BNP claims victory in Bangladesh’s election, set to return to power after 20 years
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on February 13 claimed victory in the crucial general elections, marred by sporadic incidents of violence, to elect a new government to replace the interim administration, which took charge after the fall of the Awami League regime in August 2024. "The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP is set to form the government after victory in the majority of seats," BNP's media cell posted on x. The Election Commission (EC) is yet to make a formal announcement. The elections assumed significance as they were held after a period of tumultuous political vacuum, instability and fragile security situation, including widespread attacks on minorities after the student-led protests brought down the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. It is becoming increasingly clear that BNP's top leader Tarique Rahman is set to become the prime minister to replace the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, under whose tenure Dhaka's relations with New Delhi witnessed a significant downturn. According to media reports, the BNP has bagged more than 200 seats out of 300 while Jamaat-e-Islami, a hardline party known to be close to Islamabad, was heading or winning in around 75 seats. The Awami League party of Hasina has been barred from contesting the polls.
Barbados’ PM clinches third term in office after clean sweep at polls
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has clinched a third consecutive term in office after her party secured all 30 seats of Parliament in this week's general election, according to an announcement Thursday by state-owned media. Mottley was challenged by Ralph Thorne of the main opposition Democratic Labour Party during Wednesday's election. CBC News Barbados noted that Mottley's Barbados Labour Party was the only one to secure any seats in Parliament, the third time it has done so. “We did not come simply to hold office. We have come to make Barbados better, and to make your lives better,” Mottley said in an overnight victory speech. She promised to make progress as promised in sectors including healthcare, public safety and transportation. Mottley is known for spearheading a plan on climate disaster financing that would make more funds available from international lenders to developing nations.
Punjab to introduce ‘on-screen’ marking system for 2026 board exam evaluations
The state government is set to introduce a major reform in the evaluation process for board examinations, with the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) preparing to roll out an on-screen marking system for the March 2026 examinations. Announcing the initiative, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that Punjab will become one of the first state boards in the country to adopt end-to-end digital evaluation, marking a transformative shift in how answer sheets are assessed. Sharing details of the project, Bains said, "This digital system will enable teachers to evaluate scanned answer sheets on computers, with marks calculated automatically by software, ensuring faster and more accurate results." The education minister further said that the system has already demonstrated its effectiveness. "The system has already proved its mettle by evaluating 23,000 answer sheets swiftly and accurately during the September 2025 Supplementary Examinations," he stated.
