United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has dissolved its Cumilla city unit following a clash at its city office on October 14 and formed a two-member committee to investigate the incident. The party’s central executive council took the decisions at an emergency meeting at its central office in the capital on Thursday evening, chaired by Jamaat Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman, according to a press release issued on Friday. The probe committee comprises Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer ATM Azharul Islam, MP, and Assistant Secretary General Maulana Muhammad Shahjahan. The committee has been asked to submit its investigation report to the party chief within a week. The central executive council will decide on further action after reviewing the findings. Under the decisions, both the organisational structure and leadership of the Cumilla city unit have been dissolved in accordance with the party constitution. The unit will now operate under the supervision of the central organisation, with Assistant Secretary General Maulana Abdul Halim assigned to oversee its activities on behalf of the centre. The October 14 clash reportedly broke out among rival factions at the Cumilla city unit office amid disagreements over the formation of a new city committee and the selection of its next Ameer. The incident occurred around 7 pm, and the vehicle of city unit Secretary Mahabubur Rahman was vandalised. The emergency meeting was convened to review the October 14 incident at the Jamaat office in Cumilla and the situation arising from it.

Agriculture and Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid on Friday stressed the need to ensure safe, nutritious and quality food alongside increasing agricultural production, warning that excessive use of pesticides can increase the risks of food contamination and thus may leave serious effects on the public health. “Excessive pesticides are often used on crops in the hope of obtaining higher yields. This increases the risk of food contamination and can have serious negative impacts on public health. To address this situation, it is necessary to raise farmers’ awareness and strengthen safe food production systems,” he said. The minister made the remarks while addressing an event organised to mark World Food Day 2026 at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in the city’s Farmgate area. He said increasing food production alone was not enough, and safe, nutritious and quality food must be ensured by taking people's health and nutritional needs into account. Alongside the global food crisis, ensuring food quality and nutrition is becoming increasingly important, he said. The minister said food habits among young people around the world were changing, with growing interest in vegetables and fruits alongside rice. In this context, he stressed the need to change agricultural production patterns and planning to increase the supply of nutrient-rich food. The minister also said the government was working to ensure fair prices for farmers' products and protect farmers' interests. He said initiatives are being taken to develop data-driven planning and effective management to determine how many agricultural products should be grown in each season and assess market demand. Such measures would help improve coordination between agricultural production and market demand, he added. About the future of agriculture, the minister said larger number of young people is becoming interested in the agriculture sector. By making effective use of modern technology, research and innovation, agriculture could be made more productive, profitable and sustainable, he added. Agriculture Secretary Salim Khan chaired the event, while Chief Scientific Officer of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Dr Khondoker Md Iftekharuddaula presented the keynote paper, said a PID handout.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam on Thursday said his party will raise cases of religious discrimination in Parliament and take to the streets on the issue whenever such incidents come to its attention. He made the remarks while addressing a press briefing following a meeting with Hindu community leaders ahead of Durga Puja at the party’s central office in the city. Nahid said ensuring equal dignity for citizens regardless of their religious or ethnic identities is central to the NCP’s political philosophy. The NCP has instructed its leaders and activists across the country to extend all possible assistance to members of the Hindu community in celebrating Durga Puja, he said. The party will also provide voluntary support for the celebrations, and take part in festivities at different locations, within its capacity, Nahid added. He said the goal should be to build a Bangladesh where religious communities celebrate their festivals without having to worry about security. Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad General Secretary Santosh Sharma alleged that the Hindu community had faced discrimination in government jobs, businesses and other areas since August 5, 2024, and urged NCP leaders to raise the issue in Parliament. He also alleged that members of the community had faced intimidation, extortion and land grabbing. The NCP leader said political parties should maintain good relations with all religious and ethnic communities and play a role in protecting their rights. He also called on all to act responsibly to maintain communal harmony, warning that various forces might seek to undermine it. Leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad attended the meeting and exchanged greetings with NCP leaders.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) on Thursday demanded that those involved in the lynching of a young man in Satkhira's Debhata over allegations that he had hurt religious sentiment be swiftly brought to justice. In a statement signed by Sadia Farzana Dina, a member of the party's office cell, it also called for accountability from the authorities concerned over the second attack on Wahiduzzaman Shamim while he was undergoing treatment at the hospital, and their failure to ensure his safety. "Publicly beating a person over blasphemy allegations, attacking him again after police rescued and hospitalised him, and ultimately killing him are a grave blow to the rule of law and the safety of citizens," the statement reads. "No individual or group has the right to try anyone for an allegation. That responsibility lies with the state and the lawful justice system," it added. Citing media reports, the NCP said tension grew in Debhata on October 13 after an audio clip containing allegations of hurting religious sentiment against Shamim went viral on social media. He was beaten at one stage, and police, alerted through the national emergency service 999, rescued him and admitted him to the Upazila Health Complex. Later that night, however, a group of angry people stormed the hospital and attacked him again, the party said. It alleged that one Qari Fazlul Haque Amini led the attack, assisted by local Jubo Dal activist Sadikul Islam and Mohammad Najmul, convener of the Government Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah College unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. "Even after police rescued him and arranged treatment in the first instance, his life could not be saved," the party said, asking what safety ordinary citizens can expect if a hospital is not a safe refuge even for an injured person. The NCP demanded answers from the authorities on how the attackers were able to disrupt hospital services and assault a patient. It said merely announcing an investigation is not enough, and the reasons for the failure to prevent the attack must also be examined. The party said if the allegation of hurting religious sentiment is serious, the accused could be tried under the law following a proper investigation. "But killing someone by beating in the name of punishment, before verifying the allegation, determining the context of the remarks and giving the person a chance to defend himself, is in no way acceptable," it said. Shamim's family has claimed he was mentally ill and under treatment. The NCP stressed the need to properly verify the authenticity of the audio, the actual context of the remarks, and his physical and mental condition. For a fair investigation, it demanded that all those who took part in both attacks be identified based on eyewitness accounts, video footage and other evidence, and brought to justice quickly. The party also called for investigating those accused of instigating the attacks, organising the crowd or playing a role in the violence. It further sought an impartial probe into what security measures had been taken for the patient, why they failed, and whether there was negligence or collusion. "The state's stand against communal incitement and blasphemy must be clear," the party said. "If the power to punish is handed over to an agitated mob whenever an allegation is raised, the very existence of law and the justice system becomes meaningless," it said.

