United News of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Army will deploy between 90,000 and 100,000 personnel across the country during the upcoming national elections, the highest-ever deployment in the nation’s electoral history. Brigadier General Dewan Md Monjur Hossain, Director of Military Operations at the Army Headquarters, shared the information during a media briefing at Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday. He said army camps would be set up at district, upazila and constituency levels to help maintain law and order throughout the election period. Will contest election, says AG Asaduzzaman “A free and fair election requires a stable law and order situation,” Brig Gen Monjur said, adding, “The Bangladesh Army is fully committed to assisting the law enforcement agencies in ensuring that stability. When the army is called upon to assist in maintaining law and order, we dedicate our utmost effort.” He reaffirmed that the army stands ready to provide all necessary support to the Election Commission to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections. All measures in place for free, fair election: Adviser Jahangir Alam Responding to a question on speculation about the election schedule, Brig Gen Monjur said the army would act strictly in line with government directives and the guidelines issued by the Election Commission to ensure transparency and fairness. He also mentioned that the chiefs of the three armed forces have already met the Chief Adviser, with details of the discussion released through an official statement from the Chief Adviser’s Office.  

Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) on Wednesday opened a state-of-the-art Solar Panel Testing Laboratory at its headquarters aimed at strengthening country’s renewable energy sector and ensuring the use of high-quality solar panels. Industries Secretary Md Obaidul Rahman formally inaugurated the facility as the chief guest while BSTI Director General (Grade-1) SM Ferdous Alam presided over the ceremony.  Speaking at the event, the Industries Secretary said the laboratory will play a vital role in maintaining global standards for both imported and locally manufactured solar panels.  “This modern facility opens a new chapter for Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector. It will encourage greater public adoption of clean and environment-friendly energy sources,” he said.  Counterfeit goods flood Bangladesh; is BSTI asleep? With the establishment of this testing lab, BSTI will be able to ensure compliance with international standards in solar power production, which in turn will safeguard consumer interests, he added. BSTI Director General SM Ferdous Alam said the initiative reflects the nation’s commitment to sustainable development.  “Every solar panel used in our country must be tested, certified and durable so that Bangladesh may shine with reliable solar energy. This inauguration is not merely a technological achievement, but a testament to our national aspiration for a clean, sustainable and energy-secure future,” he added.   The core technology of the laboratory has been sourced from a renowned German company.  At its centre is a High Precision Standard Sun Simulator, capable of accurately measuring the performance efficiency of solar modules. The facility can test panels up to 2700mm × 1600mm in size, making it the only laboratory in Bangladesh with such testing capacity. Officials said the lab is expected to enhance consumer confidence, support local solar manufacturing, and accelerate the country’s transition towards renewable energy. Senior officials from the Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA), Ministry of Housing and Public Works, DPDC, DESCO, Ittokl, RAJUK and BSTI were present.    

The Election Commission has directed its field officials to dispose of applications, filed by expatriate Bangladeshis for registering as voters, by Thursday (Nov 6) ahead of the general election. All applications submitted by October 31, 2025 must be resolved by November 6, following the completion of field-level investigations and the uploading of corresponding investigation reports, according to a letter from the Election Commission (EC) sent to the relevant officials. The Commission sent the letter to its regional election officers, senior district election officers or district election officers and Upazila or Thana election officers on Tuesday. All measures in place for free, fair election: Adviser Jahangir Alam On November 03, the draft updated electoral rolls were published, showing the number of registered voters in Bangladesh has reached approximately 12.76 crore. The total number of the country’s voters is 12,76,12,384. Of them, 6,47,60,382 are male, 6,28,50,772 are female, and 1,230 are from the third gender voters. The Commission will release the final electoral rolls on November 18 ahead of the 13th parliamentary election by receiving and settling complaints, if any, over the draft list.  

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has formed a two-member committee to hold discussions with political parties to formulate a framework over the electoral structure, July Charter implementation and a referendum based on consensus. The political party issued a statement in this regard on Wednesday. The decision was made during a meeting of Jamaat’s Central Executive Council held on Tuesday evening with its Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman in the chair. The meeting discussed the current political situation. The committee members are Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Assistant Secretary General and former MP Dr. Hamidur Rahman Azad.  

