United News of Bangladesh

The annual rush of rawhide trading has begun at Posta, the country's largest rawhide market, as thousands of sacrificial animal skins from across Bangladesh arrive in the capital following Eid-ul-Azha. Located in the Posta area of Lalbagh in Old Dhaka, the bustling market has once again transformed into a hive of activity, with the arrival of trucks, pickups and vans carrying freshly collected cattle and goat hides from different districts.

The waste removal operation of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) continued in full swing on the second day of Eid-ul-Azha on Friday to ensure the quick disposal of sacrificial animal waste and temporary cattle market waste across its jurisdiction. "Like the first day of Eid-ul-Azha, activities to remove waste from sacrificial animals and temporary cattle markets are being carried out vigorously on the second day as well. We are committed to removing all waste within the shortest possible time to ensure comfort for city residents,” DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam said. In the morning, he visited the temporary cattle market at Shahjahanpur Railway Colony and inspected the ongoing waste removal activities. During the visit, he instructed the officials and workers concerned to complete the operation as quickly as possible. Abdus Salam said the waste removal target for the second day of Eid has been fixed at 11,776 tonnes and expressed hope that the target will be achieved within the stipulated timeframe through coordinated efforts of conservancy workers, transport workers and the relevant departments. Officials and workers of DSCC’s Waste Management Department and other relevant sections have been working round the clock in the field to provide city dwellers with a clean and hygienic environment. According to the DSCC, a total of 14,814 tonnes of sacrificial waste had been dumped at the Matuail landfill site by Eid day midnight. To ensure quick waste disposal during Eid-ul-Azha, it has deployed additional manpower, vehicles, containers and cleaning equipment across its areas. A special monitoring team has also been working round the clock to oversee the entire operation.

The body of Bangladeshi migrant worker Mohammad Shraban, who was killed in a missile attack in Iraq, arrived in the country early Friday. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam received the body at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after a Turkish Airlines flight carrying the body landed at the airport at 4:45am, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shraban, son of Mohammad Noli Mia of Bakultala village in Munshiganj Sadar upazila, had been working in Iraq's capital Baghdad for the past 10 years. He was killed recently when a missile struck an area in Baghdad during the ongoing regional conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, according to officials. State Minister Shama Obaed expressed deep sorrow over the death and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family. The repatriation of the body was coordinated by the Bangladesh Embassy in Baghdad. Officials said the body was flown from Baghdad International Airport on May 27 aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK0843. After a transit in Türkiye, it was transported to Dhaka on flight TK0712. On the completion of airport formalities, the body was handed over to the victim’s family. The state minister also provided Tk 35,000 for transportation and burial expenses, along with a special grant of Tk 50,000 and other financial assistance due to the family. Senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Wage Earners' Welfare Board were present at the airport during the handover process.

A court in Cyprus has frozen a property owned by Bangladeshi businessman Mohammed Saiful Alam and his wife following a request submitted by Bangladeshi authorities as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged bank fraud and money laundering. The Nicosia district court passed the order on May 19 freezing the property in Parekklisia after an application by the anti-money laundering unit (Mokas), reports Cyprus Mail. The request was made through mutual legal assistance procedures initiated by authorities in Bangladesh. However, Saiful Alam, founder and chairman of the S Alam Group, denied any wrongdoing. He acquired Cypriot citizenship in 2016 through the Cyprus citizen-by-investment programme, known colloquially as the “golden passports scheme.” The property subject to the order is a two-storey residence in Parekklisia. According to documents submitted to Cypriot authorities, Bangladeshi investigators are examining allegations relating to the operation of a network of companies and financial transactions between 2009 and 2024. The investigation involves claims of fraudulent lending, unlawful asset accumulation and money laundering. According to the request transmitted to Cyprus, authorities are investigating allegations that companies linked to Saiful Alam secured substantial loans from a number of financial institutions, including Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC and First Security Islami Bank. The request states that many of those loans later defaulted and that investigators are examining whether funds obtained through those facilities were transferred abroad through a network of companies and financial structures operating across multiple jurisdictions. Bangladesh’s central bank governor has publicly described the case as involving more than €8 billion allegedly transferred out of the country. Bangladeshi authorities believe assets connected to the investigation may be located in Cyprus, Singapore and other jurisdictions. Part of the investigation concerns ACLARE International, a Cyprus registered company acquired by Saiful Alam in 2016 after the purchase of ACLARE Investment Ltd. Bangladeshi authorities are examining whether the company was used in transactions linked to the movement of funds under investigation. Court filings also refer to a network of companies and trusts in Cyprus, the British Virgin Islands and Jersey. Investigators are seeking to determine the ownership structures and financial activity connected to those entities. Through legal representation with international law firm Quinn Emanuel, he has stated that his investments were funded through legitimate foreign sources and that actions taken against him are unjustified. He has also initiated proceedings before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, arguing that measures affecting his assets, including those subject to freezing orders, violate international investment protection agreements. The S Alam group owner obtained Cypriot citizenship through the golden passport scheme, which was terminated by the government. He does not appear in the findings of the Nikolatos Committee report, which examined the operation of the programme. #Source: Cyprus- Mail

Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims, was celebrated in Bangladesh on Thursday with due religious fervour and festivity. Muslim devotees offered Eid prayers at Eidgahs and mosques across the country in the morning. After the prayers, they exchanged Eid greetings. The main Eid congregation was held at the National Eidgah on the Supreme Court premises in the capital. President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman offered Eid prayers along with hundreds of devotees at the National Eidgah. After the prayers, they joined a munajat with the devotees seeking blessings of the almighty for Muslim Ummah as well the nation. The Chief Justice, cabinet members, judges of the Supreme Court, lawmakers, political leaders, diplomats, and high-ranking civil and military officials joined the Eid congregation. Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mufti Muhammad Abdul Malek conducted the Eid prayers. A special munajat, seeking divine blessings for peace, progress, and prosperity of Bangladesh, as well as the welfare of its people and the Muslim Ummah, was offered after the prayers. In the capital, Eid congregations at the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram were held at 7:00am, 8:00am, 9:00am, 10:00am and 10:45am. Eid congregation was also held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. President Shahabuddin and his spouse Dr Rebecca Sultana exchanged Eid greetings at Bangabhaban with people from different walks of life.Cabinet members, chief election commissioner (CEC), judges, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the Armed Forces, envoys of different countries, Bangladesh Bank governor and inspector general of police (IGP) were present at the reception. Distinguished personalities, senior politicians, writers, journalists, teachers, intellectuals and high-ranking civil and military officials, among others, also joined the programme. In the morning, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the graves of his parents at Zia Udyan and offered munajat on the occasion of Eid. He also visited the grave of his younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko at Banani graveyard and offered prayer there. In the afternoon, Tarique Rahman joined a feast hosted by Bangladesh Army’s 25th East Bengal Regiment also known as "Mrittunjoyee Potchis" at Zia Colony in Dhaka Cantonment. Army officers and soldiers participated in the event. After offering Eid prayers in the morning, Muslims across the country started slaughtering their sacrificial animals seeking the blessings of the Almighty Allah. Many devotees will also slaughter their sacrificial animals in the next two days. All public and private offices are in long holidays from May 25 as the government announced weeklong vacation to facilitate people to celebrate the festival. However, emergency services, including hospitals, healthcare, fire service, electricity, water, gas, internet and postal services, have remained operational during the holidays. Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private television channels are airing special programmes on the occasion. Special meals were served at hospitals, orphanages, prisons and child care centres. In Kishoreganj, the 199th congregation of holy Eid-ul-Azha was held at 9:00am at Sholakia Eidgah with the participation of around 1 lakh devotees despite heavy rain. Another large Eid-ul-Azha congregation was held at the Gor-e-Shahid Boro Maidan in Dinajpur district town at 8:30am. The practice of Qurbani commemorates the supreme devotion of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), who was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) in obedience to Allah's command. The Almighty Allah later replaced Ismail (AS) with a sacrificial animal, symbolising the spirit of faith and sacrifice.

