World must not normalise use of force: UN rights chiefGENEVA, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The UN rights chief voiced alarm Friday atthe normalisation of the use of force to resolve disputes, saying armedconflicts had almost doubled since 2010. "We must not revert to violence as an organising principle," Volker Turk saidas he provided an update on rights situations around the world to the UnitedNations Human Rights Council. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that "the threat and use offorce to solve disputes is becoming more frequent and normalised". Turk said there was the increasingly relentless competition for power forpower's sake, to the detriment of rights everywhere. "The world cannot stand by as the edifice of international humanitarian andhuman rights law is dismantled before our eyes".

MUMBAI, India, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneylanded in India on Friday where he hopes to reset ties and double trade,offsetting the damage from his country's fracturing relations with the UnitedStates. Carney's visit is a key step forward in ties that effectively collapsed in2023 after Ottawa accused New Delhi of orchestrating a deadly campaignagainst Sikh activists on Canadian territory. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau's government further alleged India haddirected a campaign of intimidation against Sikh activists across Canada. Ties improved after Carney took office in March 2025, and envoys have sincebeen restored. After India, Carney will travel on to Australia and Japan, part of a broadeffort to pivot the Canadian economy away from excessive reliance on itssouthern neighbour.

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam Speaking after an exchange of views with district-level officials at the Tangail Deputy Commissioner's office on friday. Photo: BSSTANGAIL, Feb 27, 2025 (BSS) - Posts, Telecommunications and InformationTechnology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam today announced that all airports,railway stations and high-speed vehicles across the country will be equippedwith free Wi-Fi facilities, in line with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman'svision for the ICT sector. Speaking after an exchange of views with district-level officials at theTangail Deputy Commissioner's office this morning, the minister saidinformation and communication technology (ICT) is the most vital sector inthe present era and the Prime Minister has outlined many plans for itsadvancement. Mahbub Anam said the government is committed to implementing developmentactivities, modernising communication systems and realising future plans inthe IT sector. During the meeting, the minister provided guidelines on governmentdevelopment initiatives, communication modernisation and ICT progress.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan, MP speaking as the chief guest at an exchange of views meeting with district-level officials at Barishal Circuit House this morning. Photo: BSSBARISHAL, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan, MP today said family cards must be distributed with transparency by avoiding nepotism so the real beneficiaries can receive government assistance. Through this team, the eligibility of beneficiaries must be verified and family cards distributed in a completely non-partisan manner ensuring transparency, he added. Maintaining accuracy in statistics requires precise data collection, proper data preservation and prompt dissemination of information, he observed. Stressing the need to modernize healthcare services in Barishal, the information minister said that despite being the capital of southern Bangladesh, the region still lacks advanced medical facilities.

The UN rights chief said Friday he was “extremely alarmed” at the risk of a regional escalation around Iran, which is facing repeated threats of US strikes. “I am extremely alarmed about the potential for regional military escalation and its impact on civilians,” Volker Turk told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. US President Donald Trump last week gave Tehran 15 days to reach a deal, as the US continued its largest military build-up in the Middle East in decades. Turk also highlighted Iran’s domestic situation, after Tehran last month launched a mass crackdown on nationwide protests, killing thousands of people according to rights groups. I urge independent, impartial, and transparent investigations, fair trial guarantees, and an immediate moratorium on the death penalty.”

DHAKA, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS)-Bangladesh women's national football team continuedtheir preparations in Sydney following the recent closed-door match againstthe Western Sydney Wanderers FC. Team's assistant coach Mahmuda Akter Annoa through a video message today(Friday) said players are enjoying their training session. Today marked the team's fifth training session since arriving in Sydney andtheir first session at the official training ground allocated by the AFC. Following the session, the team checked into the AFC allocated hotel inParramatta, Sydney. The team will resume training tomorrow (Saturday) at Jubilee Stadium from9:00am to 11:00am as preparations continue, the Team's assistant coachconcluded.

