Visiting Nepalese Minister for Foreign Affairs Bala Nanda Sharma on Wednesday met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, and both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to work closely across bilateral, regional, and multilateral platforms, advancing the shared interests of the two countries and peoples. The Nepalese foreign minister congratulated his Bangladesh counterpart on his appointment as the foreign minister of the government of Bangladesh. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shama Obaid Islam, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, and Director General Israt Jahan were also present in the meeting. Foreign Minister Sharma was accompanied by Ambassador Ghanshyam Bhandari, Joint Secretary Gahendra Rajbhandari, Deputy Chief of Mission Lalita Silwal, and Under Secretary Madhusudan Bhattarai. In the meeting held in the evening in Dhaka, the two foreign ministers reviewed the longstanding relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh, anchored in good neighbourliness, shared aspirations, and deep cultural connections.

From the charred walls of its office, Prothom Alo on Wednesday unveiled an art exhibition titled “Alo” (Light) -- transforming a site of violence into a space of reflection and resilience. The exhibition was inaugurated at 11am in front of the newspaper’s Karwan Bazar office in the presence of newspaper owners, editors, journalist leaders, and media workers. On the occasion, leaders of journalist organizations underscored the need for greater unity within the media community to safeguard independent journalism and democratic values. The event carried particular significance in light of the attack on December 18 last year, when a group of assailants stormed the Prothom Alo office. Against that backdrop, the exhibition’s theme -- “Alo,” meaning light -- serves as a deliberate counterpoint to the darkness of the attack.

Mizanur Rahman Minu, Member of Parliament from Rajshahi Sadar, Adviser to the BNP Chairman, and former mayor. Minu also expressed deep appreciation to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, describing him as a symbol of the hopes and aspirations of the Bangladeshi people. Land Minister Minu sought prayers, cooperation, and support from all for the overall development of Bangladesh and Rajshahi. Residents of Rajshahi expressed joy over the appointment, noting that the city has received a cabinet minister from the Rajshahi Sadar constituency after a 47-year gap. He also thanked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on behalf of the people for Minu's cabinet appointment.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram .File photoDHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - Liberation War Affairs Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram today urged officials to be more alert and responsible in ensuring due respect and dignity for freedom fighters. He said that the appropriate honor for freedom fighters has not been fully ensured even after independence, and stressed the need to address this issue with greater sincerity. The minister made the remarks while speaking at an exchange-of-views meeting with ministry officials at the conference room of the Liberation War Affairs Ministry here. During the meeting, he instructed concerned officials to accord the highest respect to any freedom fighter visiting the ministry. He also emphasized the importance of preserving the history and spirit of the Liberation War and ensuring that freedom fighters receive the honor they deserve.

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Tones darken, lyrics stop detonating and begin to confess, wrapped in the gentle strokes of a singer-songwriter’s guitar or hazy bedroom-pop textures. This transformation is perhaps most notable — and most surprising — when it pertains to metal. The new wave of alternative metal bands, admittedly, barely behaves like typical bands at all. The modern alternative metal frontman does not promise to change the world or even himself. Arina Zadvornaya Arina Zadvornaya is a graduate student in the Duffield College of Engineering.

Mongla Port. File PhotoKHULNA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - Mongla Port, the country's second-largestseaport, has set a new record in container handling during the first sevenmonths of the 2025-26 fiscal year, marking a significant rise in maritimetrade activity. According to officials of the Mongla Port Authority, the port handled 21,651TEU containers between July 2025 and January 2026, surpassing the total21,456 TEUs handled in the entire 2024-25 fiscal year. Among them were 31 foreign commercial container vessels. The new facilities will nowallow the handling of commercial vessels up to 200 meters in length and 9.00meters draft.

