United News of Bangladesh

Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, visited the family of bullet-hit Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a potential independent candidate for Dhaka-8, on Friday night to enquire about their wellbeing and express her sympathy. Dr Zubaida met Hadi’s family at Evercare Hospital at around 9:30pm, where Hadi is receiving treatment in the ICU. She spoke with his brother and sister outside the ICU and received updates from the doctors about his condition. BNP Media Cell member Atiqur Rahman Rumon and Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, director of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, were also present. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi was shot and injured on Friday after Juma prayers on Box Culvert Road in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. He was seriously injured and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment before being transferred by an ambulance to Evercare Hospital for intensive care. Hadi has undergone head surgery and remains under close medical observation. BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has also been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital since November 23. Tarique terms attack on Hadi a conspiracy against democracy Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Begum Khaleda Zia at the hospital to enquire about her condition. Later, he, along with BNP Standing Committee member Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, went to see Hadi at the hospital at around 11:20pm, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.  

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus spoke over the phone on Friday night with Omar Bin Hadi, brother of Inqilab Manch spokesperson and independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, Sharif Osman Hadi, who survived an assassination attempt on Friday but remains in very critical condition. The CA assured him that the government will ensure best possible treatment and bear all expenses related to Hadi’s treatment. Prof Yunus said that considering Hadi’s physical condition, the government will ensure the best possible medical care, whether at home or abroad. “Hadi is very dear to all of us. We wish him a speedy recovery and pray that he returns to us soon,” the Chief Adviser said. Hadi's condition 'very critical' after bullet causes 'massive brain injury'; doctor says there is fight in him He said the Council of Advisers is deeply concerned and saddened by the attack on Hadi. Assuring full cooperation from the government, Prof. Yunus told Hadi’s brother, “I have held an emergency meeting with several advisers, along with police and security officials. Instructions have been issued to arrest those involved in the attack as soon as possible.”    

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesman of the Inquilab Mancha who is running as an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 at the 13th parliamentary election, remains in critical condition after being shot from close range in Bijoynagar, Dhaka soon after Jumma prayers on Friday. Hadi was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where he underwent emergency neurosurgery. In the evening, he was transferred to Evercare Hospital for advanced ICU support. Dr. Zahid Raihan, Head of the Neurosurgery Department at DMCH, told reporters on Friday evening that Hadi’s condition is extremely critical. “The bullet entered above his left ear and exited through the right side of his head, causing massive brain injury. His skull has been left open, and he is on artificial ventilation,” he said. Dr. Raihan added that the bullet’s path affected the brain stem and that although Hadi is not entirely unresponsive, the situation is extremely critical. He further explained that the portion of the skull where the bullet exited was removed to relieve brain pressure, and accumulated blood and fluid inside the skull were drained. Due to continuous pressure changes and internal bleeding, Hadi’s condition fluctuates. ENT surgeons managed heavy bleeding from his nose and throat, and he remains on artificial respiration, though he still has some spontaneous breathing. Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said Hadi had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of just 3 when brought to DMCH and experienced cardiac arrest once. He added that the next 72 hours will be critical, and no definitive prognosis can be given at this stage. Doctors noted that heavy bleeding from Hadi’s nose and throat occurred later in the evening and was managed.

