This is the current affairs of 13 February 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. Which political party got a majority in the general elections of Bangladesh?
a. Awami League
b. BPN
c. Jamaat-e-Islami
d. BPKR
Answer: b. BPN
– Under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) registered a historic victory in the general elections after 20 years.
– In the general elections held on 12 February 2026, BNP secured a clear majority and comfortably crossed the majority mark in the nearly 300-seat parliament.
– This victory is significant because BNP last came to power in 2001. After that, it remained in the opposition for nearly two decades.
– Tarique Rahman is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Political Background
– This was the first major national election after the 2024 mass movement and the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power.
– Hasina’s party, the Awami League, could not participate in this election, completely changing the political equation.
– Tarique Rahman had lived abroad for a long time, but through this election he has made a strong comeback and is now highly likely to become Prime Minister.
International Reaction
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman on his victory and expressed hope for strong relations between the two countries.
– During previous BNP governments, India had security-related concerns. Therefore, the stance of the new government will be important.
– China has been a major source of infrastructure investment in Bangladesh over the past decade. The BNP government may maintain balanced relations with China or try to maintain a strategic balance between India and China. This will also be significant for the Indo-Pacific strategy.
– The Indian Prime Minister congratulated immediately — indicating that India wants cooperation with the new government.
– Security cooperation: Border management, illegal migration, and counter-terrorism cooperation. During earlier BNP governments, India had security concerns; hence the new government’s approach will be important.
– Connectivity and trade: Bangladesh’s strategic importance for Northeast India, including road, rail, and waterway connectivity, transit and trans-shipment agreements. If BNP does not adopt an anti-India stance, economic ties could deepen further.
– In addition, the United States and other countries have also expressed willingness to work with the new government.
About Tarique Rahman
Exile and Controversy
– After the 2007 political crisis, he lived abroad (mainly in London).
– He faced allegations related to corruption and the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack; he described the charges as political vendetta.
– Despite a long absence, he remained active as the “acting chairman” of the party.
Return and Leadership in 2025–26
– He returned from London on 25 December 2025.
– With BNP’s victory in the 2026 general elections, he returned to the center of national politics.
– BNP’s return to power after 20 years has established him as a potential Prime Minister.
– He has now received the political start that he could not get in late 2006 due to political uncertainty in Bangladesh, which had prevented him from contesting his first parliamentary election.
Chief Adviser of Bangladesh – Muhammad Yunus
India’s Relations with Tarique Rahman
– After the 2007 Bangladesh crisis, Tarique Rahman lived abroad for a long time.
– During this period, India-Bangladesh cooperation deepened mainly under Sheikh Hasina’s government. Significant progress was made in security cooperation, connectivity, and trade. India’s priority remained stability and security cooperation.
– After the death of Khaleda Zia, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Bangladesh in December 2025.
– During that visit, the Foreign Minister met Tarique Rahman and handed over Prime Minister Modi’s condolence message to him. Photographs of the meeting were also released by the Government of India.
– India’s relations with Muhammad Yunus have not been very good, but Tarique Rahman has shown interest in India.
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2. The Central Government has made it mandatory to play or sing how many stanzas of the national song before the national anthem in government programmes and schools?
a. 6 stanzas
b. 3 stanzas
c. 2 stanzas
d. 4 stanzas
Answer: a. 6 stanzas (all six stanzas of Vande Mataram)
National Anthem: Jana Gana Mana (Composer – Rabindranath Tagore)
National Song: Vande Mataram (Composer – Bankim Chandra Chatterjee)
– The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the first set of protocols for singing the national song on 28 January 2026.
– It directed that all six stanzas be sung at official ceremonies.
– It takes approximately 3 minutes and 10 seconds to sing the six stanzas of the song.
– When both the national anthem and the national song are sung or played, the national anthem will be sung or played first.
– This order was implemented by the Central Government from 11 February 2026.
– Those singing or listening must stand in an attentive posture.
– Until now, only the first two stanzas of the original song were sung.
– The Centre is currently celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram.
– The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that from now on only the official version of the national song will be sung or played, and it will be presented in collective singing.
– In 2025, the Central Government organized a special discussion during the Winter Session of Parliament on the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram.
Stanzas of Vande Mataram
– The first two stanzas — which until now constituted the national song — describe the beauty of the motherland.
– The third stanza says that millions are ready to fight with weapons for it.
– The fourth says that millions are ready to wield sharp swords to protect it.
– The fifth says that its image is engraved in every temple and pilgrimage site.
– The sixth stanza compares the motherland to Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Earlier, No Rules Were Fixed
– Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Vande Mataram emerged as an inspirational song during the Swadeshi Movement (1905–08) and became deeply associated with the freedom struggle.
– Although the Constituent Assembly accorded the song equal respect with the national anthem, there were no mandatory protocols, physical posture requirements, or legal obligations related to singing or listening to it.
Only Two Stanzas
– On 24 January 1950, during the final meeting of the Constituent Assembly, Rajendra Prasad — who was elected unopposed as India’s first President the same day — announced that Jana Gana Mana would be the national anthem and that Vande Mataram would have equal status as an inspiration of the freedom struggle.
– By this, he meant that the first two stanzas of the song would be considered the national song of India.
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3. Thanya Nathan became the first disabled woman judge of which state?
a. Bihar
b. Kerala
c. Karnataka
d. Jharkhand
Answer: b. Kerala (Note – Dhanya is the country’s second blind judge; before her, in 2013, Rajasthan’s Brahmanand Sharma became India’s first 100% blind judge.)
– Thanya Nathan is completely vision impaired.
– She secured first position in the civil judge examination under the disabled category.
– The 24-year-old Thanya had been a practicing lawyer in Taliparamba, Kannur.
– During her work, she used screen-reader software, Braille, and audio notes for studying law and preparing cases.
– Thanya completed her early education in a special school.
– She completed her 10th and 12th grades from a regular school.
– She completed her LLB from Kannur University and topped the university.
– She was the only visually impaired student in her college.
India’s Second 100% Blind Judge
– In 2013, Rajasthan’s Brahmanand Sharma became India’s first 100% blind judge.
– The world’s first 100% blind judge is considered to be Sir John Anthony Wall, who was appointed Deputy Master in the High Court of the United Kingdom in 1991.
Supreme Court Decision That Opened the Way
– The basis of Thanya’s success was a 2025 Supreme Court decision, which clarified that no one can be declared ineligible for judicial service solely on the basis of disability.
– The Court stated that a person cannot be deprived of an opportunity because of disability and urged states to adopt inclusive recruitment policies.
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4. What is India’s rank in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2025?
a. 86
b. 100
c. 91
d. 78
Answer: c. 91 (Earlier in 2024, the rank was 96.)
– In CPI 2025, India jumped five places to secure the 91st position among 182 countries.
– Earlier in 2024, India’s rank was 96.
– In 2025, India’s overall score was 39, compared to 38 in 2024.
– In this index, countries are given overall scores on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
Who Released the Report
– The index was released on 10 February 2026 by Berlin-based global non-governmental organization Transparency International.
Rank of India’s Neighboring Countries
– Myanmar: 169
– Afghanistan: 169
– Bangladesh: 150
– Pakistan: 136
– Sri Lanka: 107
– Nepal: 109
– Maldives: 91
– China: 76
– Bhutan: 18
Dangerous Countries for Reporting on Corruption
– The report also included India among countries that are “dangerous for journalists reporting on corruption.”
– Since 2012, 829 journalists have been killed in non-conflict areas worldwide.
– It was also stated that more than 90% of these killings occurred in countries with a CPI score below 50.
– These include Brazil (35), India (39), Mexico (27), Pakistan (28), and Iraq (28), which are particularly dangerous for journalists reporting on corruption.
– While 31 countries have significantly reduced their corruption levels since 2012,
– The remaining countries have failed to tackle this problem.
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5. Which is the least corrupt country according to Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2025?
a. New Zealand
b. Finland
c. Denmark
d. India
Answer: c. Denmark
– In this ranking, the country at number 1 has the least corruption, and the country at number 182 has the highest corruption.
– This year, the global average score was 42, which is the lowest in the past decade.
– Notably, 122 countries scored below 50, indicating that the problem of corruption persists.
– Transparency International also found that the number of countries scoring above 80 has significantly declined over the years.
Top 10 Least Corrupt Countries
Rank : Country : Score
1. Denmark : 89
2. Finland : 88
3. Singapore : 84
4. New Zealand : 81
5. Norway : 81
6. Sweden : 80
7. Switzerland : 80
8. Luxembourg : 78
9. Netherlands : 78
10. Germany : 77
11. Iceland : 77
Note – The United States ranked 29th, and the United Kingdom secured the 20th rank.
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6. According to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2025 report, which country has the highest corruption?
a. Somalia
b. South Sudan
c. Syria
d. India
Answer: b. South Sudan
– Transparency International’s corruption report covering 182 countries was released in February 2026.
– In this ranking, the country at number 1 has the least corruption, and the country at number 180 has the highest corruption.
– According to the report, South Sudan (181) is the most corrupt country.
Top 5 Most Corrupt Countries
Rank : Country : Score
181. South Sudan : 9
181. Somalia : 9
180. Venezuela : 10
177. Yemen : 13
177. Libya : 13
177. Eritrea : 13
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7. Which Union Territory launched the Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana?
a. Chandigarh
b. Delhi
c. Jammu and Kashmir
d. Puducherry
Answer: b. Delhi
– In a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the “Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana” was approved.
– With this decision, the ‘Ladli Beti’ scheme, which has been running since 2008, will be implemented in a new and expanded form.
– The scheme will now be known as the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana.
– Under this scheme, the government will deposit up to ₹56,000 for girls’ education, which will grow with interest and exceed ₹1 lakh.
