United News of Bangladesh

What started as an individual expression of fandom has now evolved into a community-wide cultural phenomenon. In Nalitabari of Sherpur, the answer is a striking visual transformation—entire neighbourhoods painted in Argentina’s iconic blue and white, turning ordinary streets into vibrant “Argentina homes” ahead of a major football celebration. Residents say the initiative has not only brightened the locality but also strengthened social bonds, proving once again how football can unite people beyond the boundaries of the field. From Dhaka metropolis to Nalitabari upazila, football fandom has taken a creative turn, but the small settlement in Sherpur has emerged as a standout example. Rows of houses now proudly display Argentina’s national colours, while festive decorations and murals have transformed the area into a makeshift football-themed cultural zone. Local residents say the initiative was led by Gulam Kibria Maksud, a transport businessman and owner of “Makshim Travels” as well as a devoted Argentina supporter. A lifelong football enthusiast, he decided to decorate his entire house and inspire others to join in the celebration of his favourite team. His blue-and-white painted residence, adorned with Argentina-themed designs, now closely resembles a football fan zone. From a distance, the house appears like a carefully crafted replica of Argentina’s jersey, symbolising deep emotional attachment to the team. “I have supported Argentina since childhood. I wanted to bring football fever closer to people and share the joy of the game,” Maksud said. After decorating my house, I noticed that locals and visitors were coming to take photos and share moments on social media. The response has been overwhelming, he said. Inspired by his initiative, several members of his family and neighbours have also joined in decorating their homes with Argentina flags and colours. The trend has quickly spread, turning the locality into a visual attraction for football lovers.  

An elderly woman was killed after being hit by a bus in Chandpur Sadar upazila on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Tofayelennesa Maya, 64, wife of late Belal Patwari of Patwari Bari in the Forest Department area of the upazila. According to locals, Maya was walking along the road when a Cumilla-bound Boogdad Paribahan bus from Chandpur struck her in the Forest Department area on the Chandpur-Cumilla highway, leaving her injured. She died shortly afterwards, said her daughter Shahina Akter. She said Maya used to take morning walk along the road every day and was on her regular walk when the accident happened. Inspector (Investigation) of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station Mintu Dutta said the bus sped away after the accident.  

A police inspector of Savar Model Police Station has now been withdrawn over allegations of links with drug dealers. Inspector (Operations) Helal Uddin has been attached to the Dhaka district police lines following allegations of maintaining close ties with drug traders in the Rajashan area of Savar and involvement in irregularities related to narcotics cases, police sources said. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) of Dhaka Md Jahangir Alam confirmed the withdrawal, saying he was not aware of the reason behind the action. The latest action against the inspector comes amid ongoing scrutiny of officers at the police station over alleged links with drug dealers. Earlier, Officer-in-Charge Arman Ali of the police station was withdrawn in late May over allegations of negligence in arresting a top drug suspect, alleged association with him, and a deterioration in law and order in the area. Several other policemen from the station were also previously withdrawn over similar allegations. According to sources, on May 22, three journalists from Desh TV and SA TV went to collect news at the hideout of a top drug dealer named Shamim Reza in the Rajashan area. They were allegedly attacked and severely beaten by Shamim and his associates, leaving them injured. Although a case was filed at Savar Model Police Station naming 21 individuals, the then OC took no step to arrest them.

Jahangirnagar University (JU) has reduced the punishments of several former activists of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and acquitted others after reviewing disciplinary actions taken over attacks on students during the July Uprising. The university Syndicate took the decision at its meeting on Tuesday after reviewing appeals filed by 43 punished students. "Following the appeals, we reviewed the disciplinary decisions against 43 students individually," the Vice Chancellor told reporters after the meeting. Of the 21 students who had received permanent expulsion, the Syndicate acquitted five, reduced the punishment of eight to a two-year suspension and cut the penalty of another five to a one-year suspension. It upheld the permanent expulsion of the remaining three students. The Syndicate also reviewed 12 decisions cancelling academic certificates. It withdrew the penalty for five students, upheld one-year certificate cancellation for four students and maintained two-year certificate cancellation for the remaining three. Vice Chancellor said the Syndicate examined the allegations, appeal petitions and supporting documents before reaching its decisions. "Based on the evidence, we reduced some punishments while upholding others," he added. Asked about the identities of the students whose punishments were revised, Registrar and Syndicate Secretary ABM Azizur Rahman said the university had not yet received the final list from the concerned office. "We have yet to receive the detailed list. We will disclose the names after verifying them once the concerned office sends the documents," he added.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Tuesday cautioned a Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker against using indecent language during parliamentary proceedings, stressing that Parliament should remain free from offensive and vulgar expressions. While presiding over the budget discussion in the House, the Speaker intervened after Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJEI) lawmaker Md Abdus Sattar, elected from Nilphamari-1, used a colloquial expression containing a vulgar term while making a point through an analogy. “Honourable Member, please exercise caution while speaking in Parliament. We do not want any indecent or vulgar words to be uttered in this House,” the Speaker said. He further informed the House that certain objectionable expressions used by the MP had been expunged from the official parliamentary record. During his speech, Abdus Sattar attempted to illustrate his argument by recounting a conversation between a sieve and a needle. In the analogy, the needle points out a hole in the sieve, while the sieve responds by highlighting the many holes in the needle’s counterpart. As the MP narrated the story, he used a crude Bengali term referring to a person's buttocks, prompting immediate intervention from the Speaker after finishing his speech. After ordering the offensive words to be removed from the record, the Speaker reminded lawmakers to uphold the dignity and decorum of Parliament while participating in debates. The incident occurred during the ongoing discussion on the national budget in the Jatiya Sangsad.