Dhaka Zila Parishad has provided nearly Tk 70 lakh in financial assistance to 1,018 Durga Puja mandaps in five upazilas of Dhaka district and Dhaka city, marking the first such initiative in the council’s history. Of the total, Tk 43.45 lakh was distributed among 869 mandaps in the five upazilas, while around Tk 26 lakh went to 149 mandaps in the city area, according to a press release issued on Thursday. The upazila-wise distribution covered 238 mandaps in Savar, 235 in Dhamrai, 201 in Nawabganj, 153 in Keraniganj and 42 in Dohar. Cheque distribution programmes were held in Nawabganj and Dohar on October 13, and in Dhamrai, Keraniganj and Savar on October 14 and 15, the release said.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar on Thursday demanded an investigation into alleged irregularities, corruption and political favouritism in fertiliser dealerships, blaming these practices for the fertiliser crisis in the country. “Mismanagement, nepotism and corruption in dealerships, along with the sale of fertiliser on the black market and smuggling, are causing the crisis,” he said at a press briefing at the party’s central office in the capital. He alleged that the BNP-led government had politicised the appointment process, bypassed existing policies and appointed dealers in exchange for money, undermining fertiliser distribution and causing suffering to farmers. He claimed that party letterheads had been used to submit dealer lists that were later considered for appointments. He alleged that people from outside the areas concerned, individuals without prior experience in fertiliser trading and multiple members of the same families had received dealerships. Some appointments were allegedly secured using fake warehouses and agreements, he added. The Jamaat leader further claimed a list submitted on BNP letterhead in Pirgachha upazila of Rangpur included the names of leaders from the Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party. Accusing State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam of interfering in matters related to the Agriculture Ministry, he said political considerations had undermined the prescribed eligibility criteria. The Jamaat leader placed six demands, including an immediate investigation into alleged irregularities, political influence and financial transactions in dealerships; publication of selection criteria and licensing procedures; legal action against those involved in financial misconduct; and disclosure of investigation progress. He also demanded that the authorities explain the discrepancies between official statements on fertiliser shortages and the actual situation in different parts of the country, and regularly disclose the progress of investigations. He said the party was deeply concerned over what he described as widespread politicisation and corruption over the past six to seven months, urging people to speak out against the government. He warned that shortages of fertiliser, oil, gas and electricity were increasing production costs and pushing up commodity prices, and called on the government to take effective measures to ease the hardships of farmers and urban residents.

