United News of Bangladesh

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has said that the government wants children to remain engaged in both sports and studies throughout the year. “This will help develop their talent and intelligence,” he said, while inaugurating Notun Kuri Sports-2026, organised by the district administration at Chandpur Stadium on Saturday afternoon. He also expressed hope that the future generation will help place Bangladesh on the global map as a new nation. He added that Chandpur's children will do well in sports in the coming days. The minister said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman launched the Notun Kuri programme across the country, through which many talented individuals emerged. He added that BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is now continuing efforts to find talented people across the country through ‘Notun Kuri Sports’. He said Bangladesh has not yet received its fair share in global sports. The programme has been introduced to help children prepare for the future and participate in international-level sports. He also said the younger generation had become socially affected in the past and many had fallen into drug addiction. He alleged that the previous government did not take effective steps in this regard. He said the government now wants “education through joy” and has started initiatives like Notun Kuri to improve children’s lives through sports. The minister mentioned that the Ministry of Education has already introduced sports activities at primary, secondary, college and university levels, and this trend will continue. Chandpur-3 MP Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, Chandpur-4 MP MA Hannan and Chandpur-5 MP Engineer Mominul Haque spoke as special guests at the programme.   END/UNB/Corr/SIS/ssk

The election of the executive committee of the Khulna University Journalists’ Association (KUJA) for 2026 was held on Thursday. Md. Ibrahim Khalil, Khulna University correspondent of The Daily Amar Desh, was elected president, while Nahid Hasan of The Daily Jugantor was elected general secretary. Chief Election Commissioner Professor Dr Md Ashik Ur Rahman announced the results in the afternoon at the association’s office after the completion of voting. Other office-bearers are: Vice-President Sanzida Akter, Joint General Secretary Fahad Khandakar, Organising Secretary Md Abid Hasan, Treasurer Zahida Sultana Rima, Office Secretary Mahmud Sheikh, and Publication and Publicity Secretary Md Maruf Ahmed. The executive members are Yusuf Sadiq, Mehedi Hasan, and Sohan Sakib. Former and current members of the association were present during the announcement of the results. Assistant Professor Majidul Islam of the Mass Communication and Journalism Discipline and Associate Professor Dr Md Tarek Bin Salam of the Soil, Water and Environment Discipline served as assistant election commissioners.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has granted a complete waiver of all customs duties and taxes on the import of electric buses for transporting students of schools, colleges and universities. The exemption was announced through an SRO issued on April 27, 2026, covering customs duty (CD), regulatory duty (RD), value added tax (VAT), supplementary duty (SD), advance tax (AT) and advance income tax (AIT). According to the notification, both educational institutions importing electric buses directly and third parties importing on their behalf for student transport will be eligible for the tax benefits. To qualify, the buses must be used exclusively for transporting students and painted yellow. The vehicles must also clearly display markings such as “School”, “College”, “Student Bus” or “Transport” in a visible manner. Importers seeking to avail the facility will need to apply to the NBR, which is required to dispose of applications within 10 working days without any duty or tax payments. Officials said the move is aimed at encouraging the adoption of environmentally friendly transport for students at an affordable cost. It is expected to help educational institutions provide modern and comfortable transport, enable large numbers of students to commute regularly, ease traffic congestion and reduce fuel consumption. The initiative is also likely to significantly cut transportation costs for parents. Meanwhile, the government is actively considering reducing duties and taxes on the import of electric buses for general passengers. Officials believe such a move would encourage people to shift from private cars to modern electric buses, leading to further fuel savings and lower travel costs for the public.

