United News of Bangladesh

Experts on Sunday urged the government to reduce the number of cigarette price tiers, introduce a specific tax system and hike the prices of all tobacco products in the upcoming 2026-27 national budget. They made the suggestions during a journalists' workshop titled "Tobacco Tax and Price Measures: Budget 2026-27" held at the BMA Bhaban in the capital. Organized jointly by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), the workshop was attended by 28 journalists from different print, television and online media outlets. During the workshop, the experts said that users of low and medium tier cigarettes, mostly the poor and working class, constitute the majority of total cigarette smokers. Merging the low and medium tiers into a single tier with a price hike would effectively encourage the low income demographic to quit and discourage youth from getting hooked on tobacco addiction. The proposals presented during the workshop for the FY 2026-27 national budget are as follows: The low and medium tier should be merged into one, and the price for TK10 sticks of the merged tier should be set at TK 100. The retail price of high-tier cigarettes should be increased to TK 150 from existing TK 140 for 10 sticks. The prices for 10 sticks of premium cigarettes should be raised to TK 200 from existing TK 185. The supplementary duty (SD) on all cigarette tiers should remain at the existing 67 percent. Besides, the government should introduce TK 4 per 10 sticks as a specific tax. The budget proposals also suggest retaining 15 percent VAT on the retail prices of tobacco products and continuing the existing 1 percent health development surcharge (HDS). In support of the proposals, speakers informed that budget proposals for FY 2026-27 placed by anti-tobacco organizations, if realized, can generate more than TK 85 thousand crore in tobacco tax revenue, representing an additional TK 44 thousand crore compared with the current fiscal year. Implementation of such proposals, in the long run, will also help prevent the premature deaths of 370,000 Bangladeshis, including nearly 185,000 youths. It would also encourage nearly 500,000 adults to abstain from smoking and discourage around 372,000 youths from lighting up. The discussants in the workshop include Mr. Sazzadur Rahman, Deputy Editor, The Business Standard; Mr. Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener, ATMA; Ms. Nadira Kiron and Mr. Mizan Chowdhury, both Co-convener, ATMA; Mr. Hasan Shahrear , Head of Programs, PROGGA and  ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA.

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Sunday said the repealed ordinances issued during the interim government will be reviewed through proper scrutiny. He alleged that opposition leaders are misleading people over the issue. He made the remarks at a press conference at the Home Ministry regarding 133 ordinances issued during the interim government period and later placed before the Jatiya Sangsad. The Law Minister said seven repealed ordinances would be reviewed in due course. “These ordinances need to be examined. We have committed to reviewing them through necessary amendments,” he said. He also rejected claims that the ordinances had been allowed to lapse, saying those making such statements were misleading the public. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Chief Whip Nurul Islam were also present at the briefing.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Acting Commissioner Md Sarwar on Sunday said extensive security measures have been taken to ensure that people from all walks of life can celebrate the Bengali New Year peacefully. There is no intelligence information indicating any militant threat centering the Pahela Baishakh celebrations and law enforcement agencies remain fully prepared to respond to any situation. He made the remarks while responding to questions at a press briefing at a temporary DMP control room in Ramna Park area in the capital. The DMP acting commissioner said the entire Dhaka Metropolitan area has been divided into nine sectors and 14 sub-sectors for effective security management. A large number of police personnel both in uniform and plainclothes will be deployed in each area. Specialised units including dog squads and bomb disposal teams will conduct sweeping operations at key venues. Fourteen security checkpoints with barricades will be set up in areas including Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, and Dhaka University and cisitors will be screened using archways and handheld metal detectors at entry points. Surveillance will be strengthened through CCTV cameras, video and still cameras, and drones. Observation towers will be installed, rooftops will be monitored, and special forces will also be deployed, he added. To prevent eve-teasing, mugging, and pickpocketing, plainclothes teams will remain active, while additional monitoring systems will be in place to control unauthorised hawker entry. The commissioner also said cyber patrolling has been intensified to prevent the spread of rumours and misinformation on social media. The traditional Chhayanaut programme at Ramna Batamul will be held from 6:15am to 8:25am with designated entry and exit gates including separate gates for men, women, and performers. Organised by the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University, Baishakhi Shobhajatra will begin at 9am and follow a route from the faculty through Shahbagh, TSC, and Doel Chattar before returning to the starting point. The entire procession route will remain under strict security and all programmes must conclude by 6pm. After 5pm, all gates of Ramna Park will be used only for exit, and no further entry will be allowed. Regarding traffic management, the DMP said vehicular movement will be diverted in Shahbagh and adjoining areas from 5am on April 14. Barricades will be placed at 14 key points, including Banglamotor, Kakrail, the High Court area, and Nilkhet, and commuters have been advised to use alternative routes. Designated parking arrangements will be available at selected locations while emergency services, including fire service units, ambulances, medical teams, and naval police divers, will remain on standby. The DMP assistant commissioner requested everyone to assist law enforcement agencies and report any suspicious activity to the national emergency helpline 999 or the DMP control room.

