United News of Bangladesh

Workers of Beximco Group blocked Chandra-Nabinagar highway at Sreepur bus stand area in Ashulia, demanding the reopening of their closed factory on Wednesday. The workers took to the streets around 4pm and set fire to two buses and one truck near Mojar Mill area of Ashulia. Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nur Alam Siddique said police were deployed at the scene and the situation somewhat calmed down. Several vehicles were vandalised and journalists covering the incident were reportedly attacked during the protest. Eight DB officers injured in attack during raid in Faridpur Earlier, on Tuesday, during a rally, Beximco workers union leaders issued an ultimatum, demanding the reopening of the closed factories by 3pm on Wednesday, along with the assurance of banking services and other facilities for the workers. After no response from the authorities concerned, Beximco workers took to the streets to stage demonstration. The OC said  efforts are underway to bring those responsible for the incident to justice.

Comprehensive security measures have been taken for the upcoming Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2025, said DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali. Speaking at a coordination meeting on Wednesday at the DMP Headquarters, he assured that robust security, law and order, and traffic management arrangements are in place for the fair. Publications at Boi Mela still not back to pre-Covid levels "Every year, the Bangla Academy organises the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela, which will run throughout February at the academy and Suhrawardy Udyan premises. This year, DMP has ensured sufficient security around the event," he said. Both uniformed and plainclothes police officers will be stationed inside and outside the fairgrounds. Continuous surveillance will be carried out via CCTV cameras, and additional safety measures such as watch towers, fire tenders, and first aid facilities will be deployed, said the DMP official. Longest Boi Mela wraps up, with 6 million visitors across 31 days Other security protocols include sweeping event locations, deploying special plainclothes teams, and monitoring social media and drone surveillance around the fairgrounds, he added. The DMP commissioner added that all visitors must enter the venue through an archway. Large bags, cartons, and flammable materials will be strictly prohibited. As in previous years, a Lost and Found centre, help desk, and child care centre will be available to assist visitors. The DMP Commissioner expressed confidence that the fair would be conducted smoothly with cooperation and coordination from all involved. DMP Deputy Commissioner (Operations), AFM Tariq Hossain Khan, presented the security plan for the fair via a PowerPoint presentation at the meeting. Holidays are for the kids at Boi Mela; sales surge, and catching Sisimpur live Representatives from various government agencies, including the Fire Service, DPDC, Health Department, and the Ministry of Culture were present in the meeting.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has urged people to avoid using black glasses on vehicles. In a statement on Wednesday, DMP called on vehicle owners to follow Section 40 of the Road Transport Act-2018, refraining from applying black paper and removing it if already installed. DMP also urged drivers to avoid using unnecessary loud horns to reduce noise pollution and its harmful effects. According to Section 45 of the Road Transport Act-2018, motor vehicle drivers must refrain from using loud horns unnecessarily. DMP to introduce a new hotline for real-time information exchange: Commissioner Pedestrians, passengers, other drivers, city dwellers and especially the sick are being seriously affected due to the excessive use of loud horns by motor vehicles in the Dhaka metropolis. The DMP has also instructed drivers not to use horns near schools, colleges, hospitals, or airport crossing areas. Even when ambulances and emergency service vehicles are not carrying patients, they should refrain from using horns or hooters unless necessary for urgent work. Besides, pedestrians are often seen crossing roads without using zebra crossings or foot-over bridges, leading to accidents, traffic disruptions, and jams. Extortionists must be brought to book: DMP Commissioner Pedestrians are urged to use designated crossings and foot-over bridges for safety, DMP added. It also warned that legal action will be taken against any motor vehicle driver failing to follow these regulations, and sought the cooperation of all concerned in ensuring compliance with these regulations.  

During his hectic second day at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus called on Bangladesh's international allies to aid in the recovery of substantial amounts of stolen money. The Chief Adviser met Wolfgang Schmidt, Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks, Federal Chancellery of Germany, King Philippe, King of Belgium, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, Ignazio Cassis, Federal Councilor, Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, United Arab Emirates, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, former US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, among others, on the sidelines of the WEF annual meeting. The World Economic Forum is being held at the Swiss mountain town of Davos every year in January.  Chief Adviser Prof Yunus came here about a dozen times in the past. In the past his talks featured mostly on the power of social businesses, the micro finance industry and how it was doing wonders and the Three Zeros, his great idea to fix a self-destructive civilisation. UN chief Guterres meets Dr Yunus in Davos The social businesses alone now account for ten million enterprises, representing a 2.3 trillion dollar economy. This time Prof Yunus is here in a different role, said his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, adding that he is now a head of the government. "He is still one of the most sought after speakers here. But this time he rarely talks about his core ideas," Alam said, adding that Dr Yunus came with a new real life story of how young people in Bangladesh brought down a "dictator", how their ideas are creating a new Bangladesh and how the country is getting rebuilt. The Chief Adviser urged the global leaders to send top experts, think tanks, journalists, and international organisations to Bangladesh to look into how the "plain and daylight robbery" was committed in Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina's "corrupt" 16-year-long rule, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB after the meetings. UAE invites Dr Yunus to attend World Governments Summit in Dubai Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy to Chief Adviser, Lamiya Morshed, Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs (Senior Secretary); and Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Bangladesh Permanent Representative in Geneva, were among others, present in the meetings, said Azad Majumder said. Lutfey Siddiqi briefed German Minister Wolfgang Schmidt regarding the government’s efforts in recovering the stolen money and said that the government had formed an Asset Recovery Committee and a Taskforce headed by the Bangladesh Bank governor in this regard. He said that the government had targeted the top 20 money launderers initially to recover their stolen money. Highlighting the interim government’s efforts to build a corruption-free Bangladesh, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus told the German Minister, “When we talk about new Bangladesh, we also talk about clean Bangladesh.” The Chief Adviser sought German support to this effect and also discussed potential fields of economic cooperation with the German minister. The German minister said a new German business delegation will visit Bangladesh in April. Professor Yunus said that Bangladesh intends to create an economic platform, also involving India, Nepal, and Bhutan, to explore the hydroelectric potential of Nepal. “Nepal is really ready to sell, and Bangladesh is a good market. It can create a lot of jobs and lessen dependence on fossil fuels,” he said.

