United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has issued a show-cause notice to its former MP and central working committee member Shahjahan Chowdhury on Tuesday over his remarks on the administration. The notice, signed by party Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, cited Chowdhury’s speech at an electoral responsibility conference held in Chattogram on November 22. In the address, he allegedly made comments that undermined the professionalism and neutrality of the administration, which were widely circulated in the media and social networks. The party said his remarks have already drawn criticisms from various levels of the administration, diplomatic circles and the general public, seriously affecting the party’s reputation. Chowdhury has previously been warned and advised against making statements that violate organizational discipline. He has been asked to submit a written explanation within seven days. Failure to provide a satisfactory response will lead to further action under the party’s constitution and disciplinary regulations.  

BNP on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to extend the registration time for out of country voting (OCV) and include the eligible expatriates who do not have national identity (NID) cards but hold valid Bangladeshi passports in the voter lists ahead of the upcoming national election.  “Many expatriates do not have NID cards. For practical reasons, most of them were unable to obtain NIDs, and no initiative was taken (by our EC) in every country to issue new NID cards for them. So, we have proposed that Bangladeshi passports be accepted as identity documents for including expatriates in the voter lists,” said BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan. He made the remarks while briefing reporters after leading a BNP delegation at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Tuesday afternoon. Nazrul Islam acknowledged some concerns regarding irregular and fake passports, noting that even non-citizens like Rohingyas had previously obtained Bangladeshi passports through corruption. “Still, we told the EC that the passport photos can be sent to the authorities concerned for verification. If the verification is accurate, they should be registered as voters. The Election Commission said they will consider the matter seriously,” he added.  He said a large number of expatriate Bangladeshis are living in some countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where communication-related challenges make the voter registration difficult. “That’s why we requested for the extension of the registration period in these countries so the maximum number of expatriates can become voters,” he said. The BNP leader said the EC informed them that its schedule already allows an additional window for those who miss the main registration deadlines, enabling them to register later. Over 23,000 Bangladeshi expats registered to vote in 2026 election Nazrul Islam said the EC sought BNP’s cooperation in ensuring a fair and neutral election. “We assured them of our cooperation in holding a free and impartial election. We’re also taking initiatives within the party to encourage expatriates to register. Our acting chairman has instructed us to do so as the participation of expatriates is essential for establishing democracy in the country,” he added. The BNP delegation also included senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, chairperson’s advisory council member Ismail Zabiullah, and EC former acting secretary Mohammad Zakaria.  

BNP Vice-Chairman Barkatullah Bulu said Tuesday that Khaleda Zia would become president and Tarique Rahman prime minister if the party wins next year’s general election. “Fifty percent of our voters are women, and Khaleda Zia became prime minister in 1991 with their votes. In the February 2026 election, these mothers and sisters will again vote to make the sheaf of paddy victorious…through this vote, Begum Khaleda Zia will become the president of Bangladesh while Tarique Rahman the prime minister,” he said. The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a doa and milad programme organised by Zia Mancha at the Bhasani Bhaban in the capital’s Nayapaltan area, seeking divine blessings for the speedy recovery of ailing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Bulu urged the people of the country to pray to Allah for Khaleda’s quick recovery. “We have come here today to pray that the Almighty Allah keeps Begum Khaleda Zia alive. If she lives, we will live and Bangladesh will live.” He alleged that various plots are being hatched to destabilise the country and put its existence at risk. “To free the country from the conspiracy being carried out against it, the nationalist forces now need unity. Begum Khaleda Zia is the symbol of that unity. Let us all pray to the Almighty Allah for her. May she recover quickly and may she return to work among us as before. She is the source of inspiration for our nationalist politics,” the BNP leader said. He recalled Khaleda’s contribution to the BNP, saying that although people from different parties and sections of society came together under the leadership of Shaheed Zia to form the BNP, it was Khaleda Zia who truly turned it into a complete and functional political party. Bulu said Khaleda spent nine years travelling across the country, working closely with grassroots activists, and transformed the BNP into a major political organization and the most popular political party. He described BNP’s 31-point outline as “a charter for Bangladesh’s freedom for the next 100 years”, adding that no one could present a better roadmap. “Reform is a continuous process and will continue from the beginning of time until the Day of Judgement.” Bulu also criticised those who use religion in politics for narrow gains, saying the nation now faces difficult questions.   He urged the people of the country to protect Bangladesh from those who, he said, want to turn it into a place like Afghanistan, Syria or Iraq. Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on Sunday night after developing a chest infection. Professor FM Siddiqui, a member of her medical board, said the former prime minister is suffering from an infection in her lungs and remains under intensive medical observation. BNP’s central office sources said doa mahfils seeking Khaleda Zia’s early recovery are being held across the country. The Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal will also arrange a doa and milad programme at Bhasani Bhaban on Wednesday morning.

