DHAKA – Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit China and conveyed warm congratulations and greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The Chinese envoy extended the invitation when he paid a call on the premier at his Cabinet Division office in the Bangladesh Secretariat here at 12.30pm today.

Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir disclosed this while briefing the journalists at the Secretariat after the meeting. Replying to a question, he said that the tour schedule was not discussed during the meeting.

“The Prime Minister currently has many important domestic priority tasks. When he will begins his foreign tour after completing the domestic affairs, this invitation from China will be considered with great importance,” Humayun added.

The foreign affairs adviser said that the Chinese government has recognized the huge mandate that newly elected Prime Minister Tarique Rahman got with a two-thirds majority. The Chinese Ambassador mainly came to congratulate the new government formed through the spontaneous participation of the people of Bangladesh in the election, Humayun added.

Stating that “the relationship between Bangladesh and China is historical”, he said, “This strong relationship began during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. Over the years, China has been a very important and strong development partner of Bangladesh”.

The development work that has taken place between Bangladesh and China in recent years, Humayun said, the current government wants to move it further forward. Noting that today’s meeting between the Prime Minister and Chinese Ambassador was just a courtesy call, he said there was no discussion on any specific issues.

But the both sides made courteous commitments on how to take bilateral relations to a new height and how to further strengthen development activities while protecting the interests of the people of both countries, Humayun added.

The government has allocated portfolios to eight advisers appointed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman with the status of minister and state minister. Officials said the responsibilities were assigned through a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Friday.

According to the notification, among the five advisers holding the status of minister, Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Nazrul Islam Khan and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed have been appointed as Political Advisers. Besides, Md Ismail Zabiyullah has been given charge of the Ministry of Public Administration, while Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir will oversee the Ministry of Finance.

Among the advisers holding the status of state minister, Brig Gen (retd) Shamsul Islam has been assigned the Ministry of Defence. Mahdi Amin has been entrusted with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Meanwhile, Rehan Asif Asad has been given charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Earlier, 10 advisers were appointed on Tuesday.

The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has paid rich tributes to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in the city on the occasion of great Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day. Party Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman led his party’s delegation to lay the wreath in memory of the language heroes.

Besides, the premier along with his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman also placed another wreath at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of their family. Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid homage to the martyrs as the head of the government.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin today paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement marking the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day. The Head of the State paid homage by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital at one minute past midnight tonight.

President Shahabuddin reached the Central Shaheed Minar four minutes before the zero hour. On his arrival at the Central Shaheed Minar, the President was received by Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan.

The President proceeded to the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar in slow pace while playing the historic immortal song on the Amar Ekushey “Amar Vaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February . . . Ami Ki Vulitey Pari ?” The President stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the Language Heroes.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement, marking the great Martyrs’ Day and the International Mother Language Day. He paid homage by placing a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar in the city at 12:08 am today. The premier arrived on the Shaheed Minar premises 12.04am.

He proceeded to the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar in slow pace while playing the historic immortal song on the Amar Ekushey “Amar Vaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February . . . Ami Ki Bhulite Pari?”

After placing the wreath, Tarique Rahman, also chairman of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the Language Movement heroes. On the occasion, special prayer was offered seeking forgiveness for the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement, 1971 Liberation War, 1990 Anti-autocracy Movement and 2024 July Uprising.

Special prayer was also offered seeking divine blessings for Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The prayer also sought welfare for the country and success for the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman Later, flanked by cabinet members and BNP Standing Committee members, the premier placed two wreaths at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of his cabinet and the party.

The Prime Minister also placed another wreath at the Shaheed Minar along with his family members. Before the premier, President Mohammed Shahabuddin paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in the city at one minute past midnight tonight.

Later, Chief Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan paid homage to the Language Movement martyrs. Besides, opposition party leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman along with 11-party alliance leaders also paid tribute to the Language Movement martyrs by placing a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar.

The ambassadors and high commissioners of different countries, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners, Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, acting Attorney General, Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC), Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), University Grants Commission (UGC), Fire Service and Civil Defence, Dhaka University (DU) authorities, Bangladesh Police, Bangla Academy, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) were among others who paid tributes to the Language Movement martyrs.

Later, the Shaheed Minar was opened to the public when hundreds of people from all walks of life walked barefoot with flowers in hands and humming “Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February” to recall the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day in 1952.

Dhaka: Renowned writer and journalist Shibbir Ahmed’s new storybook Bishorjon is set to be released at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair. This marks the author’s 41st book. The book is being published by one of the country’s leading publishing houses, Ananya. Bishorjon is a novel accompanied by four additional short stories, carefully compiled to create a compelling collection. While the characters in the book are fictional, they are inspired by real-life events, making it possible for readers to recognize shades of reality in the stories.

The longing of a mother for her child and the desire to become a mother is a natural and profound instinct for most women. However, when a woman learns that she cannot conceive, it can trigger immense emotional and psychological distress. Since motherhood is often seen as a symbol of feminine fulfillment, this news can deeply affect her sense of identity and future dreams.

The story becomes even more complex when the husband is the primary reason for childlessness. In such cases, a woman faces a strong inner conflict between her longing for motherhood and her loyalty to her marital relationship. Birsorjon is a sensitive, realistic, and emotionally rich story that explores the sacrifices a woman may make to fulfill her deepest desires.

