United News of Bangladesh

At least 23 Bangladeshi pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia as of June 11 while performing Hajj this year. Among the deceased, 21 were men and two women, said a report from the daily bulletin of Hajj Management Portal ‘Hajj-2025’ under the Religious Affairs Ministry on Thursday. Fifteen of the deceased died in Makkah, seven in Madinah and one in Arafat. Currently, 23 Bangladeshi pilgrims are receiving treatment in Saudi government hospitals. Over 1.5 million international pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj According to the Bangladesh Hajj Office, 193 pilgrims have received medical care at these hospitals so far. Besides, 8,606 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have returned home over the past two days on 22 flights following the completion of Hajj. Among them, 837 pilgrims returned under government management, while 7,769 came back under private arrangements. The Hajj was held on June 5 and return flights began their journeys on Tuesday (June 10). Hajj begins as pilgrims arrive in Mina for day of Tarwiyah As of Wednesday midnight, 1,409 pilgrims returned through four flights operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines while 3,185 through eight flights by Saudi Airlines and 4,012 through 10 flights by Flynas Airlines. Return flights are scheduled to continue until July 10.  

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has reportedly pushed 70 people into Bangladesh through four separate border points in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained those people during the push-ins on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Of the 70 detained, 22 are men, 18 women and 30 children. According to BGB sources, 53 people were pushed in through the Mokampunji and Minatila borders of Jaintapur in Sylhet, as well as the Kalairag border in Companiganj upazila. An additional 17 people were pushed in through the Noakot border of Chhatak upazila in Sunamganj. BSF pushes 20 more people into Bangladesh through Dinajpur, Thakurgaon borders Jaintapur BOP held 17 people, Minatila BOP detained 23, and Kalairag BOP of Companiganj detained 13. Besides, 17 people from four families were pushed in through the Chhanbari border under Noakot BOP of Chhatak upazila. Lt Col Md Nazmul Haque, Commander of BGB's 48th Battalion, said that patrols along the border have been intensified to prevent further infiltration.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed restrictions on all forms of meetings, gatherings, rallies, processions, showdowns and protests at several designated locations, including the government residence of the Chief Justice, for an indefinite period with effect from Saturday. According to a public notice signed by DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Thursday morning, the restrictions will come into effect under Section 29 of the DMP Ordinance. DMP bans rallies, processions outside CA’s residence, Secretariat The restricted areas also include Justice Bhaban, Judge Complex, the main gate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, Majar Gate, Jame Masjid Gate, entrances of International Crimes Tribunal-1 and -2 and the Judicial Administration Training Institute. Besides, the DMP has once again urged citizens not to block city streets as a means of pressing home their demands.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday said there is no government bar on BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman's return to the country and he may come back anytime. The Adviser made the remarks while talking to reporters during a visit to Salna Highway Police Station in Gazipur on Thursday morning. Tarique has been living in London since February 2008. Asked about recent push-in incidents by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), the Adviser said those being pushed into Bangladesh are not entering through the proper channel and are being sent back in an inhumane manner. All eyes now on Prof Yunus-Tarique talks amid strained BNP-govt ties He said the Indian High Commissioner has already been informed about the issue, expressing the hope that such push-ins will be stopped immediately. Highway Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Md Shafiqul Islam, Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dr Nazmul Karim Khan, and Gazipur District Police Superintendent Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadeq were, among others, present during the visit.

UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade Jonathan Reynolds has reaffirmed the UK's support for Bangladesh's interim government's initiatives to recover misappropriated funds siphoned off to various countries. Reynolds made the assurance when met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the British Parliament on Wednesday. Prof Yunus highlighted the interim government's efforts in economic recovery, particularly reforms in the banking sector, stabilisation of foreign exchange reserves, and the maintenance of macroeconomic stability. UK Crime Agency freezes assets of former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral trade relations and fostering investment opportunities between the two friendly nations, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary. Discussions encompassed mutual interests, including strategies to boost trade and attract increased British investment in Bangladesh. Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, and SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, among others, attended the meeting. Special Envoy Siddiqi proposed the initiation of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and Bangladesh, noting that Dhaka has already started discussions on FTAs with several countries, including Japan. No desire to be part of next elected govt: Prof Yunus UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh Baroness Rosie Winterton and British High Commissioner to Dhaka Sarah Cooke also participated in the meeting.