The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that the NID correction and voting address transfer services remain halted, but all other NID-related services will continue as usual ahead of the upcoming national election. "We have temporarily stopped the NID correction process to prepare the final voter lists. However, all other activities will continue,” said Director General of the EC’s National Identity Registration Wing ASM Humayun Kabir on Tuesday. He, however, said the Commission will accept the correction applications, complete the file works and make decisions over the applications. “We will approve these applications as soon as the election is over." A related letter signed by EC’s Senior Assistant Secretary Nasir Uddin Chowdhury stated the Election Commission has given directive to its officials concerned to include the registered voters in the database by completing all processes in a bid to prepare the finalise the electoral rolls on the occasion of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Besides, the registration process of eligible citizens applying for national identity cards within the country will continue as before by the registration officers. “At the same time, the EC has also issued instructions to halt all types of corrections in the voter lists and national identity cards and voter transfer activities due to change of residence or other reasons until the completion of the 13th parliamentary election,” says the letter. According to the Election Commission, Bangladesh currently has a total of 127,695,183 registered voters. Among them, 64,814,907 are men, 62,879,042 are women, and 1,234 are third-gender voters.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has warned that Bangladesh’s planned graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026 should not proceed without open debate, warning that such a major decision carries long-term economic consequences In a detailed Facebook post from London on Monday, he said the impact of losing tariff benefits will fall hardest on ordinary families, small factory owners and workers—people who were never consulted but will bear the real cost. Using examples of a garment factory owner in Gazipur and a young woman in Narayanganj whose family depends on overtime income, Tarique said these “silent crises inside ordinary homes” show why the timeline needs reconsideration. “Picture a small garment factory owner in Gazipur. He has spent more than a decade building his business, employing over a hundred workers, managing tight margins, and competing in an unforgiving global market. One day, without any visible ceremony, the tariff advantages that once kept his prices competitive quietly disappear. It leads to his orders slowing down and the pressure rises to keep his factory open, his employees paid, and his family safe,” he said. Tarique warns against political volatility, urges election participation “Now picture a young graduate in Narayanganj, watching her family disappear into uncertainty. Her father works in a factory. He depends on overtime to make ends meet. When export pressure builds, overtime disappears first. Then shifts are cut. Then jobs. These are not headlines. These are silent crises inside ordinary homes.They never voted on that decision. They were never asked. They were never shown the real numbers,” Tarique added. He said that is why the debate around Bangladesh’s LDC graduation matteres far more than official statements make it seem. Tarique said the BNP has stated this before that moving ahead with the 2026 graduation timeline without keeping the option of deferral alive is purely a political decision, being taken by an interim government that does not carry an electoral mandate. “And yet, is making long-term commitments that will shape the country’s economic future for decades. We are told that delay is ‘impossible', that even asking for it to be deferred would be a ‘humiliation’ which the United Nations (UN) would not even consider. But if we all look closer, history tells a more complex story,” he observed. The BNP leader said countries such as Angola and Samoa have had their graduation timelines adjusted. He said the UN rules themselves allow flexibility when countries face economic shocks and asking for time on country shaping consequences is just responsible governance by an interim government. LDC Graduation: Speakers highlight structural reforms, innovation, partnership “But why are we pretending that there is no choice? Why are we limiting our future? By publicly removing the option of deferral, we weaken our own negotiating power. We enter international discussions with our hands already exposed, giving away leverage before we even sit at the table,” the BNP leader said. Even, he said the government’s own documents acknowledge the business community in Bangladesh already feeling the pressure on the banking sector, stress on foreign exchange, rising debt risk, slowing exports. Tarique said it is not an argument against graduation, as Bangladesh has earned the right to move forward, but having the “right” to graduate is