Importance should be given on mother tongue to ignite patriotism in people: TukuMinister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku spoke as the chief guest at a discussion meeting held at Bogura Shilpakala Academy Auditorium. Photo : BSSBOGURA, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS)- Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku has said the country can be developed by strengthening indigenous nationalism through understanding the importance of the mother tongue. He said, Patriotism doesn’t awaken without understanding the importance of mother language, and the country does not progress. The minister said, on Mother Language Day, we must understand the value of the mother tongue. Criticizing the word 'Inquilab', he said that currently, Gen Z must return to the mother tongue and focus on the country's development.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain today exchanged views with the upazila administration at the Nawabganj Upazila Parishad auditorium. Photo : BSSDINAJPUR, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS) – Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain today said the government is working to ensure an improved communication system to enhance the living standards of the people. “No mother should ever have to say again, ‘My daughter’s marriage was broken due to poor road conditions’,” he told a meeting with the upazila administration at the Nawabganj Upazila Parishad auditorium here this afternoon. Paying tribute to the brave freedom fighters, Dr Zahid said the country achieved independence through their sacrifices, enabling him to serve as a physician and minister today. The programme was conducted by Assistant Director of the Department of Social Services Md Roknuzzaman Mondal.

Previously, an additional tariff of 19% was in effect on Bangladeshi products. However, a temporary global tariff of 10% was later imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which has been announced to remain effective for up to five months. Although this has not fully restored relief, both importers and exporters have gained some comfort as the effective tariff rate has declined compared to before. The United States is one of Bangladesh’s main export markets. While the additional tariff was in effect, many buyers demanded price discounts, and some suspended orders.

DHAKA, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS)- The Election Commission (EC) will observe National Voters’ Day on March 2, 2026, as in previous years. “Cabinet division has set the date for National Voters’ Day. However, the final programme for the day would be confirmed tomorrow or the day after”, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told BSS today. As in previous years, National Voters’ Day would be observed with due dignity on March 2, and all necessary preparations are being made on the occasion, he said. According to the EC, the total number of registered voters in the country currently stands at 127,711,793, including 64,825,361 male voters, 62,885,200 female voters, and 1,232 transgender voters.

Bangladesh national team senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin has launched a scathing attack on former Youth and Sports adviser Asif Nazrul, accusing him of spreading “blatant lies” over Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. He revealed the emotional toll on the squad, saying the decision shattered the dreams of several players who had prepared for years for a World Cup. “Two cricketers were so devastated that they went into a kind of ‘mental coma’ for several days,” Salahuddin said, describing severe psychological shock. He added that he now struggles to face his players after they were publicly portrayed as responsible for the withdrawal. Bangladesh’s place in the tournament was eventually taken by the Scotland national cricket team, bringing an abrupt end to the Tigers’ World Cup campaign before it began.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yeaser Khan Chowdhury. Photo : CollageDHAKA, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yeaser Khan Chowdhury paid homage to the Language Martyrs today on the occasion of great Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day. At 12:01 am today, President Mohammed Shahabuddin laid a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar, followed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at 12:07 am. The information minister and state minister joined other cabinet members in paying tribute under the leadership of the prime minister. Additional Secretary Mohammed Yasin, officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with heads of its subordinate departments and agencies, also placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar to honour the Language Martyrs.

Dozens of nations including the United States and China called for “secure, trustworthy and robust” artificial intelligence, in a declaration issued Saturday after a major summit on the technology in New Delhi. “AI’s promise is best realized only when its benefits are shared by humanity,” said the statement, released by the five-day AI Impact Summit. It called the advent of generative AI “an inflection point in the trajectory of technological evolution.”“Advancing secure, trustworthy and robust AI is foundational to building trust and maximizing societal and economic benefits,” it said. “We totally reject global governance of AI,” US delegation head Michael Kratsios had said at the Delhi summit on Friday. The next AI summit will take place in Geneva in 2027.

