United News of Bangladesh

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesman of the Inquilab Mancha who is running as an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 at the 13th parliamentary election, remains in critical condition after being shot from close range in Bijoynagar, Dhaka soon after Jumma prayers on Friday. Hadi was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where he underwent emergency neurosurgery. In the evening, he was transferred to Evercare Hospital for advanced ICU support. Dr. Zahid Raihan, Head of the Neurosurgery Department at DMCH, told reporters on Friday evening that Hadi’s condition is extremely critical. “The bullet entered above his left ear and exited through the right side of his head, causing massive brain injury. His skull has been left open, and he is on artificial ventilation,” he said. Dr. Raihan added that the bullet’s path affected the brain stem and that although Hadi is not entirely unresponsive, the situation is extremely critical. He further explained that the portion of the skull where the bullet exited was removed to relieve brain pressure, and accumulated blood and fluid inside the skull were drained. Due to continuous pressure changes and internal bleeding, Hadi’s condition fluctuates. ENT surgeons managed heavy bleeding from his nose and throat, and he remains on artificial respiration, though he still has some spontaneous breathing. Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said Hadi had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of just 3 when brought to DMCH and experienced cardiac arrest once. He added that the next 72 hours will be critical, and no definitive prognosis can be given at this stage. Doctors noted that heavy bleeding from Hadi’s nose and throat occurred later in the evening and was managed.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has launched an extensive drive to arrest the assailants who shot Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Osman Hadi in the capital’s Bijoynagar area on Friday afternoon. According to police, a group of motorcycle-borne attackers opened fire on Hadi around 2:25pm in the Box Culvert road area of Bijoynagar and fled the scene immediately.  He was critically injured and was undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Later, he was shifted to another hospital for better treatment. DMP condemned the attack as “heinous and cowardly” and said police visited the spot soon after the incident, collected CCTV footage from the area and are analysing it to identify and arrest those involved, said DMP's DC media Talebur Rahman on Friday evening. Alongside the local police station, detectives are conducting searches at suspected locations and among possible suspects. DMP expressed confidence that, as in other recent high-profile cases, the perpetrators would be arrested soon, he said. Hadi shifted to Evercare Hospital after surgery, no bullet found in head The city police urged residents not to panic and requested anyone with information related to the attack to contact the nearest police station or dial 999. DMP said it remains committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of city dwellers ahead of the upcoming national election.  