Govt bans fishing in Meghna for two months to protect jatkaPhoto: BSSLAKSHMIPUR, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS) – The government has imposed a two-month ban on catching all types of fish in the Meghna River from March 1 to April 30 in a bid to conserve jatka and boost hilsa production. During the ban period, each fisherman will receive 160 kilograms of VGF rice over four months, including the restriction period. According to the district fisheries office and fishermen, there are 52,000 fishermen in the district, of whom 43,000 are registered. The district administration and the district fisheries department have continued awareness campaigns, including miking and poster distribution, in river and coastal areas to inform fishermen about the restrictions. Deputy Commissioner SM Mehdi Hasan said a taskforce coordination committee, led by the district and upazila administrations, is working to implement the two-month ban to conserve jatka and increase hilsa production.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan on Friday said the government will ensure the highest level of media freedom by defining the scope of accountability in consultation with journalists and other stakeholders to guarantee the free flow of information to the public. The minister said the government is working to bring the country’s overall media management system under a modern framework. When the Ministry of Information was established, there were no technology-driven media platforms. Earlier, he distributed BRTA cheques worth Tk 21.7 million among 61 road accident victims from Barisal and Pirojpur districts. He said discussions were held with local officials to ensure the swift and proper implementation of these decisions in the district.

The UN rights chief voiced alarm Friday at the normalization of the use of force to resolve disputes, saying armed conflicts had almost doubled since 2010. “We must not revert to violence as an organizing principle,” Volker Turk said as he provided an update on rights situations around the world to the United Nations Human Rights Council. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that “the threat and use of force to solve disputes is becoming more frequent and normalized.”“The number of armed conflicts has almost doubled since 2010, to around 60,” he said. “The world really is becoming a more dangerous place.”Turk said there was the increasingly relentless competition for power for power’s sake, to the detriment of rights everywhere. Accumulating more power?

AFP journalists near the key Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan heard gunfire and shelling on Friday, as the neighbors engaged in deadly fighting. Incoming shelling was heard from the Afghan side of the border from around 9:30am (0500 GMT), before cross-border clashes resumed, while gunfire was heard in the distance. The Torkham crossing has remained open for Afghans returning en masse from Pakistan, despite the land border being largely shut since fighting between the neighbors in October. The Omari camp that accommodates returnees near the crossing was hit by the fighting overnight, prompting people to flee. Afghan forces launched a border offensive against Pakistani troops late Thursday, in what the Taliban authorities said was retaliation for deadly Pakistani air strikes days earlier.

Iran offered to help facilitate dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan after Islamabad declared the neighbors at “open war,” carrying out air strikes on Kabul following border clashes. “The Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to provide any assistance necessary to facilitate dialogue and to enhance understanding and cooperation between the two countries,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.Iran, which shares borders with both Pakistan and Afghanistan, has maintained close ties with Pakistan and has also engaged with the Taliban authorities, though it has not formally recognized their rule. During a previous round of hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan in October, Iran had offered to mediate between them.

File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 27, 2025 (BSS)- The 95th birth anniversary of eminent journalistand columnist ABM Musa will be observed tomorrow. A founding member and life member of the National Press Club, ABM Musa wasborn in 1931 at his maternal grandfather's home in Dharmapur village of Fenidistrict. During the Language Movement in 1952, when the then Pakistan government shutdown the Pakistan Observer, he joined the Daily Sangbad. In 1978, ABM Musa joined the United Nations Economic and Social Commissionfor Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok as Regional Director for theAsia-Pacific region. ABM Musa made contributions to various fields of journalism for 64 years.

Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal was Delhi's chiefminister before losing elections in 2025 in the midst of the judicialproceedings. "Truth has won," Kejriwal told reporters after the verdict, accusing PrimeMinister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of using a "politicalconspiracy" to finish AAP. On Friday, a Delhi court cleared him, his former deputy Manish Sisodia and 21others of all charges. Several of Modi's opponents have faced criminal investigation or trial inrecent years, including two state chief ministers. In August 2025, the government introduced a bill to remove politicians ifthey are arrested and detained for 30 days, which opponents called a"chilling" bid to crush constitutional safeguards.

The 48-month arrangement replaces an earlier facility, and is expected to support Kyiv as authorities push to maintain economic stability and the war with Russia enters a fifth year. Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a statement posted on Facebook that the initial funds would be directed to finance the budget deficit and support economic stability. Georgieva added that the new arrangement "aims to preserve the hard-won macroeconomic and financial stability" as well as to extend and deepen structural reforms as the war continues. IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozack said this month that Ukraine had met all conditions required for board approval for the deal. The IMF has made more than $10 billion -- not including Thursday's new $8.1 billion program -- available to Ukraine since the start of the war.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan distributed BRTA checks among road accident victims at the Barisal Circuit House meeting room on Friday morning. The information minister said overall, the government wants to turn the media management into a modernised one. He said when the Ministry of Information was established, there was no information technology-based media. “Also, the way to adapt to the expansion of information technology-based media that has been created now has not been completed so far,” Swapan said. Later, the information minister participated in a view-exchange meeting with Barishal district-level officials at Barishal Circuit House meeting room.