STRASBOURG, France, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The European Parliament Tuesdaygave its final approval to an ambitious target for cutting EU greenhouse gasemissions by 2040, a key milestone towards the bloc's goal of becoming carbonneutral by mid-century. Lawmakers voted by 413 to 226 in favour of a 90-percent cut in greenhouse gasemissions compared to 1990 levels -- with flexibility to allow carbon creditsbought outside the 27-nation EU to help reach the goal. The target now requires an ultimate sign-off by EU member states.

TRIPOLI, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A helicopter has crashed in southeasternLibya, killing a medic and two crew members carrying out a medicalevacuation, state media said Tuesday. Libyan news agency LANA said the chopper went down overnight near an airbasein the Kufra region about 60 kilometres north of the border between Libya andChad. Libyan media reports said two foreign nationals were among those on board whowere killed, but this was not confirmed by authorities. The Matan al-Sarra airbase lies in an area under the control of Libya'sBenghazi-based eastern administration led by military strongman KhalifaHaftar, but authorities in the east did not comment on the crash. Libya remains split between the eastern administration and a UN-backedgovernment in the west led by Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah.

BNP chairman and Dhaka-17 candidate Tarique Rahman is set to cast his vote at the Gulshan Model High School and College polling centre during the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The BNP Media Cell confirmed the matter on Tuesday afternoon. According to the Media Cell, Tarique Rahman, who is contesting the election with the party’s electoral symbol Sheaf of Paddy, will vote at the polling centre located at Gulshan Model High School and College on Road No. After casting his vote, he may visit several other polling centres in the area. As announced by the Election Commission, voting in the parliamentary election and the referendum will be held on Thursday (February 12) from 7:30am to 4:30pm.

The government has imposed a nationwide ban on drone operations until February 15 to maintain security and public order, warning that violations will be treated as offences under the Civil Aviation Act, 2017. In a notification issued on Tuesday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said the restriction will not apply to law-enforcement agencies and defence forces performing official duties. The ban, however, allows conditional permission for drone operations related to research, surveys, agriculture and monitoring activities conducted bygovernment or private entities, as well as for broadcast purposes of events organised by government agencies. Such operations will require prior application to the CAAB and clearance from all relevant agencies, the notification said. It also warned that any individual found operating a drone in violation of the restriction will be liable to punishment under Section 24 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2017.

Bangladesh will hold its 13th national parliamentary election alongside a referendum in 299 constituencies on February 12, the Election Commission (EC) has said. Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said extensive measures have been taken to ensure a free, fair and festive voting environment across the country. Calling for cooperation from all stakeholders, the commissioner urged voters to cast their ballots in a peaceful and orderly manner. According to the Election Commission, votes for both the parliamentary election and the referendum will be counted simultaneously, and the official results will be announced together. The result of the referendum will be determined based on votes cast nationwide.

Election Commission Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed spoke today at the inauguration of the ‘Media Centre’ for foreign journalists at the Intercontinental Hotel in the capital. Photo: BSSDHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - Election Commission Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed today said the Election Commission has completed all preparations for the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election and Referendum with the reach of ballot papers in 299 constituencies across the country. He said this at the inauguration of the ‘Media Centre’ for foreign journalists at the Intercontinental Hotel here. The EC Secretary said, except for Sherpur-3, all the ballot papers and election materials of the 299 constituencies of the country have been sent. The ballot papers are being sent from the office of the Returning Officer to the Assistant Returning Officer and officers to the designated places.

A widely debated reform is underway based on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform), which will be implemented if the upcoming referendum is passed. According to a recent survey, 77.2 percent of respondents do not know what is included in the July Charter, while only 37.2 percent are aware of its contents. A press conference was held on Tuesday at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the capital Tribune to present the results of the survey. A recent national survey reveals that just 37.2% of respondents say they know the contents of the July Charter, highlighting widespread uncertainty. A recent survey has revealed a weak understanding of key reform issues among the public.

DHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS)—The International Cricket Council reaffirmed Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) position as a valued full member after a dialogue on Monday. “The discussions covered several issues, including -- but not limited to -- the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the broader outlook for cricket in South Asia,” the ICC said in a press release. Bangladesh skipped the ongoing T20 World Cup due to security concerns in India. “It is agreed that no financial, sporting or administrative penalty will be imposed on Bangladesh Cricket Board in relation to the current matter. The ICC also gave Bangladesh a right to host an ICC event prior to the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2031.