The Election Commission has clarified the provisions related to qualifications and disqualification for an MP aspirant ahead of the upcoming national election scheduled to be held on February 12 next. The commission, in the election circular-1 issued following the announcement of election schedule on Thursday, explained who can be MP aspirant in the 13th parliamentary election, citing the relevant provisions stated in the Constitution and the Representation of the People Order. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday (December 11) announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order 2025 simultaneously on February 12 (Thursday). According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination paper is December 29, while the scrutiny of nomination paper is on December 30-January 4 and the last date for submission of appeal against the decisions of the returning officers is January 11. The appeals would be disposed of on January 12-18.  The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20.   The returning officers will publish the final lists of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10). The Article 66 of the Constitution and Clause 12 of the RPO state two qualifications – a citizen of Bangladesh and attainment of the age of 25 years and a number of qualifications to be a member of parliament. According to the Article 66 (1) of the Constitution, a person shall be qualified to be elected as, and to be, a member of Parliament if he is a citizen of Bangladesh and has attained the age of twenty-five years. The same Article states that a person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who – (a) is declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind; (b) is an undischarged insolvent;  (c) acquires the citizenship of, or affirms or acknowledges allegiance to, a foreign state; (d) has been, on conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release;  [(e) has been convicted of any offence under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order, 1972; (f) holds any office of profit in the service of the Republic other than an office which is declared by law not to be disqualified its holder ; or (g) is disqualified for such election by or under any law. But if any person being a citizen of Bangladesh by birth acquires the citizenship of a foreign State and then the person gives up the foreign citizenship in case of the dual citizenship or again accepts the citizenship of Bangladesh in other cases, he shall not be deemed to acquire the citizenship of a foreign State. Besides, a person shall not be deemed to hold an office of profit in the service of the Republic by reason only that he is the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister, according to Article 66 of the Constitution. The circular also cited the definition of ‘the service of the Republic’ mentioned in the Article 152 of the Constitution, saying that “the service of the Republic” means any service, post or office whether in a civil or military capacity, in respect of the Government of Bangladesh, and any other service declared by law to be a service of the Republic. The Clause 12 of the RPO states that any elector of a constituency may propose or second for election to that constituency, the name of any person qualified to be a member under clause (1) of Article 66 of the Constitution. About the disqualifications, the same clause of the RPO states a person shall be disqualified for election as or for being, a member if he- (a) is not listed in the electoral roll of any constituency; (b) is not nominated by any registered political party or is not an independent candidate; (c) is a person holding any office of profit in the service of the Republic or of a statutory public authority; (d) is a person who is convicted of an offence punishable under Article 73, 74, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 86 and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since the date of his release, or (e) is a person whose election to a seat is declared void on any of the grounds mentioned in sub-clauses (c), (d) and (e) of clause (1) of Article 63, unless a period of five years has elapsed since the date of such declaration. As per the clause, a person shall be disqualified if he (f) has resigned or retired from the service of the Republic or of any statutory public authority or of the defence service, unless a period of three years has elapsed since the date of his resignation or retirement; (g) has been dismissed or removed or compulsorily retired from the service of the Republic or of any statutory public authority on the ground of corruption, unless a period of five years has elapsed since the date of such dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement;  (h) has been appointed on contract to the service of the Republic or of any statutory public authority or of the defence service immediately after his retirement from such service, unless a period of three years has elapsed since the expiry or termination of such contract; (i) is holding or has resigned or retired or has been discharged from an executive post of any non-government organization, which receives grant or fund from any foreign state or organization, unless a period of three years has elapsed since such resignation retirement, or discharge. Bangladesh Election:  EC reinstates 4 seats in Bagerhat, 5 seats in Gazipur The other disqualifications include if a person is (k) whether by himself or by any person or body of persons in trust for him or for his benefit or on his account or as a member of a Hindu undivided family, has any share or interest in a contract, not been a contract between a co-operative society and Government, for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any contract or the performance of any services undertaken by Government;  (l) being a loanee, other than a loanee who has taken small loan for agricultural purposes, has defaulted in repaying before the day of submission of nomination paper any loan or instalment thereof taken by him from a bank;  (m) is a director of a company or a partner of a firm [which] has defaulted in repaying before the day of submission of nomination paper any loan or any instalment thereof taken by [the concerned company or firm] from a bank; (n) personally has failed to pay the telephone, gas, electricity, water or any other bill of any service providing organization of the Government before the day of submission of nomination paper; or [(o) has been convicted of any crime under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973. The RPO states “office of profit” means holding any office, post or position in the full-time service of the Republic or any statutory public authority or company in which the government has more than 50% (fifty percent) share.  

The Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Members on Friday arrested two individuals along with a large number of electronic spying equipment allegedly used for recruitment and admission test fraud from the outer area of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. A case has been filed against them under the Special Powers Act, 1974 (Sections 25B(1)(B)/25D) at the Airport Police Station, police said. The detainees were identified as Shaharun Ali (38) and Md Iqbal Hossain Jibon (35). According to APBn, acting on a tip-off, a team detained the duo and recovered 76 digital spy devices, 50 earpieces, three laptops, and six mobile phones from their possession. During primary interrogation, Shaharun admitted that he brought the devices from China, posing as a regular passenger, and was preparing to leave the airport together with Iqbal, who was waiting outside as part of the racket. Investigators said the seized devices are commonly used for sophisticated cheating in recruitment and admission tests. The credit-card–shaped devices, tiny invisible earpieces, and transparent extraction threads help fraud syndicates communicate answers to candidates inside exam halls. The main device automatically receives incoming calls when connected to a SIM card and kept on the body, while the micro earpiece inserted deep inside the ear allows covert communication. After the test, candidates extract the earpiece using the transparent thread. APBn Operational Commander, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mozammel Haque, said, “These devices are banned items and have previously been used for fraud in various exams. We are conducting regular operations to curb such illegal activities.”

