front of rows of tents. Because of fear, everyone left," he told AFP. - 'Great suffering' –Back near the border, returnees sat in the open air after fleeing the violence. "There should be peace and reconciliation on both sides, because people are in great suffering," he told AFP. But if there is no peace on the border, then we will leave," he told AFP.

SAN FRANCISCO, United States, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - OpenAI announced Friday a massive $110 billion funding round valuing the ChatGPT maker at $730 billion, with SoftBank, Nvidia and Amazon each making multi-billion-dollar commitments as the artificial intelligence company races to meet surging global demand. The investment round - one of the largest in Silicon Valley history - includes $30 billion from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, $30 billion from chip giant Nvidia, and $50 billion from Amazon, with additional investors expected to join as the round progresses. The eye-watering level of funding reflects the soaring costs of computing power and lingering questions about whether OpenAI and other AI companies can generate sufficient revenue to cover those costs. In the announcement, OpenAI cited a series of remarkable user metrics pointing to a breakneck pace of AI adoption. The announcement comes as OpenAI's arch-rival Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees, continues to gain ground and grab headlines for its well-regarded Claude AI models.

Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, former interim government sports adviser and spokesperson for the National Citizens Party (NCP), has stated that he is willing to accept punishment if any allegations of corruption against him are proven in connection with the ban on cricketer Shakib Al Hasan from playing for Bangladesh. Responding to complaints filed by supporters of Shakib with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Asif Mahmud said a group had formed a mob and submitted allegations claiming that preventing the cricketer from playing amounted to corruption. Earlier, speaking at the iftar event, the NCP spokesperson said the party aims to foster a new political culture by addressing citizens’ concerns. On Thursday, a group of Shakib’s supporters submitted a complaint to the ACC against Asif Mahmud. According to ACC sources, 20 to 30 individuals gathered at the commission’s office around noon, chanting slogans in support of Shakib before filing the complaint.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Saudi Arabia and Qatar are engaged in efforts to halt deadly fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP on Friday. "Saudi Arabia, in coordination with Qatar, is making efforts to reduce tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan," said the source, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, also spoke with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, according to a Saudi statement. In October, a truce was brokered by Qatar and Turkey after deadly clashes killed more than 70 people on both sides. Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia recently intervened to mediate the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan.