United News of Bangladesh

Authorities in Florida have confirmed that the second recovered body is that of Nahida Sultana Bristy, said Golam Mortoza, Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh Embassy in the United States, in a WhatsApp message on Friday. Police from a Florida department contacted Bristy’s brother to confirm the identification, he said. The family has requested that arrangements be made to send her body back to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC, in coordination with the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami, has started the process to repatriate the body. Meanwhile, the body of Zamil Ahamed Limon, one of the two Bangladeshi students killed in the United States, will arrive in Dhaka on May 4. Golam Mortoza said the mortal remains will reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40am on an Emirates flight. The body has been received by a funeral home and will be transported from Orlando via a flight departing at 8:50pm on May 2, through Dubai. Limon’s first namaz-e-janaza was scheduled to be held after Johr prayers on Thursday at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area in Florida, he added. Limon and Bristy, both 27-year-old doctoral students from Bangladesh, disappeared on April 16. Limon was last seen at the off-campus complex where he shared an apartment with murder suspect Hisham Abugharbieh, 26 and another roommate. Detectives used cellphone location and licence plate reader data to track Abugharbieh’s car and Limon’s phone to the bridge where Limon’s body was found on April 24. Limon had numerous stab wounds and appeared to be bound, according to a report filed by prosecutors. Authorities later recovered another body from a nearby waterway on April 26, which has now been confirmed as Bristy. The suspect was arrested days after the incident by a SWAT team at his parents’ home. A court ordered that he be held without bond. Hisham Abugharbieh has also been barred from contacting witnesses or the victims’ family members, Hillsborough County Judge Logan Murphy said during a brief hearing in Tampa. According to court records, Abugharbieh faces two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon along with other charges. He could face the death penalty if convicted, though prosecutors have not yet said whether they will pursue capital punishment. When questioned days after the couple disappeared, Abugharbieh denied involvement, though detectives noted that his pinky finger was bandaged, according to a pretrial detention report. Investigators later gained access to the apartment with the help of the building manager. A third roommate told police that Abugharbieh had used a cart overnight on April 16 to move cardboard boxes from his room to a trash compactor.

A discussion meeting was held in the capital on Friday marking International Workers’ Day and May Day, with speakers stressing the need to ensure workers’ rights, safe workplaces and a corruption-free Bangladesh. The programme was organised by Citizens Against Corruption (CAC) at the auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) under the theme: “Workers’ Rights, End of Corruption: A Transparent Campaign for a Prosperous Future.” The event was chaired by Yusuf Hossain, chairman of CAC, while its General Secretary Salman Mahmud moderated the programme. Former secretary and former chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Margub Morshed attended the event as the chief guest. Among the special guests were adviser to CAC and businessman-researcher Dr Mostafizur Rahman, industrialist and film personality Khorshed Alam Khosru, DRU President Abu Saleh Akon, and poet Ashraful Islam. Speaking at the event, Yusuf Hossain said workers are the driving force of the country’s economy, yet many are still deprived of fair wages, workplace safety and social dignity. He called for the formulation and implementation of worker-friendly policies to eliminate such inequalities and ensure fair wages, healthcare facilities, social security and safe working environments for workers in the garments, construction, transport and industrial sectors. Chief guest Margub Morshed said sustainable development would not be possible without a corruption-free administration and worker-friendly policies. He stressed the need for accountability and coordination among the state, employers and workers. Salman Mahmud said CAC has begun its journey with the goal of building a worker-friendly, business-friendly and safe Bangladesh by eliminating corruption and irregularities from society. CAC Vice-President Shakhawat Hossain also spoke at the event. Dr Mostafizur Rahman said ensuring workers’ rights is not only a humanitarian responsibility but also a prerequisite for the country’s economic progress. Khorshed Alam Khosru said workers across different sectors, including the film industry, play a vital role in the country and deserve proper healthcare and welfare support. He also said CAC would continue reaching out to people across the country every month to campaign against corruption and irregularities. The speakers at the programme also underscored the importance of strengthening social movements and raising public awareness to prevent corruption at all levels of society.

