United News of Bangladesh

Breaking away from traditional career expectations, an increasing number of women in Khagrachhari are choosing entrepreneurship over conventional jobs, emerging as successful business owners and contributing to the local economy. After completing their education, many women in the hill district are no longer waiting for government or private sector jobs. Instead, they are launching their own ventures, ranging from clothing and fashion businesses to traditional jewellery and indigenous handmade products. Women entrepreneurs in the district say they will be able to generate more employment opportunities and make a significant contribution to the country’s economy if they receive low-interest loans, flexible financing and stronger government patronage. Challenging the long-held notion that women are confined to household chores and childcare, women entrepreneurs in Khagrachhari are proving their capabilities in business and innovation. According to local entrepreneurs, around 45-50 women in the district are currently engaged in various businesses. Many are involved in clothing trade, fashion accessories and the marketing of traditional indigenous attire, including Pinon Hadi, a popular garment worn by ethnic minority women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Several of them have already achieved notable success, although they say additional institutional support is necessary to scale up their businesses. Among the prominent entrepreneurs are Tejashree Chakma, proprietor of Fusion Mart; Baby Chakma, owner of Fashion Code; and Hira Chakma, proprietor of Hira Fashion. They said most women entrepreneurs in Khagrachhari are educated and deliberately chose business as a profession instead of pursuing conventional employment after graduation. They also said experienced entrepreneurs are encouraging newcomers, and a stronger community network among both new and established businesswomen could further strengthen the district’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Carpeting work on nearly five kilometres of the Laokora Muktijoddha Road in Hajiganj upazila of Chandpur has remained stalled for around 18 months due to alleged negligence by the contractor, causing severe hardship for thousands of residents in at least 12 villages. According to locals, the 5.5-kilometre road stretching from Uaruk Station on the Chandpur-Cumilla highway to Laokora Bottoli is considered a vital communication route in the area. The road serves as the main transport link for nearly 200,000 people living in 12 villages across the border areas of Hajiganj, Kachua and Shahrasti upazilas. The road renovation project, worth around Tk 1.5 crore, was awarded in December 2024 to Ivy Construction. Later, the project was reportedly handed over on a sub-contract basis to Afzal Traders, another contracting firm based in Chandpur. Rahmat Ullah, a Union Parishad member of Laokora village, said the development and renovation of the road is crucial for local residents. He alleged that the road has remained dug up for more than a year and that repeated communications with the contractor have yielded no visible progress. The UP member urged the district and upazila administrations to take immediate steps to resolve the issue. Local residents, including Bablu Patwary and Abdul Jalil, said patients, pregnant women, elderly people and commuters are enduring immense suffering due to the unfinished roadwork. They said travelling on the road becomes even more hazardous at night. Auto-rickshaw driver Ibrahim said excessive dust from the damaged road leaves drivers and passengers covered in dirt and causes daily inconvenience. CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers Nabir Hossain and Khorshed Mia said their vehicles are being damaged frequently due to the poor road condition. Local school teacher Faraz Hossain Bhuiyan said excessive dust has forced people to wear masks while travelling on the road. He added that people of all ages, from children to the elderly, are suffering from respiratory and other health complications. Md Tahsinul Hossain Mukul, Assistant Engineer of the Chandpur office of the Local Government Engineering Department, said the contractor has been warned several times in writing. He said a letter has also been sent to seize the contractor’s bank security as a penalty. Mukul added that if the contractor fails to resume work by June, penalties will be imposed and the renovation of the road will be completed through a fresh tender process. Officials of Ivy Construction for their version could not be reached over the phone.