Two police officers, including the officer-in-charge (OC) of Adabor Police Station, were injured in a machete attack during a raid on an alleged mugger hideout in the capital's Turag Housing area on Tuesday. Two suspected muggers also sustained bullet injuries in police firing during the drive. According to police, the owner of a bKash agent shop on the PC Culture Road was hacked and mugged earlier in the day. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Tejgaon Division) Fazlul Karim said police received information that members of a mugging gang associated with notorious “Kobji Kata Anwar Group” were staying at a location on Road No. 2 of the area following the mugging incident. Later, team, led by Adabor Police Station OC Zahidul Islam, conducted a drive there around 4:30pm. The suspects, however, swooped on the law enforcers and hacked them with sharp weapons, leaving OC Zahidul Islam and Sub-Inspector Tarun injured. Police retaliated, and during the ensuing confrontation, two suspected muggers, identified as Chora Rubel and Kana Amir, suffered bullet injuries in police firing. Police detained the two injured muggers long with two other suspects – Arif Hossain Joy and Abul Kashem – from the scene and recovered locally made weapons from their possession. Sources at Adabor Police Station said police fired four rounds of bullets during the operation. The injured suspects were taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for treatment. Police said efforts are underway to bring all members of the “Kobji Kata Anwar Group” involved in the incident to book.

Bangladesh has recorded one death from dengue fever and 113 new hospital admissions in the last 24 hours until 8:00am on Tuesday. With the latest fatality, the dengue death toll has risen to seven this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The new death was reported in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area, it said. With the latest admissions, the total number of dengue cases reported in the country this year has reached 4,412. According to the DGHS, 61.9 percent of this year’s dengue patients are males, while 38.1 percent are females. Bangladesh reported 102,861 dengue cases and 413 dengue-related deaths in 2025, it said.

Police officials and journalists from across the country have joined a three-day workshop in Dhaka aimed at strengthening cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the media while promoting freedom of expression, journalist safety and public order. Titled “Promoting Freedom of Expression and Maintaining Public Order to Uphold Democracy and the Rule of Law,” the workshop began on Tuesday at a city hotel under the UN Electoral Assistance Project BALLOT. The programme is being organised by UNESCO in association with Bangladesh Police Headquarters. A total of 27 police officials and 16 journalists are participating in the June 16–18 workshop, which seeks to enhance professional cooperation between law enforcement personnel and media practitioners while promoting freedom of expression and effective public order management. Addressing the opening session, Khandokar Rafiqul Islam, BPM, PPM, Additional Inspector General of Police (HRM), Bangladesh Police Headquarters, highlighted the complementary roles of police and the media in society.  “Freedom of expression and maintaining public order are both fundamental to a democratic society. The challenge is to ensure that these objectives reinforce rather than contradict each other,” he said. “Police and media have different but complementary roles, and both contribute to a safe, stable and prosperous society.” In her remarks, Dr. Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, emphasised the importance of constructive engagement between law enforcement agencies and media professionals. “Strong institutions and strong media ecosystems should not be adversaries. They are partners in supporting citizens and promoting freedom of expression and the rule of law,” she said. “This workshop provides an opportunity for police and media professionals to strengthen communication, build trust and work together more effectively.” The session was moderated by Mohammad Saiful Islam, Additional DIG (Training-1), Bangladesh Police Headquarters, who welcomed the participants and guests and highlighted the significance of the workshop in strengthening democratic institutions, human rights and accountable governance. The first day of the workshop focuses on the fundamentals of freedom of expression, journalist safety and police-media relations, including international standards on freedom of expression, the role of law enforcement in protecting journalists and approaches to strengthening cooperation between security forces and media professionals. On the second day, journalists will join the workshop for joint discussions with police officials on lived experiences, communication challenges and professional engagement. Participants will also take part in practical exercises on media relations, crisis communication, information integrity, social media engagement and interactions between law enforcement agencies and the press during public events. The final day will focus on strengthening cooperation between police and journalists during situations that may affect public order. Through scenario-based exercises and group discussions, participants will explore ways to balance freedom of expression and public safety, enhance the protection of journalists, including women journalists and identify practical recommendations for improving police-media relations in Bangladesh. The workshop is expected to generate practical recommendations for strengthening cooperation between law enforcement agencies and media professionals while promoting freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists. Since 2013, UNESCO has worked with law enforcement agencies worldwide to strengthen protection for freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists. Through its training programmes and partnerships, UNESCO and its partners have engaged more than 13,000 law enforcement officers on issues related to freedom of expression, journalist safety and professional police-media relations.  

