United News of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Army on Monday conducted a successful operation against an armed group of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS, or JSS) in Bandarban’s Roangchhari upazila, seizing a cache of weapons and ammunition, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). The operation was carried out around 5:00pm at Murang Bazar area based on specific intelligence, the ISPR said. Army patrols identified members of the armed group while they were allegedly collecting illegal extortion money. Sensing the army presence, the JSS members attempted to flee and opened fire on the patrol team. The troops returned fire and chased them. During the pursuit, the assailants tried to take shelter in a school building before escaping the area. During a subsequent search, army personnel recovered a uniformed armed JSS member, identified as Hlamangnu Marma, with gunshot injuries along with weapons and ammunition. With police assistance, he was rushed to Bandarban Sadar Hospital for treatment. The army recovered one submachine gun (SMG), 143 rounds of SMG ammunition, 14 rounds of pistol ammunition, five rounds of blank ammunition, two weapon magazines and other equipment from the scene. The ISPR said the Bangladesh Army remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of people of all ethnic communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and will continue strict operations against armed groups in the future.

The president has accepted the resignations of two judges of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, according to separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Law on Monday. The notifications said that Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Naima Haider submitted their signed resignation letters to the president under Article 96(8) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, and the president has approved them. Justice Mamnoon Rahman, who had been on leave for about a year, tendered his resignation on February 2 citing personal reasons. He sent his resignation from Canada via email to the Supreme Court registrar general and the Ministry of Law. Justice Naima Haider submitted her resignation on February 5, which was also accepted by the president.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) recorded a 12.90 percent growth in overall tax collection during the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY2025–26), driven by strong performances in VAT and income tax, according to provisional data. The National Board of Revenue collected Tk 2,23,638 crore in revenue during the July–January period of FY26, up from Tk 1,98,090.13 crore collected during the same period in the previous fiscal year. The target was Tk 2,83,750 crore for the first seven months of the running fiscal. NBR invites applications for C&F agent licences Among the major sources, Value Added Tax (VAT) posted the highest growth rate. VAT collection rose by 16.45 percent to Tk 85,769.45 crore crore during the period, compared to Tk 73,653.66 crore in the corresponding period of FY25 while the target for the running fiscal was Tk 1,01,274.57 crore. Income tax collection also registered a significant increase, rising 13.29 percent to Tk 75,055.06 crore from Tk 66,252.42 crore a year earlier. The target was Tk 1,03,980.09 crore. Customs revenue, another major component of government income, grew by 7.86 percent to Tk 62,813.52 crore during the July–January period, up from Tk 58,184.85 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal year. The target was Tk 78,496.27 crore. Despite the overall positive trend, customs revenue showed a slight decline in January alone. Customs collection in January 2026 stood at Tk 8,581 crore, marking a 1.31 percent decrease from Tk 8,694.87 crore collected in January 2025. But the target was Tk 13,495.43 crore. NBR extends online VAT returns submission deadline  However, VAT and income tax continued to perform strongly during the month. VAT collection in January rose by 2.57 percent to Tk 15,277 crore, compared to Tk 14,894.31 crore in the same month last year. The target was Tk 20,475.57 crore. Income tax collection recorded even stronger growth in January, increasing by 7.18 percent to Tk 13,175 crore, up from Tk 12,292.63 crore in January 2025. The target was Tk 18,574.57 crore. Overall, total revenue collection in January 2026 stood at Tk 37,033 crore, registering a 3.21 percent increase from Tk 35,881.81 crore collected in January last year while the target for the running fiscal was Tk 52,545.57 crore. However, the total revenue collection during the July–January period remained below the target set for the fiscal year. The revenue target for the period was Tk 2,83,750.94 crore, indicating a shortfall despite the positive growth. Officials said the steady growth in VAT and income tax reflects improved compliance and administrative measures, although customs revenue remains vulnerable to import trends, exchange rate fluctuations and overall economic activity. The government relies heavily on NBR revenue to finance its budget, making sustained growth in tax collection crucial for maintaining fiscal stability and supporting development expenditure.

Inqilab Moncho has announced that it will organise mass iftar programmes at key locations associated with the July Uprising starting from Tuesday (February 24). The platform shared the information in a Facebook post on Monday evening. However, it did not disclose detailed schedules or specific venues for the iftar programmes. Describing itself as a consciousness-driven progressive organisation that speaks out against injustice, oppression and discrimination, Inqilab Moncho has also been demanding justice for its spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi.

Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Monday said the present government is determined to accelerate infrastructural development while preventing wastage in construction works for the sake of the greater interest of the country. “The overall interest must be prioritized by avoiding unethical practices. Everyone must be sincere in preventing waste in construction works. The current government is committed to make infrastructural development and prevent wastage,” he said. The minister made this remark while addressing the closing ceremony of a seven-day induction training course organised for 32 newly recruited officers of the 44th BCS (Roads and Highways) cadre at the conference room of the Road Transport and Highways Division in the city. 'Not all collections in the road transport sector is extortion': Roads, Railways and Shipping Minister Congratulating the newly appointed officials, Shaikh Rabiul Alam asked them to fully engage themselves in their professional responsibilities soon after completing the training. “The state has developed you as engineers to serve its needs—this realisation must always remain in your minds,” he said. State Minister for Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Habibur Rashid emphasised ensuring road safety to keep Bangladesh secure. “The closure of a single road causes immense suffering to tens of thousands of people. So, it needs to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement, maintain reasonable construction costs and guarantee safe infrastructure,” he said. Habibur Rashid expressed optimism that through the combined efforts of both new and senior officials, a safe and humane Bangladesh would be built under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Local people stage demo over alleged irregularities in road construction in Faridpur Another State Minister for Road Transport and Bridges, Railways, and Shipping Md. Razib Ahsan also congratulated the new officers, expressing optimism that they would serve the country with their talent and professional competence. Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division Dr Mohammed Ziaul Haque presided over the closing ceremony attended, among others, by Chief Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department Syed Moinul Hasan and Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited Faruk Ahmed, said a PID handout.

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 has been postponed by a day and will now commence on February 26 instead of the earlier scheduled February 25. The date is rescheduled for the second time as it was scheduled on February 20 earlier. The inauguration ceremony will be held at Rabindra Chattar, Bangla Academy premises at 2:00 pm, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman set to officially open the fair for the first time. Commenting on the delay, Dr. Selim Reza, Secretary of Bangla Academy and Member Secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 Organizing Committee, said the postponement was due to special circumstances. He confirmed that the Prime Minister will inaugurate the fair at 2 pm following the distribution of 21 awards earlier in the day. Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 to begin on Feb 20 Earlier, a meeting on February 18 at Shaheed Munir Chowdhury Auditorium, Bangla Academy brought together the Minister and State Minister of Cultural Affairs, Director General and Secretary of Bangla Academy, and representatives of publishers. The decision at that time was to start the fair on February 25, and preparations had begun accordingly. However, on February 21, the Cultural Minister announced that the Prime Minister would inaugurate the fair on February 26 after the award ceremony in the morning. Concerns had emerged over whether more than 300 publishing houses associated with Prakashak Oikya (Publishers’ Unity) would participate. The organization had earlier announced they would boycott the fair due to **lack of transparency in stall and pavilion allocation and the limited preparation time. Leaders of the group, including Mazharul Islam, CEO of Onnoprakash, and Monirul Haque of Onnona, told UNB that the absence of a fair lottery and unclear pavilion assignments prevented their participation. Amar Ekushey Book Fair to be held on time: Press Secretary Disputes arose on Saturday night regarding stall allocation, prompting Prakashak Oikya to withhold participation. The matter was also discussed in a Ministry of Cultural Affairs meeting on Sunday, but no resolution was reached. Publishers argued that unequal pavilion allocations forced mainstream publishers into smaller stalls, undermining their participation. However, publishers have decided to participate as the government has now accepted the publishers’ conditions. Mahrukh Mohiuddin, Managing Director of UPL, announced this at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka at yesterday noon that Prakashak Oikya will participate in the fair. Mahrukh said, “Initially, Publishers’ Unity demanded that no pavilion be assigned to anyone, including themselves, to ensure equality. When that demand was not met, they announced non-participation. But last night, a sincere agreement was reached between the Ministry of Culture, Bangla Academy, and the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association (BAPS). With government approval of their conditions, the publishers are now participating.” She added that more than 200 publishers submitted applications on February 19 following the agreement. Among those present at the press briefing were Mesbahuddin of Ahmed Publishing House, Syed Zakir Hossain of Adorn Publication, Dipankar Das of Batighar Publishing, and Mahbub Rahman of Adarsh Publishing.