The development of Bangladesh's domestic pesticide industry has been stalled for a number of years now, due to significant tariff disparities and regulatory hurdles, leaving the country heavily dependent on imports essential to the agriculture sector that still dominates the economy. Industry insiders and agricultural economists warn that, while Bangladesh has successfully become a global exporter of pharmaceuticals, the relatively simple technology of pesticide manufacturing remains underdeveloped due to a "discriminatory" tax structure. They suggested a reasonable and competitive tax rate on raw material imports for pesticide production in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year of 2026-27. The primary obstacle to the growth of local industries is the stark contrast in import duties between finished products and raw materials. If the tax barrier is removed, Bangladesh could become self-sufficient in pesticides within the next three years, said Tawfiqul Islam Khan, additional research director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). This is seen as a critical step before the country's LDC graduation, after which the agricultural sector may face even greater challenges if a self-sustaining local industry is not established, Khan pointed out. He said that crop production at an affordable cost will be affected due to import dependency and higher duties on pesticide raw materials. In the volatile global situation, the import dependency of any food production-related product may affect food security.   How the "discriminatory" tax structure manifests: Finished Pesticides: Low-quality finished pesticides can be imported from countries like India and China with a mere 5 percent customs duty and no additional VAT. Raw Materials: Local manufacturers face duties of up to 58 percent on the 32 essential raw materials required for production. Unjustified VAT: An additional 15 percent VAT is imposed on raw material imports, a cost not applied to imported finished goods. KSM Mostafizur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Agrochemical Manufacturers Association (BAMA), noted that this imbalance has turned Bangladesh into a market for foreign products rather than a manufacturing hub.  "While our pharmaceutical industry has grown from import-dependence to near self-sufficiency with 200 local firms, the pesticide industry is being held back by these tax barriers," he stated. The current tax policy has resulted in domestic producers holding only a tiny fraction of the market, that is estimated between Tk 5,000 crore and Tk 7,500 crore. Seven multinational companies control 55 percent (Tk 4,125 crore) of the market. Approximately 41% percent of the demand is met by local importers. Domestic producers account for only 4 percent (Tk 300 crore) of the market share. Agricultural economist Jahangir Alam emphasized that these high costs are ultimately passed down to farmers, increasing their production expenses while forcing them to use potentially inferior imported products. Budget 2026-27: Opportunity to shift                                 BAMA and other stakeholders have placed two major demands before the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for the upcoming FY 2026-27 budget. Zero Tariff on Raw Materials: Following an inter-ministerial recommendation that labeled the current high duties as "irrational," entrepreneurs are seeking a total waiver on the 58 percent duty for raw materials. Ease of Port Procedures: Manufacturers report severe delays at Chittagong Port, where raw materials are often held for 40 to 45 days pending physical factory visits by customs officials, leading to massive compensation costs. Industry leaders believe that if these barriers are removed, Bangladesh could become self-sufficient in pesticides within the next three years. This is seen as a critical step before the country's LDC graduation, after which the agricultural sector may face even greater challenges if a self-sustaining local industry is not established.

An early wave of flash floods, triggered by upstream hill runoff and days of relentless rain, has inundated vast stretches of haor land in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj, leaving thousands of farmers staring at devastating crop losses. Within hours of heavy rainfall from Saturday morning, water levels rose sharply across the low-lying wetlands, submerging ripened boro paddy—the region’s primary and often only annual crop. The sudden flood has turned once-golden fields into an endless expanse of water,said farmers. Villages under Chormohalla union—including Buraigiri, Boroghatti, Bagachhara, Gojahati, Baruka and Ura beel—are now largely underwater. The situation worsened dramatically after a key embankment at Khaner Badh in Boroghatti beel collapsed, sending torrents of water rushing into nearby fields and submerging nearly 400 acres of mature paddy in a short span. “I watched my paddy go under water right before my eyes,” said Abdus Sobhan, a farmer from Buraigiri, holding a handful of soaked rice stalks. “This boro crop was our only hope for the year. Now there won’t even be enough rice to feed my family.” Abul Kalam, a farmer from Srinagar village, said his 17 bighas of land—along with nearly 200 bighas in his village—have been completely submerged. “It breaks my heart. I don’t know how we will survive this,” he