An army soldier was injured during an attack by workers at the Chapail Bridge in Sadar Upazila, Gopalganj, over toll collection. The injured soldier is CPL MD Sajjad Hossain of Dhaka Headquarters. Five people were detained in connection with the incident, said Mir Mohammad Sajedur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Gopalganj Sadar Police Station. Pregnant woman, child go missing while bathing in Jamuna River in Manikganj The detainees are Anwar, 65, Alaamin, 30, Shahin Bhuiyan, 21, Emon Sikder, 17, and Shimul, 27. They were taken into custody by joint forces and handed over to Gopalganj Sadar Police Station. OC said that the army personnel were traveling from Naragati in Narail district to Dhaka in a pickup truck loaded with goods. When they reached the bridge around 6 pm, an argument broke out with workers over toll payment. The situation escalated, and the workers attacked and assaulted the soldier. Following the attack, a team from the army arrived at the scene, rescued the injured soldier, and detained the five workers. Army seizes 40 tractors for transporting soil from cropland in Natore The injured soldier’s father, Moniruzzaman, said at around 11:30 pm, "It is very sad that my son was attacked. After hearing about the incident, I went to Gopalganj Sadar Police Station to file a complaint. My son is currently receiving treatment, and legal steps are being taken."

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has frozen properties in the United Kingdom belonging to former land minister of  Bangladesh Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. The action comes after legal requests from Bangladeshi authorities to seize assets owned by Chowdhury, a political ally of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the now-banned Awami League, according to a report published by Al Jazeera on Wednesday. Chowdhury is under investigation by Bangladesh authorities for money laundering, reads the report. Last night, in a statement to Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit), an NCA spokesperson confirmed the freezing order: “We can confirm that the NCA has secured freezing orders against a number of properties as part of an on-going civil investigation.” The property freeze means, in effect, that the assets cannot be sold by Chowdhury. The action by the police agency, often dubbed “Britain’s FBI”, coincided with this week’s visit to London by Bangladesh’s interim leader, Professor Muhammad Yunus. Last year, Al Jazeera revealed Chowdhury, 56, owns more than 350 properties in the UK. While the full extent of the NCA’s action is not yet understood, the I-Unit can disclose that Chowdhury’s luxury home in St John’s Wood, London, is part of the asset freeze. The home, bought for 11 million pounds ($14.8m), was the scene of secret filming by undercover reporters from Al Jazeera’s I-Unit. Reporters met Chowdhury during a long-running investigation into wealth that he had accumulated while he was still a government minister. During the meeting, Chowdhury talked expansively to reporters about his global property portfolio and revealed his taste for expensive suits and designer “baby croc” leather shoes. He described his close ties to the now deposed Sheikh Hasina, telling Al Jazeera’s journalists, “I am like her son, actually.” “She knows I have a business here,” he also told them. The I-Unit revealed that Chowdhury, from a powerful family in the port city of Chittagong, amassed a property empire despite a $12,000 annual limit as part of the nation’s currency laws on the amount a citizen can take out of Bangladesh. The investigation uncovered that Chowdhury spent more than $500m on real estate in London, Dubai, and New York but did not declare his overseas assets on his Bangladesh tax returns. The undercover meeting was part of the Al Jazeera documentary The Minister’s Millions, broadcast last October. Chowdhury had been a close ally of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after hundreds were killed as security forces cracked down on student protests. After Hasina’s departure, Bangladesh authorities launched an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption in her government. Following the uprising and street violence in Bangladesh, the I-Unit tracked down Chowdhury to his London home, where he could be observed taking leisurely walks around his exclusive neighbourhood, which includes Lord’s Cricket Ground. In earlier statements to Al Jazeera, Chowdhury said the funds used to buy his overseas properties came from legitimate businesses outside Bangladesh, which he had owned for years. The former minister claimed he was the subject of a politically motivated “witch-hunt” against him.

