United News of Bangladesh

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered 1,400 rounds of ammunition during a special operation in the remote Bouddhomoni Para Khataltali area of Panchhari upazila in Khagrachari on Friday. Acting on intelligence, a patrol team from Panchhari Battalion (3 BGB), led by Naib Subedar Md Shah Alam of Bouddhomoni Para BOP, took position at Khataltali passenger shed area around 4:00pm, officials said. Shortly afterwards, the BGB team noticed four individuals travelling on two motorcycles along the border road. When challenged, the suspects abandoned their motorcycles and fled into the nearby hilly terrain. A subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of 1,400 rounds of ammunition left behind, according to BGB sources. While transporting the seized items back to the BOP, the patrol team was at one point surrounded by around 100–110 unidentified individuals. Suspecting a potential ambush, additional BGB personnel led by Acting Commander Major SM Imrul Kayes were deployed from battalion headquarters. Following the arrival of reinforcements, the group dispersed from the area. BGB officials said the situation was brought under control through prompt action and tactical response by the patrol team. Lieutenant Colonel Md Rabiul Islam, commanding officer of Panchhari Battalion (3 BGB), said border forces remain alert to prevent illegal arms trafficking and other cross-border crimes. He added that intelligence operations and patrol activities have been intensified to curb such incidents and will continue in the future.

Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Saturday urged newly qualified chartered accountants to prepare themselves to face the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and a rapidly evolving digital landscape. He made the call while addressing the 22nd convocation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) as the chief guest at a hotel in the capital. The minister said the world is now in the internet era where communication science has seen remarkable development and modern corporate systems have become largely technology-driven. List of canal encroachers being prepared: State Minister “In this technology-dependent world, accounting professionals cannot remain confined to institutional knowledge only. They must stay constantly aware of the changing technological environment, particularly artificial intelligence and the digital ecosystem,” he said. He wished the new chartered accountants a bright future, expressing hope that their professional success would contribute significantly to national development. Professor Salimullah Khan, Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council Md Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan and ICAB President N K A Mobin also spoke at the event. Certificates were awarded to candidates who passed the CA examinations between 2022 and 2025.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam on Saturday said all canals in Dhaka will be recovered and a list of encroachers is being prepared to take legal action against them. “Encroached canals will be recovered according to CS records and maps. We are preparing a list of illegal occupiers and strict action will be taken against them in accordance with the law,” he said. The state minister made the remarks while visiting Zia Sarani Canal and Kutubkhali Canal under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area. DSCC Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md Abdus Salam was present during the inspection. Mir Shahe Alam said Tk 300 crore has been allocated to excavate the Zia Sarani Canal and reconnect it with the Buriganga River through a planned channel. “The project will begin in July this year with funding from the city corporation,” he added. The minister alleged that no development project was undertaken for the Zia Sarani Canal over the past 19 years partly because it was named after former president Ziaur Rahman. He said excavation of the canals will begin after the upcoming monsoon while cleaning activities have already started. Highlighting public responsibility, the minister said residents living near the canals have also contributed to the current condition by dumping waste into the waterways. “The rubbish did not arrive on its own. Please dispose of waste in the city corporation bins. Repeated cleaning by the government results in a waste of public funds,” he said. He also urged local leaders to form citizen committees to help monitor the canals and prevent further encroachment and pollution. During the inspection, Local Government Division Secretary Shahidul Hasan, Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP Member Secretary Tanvir Ahmed Robin, along with senior officials and local party leaders, were also present.