The Election Commission has clarified the provisions related to qualifications and disqualification for an MP aspirant ahead of the upcoming national election scheduled to be held on February 12 next. The commission, in the election circular-1 issued following the announcement of election schedule on Thursday, explained who can be MP aspirant in the 13th parliamentary election, citing the relevant provisions stated in the Constitution and the Representation of the People Order. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday (December 11) announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order 2025 simultaneously on February 12 (Thursday). According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination paper is December 29, while the scrutiny of nomination paper is on December 30-January 4 and the last date for submission of appeal against the decisions of the returning officers is January 11. The appeals would be disposed of on January 12-18.  The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20.   The returning officers will publish the final lists of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10). The Article 66 of the Constitution and Clause 12 of the RPO state two qualifications – a citizen of Bangladesh and attainment of the age of 25 years and a number of qualifications to be a member of parliament. According to the Article 66 (1) of the Constitution, a person shall be qualified to be elected as, and to be, a member of Parliament if he is a citizen of Bangladesh and has attained the age of twenty-five years. The same Article states that a person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who – (a) is declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind; (b) is an undischarged insolvent;  (c) acquires the citizenship of, or affirms or acknowledges allegiance to, a foreign state; (d) has been, on conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release;  [(e) has been convicted of any offence under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order, 1972; (f) holds any office of profit in the service of the Republic other than an office which is declared by law not to be disqualified its holder ; or (g) is disqualified for such election by or under any law. But if any person being a citizen of Bangladesh by birth acquires the citizenship of a foreign State and then the person gives up the foreign citizenship in case of the dual citizenship or again accepts the citizenship of Bangladesh in other cases, he shall not be deemed to acquire the citizenship of a foreign State. Besides, a person shall not be deemed to hold an office of profit in the service of the Republic by reason only that he is the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister, according to Article 66 of the Constitution. The circular also cited the definition of ‘the service of the Republic’ mentioned in the Article 152 of the Constitution, saying that “the service of the Republic” means any service, post or office whether in a civil or military capacity, in respect of the Government of Bangladesh, and any other service declared by law to be a service of the Republic. The Clause 12 of the RPO states that any elector of a constituency may propose or second for election to that constituency, the name of any person qualified to be a member under clause (1) of Article 66 of the Constitution. About the disqualifications, the same clause of the RPO states a person shall be disqualified for election as or for being, a member if he- (a) is not listed in the electoral roll of any constituency; (b) is not nominated by any registered political party or is not an independent candidate; (c) is a person holding any office of profit in the service of the Republic or of a statutory public authority; (d) is a person who is convicted of an offence punishable under Article 73, 74, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 86 and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since the date of his release, or (e) is a person whose election to a seat is declared void on any of the grounds mentioned in sub-clauses (c), (d) and (e) of clause (1) of Article 63, unless a period of five years has elapsed since the date of such declaration. As per the clause, a person shall be disqualified if he (f) has resigned or retired from the service of the Republic or of any statutory public authority or of the defence service, unless a period of three years has elapsed since the date of his resignation or retirement; (g) has been dismissed or removed or compulsorily retired from the service of the Republic or of any statutory public authority on the ground of corruption, unless a period of five years has elapsed since the date of such dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement;  (h) has been appointed on contract to the service of the Republic or of any statutory public authority or of the defence service immediately after his retirement from such service, unless a period of three years has elapsed since the expiry or termination of such contract; (i) is holding or has resigned or retired or has been discharged from an executive post of any non-government organization, which receives grant or fund from any foreign state or organization, unless a period of three years has elapsed since such resignation retirement, or discharge. Bangladesh Election:  EC reinstates 4 seats in Bagerhat, 5 seats in Gazipur The other disqualifications include if a person is (k) whether by himself or by any person or body of persons in trust for him or for his benefit or on his account or as a member of a Hindu undivided family, has any share or interest in a contract, not been a contract between a co-operative society and Government, for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any contract or the performance of any services undertaken by Government;  (l) being a loanee, other than a loanee who has taken small loan for agricultural purposes, has defaulted in repaying before the day of submission of nomination paper any loan or instalment thereof taken by him from a bank;  (m) is a director of a company or a partner of a firm [which] has defaulted in repaying before the day of submission of nomination paper any loan or any instalment thereof taken by [the concerned company or firm] from a bank; (n) personally has failed to pay the telephone, gas, electricity, water or any other bill of any service providing organization of the Government before the day of submission of nomination paper; or [(o) has been convicted of any crime under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973. The RPO states “office of profit” means holding any office, post or position in the full-time service of the Republic or any statutory public authority or company in which the government has more than 50% (fifty percent) share.  

