Mohammad Nuruzzaman Badal, Jamaat-e-Islami’s MP candidate from Sherpur-3 constituency and the party's district secretary, passed away early Wednesday. He breathed his last at around 1:30am while undergoing treatment for kidney complications at Swadesh Hospital in Mymensingh, said Sherpur district Jamaat Ameer Maulana Md Hafizur Rahman. He said Nuruzzaman Badal had been suffering from kidney-related complications for a long time. As his condition worsened, he was moved to Mymensingh for advanced treatment, where he later died at Swadesh Hospital. Meanwhile, his rival BNP candidate Mahmudul Haque Rubel, along with leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP, NCP and other political parties, as well as representatives of various local professional groups, expressed deep sorrow over the death of Jamaat leader Nuruzzaman Badal.

US jet downs Iran drone but talks still on courseWASHINGTON, United States, Feb 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A US fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier in the Middle East on Tuesday, Washington said, as renewed tensions on the high seas overshadowed plans for nuclear talks. Washington and Tehran have agreed to talks after US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with military action -- and Iran warned that it would respond with strikes on US vessels and bases. The United States bombed Iran's nuclear sites last summer, and has sent a naval battlegroup back to the region since Tehran's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. "An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense," Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said in a statement. While Trump and Pezeshkian insisted they were dedicated to talks, US and Iranian forces were in action at sea.

Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb. -File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) - Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb today called upon the newly appointed office support staff to devote themselves to public service with utmost sincerity. Taiyeb said the primary responsibility of the newly appointed employees is to deliver digital services to people at their doorsteps. The chief adviser’s special assistant said at the upazila level, DoICT offices represent the government’s digital transformation to local people. Therefore, newly appointed staff must play a sincere and responsible role in providing online services, registrations, information technology support, and cyber security assistance to citizens, he said.

LAHORE, Pakistan, Feb 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Pakistan's spin-heavy squad are in winning form ahead of the T20 World Cup, but a controversial decision to forfeit their marquee clash against India could still trigger another early exit. Pakistan came close to withdrawing from the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, who pulled out after refusing to play in India, citing security concerns. The Pakistan government eventually cleared the team's participation but it barred them from facing India in Colombo in a blockbuster clash on February 15. Captain Salman Agha said the move to boycott the India game was out of the team's hands. "We're ticking most boxes and believe we can win the World Cup," Agha said.

CARACAS, Feb 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Thousands of backers of Venezuela's former leader Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted in a deadly US military operation, marched in Caracas on Tuesday to demand his freedom. "These people are not American," said Maduro's son, Nicolas "Nicolasito" Maduro Guerra, a deputy in Venezuela's National Assembly. Many protesters waved Venezuelan flags and were dressed in the red colors of the ruling "Chavista" movement named after Maduro's socialist predecessor, Hugo Chavez. Anti-government protests had been rare since the crackdown on demonstrations against Maduro's contested claim to another reelection in 2024. The opposition in Venezuela has been calling for fresh elections to be held after Maduro's ouster.

NATO chief Mark Rutte, who visited Kyiv on Tuesday, said "Russian attacks like those last night, do not signal seriousness about peace". The Kremlin had last week said it agreed to a US request not to strike Kyiv for seven days, ending Sunday. Ukraine had not reported large-scale Russian attacks on the capital last week, while denouncing continued attacks in other parts of the country. Tuesday's strike on energy facilities was "the most powerful" since the start of 2026, Ukraine's largest private energy provider confirmed. Russia has demanded Kyiv withdraw from the Donetsk region and has repeatedly said it is ready to seize the rest of eastern Ukraine by force if diplomacy fails.

Home Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today spoke at a briefing journalists after inspecting an ‘Electoral Management Exercise’ at Tetuljhora College polling centre in Savar. Photo: MinistryDHAKA, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) - Home Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said law enforcement agencies are fully prepared to ensure a free, fair, impartial and peaceful upcoming 13th National Parliament election and referendum. He made the remarks while briefing journalists after inspecting an ‘Electoral Management Exercise’ at Tetuljhora College polling centre in Savar upazila of Dhaka district. The adviser said the exercise demonstrated polling centre management and the use of modern technology, including body-worn cameras, CCTV, drones and the ‘Election Security App 2026’, adding that maximum use of information technology will be ensured in the election. Senior officials of the Home Ministry, police and other law enforcement agencies were present during the exercise.