Bangladesh on Thursday held its first-ever Potato Festival, where Agriculture and Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury urged cold storage operators to keep old potatoes in storage until December to help farmers recover from losses. Speaking as the chief guest at the event organised by the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association at the Bashundhara International Convention Centre in Dhaka, the adviser said potato production hit a record high this year, around 11.2 million metric tonnes, which is about 2.2 million tonnes more than national demand. A record 11.2 million metric tonnes of potatoes have been produced this year, which is about 2.2 million tonnes more than the country’s total demand. In 2025, the production cost per kilogram varied by region, ranging from Tk 14 to Tk 17. After adding cold storage fees, transport, sacks, labour and other expenses, the cost at the cold storage gate stands at Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg. In contrast, farmers are being forced to sell potatoes at Tk 8 to Tk 16 per kg at the cold storage gate, which is far below their production cost, leaving them with significant losses. He said the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association has been requested to keep old potatoes in storage until December to help offset farmers’ losses. He added that new potatoes will reach the market about 15 days later than usual this year, which is why the decision was made in the greater interest of farmers. Cold storage owners may face minor losses and higher electricity bills, he said, but the farmers, who are the backbone of food production, will benefit. He also urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to bring down the per-kilogram production cost of potatoes. Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that although Bangladesh produces a large volume of potatoes, the country still lags behind in potato processing. Only 2 percent of potatoes are processed in Bangladesh, while the rate is 7 percent in many other countries. He said greater emphasis must be placed on developing the potato processing industry. This will require selecting high-quality potato varieties suitable for processing and promoting their cultivation. The adviser also said the price must be clearly printed on the packets of imported potato seeds, which will help ensure fair treatment for farmers. The agriculture adviser again noted that although onion production was sufficient this year, prices jumped by Tk 35 per kilogram in a single day due to manipulation by a few traders. Govt plans subsidies for potato farmers: Adviser Jahangir Alam To protect consumers, the government was therefore compelled to allow onion imports. He said imports will continue until the market price comes down to Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kilogram. Special addresses at the event were delivered by Agriculture Ministry Secretary Dr Md Emdad Ullah Mian, Bangladesh Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr A. K. Fazlul Hoque, Netherlands Ambassador to Bangladesh Joris Van Bommel, and Tony Lv, General Manager of Hangzhou Fima Expo Co. Ltd. of China. Senior officials from various government and private agencies, associations and chambers, leaders of the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association, cold storage owners, potato farmers, business leaders and entrepreneurs from different districts also attended the event. Later, the adviser visited various stalls set up at the event.  

The beginning of scientific exhumations and forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies of people killed during the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh is a fundamental step towards helping families of the missing fulfil their rights to truth, justice and accountability, a UN expert said on Friday. “This is the first large-scale forensic recovery, analysis and identification operation carried out in Bangladesh on the basis of international human rights and forensic standards,” said Morris Tidball-Binz, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, in a statement issued from Geneva. The forensic examination of the bodies is being conducted on site in a temporary mortuary installed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in line with international forensic and human rights standards. The process is expected to take several days and will include DNA analysis to support the scientific identification of the deceased. In July 2025, Tidball-Binz, who is a forensic doctor, was in Dhaka, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), to provide technical advice on forensic investigations to the authorities, including the CID and medico-legal services. On that occasion, the Special Rapporteur’s technical assistance was welcomed and used to help plan and prepare the large-scale recovery, documentation and identification of victims of the 2024 events, in line with international standards, in particular the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death. As a result, on December 1 this year, a member of the Forensic Advisory Group - convened by the Special Rapporteur - travelled to Bangladesh at OHCHR’s invitation to support the final preparations and implementation of the exhumations, which began on December 7. Commemorating July Uprising: ‘Mukti Toron’ and ‘Swadhinota Toron’ unveiled in DNCC The bodies are reported to correspond to people killed during the 2024 uprising, who were recovered from the streets of Dhaka and buried at Rayerbazar cemetery by the Muslim charity Anjuman Mufidul Islam. Although efforts were made at the time to ensure respect for the dead and protect their dignity, identification was not possible. “In addition to helping to respond to victims’ and families’ needs for truth, justice and accountability, this investigation is a unique opportunity to strengthen the country’s medico-legal and forensic capacity in line with standards such as the Minnesota Protocol – as Bangladesh both needs and deserves,” Tidball-Binz said.  

Two youths died allegedly after consuming alcohol in Pabna city early Friday, police said. The deceased were identified as Suman Sarkar, 35, son of Sanchit Sarkar, and Mamun, 32, son of Habibur Rahman, of Gopalpur and Radhanagar Maktab villages respectively. Sukhi Khatun, a nurse at Pabna General Hospital, said one of the victims was brought to the hospital at midnight and the other at 3am. One of them died while undergoing treatment at the hospital and was later taken home by relatives, she said, adding that the other died on the way to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Dulal Uddin, officer-in-charge of Pabna Sadar Police Station, confirmed the deaths. Family members claimed that the deaths were due to gastric complications and cremated Suman’s body Friday morning. Woman sent to jail on charges of killing 8 puppies in Pabna Locals, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the youths fell ill after consuming a toxic type of liquor called ‘PD’ from the bar ‘Chaki Bari,’ owned by Proloy Chakir, cultural affairs secretary of Pabna district Awami League. Additional Superintendent of Police Md Moshiur Rahman told UNB that hospital records indicated alcohol consumption as the preliminary cause of death.  

