United News of Bangladesh

Ali Hossain Fakir took over as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on Wednesday. He took over the responsibility at Police Headquarters succeeding his predecessor. Ali Hossain Fakir is a senior career police officer with decades of experience in policing and administration. The government  appointed Md Ali Hossain Fakir as the new  IGP, replacing Baharul Alam. The decision was announced in a notification issued by the Home Ministry on Tuesday. Ali Hossain previously served as an Additional Inspector General of Police at the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) of the Bangladesh Police.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday paid homage to the 57 army officers killed in the Pilkhana BDR carnage, marking ‘Jatiya Shaheed Sena Dibas’ (National Martyred Army Day). The President first placed a wreath at the Banani Military Graveyard in the capital around 10:05am, followed by the Prime Minister. The head of state and the head of government separately stood in solemn silence in honour of the 57 army officers who were killed at the then Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka on February 25–26, 2009. A one-minute silence was also observed as a mark of respect to the victims of the BDR tragedy while members of the armed forces offered a state salute. A munajat was offered seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyred army officers and the wellbeing of their family members. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff M Nazmul Hassan and Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan were present on the occasion. Senior officers of the army, navy and air force, as well as family members and close relatives of the slain officers, were also present at the graveyard. ‘Jatiya Shaheed Sena Dibas’ is being observed today to mark the Pilkhana carnage, in which 74 people — including 57 army officers — were killed at the then Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka on February 25–26, 2009, when BDR members staged a mutiny. Among the victims was the then BDR Director General, Major General Shakil Ahmed. Following the fall of the Awami League government in a mass uprising last year, the government decided to observe the tragic day as ‘Jatiya Shaheed Sena Dibas’. After the mutiny, Bangladesh Rifles was renamed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and changes were also made to its uniform.

The death toll following a blast apparently from a gas leak at Halishahar in Chattogram has risen to five with the death of another victim on Wednesday morning. Shawakhat Hossain,49, who sustained 100% burns, breathed his last at 10:40 am, said Assistant Professor Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, a resident physician at National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.  Earlier, another injured victim, Ashura Akter Pakhi ,30, daughter of Abul Bashar of Rahimnagar village in Chandpur district, succumbed to her injuries at the Burn Institute  at 10:47 pm on Tuesday. Besides, Nurjahan Akter, her son Shawon, and brother-in-law Sumon, who suffered injuries in the blast, died on Monday and Tuesday. Five other victims are receiving treatment at the Burn Institute. Doctors said their condition remains critical. A fire broke out at a house in Halishahar from accumulated gas, leaving nine members of the same family injured on Monday night. The victims were initially admitted to a local hospital and later transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment.

National Martyred Army Day is being observed on Wednesday to pay tributes to the martyrs of the 2009 Pilkhana massacre.   Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday issued a message marking National Martyred Army Day. The Prime Minister said the day had not been observed with due importance after 2009. “Since the country was freed from fascism in 2024, the day has been observed as ‘Martyred Army Day’,” he said. On the occasion, he prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and expressed deep sympathy and solidarity with the bereaved family members. “The trial over the Pilkhana killings is ongoing. As the matter is sub judice, there is no scope to comment in detail,” he said. “However, I believe it is important for us, as citizens, to recognise that activities opposing the country’s and the people’s independence and sovereignty were behind this massacre. After the incident, there were attempts to mislead the public through various falsehoods and misinformation,” said Tarique Rahman. “Let this National Martyred Army Day be a pledge that we will stand united against any conspiracy against the country and its people,” the message added. On this day in 2009, a massacre took place at the BDR headquarters in Pilkhana.Fifty-seven army officers were among the 74 people killed. Among the martyrs were 56 valiant army officers including the then BDR chief, Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed. Their sacrifice remains a dark yet solemn chapter in the nation’s history. Each year, the country remembers this tragic day with deep sorrow, paying tribute to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

A 25-year-old man reportedly died by suicide in Keraniganj on Tuesday evening after failing to arrange money for an NGO loan instalment. The deceased was identified as Jasim, a resident of Sonakanda area under Model Police Station. According to police sources, he hanged himself from a mango tree beside his house after being unable to manage the instalment payment of an NGO loan. SI Rashed Ahmed of Keraniganj Model Police Station said police recovered the body from the scene and brought it to the police station around 10pm for autopsy. An unnatural death case was filed with the police station at around 10:30pm in this connection, he added.