A probe body, formed after the July jet crash, on Wednesday recommended that all initial trainings of the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) will be conducted outside Dhaka city considering the public safety. "We have capacity to do (initial training) that," Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters at the Foreign Service Academy in the city. Quoting the investigation report, Alam said things went beyond the pilot when he was flying as there were faults during the time of take-off. "The key reason for the accident was the pilot's error during take-off. While flying during training, the situation went beyond his control. That is the conclusion (of the report),” he said. There were 31 recommendations and 10 recommendations came up prominently for discussions. Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hassan handed over the report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus with a set of recommendations. The Press Secretary said the probe body spoke to 150 people, including experts and victims and through these conversations; they gathered 168 pieces of information and made 33 recommendations. He said the school was not built with Rajuk's approved building code (Bangladesh National Building Code). The Press Secretary said the building was supposed to have minimum three stairs, but it had only one in the middle. The expert committee said that if there had been three staircases, the number of casualties would have been lower, he added, quoting the report. The July 21 jet crash at Milestone School and College in the capital's Uttara claimed 34 lives, including 28 students and three teachers, and injured over a hundred. Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahmmad and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi were also present.

The government has formed a three-member committee to look into the allegations against Additional Secretary Zia Uddin Ahmed during his tenure at the Food Ministry. Headed by Social Welfare Secretary Mohammad Abu Yusuf, the other members of the committee are joint secretary Rokeya Begum and SM Noman Hasan Khan, deputy secretary of the Social Welfare Ministry. Md Mahidul Haque, owner of Ruposhi Flour, Rice & Nutrition Mill in Shibganj, Bogura, lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Public Administration accusing Zia Uddin of misconduct while he was serving as an additional secretary at the Food Ministry. Zia Uddin is currently posted as Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.  

