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.

India’s long-term ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games has come under scrutiny following a diplomatic and sporting fallout triggered by Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the men’s T20 World Cup, according to a report by The Guardian. The incident has raised concerns within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the potential politicisation of sport and the risk of future boycotts. Bangladesh pulled out of the T20 World Cup after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected its request to move group-stage matches from India to co-host Sri Lanka. The Guardian notes that the IOC’s zero-tolerance stance was demonstrated recently when Indonesia was suspended from hosting discussions after denying visas to Israeli athletes for a world gymnastics event—effectively ending its own 2036 Olympic aspirations. Without visible improvements, ongoing disputes in international cricket could become a significant obstacle to India’s Olympic bid.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday said false and misleading information was being circulated on social media regarding his views and the party’s position on women. He made the remarks in a post from his verified Facebook account, stating that the clarification was intended to address misinformation and refocus attention on Jamaat-e-Islami’s stated policies. “False and misleading content is being circulated on social media to misrepresent our position. Dr Shafiqur said the party’s manifesto had been clear from the outset, emphasising women’s active and dignified participation in education, healthcare, administration, entrepreneurship and public service. The clarification comes a day after a controversial post was shared from the Jamaat ameer’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday afternoon, drawing widespread criticism for insulting women.

Snowstorm disrupts travel in southern US as blast of icy weather widensWASHINGTON, United States, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Travel misery was set to continue Sunday as a powerful snowstorm blasted southern US states, bringing subzero temperatures to regions not accustomed to the deadly winter conditions. All of North and South Carolina, and portions of Georgia, eastern Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as southern Virginia were under a winter storm warning. North Carolina saw 750 car crashes on Saturday, the highway patrol said. Faust, North Carolina recorded 14.5 inches (37 cm) of snow, while West Critz, Virginia got 12.5 inches. In dramatic footage released by police in Gastonia, North Carolina, a train plowed at high speed into a semi-truck that had gotten stuck on the tracks, crushing the vehicle.

"The government opened Saint Martin to tourists from November 1 to January 31. Alamgir Hossain, 45, a resident of Moghbazar in Dhaka, said he went to Saint Martin by speedboat from Teknaf last December. He said the three of them went to Saint Martin on January 28 on the MV Karnaphuli ship. Nur Ahmed, vice-president of the Saint Martin Island Shop Owners Association, said the island remained bustling for two consecutive months and business activities were comparatively brisk during that time. At around 1 pm, the ships reached the jetty on Saint Martin Island after travelling 120 kilometres.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s verified account on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) came under criticism on Saturday after a post from the account was widely circulated and condemned for insulting women. The post, shared on Saturday afternoon, stated: “We believe that when women are pushed out of the house in the name of modernity, they face exploitation, moral degradation and insecurity. This is actually another form of prostitution.”Following widespread criticism, Jamaat-e-Islami claimed that Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s X account had been hacked. He said the post was subsequently deleted, though screenshots and copies continue to circulate online. “A general diary (GD) has been filed with Hatirjheel Police Station seeking the administration’s cooperation to stop the spread of the propaganda,” Sirajul said.

The Appellate Division on Sunday rejected a leave to appeal filed by BNP candidate Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan, barring him from contesting or voting in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election from Comilla-10. At the same time, the court accepted for hearing a leave to appeal filed by BNP candidate Mobasher Alam Bhuiyan, allowing him to participate in the election from the same constituency. However, the Appellate Division ordered that the election result of Mobasher Alam will remain pending until the appeal is disposed of. The Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, passed the orders. Later, rival candidate Hasan Ahmed filed a leave to appeal in the Appellate Division against the High Court order.

If elected, I will make Bangladesh the next hell for loan defaulters,” Hasnat said. Munshi was represented in court by Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister Hamidul Misbah and Advocate Saifullah Al Mamun, while Hasnat Abdullah was represented by Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddique, Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa and Advocate Mujahidul Islam Shaheen. Earlier, the returning officer had initially declared Munshi’s nomination papers valid. Hasnat Abdullah subsequently appealed to the EC, alleging that the BNP candidate had concealed information about being a loan defaulter. After a hearing at the Election Building in Agargaon on January 17, the EC upheld Hasnat’s appeal and declared Munshi’s nomination invalid.

A BNP delegation, led by its Central Election Steering Committee Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan, is now in a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin ahead of the national election scheduled for February 12 next. The meeting started at around 12pm at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Other BNP delegation members are Member Secretary of BNP election steering committee Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, its chief coordinator Ismail Jabiullah and member Dr Mohammad Zakaria.

DHAKA, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami said hackers recently gained unauthorized access to the official X (formerly Twitter) account of its Ameer, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, as well as the accounts of several senior party leaders, and posted a misleading statement falsely attributed to the Ameer. The cyberattack was highly coordinated and sophisticated, allowing the attackers to temporarily control Dr. Rahman's account, said a statement issued today by Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair. Jamaat said its cyber team acted quickly, using established security protocols to restore access to the account immediately. The party emphasized that spreading disinformation, impersonating identities, or creating misleading content is legally punishable and detrimental to a democratic society. The statement advised people to verify information from official sources, avoid sharing unverified content, and report suspicious digital materials.

DHAKA, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has banned posters in electioneering and also imposed stricter controls on banners as part of its Code of Conduct for the 13th National Parliament Election and the Referendum scheduled for February 12. The campaign period, which began on January 22, will end at midnight on February 10, 48 hours before voting starts. Under the "Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates, 2025," the use of posters in electioneering has been completely banned. The EC has also issued a clarification on banner use, communicated to returning officers through a letter signed by EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed. The notification highlighted that registered political parties, nominated candidates, independent candidates and their campaigners must strictly follow the Code of Conduct.

Sea of colour as Malaysia's Hindus mark Thaipusam with piercings and prayerBATU CAVES, Malaysia, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A sea of colour lit up Malaysia's landmark Batu Caves outside the capital Sunday, as hundreds of thousands of Hindu devotees gathered to celebrate Thaipusam, one of the religion's most revered festivals. Thaipusam is marked with particular zest in multicultural Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation where ethnic Indians make up about seven percent of the 34 million population. I have been coming for Thaipusam for the past 30 years," S. Jeyasangar, 39, from Klang, Selangor, told AFP. "Thaipusam is important to me because I have gone through so much, and I'm successful today because of Lord Muruga," she told AFP. "Every day I pray for a better future, so today I came to thank Lord Muruga," Shema said.

AFP takes a look at the people arriving in Afghanistan and the challenges they face. The figure equates to 10 percent of the country's population, according to the agency's deputy head in Afghanistan, Mutya Izora Maskun. Three million returnees crossed the borders just last year, some of whom have spent decades living abroad. - Desperate search for work -Just 11 percent of adults pushed back from Pakistan and Iran were fully employed, the IOM survey found. On their arrival in Afghanistan, returnees usually receive help with transport, a SIM card and a small amount of money.