United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is keeping a close watch on the condition of ailing BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas who is undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital. “He (Abbas) has been kept in the Neuro ICU under close observation by doctors. The Prime Minister is regularly taking updates on his condition,” Social Welfare Minister Prof AZM Zahid Hossain said on Friday. He said a medical board comprising senior neurologists has already been formed to oversee Abbas’s treatment. The minister said the medical board held a meeting earlier to review his condition. “Preparations have also been kept ready to take him abroad for advanced treatment if necessary though the final decision will depend on the medical board,” he added. Dr Zahid, also a BNP Standing Committee member, requested everyone to pray for the recovery of Mirza Abbas. Mirza Abbas, who is also a BNP Standing Committee member and political adviser to the Prime Minister, was admitted to Evercare Hospital on Wednesday night after he fell ill and lost consciousness. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Social Welfare Minister Prof AZM Zahid Hossain and BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan visited him at the hospital and spoke with the doctors on the medical board about his condition. He said the medical board includes Prof Ali Uzzaman, Prof Sheikh Abdul Kader, Prof Zillur Rahman, Prof Din Mohammad, Prof Saeed Ahmed and Prof Zafar Iqbal among others. He said arrangements have been kept ready to take Mirza Abbas to Singapore for advanced treatment if required. “We have contacted the National University Hospital in Singapore and made the necessary arrangements for his possible admission there. An air ambulance has also been kept ready,” Zahid said.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman visited Evercare Hospital in the capital on Thursday night to see BNP leader Mirza Abbas, who is currently undergoing treatment there. During the visit, he spoke with Abbas’s wife Afroza Abbas and inquired about his physical condition and ongoing treatment. He also prayed for the BNP leader’s speedy recovery. Dr Shafiqur Rahman was accompanied by Dr SM Khaliduzzaman, president of Dhaka Metropolitan North Jamaat Medical Thana. Mirza Abbas hospitalised Earlier on Wednesday evening, Mirza Abbas was admitted to Evercare Hospital after he suddenly fell unconscious while drinking water during iftar, according to his wife. As his condition did not improve, he was taken to the hospital later that night for treatment.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar expressed deep shock and sorrow over the road accident in Bagerhat’s Rampal that killed 13 people and left several others seriously injured. In a condolence message on Thursday, he described the loss of women, children, and ordinary passengers in the tragic accident as “very painful and heartbreaking,” adding that the sudden loss of so many lives is an “irreparable loss for the nation.” Bride returning from her wedding party among 12 killed in Bagerhat road crash He prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and conveyed his deepest condolences to their families, while also praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. The Jamaat leader urged the authorities to investigate the real cause of the accident and take necessary action against those responsible to prevent similar tragedies in the future.  The accident occurred around 4:30pm when the bus of Bangladesh Navy collided head-on with a microbus carrying people returning from a wedding programme, said Md Hasan, sub-inspector of Katakhali Highway Police camp. Three children, three women and four men were among the deceased, he said. Rampal Upazila Health and Family Planning officer, Dr Sukanto Kumar Pal, said among the deceased eight bodies were kept at Khulna Medical College and Hospital while the rest were kept in Bagerhat.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal on Thursday voluntarily resigned from all posts in the BNP to ensure neutrality in conducting parliamentary proceedings. They sent their resignation letters to BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman after being elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker at the first sitting of the 13th Parliament. In his resignation letter, the Speaker said he stepped down from the BNP Standing Committee and all other party positions to perform his duties in parliament in an impartial manner. Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal also said in his resignation letter that he resigned from the post of the party’s Legal Affairs Secretary and all other party positions to carry out his responsibilities neutrally. At the start of the maiden sitting of the newly formed parliament, lawmakers elected Hafiz Uddin, a six-time MP and Liberation War Affairs Minister in the new cabinet, as Speaker of the 13th Parliament. They later elected first-time MP Kayser Kamal as Deputy Speaker. After the election, the first sitting of the session went into a 30-minute break so the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker could take their oath of office from President Mohammed Shahabuddin. Earlier, the maiden sitting of the 13th Parliament began at 11:05am with the Speaker’s chair vacant, as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament are currently unavailable.

Mirza Abbas, political adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital on Wednesday evening. Mirza Abbas fell unconscious while drinking water during iftar, said Afroza Abbas, wife of Mirza Abbas. As his condition did not improve, he was taken to Evercare Hospital at night. Afroza Abbas, president of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal, also sought prayers from the country’s people for his speedy recovery. Mirza Abbas says ‘vote engineering’ failed to override people’s mandate

Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami and deputy leader of the opposition Syed Abdullah Muhammad Abu Taher on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction on behalf of the opposition party for not consulting with the opposition while nominating the Chair for presiding the House. “The process could have been even more constructive had the Prime Minister or a government representative held prior discussions with the opposition beforehand, we would still have accepted the proposal with great enthusiasm,” he said. Abu Taher expressed hope that in future similar matters would involve dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition before decisions are finalised, noting that such discussions would help improve the parliamentary environment and strengthen democratic practices. The Jamaat MP, however, said opposition has full support for a proposal put forward by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. On behalf of the opposition, he welcomed the Prime Minister’s proposal and reiterated their party’s full support for the initiative.

Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Wednesday said the Jatiya Sangsad should play a meaningful and effective role in fulfilling the expectations of the nation and its people. “As the opposition, we want to play the role of a responsible opposition,” he said while briefing reporters after a meeting of the parliamentary committee of the opposition alliance at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. He expressed hope that Bangladesh would move forward on the path of effective and sustainable democracy through the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. Shafiqur Rahman said his party would support and cooperate with all decisions and steps taken by the government for the welfare of the country and its people. However, if any decision harms the country or the nation, they will act according to their responsibilities. “We will first point out the mistakes, offer suggestions and provide opportunities for correction. If those suggestions are not considered, we will protest. If protest also fails, we will firmly stand for the rights of the people,” he said, adding that they want problems to be resolved at the initial stage through discussion. He said the government, being in the majority in parliament, has the power to take many decisions, but decisions taken after logical discussion would be best for the nation. The Jamaat leader also urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council. He said if the government continues to implement the demands raised for public welfare, they will continue to welcome such steps. Shafiqur Rahman expressed optimism that Bangladesh would be freed from corruption and misrule and that the government would conduct its activities in line with the aspirations of the July movement. The 13th Parliament is set to start its five-year journey with its first session on Thursday morning, just one month on from the February 12 general election. Unlike in the past however, the first session of the new parliament is going to begin with the Chair of Speaker vacant as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are currently unavailable. At the outset of the session, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will deliver a welcome speech and nominate the name of a senior member of parliament to temporarily chair the House before election to the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker by Members of Parliament.

Amid growing discussions in the public domain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday said it is ready to make public the full text of a letter sent by Jamaat Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman if he provides written consent. The MoFA issued a statement regarding a letter sent by the Opposition Leader to Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman. On February 22, 2026, Dr Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan, Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, sent the letter electronically to the Foreign Minister on behalf of the Opposition Leader. He later also handed over the same letter directly to the Foreign Minister. The letter was written on the official pad of the Leader of the Opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad. The subject of the letter was: “Appointment and recommendation of Dr Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan to the rank of Adviser or Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the ‘Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition’.” In the signed letter, the Opposition Leader praised Dr Hasan’s skills, professionalism, and prudence, and recommended him to the Foreign Minister for appointment to the said position in order to jointly advance the country’s foreign policy. He requested the Foreign Minister to give special consideration to the matter. The letter bears only the signature of the Opposition Leader. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has taken note of a newspaper report claiming that “Jamaat directly contacted the Foreign Minister over the phone.” Jamaat Ameer urges govt to ensure urgent fuel supply through global partners The report also stated that the Jamaat Ameer was not aware of the said letter. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clearly states that no such phone conversation took place,” the statement added.

The BNP Parliamentary Party (BPP) held a meeting on Wednesday to finalise its candidates for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker ahead of the first session of the 13th Parliament. The meeting began around 11am in the ruling party’s parliamentary party room on the ninth floor of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony. Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman is presiding over the meeting, Chief Whip Nurul Islam said. “Tomorrow is the first session of parliament. This meeting is part of the preparation,” he told reporters. The first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad will begin at 11 am on Thursday. The day’s agenda includes the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. President Mohammad Shahabuddin will deliver the presidential address at the session. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said several ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government will be placed before parliament during the session. “A condolence motion will also be presented,” he added. After the newly elected MPs took oath on February 17, the BNP parliamentary party unanimously elected party chairman Tarique Rahman as the Leader of the House. He took oath as the Prime Minister  later the same day. In the 300-seat parliament, the results of two constituencies remain suspended, while the election in one seat was cancelled following the death of a candidate.  

Bangladesh’s Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has said that Tarique Rahman is unlike any of the country’s previous prime ministers, showing through his words and actions that he is a leader of the people. Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting organized by the Hindu community in Lakshmipur on Tuesday evening, the minister said, “Tarique Rahman has been in office for less than a month, yet he has already inspired the conscience of the people, proving that he can lead the country. That is why he has said, ‘I am not the BNP’s Prime Minister; I am Bangladesh’s Prime Minister.’” He added that the Family Card programme is not intended for any specific group but for all the people of Bangladesh. The allowance under the programme is registered in the name of the woman of the household. Today, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated it to test and deliver on the government’s election promises, he said. Addressing the Hindu community, Annie emphasized, There is no reason to consider yourselves lesser. BNP’s politics respects all religions. Bangladesh Nationalist Party politics includes everyone. The event was presided over by Babu Shankar Majumder, president of the Lakshmipur Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, and moderated by Shimul Saha, general secretary of the Central Youth Unity Council. Other attendees included Wahid Uddin Chowdhury Happy, vice president of BUFF, Sahab Uddin Sabu, district BNP member secretary, joint convener Advocate Habibur Rahman, and several others.