United News of Bangladesh

Two people were killed and three members of a family were injured when a dump truck collided with a CNG-run autorickshaw in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur on Friday morning. One of the deceased was identified as Md Ali Ullah, a resident of Sukandi village in Monohardi upazila of Narsingdi. The identity of the other deceased could not be immediately confirmed. Inspector Ashraful Islam of Kaliganj Police Station confirmed the deaths. Student killed in train accident in Khulna The injured are Hafizur, his wife Chalma Begum, and their four-year-old son Tamim. All three were undergoing treatment at Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex with serious injuries. Eyewitnesses said a Narsingdi-bound autorickshaw was hit head-on by a dump truck coming from the opposite direction around 9 am in the Deopara area on the Tongi-Ghorashal bypass road.

Two hundred and sixty-three more new dengue cases were reported in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning, bringing the total number of cases to 48, 491 this year. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), new cases were reported as follows: 56 in Barishal Division (Out of CC), 64 in Chattogram Division (Out of CC), 34 in Dhaka Division (Out of CC), 56 in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), 35 in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), and 18 in Mymensingh Division (Out of CC). The number of deaths remained at 202, as no new fatalities were reported during this period, the DGHS added. Two more dengue deaths reported, total reaches 202 Currently, 2, 301 dengue patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. According to the DGHS, there were 101,214 dengue cases and 100,040 recoveries in the same year.

Unidentified gunmen intercepted a passenger bus in the capital on Friday morning by firing blank shots before leading all passengers out to set the bus on fire. The bus belonged to the city bus service operator Alif Paribahan. The bus was intercepted in Mirpur’s Senpara around 7:00am. Witnesses said that there were three men involved in the incident. The men first assaulted the driver and his helper after intercepting the bus. Panic-stricken passengers quickly got off the vehicle. One of the attackers fired several shots at the front windshield, shattering it, before two others set the bus ablaze and fled the scene, witnesses said. Police rushed to the spot and seized the bus. JaPa office set ablaze in Lalmonirhat Contacted, Kafrul police station’s officer-in-charge Abdullah Al Mamun said that the attack likely stemmed from a long-standing dispute over the bus’s ownership. “No case has been filed yet, but we have seized the bus and started an investigation,” the OC said, adding that CCTV footage from nearby areas is being analyzed to identify the attackers. Police said several parts of the bus were damaged before the fire was brought under control.

After entering the Palestinian time zone, Shahidul Alam, a Bangladeshi member of the global Sumud flotilla, almost all of whose boats have been intercepted by Israel, reaffirmed their determination to reach Gaza despite all obstacles. In a video message released on Friday, Alam said their boat had entered the Palestinian time zone. Of the nine boats in the flotilla, which are still not intercepted by Israel, the boat Alam is in is trailing behind but is expected to catch up with the rest and take the lead soon. “Since we will be in the leading position, our boat may be targeted by Israeli forces,” he said. “But we are prepared to take any risk and are committed to breaking through any illegal obstacles to reach Gaza.” Although carrying relief aid, Alam emphasized that their mission is primarily to break the illegal siege of Israel. “We are going not just with aid—we are going to break the Israeli siege,” he said. “We have the right to go to Palestine, to observe the situation, and inform the world.” “Carrying the love of Bangladesh:” Shahidul Alam departs to join Gaza-bound Media Flotilla In an English text message accompanying the video message, Alam, also a celebrated photographer, mentioned that his boat was carrying 96 people, including 82 representatives from the media and medical profession. Alam condemned the killing of civilians, journalists, and healthcare workers by Israeli forces. “Fourteen doctors from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have been killed, yet we are still waiting to see how France will respond. So far, we have only seen words, no action,” he said. “This is not a time for talk. It is a time for action,” he added. “Even if some world leaders fail, we, as civilians, will do whatever we can.” He concluded by expressing gratitude to the public for support: “Your love and encouragement are our strength.”

