United News of Bangladesh

An autorickshaw driver died after allegedly consuming toxic liquor at a wedding ceremony in the capital’s Kadamtali area, just days before the expected birth of his first child. The deceased was identified as Roni Hossain, 37, son of late Md Zakir Hossain of Dholairpar Bazar area in Kadamtali. Roni’s brother, Rabiullah, said he attended a wedding ceremony on Wednesday night and consumed an excessive amount of alcohol, after which he fell ill. His condition deteriorated over the next two days, and he complained of severe distress on Friday morning. Family members took him to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 12:30pm, where duty doctors declared him dead. Roni had married Laiju Akhtar nearly two years ago, and the couple were expecting their first child later this month. Inspector Md Habibur Rahman, in-charge of the DMCH Police Camp said the body had been kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy and the concerned police station had been informed.

India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday handed over two Bangladesh police personnel who were detained near the Bangladesh-India border in Brahmanpara upazila of Cumilla while conducting an anti-narcotics operation. Assistant Sub-Inspector Md Imran Hossain and Constable Rohit Dewan of Brahmanpara Police Station were handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) around 1:30pm following a flag meeting between the two sides near main border pillar No. 2057 in the Narayanpur border area. Commanding Officer of Sultanpur Battalion (60 Battalion) Lt Col SM Shariful Islam, commander of Shashidal Border Outpost Subedar Mohammad Takbir Hossain, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Debidwar Circle) Md Shahin and Brahmanpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Faruk Hossain attended the meeting. The incident took place around 11:30pm on Thursday in the Ashabari area of Shashidal union, near border pillar No. 2059. The two policemen had gone to the border area to conduct an anti-narcotics drive when a suspected drug trader tried to flee after spotting them. Rohit chased the suspect but was detained by several Indian nationals near the border. When Imran went to retrieve his colleague, he was also detained. Senior officials of the BGB and BSF held discussions over the incident before the two policemen were handed over, according to officials.

A court in Rangpur has sent two Indian nationals to jail in a case filed over their illegal entry into Bangladesh without valid travel documents. Judge Rafiqul Islam of Rangpur Metropolitan Chief Judicial Magistrate Court-2 passed the order on Thursday evening, rejecting their bail pleas. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 27, said defence lawyer Advocate Omar Faruk Sumon. According to case documents, the accused, Ismail Hossain and Abdul Alim Mondal, are residents of Dhubri district in the Indian state of Assam. They allegedly entered Bangladesh around 6:00am on October 4 through the Doikhawar Char border area in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram. Later that night, they went to a clinic in Rangpur for treatment of their injuries. Acting on a tip-off, law enforcers detained them at the clinic and asked them to produce valid documents authorising their entry into Bangladesh. However, they failed to produce passports or visas or provide a satisfactory explanation for their entry, according to the case documents. A case was subsequently filed against them under Section 4 of the Control of Entry Act, 1952.

