Ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum, people have begun leaving Dhaka to cast their votes in their respective constituencies. Meanwhile, MP candidates across the country have arranged buses, trucks and other vehicles to transport voters to their home constituencies in an effort to secure votes. Reports also indicate that some candidates distributed free bus tickets to voters to ensure their presence on polling day. Rafiqul Islam, a voter leaving Dhaka, said: “I’m leaving Dhaka just to cast my vote. “Where the fare is usually Tk300, they are now asking for Tk1,000,” he said, adding that he was travelling to Jamalpur to vote.

One hundred platoons of Coast Guard have been deployed in the coastal region to maintain law and order during the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum slated for February 12. According to the Coast Guard, a total of 3,585 members have been deployed for 28 days from January 18 to February 14. Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Md Ziaul Haque said that 200 Coast Guard members have been deployed at 22 polling stations in the Meghna coastal area of Chandpur. Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haque said that under the West Zone, Coast Guard personnel are deployed at 66 polling stations in 16 unions across Dakope, Koyra, and Mathbaria upazilas under the Khulna-1, Khulna-6, and Pirojpur-3 constituencies. Coast Guard sources said the referendum and the election will be held to promote an accountable, welfare-oriented, and prosperous Bangladesh.

To ensure a fair, free, peaceful and impartial 13th Jatiya Sangsad Election and Referendum, the Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RpMP) has imposed temporary restrictions on the movement of certain vehicles within the metropolitan area. As per the notification, the movement of taxi cabs, pickup vans, microbuses and trucks will remain suspended from 12:00 midnight on Wednesday (February 11) to 12:00 midnight on Thursday (February 12). In addition, motorcycle movement will be prohibited for a longer period—from 12:00 midnight on Tuesday (February 10) to 12:00 midnight on Friday (February 13). Emergency service vehicles, including ambulances, fire service, electricity, gas, postal and telecommunications services, as well as vehicles carrying newspapers, are also exempted. Limited exemptions have been granted for candidates and election agents with prior approval, while restrictions will be relaxed on key highways and major connecting roads.

Afire broke out at a 10-storey building in Mirpur's Pallabi area of the capital on Tuesday night, officials said. Two fire engines were dispatched to the scene to bring the blaze under control, said Shahjahan Islam, duty officer at the Fire Service control room. The fire originated on the third floor of the multistorey building located in the Mirpur 11.5 area.

Bangladesh heads into a decisive electoral test Thursday as voters across the country prepare to cast ballots in the 13th national parliamentary election, being held alongside a nationwide referendum, amid heightened security, political fragmentation and lingering uncertainty over voter participation. Voting will be conducted at 42,659 polling centres, with an additional 299 centres designated for counting postal ballots, bringing the total number of centres involved to 42,958. The EC has classified roughly half of the polling centres as “important” or “high-risk” based on past incidents and local political dynamics. More than 90% of polling centres have been fitted with CCTV cameras, though officials said the final verified figure would be released after completion of checks. Following concerns raised by media groups, the commission clarified that journalists are permitted to use mobile phones for photography and video recording at polling centres.

A significant number of Bangladeshi expatriates have arrived in Sylhet to cast votes in the 13th national parliamentary election slated for February 12. Abdul Mukit, President of Bangladesh Welfare Council UK, said that expatriate voting rights had been a longstanding demand. Data from the Sylhet Overseas Centre shows that many people from Sylhet division’s four districts—Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar and Habiganj—live abroad. BNP-nominated candidates include UK BNP President MA Malik from Sylhet-3, UK BNP General Secretary Koyser M Ahmed from Sunamganj-3, and US expatriate Shawkat Ali Shaku from Sunamganj-2. Sylhet District BNP sources said around 400–500 expatriate leaders and activists have returned for each of the district’s six constituencies.

Education Adviser Professor Dr C R Abrar. File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - Education Adviser Professor Dr C R Abrar today expressed his deep gratitude to the committee formed for policy reforms in the education sector and officials concerned who provided support in this regard. Professor Dr. C. R. Abrar attended the seminar as chief guest while Secondary and Higher Education Division secretary Ms. Rahima Parvin chaired it. Dr. Abrar further said education is not merely a secondary sector; rather, it is a critically important foundation for nation-building. The Education Adviser further expressed his hope that in the future, the government and policymakers would develop a strong legal and institutional framework based on this roadmap.

