United News of Bangladesh

The Directorate of Prisons on Monday inaugurated a medical centre and a pathological unit at the Old Dhaka Central Jail to provide healthcare services to prison officials and employees, said a press release issued on Monday. Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Md Motaher Hossain formally inaugurated the facilities, established under the Directorate's own management. Officials said the initiative marks a significant step in improving healthcare and welfare services for prison personnel. The medical centre and pathology unit will provide services to officials and employees of the Directorate of Prisons as well as prison staff from across the country who come to Dhaka for medical treatment. Under the new facility, prison staff, their spouses and children will receive pathological laboratory services free of charge. Their parents and parents-in-law will be eligible for the same services at a 50 percent discount on the government-approved rates.  

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members detained a Nigerian national while he was attempting to enter India illegally through the Nijkalikapur border in Parshuram upazila of Feni on Monday. The detainee was identified as Austin, 39. According to BGB, a special team from the Nijkalikapur Border Outpost (BOP) under the Feni Battalion (4 BGB) conducted a raid in the evening based on secret information that a Nigerian national was staying at the house of a local resident named Rafik. During the operation, BGB members detained Austin. During preliminary questioning, he told BGB that he arrived in Bangladesh in March and later travelled from Dhaka to Nijkalikapur with the intention of crossing the border into India illegally. Commanding Officer of Feni Battalion (4 BGB) Lt Col MM Zillur Rahman said BGB remains on high alert to prevent illegal border crossings, smuggling and drug trafficking. He said intelligence surveillance and border patrols have been strengthened to ensure border security, prevent illegal infiltration and reduce border-related crimes. The detainee was later handed over to Parshuram Police Station for legal action.

Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Eng. Waleed Elkhereji arrived in Dhaka on Monday. Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister, Humaiun Kobir, received him at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The Saudi vice minister is on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh. He is scheduled to leave Bangladesh on Tuesday afternoon.

The US Embassy in Dhaka has reminded prospective travellers to the United States to demonstrate that they have sufficient financial means to support themselves during their stay and are unlikely to become dependent on public assistance. In a nonimmigrant visa reminder posted on its official Facebook page on Monday, the embassy advised visa applicants to come prepared for their visa interviews with evidence showing they can cover their travel expenses, including any unexpected travel disruptions or medical emergencies. "If you're planning travel to the United States, make sure you have the financial means to pay your own way—including any travel disruptions or medical emergencies that could arise," it said. The embassy also urged applicants to bring proof to their visa interviews demonstrating that they are unlikely to become a public charge after being admitted to the United States. It warned that abusing US taxpayer-funded public benefits could have long-term immigration consequences. "Abusing U.S. taxpayer-funded benefits may have permanent consequences that make you ineligible to travel, study, or work in the United States in the future," it said.

A container vessel ran aground in the Chattogram port channel on Monday afternoon after a steering problem, port authorities said. The vessel, MV CNC Uranus, struck Red Buoy No. 2 near the entrance of the Karnaphuli River before becoming grounded against a retaining wall at around 2:30pm. Chattogram Port Secretary Sayed Refayet Hamim said the accident occurred when the vessel suffered a steering gear malfunction while entering the port channel. "The ship hit Red Buoy No. 2 due to the steering failure and later became stuck against the retaining wall," he said. Two port tugboats- Kandari-4 and Kandari-11 have been deployed to safely refloat and remove the vessel from the channel. The Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Coast Guard are also working in coordination with the port authorities to ensure the safety and security of the navigation channel, the port secretary added. According to the Chattogram Port Authority, the 170-metre-long container vessel, built in 2017, has a maximum draft of 9.5 metres and was carrying 1,282 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of containers from Shekou Port in China. Despite the incident, vessel movement through the port channel remains normal, the port authority said.

The head of a three-member delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Nicolas Fleury, called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir at the Police Headquarters on Monday. During the meeting, the ICRC delegation praised the outstanding role of Bangladesh Police in providing legal assistance to Rohingyas in the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. The ICRC delegation also highlighted its continued support for training Bangladesh Police personnel in human rights, first aid and other areas in line with international standards to help strengthen public confidence. The IGP appreciated the ICRC’s initiatives in supporting various ongoing training and capacity-building programmes of Bangladesh Police. He also stressed the importance of enhancing ICRC assistance to strengthen the capacity of police personnel in responding to national disasters. Senior police officials were present at the meeting.

The July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum, established at Ganabhaban in the city, will be inaugurated on August 5, marking the 2nd anniversary of the 2024 mass uprising that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs on Monday said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has given his consent to attend the inauguration ceremony scheduled for 9:00am. The July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum was established to preserve the history of the July 2024 uprising and honour those killed during the movement. The museum will be opened to the people, two years after the historic mass uprising. The museum features photographs, video footage, official documents, personal belongings of those killed and eyewitness accounts related to the July uprising. It will also offer guided tours, educational programmes for students and researchers, and an online ticketing system.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Monday highlighted the importance of expanding regular migration opportunities for Bangladeshi nationals to Australia. During his meeting with Australia's Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill, he sought Australia's continued cooperation in combating irregular migration and human trafficking. They underscored the importance of strengthening collaboration between Australian and Bangladeshi universities through joint academic programmes and institutional partnerships. During the meeting, the Australian Minister commended the growing Bangladeshi community in Australia for its valuable contributions to the country's economy and multicultural society.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Monday said Bangladesh views the US proposal on civil nuclear cooperation positively, stressing that any engagement with Washington will be considered if it serves the interests of the people of Bangladesh. She said the government's approach remains “positive”, and any bilateral agreement with the United States will be considered based on Bangladesh's national interest. While responding to a question at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed said the government would move forward with any agreement that benefits the people of Bangladesh, contributes to the country's economy, and helps deepen bilateral relations. However, if any proposed agreement is found to be against the interests of the people, the government will reconsider it, she added.

A three-wheeler driver was killed and at least eight passengers, including four members of the same family, were injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a three-wheeler in Kalukhali upazila of Rajbari on Monday. The accident occurred around 1:30 pm in the Paikar Mor area on the Rajbari-Kushtia regional highway. 2 killed as detached freight wagons crash into vehicles in Rajbari The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahman Bablu, 55, son of late Sadeq Ali Biswas of Paschim Phulkainar village under Majbari Union in Kalukhali upazila. According to witnesses and police, a Golden Line Paribahan bus travelling from Dhaka to Kushtia was overtaking another vehicle when it collided head-on with a Rajbari-bound Mahindra three-wheeler coming from the opposite direction. The impact left the three-wheeler mangled and thrown off the roadside, while the front portion of the bus was also damaged and veered off the road. With assistance from local people, members of the Fire Service and highway police rescued the injured passengers and took them to Pangsha Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Bablu dead. Among the injured were four members of the same family. Three critically injured victims were later referred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, while the remaining injured are receiving treatment at Pangsha Upazila Health Complex. Syed Al Mamun, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Pangsha Highway Model Police Station, said police rushed to the scene immediately after receiving the information and carried out rescue operations. The injured were sent to hospital for treatment, while the damaged vehicles were removed to a safe location to restore traffic on the highway. Legal proceedings over the incident are underway.