United News of Bangladesh

Emakers Bangladesh has been appointed as the national director for the internationally acclaimed beauty pageant Miss Intercontinental in Bangladesh. Under this arrangement, the company will oversee all official activities of the pageant in the country, including contestant selection and participation in the global competition. The announcement was made on the official social media platforms of the Miss Intercontinental Organization, naming Nayem Ashraf, Chief Executive Officer of Emakers Bangladesh, as the National Director for Bangladesh. Founded in 1971, Miss Intercontinental is regarded as one of the oldest and most prestigious international beauty pageants. The upcoming edition will mark its 53rd edition, where contestants from around the world—including Bangladesh—will compete on the global stage. Emakers Bangladesh has previously organised several major events in the country’s entertainment sector, including concerts featuring Arijit Singh and Neha Kakkar in Dhaka. The company has also hosted international events such as the Nepal-Bangladesh Friendship Concert and “Concert for Nepal” to support earthquake victims. Speaking on the development, Nayem Ashraf said the organisation plans to launch a reality show to select “Miss Intercontinental Bangladesh,” leveraging international standards and experience. He added that the platform will create new opportunities for young women and help showcase Bangladesh’s culture and talent on the global stage.

A van driver was hacked to death during a clash between two rival teenage gangs in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur on Tuesday evening. The deceased was identified as Ariful Islam, 25, son of Rezaul Islam of Pathanpara village under Ward No. 9 of the municipal area, was attacked around 6:30pm in the Baluavata area. According to police and local sources, members of a teenage gang, including Mominul, had appeared before a Rangpur court earlier in the day in connection with a case. At the court premises, a rival group led by Firoz Shah, also known as “Murder Firoz,” allegedly attacked Mominul’s group, leaving several people injured. The matter was later settled there. However, tensions flared again later in the day when Mominul’s group, reportedly seeking revenge, went out with locally made weapons in search of the rival group. At one stage, a clash broke out between the two groups in Badarganj, during which Ariful, who was not involved in the conflict, was critically injured. He was declared dead after being taken to the hospital. A doctor at Badarganj Upazila Health Complex said Ariful died on the way to the hospital. Officer-in-Charge of Badarganj Police Station Hasan Zahid Sarkar said the victim was attacked after being identified as a resident of Pathanpara. He added that Firoz has multiple cases, including three murder cases, filed against him. A new case has been filed over the incident.

Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brig Gen Dr AKM Shamsul Islam (retd) on Tuesday stressed the need for stronger civil-military coordination to ensure national security, good governance and continued development. He made the remarks at a session on the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Division during the ongoing Deputy Commissioners’ Conference 2026 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. The adviser said effective administrative coordination, sound governance and a robust security framework are essential to build a modern, secure and self-reliant Bangladesh. He emphasised that mutual trust, respect and understanding between civil administration and the armed forces remain key to safeguarding sovereignty and stability. Highlighting emerging global realities, he said national security is no longer limited to traditional military threats but also includes cyberattacks, terrorism, climate change, pandemics and economic risks. Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated “whole of government approach,” involving all state institutions. He called for building a credible defence system capable of deterring potential threats and urged deputy commissioners to ensure professionalism, efficiency and prompt implementation of government decisions at the field level. Senior officials, including the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, attended the session, along with top civil administration representatives. The conference is expected to further strengthen coordination between military leadership and civil administration, contributing to a stable, secure and developed Bangladesh.

An alleged fraud suspect has been arrested along with a foreign-made revolver, bullets, sharp weapons, mobile phones and SIM cards during a drive in Lalpur upazila of Natore. During the drive, police arrested him at around 2pm. The arrestee was identified as Arif Hossain, 27, son of Ataur Malitha of Biropara area under Gopalpur Municipality in Lalpur upazila. A special team of Dinajpur District Detective Branch (DB) Police conducted the raid in coordination with Lalpur Police Station on Tuesday afternoon, acting on information obtained through an ongoing investigation under the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025. Muhammad Alamgir, Officer-in-Charge (OC), PPM, said the raid was carried out following directives from Dinajpur Superintendent of Police Jeddan Al Musa, PPM, in connection with Case No. 2 of Chirirbandar Police Station. During the drive, police recovered a foreign-made revolver (Made in Pakistan) loaded with six rounds of bullets. They also seized a 13.5-inch gear knife, two Android mobile phones and SIM cards. Meanwhile, another suspect-Bijoy Islam, son of Rakibul Islam of Delua Ruiga village in the same area- managed to flee by jumping over a wall after sensing the presence of law enforcers. Police said the arrested Arif and fugitive Bijoy had been involved in fraud by opening a fake WhatsApp account named “MD Jalal SI”, using photos of senior police officials in uniform, including the Superintendent of Police of Dinajpur, and using multiple mobile numbers to deceive people and embezzle money.

