Pakistan's government on Monday directed the country's cricket team to play India in the T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo, ending a week-long stand-off. Late Monday, it emerged that Sri Lanka Cricket, the Emirates Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Cricket Board had all written to the PCB requesting Pakistan play the match against India. The ICC added that "an agreement has been reached that Bangladesh will host an ICC event prior to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2031". "Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket eco system." India and Pakistan only play each other in multi-national events such as the World Cup or Champions Trophy.

IRI election observer team led by David Dreier meets Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna today. Photo : CA's Press WingDHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - An election observer team of the US-based International Republic Institute (IRI) met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna here today. Former Congressman David Dreier led the five-member delegation, said the Chief Adviser's Press Wing this afternoon. Principal Coordinator for SDG at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) Lamiya Morshed and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present at the meeting.

SEOUL, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A dispute that saw South Korea's players threaten to boycott next month's Women's Asian Cup over "discriminatory conditions" has been resolved, football officials in the country said Tuesday. South Korea's national women's squad last year complained of "poor" treatment by the Korea Football Association (KFA) compared to their male counterparts. A statement from September, made public in January, said players would boycott games and training ahead of the Asian Cup if the KFA did not address their concerns over travel, training facilities and accommodation. The KFA said that starting from this year, the association would provide business-class travel for all women's team squad members when long-haul travel was involved. The squad will convene at South Korea's national training centre on Sunday before leaving for Australia four days later.

Bangladesh–US Trade Agreement Signed: Duty-Free Facility for Some Garment Exports Staff Correspondent, Dhaka (Monday, 9 February 2026)Bangladesh has signed a trade agreement with the United States. At the same time, duties have been completely withdrawn on garment exports made with cotton and synthetic fibers imported from the United States. The Ministry of Commerce said the agreement was signed online, with Bangladesh represented by Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin and the United States by its Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer. Bangladesh entered into the agreement with the aim of reducing its trade deficit with the United States. He also expressed hope that it would help reduce the trade deficit between the two countries.

In an election season rife with misinformation and anxiety, it goes without saying that policies governing the media and voters must be clear, timely, and well explained. Journalists play a critical role during election periods, and when rules affecting their work are issued abruptly, without a clear rationale or proper communication, the result is confusion and speculation. The very need for a clarification underscores how important it is for election regulations to be carefully considered and announced without ambiguity. Voters, journalists, and election officials must understand the process thoroughly in order to navigate it without unnecessary hurdles. To preserve trust, reduce confusion, and ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process, there is no alternative to upholding transparency in both policy formulation and communication.

The Election Commission (EC) will collect updates on voter turnout, the overall election environment, and the law and order situation every two hours during the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum scheduled for February 12. According to the circular, after vote counting is completed, primary unofficial results will be announced from designated collection and presentation centres based on reports received from presiding officers. Returning officers have been instructed to inform the designated officials at the “Initial Results Collection and Distribution Centre” before polling day. Officials assigned to send reports on law and order and polling station situations must be finalised on the morning of election day. Following polling, initial unofficial results must be transmitted through the EC Secretariat’s internal site using a prescribed message sheet format.

Supporters of seat-sharing claim that alliance coordination is merely a prudent strategy to consolidate electoral strength and avoid fragmentation. The Indian Supreme Court has warned that voting rights are rendered meaningless when voters are denied the choice of candidates. It also breaches the principle of voter autonomy, a cornerstone of democratic ethics. Bangladesh is bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which requires genuine periodic elections that reflect the free expression of the electorate. In this moment of democratic rediscovery, Bangladesh has a unique opportunity to rebuild its political system on firmer ethical and constitutional foundations.

Beyond political violence, a rise in muggings has intensified public concerns over personal safety. In the TIB report, researchers mentioned 600 incidents of political violence between August 2024 and December 2025, in which at least 158 political activists were killed. Moreover, the report revealed involvement of different political parties. Coordinated activities of EC with political parties would have been successful in preventing such loss if all parties were serious from the very beginning of the election campaign. Referring to its earlier findings, the TIB said that a record number of candidates from Islamic political parties are contesting, while women’s participation has declined.