Bangladesh's two major river crossings, the bridges on the mighty Padma and Jamuna rivers, witnessed record-level vehicular movements on the same day ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, that saw them generate a combined toll revenue of nearly Tk 9 crore, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) said Thursday. According to BBA, on Tuesday, May 26, some 45,602 vehicles crossed the Padma Bridge, yielding a toll collection of Tk 5.03 crore; on the same day, 56,239 vehicles used the Jamuna Bridge, bringing in Tk 3.83 crore. They pushed the combined toll collection to approximately Tk 8.86 crore. Despite the heavy traffic volume, authorities said no major accidents or significant gridlocks were reported this year, crediting coordinated management and advance preparation for the smooth flow. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam visited the BRTA control room Thursday morning to monitor the Eid journey situation, reviewing live footage from both bridges. State Minister Md. Razib Ahsan also conducted an on-site inspection of the Padma Bridge toll plaza. BBA Executive Director Mohammad Abdur Rouf said the government has been working relentlessly to modernise the country's transport network, with the minister and state minister maintaining round-the-clock monitoring to ensure a safe and hassle-free Eid commute. Among the measures deployed for Eid-ul-Azha 2026, BBA cited trained toll collectors, extended toll lanes, dedicated motorcycle lanes, non-stop ETC (Electronic Toll Collection), activated bus bays at Mawa and Elenga, enhanced surveillance-based traffic monitoring, emergency lanes, security guards posted every 300 metres along the bridges, three rescue vehicles including one brought from the Karnaphuli Tunnel, and Fire Service and medical teams on standby.  Livestock-carrying vehicles were also exempted from weighing scale requirements to facilitate uninterrupted movement of sacrificial animals ahead of the festival. BBA said the coordinated effort by all stakeholders made homebound Eid journeys more comfortable and orderly this year.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said the current government is committed to strengthening national unity and building the country. He made the remarks while briefing reporters after exchanging Eid greetings with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at his Gulshan residence in Dhaka. The minister said people from all walks of life, regardless of political affiliation, must remain united to build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh. “Our main goal and only slogan is ‘Bangladesh First’. We believe in working together to build the country, putting Bangladesh above all else,” he said. “We want to move forward through strength in unity by taking every citizen along with us,” he added. Referring to the political situation after August 5, 2024, the minister said people in Bangladesh are now enjoying a free, independent and peaceful environment. “In this atmosphere of freedom, the country has been able to celebrate several festive Eids consecutively,” he said, calling on people to pray for the country’s continued prosperity, peace, stability and overall welfare. The Home Minister also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman visited the graves of late President Ziaur Rahman and thrice-former prime minister Khaleda Zia, at the Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. Later, they also visited and paid their respects at the grave of late Arafat Rahman Koko, the PM's younger brother; and Dr Zubaida’s late father, ex-Navy Chief Mahbub Ali Khan in Banani. They also paid tribute to the 57 military officers, as well as others killed from February 25-27, 2009 in the Pilkhana tragedy, and prayed for the salvation of their departed souls, the home minister said. State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam and the home minister’s son, Syed Ibrahim Ahmed, a member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s ad hoc committee, were present at the briefing.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Thursday called upon all to uphold the values of sacrifice, equality, compassion and social harmony on the occasion of holy Eid-ul-Azha. In his Eid message, the President said Eid-ul-Azha is not only one of the major religious festivals for Muslims but also a universal call to sacrifice hatred, arrogance and the “animalistic instincts” within human beings. “We are celebrating the holy Eid-ul-Azha today with the unparalleled glory of complete submission to Almighty Allah and the ideals of equality, harmony and sacrifice in Islam,” he said. Highlighting the significance of the festival, Shahabuddin said the teachings of Eid inspire people to strengthen fraternity, selflessness, mutual respect and social solidarity. The President also said Eid-ul-Azha plays an important role in meeting the nutritional needs of underprivileged people in society while contributing significantly to the development of the livestock sector and the country’s overall economy. Calling upon affluent members of society, he urged them to share the joy of Eid with the poor, orphans, deprived relatives and neighbours. “I call upon the well-off and affluent people of society to sincerely share the joy of Qurbani with deprived and poor people, orphans, needy relatives and neighbours,” he said, adding that everyone should come forward to ensure the rights of the underprivileged and dedicate themselves to the welfare of humanity. The President also made a special appeal to citizens to cooperate with the authorities in the quick and proper disposal of sacrificial waste to maintain environmental cleanliness and protect public health. He urged people to embrace the spirit of unity over division, compassion over violence, justice over selfishness and equality over discrimination to build a humane, democratic, non-communal and prosperous Bangladesh. “Let the glorious message of holy Eid-ul-Azha further strengthen the bonds of humanity and bring peace, harmony and prosperity to all,” the President said. Earlier, President Shahabuddin offered Eid-ul-Azha prayers at the country’s main congregation at the National Eidgah on Thursday morning. People from different classes, professions and age groups gathered at the National Eidgah on the Supreme Court premises and took part in the prayers with raised hands.

Eid-ul-Azha prayers were held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday morning with the participation of lawmakers, officials and devotees from different walks of life. The congregation was held at 7:30 am. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaysar Kamal, Secretary of Parliament Secretariat Barrister Md Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan, officials and employees of the parliament secretariat among others joined the prayers. Before the prayers, the Deputy Speaker and the Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat exchanged Eid greetings with people. After the Eid congregation and khutba, a special munajat was offered seeking peace, happiness and prosperity for the country, the nation and the Muslim Ummah. The munajat was conducted by Qari Abu Raihan, Pesh Imam of the Parliament Secretariat.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed joined Eid-ul-Azha prayers at the National Eidgah in the capital on Thursday morning. President Mohammed Shahabuddin, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, members of the cabinet, judges of the Supreme Court, political leaders, foreign diplomats and devotees from different walks of life also joined the main Eid jamaat at the National Eidgah. The Eid congregation was held at 7:30am under the management of Dhaka South City Corporation and was led by Mufti Mohammad Abdul Malek, khatib of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. After the prayers, special munajat was offered seeking peace, prosperity and progress for the Muslim Ummah and the overall welfare of the country. Meanwhile, the IGP participated in the Eid jamaat at Rajarbagh Police Lines at 7:00am alongside senior police officials, police members and other devotees.