Photo: BSSRANGAMATI, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS) - Ahead of the 13th National ParliamentaryPolls, election equipment and polling personnel have begun arriving at 20remote polling stations in the district by helicopter due to difficultterrain and lack of communication facilities. Out of a total of 213 polling stations in the hilly district, 20 are locatedin extremely remote areas where access by road or waterway is not possible. As a result, the Election Commission has designated these centers as"helisortie" polling stations (a single, complete mission or trip performedby a helicopter). Of the 20 helisortie polling stations, six are located in Baghaichhariupazila, two in Barkal, seven in Juraichhari and five in Bilaichhari. The administration has completed all necessary preparations to ensure a free,fair and acceptable election in the district, officials added.

It is safe to say that while our RMG industry has long been the engine of our economy, especially as it relates to export earnings, it is an industry that runs almost entirely on imported cotton. To that end, the news from Dinajpur - that farmers are increasingly turning to cotton cultivation - is an extremely encouraging sign that, beyond showing local success, also offers a glimpse that Bangladesh in the future could begin weaving from its own soil. With relatively low input costs and strong yields, the crop is proving attractive to farmers as a profitable alternative to rice and other staples. While food crops will always be necessary, cotton cultivation directly aligns with the needs of our largest export sector - this is a fact that should not be ignored. If we are successful, cotton can become not just profitable, but empowering for the future health of our country.

GOPALGANJ, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS) - SM Jasim Rahman, 40, of the district has achieved remarkable success through the commercial cultivation of Balsundari and Thai varieties of plum, setting an inspiring example for unemployed and educated youth in the region. A resident of Pukhuria village under Paikkandi union of Sadar upazila, Jasim Rahman holds an LLB degree. Facing uncertainty, Jasim leased an additional six bighas of land alongside his own, establishing a modern plum garden on a total of 10 bighas. He planted around 1,200 saplings of the commercially popular 'Balsundari' and 'Thai plum' varieties. Inspired by his success, several local farmers, including Alam Khan and Gaus Sheikh, have shown interest in commercial plum cultivation.

Bangladesh Bank has said it will announce the monetary policy for the new year on Monday. Bangladesh Bank announces its monetary policy every six months. The central bank has been following a contractionary monetary policy since late 2024. In the previous policy statement, the policy interest rate was kept at 10 percent. Bangladesh Bank started raising the policy interest rate from late 2022 to curb price pressures.

Nearly 1 M law enforcers on guard for Feb 12 pollsPhoto: BSSDHAKA, Feb 08, 2026 (BSS)- The interim government has rolled out an extensive, multi-agency security plan with deployment of around one million law enforcers to ensure a peaceful, orderly and credible polling environment across the country as Bangladesh prepares for the 13th national parliament election and referendum scheduled for February 12 next. Calling on political parties and citizens to remain vigilant, the Home Adviser urged them for cooperation with the law enforcers. In addition, the Home Adviser said members of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) will be deployed for peaceful election. The deployment includes police, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Ansar and VDP, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Armed Police Battalion (APBN), Bangladesh Coast Guard and members of the armed forces under the “in aid to civil power” provision. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Coast Guard has been deployed in coastal and riverine areas from 18 January to 14 February.

Ban on public meetings for 96 hours in 13 constituencies in the cityDHAKA, Feb 08, 2026 (BSS) - Ahead of the upcoming National Parliamentary Election and Referendum–2026, a ban has been imposed on all kinds of public meetings, processions and rallies for 96 hours before and after the voting in 13 parliamentary constituencies of the capital. The information was disclosed today through a public notice signed by Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury. According to the notice, voting will be held from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm on February 12. The public notice also stated that during the specified period, no person shall engage in any aggressive activity or disorderly conduct in the electoral areas. The restriction will effect in the parliamentary constituencies from Dhaka-4 to Dhaka-12, Dhaka-14 and Dhaka-16 to Dhaka-18.

