United News of Bangladesh

A Sylhet court on Sunday convicted a pair of brothers in a case filed over a double-murder in 2007, and sentenced Judge of the Sylhet Additional Session Judge Court-5 Jhalak Roy handed down the punishment. The court also sentenced another accused to life imprisonment and two others to ten-month in jail in the case. The condemned convicts were identified as Borhan Uddin, 46 and Abdun Nur, 53, two sons of Abu Shaheed of Kanaighat upazila of the district. The court also fined them Tk 5,000 each. They were tried in absentia. The court also sentenced Borhan Uddin to five years jail and fined Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer six months in jail while Abdun Nur to one year jail in another section of the case. The lifer was identified as Abdus Shukkur, 50. The court also fined him TK 10,000, in default to one year more in rigorous imprisonment. The court also sentenced Saidul, 58 and Sultan, 38, son of Abu Shaheed to ten-month jail. Another accused of the case Abdul Kashim died during the trial proceedings. According to the prosecution, the convicts hit Sajida, wife of Abdullah of Poita village in Kanaighat upazila, with a sharp weapon following a dispute over demarcating the boundary wall of their houses on July 22, 2007. When Abdullah went to his house, the convicts beat him up mercilessly. At one stage, the convicts hit Abu Bakar, father of Abdullah, with a sharp weapon when he went to save his son. In the meantime, the convicts also beat up Moin Uddin, 60, father-in-law of Abdullah and Abdullah’s brother-in-law Habibur Rahman, when they went to save the victims. Later, they were taken to Kanaighat Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared Abu Bakar dead. Meanwhile, Moin Uddin succumbed to his injuries at Osmani Medical College and Hospital, four days after the attack. A case was filed in this connection. Police submitted chargesheet against six people on October 14, 2007.  

Secretary to the Information Ministry Mahbuba Farzana has said that citizens must use the courage and strength of the July Uprising to build a fascism-free Bangladesh. She emphasised the need for honesty, efficiency, and impartiality from all stakeholders in fulfilling this national responsibility. The secretary came up with the remarks on Sunday while speaking as the chief guest at a documentary screening, discussion, and prayer meeting held at the National Institute of Mass-communication (NIMCO) auditorium in Dhaka, marking the anniversary of the July Uprising. Mahbuba Farzana said students and the public have sacrificed immensely to establish a merit-based and non-discriminatory state system. "We must acknowledge the pain of the injured and the sacrifices of the martyrs. It is time we take responsibility for the rehabilitation of the wounded and the families of those who laid down their lives," she said. Criticizing the 15-year rule of the previous government, she said that at that time there was a so-called democracy in the country. We lost freedom of speech and the young people could not speak the truth. Highlighting the actions of law enforcement agencies during the July Uprising, she said unarmed students and citizens were killed unjustly. “We must raise our voices so that our children never again have to shed their blood for justice and freedom,” she said.

A vibrant Rickshaw Rally featuring around 300 colourfully decorated rickshaws paraded through major streets of Dhaka on Sunday afternoon, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The rally, which began at 3pm from the premises of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, showcased rickshaws adorned with graffiti and artwork themed on the historic July Uprising. They proceeded through Kakrail, Shantinagar, Mouchak, Malibagh, Rampura, Hatirjheel, Madhubagh and Moghbazar, before returning to the Academy. Nationalistic and movement-themed songs were played from loudspeakers mounted on the participating rickshaws, adding a festive spirit to the rally.

Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanashyam Bhandari on Sunday underscored the importance of boosting connectivity and cultural and touristic exchanges to deepen the relations between the two countries at the people-to-people level. He also stressed the need for working together on regional and multilateral platforms, particularly in areas including SDGs, climate change, migration, disaster preparedness and peacekeeping. Speaking at a roundtable discussion in Dhaka titled 'Bangladesh-Nepal Relations: A Renewed Outlook' jointly organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the Nepal Economic Forum (NEF), he shed light on the ongoing initiatives and suggested ways to enhance bilateral economic partnership. CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun and Chair, Nepal Economic Forum Sujeev Shakya, among others, spoke at the event. Bangladesh wants to become regional hub of halal products: Ashik The Ambassador highlighted the progress made so far in Bangladesh-Nepal ties and called for deeper collaboration in sectors such as trade, investment, energy, education and people-to-people connections. Commending CPD and NEF for their collaboration in fostering dialogue, generating knowledge and ultimately promoting bilateral cooperation, the Ambassador urged them to continue their research efforts aimed at promoting a robust economic partnership between the two countries. The discussion focused on three thematic pillars -- strengthening bilateral trade relations, enhancing people-to-people connectivity and tourism and promoting policy and regulatory harmonisation. This roundtable aimed to identify strategic bottlenecks, build on previous milestones and propose actionable pathways to deepen economic, institutional and cultural ties between Bangladesh and Nepal. It followed the successful dialogue held in Kathmandu on 13 June 2025. Harness youth dividend to build safer future: Nepal envoy Despite geographical proximity and long-standing diplomatic ties dating back to 1972, the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Nepal remains underutilised, particularly in the areas of economic cooperation, institutional collaboration and people-to-people connectivity, according to the CPD. As both countries prepare to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026, there is a renewed urgency to deepen strategic engagement, address trade and transit barriers and explore new avenues of cooperation, it said. Discussions explored how to overcome tariff and non-tariff barriers, facilitate digital financial connectivity, reduce logistical costs and enable mutually beneficial sectoral trade, particularly in agriculture, energy, and information technology. The dialogue also addressed the untapped export potential, especially in high-value products such as Nepali cardamom and Bangladeshi readymade garments. Besides, the session explored opportunities to promote cross-border investment, especially in areas such as renewable energy, manufacturing, food processing and digital services, and identified policy actions to encourage joint ventures, enhance investment facilitation.

The National Consensus Commission (NCC) will continue discussions with political parties and experts to explore ways to implement the reform proposals agreed upon during the first and second round of the reform talks. The decision came from a meeting of the commission held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday. “The meeting reviewed the issues on which consensus had been established in the first and second phases of discussions with political parties. It was decided that the commission will in phases discuss the proposals or recommendations with experts and, in that order, with political parties and alliances,” said a press release. Reform dialogue: Consensus on presidential election Most political parties and alliances have already provided their opinions on the initial draft of the 'July National Charter 2025' sent by the Consensus Commission. The Commission decided to urge those parties that have not yet responded to provide their opinions quickly. According to commission sources, the NCC plans to engage all parties in talks to prepare a roadmap for implementing the ‘July National Charter’. But these discussions may be held both formally and informally, the sources added. Presided over by NCC Vice Chair Prof Ali Riaz, the meeting was attended by its members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Iftekharuzzaman and Dr Md Ayub Miah and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haidar. Political consensus on women’s representation; presidency empowerment idea floated: Ali Riaz The NCC concluded second-round dialogues with some 30 political parties and alliances on July 31 last. Earlier, on July 28, the commission had sent the draft of the ‘July National Charter 2025’ to the parties and requested feedback on it. Formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Yunus, the Commission was tasked with forging a unified national stance on crucial state reforms. The Commission held its first round of talks with the political parties and alliances between March 20 and May 19.

The July declaration will be presented to the nation at 5 pm on Tuesday, marking the first anniversary of the fall of Awami League government. The interim government has finalised the draft of the July Declaration and plans to unveil it before the nation on Tuesday, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder on Saturday. July Declaration draft ready; to be unveiled on August 5 “The July Declaration will be presented to the nation on Tuesday (August 5) at 5:00 pm in the presence of all political parties involved in the mass uprising,” he said.    