Buddha Purnima, the most sacred and largest religious festival of Buddhists community, is being celebrated today across the country with traditional enthusiasm and due religious fervour. The United Nations declared Buddha Purnima as International Vesak Day in 2000. The day commemorates three key events in the life of Gautama Buddha – the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, his attainment of supreme enlightenment, and his entry into Nirvana, the sublime cessation of all longing. The occasion holds profound significance for Buddhists worldwide. The day is a public holiday in Bangladesh. The festival is also known as Ashwini Purnima, marking the conclusion of the three-month-long seclusion of monks inside monasteries for self-edification and atonement of defilements. It is followed by a month-long preaching of sermons by Buddhist monks for the welfare of all beings and humanity, along with a month-long yellow robes offering ceremony beginning the day after the Purnima. According to legend, Buddha once clipped some strands of hair from his head and said that if he was destined to attain supreme wisdom and enlightenment, the hairs would not fall but rise upwards—which they ultimately did. On the occasion, Buddhists release candle-lit air balloons made of coloured paper (fanush), which float into the autumn sky in the evening, one of the main attractions of the festival. The Buddha Purnima is being celebrated in monasteries, offices of religious organisations and educational institutions through daylong programmes. The celebrations began at dawn with the hoisting of national and religious flags at monasteries, followed by chanting of verses from the sacred Tripitaka. Other programmes include monks’ alms-breaking, mass prayers, blood donation, Sangadana, discussions, Panchashila, Asthashila and Pradip Puja. President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman issued separate messages on the occasion, extending greetings to the Buddhist community at home and abroad. In his message, the President said Buddha Purnima marks the birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha, making it a deeply sacred and significant religious festival. He said the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha continue to inspire humanity through the message of non-violence, equality, compassion and friendship, which are essential for building a peaceful and harmonious society. Describing Buddha’s philosophy as a timeless guide for moral, social and spiritual development, the President said the principle of “Ahimsa Paramo Dharma” (non-violence is the highest virtue) remains highly relevant in today’s conflict-ridden world. Highlighting Bangladesh’s tradition of religious harmony, he said people of all faiths in the country have long been practicing their religions freely in a peaceful environment. Shahabuddin urged Buddhists to uphold the ideals of Gautama Buddha and contribute further to national development through knowledge, skills and dedication. In his message, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said Buddha Purnima is a sacred festival marking the birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha. He said Bangladesh is a shining example of communal harmony, where people of all religions have long been celebrating their festivals in an atmosphere of mutual respect, harmony and peace. Referring to Buddha’s teachings, the Prime Minister said Gautama Buddha devoted his life to spreading the message of non-violence, equality, compassion and friendship for the welfare of humanity. These teachings remain timeless and especially relevant in a world affected by conflict, hatred and intolerance. He added that the values of peace, tolerance, compassion and humanity taught by Buddha can serve as a strong source of inspiration today. Tarique Rahman reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring religious freedom, constitutional rights and the welfare of all citizens, aiming to build an inclusive society for people of all faiths and beliefs.

A young worker was killed after being struck by a machine while working in a plywood factory in the Kamrangirchar area of the capital on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Md Miraj, 19, son of Shahjahan Mia of Amua village under Kathalia upazila in Jhalakathi district. He had been living on the factory premises. The incident occurred at a factory of City Plywood. According to factory supervisor Mohammad Abdul Mannan, Miraj was seriously injured after being hit by a machine while working around 9:30pm. He was rescued and rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead around 11:00pm. The supervisor said Miraj had been working at the factory for nearly seven years. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

A teenage girl has been rescued after being kept in chains at her family home in Machuapara village of Taraganj upazila, in an incident that highlights the tensions between early marriage, family authority and a young woman’s choice. The girl, aged 17 years and nine months, had left home three months ago and married Mahbub Alam of neighbouring Nilphamari district following a relationship. The couple had been living at the husband’s family home without any issues. On April 13, she returned to her parents’ house for a short visit after being assured by her family. But within two days, the situation changed. When she expressed her wish to go back to her husband’s home, her family refused. According to a complaint, she was then confined and kept in chains from April 15. The situation came to light when her father-in-law Majnu Mia filed a written complaint with Taraganj Police Station on Thursday afternoon. Police, along with the upazila administration, carried out an operation to rescue the girl. Speaking about the incident, Majnu Mia said he had accepted the couple when they came to his home and allowed them to live together. He claimed that relatives from the girl’s family had earlier visited and assured him they would accept the marriage before taking her back. “When my son later went to bring his wife home, he found she had been kept in chains and even beaten,” Manju Mia said. The girl’s father, however, stood firm in his position, arguing that the young man was unable to support his daughter financially and that he would not send her back. Officials said she was found chained inside the house and was later sent to an Integrated Child Rehabilitation Centre in Rangpur. Ruhul Amin, Officer-in-Charge of Taraganj Police Station, said the girl was rescued and handed over to the Department of Social Services for protection. Upazila Social Services Officer Mahmudul Haque said the girl’s marriage was not legally valid, as she is still under 18. She was sent to the Integrated Child Rehabilitation Centre in Rangpur and will remain there until she reaches adulthood. The case has drawn attention to the complex realities faced by young people in rural areas, where personal choices, economic concerns and legal boundaries often collide, sometimes with deeply distressing consequences.