Miscreants slaughtered an autorickshaw driver in Homna upazila of Comilla on Friday morning, police said. The deceased was identified as Shanto Chandra Das, 18, a resident of Bijoynagar village and son of village police member Arun Chandra Das. His throat-slit body was recovered from a cornfield in Kararkandi Baher area of Homna municipality. Demanding justice for his son, the father said Shanto drove an autorickshaw to support his family and believes the murder was committed to steal the vehicle. The victim’s elder brother Antu Chandra Das said Shanto left home with his autorickshaw Thursday afternoon. When his phone went unreachable by 8pm, the family began searching for him. 3 women killed as truck overturns in Cumilla The next morning, they learned from the police about a throat-slit body in Kararkandi and identified it as Shanto, he said, adding that the assailants killed his brother and took away the auto-rickshaw. Officer-in-charge of Homna Police Station Morshedul Alam Chowdhury said initial investigations suggest the murder was linked to the robbery of Shanto’s autorickshaw. The body has been sent to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for autopsy, he said, adding that a case has been filed.  

SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) has opened its new SAC Book Corner at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, marking a fresh step in regional academic collaboration. The inauguration took place on Friday and was led by Prof. D K N G Pushpakumara, Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA) at the University of Peradeniya. He commended the initiative, noting that it would enrich academic engagement and broaden opportunities for students and researchers across South Asia. The ceremony was attended by Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (ARD and SDF), SAARC Secretariat in Nepal, whose presence highlighted the growing commitment of the SAARC network to foster stronger regional ties in agriculture and development. Dr. Md Harunur Rashid, Director, SAARC Agriculture Centre, attended the inauguration and highlighted SAC’s continued efforts to deepen regional academic collaboration. He noted that shared knowledge platforms such as this corner play a vital role in supporting evidence-based policymaking across the region. He added that SAC remains committed to fostering stronger links between researchers, universities and national institutions to advance sustainable agricultural development. Dr. W A R T Wickramaarachchi, Director General of Agriculture, Sri Lanka and SAC Governing Board member, joined the ceremony. He noted that such initiatives help strengthen cooperation between national research bodies and leading universities across South Asia. Senior officials from SAC and academics from the University of Peradeniya were also present, including Dr. Md. Younus Ali, Senior Program Specialist (Livestock), SAC. They emphasized the importance of shared scientific resources and accessible knowledge platforms to support researchers and policymakers engaged in advancing sustainable agricultural development. The SAC Book Corner will act as a dedicated hub for SAC publications and research outputs. It aims to support students, faculty members and visiting scholars by providing authoritative resources on agricultural innovation, climate resilience, food security and agricultural development in South Asia.

The Election Commission has asked the government not to transfer any officials or members of the law enforcement agencies engaged in the duties for the 13th national election and the referendum without prior consultation with the commission. The Commission, in a recent demi-official (DO) letter signed by its senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed, asked the Cabinet Division secretary to follow this instruction from the announcement of the polls schedule until 15 days after the voting, in line with the law. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on February 12 next. Two divisional commissioners, 64 deputy commissioners, and three regional election officers have been appointed as returning officers for the election. Upazila Nirbahi Officers and some EC officials will act as assistant returning officers. In the letter, the EC said that to conduct election-related activities smoothly, officials and employees from all ministries, divisions, government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, and in some cases from private offices and educational institutions, will need to be recruited as polling officials. Besides, magistrates and law enforcement members will be deployed to maintain law and order. To ensure the proper execution of the election and referendum duties, the EC stressed that officials assigned to election work must perform their responsibilities impartially and in accordance with the law and regulations, said the letter citing Article 126 of the Constitution and Sections 5 and 44(nga) of the Representation of the People Order (RPO). So, the EC requested the government to instruct all ministries, divisions, and government, semi-government, autonomous and private organisations not to transfer or grant leave to any officer or employee involved in election duties—or assign them to any other task that may hamper their election responsibilities—without prior consultation with the commission after the schedule’s announcement.