Members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard arrested four individuals and seized 6,815 litres of illegally transported fuel during an operation in Hatia, Noakhali, early Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, a special team from the Coast Guard's Hatia Station conducted the operation at around 6:30am in the Meghna River near Nalchira Ghat, under Hatia Police Station. During the operation, the team recovered 4,800 litres of petrol and 2,015 litres of diesel allegedly offloaded from a foreign oil tanker, according to the Coast Guard. Two engine-run wooden boats used for transporting the fuel were also seized. The estimated value of the recovered fuel and boats is about Tk 7.91 lakh. The arrested individuals, along with the seized fuel and boats, are being handed over to Hatia Police Station for further action, Coast Guard officials said.

Police arrested five young men in connection with a sensational gang rape case in Jhenaidah’s Maheshpur upazila, all of whom have confessed to their crimes in court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Two mobile phones used to record the incident were also recovered, police said. The arrested were identified as Acher Ali Raju of Bagdirait village, Hazar Ali, son of Hafizul Islam, Shaon, son of Toriqul, Nayan, son of Dinur, and Amin, son of Farid Hossain. Jhenaidah Superintendent of Police Md Mahfuz Afzal confirmed the information at a press briefing held at his office conference room on Saturday afternoon. He said the incident took place on the night of March 26 when the victim went to meet her boyfriend. The boyfriend first sexually assaulted her, he said. Later, a group of local youths arrived at the spot, assaulted the boyfriend and forced him to leave. They then allegedly gang-raped the victim one after another, he added. During the incident, accused Amin recorded a video on a mobile phone and threatened to circulate it on social media if the matter was disclosed, the Jhenaidah police chief said. He further said that after the matter came to light on March 31, police received information about the incident from a confidential source. Although the victim’s family initially denied the incident due to social pressure, they later agreed to file a case after being assured of full legal support. The victim’s aunt filed a case at Maheshpur Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, naming four accused and several unidentified persons. Police said the accused were swiftly identified and arrested soon after the complaint was received.  

Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBN) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport arrested a man carrying nearly 500 grams of gold ornaments and substantial foreign currency on Thursday. The arrested individual, identified as Mofidul Islam, 43, from Labanchara, Khulna, was apprehended around 12:50 pm at the open car parking area of Canopy-2 as he attempted to flee upon noticing police presence. Mofidul had arrived on SV808 flight from Saudi Arabia at 10:50 am as a Mu’allim of an Umrah Hajj group. A search of his bag at the APBN (13) office recovered 499.1 grams of 21-carat gold, 9,000 US dollars, 8,501 Saudi riyals, 1,800 Egyptian pounds, 150 Romanian leu, and 80,117 Bangladeshi taka (Bangladesh) from the suspect. The confiscated gold ornaments, 21-carat in purity, have an estimated market value of almost Tk 84 lakh. During interrogation, Mofidul admitted that the gold was illegally brought into Bangladesh through unnamed passengers, evading customs duties. He has reportedly long been involved as a receiver in a gold smuggling syndicate operating at the airport. A case has been filed against him under Section 25B(1)(b) of the Special Powers Act, 1974 at Airport Police Station for conspiring with unnamed passengers to smuggle gold and evade revenue. Airport APBN Superintendent Mohammad Rezaul Kabir said, APBN continues to play an active role in preventing smuggling and other crimes at the airport. We remain committed to curbing gold and drug smuggling and will continue our vigilance against illegal activities using the airport.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday urged people to remain alert against fraud ring impersonating senior military officials and intelligence personnel to intimidate and deceive people through mobile phone. The group has been posing as officials of the Bangladesh Army and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), using fake identities of ranks including brigadier general and lieutenant colonel deceived people through mobile phones, said an ISPR release. The fraudsters reportedly collect photos of uniformed army officers from various online sources and use them as WhatsApp profile pictures to gain trust before attempting to carry out fraudulent activities, it said. They then contact general people and try to threaten or coerce them for illicit gains. Officials clarified that neither the Bangladesh Army nor any intelligence agency communicates with individuals in such a manner for personal purposes. People have been urged to remain cautious and not to respond to such calls or messages. If anyone receives such phone calls, they are advised to immediately inform the nearest law enforcement agency, providing the mobile number used by the suspected person. Necessary measures are underway to identify and bring the fraud ring to justice, it said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened a probe into alleged large-scale embezzlement and money laundering linked to the repair and maintenance of the Simultaneous Interpretation System (SIS) at the Jatiya Sangsad, implicating Zahidur Rahim Joarder, CEO of Communication Technology Ltd, and several Public Works Department (PWD) officials. ACC Assistant Director Probir Kumar Das is conducting the probe, according to official documents. The allegation states Zahidur used political influence during the tenure of the previous government to secure contracts related to the Simultaneous Interpretation System (SIS) installed at the plenary hall of the Jatiya Sangsad. He is accused of maintaining close ties with former Chief Whip Nur-e-Alam Chowdhury, also a cousin of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as well as with relatives of former Health Minister Zahid Malik. Leveraging these connections, he allegedly secured contracts for operating, repairing, renovating and maintaining the SIS sound system during the AL tenure and misappropriated hundreds of crores of taka, while siphoning funds abroad. The allegation also points to alleged irregularities in the health sector, where medical equipment was reportedly procured through over-invoicing, enabling the laundering of large sums overseas. Following damage to the SIS at the Sangsad Bhaban after August 5, 2024, the PWD initiated steps to restore the system. Communication Technology Ltd reportedly inspected the equipment, claimed it could be repaired and submitted a cost estimate. The company later sought Tk 11.25 lakh from the PWD to cover expenses related to engineers’ visits, accommodation, meals and honorarium for conducting the inspection. The allegation further states that although the SIS system – manufactured under the SURE brand – has unique technical specifications and no comparable system is currently available, the company continued efforts to secure funds on the pretext of repairs. The ACC said some PWD officials and engineers were allegedly involved in the irregularities even prior to August 5, 2024, and that through their collusion, the outdated system has been repeatedly repaired as a means to misappropriate public funds. An estimated Tk 9.7 crore had been proposed for the repair, renovation and maintenance of the SIS at the parliament’s plenary hall after the 2024 mass uprising. The SIS is a specialised audio system used for real-time translation during parliamentary sessions and international meetings.    