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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the first cabinet meeting held at the Cabinet Division in the Bangladesh Secretariat this afternoon. Photo: PIDDHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) – The first meeting of the new cabinet of the present BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was held at the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat here this afternoon. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting. Earlier, Tareque Rahman arrived at the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat around 12.30 pm to chair the first cabinet meeting of his government. On his arrival, Cabinet Secretary Dr Nasimul Ghani and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar welcomed the new Prime Minister.

File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has appointed 10 advisers with the ranks of ministers and state ministers. Of the appointees, five will enjoy the rank of ministers and five the rank of state ministers. As per the notification, the advisers appointed with the rank of ministers are: Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Nazrul Islam Khan, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Md Ismail Zabiullah and Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir. Besides, the notification further said the advisers appointed with the rank of state ministers are: Humayun Kabir, Brigadier General (retd) Shamsul Islam, Dr Jahedur Rahman, Mahdi Amin and Rehan Asif Asad. The notification said they will enjoy the status, salaries, allowances and other benefits of ministers and state ministers while holding the posts of advisers.

DHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - Experts and academicians today said digital twin technology is revolutionizing the landscape of intelligent systems, offering unprecedented capabilities in design, simulation and real-time optimization. They made these observations at a seminar titled 'Digital Twin: Transforming the Future of Intelligent Systems,' jointly organized by Dhaka University (DU) and the Daffodil AI club at the international conference hall (ICH) of Daffodil International University (DIU). Professor Dr. Sheak Rashed Haider Noori, head of the department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at DIU, said digital twin technology is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day necessity. Abdur Razzaque, chairman of the CSE department at Dhaka University, highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Representing the industry, GIS Analysts Sakib Rahman Siddique and Wahid Ibne Zakir demonstrated how geospatial intelligence enhances digital twin platforms.

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. -File photoDHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) – Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the foremost challenge facing the current government is to rebuild state institutions and strengthen the democratic system. “Local government institutions will be strengthened and made corruption-free to ensure services to people’s doorsteps,” he said while speaking to reporters after taking charge of his ministry at the Secretariat here. Mirza Fakhrul, who is also the Secretary General of BNP, said, “We have assumed office with a major goal. Democracy will remain at the centre of all our activities.”Referring to the existing vacancies in district councils, upazilas and municipalities, he said, “Many positions in local government institutions are currently vacant.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived at the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat at around 12.30 pm to chair the first cabinet meeting of his government. Photo: BSSDHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman started his office today, a day after swearing-in as the head of the new government. On his arrival, Cabinet Secretary Dr Nasimul Ghani and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar welcomed the new Prime Minister. Tarique Rahman, whose party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) clinched a landslide victory in the February 12 general election, started his day after paying homage to the Liberation War martyrs and his parents- Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia today. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office and oath of secrecy to Tarique Rahman and his cabinet members at the South Plaza of the Sangsad Bhaban here on Tuesday.

Drones, sirens, army posters: How four years of war changed a Russian cityVORONEZH, Russia, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A drone whirred through a shopping centre in the Russian city of Voronezh as Shaman, an operator for the Russian army, showed shoppers one of the devices that have dominated the battlefield in Ukraine. From frequent Ukrainian retaliatory drone attacks to army recruitment adverts around the city, the conflict has gradually seeped into daily life. In the city centre, murals honour soldiers killed on the battlefield. Tracking of local obituaries and family announcements by the BBC and independent Mediazona outlet has identified at least 168,000 Russian soldiers killed since Moscow launched its offensive. Amid the plethora of army posters across the city, there are some smaller signs that not everybody shares the patriotic pro-war fervour.

DHAKA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - The government today announced a 36-day holiday for primary and secondary schools across the country on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan and other religious and national observances. All government and non-government primary schools and secondary schools (classes I-X) will remain closed from Thursday, February 19, to March 26, according to separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. The ministries revised the previously announced 2026 academic calendar and holiday list and issued separate gazette notifications in this regard today. The notifications stated that secondary and lower secondary institutions will enjoy a total of 36 days of holiday from February 19 to March 26. Primary schools will also follow the same revised holiday schedule, said the separate notification issued by the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.