Heavy rainfall for nearly two hours since early Friday has triggered waterlogging in many parts of the capital, causing inconvenience to commuters, though the impact remained limited due to reduced traffic on the public holiday. The downpour began shortly after 5:00am and continued till just before 7:00am. As a result, roads in many areas, including Malibagh, Mouchak, Moghbazar, Green Road, Karwan Bazar, Panthapath, Jigatala, Dhanmondi, West Tejturi Bazar, West Shewrapara, Mirpur-10, Kazipara and Madhubagh, went under water. However, the number of vehicles on the streets was relatively low since it was a holiday, reducing overall suffering.

The historic May Day is being observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the world today. May Day, also known as the International Workers' Solidarity Day, commemorates the historic uprising of working people in Chicago, USA at the height of a prolonged fight for an eight-hour workday in the late nineteenth century. This year’s theme is “Healthy Workers, Productive Hands, A New Dawn Awaits” (Sustho Sramik, Karmotho Hat, Ashbe Ebar Nobo Provat). The day is a public holiday. Newspapers have published supplements while radio and television channels are airing special programmes highlighting the significance of the day. Different socio-cultural organisations, political parties are observing the day with various programmes. On May 1, 1886, 10 workers were killed when police opened fire on a demonstration in the US city of Chicago near Hay Market demanding an eight-hour working day instead of a 12-hour shift. On the height of agitation, the authorities had to accept the workers' demand and the eight-hour day has been introduced universally. On July 14, 1889, an international workers' rally in Paris declared May 1 as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day in recognition of the Chicago workers' sacrifice and achievement and since 1890, the day has been observed globally as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day. The day has been observed globally as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day since 1890. President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman issued separate messages on the occasion. In his message, President Shahabuddin said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had taken various groundbreaking steps to establish workers’ rights and welfare. Continuing that legacy, the current government has adopted various programmes and policies for the welfare of the working class, he said. These include labour law reforms, ensuring fair wages, providing reasonable wages and social security for workers in the informal sector, introducing a self-financed pension system, ensuring trade union rights, reopening closed industries, providing food at fair prices, and ensuring job security for permanent workers and employees. The President expressed hope that the implementation of these programmes would improve the lives of workers. He said the contribution of the working class to national development is immense, describing workers as the main drivers of the country’s progress. To achieve the goal of building a prosperous Bangladesh, Shahabuddin said, it is essential to ensure workers’ rights, a safe working environment, and social security. In his message, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said working people are the backbone of any country’s development, prosperity and progress. Industry, agriculture, infrastructure and a strong economy are built on their hard work, he said. Tarique Rahman said improving their living standards, ensuring fair rights, creating a safe working environment and establishing social dignity are key commitments of the current democratic government. He wished overall success for all programmes undertaken on the occasion of May Day.

Fifteen Bangladeshi sailors of the ill-fated vessel MV Seaload Ark, which sank off the coast of Phuket, Thailand, have returned home on Thursday after 82 days. The sailors arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at noon on an IndiGo Airlines flight, appearing emotional upon their return. The ship, carrying containers bound for Bangladesh, sank in the sea on February 7 while en route from Port Klang, Malaysia, to Chattogram port. It was scheduled to reach Chattogram on February 12. Officials said the vessel went down about four nautical miles off the Phuket coast, after which the Thai navy rescued all crew members. However, legal complications delayed their repatriation for weeks. The return of the sailors was confirmed by Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association (BMMOA) General Secretary Md Sakhawat Hossain. He said the return of the sailors after 82 days is a “great relief and a moment of joy,” adding that the ship’s master will remain in Thailand for a few more days for legal procedures. According to sources, the vessel was carrying 101 forty-foot containers and 96 twenty-foot containers at the time of the incident. The ship had departed from Port Klang on February 5 and was scheduled to arrive at Chattogram port on February 12. BMMOA officials said they remained in continuous contact with the sailors and worked through the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to facilitate their repatriation. They added that technical manager of the vessel, Naf Marine Services CEO Capt Md Salahuddin Chowdhury, coordinated with the Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand and the Department of Shipping to resolve legal obstacles. The association also acknowledged the role of several international and local organisations, including the shipowners’ P&I Club, legal advisers Rajah & Tann (Thailand), and Ben Line Agencies in Phuket, for providing legal and logistical support. Sakhawat Hossain further said the shipowners ensured accommodation, food and salary payments for the sailors during their stay in Thailand. He also thanked Tysers, the Department of Shipping, ITF and the Bangladesh Embassy for their diplomatic efforts. Bangladeshi seafarers are our asset and pride. Our association will always stand beside them in any crisis, he added.

