United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission (EC) has directed the returning officers (ROs) to finalise the panels of polling officers in line with the fixed guidelines by December 18 next for the upcoming national election and the referendum on July Charter, scheduled to be held simultaneously on February 12, 2026. If there is a shortage of polling officers in any upazila, the Election Commission has given permission to appoint polling officials from neighbouring or nearby upazilas within the same district, in accordance with the prescribed guidelines. The commission, in a letter signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain on Monday, issued the directives sent to all 69 returning officers – the Dhaka and Chattogram Divisional Commissioners, the Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna Regional Election Officers and all district’s deputy commissioners. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on December 11 announced the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order 2025. 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 the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10). The last date for submission of appeal against the decisions of the returning officers is January 11 and the appeals would be disposed of on January 12-18.  The returning officers will publish the final lists of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21. The balloting will be held from 7:30am to 4:30pm without any break on February 12. Bangladesh Polls: Permission must for social, religious events before electioneering  According to the final voter list published on November 18 last, a total of 12.76 crore (127,695,183 –64,814,907 males, 62,879,042 females and 1,234 third-gender) voters will have the opportunity to vote in more than 42,000 polling stations under the country's 300 constituencies in the 2026 general election and referendum. The national election along with a referendum is going to be held for the first time in the history of Bangladesh elections.    

Onion import from India through Beanpole land port resumed on Monday after a gap of three months. The first consignment of onions under the 31st transshipment entered Benapol from Petrapole port in India around 2 pm. The imported onions were brought in by Satkhira-based M/S HK A Enterprise and Jessore-based M/S Sabah Enterprise. Rafiqul Islam Royal, owner of the clearing agency Royal Enterprise, said that the consignment included three trucks carrying a total of 90 metric tons of onions. In September, only 60 metric tons were imported. Shyamal Kumar Nath, Deputy Assistant Officer at Beanpole Plant Quarantine Center, said that the Ministry of Commerce has approved onion imports from India, but on a limited scale. 13,528 tonnes of rice imported from India thru Benapole “Currently, 200 importers will receive IPs daily and each importer can bring in 30–60 tons of onions. We urge the government to open the IP system for more importers which would further reduce prices in the domestic market,” he added. Shamim Hossain, Director of Beanpole Port, said that authorities have been instructed to ensure that imported onions are cleared quickly so that traders can receive them without delay.    

Journalist Anis Alamgir has been shown arrested in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Uttara West Police Station in the capital. Officer-in-Charge of Uttara West Police Station Kazi Mohammad Rafiq Ahmed said a case has been lodged under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Anis Alamgir was shown arrested in connection with it. The OC said there are four other accused in the case but he did not disclose their identities. Investigation against them is underway, he added. Earlier, a team of the Detective Branch (DB) picked up Anis Alamgir from the capital after 8 pm on Sunday On Monday, Aryan Ahmed, a member of an organisation named ‘July Revolutionary Alliance’, filed the case at Uttara West Police Station, accusing Anis Alamgir and four others of conspiring to destabilise the state and inciting activities of the organisation, whose activities are currently restricted, the OC said.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said on Monday it remains still unclear whether the attackers of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi escaped to India via the Mymensingh border. “We are not sure whether the attacker fled to India through the Mymensingh border or not. We are still working on this,” said BGB Sector Commander Colonel Sarkar Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman at a press briefing in Mymensingh. He said BGB, along with police, conducted a joint operation in the border areas to catch Philip Snal, who is suspected of assisting the attackers in fleeing to India through the Mymensingh border. Philip, however, could not be detained during the operation, though three other people were detained. “We are working with all our strength to arrest Philip. If he is caught, many things will become clear—whether he helped in smuggling the attackers or not,” the BGB commander said. Colonel Mostafiz said law enforcement agencies are considering both possibilities—whether the attackers crossed the border or are still hiding inside the country. Bullet-hit Hadi airlifted to Singapore “If he escaped, we want to know who helped him. And if he did not escape, then where he stayed and who sheltered him. We are continuing field-level investigations on both possibilities,” he said. On Saturday night, police and BGB detained four people from the Nalitabari border area of Sherpur and Haluaghat in Mymensingh during a joint drive. The detainees are Philip Snal’s wife Delta Chiran, his father-in-law Yerson Rangdi, and alleged human traffickers Louis Lengminja and Sibiron Dio of Haluaghat. On Monday morning, BGB detained another person suspected to be an accomplice of Philip Snal. He is currently being interrogated and will be handed over to the nearest police station after questioning. RAB arrests three more in Hadi shooting case The BGB commander said they are also showing photographs of the suspected attacker Faisal Karim Masud to residents of border villages and urging them to inform authorities if anyone matching the description is seen acting suspiciously. BGB has strengthened its presence along the border areas, he added. Earlier on Saturday (December 14, 2025), the DMP published a photograph of a suspected assailant involved in the attack and urged the public to provide any information that could help identify or locate the person. Besides, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced a reward of Tk 50 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the person who shot Sharif Osman Hadi. On Friday, around 2:15 pm, Osman Hadi was shot and injured by assailants while travelling in a rickshaw in front of the water tank in the capital’s Bijoynagar.  Two people on a motorcycle drew level with Hadi's rickshaw before one fired at him from close range. The bike then sped away. Hadi was rushed to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition and later transferred to Evercare Hospital in the capital. NCP student wing demands arrest of Hadi attackers; Shahbagh blocked On Monday afternoon, an air ambulance, equipped with all emergency facilities for a critical patient, departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport carrying Hadi to Singapore for advanced treatment. The ambulance, operated by Aspro Aviation, took off from the airport at 1:55pm.