Armed men killed at least 38 people in the village of Dutse Dan Ajiya in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara State, local police and authorities told AFP Saturday. The Nigerian army has deployed to the region for several years to combat these groups, but the violence continues. The rising violence by jihadist groups and bandits in Nigeria in recent months has drawn the attention of the United States. Washington, which frames much of the violence as “persecution” of Christians, ordered surprise airstrikes in coordination with Nigerian authorities on Christmas Day in Sokoto State in the north. Since 2009, the jihadist insurgency in Nigeria, led primarily by Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), has left more than 40,000 dead and two million displaced in the northeast of the country, according to the UN.

Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Saturday underscored the need for restructuring the education system to make it employment-oriented, skill-based and relevant to the demands of the times. The education system will be restructured to make it skill-based, job-oriented, and aligned with modern needs," he said. The event was organized by the Primary and Mass Education Ministry on the occasion of Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day. The education system will be redesigned to nurture students as competent, employable and productive individuals," he added. The program was presided over by Primary and Mass Education Ministry Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana.

The nation paid homage to the Language Movement martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar at midnight and throughout Saturday as Bangladesh observed Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day with solemnity. Dressed largely in the traditional black-and-white attire of Ekushey February, mourners stood in long queues and walked barefoot to the Shaheed Minar to pay their respects. After the president, prime minister and other dignitaries paid their respects, the Shaheed Minar was opened to the public. In a notable first, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami formally paid its respects at the Central Shaheed Minar this year. February 21 was first observed globally as International Mother Language Day in 2000.

Hamas said any discussions on Gaza must begin with a total halt to Israeli “aggression” as Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” maps out the territory’s future, with Israel insisting on the militants’ disarmament before reconstruction starts. But the board meeting offered no timeline for Hamas to lay down its weapons or for Israel’s army to withdraw from the shattered enclave. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP that the Palestinian Islamist movement was open to international forces in the territory, but with caveats. The Board of Peace was established after the Trump administration, with longtime mediators Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. At the Board of Peace meeting on Thursday, Trump said several countries, mostly in the Gulf, had pledged more than seven billion dollars to rebuild the territory.

Pakistan and New Zealand will clash in Colombo on Saturday as the second "Super Eights" phase of the T20 World Cup kicks off without former champions Australia, who shockingly failed to make it out of their group. An injury-depleted Australia endured a chaotic campaign and failed to make the second phase of the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2009. Also in Super Eights Group 1 are Zimbabwe and the West Indies, who meet in Mumbai on Monday, with all that group's games being hosted in India. - England yet to fire -The West Indies toppled England convincingly in the group phase and the two-time champions have all-round strength in depth. Harry Brook's side were unconvincing in wins against minnows Nepal, Scotland and finally Italy, who were making their World Cup debut.

The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin has congratulated Tarique Rahman upon his appointment to the post of the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The head of the Russian government expressed confidence that constructive joint efforts at the government level will be conducive to broader cooperation in trade, economy, investment, culture, and people-to-people ties for the benefit of both nations, said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka on Saturday.

A man has been detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with a modern automatic air rifle. Nur Hossain, a resident of Chhagalnaiya in Feni, was apprehended Friday night and handed over to the Airport Police Station, said Officer-in-Charge of the police station Mobarak Hossain. According to airport sources, intelligence reports indicated that a sophisticated weapon was being smuggled into Bangladesh from Dubai via Sri Lanka on a FitsAir flight. Nur Hossain, a passenger, was detained and questioned. During interrogation, he admitted that the air rifle had been brought in dismantled form, concealed inside bicycle parts.

The government will begin disbursing honorariums to imams, khatibs and muezzins in some areas ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr as part of implementing an election pledge. He added that providing honorariums to imams, khatibs, muezzins and other religious leaders was a key pledge made by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ahead of the national election. Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly said Saturday marked the prime minister’s third working day in office. He added that the prime minister had issued several directives aimed at implementing election pledges. Tarique Rahman worked from the Tejgaon office for the first time on Saturday.