More than 600 aspirants have collected nomination forms from the BNP for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th Parliament. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi shared the information at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Saturday morning. He said over 500 forms were sold on the first day and the sale and submission of forms would continue until Sunday. “Our nomination process has started. Interested candidates are collecting forms, filling them up and submitting them with the required documents,” Rizvi said. Later in the day, BNP Assistant Office Secretary Tarikul Islam Tenzing said the number of forms sold crossed 600 as of Saturday noon, while around 78 to 79 forms were submitted so far. Party leaders said a board formed with senior leaders will review the applications and finalise the candidates. Rizvi said the party is following its usual democratic practices in selecting candidates. “We expect the process to follow democratic norms, as BNP has always done in choosing its parliamentary candidates,” he said. The BNP leader said expectations among the aspirations are high this time after a long struggle. “This expectation is high because we have reached this stage after going through a very difficult situation for the last 16 to 17 years. We had to fight for a long time to ensure a free and fair election. After 15 to 16 years of struggle, we now have an environment to practise democratic norms, and we must make the best use of it,” Rizvi added. Talking about the final selection of candidates, he said women have played a significant role in the party’s past movements. “Many women faced repression. Some were arrested late at night for expressing their views on Facebook. Those active on the streets faced severe harassment, repression and false cases. They have endured continuous suffering,” the BNP leader said. He expressed hope that those who have contributed to the party’s long movements and have the ability to speak in Parliament and maintain a good public image will be considered. Rizvi also said the process would be completed quickly due to time constraints. “Time is short. We have to complete the party’s process quickly, as the final candidates will need to complete formalities with the Election Commission.” On Saturday, teachers, lawyers, cultural figures and former student leaders alongside Mohila Dal leaders were seen collecting nomination forms from the Nayapaltan office. Among them are singer Kanak Chapa, Bithika Binte Hossain, wife of late Swechchhasebak Dal president Shafiqul Bari Babu, and several former MPs. The nomination form costs Tk 2,000, and candidates must deposit Tk 50,000 as security when submitting the form. The Election Commission earlier announced the schedule for the reserved women’s seats election. The deadline for submission of nomination papers is April 21, while scrutiny will take place on April 22 and 23. Appeals can be filed on April 26, and will be settled between April 27 and 28. Symbols will be allotted on April 30, and voting will be held on May 12. According to the seat distribution, the BNP alliance is expected to get 36 seats, Jamaat-e-Islami alliance 13 seats, and independents one seat.

Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Saturday said that the government is giving top priority to technical education, stressing that it is essential for the country’s overall development. “The Prime Minister is giving the highest priority to technical education and technical education must not be neglected under any circumstances. There is no alternative to it in driving national progress,” he said while inaugurating a seminar titled Regional Skills and Innovation Competition at the auditorium in Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute. Education must be aligned with the demands of the industrial sector and there is no scope for wasting time in this regard, he said. Highlighting the need for reform, the minister said Bangladesh must establish a unified education system free from social disparity to ensure sustainable economic advancement. He also emphasised the importance of developing skilled human resources through hands-on learning. Students should have opportunities to gain practical experience so they can directly contribute to the country’s development, he said. Referring to countries like Japan, the United States and Canada, the minister said their strong global positions are largely built on technical education which creates opportunities and improves living standards. Later, the minister visited various stalls showcasing innovative projects. Twenty-eight technical institutions participated in the competition who presented a total of 84 innovative projects. From these, six projects will be selected to compete in the national round scheduled to be held in Dhaka on May 27.  

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu fell sick on Saturday morning at Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari district while travelling to his home district Lalmonirhat. An air ambulance has already left from Dhaka to bring him back to the capital, said Abdur Gafur Sarkar, president of Saidpur district unit BNP on Saturday. The minister arrived at Saidpur Airport by a flight from Dhaka in the morning and fell sick at the lounge. He was immediately taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) at Saidpur Cantonment where he received primary treatment. Gafur Sarkar said arrangements were initially made to send the minister back to Dhaka on a scheduled flight at around 12:10pm. However, as his condition did not improve he was unable to travel by commercial flight. Later, it was decided to send him to Dhaka by an air ambulance, he said.  