BNP on Thursday announced its schedule for distributing and submitting nomination forms for the by-election to the vacant reserved women’s seat No. 323 in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. The party invited women aspiring to contest the by-election to collect nomination forms on Friday (October 16). The information was disclosed in a notice signed by BNP Assistant Office Secretary Muhammad Munir Hossain. Candidates seeking BNP nomination for the reserved seat can collect nomination forms from the party’s central office in Nayapaltan, the notice said. The filled up forms must be submitted to the same office on October 17, between 10am and 5pm. The Election Commission (EC) on October 12 announced the schedule for the by-election to the reserved women’s seat that fell vacant following the resignation of Ferdousy Ahmed Mishti, setting November 12 as voting day. According to the schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers to the returning officer at the Nirbachan Bhaban is October 26. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on October 27, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 1. Voting will be held on November 12. Mishti was elected as a lawmaker from a reserved women’s seat with nomination from the BNP. Under the law, only the BNP can nominate a candidate for the vacant seat. If more than one candidate contests the election, only lawmakers from the BNP alliance will be eligible to vote. However, reserved women’s seats generally have a single candidate, requiring no voting. Mishti resigned from her parliamentary seat on October 1 following instructions from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman amid allegations that she was involved in an attack, vandalism, looting and demolition at the Radda MCH-FP Centre, a maternal and child healthcare facility in Mirpur, Dhaka, on September 24.

A clash broke out between two rival factions of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in Cumilla city on Wednesday evening, resulting in the vandalism of the party secretary's car near the party office. The incident occurred near the Gangchar Faruki House in Cumilla city, spreading tension across the area. The clash stemmed from an internal feud over the position of the Jamaat secretary, said Tawhidul Anowar, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station. It could not be immediately confirmed how the clash originated, whether anyone sustained injuries, or who was directly responsible for vandalizing the vehicle. Multiple Jamaat leaders present near the party office declined to comment on the incident.

BNP Standing Committee member and Political Adviser to the Prime Minister Mirza Abbas returned home on Wednesday night after receiving medical treatment in Malaysia. Abbas arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight around 9:00pm, accompanied by his wife Afroza Abbas and son Mirza Yasir Abbas, his Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Mizanur Rahman Sohel said. "Sir has returned home after completing his treatment and is doing much better now," his APS added. Mirza Abbas had travelled to Malaysia on September 16 for follow-up treatment at Prince Court Medical Centre. Earlier, on March 11, the veteran politician fell ill during Iftar, lost consciousness, and was rushed to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where doctors diagnosed him with a brain hemorrhage. Following emergency surgery, he was flown to Singapore via air ambulance and underwent treatment at Singapore General Hospital for one and a half months before being transferred to Prince Court Medical Centre in Malaysia. After nearly five months of medical care in Singapore and Malaysia, Abbas initially returned to Bangladesh on September 2 before departing again for follow-up care.

BNP Commerce Affairs Secretary and former three-time lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed will be laid to eternal rest beside his father’s grave at Jurain Graveyard on Wednesday afternoon following three namaz-e-janazas. BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan confirmed the schedule of the funeral prayers. According to him, his first janaza was scheduled at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at 11am, followed by the second one in front of the BNP central office in Nayapaltan and the third at Lal Mosque in Shyampur at 3pm before the burial. Salahuddin died while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital Dhaka on Tuesday night. His body was later taken from the hospital to his residence in Shyampur.