“The present food grain stock has exceeded the target of country’s safe food grain stock and it is a unique success in the food security of the country,” he said while speaking at a press briefing at the food ministry here. Majumder said, “Our safe food stock target is 13.5 lakh tonnes while country’s government food warehouses currently hold more than 22.1 lakh tonnes of food grains. According to the report, country’s rice stock till February 10 was over 18.76 lakh tonnes, over 3.22 lakh tonnes wheat and over 1.07 lakh tonnes paddy. Country’s food grain stock in 2021 was only 6.69 lakh tonnes, over 20.09 lakh tonnes were in 2022 while 20.26 lakh tonnes in 2023. But the food grain stock declined to 16.84 lakh tonnes and 13.76 lakh tonnes in 2024 and 2025.

Hindu trader hacked to death inside his shop in Bangladesh days before elections The Hindu population in Bangladesh has been affected by a series of incidents after the killing of radical youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December. Dhaka:Just three days before the elections, a 62-year-old Hindu trader was hacked to death by unidentified assailants inside his shop in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh, according to local media reports on Tuesday. Family found him lying in a pool of bloodHossain said Sarkar was attacked with a sharp weapon inside his shop. Atrocities against minorities in BangladeshThe killing is the latest in a series of violent incidents affecting Bangladesh's minority Hindu community. Last month, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council claimed that communal violence had increased sharply as the country heads toward parliamentary elections.

What are recent patterns in violence against Hindus in Bangladesh? – There has been a notable surge in violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, especially following the July uprising of 2024. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented 51 incidents of communal violence in December alone, reflecting a critical situation for minority communities. How has the political situation affected minority safety? + The political turmoil in Bangladesh, especially following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024, has exacerbated violence against minorities, particularly Hindus.

A magnitude-4 earthquake was felt in Sylhet on Tuesday (February 10) at around 5:32pm. No damage or casualties were reported immediately. The information was confirmed in a press release issued by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. According to the release, signed by Assistant Meteorologist Farzana Sultana, the earthquake occurred at 5:32:32pm. Its epicentre was in Gowainghat of Sylhet.

Bangladesh violence news: The incident took place on Monday night at the Bogar Bazar intersection in the Upazila. (AI-generated image)Bangladesh minority violence: Susen Chandra Sarkar, a 62-year-old Hindu trader, was reportedly hacked to death by unidentified men inside his shop in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh in Bangladesh. Trishal Police Station chief Muhammad Firoz Hossain said the incident took place on Monday night at the Bogar Bazar intersection in the Upazila, news portal bdnews24.com reported. Hossain said the attackers hacked Sarkar with a sharp weapon, left him inside the shop, and closed the shutters. Sarkar’s family was searching for him, and when they opened the shutters to the shop, he was found covered in blood.

The results of the 50th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) preliminary test were published on Tuesday. Some 12,385 candidates have qualified to participate in the written examination, according to the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC). According to PSC sources, a total of 290,951 candidates applied for the 50th BCS examination. Through the recruitment process, 2,150 candidates will be appointed to cadre and non-cadre posts. Of the 1,755 cadre posts, up to 650 are allocated for the health cadre, 200 for the administration cadre and 117 for the police cadre.

Photo: CollectedDHAKA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - During the nationwide vote awareness campaign for the upcoming polls and the referendum, ordinary citizens from across the country have directly shared their thoughts, hopes, criticisms, and emotions with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus through a unique initiative titled the "Public Opinion Box". A total of 40,206 people submitted written comments on small pieces of paper, expressing a wide range of personal, social, and national concerns. Some citizens shared personal grief and hardship, while others demanded harassment-free public services, reform of state institutions, justice for the July killings, gender equality, child safety, improved education, and a corruption-free, dominance-free Bangladesh. Alongside praise and constructive suggestions, some messages also included criticism of the government and expressions of anger or personal attacks. The vote campaign vehicles titled "Vote'r Gari" conducted outreach activities at approximately 2,169 locations, covering union, upazila, and district headquarters as well as remote and hard-to-reach areas across the country.