said. Similar scenes have been reported from multiple haors across unions such as Kalaruka, Uttar Khurma, and Dakshin Khurma. Areas including Jhawar beel, Borobara, Puraidubi, Banderlama, Bhathgaon, Jauabazar, and Singchapair are all grappling with the same crisis. Many farmers said the rapid rise in water left them with no time to harvest their crops. Official estimates from the upazila agriculture office state that a total of 14,996 hectares were cultivated with boro this season—3,382 hectares in haor areas and 11,614 hectares in non-haor lands. As of May 1, officials said 2,513 hectares in haor areas and 3,833 hectares in non-haor areas have already been harvested. However, farmers on the ground contest these figures, alleging that the official data does not reflect the scale of devastation. “Large parts of Chormohalla and surrounding areas are now under water. Thousands of hectares of ripe paddy have been lost,” said Advocate Abdul Ahad, a local resident and additional public prosecutor at the Sunamganj Judge Court. “The government estimates are far from the reality.” Farmers also blamed poor water management for aggravating the disaster. They alleged that inadequate drainage systems, silted canals, absence of functional sluice gates, and weak embankments have made the haor areas highly vulnerable. “Even if the rain stops, the water has nowhere to go,” said a farmer in Boroghatti. “On one side there is hill runoff, and on the other, broken embankments—our crops are trapped in between.” The crisis has been compounded by an acute shortage of agricultural labourers during the peak harvesting season, said farmers. With fewer seasonal workers arriving this year, many farmers took to the fields themselves. But rising water levels and strong currents have made it nearly impossible to salvage the submerged crops. As the waters continue to rise, uncertainty looms large over the livelihoods of thousands of farming families in Chhatak’s haor belt, where a single crop failure can push households into prolonged financial distress.

The government has taken a move to tighten control over animal feed and expand support for livestock entrepreneurs as concerns mount over food safety risks that extend from farm to table. Officials said it  is designed to ensure safer feed for cattle and poultry, ultimately improving the quality of meat, milk and eggs consumed by people. According to an official document, the government has planned to introduce a dedicated priority loan scheme for women, youth and expatriate entrepreneurs in the livestock sector. Ecnec approves Tk 5,452.42 crore school feeding programme to tackle malnutrition The scheme will offer easy-term loans, with little or no collateral alongside the introduction of animal insurance to reduce financial risks for borrowers. Authorities are also working to strengthen systems to regulate the production and supply of safe, quality feed. Efforts are underway to coordinate with the Ministries of Land and Agriculture to expand the cultivation of natural fodder on char lands, khas lands and other fallow areas. Besides, the process of amending the Fish Feed and Animal Feed Act, 2010 is ongoing, aimed at improving regulatory oversight and ensuring stricter quality control. As part of broader efforts to improve animal nutrition, 8,906 demonstration plots of high-yielding grass varieties have already been established under a government project. Silage technology has been introduced in 8,144 farms while hay-making techniques have reached 97 farms. Around 30,000 farmers have also received training on modern livestock nutrition practices, according to the document. Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) has launched research into climate-resilient fodder crops, focusing on varieties that can withstand drought, salinity and changing weather patterns. The initiative also includes developing improved methods for grass preservation. Despite these measures, experts warn that unsafe feed remains a serious threat to public health. Data from National Livestock Research Institute showed that nearly 40 percent of feed samples collected across the country contain harmful substances, including heavy metals like lead and chromium, as well as residues of restricted antibiotics. Experts point to the use of contaminated raw materials—such as tannery waste used as a protein source—and crops grown with untreated industrial wastewater as major causes. Laboratory tests indicate that a notable share of beef and poultry products sold in urban markets exceed internationally accepted safety limits for toxic residues. Medical experts caution that long-term consumption of contaminated animal products can lead to chronic illnesses, including kidney disease, hormonal disorders and certain cancers. They also warn of a growing threat from antimicrobial resistance, driven by the widespread use of low-dose antibiotics in animal feed. Public health advocates have called for stricter enforcement of existing laws, noting that only about 15 percent of feed mills currently undergo regular safety inspections. They recommend transitioning to traceable, organic feed sources and increasing testing at key points in the supply chain to reduce risks. Without urgent and sustained action, experts warn, contamination in the food chain could undermine gains in nutrition and public health achieved over recent decades.

