Six fishermen were abducted by armed forest pirates from a dry fish processing camp inside the Sundarbans on Friday night. The abducted fishermen were identified as Khairul Islam, 35, Faruk Hossain, 28, Shamsul Islam, 25, Safrul Islam, 32, Maruf Hossain, 28 and Milon, 30. According to the Bangladesh Forest Department, the incident took place at Shelarchar under the Sharankhola Range of the East Sundarbans. Dubla Char dry fish production patrol outpost in-charge Milton Roy said the attackers took advantage of the near-deserted condition of the camp. Bangladesh Coast Guard has been informed to assist in the rescue operation and efforts are ongoing to track down the perpetrators and ensure the safe return of the abducted fishermen, added the official.

Bangladesh Air Force observed the 57th death anniversary of martyr Sergeant Zahurul Haque with due solemnity on Sunday. Sergeant Zahurul Haque was a free-spirited patriotic soldier. Under the Air Force Act, Sergeant Zahurul Haque was later held captive in Dhaka Cantonment. In recognition of his outstanding contribution for the liberation of the country, a student hall of Dhaka University was named after "Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall" and Bangladesh Air Force Base in Chittagong was named after Bangladesh Air Force Base Zahurul Haque in 1982. Air Officer Commanding of BAF Base Zahurul Haque, Air Vice Marshal Md Abdullah Al-Mamun, OSP, BSP, ndc, afwc, psc senior officers, airmen and other members of the Base attended the Milad Mahfil.

The woman has been admitted to Noakhali General Hospital. However, the BNP activist accused in the case said that at the time the alleged incident in Chanandi Union took place, he was admitted to Noakhali General Hospital. Meanwhile, after the rape allegation spread on social media, the accused BNP activist Rahman Hossain went live on Facebook to deny the claims. The alleged crime scene in Chanandi union is about one and a half hours away from Noakhali General Hospital. Hatia BNP member Md Alauddin alleged that political rivals were trying to tarnish the party's image by staging a "false rape drama."

Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam has dismissed reports that he is preparing to resign, amid political transition following the general election reports, bdnews24.com. Baharul, a retired officer, was appointed inspector general of police for a two-year term on Nov 20, 2024. The official said, "In the meeting, [Baharul] said, 'I will not stay any longer. '"Amid the speculation, rumours also spread that the IGP had submitted his resignation letter to the home ministry, which could not be confirmed. On the same day, the interim government appointed the retired Baharul on a two-year contract as the head of the force.

File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) - The High Court (HC) today ordered to close the government and non-government secondary and lower secondary schools from February 18 in observance of the holy month of Ramadan. However, the court also directed that if any examinations are scheduled during the Ramadan, they must be held on time. The order, along with a rule, was issued here by a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida and Justice Md. Asif Hasan after hearing a writ petition filed in the public interest, said the petitioner’s lawyer, Md. Ilias Ali Mondol filed the writ petition seeking a directive to close lower secondary and secondary schools during the holy month of Ramadan.

DHAKA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) - Speakers at a discussion today said understanding poet Al Mahmud is essential to understanding Bangladesh, as he brought the enduring folk traditions and rural ethos of Bengal into the mainstream of modern Bangla poetry. They made the remarks at a memorial meeting held at the Al Mahmud Corner of Bangla Academy in the capital, marking his 6th death anniversary. The speakers said that after Polli Kobi Jasimuddin, Al Mahmud most successfully incorporated indigenous life and culture into contemporary Bangla literature. They added that the roots of modern Bangla poetry cannot be fully understood without the author of Sonali Kabin. The programme was organised by Kaler Kolosh and chaired by United Nations Civil Society organization representative Dr Abul Kashem Sheikh.

"Recovery is possible only through honest introspection," he said in an exclusive interview with Indian magazine - THE WEEK. Farooki: If I look back and try to understand my creative process of making a film, it starts from a trigger point. All my characters seem to have popped straight out of the world I live in, interact with, or come to know about. Question: The strongest thread of shared culture between India and Bangladesh seems to have come under strain. The starting point of Bangladesh-India relations should be acceptance of the people's will, as expressed through the July uprising.