Shibbir Ahmed hails from Panchpukuria village in Monohorgonj Upazila, Comilla District. He holds a Master of Commerce (M.Com) and a Master of Software Systems (MSS) degree. He has also completed Hajj. With 40 books already published, Shibbir Ahmed has received multiple awards for his contributions to literature and has also composed numerous songs.

Walking the path of love, some people easily forget their past, while others never do. Shibbir Ahmed belongs to the latter. He lives a quiet life in a small world of his own creation, dwelling in a personal circle of solitude. Some may mistake it for pride, but he is unfazed by such perceptions. Without anger, hatred, or resentment, he moves forward carrying only a heart full of love and silent feelings within his private world.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has directed police and other law enforcement agencies to quickly fulfill public expectations by gaining the trust of the people, emphasizing democratic reforms and institutional restructuring as top priorities. “The disciplined forces, including the police, must earn public trust by meeting the aspirations of the people,” he said. He made the remarks during a view-exchange meeting with the heads of various departments and organizations under the Ministry of Home Affairs at the conference room of the Bangladesh Secretariat today.

The Home Minister said that after nearly a decade and a half, a political government has been formed through a transparent election, raising high hopes among citizens. “People have high expectations from us. We want to quickly implement our election manifesto to fulfill those expectations. Democratic reforms in various law enforcement agencies, including the police, must be prioritized in line with public expectations,” he said.

Salahuddin Ahmed, also a Standing Committee Member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), further stated that rebuilding public confidence requires restructuring institutions under the Home Ministry and improving ethical standards within the forces.

“To achieve this goal, we need to recruit the necessary manpower. Budget approval from the Ministry of Finance is also an important issue. With new recruitment and coordinated efforts from everyone, we aim to accomplish our objectives,” he added. The minister stressed the need for a comprehensive and timely development plan for police and other law enforcement agencies.

He instructed department heads to prepare suggestions and recommendations to help formulate and implement the reform plan, which will determine priority areas for action. Secretary (Routine Responsibilities) of the Ministry of Home Affairs Md. Delwar Hossain, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam along with heads of various departments, organizations, and relevant divisions of the ministry, were present at the meeting.

The government has issued a gazette notification forming a 15-member ‘Cabinet Committee for Family Card Distribution’, aimed at providing protection to marginalized and low-income families.The Cabinet Division issued the notification today, naming the Finance Minister as chairman of the committee.

Other members include the Women and Children Affairs Minister, Social Welfare Minister, Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs and Ministry of Social Welfare, Advisers Mahdi Amin and Rehan Asif Asad, Cabinet Secretary, Women and Children Affairs Secretary, Election Commission Secretariat Secretary, Finance Division Secretary, Information and Communication Technology Division Secretary, Local Government Division Secretary, Planning Ministry Secretary, and Social Welfare Secretary. The notification clarified that ‘Secretary’ also includes Senior Secretary.

It said the committee will formulate a framework for implementing the Family Card programme and develop a method for selecting beneficiaries. Initially, the Family Card will be introduced in one upazila in each of the country’s eight divisions. The committee will also review whether any existing programs for women can be used as a basis, recommend creating a digital MIS by linking the National ID and National Household Database to prepare the beneficiary list, and submit a preliminary report by February 24, 2026, to distribute Family Cards before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.

The notification added that committee meetings will be held as required. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will provide secretarial support, and the committee may co-opt members if necessary. The notification will take effect immediately.

Reaffirming deeper bilateral engagement British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his election victory, pledging to further strengthen the longstanding UK–Bangladesh partnership across key sectors. In a congratulatory letter, Keir Starmer conveyed his warm wishes to Tarique Rahman on his election victory and assumption of office.

The British premier reiterated that the United Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Bangladesh in different areas including trade and investment, climate action, migration, defence collaboration and humanitarian assistance.

He also underscored continued support for Bangladesh’s efforts in hosting and assisting displaced members of the Rohingya community on humanitarian grounds.  The UK premier hoped enduring ties between the two friendly nations and shared resolve to advance mutually beneficial cooperation in the years ahead.

US President Donald J. Trump has congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his historic election victory, expressing optimism about strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in trade, defence and regional stability. In a letter dated February 18, 2026, from the White House, President Trump conveyed his greetings to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

“On behalf of the American people, I congratulate you on your historic election and wish you a successful term as Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh,” he wrote.

Highlighting the foundation of bilateral relations, Trump said, “The partnership between our countries is based on mutual respect and a shared interest in fostering a free and open Indo-Pacific where strong, sovereign nations can prosper.”

Referring to economic cooperation, he wrote, “As you begin your term, I hope you will help me maintain the tremendous momentum in our trade relationship through the implementation of our Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, which benefits farmers and workers in both of our countries.”

The US President also underscored defence collaboration, stating, “I also hope you will take decisive action to complete the routine defense agreements that would finally give your military access to high-end, American-made equipment – the best in the world!”

Expressing confidence in future engagement, Trump said, “I look forward to working with you to make the relationship between the United States and Bangladesh stronger than ever before.”

He added, “My Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent Christensen, has my full confidence. Together, we have an opportunity to make both of our nations more prosperous and secure.”

Concluding the message, the US President wrote, “Good luck to you in the days ahead!”