The government will start providing free uniforms, shoes and bags to primary and secondary levels students from July, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said on Wednesday. The announcement was made at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Education Ministry’s Secondary and Higher Education Division at Secretariat in the morning. According to the presentation at the meeting, the programme will initially begin in government primary schools across 25 upazilas or thanas in eight divisions, covering around 3,522 schools and nearly one lakh students. The initiative is aimed at ensuring equal access to essential educational materials for students, with both public and private sectors contributing, the minister told reporters after the meeting. “The government has taken the initiative to provide school dresses, shoes and bags free of cost. Alongside the public sector, the private sector has also extended support. BGMEA has promised uniforms for one lakh students,” he said. He added that the programme will start as a pilot in July and later be expanded gradually. “We will begin with government primary schools and then include Ebtedayee madrashas. After completing the primary level, we will extend it to secondary schools,” the minister said. Each student will receive one set of uniform, shoes and a bag under the pilot programme, he added, noting that expansion will depend on future capacity. Regarding the uniform design, he said all government primary school students will have a standard dress, with separate designs for boys and girls. Ebtedayee students will have a slightly different uniform, and the colours will be announced soon, he added. The Education Minister said the programme will be implemented by the Education Ministry with support from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Textiles and Jute, and Local Government Ministry. Senior government officials, including advisers and state ministers from multiple ministries, along with representatives from BGMEA and other business bodies, attended the meeting.

A policeman was assaulted at a filling station in Chapainawabganj on Sunday afternoon, prompting police to detain three people, including the station manager. The incident took place at a filling station in Rohanpur municipality area under Gomastapur upazila. According to local sources, Shakhawat Hossain, a police officer posted at Nachole Police Station, went to the station to refuel his vehicle when an argument broke out with the staff. The situation escalated, and the pump owner’s son along with several associates allegedly beat him, leaving him injured. Locals rescued the injured officer and took him to the upazila health complex, where he received primary treatment. Following the incident, police conducted a drive and detained three individuals, including the filling station manager, and took them to the police station. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gomastapur Police Station, Nure Alam, said the detainees are being questioned and legal action will be taken against those involved.  

Prime Minister's Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin has said the government maintains a “zero-tolerance” policy on question paper distribution, warning that strict legal action will be taken against anyone involved in spreading rumours or fraud in the name of leaking SSC examination questions. In a Facebook post on Sunday, he said social media platforms are being monitored round the clock to prevent misinformation, while cyber surveillance and digital tracking have been strengthened to identify and stop malicious activities through digital platforms. Govt dismisses SSC question leak claim as rumour, urges people to stay alert Mahdi Amin, also the Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, advised students not to fall into such dishonest traps in the hope of securing better results, saying the government’s efforts to build a culture of “joyful learning” are completely incompatible with such fraudulent practices. He said four members of a fraud syndicate have been arrested by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit for cheating SSC examinees by taking money in the name of providing question papers. Citing police, the adviser said the arrested individuals had attempted to disrupt a transparent, fair and well-managed examination system for illegal financial gain. They also spread rumours of question paper leaks, creating panic, frustration, anxiety and moral confusion among students and guardians. He cited a private television channel’s report on the alleged leak, saying the analysis clearly shows that it was not an actual question leak, but rather a well-planned fraud operation. Mahdi Amin also said due to lack of real evidence, the TV channel later withdrew its report on its own. Despite various global challenges, the government’s visible progress and positive initiatives within just two months have been widely appreciated, and in this context, a group has been trying to spread misinformation and confusion, which is unfortunate, he said. According to one examinee quoted in the report, the fraudsters repeatedly delayed sending the so-called question paper at night, giving excuses such as “technical problems” and “it will be sent shortly.” Yet the next day, they claimed the questions had already been provided, the adviser said, adding that this clearly indicates that they had no real access to the question paper. He said the syndicate first attracted students with tempting advertisements, collected money, delayed delivery and eventually disappeared by shutting down their groups. Another tactic involved collecting the actual question paper after the exam had started and replacing the previously uploaded fake images with the real ones, so they could later claim that their leaked questions had matched the original, Mahdi Amin said. “This deceptive method was designed to trap more students and create the false impression that the syndicate had genuine access to leaked papers.” Meanwhile, misleading campaigns have already spread across social media. Several fact-checking platforms have also confirmed that this was not a question paper leak, but a planned fraud scheme. Despite various technological challenges, the authorities are making every effort to ensure maximum security of question papers so that no leak occurs under any circumstances, the adviser said, seeking cooperation and responsible behaviour from all stakeholders to make these efforts successful. He said the government remains committed to reforming the education sector and wants everyone to contribute from their respective positions to building the nation. During the 16 years of fascist rule, Bangladesh’s education system was severely damaged, Mahdi Amin said. “Teachers’ dignity and status were undermined, distorted history and controversial content were included in textbooks, and political loyalty was prioritised over merit. This weakened critical thinking and rationality among future generations.” On the other hand, ensuring quality education is a key priority of the present government elected by the people, he said. Under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, multiple initiatives have been taken to build skilled human resources and implement a competency-based education system, the adviser said, hoping that a merit-based and discrimination-free Bangladesh will be established through a quality education system.

