United News of Bangladesh

Three people were killed and 16 others injured when a bus plunged into a roadside ditch on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in Sreenagar upazila of Munshiganj district early Saturday. One of the deceased was identified as Rakonuzzaman Ranju, 55, of Chuadanga district, while the identities of the other two could not be known immediately. The accident occurred around 3:18am in the Hasara area when the Dhaka-bound bus of ‘Darshana Paribahan’ from Chuadanga, smashed through the roadside railing and plunged into a ditch as its driver lost control while overtaking a covered van at high speed, leaving three killed on the spot and 16 others injured, said Muhammad Shafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of Munshiganj Fire Service and Civil Defence. On information, two firefighting units of Sreenagar Fire Station rushed to the spot and rescued 11 injured passengers from the bus before taking them to Sreenagar Upazila Health Complex. Five others received first aid at the spot.    

Operational restrictions at airports in Saudi Arabia have disrupted 141 flights carrying 21,933 passengers from Bangladesh, authorities said Friday. According to Squadron Leader Sakib of ASM Flight Management, a total of 21,933 passengers have been affected so far, involving 66 direct flights and 75 transit flights. Among direct flights, state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines recorded the highest impact with 27 affected flights, followed by Saudia Airlines with 19, US-Bangla Airlines with 10, and Riyadh Airways with 10 flights. In the transit flight category, Indigo Airlines suffered the most disruption with 29 affected flights. Other affected transit carriers include Emirates Airlines with 14 flights, Qatar Airways with nine, Fly Dubai with eight, Air India with seven, Salam Air with seven, and Egypt Air with one flight.

Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Mirza Abbas on Friday visited Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu, who is undergoing treatment at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU). Mirza Abbas visited the minister at the BMU cabin block around noon and enquired about his health, said Mizanur Rahman Sohel, personal assistant to the Prime Minister’s political adviser. “He enquired about the minister’s physical condition and was briefed by the doctors on Mizanur Rahman Minu’s health,” Sohel said. “Sir prayed for the minister’s speedy recovery,” he added. Minu was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on October 21 after suddenly falling ill. As his condition deteriorated and he was found to be suffering from anaemia, he was given several bags of blood. On the advice of doctors, he was later brought to Dhaka for better treatment. The minister is now receiving treatment under the supervision of a team of specialist doctors.

Former minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Dipu Moni underwent a medical checkup at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Friday after being brought there from jail. She was brought to the DMCH from the prison in the morning and taken back to the jail after one and half hours following necessary medical examinations and an initial health check. A team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) brought her around 11:45am. She was taken back to the jail under police escort around 12:15pm, said Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Nasir Uddin Sarker.

Seven children died with measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours ending at 8:00am on Friday, bringing the country’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 1,214 this year. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) classified the latest fatalities as suspected measles deaths. With this, the total number of suspected measles deaths has reached 1,110, while confirmed deaths from measles have remained the same at 104. A total of 1,110 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 218,870. Meanwhile, 25 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, pushing laboratory-confirmed infections to 23,273. Since March 15 this year, a total of 194,633 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 186,798 have recovered, according to the DGHS.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited ailing Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan at Evercare Hospital in the capital on Friday morning. During the visit, the President enquired about the minister’s health and treatment and wished him a speedy recovery, according to Bangabhaban. Hospital physicians, including cardiologist Prof Dr Shahabuddin Talukder, briefed him on Moyeen Khan’s current medical condition. Minister’s wife Advocate Roksana Khandaker was present at that time. Moyeen Khan was admitted to Evercare Hospital on Wednesday night with respiratory distress and heart-related complications and is currently under close medical observation.

Bangladeshi journalist and human rights advocate Ambassador Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey has been appointed as the Honorary Senior Fellow at the Washington-based South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN), the organisation said on Thursday. Operating under The Millennium Project, SAFN conducts research and convenes dialogues on South Asia’s future challenges, geopolitics and public policy. Announcing the appointment, SAFN highlighted the value of Ansarey’s experience in public service, journalism and diplomacy. It noted that his expertise will enrich the organisation’s discussions and strengthen its engagement with diverse stakeholders in Washington. Researchers and wider audiences in Bangladesh will also benefit from his insights and analysis, it said. In his new role, Ansarey will contribute to policy dialogues and research. He will also help expand SAFN’s outreach and engagement in Washington while supporting the network’s research and other activities in Bangladesh. With more than two decades of experience in public service, international affairs and the media, Ansarey currently serves as an ambassador with the rank of senior secretary, attached to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He previously served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent accreditation to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ecuador and Honduras. Before entering diplomatic service, Ansarey served as co-founder and executive director of the Washington-based human rights organisation Right to Freedom and executive editor of South Asia Perspectives. He also worked as a White House and United Nations correspondent, gaining extensive experience covering US policymaking and engaging with policy circles in Washington. Meanwhile, SAFN’s Bangladesh chapter is led by Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies.