The anticipated parliamentary election and referendum scheduled for February 12 have generated cautious hope among citizens weary of political dysfunction. Against this backdrop, the proposed election and referendum are significant not because of personalities, but because of process. A genuinely free, fair, and inclusive election could restore public trust in the ballot box as the primary instrument of political change. Its credibility derives not from traditional political power, but from public trust and international respect. If they fail, the cost will be yet another lost opportunity -- and a deeper erosion of hope.

The curtain fell on Bangladesh’s election campaign on Tuesday morning as political parties wrapped up weeks of intense electioneering. In the final hours, leaders made a series of promises and pledges, leaving voters to reflect on those ahead of the February-12 national election. In remote areas of 25 districts, a team of 16–18 police and Ansar members will be deployed at each polling station. A total of 1,528,131 voters, including 767,233 expatriates under the Out-of-Country Voting (OCV) programme and 760,898 government officials, polling personnel and prisoners under the In-Country Postal Voting (ICPV) programme, were registered for postal voting. Of them, 64,620,077 are male voters, 62,677,232 are female voters and 1,213 are third-gender voters.

The Election Commission (EC) has announced that polling in Sherpur-3 constituency will remain suspended following the death of a candidate. Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker told BSS that all preparations of the commission for smooth voting have already been completed. EC data showed that of the total voters, 6,48,25,154 are male and 6,28,85,525 female, while 1,220 belong to the third gender. The EC said 51 political parties are taking part in the election and the total number of candidates is 2,034, including 275 independent candidates. Nearly 800,000 election officials and about 900,000 law enforcement personnel will be deployed to conduct and secure the polls.

Philips posted a profit of 897 million euros last year, after three straight years of losses. The profit came in above the consensus forecast of analysts polled by the company of 775 million euros. Once famous for making lightbulbs and televisions among other products, Amsterdam-based Philips in recent years has sold off subsidiaries to focus on medical care technology. It posted overall sales of 17.8 billion euros in 2025, compared to the 18.0 billion euros it banked in 2024. Analysts' consensus forecast was for sales of 17.7 billion euros.

BANGKOK, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Thai authorities arrested a man for allegedly smuggling more than 11 kilograms of rhino horns inside wrapped meat, in a case officials linked on Tuesday to an international wildlife trafficking network. He was travelling from Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Laos, transiting through Ethiopia and Thailand, according to the department. Airport authorities and police seized six pieces of rhinoceros horn and around 12 kilograms of unidentified meat used to conceal them inside a polystyrene icebox. All five rhino species are protected under international law and trade in their horns is banned. Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers who often sell highly prized endangered creatures on the lucrative black market in Asia.

HONG KONG, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Asian shares extended gains Tuesday following a Wall Street rally, with Tokyo's Nikkei jumping more than two percent to another record following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's stunning election triumph. Gains across world markets have brought some calm to trading floors after last week's asset-wide rollercoaster ride, with tech firms battered by AI spending fears finding their feet. There were also big gains in Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Manila and Wellington. Sentiment was given a lift by another strong day on Wall Street, where Magnificent Seven members Microsoft, Meta and Nvidia led the charge. "I think that you should expect slightly smaller job numbers that are consistent with high GDP growth right now," he told CNBC on Monday.

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A US federal judge on Monday blocked a California law that would have prohibited federal immigration agents from covering their faces during operations, but upheld that they must display identification. US District Judge Christina Snyder found California's masking law known as the "No Secret Police Act" to be discriminatory as it did not apply to state law enforcement officers. The proposed ban "unlawfully discriminates against federal officers," she wrote. But the judge upheld a measure that requires agents to show identification and their badge numbers. "A federal court just upheld California's law REQUIRING federal agents to identify themselves.