Dhaka University Journalists' Association (DUJA) held a human chain protest demanding an environment for free journalism and protesting the attack on journalists by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) members inside Shahbagh Police Station while they were performing professional duties. The protest took place on Saturday (April 25) at 11:30 AM at the foot of the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture at Dhaka University. The human chain saw participation from current DUJA members, as well as former presidents, general secretaries, and other veteran journalists. Speakers demanded immediate identification and legal action against those involved, formal filing of cases and administrative action from the University, ensuring a safe environment for independent journalism. The figures expressing solidarity included Shahidul Islam, President of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Mohammad Abu Hanif, Executive Member of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Moudud Ahmmed Sujan, Journalist at Al Jazeera, Mahbub Rony, Editor of The Daily Campus and former DUJA President, Hossain Tareq, Journalist at CGTN, Masum Billah, Journalist at bdnews24 and former president of DUJA, Sirajul Islam Rubel, Journalist at The Daily Star and former DUJA General Secretary, and among others. DUJ president Shahidul Islam said during the human chain, "When media outlets broadcast power instead of truth, that society moves toward fascism. If this government follows the path of the last 17 years where journalists were oppressed, the dream of democracy will remain just a dream. I urge the IGP to identify and dismiss the police officers who failed to ensure the safety of journalists inside the station." He also urged the university administration to take proper action against the involved. The Daily Campus editor Mahbub Rony said, "The case has not yet been recorded despite the chaos happening within the police compound. Since both the victims and the identified attackers are students of this university, the administration must ensure punishment. While JCD has formed an investigation committee, as an organization, they cannot evade responsibility for this attack." Sirajul Islam Rubel said, "It is ironic that the 'place of occurrence' is inside a police station. The DUJA President and Secretary waited four hours at the station yesterday, but the Officer-in-Charge (OC) was nowhere to be found. If we received justice for attacks in the past, why is it being delayed now, after August 5th, when media freedom should be at its peak?" Accusing both the university administration and law enforcement of "stalling tactics" to delay justice, DUJA running General Secretary Mahdi Hasan warned that if their demands are not met, they will launch a nationwide movement involving campus organizations across the country. Manjur Hossain Mahi, the newly elected President of DUJA, concluded by stating that obstructing professional duties and the subsequent physical assault is "highly reprehensible," and they expect effective action against the perpetrators immediately. Earlier on Thursday at least 10 journalists from DUJA were allegedly beaten by Chhatra Dal leaders and activists inside the Shahbagh police station as they were performing their professional duties. Then, DUJA demanded justice including the expulsion of the attackers who are the students of DU, expulsion from the Chhatra Dal, arrest of the attackers and ensuring freedom of press and protection over the country.

Bangladesh joined the global community in observing World Veterinary Day 2026 on Saturday through a series of programmes and awareness campaigns held across the country. In line with the nationwide celebrations, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) marked the day with various initiatives, including a free PPR vaccination drive for goats, aimed at highlighting the role of veterinarians as guardians of food safety and public health. The day was celebrated under the global theme, "Veterinarians are guardians of food and health." As part of the day’s activities at BAU, the Faculty of Veterinary Science organized a free Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) vaccination campaign at the university’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Prof. Dr. Md. Mahmudul Alam, member secretary of the BAU World Veterinary Day 2026 celebration committee, stated that the initiative was designed to ensure essential vaccines were accessible to local livestock owners. "We maintained an ample supply of vaccines to ensure that anyone could bring their goats for treatment free of cost," he said. The university’s programme commenced at 10:00 am with a rally starting from the Convocation Square. Over a hundred students from the Faculty of Veterinary Science participated in the procession, which passed through the Vice-Chancellor’s residence and K.R. Market before concluding at the VTH, where a cake-cutting ceremony was held. The event was presided over by Prof. Dr. Md. Ariful Islam, president of the celebration committee, with the Faculty of Veterinary Science’s Acting Dean, Prof. Dr. Md. Siddiqur Rahman, attending as the chief guest. Several senior faculty members, including Prof. Dr. Md. Mokbul Hossain, Prof. Dr. Md. Rafiqul Alam, and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Alam Miah, were also present. Addressing the importance of the profession, Prof. Dr. Md. Ariful Islam emphasized the commitment of veterinarians to maintaining food quality and disease control. "Our professional responsibility is to ensure that animal-derived products - such as milk, eggs, and meat - reach consumers free of pathogens," he said. "We are working tirelessly to prevent the transmission of dangerous zoonotic diseases, including rabies, anthrax, and brucellosis. Ultimately, protecting animal health is essential to mitigating public health risks." Echoing these sentiments, Acting Dean Prof. Dr. Md. Siddiqur Rahman highlighted the intersection of animal and human well-being. "Veterinarians are not merely clinicians for animals; they are sentinels of food security and public health. Under the 'One Health' concept, human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interdependent," the Dean said. "Our goal is to work collectively to safeguard both animal and human health, as veterinarians remain the true guardians of food safety and public health."