A pregnant woman and a young girl went missing while bathing in the Jamuna River in Bachamara area of Daulatpur upazila of Manikganj on Wednesday. The victims are Barsha Khatun, 20, daughter of Md. Abdul Boyati from Bachamara Purba Para village, and Lamia Khatun, 10, daughter of Md. Rahej Boyati from the same village. The incident occurred around 2pm on Wednesday behind the house of Yusuf Ali Sheik in Bachmara union. One killed, 10 injured in Mymensingh road crash Locals said that five women and children went to bathe in the river at around 2 pm. Suddenly, they were swept away by the strong current. Although three of them were rescued alive, Barsha and Lamia drowned. Md. Zahid Babu, a resident of Bachamara Union, said that despite efforts to find the missing pair, they could not be located. Later, a diving team from the Aricha Land and River Fire Service and Civil Defense Station in Shibaloy arrived to conduct a rescue operation that lasted two hours. However, due to darkness and the river’s strong currents, the divers could not succeed, Babu added. Md. Nadir Hossain, the Warehouse Inspector at Aricha Fire Service, said that four divers worked for about two hours. Teenaged tourist drowns in Piyain River in Sylhet "The rescue operation was suspended as night fell, but it is scheduled to resume at 10 am on Thursday," he added. Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge ARM Al-Mamun said that police also arrived at the scene to assist the divers. He mentioned that the strong currents in the river hampered the rescue efforts.

The members of Bangladesh Army seized 40 tractors while they were transporting soil from cropland in Baksor area of Natore Sadar upazila on Wednesday. According to army sources, based on information from local residents, a team from the army conducted a raid in Baksor at noon. During the operation, they found that approximately 40 bighas of farmland had been cut, ponds had been dug, and soil had been removed, all while the land was being taken to a brick kiln. However, the owner of the land was not present at that time. The seized tractors were later handed over to the district police’s traffic department and stored at the police lines. Mahbubur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sadar police station, said that legal action would be taken under traffic laws. He added that for some time, farmland in Natore has been illegally cut, and ponds have been dug with the alleged complicity of local authorities. The soil is also being sold, with verbal permission reportedly given by district and upazila administration officials. Abul Hayat, additional deputy commissioner of Natore, however, said that no such permission has been granted by the district administration for these activities.  

King Charles III will formally confer the prestigious ‘Harmony Award 2025’ on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday, recognising his lifelong efforts to promote peace, sustainability and harmony between people and the environment. "Tomorrow (June 12) is a very important day," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, adding that there will be a number of meetings, in addition to the award ceremony.  Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was the recipient of the prestigious award in 2024. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke has already extended her congratulations to Prof Yunus on his forthcoming receipt of the prestigious King Charles Harmony Award. "It is a great honour," the Chief Adviser said, referring to the award when the High Commissioner met him in Dhaka recently. British Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds meets Prof Yunus Regarding his comments on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Press Secretary Alam said, "I said probably" but some people misinterpreted his remarks.  "What we are knowing is that he is probably in Canada..... visiting Canada. A British parliamentarian came today and told us that he (Keir Starmer) is in Canada," Alam told reporters while responding to a question on Tuesday. The Press Secretary said they corrected it later as the British Prime Minister is in London and the whole British Parliament remains very busy as the budget spending is being reviewed.  Alam said the meetings that the Chief Adviser had so far in London were very fruitful.  The Chief Adviser also attended a dinner on Wednesday hosted by King Charles III, marking the Harmony Award which will be conferred on Thursday.  Prof Yunus arrived here on Tuesday, beginning his four-day official visit to renew their bilateral ties with the United Kingdom, with an increased focus on economic cooperation, trade and investment. All eyes now on Prof Yunus-Tarique talks amid strained BNP-govt ties “This is a very important visit,” said acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, noting that Professor Yunus will meet His Majesty King Charles III. “The relationship between Bangladesh and the UK is very deep and diverse,” he added, emphasising that the visit will play a significant role in strengthening bilateral relations. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase Bangladesh’s ongoing reform initiatives, its democratic trajectory and the interim government's commitment to good governance. “And above all,” the acting Foreign Secretary noted, “as a Nobel laureate and a globally respected figure, the Chief Adviser has a unique and positive image around the world. A visit to the UK by a personality like him will further enhance and consolidate Bangladesh’s position in the global arena.” Discussions during the visit also cover global and regional issues, with particular focus on climate change, sustainable development, the Rohingya crisis, and migration. The issues related to asset recovery are also being discussed.  No desire to be part of next elected govt: Prof Yunus According to the government, an estimated US$16 billion was illicitly transferred abroad annually under the previous administration. Bangladesh has already sought cooperation from the British government through its High Commissioner in Dhaka to trace and recover funds allegedly laundered to the UK by individuals associated with the former Sheikh Hasina-led regime.