United News of Bangladesh

Chinese medical team from Wuhan Third Hospital, currently visiting Bangladesh, continued their work at the Bangladesh Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery. The Chinese side stressed that they are willing to do whatever they can to support and assist the Bangladeshi side in treating the injured. Health Ministry directs hospitals to provide free treatment for plane crash victims The doctors and nurses offered advice to the Bangladeshi doctors about preventing wound infections and the methods of routine care for the injured, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Saturday. Fakhrul-led BNP delegation visits Jamaat Ameer in hospital    

The Indian medical team, currently visiting Bangladesh, held the second round of consultations with doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka on Friday. It continued their mission to provide medical support to Bangladesh authorities for treatment of critically injured patients in the aftermath of the plane crash of July 21 at Milestone School and College in Dhaka. They visited some of the patients and observed their prognosis, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. The team further deliberated management protocols with the doctors at the Institute and provided critical inputs for treatment methodology. Indian medical team for burn victims arrives The Indian medical team, now in Dhaka to help provide treatment to Milestone crash victims, held detailed medical consultations with senior officials of the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

The Indian medical team, now in Dhaka to help provide treatment to Milestone crash victims,  has held detailed medical consultations with senior officials of the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, according to Indian Ministry of External Affairs.   They reviewed each of the critical cases on Thursday, exchanged views on the treatment methodologies, and conveyed their assessment on future course of treatment. Milestone Crash: Death toll rises to 32 as another child dies The visit of the Indian doctors and nursing officials follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to extend all possible assistance and support to Bangladesh in the wake of the tragic incident of plane crash in Dhaka on 21 July 2025.

Various diplomatic missions in London have expressed their heartfelt condolences following the tragic incident at Milestone School and College in Dhaka, where a training aircraft crash claimed the lives of many children. To honour the victims and show compassion and solidarity with their families, a book of condolence was opened at the High Commission on July 23 and 24. The countries that conveyed their condolences include: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Spain, Sri Lanka, Malta, Honduras, Poland, Hungary, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala, Greece, Mexico, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Ghana, Bahrain, Maldives, Togo, and Algeria, said the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Friday. Additionally, the deputy secretary-general of the Commonwealth and the International Crisis Group also expressed their sympathies. BAF aircraft crash: Five victims identified through DNA test Diplomats have conveyed their deepest condolences to the bereaved families and expressed their solidarity with the government and people of Bangladesh during this tragic time. The High Commission extends its sincere gratitude to all those who offered their condolences and support during this difficult period of profound grief.

The number of Bangladeshis killed in alleged Indian Border Security Force (BSF) firing along Parshuram border of Feni district early Friday rose to two following the death of the injured youth. The latest deceased Md Liton, 32, was son of Gachhi Mia of Bashpaduya village under Parshuram upazila. Earlier 21-year-old Millat Hossain, son of Yusuf Miah of the same village died.   Moreover, another Bangladeshi named Md Afsar, 31, son of Ayer Ahmed from the same area, sustained bullet injuries in the incident. According to locals and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the trio allegedly crossed the border near the Gathuma Border Outpost (BOP) area around 1am when BSF members opened fire, injuring them. Locals could rescue Millat and Afsar and took to Parshuram Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Feni General Hospital, they said. BSF kills 33-year-old man at Cumilla border Millat died on the way while Afsar is undergoing treatment, according to them. Lt Col Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, commandant of BGB-4 Feni Battalion, said injured Liton was found lying in India territory and he was taken to a local hospital where he died.      A process was underway to bring back his body from India, the BGB commandant said. A protest note will be sent to the Indian authorities as firing along the border is ‘unacceptable under any circumstances,’ he said. He also said that they were trying to find out why the Bangladeshis crossed the zero line at that hour. Millat’s body was kept at the Feni General Hospital morgue for autopsy, added the BGB official.