Disaster and Relief Advisor Faruk Im delivered the keynote address at the Dhaka Cantonment Disaster Mitigation Operations Center today. Photo: PIDDHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) – Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam, Bir Protik, said today that integrated capacity building for disaster management could be a key tool for achieving sustainable solutions. The Directorate of Disaster Management organized the programme at the 14th Independent Engineer Brigade in Dhaka Cantonment. Under the reforms of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, all disaster-related activities will be coordinated with the ministry in a central role. Earlier, the adviser handed over the keys of the vehicles to be used in rescue operations.

The remainder of the album, which Joji describes as “flickering alt-pop vignettes,” struggles to recapture the vibe he achieved on the single releases. “Sojourn” follows in the footsteps of “Pixelated Kisses,” featuring a strong electronic sound which is new for Joji. The vintage Joji is back at times, experimenting with new genres, lo-fi beats and raw emotion packaged in lyrics. So as Joji matures as an artist, I hope his fifth album will remedy these issues. Brayden Rogers Brayden Rogers is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Photo: CollectedCHENNAI, India, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United Arab Emirates made 173-6 against New Zealand in their opening T20 World Cup Group D match in Chennai on Tuesday, largely thanks to their captain Muhammad Waseem's 66 not out. The UAE missed out on the last T20 World Cup in 2024 and arrived in India with an inexperienced squad containing only three players from their 2022 campaign. Choosing to bat first, UAE shrugged off losing an early wicket as Waseem and Alishan Sharafu put on 107 for the second wicket. That left the UAE 119-2 after 14.2 overs, and though they lost another wicket soon after, Waseem powered on. The 31-year-old, who was one of those who did feature at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, hit four fours and three sixes in facing 45 balls.

DHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) today forecast that weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country during the next 24 hours commencing from 9am today. According to the forecast, light fog may occur at places over the river basins of the country during early morning. Besides, night and day temperatures may rise slightly over the country, it predicted. The country's highest temperature yesterday was recorded at 31.8 degrees Celsius in Teknaf while today's lowest temperature was recorded at 10.2 degrees Celsius in Srimangal. In Dhaka, wind direction and speed were west to northwesterly at 06-12 kilometres per hour, while relative humidity at 6am was recorded at 77 percent.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday expelled Comilla-4 (Debidwar) candidate Manzurul Ahsan Munshi from all party positions, including genera membership, over a video in which he allegedly threatened voters. If necessary, I will burn down houses and destroy everything.”Munshi, a four-time former MP of Debidwar, had initially received the BNP nomination for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. After nearly an hour of arguments, the returning officer upheld Munshi’s nomination. Hasnat Abdullah then appealed to the Election Commission, which on January 17 declared Munshi’s nomination invalid. Since no other BNP leader received a nomination for Comilla-4, the party instructed Munshi to work in favor of alliance partner Gana Adhikar Parishad’s candidate, Jasim Uddin.

Photo: BSSDHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Sanaullah today said nearly 958,000 law enforcement personnel have been deployed across the country to ensure a free, fair and impartial national election and referendum on Thursday. Highlighting the officials responsible for conducting the election, Sanaullah said 69 returning officers and 598 assistant returning officers will serve in the election. The Election Commissioner said, "For the first time, UAVs, drones, and body-worn cameras are being used for law enforcement. This simultaneous counting ensures that agents do not leave prematurely or cause unrest outside after the national election results are announced."

Of course, Trump has filed his fair share of suits in the past; the key difference is that those were before he got into politics. Aside from the hypocrisy of President Trump also being an avid supporter of free speech, this consistent usage of government-sponsored censorship may foreshadow a dark time to come. Although the FCC is meant to be an independent watchdog organization and report solely to Congress, its new chairman, Brendan Carr, was appointed by President Trump. Not only does this recent threat towards Trevor Noah stand as a scare tactic and a rejection of the First Amendment, but an aim to remove meaning from art. Art, media and Hollywood are all inherently political industries fueled by free speech — removing something as vital as political satire essentially removes that voice.

KHARTOUM, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - More than 100,000 people have fledSudan's embattled Kordofan since October, the United Nations said on Tuesday,as fighting escalates across the vast southern region. Data from the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesdayshowed that an estimated 115,223 people were displaced from Kordofan betweenOctober 25 and February 5. The surge followed more than 80 violent incidents recorded across North,South and West Kordofan states, the UN agency said. The exodus from the southern region came after the RSF shifted its focusthere, following its takeover of El-Fasher -- the Sudanese army's laststronghold in the neighbouring Darfur region -- in October. He said strikes by both warring parties hit targets including a World FoodProgramme convoy, markets, health facilities and residential areas acrossNorth and South Kordofan.