The proposed Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway will fundamentally transform the transportation network across the capital and its surrounding districts, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said on Tuesday. “This 39-kilometre expressway will bypass Dhaka city and connect Hemayetpur with Narayanganj, establishing a direct corridor between the country's eastern and south-western regions. It will significantly improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in Dhaka by nearly half,” Rabiul said at a high-level stakeholder consultation workshop, held at a city hotel to advance the Dhaka East-West PPP project. He noted that an updated feasibility study for the project has already been completed, adding that delayed implementation carries serious economic consequences. Citing the Dhaka-Sylhet highway as a cautionary example, he pointed to significant financial losses caused by belated land acquisition. “If a project is not implemented on time, it becomes an economic burden. What we need is commitment and sound planning.” The minister stressed the current government's intent to break from five decades of flawed infrastructure policy, saying it would not pursue large-scale mega projects indiscriminately as previous administrations had done. “We want to spend public money in a way that eliminates waste and delivers real benefits to people.” Road Transport and Bridges State Minister Md Razib Ahsan said modern expressway infrastructure is now a pressing necessity, as traffic gridlock continues to erode fuel efficiency and economic productivity. He said the project would be especially vital for goods transport and inter-city passenger movement. “If a realistic toll structure can be established, this project will be a landmark achievement. We want to implement it through public-private partnership in a way that becomes a true milestone.” Razib also directed project officials to complete land acquisition within the shortest feasible timeframe and emphasised the need to move away from the perception that large projects inevitably breed large-scale corruption. “Previous projects were mired in controversy from inception. We must change public perception. We want to move this sector forward, inclusively and without dispute.” Project Details The expressway: stretching 38.98 kilometres from N5 to N1, will run from Hemayetpur on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway through Atibazar, Abdullahpur, Jolpori Bazar and Narayanganj, ending at Langalbandh on the Chittagong Highway. It will feature five major interchanges at N5, Atibazar Road, N8, R111 and N10, and will cross two major rivers, the Buriganga and Shitalakshya. The corridor will also connect with the Padma Bridge Rail Link and the Dhaka-Narayanganj railway line, spanning five upazilas across two districts. Once operational, the expressway will allow vehicles from Chittagong, Sylhet and other eastern districts, as well as from Khulna and Barishal in the south-west, to bypass Dhaka entirely and travel directly to 20 north-western districts. It will also link into the Asian Highway network. The total project cost has been estimated at Tk 36,000 crore (approximately USD 2.88 billion), comprising Tk 22,000 crore for construction and Tk 14,000 crore for land acquisition and resettlement, excluding contingency and ancillary costs. Traffic and Financial Projections According to a 2025 traffic survey, daily vehicle volume is projected at 21,000–25,000 upon the expressway's expected opening in 2030, rising to over 50,000 by 2050. Average vehicle speed is forecast to jump from the current 20–30 km/h to approximately 90 km/h. A Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA) put the project's Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRR) at 16.42 percent. Under the base-case financial model, factoring in a base toll of BDT 9.20 per kilometre and a 30 percent Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support — the Financial Internal Rate of Return (FIRR) stands at 7.66 percent. Analysts noted that with appropriate VGF support and a realistic toll framework, the project can be made financially sustainable and investment-worthy. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the project's implementation on a PPP basis on December 8, 2021. Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) was appointed as transaction adviser on December 24, 2024, to update the feasibility study and cost estimates at current market rates. Tuesday's workshop primarily reviewed the updated feasibility report prepared by IIFC and gathered feedback from relevant government agencies, development partners and sector experts. Senior officials of the Bridges Division, Bangladesh Bridge Authority and a panel of independent experts were also present.

A journalist at new media outlet Dhaka Stream has alleged that he was the target of an attempted abduction at the Moghbazar intersection in the capital on Monday night. The victim, Ataur Rahman, is a senior reporter at Dhaka Stream. Describing the incident, Ataur said he was returning home after office in Panthapath around 10:15pm, accompanied by his former colleague Mohir Maroof. “As we crossed the road, Maroof was looking for a rickshaw. At that time, a man got down from a vehicle (Dhaka Metro-Gha: 11-9899) carrying a stick and tried to force me into the car with the intention of abducting,” he said. “When I resisted, three more men came out of the vehicle and tried to push me inside. They also physically assaulted me. When people nearby intervened, they tried to create confusion by accusing me of verbally abusing them. Failing to abduct me, they fled the scene in the car,” he added. Witness Mohir Maroof, who is currently working at UNB, said he noticed a black private car stop at the signal, followed by a man getting out from the front seat and attempting to force Ataur into the vehicle. “I ran to call the traffic police on duty at the signal. By the time we returned, four men were trying to take him away. When passersby joined and resisted, they instead blamed Ataur, claiming he had abused them. He identified himself as a journalist, but they physically assaulted him before fleeing,” he said. Other witnesses also said the attackers suddenly stopped their vehicle and tried to force a man inside, but fled when a crowd gathered. Officer-in-Charge of Hatirjheel Police Station Asaduzzaman said a complaint has been filed over the incident. “An officer has been assigned to investigate the matter. We have been instructed to collect CCTV footage from the scene, and the vehicle number has been identified. The investigation is ongoing,” he said. The complaint was filed with Hatirjheel Police Station on Tuesday.

Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, both sides discussed mutual trade facilitation initiatives, fair trade practices, elimination of trade barriers, and enhanced trade and investment cooperation. They also reaffirmed their commitment to carry forward bilateral trade relations between Bangladesh and the United States on a positive trajectory.

Three Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members were injured after being attacked with sharp weapons in broad daylight during an anti-drug drive in Narayanganj on Tuesday. The incident took place around 1pm in the Masdair Bazar Boyalia Khal area of the city. Among the injured, two identified as Mahi and Ibrahim are receiving treatment at Narayanganj Sadar General Hospital, while Sub-Inspector Najibul, who was critically injured, has been sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment. 3 held with 16.5kg hemp at Jatrabari On receiving the information, RAB-11 Battalion Commander Lt Col HM Sazzad Hossain went to the hospital with additional forces to see the injured personnel. Later, a drive was carried out at the spot. However, RAB has not yet provided any details to the media. A briefing will be given later, said Lt Col Sazzad. According to locals, the three RAB personnel went to the Boyalia Khal area to collect information as part of an anti-drug drive when a group of assailants suddenly attacked them with sharp weapons. Confirming the incident, Additional Superintendent of Police (A-Circle) Hasinuzzaman said the RAB members were attacked while gathering information in the area.

Prime Minister’s spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman on Tuesday said health care is not a privilege but a fundamental right of every citizen, noting that Bangladesh’s health sector has long suffered from neglect. She said the government is working to build a system where no citizen is deprived of necessary medical services. The prime minister's wife, herself a physician, made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an exchange meeting held at Kurmitola General Hospital in the capital, part of her husband's constituency, under the slogan “Implementing Dhaka-17 electoral commitment to ensure equitable health care.” Govt to recruit 1 lakh health workers, Health Minister tells Parliament She said the country’s health sector has faced years of neglect and added that efforts are underway to provide comprehensive health services for residents of Korail, Bhashantek and Sattola slums. Highlighting existing challenges, she said public hospitals are under heavy pressure, while health workers remain demotivated and unevenly deprived. Access to quality health care is a daily struggle for millions, she added. “About 72 percent of health expenditure is borne out of pocket by people, making illness one of the major causes of poverty,” she said. Dr Zubaida said Bangladesh aims to become a healthy, more productive, self-reliant and sovereign nation. The government is working to ensure that people in underserved areas like Korail, Bhashantek and Sattola are no longer deprived of treatment. She said initiatives are being taken so that everyone from newborns to the elderly can receive proper medical care, while pregnant women can access timely and easy treatment for complications. Referring to the contribution of low-income communities, she said residents of these areas play a vital role in keeping the city running and supporting key sectors like the garment industry. However, she noted that 42.6 percent of residents still rely on local pharmacies for everyday health issues to avoid missing work. Calling it “remarkable,” she said people seek treatment at any cost to avoid disruptions to their livelihoods. Dr Zubaida also stressed the need for dedicated volunteers in the area to raise awareness about available health services at Kurmitola General Hospital. She expressed hope that volunteers and hospital staff in Dhaka-17 constituency would work together to save lives. “Health care is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right,” she said, adding that services at the hospital are being provided free of cost. Earlier, she inaugurated the pathology pavilion, gastro-liver centre and a 50-bed ICU unit at the hospital. After the inauguration, she visited ICU patients, inquired about their treatment and discussed service quality with officials. She urged doctors to ensure the highest level of care for patients. The event was chaired by Director of Kurmitola General Hospital Brig Gen Md Saidur Rahman. Among others, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari, State Minister for Health Dr MA Muhit, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health SM Ziauddin Haidar, Health Services Division Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, BNP Dhaka-17 election committee Joint Coordinator Prof Dr Farhad Halim Donar, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Prof Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas and Director General of the Directorate General of Health Education Prof Dr Nazmul Hossain also spoke. Speaking at the event, Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain said the presence of Dr Zubaida Rahman reflects accountability and would inspire hope among people. He said the prime minister aims to establish a new political culture based on accountability. He described “health for all” as a key challenge for the government and said such engagements are part of efforts to shape a new political direction. Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon expressed hope that Bangladesh will see significant improvements in the quality of health services under the current government. He said visible steps have already been taken in this regard. Referring to past achievements, he said agricultural reforms during the tenure of late President Ziaur Rahman boosted food production and made Bangladesh self-sufficient. He added that similar progress in health and education sectors would be a major success. Hospital Director Brig Gen Saidur Rahman said the new ICU unit is equipped with modern facilities, trained staff and round-the-clock services, ensuring better and faster treatment for critically ill patients.

Inside a cramped vehicle, under dim light and rising anxiety, little Abir lies in his family’s arms—his small body weakened, his breathing uncertain. Around him, worried faces lean in, adjusting an oxygen mask, whispering reassurances that barely conceal their fear. For Abir’s family, the journey from Tangail to Dhaka was long and exhausting.