I am staring down 58 years of Phoenix Suns basketball, and I have only lived through about 38 of them with my own eyes. So without further ado, let’s reveal the Tier 5 of the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid. He also ranks second all-time in Suns history in assist percentage at 41.4% and fifth in free throw percentage at 86.7%. Because every organization has a starting point, and for the Phoenix Suns, Dick Van Arsdale was that point. And within the context of Phoenix Suns history, his place is clear.

Dhaka, Feb 15 (PTI) BNP chief Tarique Rahman on Sunday met Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman and National Citizen Party leader Nahid Islam as part of a “positive political beginning,” two days before his party is set to form the next government in Bangladesh. The National Citizen Party (NCP) secured the third-highest number of seats, six, and 3.05 per cent votes. Tarique Rahman visited Jamaat chief at his residence along with party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamigir. Soon after, the BNP’s media wing released a photograph showing the two rival party leaders standing side by side with Shafiqur Rahman seen holding a bouquet to be handed over to Tarique Rahman. The BNP leader Tarique Rahman also met Jamaat-ally National Citizen Party's (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam later.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman-File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) - Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi today spoke over phone with BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and congratulated him on his party's success in the parliamentary elections. In a post on his verified X handle, Dr. Al-Khulaifi said, "I spoke with Tarique Rahman, Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, during which I extended my warmest congratulations on the party's success in the parliamentary elections. I look forward to further strengthening the bonds of constructive cooperation between Qatar and Bangladesh in various fields, in a way that advances the mutual interests of our two friendly nations". The phone call reflected continued diplomatic engagement between Bangladesh and Qatar following the formation of the new government.

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker has dismissed allegations of “undue haste” over the publication of the official gazette following the recent general election. He said the gazette listing the names of elected candidates was issued in due course after the announcement of unofficial preliminary results. He advised anyone with objections to seek legal redress in court. Following the election and referendum held across 299 constituencies on Thursday, the gazette for 297 seats was published on Friday night.

The national election has laid bare a sharply polarized political landscape, where two dominant forces have consolidated public support, while smaller parties have struggled for relevance. Election expert Dr Abdul Alim believes BNP’s strong showing cannot be understood without examining its political trajectory over recent years. “The biggest reason behind BNP’s vote share is the public sympathy built over time,” he said. They point toward a consolidating political order dominated by two major blocs, influenced by sympathy narratives, institutional resilience and swing voter dynamics. As Bangladesh moves forward, the lesson from the ballot appears clear: organization, narrative, credibility and timing matter more than sheer candidate volume.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today met with NCP Convener Nahid Islam at the residence of Nahid Islam in the city’s Badda. Photo : BSSDHAKA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) - BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today met National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam. The BNP Chairman went to the residence of Nahid Islam in the city’s Badda area tonight, according to BNP Media Cell. THE NCP Convener welcomed the BNP Chairman with a bouquet of flowers. During a press conference yesterday, Saturday afternoon, Tarique Rahman called upon everyone to remain united.

To make the season even more rewarding, Standard Chartered has introduced a wide range of exclusive offers designed to enhance the spirit of Ramadan and Eid. This Ramadan, Standard Chartered is redefining togetherness with its most extraordinary dining offer yet. Standard Chartered is enhancing this experience with discounts of up to 50% at leading fashion brands, jewellery stores, and beauty salons. Home upgradesBeyond personal shopping, Ramadan is also a time to make homes more welcoming for guests. This Ramadan, Standard Chartered invites customers to embrace the joy of sharing blessings and make every moment of the season truly special.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured 49.97%, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami gained 31.76% of total votes cast in the 13th parliamentary election held on February 12 last. Besides, National Citizen Party-NCP obtained 3.05percent votes, Islami Andolan Bangladesh pocketed 2.70% votes, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish gained 2.09% and Jatiya Party got only 0.89%, according to the statistics of the Election Commission. In the election, 274 independent contestants bagged 5.79% votes. A total of 77,695,023 votes (out of 127 million voters) were cast in the 299 constituencies (except Sherpur-3) in the referendum and the national election held on Thursday last. But the EC released unofficial election results of 297 constituencies on Friday last and kept the result of Chattogram-2 and 4 withheld in line with the court orders.