not the same as being “ready” to graduate. He added that, in his view, real national strength does not lie in the absence of doubt in decision-making, but in the discipline to ask hard questions before the cost became irreversible. “Now look at Chattogram Port, the gateway to Bangladesh’s economy. What happens there shapes the lives of millions more than any political speech ever will,” the BNP leader said. Bangladesh’s LDC graduation debate intensifies amid ‘economic risks’ He said recent long-term decisions about the port are not routine but strategic commitments involving a national asset, being pushed forward by an interim government without a democratic mandate to make decisions that bind future generations. Tarique said what is happening at Chattogram Port mirrors the same pattern seen in the LDC graduation process, where strategic options are being closed, public debate is treated as an inconvenience, and legitimate concerns are brushed aside in the name of speed and “inevitability.” “Let me be very clear: this is not about personalities or attacking individuals. It is about protecting institutions and the principle that decisions which shape decades of national life should be made by governments that are accountable to the people,” he said. The BNP leader said no one is arguing against LDC graduation or port reforms. “The argument is simpler, and more fundamental: the future of a nation should not be locked in by a government that the nation did not elect. Strategic patience is not weakness. Public consultation is not obstruction. Democratic legitimacy is not delay. And in my opinion, perhaps this is the most important truth beneath all of this,” he said. Tarique said the people of Bangladesh have never been passive about their future as they have endured hardship and sacrifice because they believe in dignity, voice, and choice. “Their ask is simple: to be heard, to participate, to be respected. That is why so many of us look ahead to the national elections scheduled for February 2026, a chance for the people of Bangladesh to speak, to choose, and to reaffirm a simple truth: The future of this country must be shaped by those who live in it, believing in Shobar age Bangladesh,” he concluded.

Barrister Zaima Rahman, daughter of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, virtually joined a party meeting and spoke for the first time on Sunday (November 23). A short video showing Zaima taking part in the virtual meeting of expatriate party leaders has gone viral on social media. The meeting, held on Sunday with BNP leaders based abroad and a European representatives’ team, discussed expatriate voting activities. From Dhaka, BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, and BNP Media Cell convener Mowdud Hossain Alamgir Pavel joined virtually. Zaima, who has so far stayed away from formal political activities, was seen thanking participants in the 39-second video clip. “Thank you, everyone. Thank you for coming and for all the work you have done. You have shared your thoughts, the problems and the advantages. A few issues have been discussed. Rizvi uncle has taken notes, Pavel uncle too. We will see centrally how much we can do,” she said. Read more: Tarique cites Prophet’s ideals, seeks Islamic scholars’ support for BNP “The work must move forward. Everyone is in touch with each other and should help in every possible way. Khokon uncle explained well how things should be done according to time. We should not delay. We should prioritise and work according to the schedule. Thank you so much,” Zaima added. BNP Media Cell member Atikur Rahman Rumi told UNB that although Zaima joined the virtual meeting and spoke, the video was not released officially. “It has not been published by the BNP Media Cell or on Zaima Rahman’s own page. Someone secretly recorded a short clip and posted it on social media,” he said. This is the first time Zaima has been seen in a BNP organisational meeting related to expatriate voting activities. Earlier, she attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC on 5–6 February this year as part of a BNP delegation. The three-member team was led by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, with Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury also present. Last month, in an interview with the BBC, Tarique Rahman was asked whether his family members — including his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman — would join politics in the future. Tarique replied, “Time and circumstances will say.” Zaima moved to London with her parents in 2008. She completed her schooling, secondary and higher studies there.  She earned her Law degree from Queen Mary University of London and later completed her Bar-at-Law from Lincoln’s Inn. Read more: Khaleda admitted to Evercare Hospital with chest infection

BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, undergoing treatment under intensive medical supervision at Evercare Hospital in the capital, on Monday urged the people of the country to pray for her speedy recovery. “Since her admission to Evercare Hospital on Sunday night, the BNP Chairperson has been receiving treatment under the close supervision of the medical board,” said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan, quoting Khaleda Zia’s personal physician and BNP Standing Committee member Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain. He also said the medical board is closely monitoring her health and providing all necessary treatment. “The BNP Chairperson has urged the people of the country to pray that Almighty Allah grants her a quick recovery,” Sayrul said. Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on Sunday night after developing a chest infection affecting both her heart and lungs. Khaleda Zia, 80, has been suffering from multiple health complications, including heart problems, liver and kidney issues, diabetes, lung problems, arthritis and eye-related illnesses. She also has a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent stenting for her heart. Professor Dr FM Siddiqui, a member of the medical board overseeing her treatment, said several of her health problems appeared simultaneously on Sunday.  “She has a chest infection, which has affected both her heart and lungs at the same time, causing respiratory distress,” Dr Siddiqui said. He also said the BNP chief has long been suffering from heart problems, including mitral stenosis, and has a permanent pacemaker and previous stenting. “As her chest infection affected the heart and lungs simultaneously, we carried out urgent tests. Based on the reports received so far, she has been started on antibiotics as advised by the medical board,” Dr Siddiqui added. Professor Dr AZM Zahid said it is not possible yet to determine how long the BNP chief will need to stay in hospital. “The duration of her stay will depend entirely on her physical condition.” Since returning from London on 6 May after receiving advanced medical care, Khaleda Zia has been undergoing regular health check-ups at Evercare Hospital. Her family members, including Tarique Rahman and Zubaida Rahman, have been in close contact with the doctors to know her condition.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said the interim government’s indifference to the movement of non-MPO teachers is shameful. “Education in Bangladesh is no longer the backbone of the nation; rather, it has become the nation’s illness. That is exactly what it seems when we see the indifference of the government and the administration to the teachers’ ongoing movement,” he said. Rizvi made the remarks in front of the National Press Club while expressing solidarity with teachers staging a sit-in demanding the inclusion of all government-recognised non-Monthly Pay Order educational institutions under the MPO system. He said educated people and teachers from schools, colleges, and madrasas have been sitting on the pavements, observing hunger strikes, but the government and the administration are least bothered about it. “Teachers are now living in hunger due to the bureaucratic complications of the interim government under which we have been demanding a free, fair, and impartial election. This is not only the government’s shame but a shame for the whole nation,” the BNP leader said. He said bureaucratic red tape has left the education sector in disarray, depriving teachers of good salaries and facilities. “In West Bengal, even private school teachers receive good salaries. But in Bangladesh, non-MPO teachers have been raising their demands for years with no resolution.” The BNP leader called for the immediate inclusion of non-MPO educational institutions in the MPO, saying that teachers’ legitimate demands should be met. “They (teachers) shape the future of the nation, yet they are sitting on hunger strikes. This is a disgrace for the nation.” Referring to a high-cost power purchase deal with an Indian private company during the previous Awami League government, Rizvi said Bangladesh was forced to buy electricity at excessive rates. “Even without producing electricity, the private company receives capacity charges. But non-MPO teachers are left to starve on the streets. There is no money for them, no policy for them,” he said. The BNP leader criticised the finance adviser for not giving importance to the issues of the poor. He said though the interim government is supposed to serve the poor, it does not pay attention to them. “The government spends money on so many other areas. So there should be no difficulty in allocating funds for teachers. Why can’t they spend on teachers?” Rizvi said. He also said that the government has increased taxes on gas used for agricultural production by 83 percent. “This will raise fertiliser prices and harm farmers. This proves the government is not pro-poor,” he added. Rizvi said all political parties extended their support to the interim government with the belief that a free and fair election is possible under it. “We still have faith in Dr Muhammad Yunus. But your other advisers are not working in the interest of the people or in line with the thinking of the people. This cannot be the work of an effective government.”