Move on, says Trump as Epstein files trigger probe into British politicianWASHINGTON, United States, Feb 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump made a fresh plea Tuesday for Americans to move on from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, even as it left a prominent British politician facing a criminal probe on the other side of the Atlantic. Former British ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson resigned from the upper house of parliament amid allegations he passed confidential information to late sex offender Epstein. Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of files linked to Epstein, before relenting late last year when an initial tranche of files was released. Nevertheless, Trump's efforts to move on from the Epstein scandal have been hampered as it engulfs key figures from royals to politicians at home and abroad. Pictures in the latest Epstein files showed Andrew kneeling on all fours over a woman lying on the floor.

TOKYO, Feb 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The gunman convicted of shooting dead former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 has appealed his life sentence, reports said Wednesday. Major Japanese media including Kyodo News, the Mainichi Shimbun, Jiji Press and regional broadcaster MBS reported that Yamagami's lawyers filed the appeal on Wednesday. His defence lawyers could not immediately be reached for confirmation. Abe's shooting forced a reckoning in a country with little experience of gun violence, and ignited scrutiny of alleged ties between prominent conservative lawmakers and a secretive sect, the Unification Church. Abe had spoken at events organised by some of the Church's groups.

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States on Tuesday renewed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through the end of the year, an agreement that allows many African countries to access the US market duty-free. Trump has used trade and tariffs -- which he has called his "favorite word" -- as a carrot and a stick to reshape international relations, as he sees fit. In a statement, Greer vowed to "work with Congress over the next year to modernize the program to align with" current US policy. A cornerstone of US-Africa trade relations for 25 years, the AGOA has allowed the United States to buy billions of dollars of duty-free cars, clothes and other items from select African countries each year. But the deal, which operates in 32 African nations, expired last September, affecting thousands of jobs and forcing exporters to absorb high tariff duties.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder today spoke as the chief guest at the presentation of a research report at the Directorate of Primary Education in the capital. Photo: PIDDHAKA, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) - Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder today said the government is giving importance to developing every government primary school as an 'autonomous' one to ensure quality of primary education. He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the presentation of a research report titled 'Evaluation of the impact of involving government primary school teachers in extra-professional activities' at the Directorate of Primary Education in the capital. The event was organised by the National Academy of Primary Education (NAPE). The research report presented at the event highlighted the information that government primary school teachers do 37 types of extra-professional works per year.

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed addressed an election rally at Jangalkata in Konakhali union of Chakaria upazila. Photo: BSSCOX’S BAZAR, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said that a vested quarter is hatching conspiracy to distort history of the country’s Liberation War. Addressing an election rally at Jangalkata in Konakhali union of Chakaria upazila, Salahuddin Ahmed, also a BNP candidate from Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency, said a political party which once opposed Bangladesh's Liberation War is now trying to rewrite the history of the Liberation War. He said, “The chief of a political party has delivered misleading and false information on proclamation of independence aiming to distort real history of Liberation War.”Salahuddin Ahmed said such statements are not expected . Salahuddin Ahmed called upon patriotic citizens and pro-liberation forces to protest against any distortion of the nation’s history.

DHAKA, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has submitted charge sheet against former member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) M Matiur Rahman. The former NBR member has concealed information of over Taka 1.24 crore wealth through providing misinformation in his statement of assets filed in the commission, according to the ACC. The ACC had filed the case against Matiur Rahman on December 15 last year, accusing him of acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income. Matiur was earlier arrested on January 17, 2025 in an arms case following a police raid at his residence in Dhaka's Bashundhara Residential Area. The Special Judge's Court sent Laila Kaniz Lucky to jail after rejecting both her remand and bail prayers in a separate graft case filed by the ACC.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar. File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) - The X (formerly Twitter) account of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former lawmaker Mia Golam Parwar was hacked today, party sources said. The incident follows a recent hacking of the X account of Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, raising concerns over repeated cyber attacks targeting senior Jamaat leaders. Condemning the incident, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and head of the party's central Media and Publicity Department Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said in a statement that "as part of a conspiracy, social media accounts of Jamaat leaders are being attacked one after another." He said miscreants posted objectionable content on Mia Golam Parwar's account through device hacking at around 8:31 pm, which was removed immediately after being detected by the party's central social media team.

DHAKA, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS) – Stocks today extended upward streak for the third consecutive session, driven by sustained buying in major blue-chip scrips amid growing political clarity ahead of the forthcoming national election. DSEX, the broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), advanced by 18.9 points to settle at 5,267 points, as against 5,248 points in the previous trading session. Market turnover decreased by 4.5% to a Taka 7.1 billion from Taka 7.5 billion in the previous session. The port city bourse, CSE, also witnessed a positive session today. The Selective Categories' Index (CSCX) and All Share Price Index (CASPI) also advanced by 38.7 points and 69.6 points, respectively.