Two college students died after their motorcycle collided with a pickup van and a battery-run autorickshaw in Gowainghat upazila of Sylhet on Wednesday.  The deceased were identified as Rifat Ahmed Kibria, 19, son of Shafiqul Rahman, and Abu Sufian, 19, son of Farid Uddin. Both were residents of Bhitorgul village of the upazila, said Gowainghat Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sarkar Tofayel Ahmed. The deceased were students of Gowainghat Government College, said the OC. Father ‘kills’ daughter in Habiganj over ‘mobile addiction’ According to police and locals, around 1:15 pm, Rifat and Sufian were riding a motorcycle on their way home after finishing their exam at Gowainghat Government College. After reaching Soti village, their motorcycle collided with the pickup  and the autorickshaw.  Later, locals rescued the injured students and took them to Gowainghat Upazila Health Complex, where the duty doctor declared Rifat dead. Abu Sufian, who was critically injured, was referred to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment but succumbed to his injuries there. ‘Motorbike lifter’ lynched in Thakurgaon No arrests have been made in connection with the incident yet, added the OC. 

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a flat and a villa in Dubai belonging to former Padma Bank chairman Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order on Wednesday following a plea filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, said ACC Prosecutor Advocate Mir Ahmed Ali Salam. Khaleda Zia, 35 others acquitted in Cumilla sabotage case An investigation into his alleged involvement is graft is underway, he added. On January 7, the same court ordered the seizure of 18 flats in Dhaka owned by Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid, and son Chowdhury Rahib Safwan Sarafat. The properties included a 20-storey building and plot in Gulshan, four plots in Dhaka Cantonment, a flat and two plots in Nikunja, a 50% share of a flat in Bashundhara, a plot in Badda, a 20-katha plot in Kaliakoir (Gazipur), another plot in Gazipur Sadar, a plot in Joar Shahara, and a 7.5-katha plot in Purbachal. Govt approves ordinance for transparent HC judge appointments Anjuman Ara's seized properties include a four-storey building on a 7.5-katha plot in Bashundhara, flats in Panthapath, Gulshan Link Road, Mirpur DOHS, and Shahjadpur, a 50% share of a flat in Bashundhara, a three-katha plot in Nikunja, a 2.5-katha plot in Badda, and another plot in Gazipur Sadar. The court also ordered the seizure of three flats in Banani and four flats in Baridhara belonging to Rahib Safwan Sarafat.

A man allegedly stabbed to death his 15-year-old daughter on Wednesday at  Ghanashyampur village in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj after ‘failing to keep her away mobile phone addiction’. Inspector Nur Mohammad of Kashimnagar Police Outpost said on information, they arrived at the scene and detained Abdus Rashid [victim’s father] and his wife Saheda Begum. One killed in road crash in Khulna According to victim's mother Saheda Begum and uncle Farash Uddin, the deceased, Ranu Begum, was often seen talking on mobile phone. Despite repeated attempts her parents failed to stop her mobile phone use. Abdus Rashid returned home around 2:30pm today and found his daughter talking on the phone. Jubo Dal activist dies in Rajshahi road accident After telling her to stop, Ranu continued the conversation, which enraged her father, they said. At one stage, he attacked her with a sharp weapon in the yard of their house and stabbed her, leaving her dead, they said. The victim's body was sent to the Habiganj morgue for post-mortem, said Officer-in-Charge Abdullah Al Mamun.

A court in Cumilla has acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 35 others in a sabotage  case filed around 10 years back. Judge of Cumilla Additional Sessions Judge Court-1 Afroza Jesmin passed the order on Monday, said the court’s Public Prosecutor Advocate Kaimul HaqueRinku on Wednesday. Petition filed at HC challenging presidential pardon to convicts According to the case statement, a covered van was vandalised and torched amid a countrywide strike on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Haiderpul area in Chauddagram upazila of the district on January 25, 2015. Later, police filed the case under the Special Powers Act against 32 people including Khaleda Zia. 2 men sentenced to 10 years for harassing minor, inciting suicide Police submitted chargesheet against 42 people in the case.

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the Swiss city of Davos. During the meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, Antonio Guterres and Dr Yunus exchanged pleasantries. CA Dr Yunus begins hectic 2nd day in Davos with 14 meetings lined up The Chief Adviser also had a brief conversation with European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde on the sidelines of the WEF meeting. UAE invites Dr Yunus to attend World Governments Summit in Dubai

A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and two others on a two-day remand in connection with an attempted murder case filed with Mohammadpur Police Station. The other accused are Dhaka-13 MP Sadeq Khan and ex-councillor Salimullah Solu.  Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate GM Farhan Ishtiak passed the order when police produced him before the court with a 5-day remand prayer. Graft case: Ex-AL MP gets 4 years jail in Jashore According to the prosecution, Insan Ali sustained bullet injuries while passing through Mohammadpur Bus Stand area during the movement on July 19. Later, he was taken to the hospital. Unauthorised fishmeal factory sealed off in Natore Mother of Insan filed a case against 266 people including Palak with Mohammadpur Police Station on November 13 last year. On August 14, 2024,  Zunaid Ahmed Palak was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) police from Nikunja residential area. Later, he was shown arrested in 46 cases and the court palced him on a 31-day remand in various cases.