Speaker of the Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Tuesday sought the cooperation of the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) in enhancing the capacity of members of the 13th Parliament through training, workshops and experience-sharing programmes. He sought the cooperation when IRI Bangladesh Resident Programme Director John Fluharty paid a courtesy call on the Speaker at the latter’s office here in the city. During the meeting, Fluharty briefed the Speaker on various initiatives being implemented by IRI, a US-based democracy advising organization, in Bangladesh to support democratic development and political stability. Referring to allegations that approximately Tk 28 lakh crore was siphoned abroad during Sheikh Hasina’s regime, the Speaker sought US cooperation in bringing back the laundered money back to the country. Focusing on what he described as prolonged repression during the one-and-a-half-decade regime of Sheikh Hasina, Hafiz Uddin said that incidents of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, suppression of dissent and the existence of secret detention facilities severely restricted freedom of expression in Bangladesh. The speaker said the latest parliamentary election held on February 12, 2026 was an internationally recognised and most acceptable election in the history of Bangladesh. He said newly elected lawmakers are gradually becoming familiar with parliamentary procedures and responsibilities. Referring to a recent orientation programme organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Speaker said MPs received practical ideas from experts on their duties and functions. He said the primary objective of the present democratic government is to uphold freedom of expression for all citizens, including opposition voices, while strengthening democratic practices and eliminating corruption. Expressing optimism about the implementation of the July Charter, he said the government and opposition parties would reach a consensus through dialogue. He also praised the opposition's constructive role in addressing national challenges, including the energy crisis, which is very encouraging (for the country's democracy). Secretary of Parliament Secretariat Barrister Golam Sorwar Bhuiyan and IRI Consultant Amitabh Ghosh were also present at the meeting.

Ad-din Foundation on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of six newborns at Ad-din Women's Medical College Hospital at Moghbazar, announcing a series of administrative and infrastructural measures following a preliminary investigation into the incident. In a statement, the foundation said a preliminary inquiry was completed and action has already been taken against those found negligent. It also said steps has been initiated to strengthen monitoring systems and review existing protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future. The organisation said it is implementing the directives of the government and remains committed to introducing necessary changes to its infrastructure and management systems. As part of the reform process, extensive retrofitting work has already begun at the hospital premises to modernise facilities. According to the statement, necessary modifications are being carried out under the supervision of three independent consultants to ensure proper ventilation, improved air circulation and adequate oxygen availability. The foundation also announced the permanent closure of the bakery located above its corporate office. Meanwhile, Executive Director of Ad-din Foundation Dr Sheikh Mohiuddin has stepped down from his position. The Board of Directors later appointed Prof Dr Jamalunnessa as the new executive director. Describing its long-standing role in public welfare, the foundation said it has been working since 1980 in healthcare, medical education, general education, professional training and income-generating support programmes for underprivileged communities. Currently, Ad-din Foundation operates nine hospitals, five medical colleges, one nursing college, four nursing institutes, one institute of health technology, one collegiate school and a range of mobile healthcare services across the country. The statement noted that Ad-din Women's Medical College Hospital at Moghbazar has provided healthcare services for 1.58 crore patients over the past 29 years. Until June 11 this year, around 2,000 patients were receiving treatment daily at its outpatient department. A total of 1,790 doctors, nurses and support staff are employed at the hospital, most of them women, while 646 students, including 209 foreign students, are enrolled at the affiliated medical college. The foundation said more than 2,000 doctors, nurses and students depend on the institution for their academic and professional futures. Reaffirming its commitment, Ad-din Foundation said it remains dedicated to ensuring quality healthcare, patient safety and accountability in patient treatment.