Bangladesh on Thursday held its first-ever Potato Festival, where Agriculture and Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury urged cold storage operators to keep old potatoes in storage until December to help farmers recover from losses. Speaking as the chief guest at the event organised by the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association at the Bashundhara International Convention Centre in Dhaka, the adviser said potato production hit a record high this year, around 11.2 million metric tonnes, which is about 2.2 million tonnes more than national demand. A record 11.2 million metric tonnes of potatoes have been produced this year, which is about 2.2 million tonnes more than the country’s total demand. In 2025, the production cost per kilogram varied by region, ranging from Tk 14 to Tk 17. After adding cold storage fees, transport, sacks, labour and other expenses, the cost at the cold storage gate stands at Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg. In contrast, farmers are being forced to sell potatoes at Tk 8 to Tk 16 per kg at the cold storage gate, which is far below their production cost, leaving them with significant losses. He said the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association has been requested to keep old potatoes in storage until December to help offset farmers’ losses. He added that new potatoes will reach the market about 15 days later than usual this year, which is why the decision was made in the greater interest of farmers. Cold storage owners may face minor losses and higher electricity bills, he said, but the farmers, who are the backbone of food production, will benefit. He also urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to bring down the per-kilogram production cost of potatoes. Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that although Bangladesh produces a large volume of potatoes, the country still lags behind in potato processing. Only 2 percent of potatoes are processed in Bangladesh, while the rate is 7 percent in many other countries. He said greater emphasis must be placed on developing the potato processing industry. This will require selecting high-quality potato varieties suitable for processing and promoting their cultivation. The adviser also said the price must be clearly printed on the packets of imported potato seeds, which will help ensure fair treatment for farmers. The agriculture adviser again noted that although onion production was sufficient this year, prices jumped by Tk 35 per kilogram in a single day due to manipulation by a few traders. Govt plans subsidies for potato farmers: Adviser Jahangir Alam To protect consumers, the government was therefore compelled to allow onion imports. He said imports will continue until the market price comes down to Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kilogram. Special addresses at the event were delivered by Agriculture Ministry Secretary Dr Md Emdad Ullah Mian, Bangladesh Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr A. K. Fazlul Hoque, Netherlands Ambassador to Bangladesh Joris Van Bommel, and Tony Lv, General Manager of Hangzhou Fima Expo Co. Ltd. of China. Senior officials from various government and private agencies, associations and chambers, leaders of the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association, cold storage owners, potato farmers, business leaders and entrepreneurs from different districts also attended the event. Later, the adviser visited various stalls set up at the event.  

SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) has opened its new SAC Book Corner at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, marking a fresh step in regional academic collaboration. The inauguration took place on Friday and was led by Prof. D K N G Pushpakumara, Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA) at the University of Peradeniya. He commended the initiative, noting that it would enrich academic engagement and broaden opportunities for students and researchers across South Asia. The ceremony was attended by Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (ARD and SDF), SAARC Secretariat in Nepal, whose presence highlighted the growing commitment of the SAARC network to foster stronger regional ties in agriculture and development. Dr. Md Harunur Rashid, Director, SAARC Agriculture Centre, attended the inauguration and highlighted SAC’s continued efforts to deepen regional academic collaboration. He noted that shared knowledge platforms such as this corner play a vital role in supporting evidence-based policymaking across the region. He added that SAC remains committed to fostering stronger links between researchers, universities and national institutions to advance sustainable agricultural development. Dr. W A R T Wickramaarachchi, Director General of Agriculture, Sri Lanka and SAC Governing Board member, joined the ceremony. He noted that such initiatives help strengthen cooperation between national research bodies and leading universities across South Asia. Senior officials from SAC and academics from the University of Peradeniya were also present, including Dr. Md. Younus Ali, Senior Program Specialist (Livestock), SAC. They emphasized the importance of shared scientific resources and accessible knowledge platforms to support researchers and policymakers engaged in advancing sustainable agricultural development. The SAC Book Corner will act as a dedicated hub for SAC publications and research outputs. It aims to support students, faculty members and visiting scholars by providing authoritative resources on agricultural innovation, climate resilience, food security and agricultural development in South Asia.