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Thursday sentenced two former policemen to death and others to varying jail terms in a crimes against humanity case filed over the killing of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) student Abu Sayed during the 2024 July uprising. The death-row convicts are former assistant sub-inspector Amir Hossain and former constable Sujan Chandra Roy. Of the other convicts, three were sentenced to life in prison, five to 10 years, eight to five years, and 11 were jailed for three years. Former assistant deputy commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RMP) Arifuzzaman alias Jibon, former inspector Rabiul Islam alias Nayan, and ex-sub-inspector Bibhuti Bhushan Roy alias Madhab were sentenced to life in prison. Former BRUR vice chancellor Hasibur Rashid, its teachers Mashiur Rahman and Asaduzzaman Mondal, former RMP commissioner Md Moniruzzaman, president of BRUR unit of banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Pomel Barua received 10 years each. Former RMP deputy commissioner Abu Maruf Hossain alias Titu, former additional DC Shah Nur Alam Patwari alias Sumon, former BRUR proctor Shariful Islam, Hafizur Rahman alias Tufan, Imran Chowdhury alias Akash, Masudul Hasan alias Masud, AKM Amir Hossain alias Amu, and Dr Sarowat Hossain alias Chandan were each sentenced to five years in prison. Md Moniruzzaman Palash, Mahafuzur Rahman Shamim, Fazle Rabbi, Akhtar Hossain, Sejan Ahmed alias Arif, Dhananjay Kumar alias Tagor, Babul Hossain, Mohammad Nurunnabi Mondal, Nur Alam Mia, and Mahabubar Rahman alias Babu are among those who were jailed for three years. Of the convicts, Anwar Parvez has already served his jail term, paving the way for his release. The three-member ICT-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Mazumder, delivered the verdict. Of the convicts, six were present at the dock when the tribunal pronounced the verdict while the rest were tried in absentia. Those who are in custody are Amir Hossain, Sujan Chandra, Shariful Islam, Imran Chowdhury, Rafiul Hasan Russel and Anwar Pervez. Earlier on March 5, the tribunal fixed April 9 for pronouncing the verdict in the case. On June 30, 2025, the ICT took cognisance of charges against 30 people, including former BRUR vice chancellor Hasibur Rashid The ICT investigation agency submitted a charge sheet against them on June 24, 2025. Abu Sayed, a 12th batch student of BRUR’s English department, was shot dead during students’ protests on July 16 2024 in front of the university. The killing intensified the movement, which ultimately culminated in a mass uprising, leading to the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024.  

A Jamalpur court on Wednesday sentenced two individuals to death and three others to life imprisonment for killing a man in Dewanganj upazila over a land dispute in 2007. Jamalpur Additional District and Sessions Judge-1 Mohammad Nezam Uddin delivered the verdict. The death-row convicts are Motaleb Hossain, son of late Azizur Rahman, and Rashid Jamal, son of late Ain Uddin. The lifers are Abdul Latif, Suruj Mia and Abdul Hamed, sons of late Ain Uddin Fakir. All of them hail from Sabujpur village in the upazila. Of the convicts, Motaleb Hossain was tried in absentia. Another accused – Khorshed Alam – was acquitted as charges against him were not proven. Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Md Didarul Islam Didar said Akhter Hossain Abedin, from the same village, had been in a long-standing land dispute with the convicts. On May 22, 2007, they called Akhter Hossain out of his home and took him near Sabujpur Madrasah where they stabbed him. He was rescued in a critical condition and taken to the Dewanganj Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Victim’s son Saiful Islam filed a murder case at Dewanganj Police Station the following day against four named individuals and 4-5 unknown ones.