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has said Bangladesh and India are emotionally linked by the shared sacrifices of the Liberation War of 1971. "India and Bangladesh share a unique and special relationship. They are connected by history and geography," he said during his recent visit to Dhakeshwari Temple accompanied by his wife. The High Commissioner said the two neighbours also share a common heritage — of language, literature, art, music and festivals - and Durga Puja is one such shared heritage. "These festivities remind us that our cultural bonds are older and deeper than our national boundaries. They also remind us that the true strength of our relationship lies in our people and their shared traditions and mutual respect," said High Commissioner Verma.

A man was brutally killed by his son in Khulna city’s Bashupara Bashtola area on Thursday night after refusing to give him money, reportedly for buying drugs. The victim Liton Khan, 50, was a fish seller and a resident of the area. Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sonadanga Model Police Station, said Liton had recently borrowed Tk 50,000 from a private financial institution. His son Abu Bakar Limon had been pressuring him to hand over Tk 20,000 from that amount. However, Liton declined, knowing that his son was addicted to drugs. On Thursday around 11:30pm, when Liton's wife was not at home, Limon and his wife, Chandni, allegedly executed the murder. Police said the couple first hanged Liton and then slit his throat with a sharp object to ensure his death before fleeing the scene. OC Kabir Hossain said the body was recovered and sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

The body of one of two children who went missing after a boat capsized during Bijoya Dashami celebrations in the Turag River in Kaliakoir upazila has been recovered. A diving team from the Fire Service retrieved the body of Ankita Moni Das, a resident of Dakshin Hijaltoli village, after a 14-hour search on Friday morning. Upazila Executive Officer Kawsar Ahmed said that the rescue operation will continue until the second missing child, Tanmoy, is found. The incident occurred on Thursday evening when a motorized boat carrying 18–20 people—mostly children—capsized following a collision with another boat during the immersion of idols. Most passengers managed to swim ashore, but Ankita and Tanmoy went missing, eyewitnesses said.

Panic has gripped residents of Amaipur Sonarpara village in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur district after several people showed symptoms of anthrax. Dr. MA Halim Lavlu, Disease Control Officer at Mithapukur Upazila Health Complex, said that seven people are currently receiving treatment for suspected anthrax, with the condition of five patients improving while two continue to show symptoms. According to the Upazila Health Complex and Livestock Office, the scare began after multiple residents developed skin sores. The affected people had consumed beef purchased from Rahmatpur market on September 20. Subsequent testing of leftover meat, stored in a refrigerator, confirmed that the slaughtered cow had been infected with anthrax. The news spread rapidly, triggering fear and concern across the village. In response, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) received samples from other people who had consumed the same beef. Two of those tested showed anthrax symptoms, authorities confirmed. Dr. Lavlu emphasized the importance of early diagnosis, warning that untreated anthrax can be fatal in around 20% of cases. However, he reassured that the patients currently under treatment are responding well. Upazila Livestock Officer Altab Hossain urged residents to avoid consuming meat from ill animals. He also advised that carcasses of infected livestock should be buried at least six feet underground to prevent further spread. To raise awareness, the Livestock Department has launched public education initiatives, including yard meetings and discussions with local meat vendors. Dr. Shahina Akhter, Civil Surgeon of Rangpur district, said that 28 anthrax cases have been confirmed across the upazilas of Mithapukur, Pirgachha, and Kaunia. She assured the public that healthcare providers in all upazilas are on high alert, and there is no cause for widespread panic at this stage.  