The government has decided to procure 50,000 metric tonnes of non-basmati parboiled rice and 80,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser. The decision was taken at a meeting of Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase on Monday (December 15, 2025) at the Secretariat with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. The Ministry of Food will procure 50,000 metric tonnes of rice at a cost of Tk 214.70 crore. India-based M/S Bagadiya Brothers Private Ltd has been selected as the supplier. Officials said the rice import would help maintain adequate public food stocks and contribute to stabilising prices in the domestic market. Govt happy with macroeconomic stability despite sectoral challenges: Salehuddin The purchase committee also recommended approval of two proposals placed by the Ministry of Industries to import a total of 80,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser from Saudi Arabia. Under the proposals, 40,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser will be imported as the 12th lot and another 40,000 metric tonnes as the 13th lot from SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company at a unit price of US$413.46 per metric tonne. The committee further recommended approval of a proposal to construct a fertiliser buffer warehouse in Naogaon with a capacity of 25,000 metric tonnes at an estimated cost of Tk 54.70 crore to improve storage and distribution. Another proposal to construct a fertiliser buffer warehouse in Bogura with a capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes at an estimated cost of Tk 59.28 crore was also recommended for approval. Officials said the fertiliser imports and storage facilities would help ensure uninterrupted supply during peak farming seasons. Safe, quality shrimp production must be prioritised: Adviser Farida In addition, the meeting recommended approval of several major infrastructure procurement proposals aimed at improving roads, bridges and local infrastructure across the country. Among them is a World Bank-supported project under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), with a contract value of Tk 363 crore. The committee also cleared multiple road development proposals under the Road Transport and Highways Division, including four-lane upgrading of regional highways in Cumilla, Lakshmipur and Noakhali, as well as the construction of the Rabnabad Bridge over the Rabnabad River in Patuakhali. Officials said the approved projects would enhance connectivity, improve logistics and support regional economic growth. Read more: Govt to procure 50,000 mt non-Basmati parboiled rice, 10,000 mt lentil

Traffic will be diverted on parts of Dhaka–Ashulia and Dhaka–Aricha highways from 3am to 9 am on December 16 in observance of Victory Day. The diversions will be enforced at Gabtoli and Baipail points to facilitate Victory Day programmes and ensure smooth movement around the National Martyrs’ Memorial area in Savar. “From 3 am to 9 am on December 16, traffic will be diverted at Gabtoli and Baipail points on  Dhaka–Ashulia and Dhaka–Aricha highways. All drivers are requested to use alternative routes during this period,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Dhaka Mizanur Rahman. He also said the National Martyrs’ Memorial will be open to the public from 9 am for people to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War. Police and traffic personnel will remain deployed in areas adjacent to memorial to manage traffic and assist commuters. END/UNB/MJ/FH/1558 Hrs  

