United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka's air quality remained moderate on Saturday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 86. The capital ranked 18th among the world's most polluted cities at 9:35 am, according to the AQI scale. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kinshasa, Uganda’s Kampala, Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first three spots on the list with AQI scores of 188, 173 and 149, respectively. An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with an acceptable air quality while AQI between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while a score between 151 and 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 301 is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI is a daily indicator of air quality, showing how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects people may experience. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution. Air quality usually worsens during winter and improves in the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.  

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) officials have seized contraband goods worth an estimated Tk 2.04 crore, including foreign cigarettes, gold jewellery, banned Gouri cream and foreign liquor, during a special drive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The operation was carried out on Thursday by the Airport A Shift team of CIID following a tip-off, according to a press release issued on Friday. During monitoring of baggage collection from Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-148 arriving from Dubai, customs officials found three unattended suspicious bags on Baggage Belt No. 1. A search of the bags led to the recovery of 370 cartons of Mond brand foreign cigarettes. At the same time, officials seized another 111 cartons of foreign cigarettes from passengers arriving on other international flights, taking the total seizure to 481 cartons. The market value of the cigarettes has been estimated at Tk 21.64 lakh. Including applicable customs duties and taxes – a total tax incidence (TTI) of 621 percent, the total value stands at about Tk 1.56 crore. During the operation, customs officials also searched the hand baggage of passenger Md Tajul Islam, who arrived on the same Dubai flight, and recovered 99 grams of concealed gold jewellery. Verification of his passport showed that he had already imported 100 grams of gold jewellery without paying duties and taxes after entering the country on June 10 this year.   Under the Baggage Rules, 2025, passengers are not entitled to another duty-free allowance for gold jewellery beyond the prescribed annual limit. As a result, the newly imported 99 grams of gold jewellery was seized. The recovered gold jewellery has an estimated market value of Tk 18.75 lakh, while its value, including duties and taxes, is around Tk 30 lakh. Officials also seized 12 kg of banned Gouri cream with an estimated value of Tk 2.40 lakh. In a separate operation, customs officials confiscated 11 litres of foreign liquor, including whisky of various brands, from passengers arriving from Kolkata. The liquor has an estimated market value of Tk 2.20 lakh. Including applicable duties and taxes, calculated at a total tax incidence of 610.30 percent, its total value is approximately Tk 15.62 lakh. According to customs officials, the combined value of all seized goods, including duties and taxes, is estimated at Tk 2,04,07,000. Legal proceedings are underway under the Customs Act, the Baggage Rules and other relevant laws. The CIID said such operations will continue to prevent smuggling, customs duty evasion and the import of prohibited goods.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Friday said no conspiracy based on religion or race will be allowed to succeed in Bangladesh, warning against attempts to exploit people's religious beliefs for political or other gains. “If any quarter tries to exploit religious belief and religious practices to bring people under its influence, ordinary people will identify them. No conspiracy based on religion or race will be allowed to succeed in Bangladesh,” he said. The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the biennial conference of the Barishal district unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad at the Barishal District Shilpakala Academy. He referred to Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman’s stance that religion belongs to individuals, while the state belongs to everyone. Swapon said any attempt to capture the state in the name of religion or to use followers of any faith for political purposes amounts to communalism and runs contrary to the principles of religion. "Whenever any group tries to turn religious belief and practice into a tool of communal politics, devout people themselves will identify those who exploit religion for personal or political gain," he added. The minister also said political leaders should always work for the welfare of the people. "As long as people believe that a political party's activities serve their interests, they will continue to support that party and its election symbol," he said. Barishal City Corporation Administrator Advocate Bilkis Akter Jahan Shirin, Barishal Zila Parishad Administrator Akon Quddusur Rahman and former President of the district chapter of Puja Udjapan Parishad Rakhal Chandra Dey, among others, were present with Manik Lal Mukharjee, president of the district unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, in the chair.

Masuduzzaman Robin of Jamuna Television and Faruk Hossain of the Daily Inqilab have been elected president and general secretary, respectively, of the Telecom and Technology Reporters’ Network, Bangladesh (TRNB). Among the other office-bearers, Al-Amin Dewan of TechShohor was elected treasurer, while Hasnain Imtiaz of Samakal was elected organising secretary. The three elected executive committee members are Samir Kumar Dey of The Daily Ittefaq, Shuvo Khan of Somoy Television and Mahmudul Hasan of The Daily Star. The election was held at Sayeman Beach Resort in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday under the supervision of Chief Election Commissioner Abbas Faruq, with Mohiuddin Mohammad Hasan Bhuiyan and Ismail Hossain serving as election commissioners, according to a press release.

Police recovered the hanging body of a female nursing student from a hostel in the Kalabagan area of the capital on Friday morning. Pinki Biswas, 19, was the daughter of Prafulla Biswas of Jambari village under Wazirpur upazila in Barishal district. Sub-Inspector of Kalabagan Police Station Liza Akhter said police recovered the body around 8:30am after breaking open the door of a room at the hostel on the Crescent Road. She was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a rope tied around her neck. The body was later sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy. Pinki was a first-year student at Anwer Khan Modern Nursing College. She shared the room with two other students, who were on leave. The exact cause of the death will be known after the autopsy, Liza added.