Two school students were killed and another injured after a goods-laden truck hit their motorcycle on the Asian Highway in Purbachal on Tuesday afternoon. The tragic accident occurred in the Galan area under Kaliganj police jurisdiction. The deceased were identified as SSC examinee Nihat Akand, son of Mosharraf Akand, and tenth-grade student Noairish Akand, son of Manjur Akand, both residents of Zinda area in Rupganj, Narayanganj. They were students of Zinda Little Angel Seminar. Another rider, Azizul Islam, sustained injuries. Sohel Rana, in-charge of Kanchan Highway Police Camp, said Azizul was riding the motorcycle from Zinda towards Ulukhola in Kaliganj with his two friends. While attempting to overtake a truck heading towards Gazipur on the Asian Highway, the motorcycle was hit, throwing the riders onto the road. Nihat and Noairish were run over by the truck’s rear wheels and died on the spot, while Azizul was injured. Police recovered the bodies and later handed them over to the families without autopsy following their consent. The truck and the damaged motorcycle have been seized, and an unnatural death case has been filed in this connection.

The left-leaning student alliance Ganatantrik Chhatra Jote staged a protest procession demanding justice over the alleged “police attack” on Nayem Uddin, a student of the Anthropology Department Dhaka University and a student leader. The procession began at 7 pm on Tuesday from Payra Chattar at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of the University. Marching through VC Chattar and the residential hall area, the rally ended at the Raju Memorial Sculpture. At the rally, the organisation demanded the removal of Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner (DC) Masud and exemplary punishment for the police members involved in the incident. DU students stage protest outside Shahbagh police station over ‘assault’ Addressing the gathering, victim student Nayem Uddin alleged the police’s “reckless” and “anti-people” character had been exposed even before any offence was proven. “I identified myself as a University of Dhaka student. If the police can behave so aggressively even then, it is clear to ordinary people-from rickshaw pullers and day labourers to garment workers-how much class discrimination and class hostility this state maintains against the public,” he said. Speaking at the rally, Nuzia Hasin Rasha, president of the DU unit of Biplobi Chhatra Maitri, said there was no difference in character between the Awami League, the interim government, and the newly elected BNP government. Rasha added, “We are standing against that injustice, an injustice we have been protesting since the post-uprising period. Even after the arrival of an elected government, we are once again forced to stand here.” DU VC Niaz Ahmed Khan resigns

Newly appointed administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Abdus Salam has said the city administration has virtually collapsed due to the absence of public governance for a long time, identifying corruption, extortion, mugging and terrorism as major challenges to restoring dynamism in civic services. The DSSC made the remarks on Tuesday while responding to questions from reporters after paying homage by placing wreaths at the graves of Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital. Salam said various problems have accumulated in different sectors as city corporations failed to function properly for a long time. In particular, mosquito infestation has increased due to a lack of cleanliness, he said, adding that ensuring regular cleaning of the metropolis and taking effective measures to control mosquitoes are major challenges for the administration. He said a specific timeframe has been set to address these issues. “Within the next nine months, we want to resolve the major problems and return power to the people,” he said. Regarding corruption, the administrator said the government would take appropriate action if any irregularities are found. He added that the the DSCC administration would make its utmost effort to prevent any future corruption or misconduct. On mosquito control, Salam said the responsibility does not lie with the city corporation alone, stressing that public awareness is also essential. The city corporation and residents must work together to ensure cleanliness, he said. Newly appointed administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation Shafiqul Islam Khan was also present and spoke to reporters.