The Ministry of Law has taken a strict stance against irregularities in office attendance, warning officials and employees of disciplinary action for late arrival, unauthorised absence, or leaving office early without permission. In an office order issued on Monday, the Law and Justice Division of the ministry cited the ‘Government Employees (Regular Attendance) Rules, 2019’, declaring absence without permission, late attendance and early departure as punishable offences. According to the order, all officials and employees must be present in their respective offices by 9:00am on working days. No one will be allowed to leave before the end of official hours. During the month of Ramadan, officials and employees are prohibited from leaving office before 3:30pm, while after Ramadan, departure before 5:00pm will not be permitted. The directive said officials and employees must obtain prior permission from the head of the concerned sub-division—Joint Secretary or Solicitor—if they need to leave the office for official or urgent reasons. Besides, it has been made mandatory to record departures in the office leaving register and ensure digital attendance in accordance with the ‘Government Employees (Regular Attendance) Rules, 2019’. The order further warned that any violation of these rules will result in disciplinary action under the ‘Government Employees (Regular Attendance) Rules, 2019’ and the ‘Government Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018’.

The well-marked low over southwest Bay of Bengal weakened into a low pressure area over Southwest Bay and adjoining central Bay of Bengal. It is likely to move northeastwards, said a regular bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Monday. Besides, the Ridge of Sub-continental high extends up to Bihar and adjoining area. According to the Met office bulletin, rain or thunder showers is likely to occur at one or two places over Khulna and Rajshahi divisions. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Night temperature may rise slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.    

A speech-impaired housewife was allegedly gang raped by some young men on her way to home from a programme of devotional song (kirtan) in Tajumuddin upazila of Bhola district. The woman aged about 25 is now undergoing treatment at Bhola Sadar Hospital. Family members of the rape survivor said the woman, a mother of one child, went to Anil Sadhu Temple of Golokpur village to attend a programme of devotional song (kirtan) on Sunday. Around 9 pm, she boarded on a battery-run auto-rickshaw to go to her house. When the auto-rickshaw reached at Dhopabari the driver of the auto-rickshaw along with two others took the woman to a garden and violated her in turns. They also beat her up. Local people rescued the woman and took her to Tajumuddin Upazila Health Complex on Monday morning from where she was referred to Sadar Hospital. Abdus Salam, officer-in-charge of Tajumuddin Police Station, said police are trying to arrest the rapist and case will be filed after the recovery of the woman.

The formal inauguration of the Improved Cooking Stove (ICS) Distribution Programme, organised by WildTeam, was held on Monday at the WildTeam Conservation Biology Centre in the Joymoni area of Mongla, Bagerhat.  The initiative aims to reduce the use of fuelwood among forest-edge communities and lessen their dependence on the Sundarbans. Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarban East Forest Division, attended the programme as the chief guest. In his speech, he said, “Where do you bring firewood from?” Many replied—we cut it from the forest, and we also collect wood that floats in. He added, “You may catch fish, you may catch crabs—these are part of livelihood; but trees must not be cut. Cutting trees means directly harming the forest. Therefore, our goal should be to use market-bought wood and alternative fuels, and to keep the Sundarbans safe and healthy.” He further noted, “After coming here, I have seen that using improved stoves significantly reduces cooking time and produces less smoke—therefore less firewood is needed. Less smoke also means better health. With traditional clay stoves, flames can often spread outside, creating a risk of fire accidents; improved stoves are comparatively safer. And since this is a double stove, the same amount of firewood can be used to cook two items at the same time.” He added, “Improved stoves are not new—they have existed for a long time. Looking at its structure and design, I am optimistic that it will work and benefit families. If, while using it, you feel any modification or repair is needed, inform WildTeam—I believe they will provide the necessary support and improvements. Joymoni is a forest-edge area close to the Sundarbans, where dependence on fuelwood for cooking is high. As a result, pressure increases on collecting wood from the forest. By using improved stoves, families can cook with less fuelwood, produce less smoke, reduce health risks, and save time and expenses. At the same time, pressure on forest resources decreases, which will have a positive impact on forest conservation in the long run. This programme builds on a proven track record. Between 2018 and 2025, with support from German cooperation through KfW and IUCN under Phases I and II of the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP), interventions in three Tiger Tolerant Villages in Satkhira range of the Sundarbans—Kadamtola, Mirganng, and Golakhali—delivered measurable results. During this period, WildTeam distributed around 1,000 improved cooking stoves (ICS), and baseline-to-endline assessments recorded up to a 30% reduction in household fuelwood use. Alongside clean-cooking actions, solar lighting was installed at 45 high-risk points, improving illumination along village edges and helping reduce the likelihood of unwanted wildlife entry. Community members also reported practical day-to-day benefits—children could play more safely, and women felt more confident moving outside after dark. With these evidence-based outcomes—and with Satkhira’s three villages formally recognized as Tiger Tolerant Villages—the programme is now being scaled up to reach more forest-edge households and further reduce dependence on the Sundarbans. This project will expand to three additional villages in the Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans—Joymonir Ghol, South Chila, and Burburia.