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has underlined the deep cultural affinity between the two countries  as a source of strength for their relationship. The High Commission of India and IGCC celebrated the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as the “ICCR Day” on Friday on the IGCC premises in Gulshan, to mark the enduring cultural partnership between Bangladesh and India. Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner highlighted the role of ICCR in fostering a vibrant cultural dialogue between the two countries. He described ICCR as the ‘cultural heartbeat’ of Indian diplomacy, fostering cultural dialogues transcending borders. The event included an art camp by ICCR alumni and senior artists of Bangladesh and a special cultural programme with musical, dance and yoga performances by IGCC students and ICCR alumni from Bangladesh. Acclaimed singer and ICCR scholar Priyanka Gope of Dhaka University presented a special performance of Rabindra Sangeet and classical songs. Marking the occasion, the High Commissioner also inaugurated a two-day art camp — “Sampriti” —  hosted by IGCC, which brought together over thirty celebrated artists and ICCR scholars from Bangladesh including luminaries like Farida Zaman, Jamal Ahmed, Md. Eunus, Nissar Hossain and Ranjit Das. The art works created by them during the camp will be displayed publicly at a two-week art exhibition at IGCC scheduled to be inaugurated on April 30, said the High Commission on Saturday. During the event, the High Commissioner also paid heartfelt tributes to senior artist and ICCR scholar from Bangladesh, Tarun Ghosh, who had accepted the invitation to join the art camp Sampriti, but tragically passed away on April 9.

A 50-year-old man was killed in a clash between two groups of villagers over the naming of a mosque at Galongshah in Sylhet city on Friday. The deceased was identified as Delwar Hossain Dilbar, son of Makhon Mia of Moghalgaon union under Jalalabad police station. Shamsul Habib, Officer-in-Charge of Jalalabad police station, said there had been enmity between people of Galongshah and Khaser Gaon villages over naming a newly-built jam-e-mosque at Galongshah village. As a sequel to the enmity, the local people organised arbitration over the issue after Juma prayers on Friday. During the arbitration, both groups locked into heated arguments, triggering a clash that left  Delwar  injured. Later, he was taken to Ragib-Rabeya Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead. On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Bangladesh has condemned the recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, resulting in the loss of civilian lives and injuries which undermined the ongoing efforts toward peace and stability in the region. Bangladesh also condemned the killing of Dipali, a Bangladeshi national reportedly in an Israeli attack in Beirut, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. The government of Bangladesh conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and stands in solidarity with them during this difficult time. Bangladesh embassy in Lebanon is in touch with Dipali's family and will repatriate her mortal remains whenever the situation allows.  

At least 98 children were killed in road crashes across Bangladesh in March, underscoring the growing toll of unsafe roads on the country’s most vulnerable. A total of 532 people died and 2,221 were injured in 576 road accidents in the month, according to a report by the Road Safety Foundation compiled from national dailies, online portals and electronic media. Children accounted for nearly one in five of the fatalities while 66 women were also among the dead. Motorbike accidents emerged as the single biggest killer, claiming 204 lives — over 38 percent of the total deaths. Pedestrians often among the most exposed road users, made up another 79 victims, or nearly 15 percent. The report also highlighted that 66 drivers and their assistants were killed. Besides, 12 people died and 27 were injured in 14 waterway accidents while 67 people were killed and 224 injured in 48 railway-related accidents during the same period. Most accidents occurred on regional roads which accounted for nearly 46 percent of crashes, followed by national highways at around 30 percent. A significant number of accidents were linked to vehicles losing control, responsible for over 40 percent of accidents, said the report. Dhaka division recorded the highest number of fatalities with 137 deaths from 126 accidents while the capital alone saw 28 deaths in 46 crashes. The report noted a rise in daily fatalities, with an average of 17.16 deaths per day in March, up from 15.42 in February — an increase of more than 11 percent. Excessive speed, reckless driving, unfit vehicles and poor road conditions were identified as major causes behind the crashes. The organisation stressed the need for stricter enforcement, technology-based monitoring and better driver training to curb the rising death toll.