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter on Monday stressed the need for ensuring safe and high-quality shrimp production alongside increasing output. Speaking at a dialogue session with leaseholders and farmers at a 48-acre demonstration shrimp farm in Rampur Mouza, Badarkhali Union, Chakaria Upazila, she called for adherence to good aquaculture practices and antibiotic-free production to safeguard Bangladesh’s traditional Bagda shrimp in international markets. “Bagda shrimp is a unique national identity. Preserving its reputation is a responsibility for all,” she said, highlighting the importance of integrating shrimp farming with mangrove and parabon conservation. She also assured coordination with relevant ministries to resolve safety, land management, and infrastructure issues. Senior officials, including Md Zia Haider Chowdhury, Md Hemayet Hossain, Dr Abu Nayeem Muhammad Abdus Shobur, Dr Md Motaleb Hossain, Adhir Chandra Das, and Md Nazmul Huda, joined leaseholders, fish farmers and local residents at the dialogue. The Chakaria Shrimp Estate spans 7,021.76 acres under the Department of Fisheries, developed in phases since 1978 with support from the IDA and ADB. Currently, plots are leased to people and organisations on 20-year terms. Earlier, the adviser visited Shikhi Podi School in South Magnama Para and held discussions with the local community.

-Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Monday said the government is broadly satisfied with the country’s overall macroeconomic condition though weaknesses remain at the micro level in some sectors. “We are satisfied with the overall macroeconomic condition. It is not just my personal opinion; many say the same,” he said while talking to reporters after meetings of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs and the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase at the Secretariat. He said this assessment is not his view alone but a consensus shared by many stakeholders. The Finance Adviser acknowledged that the situation is ‘not entirely satisfactory’ in certain areas as some sectors facing challenges at the micro level. He noted that it is unrealistic to expect all sectors of an economy to perform well at the same time in any country. “There is no country in the world where every sector runs very well simultaneously. That is simply not possible.” Dr Salehuddin explained that economic performance depends largely on the effective use of capital and the performance of various stakeholders in sectors. Ensuring proper monitoring and accountability of these stakeholders is a shared responsibility, he added. The Finance Adviser said stressed the need for collective effort and coordinated performance in institutions and sectors to maintain economic stability and support growth.

The Advisory Council Committee on Economic Affairs on Monday approved in principle a proposal to procure consultancy services for the ongoing Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply (DESWS) project being implemented by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA). The approval was given at a meeting of the comittee held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room of the Secretariat. Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presided over the meeting. The proposal was placed by the Local Government Division. Under the approved proposal, German firm Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG will be appointed as the Management, Design and Supervision Consultant (MDSC) for the project. The consultancy services will be secured through the Single Source Selection (SSS) method in accordance with the Public Procurement Rules (PPR) 2025. The proposed consultancy period will run for 24 months from September 2025 to August 2027. The DESWS project aims to strengthen Dhaka’s sustainable water supply infrastructure while ensuring environmental protection and long-term resilience.    

The Advisory Council Committee on Government Purchase on Monday recommended the procurement of one cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the international spot market to meet the country’s growing energy demand. The decision was taken at a meeting of the comittee held with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair at the Secretariat. The proposal was placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division following the Public Procurement Rules 2025. Govt decides to buy 1 spot cargo of LNG from UK Under the proposal, one LNG cargo will be procured for delivery during January 9–10, 2026 at a total cost of about Tk 420.09 crore. The unit price has been fixed at US$9.99 per MMBTU. South Korea-based Posco International Corporation has been recommended as the supplier. Officials said the LNG import would help ensure uninterrupted gas supply for power generation and industrial use amid rising demand during the winter season.