The Indian government should stop unlawfully deporting people without due process and ensure everyone’s access to procedural safeguards to protect against arbitrary detention and expulsion, said Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday. The New York-based rights body said Indian authorities have expelled hundreds of ethnic Bengali Muslims to Bangladesh in recent weeks without due process, claiming they are “illegal immigrants" and many of them are Indian citizens from states bordering Bangladesh. “India’s ruling BJP is fueling discrimination by arbitrarily expelling Bengali Muslims from the country, including Indian citizens,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities’ claims that they are managing irregular immigration are unconvincing given their disregard for due process rights, domestic guarantees and international human rights standards.” Since May 2025, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government has intensified operations to expel ethnic Bengali Muslims to Bangladesh, ostensibly to deter people from entering India without legal authorisation, the HRW claimed. It interviewed 18 people in June, including affected people and family members in nine cases. Those interviewed include Indian citizens who returned to India after being expelled to Bangladesh and family members of those who were detained and are still missing. On July 8, Human Rights Watch wrote to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs with our findings but received no response. The Indian government has provided no official data on the number of people expelled, but Border Guard Bangladesh has reported that India expelled more than 1,500 Muslim men, women, and children to Bangladesh between May 7 and June 15, including about 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The HRW said expulsions have continued. Authorities in the BJP-run states of Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha and Rajasthan have rounded up Muslims, mostly impoverished migrant workers, and turned them over to Indian border guards. Push-ins from India a violation of human rights: BGB DG In some cases, the border guards allegedly threatened and beat the detainees to force them to cross into Bangladesh without adequately verifying their citizenship claims. The Indian government has had to readmit dozens of people who eventually proved their Indian citizenship. The crackdown followed a deadly attack by gunmen against Hindu tourists in Jammu and Kashmir in April. Police started harassing Muslims, refused to accept their citizenship claims and seized their phones, documents, and personal belongings, leaving them unable to contact family members. Some of those apprehended said Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officials threatened and assaulted them, and in a few cases, forced them to cross the border at gunpoint. Khairul Islam, 51, an Indian citizen and former schoolteacher from Assam state, said that on May 26, Indian border officials tied his hands, gagged him, and forced him into Bangladesh, along with 14 others. “The BSF officer beat me when I refused to cross the border into Bangladesh and fired rubber bullets four times in the air,” he said. He managed to return two weeks later. Irregular migration from Muslim-majority Bangladesh to India has gone on for decades, but there is no accurate data and figures are often inflated for political purposes, said HRW. Senior BJP officials have repeatedly labeled irregular immigrants from Bangladesh as “infiltrators” and used the term more broadly to demonize Indian Muslims to gain Hindu political support. 13 push-ins detained by BGB in Moulvibazar On May 8, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry wrote to the Indian government calling these “push-ins” – an apparent reference to collective expulsions – “unacceptable,” and saying that they would “only accept individuals confirmed as Bangladeshi citizens and repatriated through proper channels.” In May, Indian authorities also expelled about 100 Rohingya refugees from a detention center in Assam across the Bangladesh border. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that the authorities forced another 40 Rohingya refugees into the sea near Myanmar, giving them life jackets and making them swim to shore in what the UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, called “an affront to human decency.” Andrews said the incident was also “a serious violation” of the principle of nonrefoulement, the international legal prohibition against returning people to a territory where they face threats to their lives or freedom. The Indian Supreme Court refused in early May to block deportations of Rohingya refugees, saying that if they are found to be foreigners under Indian law, they must be deported. On May 16, in response to the account of Rohingya forced into the sea, the court said there was no evidence to support these allegations, claiming this was a “beautifully crafted story.” The Indian government has, however, not denied the allegations. India is obligated under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to ensure the protection of everyone’s rights and to prevent deprivation of citizenship on the basis of race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin, said the HRW. India’s detention and expulsion of anyone without due process violates fundamental human rights, Human Rights Watch said. The Indian government should ensure access to fundamental procedural safeguards for anyone subject to expulsion. BGB detains 6 push-ins from Lalmonirhat; claims they're Indians This includes access to full information about the grounds for deportation, competent legal representation, and an opportunity to appeal a decision to expel. The authorities should ensure that security forces and border guards do not use excessive force and should impartially investigate alleged misuse of force. Those responsible for abuses should be appropriately disciplined or prosecuted. People detained for expulsion should have access to adequate food, shelter, and medical facilities, and authorities should address the specific needs of marginalised groups, including women, children, older people and people with disabilities. “The Indian government is putting thousands of vulnerable people at risk in apparent pursuit of unauthorised immigrants, but their actions reflect broader discriminatory policies against Muslims,” Pearson said. “The government is undercutting India’s long history of providing refuge to the persecuted as it tries to generate political support,” Pearson added.