The 123rd draw of the Tk 100 denomination prize bond was held on Thursday, with the number 001035 clinching the first prize of Tk 6 lakh. The number 0047748 won the second prize of Tk 3.25 lakh. The draw took place at the conference room of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner's office, presided over by Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Director of the Local Government Division, Dhaka. According to the results, two third prizes of Tk 1.0 lakh each were awarded to 0538289 and 0675382, while two fourth prizes of Tk 50,000 each went to 0400451 and 0567644. Additionally, 40 winners were selected for the fifth prize of Tk 10,000 each. The winning numbers are: 0021749, 0217419, 0461472, 0588966, 0749740, 0022181, 0246045, 0462056, 0596346, 0759908, 0056378, 0296402, 0478015, 0600440, 0772773, 0092356, 0311130, 0480567, 0607349, 0813659, 0144567, 0356942, 0512024, 0639367, 0848046, 0155398, 0393277, 0551221, 0642002, 0849614, 0155934, 0413501, 0564760, 0650119, 0922597, 0175792, 0452441, 0573865, 0688773, and 0947665. The draw includes prize bonds sold at least 60 days prior to the draw date. Under Section 118 of the Income Tax Act 2023, a 20 percent tax is applicable to the prize money and will be deducted at source.

An analysis of the affidavits of candidates for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th National Parliamentary Election 2026 shows that nearly two-thirds of the nominated candidates are highly educated and millionaires. Among the nominees, around 65 percent are millionaires and more than 63 percent possess postgraduate or higher educational qualifications. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) presented this picture through an analysis of the affidavit information of 49 nominated candidates submitted to the Election Commission. Overall, including directly elected and reserved women’s seat members, 52.63 percent of all members hold postgraduate or higher degrees. Among the reserved women’s seat candidates, 27 percent are graduates and 4.1 percent have passed higher secondary education. The rate of self-educated candidates is 4.1 percent and secondary school graduates account for 2.1 percent. According to the analysis, a large portion of candidates for reserved seats are wealthy. Out of 49 candidates, 32 (65.31%) are multi-millionaires based on the total value of movable and immovable assets. Among them, separately, 25 are multimillionaires based on movable assets and 14 based on immovable assets. Party-wise analysis shows that among BNP’s 36 candidates, 26 (72.22%) are multimillionaires, and among Jamaat-e-Islami’s 9 candidates, 5 (56%) are multimillionaires. In addition, the sole candidate from JAGPA is also a multi-millionaire. Candidates with an average annual income above BDT 1 million account for 38.78 percent (19 people); among directly elected general seat MPs, this rate is 67.9 percent. However, overall in the 13th Parliamentary Election, including directly elected and reserved women’s seat members, the total number of multimillionaires is 269, which is 77.3 percent. Assets and Debt Analysis of the total assets of multimillionaire candidates in reserved seats shows that their total immovable assets exceeding one crore taka amount to BDT 66 crore and total movable assets amount to BDT 78 crore. However, when immovable and movable assets are added separately, the total amount of assets stands at BDT 152 crore. Notably, at least three candidates for women’s reserved seats have more than 100 bhori of gold ornaments either in their own names or jointly with their spouses—among them, one candidate alone has 502 bhori of gold ornaments in her own name. Alongside this vast personal wealth, the analysis also highlights debt burdens among reserved seat candidates, showing that 20.41 percent of candidates are in some form of debt or liability. Party-wise, the rate of indebtedness is equal for BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami candidates at 22.22 percent. However, compared to reserved seat candidates (20.41%), directly elected MPs (50.84%) have 2.49 times higher indebtedness. Analysis of affidavit information shows that among reserved women’s seat candidates, 5 candidates have fewer buildings or flats than their husbands. Similarly, 7 candidates have less land and 14 candidates have fewer movable assets than their husbands. Since most women candidates for reserved seats possess more assets than their husbands, considering Bangladesh’s demographic and asset acquisition context, this creates an opportunity for special attention. TIB believes that while the participation of highly educated women and professionals including lawyers in reserved women’s seats is positive, like general seats, the influence of wealth and the dominance of certain professions are also noticeable here, the impact of which may be far-reaching.