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has seized 244 litres of foreign liquor and beer during a raid on a rest house in Gulshan of the capital and arrested its manager. The arrestee is Md Ataur Rahman Shamim, 42, manager of 78 Rest House Society on Road 104 in Gulshan-2. The DNC also named Md Omar Jamil, 45, who is linked to the establishment, as a suspect. He is currently absconding. A case was filed with Gulshan Police Station against Shamim, Jamil and other unidentified individuals. Acting on intelligence that the establishment had been storing and selling foreign liquor and beer without a valid bar licence, a DNC team conducted the raid around 2:30am on Friday, said Md Mehedi Hasan, deputy director of the DNC’s Dhaka Divisional Intelligence Office. The seized items included 223 bottles of foreign liquor containing 177 litres and 209 bottles and cans of beer containing 67 litres. The DNC said the establishment also operated under the name “German Club”. Preliminary investigations found no evidence of a legitimate or authorised entity operating under that name. According to the DNC, the premises hosted DJ parties where tickets were sold, and foreign liquor, beer and other narcotics were allegedly supplied illegally to participants. Mehedi said investigations are underway to trace the absconding suspect and establish the nature of the activities conducted under the name of German Club. The DNC said the drive is part of its ongoing efforts to curb the illegal storage, sale and distribution of narcotics and other controlled substances.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, began in Bangladesh on Friday with Maha Shasthi. On the first day, devotees are performing Bodhan, the ceremonial awakening and invocation of Goddess Durga, marking the formal commencement of the festivities. This year, Durga Puja are being celebrated at 33,165 mandaps across the country. Devotees of all ages are expected to visit the mandaps and offer prayers to Goddess Durga, seeking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and the welfare of the country and its people, during the main rituals that will continue through Bijoya Dashami on October 21. Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of preparations for Durga Puja, was observed across the country on October 9. It is associated with the ceremonial invocation of Goddess Durga and is observed seven days before the festival begins. The festival will conclude with the immersion of idols. In a message, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday called for collective efforts to ensure that no one faces discrimination, deprivation or insecurity because of their religion, race or communal identity. The President said the government was committed to ensuring religious freedom and equal rights for every citizen in the country, known for its communal harmony. He said the government was supporting the management, renovation and development of Hindu religious institutions and places of worship, as it does for other religious institutions. In a separate message, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also urged the country’s Hindu community people to enthusiastically celebrate Sharadiya Durga Puja across the country, saying that everyone has the right to security irrespective of religion. “Religion is a personal matter, but the state belongs to everyone. Religion is a personal matter, but the right to security belongs to all. Brothers and sisters of the Hindu community, please celebrate these festivities across the country with enthusiasm, peace of mind, and a sense of security,” he said. He also extended his greetings to members of the Hindu community and followers of Sanatan Dharma on the occasion. Tarique Rahman said, in his message, said Durga Puja is one of the major religious festivals of the Hindu community in Bangladesh and around the world.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will not make compromise on any issue related to border security, including illegal entry and attempts to push people across the border, a senior official said on Friday. Between January 1 and October 15 this year, the force foiled 182 push-in attempts across 23 districts, stopping 1,275 illegal entries, said Lt Col Md Mahbub Murshed Rahman, director (operations) of the BGB, at a press conference at the BGB headquarters. He said the BGB is performing its duties with vigilance, restraint and professionalism to prevent attempts to forcibly push in people across the border. The force has intensified surveillance and maintained communication and coordination with relevant stakeholders to prevent such incidents, Mahbub added. He said the BGB is strictly following existing laws, regulations and established protocols in dealing with illegal activities along the border. It is also increasingly using modern surveillance equipment, day-and-night observation technology and other advanced tools to strengthen border security, the official said. Alongside its security operations, the BGB continues to support border communities through medical services, skills development for young people and various welfare initiatives, he said. Arms and smuggled goods seized The BGB has also intensified operations against illegal arms, narcotics and other contraband items. During various drives this year, the force recovered around 78 pistols, seven rifles, one submachine gun, seven grenades, 12 landmines and more than 3,200 rounds of ammunition. It also detained 1,957 people suspected of involvement in smuggling narcotics, weapons and other contraband and handed them over to the respective police stations for legal action. According to BGB data, the force seized smuggled goods worth around Tk 2,086 crore between January 1 and October 15. The seized goods included narcotics, gold, textiles and cosmetics. The operations are aimed at protecting the country's economic interests and ensuring legitimate trade, the BGB official said. Over 2.6 crore Yaba tablets seized The BGB has seized more than 2.6 crore Yaba tablets since January this year, along with around 40 kg of crystal methamphetamine, 12 kg of heroin and cocaine, nearly 16,000 kg of cannabis, about 24,000 bottles of Phensedyl and around 1 lakh bottles of foreign liquor. The force considers preventing drug trafficking a top priority, as narcotics pose a serious threat to young people, families and public security. BGB members are working round the clock to prevent drug trafficking and smuggling, Mahbub said.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is making all-out efforts to bring back two police personnel who were taken away by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India from the Cumilla border, BGB Director (Operations) Lt Col Md Mahbub Murshed Rahman said on Friday. “We have already made official contact in this regard. Preparations are underway to bring back the two police personnel very soon,” he said in response to a question at a press conference at BGB headquarters. The two police personnel are in good health and have not faced any problems, Mahbub added. He said such situations could arise while performing duties, but described the incident as undesirable. The BGB official attributed the situation to the geographical features, difficult terrain and dense jungle in the border area concerned. Asked about the overall security situation along the border, he said he did not want to discuss the matter in detail at this moment. However, Mahbub said the BGB is prepared to deal with all kinds of threats and situations along the country's southeastern border. He said the force has made the necessary preparations and is hopeful of reaching effective solutions in any situation through coordination with other security agencies. The BGB will continue to discharge its responsibilities to protect the country's security and national interests, the official added. He also said the BGB remained fully prepared to ensure security during Durga Puja celebrations and to address any situation along the border in coordination with other security agencies.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has introduced an online system for allocating government houses to make the process more transparent, simpler, faster and more citizen-friendly. As part of the initiative, a notice inviting applications for house allocation was published online on September 15, 2026. Applications were received from September 16 to 30. A total of 596 applications were submitted against 54 vacant houses in different categories. After scrutiny, 342 applications were found eligible, while 254 were rejected for failing to meet the required conditions. Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher formally inaugurated the announcement of the allocation results at the ministry's meeting room at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday. Speaking at the inauguration, the minister said ensuring good governance, transparency and easier access to public services was a commitment of the government. He said the online allocation initiative had been introduced to make the Department of Government Accommodation's house allocation process easier, faster and more citizen-friendly as part of broader efforts to ensure transparency and good governance in the ministry's overall activities. Housing and Public Works State Minister Ahmed Sohel Manzoor among others were present at the event.

Young climate leaders have called for meaningful youth participation in climate policymaking and better access to climate finance ahead of COP31. The call came at a policy dialogue titled “Youth Voices & Actions for Climate Resilience 2026”, organised by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), on Thursday. Supported by the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka under the CAP-RES project, the event brought together young leaders, researchers, government officials, development partners and academics. Discussions focused on youth participation in climate governance and funding for youth-led initiatives. Participants urged recognition of youth engagement as a right, practical climate education, accountable representation and stronger links between grassroots communities and policymakers, particularly in climate-vulnerable areas outside Dhaka. Panellists highlighted the importance of including young people and women in a just energy transition and addressing gender-related climate vulnerabilities. A second panel discussed funding challenges facing youth-led research, community projects and businesses. Speakers stressed the need for suitable financial instruments, clearer funding information, mentorship and capacity building for both applicants and financing institutions. ICCCAD Director Arif M. Faisal called for stronger support for green entrepreneurship, university partnerships and access to research resources, including opportunities through the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund.

Speakers at a seminar here on Thursday stressed the need for strengthening the circular approaches to plastics production and use with a view to contain plastic pollution in the country. They also focused on translating policy into practical action, drawing on industry experiences to improve resource efficiency and reduce waste to prevent plastic pollution. The Department of Environment (DoE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) jointly arranged the seminar at the Westin Dhaka, bringing together government officials, industry representatives and development partners to advance Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) and Design for Environment (DfE) in Bangladesh’s plastics sector. The event was organised under the project “Integrated Approach towards Sustainable Plastics Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh”, implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with the DoE, with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka.