Prime Bank PLC, through its AML & CFT Division, successfully organized the “BAMLCO Conference 2026” on January 31 at the Marina Yasmin Chowdhury Hall of Aspiration, Prime Tower, Nikunja-2, Dhaka. The conference brought together 159 Branch Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officers (BAMLCOs) from across the country along with 16 Divisional AML Compliance Officers (DAMLCOs) from the head office, reaffirming the bank’s strong commitment to global AML/CFT standards. The event was graced by Iqtiaruddin Md Mamun, head of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), as chief guest. The conference was chaired by Hassan O Rashid, chief executive officer of Prime Bank PLC, and Md Ziaur Rahman, deputy managing director and chief AML compliance officer (CAMLCO), delivered the welcome address, emphasizing the importance of continuous capacity building and strict regulatory compliance. As part of the program, Prime Bank recognized outstanding performers for their exemplary contributions to AML/CFT compliance during the 2025 fiscal year.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman will campaign in Khulna and Jashore on Monday, following the completion of his electioneering in the northern region. Tarique will leave Dhaka for Khulna by helicopter at 11:00am on Monday, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. Tarique will then leave Khulna for Jashore by helicopter at 1:00pm, Sayrul said. He later addressed election rallies in Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi and Narayanganj. On January 25, he launched his Chattogram-region campaign and addressed rallies in Chattogram, Feni, Chauddagram of Cumilla, Suagazi, Daudkandi and Narayanganj.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday took cognisance of formal charges against former Jessore superintendent of police (SP) Anisur Rahman and eight others in a crimes against humanity case over the shooting of two Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders in a staged gunfight in Chaugachha, Jessore. The tribunal also issued arrest warrants against five of the accused and ordered three others to appear before it on February 16. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam represented the prosecution, assisted by Prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim, Mizanul Islam, Tarek Abdullah and others. According to the prosecution, the then SP Anisur Rahman later ordered subordinate police officers to shoot the two detainees in their legs. Apart from Anisur Rahman, arrest warrants have been issued against former Chaugachha police station officer-in-charge Mashiur Rahman, SI Mokhles, SI Jamal and SI Majedul.

Bangladesh Bank is preparing to impose stricter restrictions on mobile financial services (MFS) transactions in the run-up to the upcoming parliamentary elections. The maximum transaction limit may be set at Tk1,000 each time. “Before every national election, the Election Commission usually gives instructions to limit mobile financial service transactions. He said that stricter measures may be taken on mobile banking services during the election period if necessary. There is a maximum person-to-person (P2P) transaction limit of Tk50,000 per day, and a monthly transaction limit of Tk3 lakh.

Bangladesh Army has recovered 179 firearms and 1,941 rounds of ammunition during joint operations across the country ahead of the national election, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The operations, carried out in collaboration with other security agencies, also saw the detention of 1,774 people. The drives have been going on since the election schedule was announced on December 11, 2025 and continued until February 1, the ISPR added.

Road safety campaigners on Sunday urged major political parties to include a clear commitment to enact a separate and comprehensive Road Safety Law in their election manifestos ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election. The call came at a press conference organised by Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh at Dhaka Reporters Unity. Road safety expert M Khalid Mahmud read out a written statement at the press conference. Although a draft Road Transport and Road Safety Act was finalised in 2016 it was not enacted at the time. The event was moderated by Kazi Borhan Uddin, Road Safety Project Manager at the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh.

He added that Bangladesh is preparing to hold similar negotiations with other countries, including the European Union, to ensure continued duty-free access for its products—particularly ready-made garments—to the EU market for the foreseeable future. We definitely hope to sign an FTA with the EU to expand our market,” the Chief Adviser said. She noted that an FTA would attract more European investment to Bangladesh, create jobs, and boost exports to advanced Western markets. Lopez pointed out that India is signing an FTA with the EU, while Vietnam already has such an agreement, allowing both middle-income countries preferential access to the European market. We want more European investment in Bangladesh,” he said.