– This money will be directly transferred to the girl’s bank account.
– Rekha Gupta said that financial assistance will be provided at different stages, from the birth of the girl to various stages of her education.
– Notably, upon completing graduation, girls will receive an additional ₹20,000.
– The Delhi government will spend ₹160 crore on this scheme.
– Two daughters from one family will be eligible to benefit from this scheme.
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8. India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the proposal to purchase how many Rafale fighter jets from France?
a. 114
b. 110
c. 111
d. 112
Answer: a. 114
– On 12 February 2026, the DAC approved the proposal to purchase 114 Rafale fighter jets from France.
– The deal is estimated to be worth around ₹3.25 lakh crore.
– The proposal will be sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for final approval.
– The proposal had already been approved by the Defence Procurement Board on 16 January 2026.
– The total value of all these deals is ₹3.60 lakh crore.
₹7.8 lakh crore allocated for the defence budget
– In the Union Budget 2026–27, ₹7.8 lakh crore has been allocated to the Ministry of Defence, which is 14.67% of the total budget.
– Out of the ₹2.19 lakh crore allocated for modernization, ₹1.85 lakh crore has been earmarked for capital procurement.
– This is approximately 24% higher than the previous financial year.
Deal to be done under Make in India
– This deal will be executed under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
– Dassault Aviation will manufacture these aircraft in partnership with an Indian company.
– Recently, Dassault increased its stake in Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) from 49% to 51%.
– In this joint venture, Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure is also a partner.
– Dassault will integrate Indian weapons, missiles, and ammunition into all 114 Rafale jets.
– It will also provide a secure data link to connect the aircraft with Indian radar and sensor systems.
– The company will also provide Technology Transfer (ToT) for airframe manufacturing.
– Engine manufacturer Safran and avionics company Thales will also be part of the process.
– After completion of the technology transfer, indigenous content in these aircraft is expected to reach 55–60%.
The Air Force made the demand in September 2025
– The Air Force sent a proposal to the Ministry of Defence in September 2025 for 114 additional Rafale jets.
– The Air Force already has 36 Rafale aircraft.
– The Navy has ordered 26 marine variant Rafale aircraft.
– A training and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) center for Rafale is already operational at Ambala Air Base.
– The Air Force already has the necessary infrastructure, spare parts, and trained staff to immediately induct two squadrons (36–38 aircraft).
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9. In which state was a new species of dragonfly discovered, named Liriothemis keralensis?
a. Karnataka
b. Kerala
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Telangana
Answer: b. Kerala
– Researchers in Kerala named it Liriothemis keralensis in view of the state’s exceptional biodiversity.
– This species was found at Varapetty near Kothamangalam in the Ernakulam district.
– It inhabits vegetation-covered ponds and irrigation canals within densely shaded pineapple and rubber plantations.
– The study was conducted by Dattaprasad Sawant of the Indian Foundation for Butterflies (Bengaluru), A. Vivek Chandran of the Department of Wildlife Science, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Ranjith Jacob Mathews of the Society for Odonate Studies (Kerala), and Krushnamegh Kunte of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (Bengaluru).
– The findings were published in the International Journal of Odonatology.
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10. Famous anchor Sarla Maheshwari passed away on February 12, 2026. She was associated with which channel?
a. Doordarshan
b. Akashvani
c. Aaj Tak
d. ABP News
Answer: a. Doordarshan
– The 71-year-old Sarla Maheshwari was one of the most popular anchors of the 1980s and 1990s.
– She was regarded as a trusted face of news media.
– Her graceful style of reading news, the bindi on her forehead, and her simple presentation in neatly worn sarees were widely appreciated.
– She worked as a news anchor at Doordarshan until 2005.
– She earned a PhD from Delhi University.
– After that, she auditioned for Doordarshan.
– She began her career as an announcer.
– During her three-decade-long career, Maheshwari witnessed the transition of television news from black-and-white to color broadcasts.
– The Doordarshan family paid heartfelt tributes to Sarla Maheshwari.
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11. When was the International Epilepsy Day observed in the year 2026?
a. 9 February
b. 12 February
c. 14 February
d. 15 February
Answer: a. 9 February (It is observed on the second Monday of February)
Theme for 2026
– Turning Stories into Action
– It is observed on the second Monday of February.
– In 2026, it was observed on 9 February.
– Its objective is to promote accurate information and better treatment for epilepsy.
– National Epilepsy Day: 17 November
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12. When is National Deworming Day celebrated?
a. 10 February
b. 11 February
c. 12 February
d. 13 February
Answer: a. 10 February
– This day was initiated in the year 2015.
– The objective of this day is to raise awareness about the prevention of intestinal worms in children.
– It especially aims to achieve complete elimination of soil-transmitted helminths among children aged 1 to 19 years.
– Intestinal worms are parasites found in the human intestine that feed on the same nutrients and minerals, due to which children’s growth is adversely affected.
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