Stating that journalists themselves end up in the pockets of politicians due to divisions among them, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said his party is committed to ensuring a free and independent press if it is voted to power through the next national election. “Our commitment is very clear, as in our 31-point outline we clearly stated that we want to see and build an independent and free mass media. That is why at that time we committed to forming a commission for this purpose,” he said while speaking at a views exchange meeting. The BNP leader said the interim government formed a media reform commission, but unfortunately the report prepared by the commission has not been discussed anywhere. He promised that if the BNP is entrusted by the people with the responsibility to run the government, the party will take the issue as a priority. “I must say one thing that you journalists have many unions like BFUJ and DUJ, and within those, there are divisions linked to the two (major) political parties. So, you yourselves are becoming partisan,” Fakhrul observed. Elected govt to review telecom, all other policies: Khosru He said political parties do not want journalists to become partisan or remain in their pockets. “But if you willingly put yourselves in their pockets that becomes a problem… We have seen that over the past 15 years many of you, on your own initiative, have supported fascism. We have seen it, and the people of this country have seen it.” The BNP leader said journalists need to commit to staying away from political influence and to practising independent journalism according to their professional ethics. Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC) organised the programme titled Consultation on Media Reform at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. Fakhrul said most of the panelists focused on media freedom and the protection of journalists. “It seems to me that whether we talk about journalism, the education system or independent media—everything ultimately depends on the basic structure of the state.” Journalists to enjoy greater freedom after election: Khosru He said extensive discussions were held and several commissions were formed as the country moved through a transition—shifting from a fascist system towards a democratic one. “At that time, the issue of media freedom, especially in broadcasting, became extremely important. But my point is that the media cannot be seen as an isolated island. This country, its structure, those of us in government or in the opposition, and those working in journalism—everything is connected. That’s why I believe that unless we take reform to heart, accept it and genuinely want change, I am not sure how far reforms can truly succeed,” Fakhrul said. He said the BJC proposal includes recommendations for a separate law for broadcast media, a national broadcast commission, a wage board and job security, declaring all TV channels as pay channels and recognising them as an industry, clearly defining TV licensing rules and ownership structures, and adopting a code of ethics and political commitments for broadcast media. “If we are elected by the people and can form the government, your proposals will be given priority,” the BNP leader said. He recalled that when the one-party Baksal system was imposed in 1975, all newspapers except four were shut down and those that remained were under government control. Mob violence must be abandoned to build a democratic system: Fakhrul From that situation, Fakhrul said, when BNP founder the late President Ziaur Rahman took charge of running the country, he established a system of free and independent press, allowing many newspapers to emerge and operate freely. Later, he said, whenever the BNP took on the responsibility of governing, it introduced many measures to improve and modernise the media sector. “The work that eventually led to the television channels we see today also began during that period.”

More than 18,000 expatriate Bangladeshis from 53 countries have registered through a mobile app titled ‘Postal Vote Bd’ to vote in the 13th parliamentary election, likely to be held in early February 2026. As of 8:45 pm on Sunday, a total of 18,374 expatriates—16,765 males and 1,609 females—had registered through the app. The registration deadline for Bangladeshi diaspora voters in 53 countries across East Asia, South America, and Africa is set to expire at midnight on Sunday. Among the registrants, the highest number came from South Korea (7,883), followed by Japan (4,769), South Africa (2,409), China (1,312), Egypt (578), Mozambique (358), Libya (274), Mauritius (207), and Hong Kong (172). Other countries in the initial 53-country list include Mongolia, North Korea, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Tunisia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Election Commission (EC) launched the Postal Vote Bd app on November 18 and opened it to expatriate voters on November 19. The EC initially enabled registration for expatriates in 53 countries from November 19 to 23. The app will remain open for the expats staying in 16 countries from November 24 to 28, for the Bangladeshis staying in 42 other countries from November 29 to December 03, for the Bangladeshis staying in Saudi Arabia from December 04 to 08, the expats in 18 countries from December 09 to 13, for the Bangladeshis in 14 countries from December 14 to 18. Besides, the app will remain open for the government officials, polling personnel, prisoners under the lawful custody from December 19 to 25. Though the postal balloting system has been in the laws for a long, but it was never practiced in the previous elections. his is the first time the Election Commission is introducing a hybrid postal balloting system, enabling expatriates, government staff, polling personnel, and inmates to exercise their franchise through a combination of digital registration and manual voting. The EC aims to facilitate voting for approximately 5 million expatriate Bangladeshis living in 143 countries through this IT-supported postal voting mechanism.