In the heart of Shanghai’s bustling Xintiandi district, tucked away within the grey-brick walls of a traditional shikumen house, lies the epicenter of a political earthquake that reshaped the global political map. This is the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a site often described as the place where the fate of China was sealed and the shape of the world was envisioned. Recently, a delegation of journalists from Dhaka, visiting at the invitation of the Chinese government, joined thousands of international and domestic tourists to walk the halls of this historic landmark. What they found was a meticulously preserved bridge between China’s turbulent past and its superpower present. A Secret Gathering in the French Concession The story begins on July 23, 1921. At the time, the location at 106 Rue Wantz (now 76 Xingye Road) sat within the French Concession, offering a layer of precarious colonial protection from local warlords. Thirteen delegates, including a young Mao Zedong and Dong Biwu, representing just over 50 early members, gathered in a modest living room. They were joined by two Comintern representatives, Maring and Nikolski. Together, they held six sessions in secrecy until the threat of a police raid on July 30 forced them to flee. The final act of this historic drama didn’t even happen on land. The delegates moved their seventh and final session to a tourist boat on South Lake (Nanhu) in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, where the party’s first program and resolutions were officially passed.

Kurigram, a northern border district of Bangladesh, continues to struggle with extreme poverty, widespread landlessness and relentless river erosion, trapping millions of people in harsh living conditions despite its large geographic size. Spanning around 2,255 square kilometres and home to over 23 lakh people, the district’s development has remained slow due to geographic isolation, weak infrastructure and decades of neglect. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Kurigram’s poverty rate stands at 70.8 percent against 19 percent at the national level. The extreme poverty rate in the district is 53.2 percent. In Char Rajibpur upazila alone, the poverty rate rises to 79.8 percent, highlighting the severity of deprivation in riverine areas. Landlessness is also widespread, with around 35 percent to 50 percent of families without land. At the same time, about 57 percent of residents suffer from various illnesses, making poverty and poor health closely linked problems in the district. River erosion remains one of the biggest threats. Sixteen rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharla, flow through Kurigram. Out of 469 chars (river islands), 269 are inhabited, where around 550,000 people live. Every year, river erosion forces thousands of families to lose their homes and become landless. Experts say urgent river management is needed along about 70 kilometres of the Brahmaputra, 45 kilometres of the Teesta and 60 kilometres of the Dharla river routes in the region. The lack of industrial development has also created an acute employment crisis. The Kurigram Textile Mills, established in 1987, was closed in 2011, and no major industry has replaced it since. To establish the proposed “Bhutanese Special Economic Zone” on the bank of the Dharla River, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the governments of Bangladesh and Bhutan in 2024. However, it will take time for the zone to come into operation. The administrative approval has been granted to allocate or acquire 150.07 acres of khas land and 69.57 acres of privately owned land in favour of BEZA for the project. So far, BEZA has acquired 133.92 acres of land in the area, while the process of acquiring an additional 61.87 acres is currently underway.