A woman died reportedly after jumping from the 7th floor of a Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) building early Friday. The deceased was identified as Riya, 20, a homemaker from Bhadurdangi village under Chartarapur union in Pabna Sadar upazila. According to her family, Riya had been undergoing treatment at ward No. 802 in the DMCH new building for the past five days for various health complications. Her father Latif Mallik said Riya jumped from the building in the early hours. She was immediately taken to the emergency department, where doctors declared her dead around 5:15am. Latif said Riya had been experiencing mental health problems for around 10 days and had been behaving unusually. She was also receiving treatment for mouth sores and other health complications, he said. Riya was married to a Bangladeshi expatriate living in Singapore after completing her Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, according to her father. He said she had been mentally upset after failing to have any baby since her marriage. DMCH police camp in-charge Inspector Md Faruk said the body was kept at the hospital morgue.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized a foreign pistol, seven bullets and a large quantity of foreign cigarettes during a special operation at Majhipara in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati. BGB said the Marissha Battalion (27 BGB) received information that a consignment of Yaba and foreign cigarettes would be smuggled into Bangladesh through the Majhipara area along the border road on Thursday night. Following the tip-off, a BGB team, led by Battalion Commander Lt Col Zahidul Islam Zahid and Assistant Director Mohammad Hafizur Rahman, conducted a special operation in the 16-kilometre area of the border road. Around 10:15pm, BGB personnel challenged two unidentified individuals carrying bags in the area. However, the suspects fled into the nearby hills, leaving the bags behind. A subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of an abandoned 7.62mm Chinese pistol, seven rounds of live ammunition and 10 cartons of foreign-brand Patron cigarettes. Lt Col Zahid said BGB has been conducting regular intelligence surveillance and patrols to curb smuggling along the border. "Although smugglers continue to adopt different tactics, BGB remains vigilant and is carrying out its duties with professionalism to prevent such activities," he said. He added that intelligence gathering and anti-smuggling operations along the border will be further strengthened.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 433 people in its regular anti-crime drives across the capital over the past 24 hours until Friday morning. Of them, 27 were arrested by the Ramna Division, 24 by Lalbagh Division, 36 by Wari Division, 96 by Motijheel Division, 38 by Tejgaon Division, 122 by Mirpur Division, 38 by Gulshan Division, 49 by Uttara Division, and by the Detective Branch (DB). Twenty-seven cases were filed during the same period, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Niaz Mehedi said on Friday morning. Police also recovered 24.1 kg of cannabis, 940 Yaba pills, 30 mobile phones, three knives, one electric shock device, three abandoned bullets, a human hauler and one motorcycle. One victim was also rescued during this period. Further legal proceedings against the arrested people are underway, he said.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan on Thursday said only those who have worked for people and can demonstrate public service in their respective areas will be recommended for councillor nominations in the next local government election. Speaking at an exchange meeting with residents of Uttara under DNCC Zone-1, he said political positions alone would not be enough to secure nomination. “Councillors will not be nominated merely because of their party posts. They must stay close to the people and work for public welfare,” he said. Shafiqul said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been entrusted with leading the country by the people after 17 years and is committed to public service, adding that officials would continue working in line with that vision. The DNCC administrator said the city corporation was working to address civic problems, including water shortages in several areas through the installation of pumps in coordination with the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA). He also said mosquito infestation had declined following canal-cleaning initiatives that helped prevent mosquito breeding, expressing hope that continued canal restoration with public support would further strengthen dengue prevention efforts. On street vendors, he said the city corporation had designated specific locations for their rehabilitation, but many had returned to footpaths instead of using the allocated spaces. He stressed the need for cooperation from both vendors and residents to resolve the issue. Shafiqul also highlighted plans to improve roads and street lighting with community participation and said the DNCC would consider reducing taxes following requests from business leaders. He urged local community leaders to work closely with law enforcement agencies to improve law and order in their neighbourhoods. The meeting, chaired by Regional Executive Officer Md Kamal Hossain, was attended by Dhaka-18 MP SM Jahangir Hossain, DNCC Chief Engineer, Chief Health Officer and local community representatives.

Members of Barishal’s floating Manta fisherfolk community have urged authorities to ensure better access to public services, social protection and recognition of their rights. The demand was raised at a dialogue titled “Dialogue with Local Authorities” held at Barishal Club on Thursday under the MantaConnect project, implemented by YouthNet Global with support from The Asia Foundation. The event brought together local authorities, government officials, development partners and Manta community representatives to discuss challenges faced by river-dependent families, including limited access to education, healthcare, financial services, land rights and government support. Barishal City Corporation Administrator Advocate Bilkis Akter Jahan Shirin, who attended the event as chief guest, said all people are equal and pledged to support marginalised communities. She said, “We are all human beings, and we have to live together. Everyone is equal to me. We cannot move forward by creating divisions among people based on identity or background.” She added, “It is our responsibility to work for communities that have been left behind. Land rights and basic services are important issues for sociallly excluded people. At a personal level, I will work for the Manta community. They can come to the City Corporation with their needs, and I will always stand beside them.” Jashim Sardar, a Manta community representative said access to education, healthcare and social protection remains a major challenge for families living in river areas, stressing the need for stronger connections with public institutions and long-term support. YouthNet Global Executive Coordinator Sohanur Rahman said the Manta people should be recognised first as citizens with equal rights and dignity. “Ensuring their access to education, healthcare, financial inclusion and social dignity is a matter of fundamental rights,” he said. YouthNet Global General Secretary Arifur Rahman Shuvo said the Manta people are an integral part of Bangladesh’s society and have the right to participate fully in social and economic development. Government officials attending the dialogue assured continued cooperation to improve access to available services, while participants stressed the need for stronger coordination among institutions to ensure sustainable development and inclusion of the community.