The Danish Embassy in Dhaka does not have any agreement with any agents or visa facilitating companies, it said in a visa fraud alert on Thursday. The Embassy said it only accepts visa applications handed in through VFS Global. "Fraudulent visas are currently in circulation. Please be advised that if you have applied for a work permit or a visa by using an agent or a visa facilitating company, you risk a refusal or receiving a fraudulent visa," said the Embassy, issuing the alert. The Embassy advised all to follow the correct procedure always by applying and paying the fee on-line, before handing in their applications and having their biometry taken at VFS Global. "Make sure that it is your phone phone number which is listed as a contact."

Referring to the Chinese hydro-power project on Yarlung Zangbo River, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Thursday said Bangladesh will continue its efforts to try to ensure no impact or keep the impact minimal, if any, on Bangladesh. “India also has interests here. India is also looking into the matter,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question. “As far as our position is concerned, we want hydrological data to be shared with experts and it should be considered judiciously. That does not mean that they will not go ahead with their dam. We will continue to try to minimize or eliminate our harm,” Adviser Hossain added. He said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met him recently and explained the issues – they have come up with a new technology will use the flow of water in several stages and there is no plan for any water withdrawal. “So, there is nothing to get worried.” China on Monday conveyed to Bangladesh that the Chinese hydro-power project on Yarlung Zangbo River is solely for power generation. Dhaka, Thimphu see ‘significant potential’ in hydropower trade: Foreign Adviser "China will not withdraw or use any water from the project and the project will not affect downstream countries," the Chinese Ambassador informed the Foreign Affairs Adviser. “Various structures have been built on those rivers and more will be built. We cannot stop it. We have to see that we are not harmed. If so, the impact will be limited. This effort will continue,” he said stressing the importance of minimizing any potential negative impact on Bangladesh.

Taking India’s medical team’s presence in Bangladesh positively, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Thursday said the interim government always wanted a good working relationship with India on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect. “We always wanted that….from day one we said we want good working relationship with India on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect. Our position remains unchanged,” he said, noting that they – no one from the interim government - never said they do not want good relations with India. The Foreign Adviser made the remarks when a reporter wanted to know whether they see the presence of Indian medical team in Bangladesh as a positive indicator towards better relations between the two neighbors. A team of burn-specialist doctors and nurses with necessary medical support from India arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday night to treat aircraft crash victims. Willing to strengthen cooperation for Bangladesh’s better dev: Ambassador Yao The specialised team consists of doctors and nurses from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, which are the two top hospitals in India specialising in burns and plastic surgery. They began their work at a designated hospital treating these patients from Thursday morning. Their visit follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to extend all possible assistance and support to Bangladesh in the wake of the tragedy. They are making an assessment of the condition of patients with recommendation for further treatment and specialised care in India as necessary. Additional medical teams may also follow depending on their preliminary assessment and treatment. On July 21, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences at the loss of lives in the tragic air crash in Dhaka and had conveyed assurances of support and assistance. Earlier, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka formally wrote to the government of Bangladesh asking for sharing information on any critical medical support that may be needed to be arranged in India for those injured in the tragic incident. The Indian High Commission on Tuesday said it will extend all necessary facilitation. The communication came as a follow up to the message from the Indian prime minister, expressing condolence on the tragic Milestone School plane crash and offering all possible support and assistance. BIMSTEC for addressing security challenges that hinder dev aspirations “India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance," Indian Prime Minister Modi said in a message on Monday.

A Chinese emergency medical team consisting of five burn-specialist doctors and nurses arrived in Dhaka Thursday night. The team, carrying adequate "medical necessities" landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11pm, an official told UNB. Director General (Global Health Emergency Response Wing) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sayeda Jesmin Sultana Milky and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen received them at the airport. The Chinese medical team is visiting Bangladesh at the request of the interim government of Bangladesh. Then they will go to the National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery to provide all the necessary assistance and assessment, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. Indian medical team for burn victims arrives On Thursday morning, at the request of the Bangladeshi side, Yunnan Province of China urgently organised a team of experts from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University to conduct a remote video consultation with the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery of Bangladesh. The Chinese team expert in burn treatment, plastic surgery, pediatric nephrology and pediatric respiratory medicine joined Bangladeshi doctors to assess the conditions of several critically injured patients from the recent military aircraft crash and jointly discussed treatment plans.