United News of Bangladesh

Implementing Bangladesh's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) for 2026-2035 will require an estimated US$116.18 billion, including US$90.23 billion in international support, a national dialogue was told Saturday. The figures were presented at the dialogue "People-Led Policy: Bangladesh Position at COP31" at the CIRDAP auditorium, ahead of COP31. The event was organised by a coalition of 33 national and international organisations. According to the presentations, NDC 3.0 targets a 20.31 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 84.97 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, by 2035. The National Adaptation Plan for 2023-2050 identifies 113 initiatives that need around $230 billion. Roufa Khanum of the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER) presented figures on global emissions and Bangladesh's climate risks. Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, chairman of the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), emphasised better waste management and steps to cut air pollution and industrial emissions. Mahzabeen Mahfuz of ActionAid Bangladesh spoke on a just energy transition, while Chowdhury Abrar Zahin and Helena Khatun addressed marine resources and international finance. Youth representatives presented six demands covering climate finance, education, employment, gender justice and meaningful participation in decision-making. Mirza Shawkat Ali, director (climate change and international convention) at the Department of Environment, said initiatives are under way to reduce industrial emissions. He said credible evidence and specific plans are essential to present Bangladesh's demands effectively in international negotiations. SM Munjurul Hannan Khan, executive director of Nature Conservation Management (NACOM), stressed coordinated planning on climate finance, the blue economy, waste management and urban heat stress. Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh and moderator of the dialogue, said Bangladesh bears a disproportionate burden of climate change and that united efforts are needed to secure grant-based finance rather than loans. The position paper's key demands include: 1. International climate finance, including for NDC 3.0, must be debt-free and grant-based. 2. The government, civil society, youth and private sector must coordinate their positions in negotiations. 3. Environment-friendly products such as jute should be showcased at COP31. 4. Industrial emissions must be cut, with a just energy transition that protects workers. 5. Women, youth and climate-affected communities must have meaningful roles in policymaking and national delegations. 6. Adequate finance must be secured for safe housing for climate migrants, waste management and urban heat mitigation. The dialogue also underlined the need to ensure climate finance reaches affected communities, that displaced people can access resettlement support, and that women, persons with disabilities and marginalised groups take part in climate decision-making.

A special ‘Green Channel’ has been launched at a hospital in China to facilitate advanced eye treatment for Bangladeshi patients, offering priority appointments, interpreter services and follow-up care after their return home. The service was formally inaugurated at Kunming Huaxia Eye Hospital in Kunming, southwestern China, on Saturday. Shahanaj Akhter Ranu, Consul General of Bangladesh in Kunming, unveiled the Green Channel plaque and also inaugurated the Huaxia Ophthalmology International Forum 2026 on the same day. Ridwanur Rahman, First Secretary (Commercial) at the Bangladesh Consulate General, and Zhang Zhiyong, vice-president of Huaxia Eye Hospital, attended the programme. Under the new arrangement, Bangladeshi patients will be able to receive medical consultations and have their medical records reviewed before travelling to China for treatment. Upon arrival, they will have access to a dedicated international desk, priority appointments and interpreter assistance to overcome language barriers. Follow-up care will also be available after they return to Bangladesh. Speaking at the inauguration, Shahnaz Ranu highlighted progress in Bangladesh’s public health sector and the achievements of local institutions in eye care. She stressed the importance of ensuring internationally recognised medical services for Bangladeshi patients while safeguarding patient safety, transparency in treatment costs, fair pricing and dignity. The consul general said the consulate’s main expectations were to ensure quality and safe treatment, maintain transparency in medical expenses and uphold patients’ dignity. She also urged the hospital authorities to contribute not only to expanding treatment opportunities for Bangladeshi patients in China but also to strengthening Bangladesh’s own eye-care capacity. She particularly emphasised training for Bangladeshi ophthalmologists and nurses, teleconsultation services and partnerships with eye-care institutions in Bangladesh. Such initiatives could help improve the country’s capacity to provide advanced eye treatment at home, she noted. The launch of the Green Channel establishes a coordinated support system for Bangladeshi eye patients, covering pre-travel consultations, hospital treatment and post-treatment follow-up. It also highlights opportunities to expand training and institutional cooperation between Bangladesh and China in ophthalmology.

Six more people died of dengue and 1,898 new patients were hospitalised across the country in 24 hours until 8:00am on Saturday. With the latest fatalities, the dengue death toll has risen to 377 in the country this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the deaths, two were reported in Chattogram division and one each in Dhaka South City Corporation, Khulna, Mymensingh and Rajshahi divisions, it said. Since January 1 this year, a total of 121,699 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 115,132 have recovered.

For farmers on Gobardhan char along the Teesta River, water can make or break a harvest. While excessive rain and rising river levels threaten crops on low-lying fields during the monsoon, a lack of rainfall and receding river water leave higher land dry. Caught between these opposing challenges, farmers struggle to protect their crops and earn enough to support their families. Rising production costs and falling paddy prices have made an already precarious livelihood even more difficult. Mohammad Bashir Uddin, 29, a farmer on the char in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district, said this year’s Aman paddy crop suffered due to inadequate rainfall and the absence of river water in the fields. “With no access to deep-tubewell irrigation, farmers have few options when the land dries out.”  