Ananyo Ganguly, a student of the English Department at the University of Dhaka (DU), was found dead at his residence in the Kotchandpur municipality area of Jhenaidah on Saturday morning. Police said his body was recovered hanging from a ceiling fan. According to Kotchandpur Model Police Station, the incident is being treated as a suspected suicide based on preliminary information. OC Kabir Hossain from Kotchandpur Model Police Station said to Dhaka Tribune: “We recovered the body hanging from a ceiling fan inside the house. His sudden death has cast a pall of gloom over the DU campus, where teachers and fellow students described him as a highly talented and promising student.

A Dhaka court on Sunday imposed a travel ban on Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Azaz for his alleged involvement in irregularities and corruption. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Judge Md Sabbir Foyez passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said ACC public prosecutor Tariqul Islam. According to the petition, allegations against Mohammad Azaz are under investigation for various irregularities, corruption and acceptance of bribes through abuse of power. The ACC said that under section 22 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, Rule 8 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Rules, 2007 and section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a notice was issued to Azaz to appear before the commission and provide his statement. However, he did not appear at the ACC office.

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah on Sunday said there is no scope for irregularities in the expatriate voting process. The Election Commissioner said ballots used for expatriate voters will carry a total of 119 symbols which may require comparatively more time for opening envelopes and counting votes accurately. Sanaullah said 10 magistrates will be deployed in each constituency during voting and the commission is particularly alert to prevent irregularities through mobile financial services. He said necessary measures will be taken to ensure voting rights for elderly, disabled and injured voters, and CCTV cameras will be installed in all districts and every polling centre to ensure transparency. On election neutrality, Sanaullah said the Election Commission will maintain a firm stance on honesty and impartiality and there will be no distinction between large and small parties.

The allegation came as a BNP delegation, led by Election Steering Committee Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan, met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. “A large number of voters migrated to some specific constituencies, which is unusual,” said Nazrul Islam Khan while briefing reporters after the meeting. In response, the EC told them the number of migrated voters to each constituency is not more than 2000-3000, he said. In fact the number of migrated voters is so high…. They are doing this using religious belief and sentiment, which is a clear violation of RPO,” Nazrul Islam added.

The Pakistan military said it was conducting "sanitisation operations" in the areas that had been targeted in Saturday's attacks. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the province's most active militant separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement sent to AFP. The group said it had targeted military installations as well as police and civil administration officials in gun attacks and suicide bombings. Saturday's attacks came a day after the military said it killed 41 insurgents in two separate operations in the province. Pakistan has been battling a Baloch separatist insurgency for decades, with frequent armed attacks on security forces, foreign nationals and non-local Pakistanis in the mineral-rich province bordering Afghanistan and Iran.

RANGPUR, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS) - After six decades, exploration activities began again in the country's first ever known iron mine at Bhelamari field in Chhoto Paharpur village of Shanerhat union under Pirganj upazila of Rangpur on Saturday. Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Mohammad Saiful Islam inaugurated the “Geological Well Drilling (GDH-79/2025)” exploration activities in a function held there as the chief guest. The Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division organized the programme. Finally, after a long 60 years, the exploration activities were officially inaugurated on Saturday in that mine (Geological Well Drilling (GDH-79/2025). “The government will help in extracting the mineral resources that will be found here.

TEHRAN, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Sunday of a "regional war" if the United States attacked following heavy military deployments by Washington in the Gulf. "The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," Khamenei was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

Despite progress across the nation, access to technology, despite being a great enabler, can and has also widened certain divides. Moving forward, we must ensure that the benefits of digital technology are equitably felt. It is also simultaneously true that our digital transformation cannot be sustained on imports alone. To that end, we agree with the call made by Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb that we must prioritize local production of digital devices. Smartphone penetration stands at 45%, while laptop usage is only 10% - these figures reveal that there is ample opportunity to develop a local technology sector.