The academic future of more than 1.35 lakh SSC candidates for the 2026 session has been thrown into uncertainty following a sudden decision by the education authorities to examine them under the 2025 syllabus. The affected students, who registered for the 2023-24 session but studied under the 2026 curriculum, are now reportedly being forced to sit for exams based on an "old" syllabus they never fully covered. A notification issued by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, on April 23—after the examinations had already commenced—clarified that students registered in 2023-24 must follow the 2025 syllabus. 20 SSC examinees face setback after receiving wrong question paper in Narsingdi However, many of these students had missed their 2023 academic year due to illness, accidents, or other personal reasons, effectively joining the new curriculum introduced in 2024. According to Ministry of Education data, around 4.5 lakh students registered for the 2023-24 session are appearing for the 2026 SSC exams. Approximately 30 percent of them (1.35 lakh) studied the new curriculum in Class IX in 2024 and the short syllabus in Class X in 2025, leaving them unprepared for the full 2025 syllabus. The lack of coordination became evident during the initial days of the examination. Abdul Awal, a parent of a student appearing at Motijheel Government Boys School, shared his daughter's ordeal. "My daughter appeared for the Bangla 1st paper under the new 2026 syllabus, but on the second day, she was handed the Bangla 2nd paper question based on the old 2025 syllabus," he said. He added that despite her 2023-24 registration, she had only studied the new curriculum after missing her 2023 session due to a physical injury. Guardians and education observers have criticized the timing of the board’s notification, noting that neither the schools nor the boards had informed the students of this requirement earlier in the academic year. Given the frequent changes to the SSC curriculum over the past few years, stakeholders are urging the government to consider the situation on humanitarian grounds. They argue that forcing students to sit for exams on a syllabus they were never taught is a "wholesale decision" that risks the secondary education outcomes of over a hundred thousand learners.

The Dhaka University Quiz Society (DUQS) is set to organise the ‘PQREC Presents 2nd DUQS International Quiz Fest 2026’ on May 2-4, aiming to promote quizzing culture and connect participants from across the globe. With the theme “Curiosity Without Borders,” the festival will be held at the TSC Auditorium of the University of Dhaka. Organisers expect thousands of participants to attend physically, while more than 500 contestants from different countries are likely to join online, giving the event an international dimension. The festival will feature six segments: inter-school, inter-college, inter-university, mega quiz, international, and a thematic round titled ‘WARQUEST’. All competitions will be team-based, focusing on knowledge, analytical ability, and teamwork. Participants will compete for prizes, crests, souvenirs, and certificates. The international segment will be organised entirely online to ensure participation from outside Bangladesh. Students from schools, colleges, and universities nationwide are expected to take part in the event, making it one of the largest quiz competitions in the country, according to the organisers. Registration for the event will remain open until 11:59pm on April 25, and interested participants have been advised to complete the process within the deadline. Founded in 2016, DUQS has established itself as a leading student organisation dedicated to knowledge-based activities and competitive quizzing. Organisers believe the international quiz fest will further expand the reach of Bangladesh’s quizzing community and foster global engagement through learning.