Mir Mohammad Jasim has been elected president of the Education Reporters Association, Bangladesh (ERAB) for the 2026–2028 term, while New Age Senior Staff Correspondent Solamain Salman and Agamir Shomoy Deputy Chief Reporter Nur Mohammad have been jointly elected general secretaries. The new executive committee was elected at the organisation’s annual general meeting (AGM) held at a resort near Dhaka on Friday. Other elected office-bearers are Matiur Rahman of the Daily Naya Diganta as vice-president, Asif Hasan Kajol of Khoborer Kagoj as joint secretary, Najiur Rahman Sohel of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha as treasurer, Humayun Kabir of the Daily Jugantor as organising secretary, and Hasan Adib of Jago News as office and publicity secretary. Pias Sarkar of the Daily Manabzamin and Farhad Bin Nur of Star News were elected executive committee members. Of the two secretaries, Solamain Salman will serve the first year as general secretary and Nur Mohammad the following year during the two-year term of the executive committee. UNB Deputy Editor and Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum president Masudul Haque served as chief election commissioner. Former ERAB presidents Sabbir Newaz and Nizam ul Haque were the other members of the election commission. Earlier, the annual general meeting was chaired by outgoing ERAB president and Inqilab chief reporter Faruque Hosain.

The fire which broke out at a warehouse of Supreme Garments at Kashimpur in Gazipur, was brought under control on Saturday afternoon. The carton warehouse caught fire around 11am in Paschim Shoildubi area, said Ariful Islam, an official of Kashimpur Fire Service. Eight firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control around 1:50 pm. Ariful said the presence of a large quantity of empty cartons inside the warehouse contributed to the intensity of the fire. Deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence, Saiful Alam Chowdhury, said “So far, eight fire service units are working to douse the blaze. As we know, one of the biggest challenges in Kashimpur area is the lack of water. The roads are narrow that has made it difficult for fire service vehicles to enter.” “At the same time, you can see how the smoke is moving in that direction. The wind is also a factor contributing to the spread of the fire. Anyway, we are trying our best to tackle the situation,” he said. There are many industries in the surrounding area but they do not have adequate water supplies, he added. However, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. No casualties have been reported so far.

Miscreants fired shots at the personal car of popular singer and former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Asif Akbar in the capital’s Moghbazar area early Saturday. Hatirjheel Police Station Officer-in-Charge Asaduzzaman said Asif was not inside the car when the incident occurred and was unharmed. The shooting took place in front of Bishal Centre in Moghbazar, he said. Police have yet to establish the motive for the shooting or identify those involved.  They are trying to collect CCTV footage from the area to track down the suspects, the OC said.

The complainant in a case over an armed attack and vandalism at AJR Parcel and Courier Service Ltd’s warehouse at Hazaribagh in the capital has received a death threat, with the caller demanding that he settles the dispute within 24 hours. The threat came four days after an armed group went on a rampage at the main warehouse of the courier service. The attackers allegedly looted CCTV cameras, a network video recorder (NVR) and other important equipment and removed potential evidence related to the incident. The company’s manager, Afsar Uddin, who filed the case on behalf of the company, received a threatening phone call from an unidentified person at around 11pm on Friday. The man repeatedly threatened to kill Afsar and leave his body lying on the road if he failed to contact the other party and resolve the dispute by Saturday. “Why did you become the complainant in the case? Who will be the complainant in your own case?” the caller asked, according to the audio recording of the conversation. The caller also used abusive language and claimed to know Afsar’s residence, warning that nobody would be able to save him if he did not comply with the demand. When Afsar asked the caller to identify himself, the man refused to provide his name or identity. Afsar told him that he is not the owner of the company and filed the case because he was instructed to do so. Hazaribagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mosharraf Hossain said that he spoke to the complainant who sent him the audio recording of the conversation. “We are examining the recording and looking into where the threatening call originated, along with other relevant details,” he said. The OC said the latest threat would be investigated as part of the case. The company authorities filed a case with Hazaribagh Police Station on October 21, following which police launched an operation and arrested four accused in connection with the attack, vandalism and extortion case. Earlier, the OC had identified top criminal Imon as the suspected mastermind behind the attack.

A housewife was subjected to brutal torture, including having her hair forcibly cut off and chili powder rubbed over her body, over an alleged extramarital affair in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila on Thursday, police said Friday. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon in Korati Para village under Naldanga union. The victim, Suchitra Biswas, wife of Manmatha Biswas, filed a case with Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station on Thursday night, naming five individuals. The named accused are Tonni Khatun, her (Tonni's) daughters Oni and Koni, son Shuvo, and neighbour Abdur Rashid. According to police, Tonni Khatun had long harbored anger against Suchitra, alleging an affair between her and Anwar Hossain, an employee at the Kaliganj Land Office. On Thursday afternoon, Tonni along with her children and accomplices barged into Suchitra's home, beat her, forcibly cut off her hair, and rubbed chili powder on her body. Neighbours rushed to the scene upon hearing her screams, prompting the attackers to flee. Md. Asad-uz-Zaman, Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said a case has been registered against five persons and drives are underway to arrest them.  

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked fifth on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 176 at 09:31 am on Saturday. Dhaka’s air was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the air quality and pollution city ranking. Senegal’s Dakar India’s Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata occupied the first four spots in the list, with AQI scores of 314, 187, 181and 178, respectively. An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy' and 301-400 is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.