A Dhaka court on Sunday sent three officials of online airline ticketing platform ‘Flight Expert’ to jail in connection with a case filed over embezzlement of customers’ funds. The accused are Sakib Hossain, 32, Head of Finance; Sayed Ahmed, 40, Chief Commercial Officer; and AKM Sadat Hossain, 32, Chief Operating Officer of the company. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Minhazur Rahman passed the order after rejecting their bail petitions. During the hearing, the court said embezzling an amount a large as Tk 5,000–6,000 crore could not have occurred overnight. They have been serving in the organisation for a long time and it is not possible to suddenly misappropriate such a huge amount, the court observed. Kushtia horror: ‘They tied my husband to a tree and took me!’ On behalf of the accused, lawyer Afzal Hossain Mridha said that the three were mere employees and had no direct involvement in the embezzlement. "They are actually victims. The owner has fled, and they have been arrested simply because they worked for the company," he said adding that there are no specific allegations directly linking them to the financial misconduct. Earlier, police arrested them on Saturday. A customer named Bipul Sarkar filed a case with Motijheel Police accusing five people. In addition to the three arrested officials—the case also names Flight Expert's Managing Director Salman Bin Rashid Shah Saim and his father MA Rashid. The two remain at large. According to case documents, Flight Expert abruptly stopped operations on Saturday evening, leaving thousands of customers and ticket-selling agencies in limbo. Chargesheet filed in first murder case from July Uprising in Ctg Many had made advance payments for air tickets, tour packages, and other services and the shutdown has raised serious concerns about the recovery of crores of taka in customer funds. Several employees of the company have claimed that the owners closed the business without warning and fled the country, further deepening the crisis. Plaintiff Bipul Sarkar alleged in the case that Tk 4.79 crore was embezzled from the customers through fraudulent means. Founded in March 2017, Flight Expert quickly got popularity by offering convenient and low-cost services such as airline ticket booking, hotel reservations, visa assistance, and tour packages for both domestic and international travel.  

Two children drowned while bathing in the Bhairab River at Muktarpur village in Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga on Sunday afternoon. The victims were identified as Rimon Hossain, 6, son of Md. Sajib Hossain, and Junayed Hossain, 7, son of Md. Jewel Mia—both residents of the Eidgahpara area in Muktarpur and students of Kultala Government Primary School. Rimon’s father said, Rimon, Junayed, and their friend Rabbi went to bathe in the river near their home. While playing near a jute pile left in the river for retting, Rimon accidentally slipped and fell into the water and Junayed drowned while trying to save him. Rabbi rushed home and informed their families. Locals and family members rushed to the spot and recovered them but by then both children had already died. Mamun Hossain Biswas, officer-in-charge of Jibannagar Police Station, said police reached the sport after being informed but the bodies had been recovered and brought home by locals.

A former Union Parishad member was stabbed to death by some miscreants at Chandash in Nangalkot upazila of Cumilla district on Sunday.The deceased was identified as Md Alauddin, son of Suruj Mia of Aliara village in Boxganj union.Quoting local people, AK Fazlul Haque, Officer-in-Charge of Nangolkot Police Station, said a group of miscreants picked Alauddin up in a CNG run auto-rickshaw after tying his hands while he was returning to him home after attending a namaz-e-janaza of his cousin.Later, they took him to the Chandash area and stabbed him indiscriminately, leaving him injured.He was taken to Nangalkot Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead.A tense situation has been prevailing in the area over the killing.Police said Alauddin might have been killed over previous enmity with Saleh Ahmed groupEfforts are on to arrest the killers, said the OC.

Four people were killed in a triangular collision among two motorcycles and a CNG run auto-rickshaw on Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Bijoynagar upazila of Brahmanbaria district on Sunday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. The accident occurred at Rampur when the three vehicles collided, leaving four people dead on the spot, said officer-in-charge of Khatihata highway Police Md Jahangir Alam. Death toll from Vietnam tourist boat accident rises to 38 Police recovered the bodies and sent those to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.