MADRID, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A fire at an apartment block near Barcelona has killed five people and injured four others, the fire service of Spain's northeastern Catalonia region said on Tuesday. The blaze broke out on Monday evening in a storage room of the five-storey building in the town of Manlleu, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Barcelona, the service said in a statement. "Five people died this evening and four others sustained minor injuries," the firefighters said. Spanish media reported that the victims were young people who had gathered on the top floor. "For reasons unknown, the people inside were unable to get out" of the storage room and "nothing could be done to save their lives" despite the intervention of firefighters and ambulances, the service said.

Foreign Adviser M Touhid Hossain received the Bhutanese Prime Minister at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Photo : GOBDHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) – Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay arrived in Dhaka today to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet led by Prime Minbister –elect Tarique Rahman, reaffirming the enduring friendship and close bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Bhutan. Foreign Adviser M Touhid Hossain received the Bhutanese Prime Minister at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his arrival in the capital. Dasho Tshering Tobgay will attend the oath-taking ceremony of BNP Chairman and Prime Minister-elect Tarique Rahman in Dhaka this afternoon. “At the invitation of the Government of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay will attend the Oath-Taking Ceremony of H.E.

India's Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla arrives in Bangladesh to represent India at the swearing-in of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led new government. Photo: Bangladesh High Commission New Delhi. Photo : Bangladesh High CommissionDHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) – A high-level Indian delegation led by Lok Sabha (parliament) Speaker Om Birla arrived in Dhaka today to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman. The delegation came here on boarding an Indian Air Force special aircraft landed at Bangladesh Air Force Base in Dhaka. Indian Speaker Om Birla was received at the airbase by Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Md Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Riaz Hamidullah Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, said Indian high commission here.

Six newly elected MPs from the National Citizen Party (NCP) were sworn in as members of parliament on Tuesday. For the first time in the country’s history, a chief election commissioner administered the oath to newly elected MPs. However, BNP members did not take the oath as members of the Constitution Reform Commission. The elected MPs, including party Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, took their oaths. Nahid Islam, Akhtar Hossain, Hasnat Abdullah, Abdul Hannan Masud, Abdullah Al Amin, and Atikur Rahman Mojahid were sworn in as MPs.

Forty nine ministers and state ministers were sworn in at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to the newly appointed members of the cabinet at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad. Earlier, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman took oath as the Prime Minister. With the oath taking ceremony, the journey of the new government under the leadership of Tarique Rahman officially began. This also marks the return of a BNP- led government after nearly two decades.

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}}Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgirl spoke to journalists at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after parliamentary party meeting today. Photo : BSSDHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) - BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said that they are optimistic that the country will advance far under Tarique Rahman's leadership. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman was unanimously elected as the leader of the parliament at a meeting of the parliamentary party held at 12:00 PM at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir informed journalists of this after the parliamentary party meeting. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman vacated the Bogura-6 seat while retaining the Dhaka-17 seat yesterday.

You have permission to edit this article.

You have permission to edit this article.

As Bangladesh steps into a new political chapter with the promise of an Upper House adding fresh dimensions to governance, the national conversation on energy transition demands renewed attention. Bangladesh has embraced renewable energy to meet clean energy targets and climate commitments. Meanwhile, page 34, under the section on power and energy sector development (under chapter 3), inherits a challenge of expanding renewable energy capacity. This multi-layered approach ensures that information flows both upward and downward -- shaping national policy while also empowering citizens. As the country enters a fresh political era, the question is no longer whether women should participate in the renewable energy sector.

The newly elected MPs from the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance, along with independent MPs, were sworn in as members of parliament. They also took the oath as members of the Constitution Reform Commission. The oath was administered by AMM Nasir Uddin, the chief election commissioner. Earlier, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Muhammad Taher said they will not take the oath if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) MPs refuse to do so as members of the Constitution Reform Commission. Taher said the party believes a parliament without constitutional reform is meaningless.

He and his team of advisers can now ride off into the sunset with their heads held high. To the extent that this election was a product of the July Uprising, the result was expected to reflect it. These tendencies all speak to that aversion to radical upheaval, and the search for a safe harbour, over new pastures. Since arriving back in Bangladesh on December 25, Tarique has been the centre of attention, treated almost as a godsend by liberal sections of society fearing an Islamist takeover. Enayetullah Khan is Editor-in-Chief, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) and Dhaka Courier.

MaldivesPresident of the Maldives Dr Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Dhaka earlier in the day to attend the ceremony. He was received by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Dhaka. NepalNepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma also arrived in Dhaka to attend the ceremony. His participation reflected the friendly bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan foreign ministry said. The presence of regional leaders and senior representatives at the ceremony underscored South Asia’s collective interest in Bangladesh’s political transition and signalled readiness to deepen cooperation with the government led by Prime Minister-elect Tarique Rahman.

UK Under-Secretary Seema Malhotra called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna today. Photo : CA's Press WingDHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) – The UK Under-Secretary Seema Malhotra paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna here today. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke and Senior Secretary for SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed were present, among others, on the occasion, said the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing this afternoon.

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaZip Code