Commerce and Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin today spoke at a press conference at the Secretariat. Based on the proposals received, Biman's techno-financial committee has decided to proceed with the purchase of 14 Boeing aircraft, and negotiations with Boeing are currently underway. Nasreen Jahan said former Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited chairman Abdul Moeed Chowdhury stepped down while undergoing medical treatment in Singapore. Nasreen Jahan said Biman Bangladesh Airlines currently operates with 19 aircraft and will hire four more by 2030. She said the government proposed purchasing 25 Boeing aircraft as part of a long-term fleet and network expansion plan, also aimed at easing trade imbalances and mitigating uncertainty arising from US reciprocal tariffs.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus spoke at a meeting held at his Tejgaon office in Dhaka today. "There is significant demand for Bangladeshi workers in the global markets, but the reputation of the country's workforce is being undermined due to fraud and forgery related to skills training certificates," he said. Issuing a warning that if employers lose trust, all skill development initiatives would fail, Prof Yunus said, "All these frauds must be stopped". Expressing optimism, the Chief Adviser said the NSDA's initiative to introduce a unified standard certification system across all training institutions would play a crucial role in preventing such fraud. The Governing Body approved the long-term goals of the NSDA to address global challenges following Bangladesh's graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.

He made the comments at a media briefing in Dhaka on Sunday, saying the purchase was linked to ongoing trade negotiations with Washington, bdnews24.com reports. He said the decision followed a techno-economic feasibility study comparing aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. A negotiation team led by Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud has been formed to conduct price talks with Boeing, which are still underway. The advisor noted that Bangladesh was continuing negotiations ahead of a deal expected to be signed on Feb 9, with the aim of further reducing tariffs. He added that the government was also seeking zero tariffs on its main export, garments, as part of the talks.

When JFK lit America’s Christmas tree in 1962, Spandorf nearly froze to death as she sketched the scene. Spandorf contacted J. Edward Day’s office and suggested that her depiction of the National Christmas Tree and White House become holiday postage. “What did you think of last year’s Christmas stamp?” Kelleher asked. The least of J. Edward Day’s worries was a Christmas stamp. As for the 1964 Christmas issue, Kennedy had given Postmaster Day his blessing for an annual Christmas stamp.

Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan. Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Feb 08, 2026 (BSS) - A Dhaka court today ordered the freezing of four bank accounts belonging to former LGRD secretary Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan. The order followed a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which said Shahid Khan is under investigation for corruption and money laundering. The petition stressed that freezing the accounts is essential for a proper investigation. The same court on February 3, 2026, imposed a travel ban on him.

MOSCOW, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A Russian man suspected of shooting and wounding senior Russian military intelligence officer Vladimir Alekseyev in Moscow has been arrested in Dubai, the Russian FSB security service said on Sunday. The man in his 60s was "arrested and handed over to Russia" after fleeing to the United Arab Emirates, while a suspected accomplice was arrested in Moscow and another escaped to Ukraine, Russian media quoted the FSB as saying. Several high-ranking military officials have been assassinated in Russia and in Moscow-controlled Ukrainian territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Ukraine of masterminding the shooting. Kyiv, which has claimed responsibility for the killing of several high-ranking Russian military officials since the start of the war, has not commented in this case.

DOHA, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A senior Hamas leader said Sunday that the Palestinian Islamist movement would not surrender its weapons nor accept foreign intervention in Gaza, pushing back against US and Israeli demands. "Criminalising the resistance, its weapons, and those who carried it out is something we should not accept," Khaled Meshal said at a conference in Doha. Resistance is a right of peoples under occupation ... something nations take pride in," said Meshal, who previously headed the group. Hamas, an Islamist movement, has waged an armed struggle against what it sees as Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Hamas has repeatedly said that disarmament is a red line, although it has indicated it could consider handing over its weapons to a future Palestinian governing authority.

Jody Pritzl: After my two books on Christmas ornament history were well-received, I was intrigued to learn the backstories of Christmas stamps. UNDERWRITTEN BY Each week, The Colorado Sun and Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book feature an excerpt from a Colorado book and an interview with the author. So I homed in on the Who and the Why behind each Christmas stamp. The first 10 years of Christmas stamps were influenced by three presidents and seven different postmaster generals. SunLit: In a society dominated by digital, what draws you to writing books?

Heavy snowfall blanketed many parts of the country on election day, including Tokyo and other regions that rarely see winter snow. "I struggled to find a way to the ballot box as snow was accumulating around it, and it was a pain to arrive here with bad road conditions," a man in his 70s in Aomori in northern Japan told public broadcaster NHK. It is the first time in decades that Japan holds a general election in snowy February. Margarita Estevez-Abe, associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, said that the China episode raised Takaichi's popularity even more. "So the best scenario for Japan is that Takaichi kind of takes a deep breath and focuses on amending the relationship with China."