After a hearing on 5 February, Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Mohammad Zunaid granted Sarwar bail on a bond of Tk5,000. Sarwar’s lawyer, Alamgir Hossain, submitted the bail petition, while Md Abdur Razzaque, counsel for the complainant, opposed the bail and argued for its cancellation. Addressing the investigating officer in court, the complainant’s lawyer questioned why police had not sought remand for the accused. I do not know why remand was not sought in this case,” he said, adding that Sarwar’s actions warranted custodial interrogation. Speaking before the court, Sarwar denied the allegations.

Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Mancha, on Thursday staged a sit-in in front of Jamuna, the residence of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, demanding justice for their leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The organization shared the information on its official Facebook page on Thursday afternoon though it did not provide further details about the sit-in. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of the platform and a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical treatment where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18. Since the incident, Inqilab Mancha has been holding protests and demanding justice.

The names of the recipients of the Ekushey Padak, the country’s second-highest civilian award, for 2026 have been announced. This year, the award will be conferred on nine distinguished individuals and one institution—the band Warfaze—in recognition of their outstanding contributions in fields including art, literature, education and journalism. Among the recipients are renowned actress Farida Akhtar Babita, senior journalist Shafik Rehman, and legendary band musician Ayub Bachchu, who will receive the award posthumously. The information was confirmed on Thursday afternoon by Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the Chief Adviser, during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy auditorium in the capital. Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the government had nominated these distinguished individuals and the institution for the Ekushey Padak in recognition of their exceptional contributions to their respective fields.

The Bangladesh Bank Officers Welfare Council has demanded reform of the existing legal framework of the central bank in order to establish full autonomy of Bangladesh Bank. For this, it has called for amendment and revision of the Bangladesh Bank Order. A total of seven demands were raised by the council at a press conference organized at the Bangladesh Bank head office on Thursday (February 5). In addition, it demanded to resolve the existing deadlock in the appointment and promotion process of Bangladesh Bank officers. A specific proposal to amend the Bangladesh Bank Order was sent to the Ministry of Finance in October 2025 to consolidate the legal framework to strengthen the autonomy of Bangladesh Bank.

Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will open on February 20, departing from the long-standing tradition of starting on February 1, the organizing committee announced Thursday. Dr Md Selim Reza, member secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 Organizing Committee, made the announcement at a press conference at the Shaheed Munir Chowdhury Auditorium of Bangla Academy. Earlier this week, publishers held a press conference at the National Press Club, demanding the fair be held after Eid-ul-Fitr, saying this reflected the majority view. In response to publishers’ concerns, stall rents have been reduced by 25% compared to last year. Additionally, 56 institutions applied for larger stalls, and more than 100 government and non-government organizations have applied to participate.

Agitating workers and employees on Thursday blocked the car of Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Dr A Sakhawat Hussain outside Chittagong Port, demanding the removal of Port Chairman M Moniruzzaman. Dr Sakhawat Hussain had arrived in Chittagong to hold discussions with stakeholders over the ongoing crisis at the country’s principal seaport. Addressing the workers, Dr Sakhawat Hussain said the interim government would not take any decision that compromises national interests. In this situation, the Chittagong Port Authority convened an emergency meeting on Thursday morning. An indefinite strike has been underway at Chittagong Port since Wednesday morning, called by the Port Protection Sangram Parishad.

Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman on Tuesday underscored the importance of neutrality and professionalism in performing election duties ahead of the 13th parliamentary election and referendum, according to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The army chief visited the army camp at the National Stadium in Gulistan, Dhaka, where he held a coordination meeting in the venue’s conference room with senior military officials, representatives of the Dhaka Metropolitan, divisional and district administrations, and members of various law enforcement agencies. During the meeting, General Waker-Uz-Zaman stressed the need for professionalism, neutrality, discipline, patience, and citizen-friendly conduct while carrying out election-related responsibilities. Senior civil administration officials, including the Dhaka divisional commissioner, representatives of law enforcement agencies and members of the media, were also present. The ISPR noted that since January 22, the army chief has been holding similar meetings with senior military officials, civil administration officers from all divisions and districts, and law enforcement representatives to enhance inter-agency coordination for election duties.

Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman has been roped in by Lahore Qalandars for the next season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Mustafizur was earlier bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but was later released due to security concerns for him in India, which sparked a geopolitical storm in the cricketing world. The franchise announced on Thursday that they have secured the left-arm pacer via a direct signing ahead of the league's auction. The deal is valued at 64.4 million Pakistani Rupees (approximately 28.1 million Bangladeshi Taka). Mustafizur’s release from KKR triggered a domino effect that has since fractured the region's cricketing ties.

Brig Gen Monzur said unlike past elections, when troops were stationed away from polling centers, a large number of personnel have been deployed close to polling stations this time. Gen Monzur said the army does not have sufficient transport and has sought assistance from the civil administration. Army ready for any needReferring to directives from the army chief, Brig. Gen Monzur said the military has assured the civil administration and election-related law enforcement agencies of full support to ensure a fair election. Identifying rumors and propaganda on social media as a major challenge, Brig Gen Monzur sought cooperation from the media, warning that fake and misleading information could intimidate voters.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has thrown his weight behind Bangladesh and Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup crisis, asserting that it is high time to halt the intrusion of politics into the sport. Speaking on the Sky Cricket Podcast with fellow commentator Mike Atherton, Hussain praised Dhaka’s refusal to bow to pressure and Islamabad’s solidarity move. “I liked that Bangladesh stood firm on their decision. Tracing the crisis to its flashpoint, Hussain pinpointed the exclusion of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL as the catalyst. Warning that constantly “cornering” nations like Bangladesh and Pakistan would degrade global cricket, he urged the ICC to treat all members equally, regardless of financial background.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Thursday acknowledged that the relations between Bangladesh and India had not been "smooth" and faced some "setbacks" during the tenure of the interim government. From the outset, Hossain said, the interim government laid emphasis on maintaining a "good working relationship" with India. The foreign affairs adviser made the remarks during a views-exchange meeting with the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the afternoon. Responding to a question, Adviser Hossain said the interim government is not leaving any burdens for the next elected government. Senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present at the meeting.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Thursday his agency was “in survival mode” due to funding shortfalls, as he launched a $400 million appeal to tackle global rights crises in 2026. “Our reporting provides credible information on atrocities and human rights trends at a time when truth is being eroded by disinformation and censorship,” Turk said. “We are currently in survival mode, delivering under strain,” said Turk. He said human rights accounted for a very small slice of all UN spending but produced “high-impact” results that help to stabilize communities, build trust in institutions and underpin lasting peace. In 2025, UN human rights staff working in 87 countries undertook more than 5,000 human rights monitoring missions -- down from 11,000 in 2024.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Thursday said there is no scope for the current speaker and deputy speaker to administer the oath to newly elected members of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad to be constituted through February 12 election. “Under our current constitution, newly elected members of parliament are supposed to take oath from the speaker or deputy speaker if the speaker is absent. In our case, one of them is missing while the other is in jail, and both are facing serious cases. Under these circumstances, I do not see any scope for them to administer the oath,” he told newsmen at the ministry on Thursday afternoon. As a second option, he added, if the oath-taking does not take place within three days, the chief election commissioner can administer the oath.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman will visit the northern districts on Saturday as part of the second phase of his election campaign in the region. Earlier, during the first phase of his northern tour, Tarique Rahman travelled by road on January 29 and addressed election rallies in Rajshahi, Naogaon and Bogura. On January 25, Tarique Rahman addressed rallies starting from the Polo Ground in Chittagong and later visited Feni, Comilla and Narayanganj. On February 2, he addressed election rallies in Barishal and Faridpur. Tarique Rahman will wrap up the party’s election campaign by addressing the final rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital on February 8.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) will operate additional metro rail services on the election day to facilitate voters and ensure the smooth movement of passengers. DMTCL Managing Director Faruque Ahmed said extra trains will be operated on the election day to prevent inconvenience to voters and regular commuters. Metro rail services would remain normal on both February 11 and 12, he added. He said the services would run following the regular working day schedule. To ensure uninterrupted metro rail operations during the election period all leaves of DMTCL officials and employees concerned have been cancelled, he added.