A total of 498 proposals submitted by divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners will be discussed at the policy level during the four-day Deputy Commissioner (DC) Conference beginning on May 3. The conference, aimed at sharing field-level administrative experiences and recommendations on key issues such as public service delivery, land management, law and order, drug control, infrastructure development and social safety, is the first major administrative event of the year. According to the Cabinet Division, the conference will run from May 3 to May 6, covering discussions on 56 ministries, divisions, offices and organisations across 34 working sessions. Advisors, senior secretaries and secretaries of the ministries concerned will participate, while the Cabinet Secretary will preside over the sessions. DC Conference to be held May 3-6 Joint Secretary (District and Field Administration Branch) of the Cabinet Division Mohammad Khorshed Alam told UNB that a total of 1,729 proposals were received from eight divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners of 64 districts. After scrutiny, 498 proposals were finalised for discussion, while the rest were excluded due to duplication, disagreement or prior discussion in earlier meetings. The inaugural session will be held at 10:30am on May 3 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. It will be inaugurated in the presence of the Prime Minister, followed by an open discussion between the deputy commissioners and the Prime Minister. The concluding session will also take place at the same venue. In addition, courtesy meetings have been arranged between district administrators and the President, Chief Justice, Speaker, and chiefs of the three-armed forces, which was not included in last year’s conference. The DC conference is held annually to facilitate direct dialogue between policymakers and field administration officials. Last year, the event was held for three days in February during the interim government. Officials said that apart from the scheduled agenda, deputy commissioners will also be able to raise urgent issues during the sessions. According to the Cabinet Division, this year’s proposals focus on reducing public suffering, improving land management, expanding healthcare and public services, developing infrastructure, strengthening law and order, modernising disaster management, creating employment, alleviating poverty and enhancing the social safety net. Increasing the use of information and communication technology to combat misinformation has also been highlighted. Several proposals have also been placed on education and administrative reforms. These include proposals to amend laws to allow executive magistrates to take swift action against irregularities in admission and recruitment examinations, the formulation of a policy for establishing Qawmi madrasas, appointment of teachers for minority languages, and the establishment of a public university in Faridpur. Other recommendations include ensuring the security of field administration officials, strengthening local government institutions and expanding their activities. Drug control has also been identified as a key concern. The proposals note that efforts to build a drug-free society are being undermined by the involvement of influential individuals and weaknesses in law enforcement, calling for stronger measures to curb cross-border drug trafficking. In the water management and agriculture sector, urgent calls have been made for the construction of the Padma Barrage to protect the southwestern region from the impact of the Farakka Barrage in India. Immediate maintenance and rehabilitation of the Ganga-Kapotaksha Irrigation Project has also been proposed to ensure irrigation facilities across around 150,000 hectares of land in Kushtia, Chuadanga, Magura and Jhenaidah districts.

Boro cultivation in the haor areas of Habiganj is facing challenges due to a fuel crisis and excessive rainfall while a sharp fall in paddy prices has deepened farmers’ distress. Besides, Boro paddy is currently selling at around Tk 700 per maund in local markets—less than half of the government-fixed rate, said farmers. The government has set the procurement price at Tk 36 per kg, equivalent to Tk 1,440 per maund but farmers say they are being forced to sell at even lower prices in the field. This season, heavy rain and hailstorms submerged vast tracts of Boro fields across the district. Water has yet to recede in many areas, while in some places it continues to rise, further complicating harvesting efforts. The situation has been worsened by an acute shortage of fuel, disrupting mechanised harvesting. In Baniachong upazila, the district’s main Boro-producing upazila, only 27 percent of paddy have been harvested as of April 23—15 percentage points lower than the same period last year. Local trader Suman Ahmed, owner of Bismillah Store in Baniachong sadar, said they were buying paddy from small traders at Tk 700 per maund, while farmers were selling at even lower prices. According to Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) data, Boro was cultivated on 123,644 hectares of land across nine upazilas in the district this season, falling short of the target by 204 hectares. Of the total, 46,954 hectares are in haor areas, with the highest 33,700 hectares in Baniachong alone. Alok Kumar Chand, sub-assistant plant protection officer at the Baniachong upazila Agriculture Office, said there are 106 combine harvesters in the upazila. While around 10,000 litres of fuel are required daily, only about 1,000 litres are being supplied, making it difficult to keep the machines operational, he said. In many cases, harvesters cannot even enter fields due to standing water. Farmers said they are unable to obtain fuel from filling stations despite having fuel cards, forcing them to buy at higher prices in open market. Shahid Chowdhury, a farmer from Kumri village, said he was struggling to harvest his crop due to waterlogged fields and fuel shortages. “I didn’t get a single drop of fuel from the pump,” he said. Authorities urged farmers in haor areas to harvest paddy quickly amid fears of flooding, but a shortage of labour has further compounded the crisis. Government data shows that around 80 percent of haor paddy has been harvested using machines in recent years. However, the ongoing fuel shortage and adverse weather have severely disrupted that process this season. According to the Department of Agricultural Rehabilitation, significant areas of Boro crops in six upazilas have been damaged by rains. These include 248 hectares in Baniachong, 154 hectares in Ajmiriganj, 90 hectares in Habiganj Sadar, 25 hectares in Lakhai, 20 hectares in Nabiganj and 19 hectares in Chunarughat. Farmers fear that without urgent and effective measures, Boro production in the haor region could suffer major losses this season.

Zahir Raihan Auditorium, the central hub of academic, cultural and political activities at Jahangirnagar University (JU), continues to struggle with outdated facilities despite growing demands for modern infrastructure. The university authorities rely heavily on its single venue to host convocations, freshers’ receptions, national day programs, cultural performances seminars and international conferences and many other programmes. However, the auditorium fails to keep pace and suitable environment with modern standards, forcing students, teachers and guests and other stockholders to face regular inconvenience. Audiences frequently survive excessive heat, poor lighting and disruptions from external noise during events. Authorities said these issues have become routine, often affecting the quality and professionalism of programs. University sources said the auditorium has around 1,500 seats, along with a 250-seat seminar room that hosts year-round academic and cultural activities. Yet, the facilities fail to meet the growing demand. The auditorium lacks a suitable cooling system, proper lighting, effective soundproofing and sufficient VIP seating creating ongoing challenges; especially during large-scale events. The situation worsens in summer. Lack of effective air conditioning or sufficient ventilation, temperatures inside the hall room rise quickly, forcing many other attendees to leave programmes midway. Noise pollution remains a major problem as well. Sounds from passing vehicles and surrounding disturbances easily enter the hall room due to weak soundproofing, disrupting speeches, performances and discussions. Second-year student Abu Raihan said, "The environment often fails to match the standard of national-level events." "Both guests and audiences feel uncomfortable due to heat and noise," he added. ‘Zero tolerance’ on SSC question leaks; fraudsters to face strict action: Mahdi Amin Lighting conditions inside the auditorium also remain substandard. Lack of sufficient lighting, stage visibility suffers, especially during theatrical and cultural performances. Students also pointed out the lack of proper VIP arrangements. Although organisers reserve some front-row seats, they do not provide enough seating for large events, forcing organizers to make temporary adjustments that fall short of professional standards. Robin Hossain, a student of the Drama and Dramatics Department, said that visiting guests often feel uncomfortable compared to facilities at other universities. In contrast, institutions such as Dhaka University, Rajshahi University and University of Chittagong have expanded and modernized their auditorium facilities in recent years, incorporating central air conditioning, advanced sound systems and improved lighting. Despite repeated demands, Jahangirnagar University has yet to implement any visible large-scale renovation of its main auditorium. Questions have emerged over why a major residential university still depends on a single outdated venue. JUCSU General Secretary Mazharul Islam said, "The issue had been discussed earlier and that complications no longer exist." "We recently held a meeting on April 6 and agreed to expedite the process. We expect the tender to be floated soon," he added. According to university officials, the university’s Tk 1,450 crore development project, approved by ‘Executive Committee of the National Economic Council’ in 2018, included plans to renovate the auditorium along with roads, sidewalk, cycle lanes and the Selim Al Deen Muktamancha. However, implementation has yet to begin. The Project Director Engineer Md Nasir Uddin said, "The administration have completed discussions with the Education Engineering Department (EED) and are now reviewing the project." "We hope the tender will be invited soon and the work will proceed under their supervision," he added. He also said that a consultant from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Prof Dr Nazmul Imam, is reviewing the renovation plan. Experts suggest phased renovation as a practical solution. In the short term, they recommend improving soundproofing, lighting, ventilation and temporary cooling system. In the long term, they stress the need for constructing a modern and large-scale auditorium. JUCSU Vice President Abdur Rashid Jitu said, "Our only auditorium is in a deteriorating condition. Students continue to suffer due to lack of modern facilities." Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan said, "The issue is under discussion and steps are being taken to ensure transparency in the tender process." "We cancelled previous tenders due to irregularities. Now the project has been finalized and a fresh tender will be floated soon," he added. The University's stakeholders warn that without a structured and timely plan, the university may face growing challenges in hosting major academic and cultural events and emphasize that a modern auditorium is essential for sustaining a vibrant university life.