The Election Commission has asked the government not to transfer any officials or members of the law enforcement agencies engaged in the duties for the 13th national election and the referendum without prior consultation with the commission. The Commission, in a recent demi-official (DO) letter signed by its senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed, asked the Cabinet Division secretary to follow this instruction from the announcement of the polls schedule until 15 days after the voting, in line with the law. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on February 12 next. Two divisional commissioners, 64 deputy commissioners, and three regional election officers have been appointed as returning officers for the election. Upazila Nirbahi Officers and some EC officials will act as assistant returning officers. In the letter, the EC said that to conduct election-related activities smoothly, officials and employees from all ministries, divisions, government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, and in some cases from private offices and educational institutions, will need to be recruited as polling officials. Besides, magistrates and law enforcement members will be deployed to maintain law and order. To ensure the proper execution of the election and referendum duties, the EC stressed that officials assigned to election work must perform their responsibilities impartially and in accordance with the law and regulations, said the letter citing Article 126 of the Constitution and Sections 5 and 44(nga) of the Representation of the People Order (RPO). So, the EC requested the government to instruct all ministries, divisions, and government, semi-government, autonomous and private organisations not to transfer or grant leave to any officer or employee involved in election duties—or assign them to any other task that may hamper their election responsibilities—without prior consultation with the commission after the schedule’s announcement.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Friday said that no force on earth can obstruct or prevent the upcoming national election, reiterating that the government wants to make it participatory, festive and competitive. Speaking to journalists after visiting Sureshwar Darbar Sharif in Naria upazila of Shariatpur, he said the ‘fallen autocratic quarters’ may try but they will not succeed in derailing the electoral process. He said the people of Bangladesh have not had a proper election during the past 15 and a half years under the ‘ousted Hasina government.’ Citizens are now eagerly waiting for a good election. “The main objective of the government and the Election Commission is to offer the nation a free, fair, peaceful and credible election. With the announcement of the election schedule, the country is moving firmly in that direction,” he said. Posters and campaign materials everywhere clearly show public readiness for a festival-like election, he said. Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md Imrul Hasan, Naria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Kaiyum, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Lucky Das, and spiritual leaders of Sureshwar Darbar Sharif — Pir Shah Nure Parvez Al-Noori and Syed Touhidul Hssain Shahin Noori Al-Sureshwari — accompanied him during the visit.

Two-year-old Sajid, who died after falling into an abandoned deep tubewell in Tanore upazila of Rajshahi, was buried at a family graveyard on Friday morning. Maulana Mizanur Rahman led the janaza held at Koelhat village, after which the child was laid to rest.   From early morning, villagers in large numbers gathered at the funeral ground No-1 in the community and broke into tears at the sudden death of the child. On Wednesday afternoon, Sajid slipped and fell into a hole covered with straw while walking with his mother in front of their house. The hole turned out to be the mouth of an abandoned deep tubewell. After a rescue operation that lasted 32 hours, he was pulled out on Thursday night. Physicians at Tanore Upazila Health Complex declared him dead upon arrival. Speaking at the janaza, Sajid’s father, Rakibul Islam, urged everyone to pray for his son. He told reporters that his son died due to ‘others’ negligence’ and demanded justice from the authorities. Locals said a man had attempted to install a deep tubewell at the site last year but abandoned the work after digging up to 120 feet without finding water. The open pit was left exposed and later widened by rain, leading to the tragic accident due to the lack of any warning or cover, they alleged.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Friday expressed deep concern over the serious bullet injuries sustained by Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Manch and potential independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, after an attack by miscreants in the capital’s Bijoy Nagar area. He said such violence in an election environment is completely unacceptable and described the incident as a sad and worrying development for the country’s peaceful political landscape. Prof Yunus strictly instructed law enforcement agencies to conduct a swift and comprehensive investigation, identify all those involved in the attack, and bring them to justice. He called for immediate action to collect evidence from the scene, record witness statements, review CCTV footage, and uncover any organised plan behind the attack, if one exists. The Chief Adviser also ordered the authorities concerned to ensure the highest level of medical care for the injured Osman Hadi. He issued directives to the Ministry of Health to closely monitor all medical procedures related to Hadi’s treatment, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. “No form of violence intended to disrupt the elections will be tolerated. It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of the people and the free movement of candidates. Whoever is guilty will be brought to justice,” Prof Yunus said. He called on all political parties, activists, and citizens to maintain peace and restraint so that the upcoming elections can be held in a peaceful, participatory, and safe environment.