The government has officially declared the Halda River, Bangladesh’s largest natural breeding ground for carp fish, as the country’s first ‘Fish Heritage’ site. A gazette notification in this regard was issued on Wednesday. It also imposed a complete ban on fishing and other harmful activities in the river. From April to June, carp fish spawn naturally in various parts of the river, producing a large number of fertilized eggs. Besides, this uniquely characterised river is a habitat for the critically endangered Ganges dolphin. In order to ensure the safe breeding of carp fish through the conservation of the natural environment and the improvement of environmental standards and to preserve the habitat of the Ganges dolphin, the government has declared the 23,422.28059 acres of land covering 93,612 plots along the Halda River flowing through Ramgarh and Manikchhari upazilas in Khagrachhari and Fatikchhari, Raozan, Hathazari upazilas and Panchlaish thana in Chattogram, as the ‘Halda River Fish Heritage’. Mother fish release eggs in Halda River The gazette notification also stipulates that certain conditions must be met for the utilisation of the Halda River from the date of its publication. Those are: ·  No fish or aquatic animals may be caught or hunted from the river. However, the Department of Fisheries may collect fertilized fish eggs during the breeding season under its supervision. ·  No activity is allowed that destroys habitats of animals or plants. ·  No work may be undertaken that alters or damages the river’s natural land or water features. ·  Activities harmful to fish, dolphins or other aquatic species are strictly prohibited. ·  Domestic, industrial or institutional waste—solid or liquid—cannot be discharged into the river. ·  The river’s course may not be straightened or altered in any way. ·  Fishing is prohibited in 17 canals connected to the Halda River during the breeding season (February to July). ·  Construction of new rubber dams or concrete dams on the river or its connected canals is banned. Endangered dolphin found dead in Halda River ·  No new water treatment or irrigation projects may withdraw water from the river without approval from the Halda River Fish Heritage Monitoring Committee. ·  No domestic or foreign entity or individual may conduct research on the river or its aquatic life without prior permission from the Monitoring Committee. ·   To ensure natural fish migration before spawning, no obstruction may be created in the river or its connected canals. ·   Operation of engine-driven heavy vessels—including sand-laden and cargo boats or dredgers—is prohibited year-round from the Karnaphuli estuary to the Nazirhat Bridge (sanctuary area). ·    Sand extraction or leasing of sand fields in the Halda and its tributaries is banned and dredging or harmful sand lifting is prohibited.· Tobacco cultivation in the river basin is not allowed. ·   The use of harmful pesticides or insecticides in agricultural lands of the river basin is prohibited. ·   Establishment of brick kilns near the riverbanks is not permitted. It also states that for better environmental and ecological management, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock may, from time to time, impose new restrictions or make necessary amendments regarding boundary demarcation and related matters arising from changes in the river’s course.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to launch an investigation into the years-long concealment of a staggering volume of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Bangladesh’s banking sector, seeking to identify those responsible for the large-scale cover-up. The global lender is examining whether the secrecy surrounding the true extent of defaulted loans stemmed from deliberate manipulation or gross negligence in bank inspections, officials at the Bangladesh Bank (BB) told UNB on Wednesday. With the real picture gradually emerging following the recent change in government, the IMF now wants to know how such critical financial information remained hidden from the public for so long. IMF Seeks BB’s Clarification The issue dominated a meeting between an IMF delegation and Bangladesh Bank officials on Tuesday (November 4). The officials who attended the meeting confirmed that the IMF team explicitly demanded clarification on how and why the NPL data had been concealed and why such discrepancies went undetected during repeated bank inspections. IMF-WB proposes unified debt management office in Dhaka to strengthen public debt governance For years, efforts had reportedly been made to portray the banking sector as ‘healthy’ by downplaying the actual figures. “With the change of administration, that veil of secrecy appears to have been lifted. Consequently, the latest data reveal a dramatic surge in NPLs,” said a central bank official wishing anonymity. NPLs Soar to Tk 6.5 Lakh Crore According to the newly disclosed figures, the total volume of NPLs across the country’s banking sector has jumped from around Tk 4 lakh crore to more than Tk 6.5 lakh crore within just one year. The default rate in state-owned banks has now surpassed 40 percent, while private banks are reporting NPL rates exceeding 10 percent. Systemic ‘Failures’ This situation marks a significant breach of one of the key conditions under the IMF’s $4.7 billion loan programme, which requires the NPL rate at state-owned banks to be reduced to below 10 percent by 2026, according to the officials. IMF projects Bangladesh's GDP Growth at 3.8 percent in 2025 The widening gap between the target and current reality has prompted the IMF to intensify its scrutiny. The IMF’s probe is focusing on several key areas: ·  The role of bank officials in classifying loans as non-performing; ·  Whether legal loopholes or intentional efforts were used to avoid classifying unreturned loans as defaults; ·  How such a fundamental lapse persisted within the bank inspection system; and · Whether the inspectors were negligent or complicit in deliberate systematic manipulation.    

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman Ripon said on Wednesday that he would participate in the next national election slated for February 2026. “I have sought nomination (BNP). I will contest the election and quit the post (AG) in due time,” he said while talking to reporters on the Supreme Court premises after attending the hearing of a petition on the annulment of caretaker government. Asked about the possibility of obtaining nomination, he expressed optimism that he would get nomination. “No one will be able to vote from the grave at midnight”: Attorney General The Attorney General has been engaged in several social works in Jhenaidah-1 seat (Shailkupa upazila) and expressed his interest in vying for the election. Meanwhile, on Monday, BNP announced a list of 237 potential candidates for the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election, keeping the Jhenaidah-1 seat pending.

The government has suspended all transfers and postings of officials involved in the Aman paddy procurement programme to achieve the target. According to an official order issued by the Ministry of Food last Monday, officers under the Directorate General of Food play vital role in the procurement process. To achieve the targeted procurement and maintain an uninterrupted supply chain during the upcoming season, transfers or postings of these officials will remain suspended until further notice. In case of retirement or death, vacancies may be filled with prior approval from the Director General of the Directorate General of Food, reads the order.