Bangladesh on Friday described the interception of the ‘Global Sumud Flotilla’ in the international water as an act of flagrant violation of international law and a brazen manifestation of Israel's use of hunger as a weapon of war. The government of Bangladesh deeply condemns the interception, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. The ‘Global Sumud Flotilla’ was carrying humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza, by the Israeli occupying forces. International condemnation grows after Israeli interception of Gaza flotilla The ‘Global Sumud Flotilla’ was the largest yet to try to break the blockade, and it comes at a time of growing criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza where its offensive has laid waste to wide swaths of territory and killed tens of thousands of people. Bangladesh called upon the immediate and unconditional release of all detained humanitarian aid workers and activists and to guarantee their safety and well-being. Bangladesh also urged Israel to end its illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, respect international humanitarian law, and immediately cease its genocidal war and humanitarian blockade in Gaza. The much-needed humanitarian aid flotilla represents the global solidarity with the occupied Palestinian people, Dhaka said, stressing that Israel must allow its unhindered access to Gaza, where the civilian population continues to be denied their fundamental rights to life, dignity, and livelihood by the occupying Israeli forces. "The government and the people of Bangladesh stand in unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine in this hour of grave distress and continued suffering," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Capture of aid flotilla shows ‘brutality in Gaza’, Erdogan says Hundreds of Israeli police officers were deployed Thursday to the southern port of Ashdod to process some 450 international activists detained by Israeli naval forces hours earlier in the Mediterranean Sea, Israeli authorities said, reports AP. The activists, including European lawmakers, were taking part of a flotilla attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza when their vessels were intercepted, drawing widespread condemnation and sparking protests around the world.  

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the United Kingdom (UK) will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced by violence in Myanmar have the support, protection, dignity and opportunities they deserve. The UK will provide food, shelter, clean water and other life-saving services to half a million Rohingya refugees displaced from Myanmar by conflict and persecution, the Foreign Secretary announced recently. It will also provide sexual and reproductive health services to 175,000 women and girls and support survivors of sexual, physical and mental harm. The £27 million aid package will be delivered through established partners on the ground, ensuring that it reaches those who need it most. "This new UK aid will deliver essential food, shelter, clean water, and other life-saving services to half a million Rohingya people in Bangladesh and also help support Bangladeshi host communities," said the British Foreign Secretary. The UK is working with the Bangladesh authorities to promote stability and hope for the Rohingya community, said the British government. The UK’s ‘historic partnership’ with Bangladesh is a highly valued relationship, cemented by the diaspora, cultural, Commonwealth, climate, development, trade and economic links. This renewed commitment to Rohingya refugees underscores the UK’s leadership in global humanitarian response and its focus on building global security and economic recovery – in line with the government’s Plan for Change to respond to global challenges with purpose, said the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The UK continues to call for sustained international coordination to address the root causes of displacement and vulnerability. That includes supporting full, unhindered humanitarian access so crucial supplies can reach those living in the increasingly desperate humanitarian situation in Rakhine State in Myanmar. It also continues to help create a sustainable future for the Rohingya people, including by working with key actors on both sides of the border. The UK is a leading long-term contributor to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh. With this additional funding, it has now provided over £447 million since 2017, and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced by violence receive the protection, dignity, and opportunities they deserve, according to the British government. This £27m new funding includes: £6m provided through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to deliver camp management support to over 510,500 refugees, among other activities.  £6m provided through the World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver food assistance to over 174,700 Rohingya refugees for three months.  £3.2m provided through UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, as part of a larger contribution to support documentation for 43,000 refugees and deliver legal assistance to over 31,600 refugees, among other activities.  £4.2m provided through the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to deliver improved sanitation and hygiene services for 150,000 refugees, safe drinking water for 75,000 refugees, and healthcare to 61,843 refugees, among other activities.  £1.5m provided through the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) to deliver lifesaving sexual and reproductive health integrated services to 175,000 women and girls, survivors of sexual, physical and mental harm and outreach services to over 61,300 community members, among other activities. £2.24m provided through Norwegian Refugee Council, Danish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, and Humanity and Inclusion. This will reach 138,200 Rohingya refugees and 46,060 vulnerable host communities with essential services such as education, healthcare, and individualised assistance to persons with disabilities.   £4m provided through a range of UN and NGO partners to provide skills training to over 47,000 households and engage 65,600 households in climate-resilient agriculture.