A sub-inspector of police and a local BNP leader were killed and two other policemen injured when a covered van hit a police patrol team in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur early Friday. The deceased were identified as SI Mizanur Rahman of Kaliganj Police Station and Mohammad Rafiqul Islam Molla, organising secretary of the ward No. 2 unit of BNP in Kaliganj municipality. Inspector (Investigation) of Kaliganj Police Station Md Ashraful Islam said a police team, led by Mizanur, was conducting patrols on the Tongi-Ghorashal regional highway and serving arrest warrants. At one stage, the police stopped their vehicle in front of Government Kaliganj Sramik College and intercepted several suspected persons for questioning. Around 3:30am, an unidentified covered van rammed into them, leaving Mizanur, Probationary SI Javed Omar, driver constable Fazle Rabbi and BNP leader Rafiqul seriously injured. According to police, the covered van driver struck Mizanur and dragged him for about half a kilometre before leaving him beside the road and fleeing towards Ghorashal in Narsingdi. Locals rescued the injured and took them to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty physician declared Rafiqul dead. Mizanur and Javed, who were critically injured, were later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment. However, Mizanur succumbed to his injuries there in the morning. Rabbi was shifted to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur for treatment. Police could not trace the covered van and its driver. It was not immediately clear why BNP leader Rafiqul was at the scene at the time of the incident. Additional Superintendent of Police (Kaliganj Circle) Sk Muttajul Islam and Kaliganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Zakir Hossain visited the scene after the incident.

BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday said this year’s Durga Puja was celebrated across the country in a peaceful and festive atmosphere due to the government’s vigilance, sincerity and dedication. “Durga Puja was celebrated in a peaceful and festive atmosphere across the country this year. The Hindu community was able to celebrate the festival peacefully because of the government’s vigilance, sincerity and dedication,” he said. Rizvi made the remarks while speaking to reporters after distributing leaflets as part of Dhaka South City Corporation’s dengue prevention awareness campaign in Shantinagar in the capital. He said many people from a neighbouring country had also come to Bangladesh to participate in Puja celebrations and praised the safe and peaceful environment. Rizvi said the BNP had contacted every Puja mandap and held discussions with the relevant committees. Party leaders and activists had worked day and night to ensure security, he added. Rizvi alleged that the Awami League and an underground political party were involved in propaganda surrounding this year’s Durga Puja. He said similarities could be seen in their conduct and statements in various incidents. The BNP leader said a people-friendly and responsible government could overcome any conspiracy and work for public welfare. The peaceful and festive celebration of Durga Puja this year was an example of that, he added. Rizvi also said the BNP implemented the promises it made and always worked transparently without deviating from its commitments. He said the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was diligently implementing the pledges made before the election. Citing economists, Rizvi said the distribution of Family Cards and Farmers’ Cards could reduce the country’s poverty rate by a further five percentage points this year. He described this as an achievement of the Tarique Rahman government. Regarding the BNP’s dengue prevention campaign, Rizvi said leaflet distribution had been suspended for the past few days due to Durga Puja but resumed on Thursday. He said the BNP would continue distributing leaflets to help people protect themselves from dengue and reduce the risk of infection.

A total of 288 people were killed and 630 others injured in 265 road accidents in Sylhet division during the first nine months of 2026, according to a report by Nirapad Sarak Chai (Nischa). The report, released by the Nischa Sylhet Divisional Committee on Thursday marking National Road Safety Day, showed that May recorded the highest number of fatalities at 51, followed by August with 47 deaths. According to the monthly breakdown, 25 people were killed in 25 accidents in January, 32 in 32 accidents in February, 32 in 29 accidents in March and 15 in 19 accidents in April. In May, 51 people died in 42 accidents, while June recorded 29 deaths in 29 accidents. In July, 31 people were killed in 28 accidents, followed by 47 in 35 accidents in August and 26 in 26 accidents in September. The report showed that 98 people were killed in road accidents in May and August combined, accounting for about 34 percent of the total fatalities during the nine-month period. It identified speeding, risky overtaking, driver negligence, mechanical defects in vehicles and inadequate road safety measures as possible causes of accidents. The report also stressed the importance of helmet use by motorcyclists and passengers, as well as safe road-crossing practices by pedestrians. To improve road safety, it called for greater public awareness, stricter enforcement of traffic laws, regular monitoring and measures to identify and address the causes of accidents. Ensuring safety on highways across Sylhet division remains a major challenge, the report noted. It particularly highlighted the need for effective speed limits, identification of accident-prone spots and appropriate warning measures on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, where heavy traffic and high speeds increase the risk of accidents. The report stressed that reducing road fatalities requires effective initiatives by the authorities, greater awareness among drivers, passengers and pedestrians, and compliance with traffic laws.