Bangla Academy on Tuesday assured that this year’s Amar Ekushey Book Fair will be held in a more organised, inclusive and secure manner from February 26, despite various challenges, with the participation of the highest number of publishers. Director General Dr Mohammad Azam made the remarks at a press conference outlining last-minute preparations for the fair. Dr Selim Reza, Secretary of Bangla Academy and Member Secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 Organising Committee, presented a detailed report on the preparations. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the fair as chief guest at 2pm. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Multidimensional Bangladesh’. Emphasising inclusivity, Dr Mohammad Azam said the fair would be ‘a place for all opinions and people’. “Additional security forces have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents, as we believe in an inclusive book fair.” Regarding stall construction, he said publishers had assured him that work would be completed on time with extra effort. Stalls and Participation A total of 549 publishing houses are participating this year. Of them, 81 will be located on the Bangla Academy premises and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, with a combined total of 1,018 units. The Little Magazine Corner has been set up near the open stage area of Suhrawardy Udyan, where 87 little magazines have been allocated stalls. The Children’s Corner, featuring 63 institutions with 107 units, has been placed at the centre of Suhrawardy Udyan to ensure easy access and safe movement for children. Layout and Facilities While the overall layout remains similar to last year, several structural adjustments have been made. Due to the location of the metro rail station, the main exit has been shifted closer to the temple gate area. There will be four entry and exit points via TSC, Doel Chattar, the MRT base plant and the Engineering Institute area. Food stalls have been arranged along the boundary of the Engineering Institute. Prayer spaces, washrooms and other essential services will be available. During Ramadan, arrangements will be made for Taraweeh prayers at the Suhrawardy Udyan section of the fair. Organisers said a mobile app has been updated to make it more user-friendly, enabling visitors to easily locate book stalls. Books will be sold at a 25% commission by Bangla Academy and participating publishers, while government institutions will follow their designated commission rates. Bangla Academy book stalls will be available in both sections of the fair. Events Daily thematic seminars will be held from 3pm to 4pm, followed by cultural performances on the main stage from 4pm to 5pm. On Fridays and Saturdays, children’s and adolescents’ programmes — including drawing, recitation and music competitions — will take place from 11am to 1pm. Security & Cleanliness Archways will be installed at entry and exit points. Overall security will be ensured by Bangladesh Police, Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh Ansar and intelligence agencies, supported by a comprehensive CCTV system. The fair will be a polythene- and smoke-free one. Authorities said sufficient lighting, regular cleaning, dust control and mosquito management measures have been arranged in and around the venue and adjoining areas. Awards Several awards will be presented, including the Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award for quality publishing, the Munier Chowdhury Memorial Award for artistic excellence, the Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award for children’s literature, and the Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award for best stall design. A new accolade — the Sardar Joyenuddin Memorial Award — has been introduced this year for new publishing houses, with first, second and third prizes. Green Initiative Organisers aim to make this year’s fair environmentally conscious and zero-waste, encouraging the use of reusable and eco-friendly materials such as jute, cloth and paper in stalls, stages, promotional materials and food outlets. The inauguration date was rescheduled for the third time, having previously been set for February 25 and February 20, 2026, and December 17 last year. The fair will run from February 26 to March 15. It will remain open from 2pm to 9pm on regular days and from 11am to 9pm on holidays. Entry will close at 8:30pm.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has formed a budget committee by assigning additional responsibilities to four senior officials to support the preparation and coordination of the national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year. According to an official order issued on February 23 by the NBR Board Administration Wing, the committee has been constituted to ensure smooth coordination, planning and management of budget-related activities. NBR records 13% growth in tax collection y-on-y in first 7 months of fiscal The order was signed by Mohammad Mofizur Rahman, Second Secretary (Board Administration-1), and came into immediate effect following approval from the competent authority. As per the order, SM Shamsuzzaman, First Secretary (Customs: Automation), has been designated as the Chief Budget Coordinator. Three other officials have been appointed as Budget Coordinators to assist in the process. They are Tanvir Ahmed, Second Secretary (Customs: Classification and Valuation Ruling); Syed Mehedi Haque, Second Secretary (Tax Appeal and Legal); and Tauhidur Rahman, Second Secretary (Tax Exemption). All four officials are currently serving at the NBR headquarters in Dhaka and will perform these responsibilities in addition to their existing duties. NBR invites applications for C&F agent licences The NBR said the committee has been formed to strengthen internal coordination and facilitate effective preparation, monitoring and implementation of budget-related activities. The committee will support revenue planning, coordination among relevant departments and other preparatory work linked to the formulation of the national budget. The NBR is the country’s apex tax authority responsible for mobilising domestic revenue, which constitutes the largest share of government income and plays a critical role in national budget formulation. This will be the first budget of the BNP led government after assuming office through winning a landslide victory on February 12 election.