United News of Bangladesh

The solution to the Rohingya crisis lies in Myanmar and among the three classical solutions, only the repatriation remains a sustainable solution. Repatriation of the Rohingya must take place today or tomorrow, although it appears difficult now. Abu Saleh Mohammed Obaidullah, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (Joint Secretary), Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Cox’s Bazar, made the comments at the inaugural session at the international conference titled “Sustainable Solutions to the Rohingya Crisis: Policies and Practices” was held at the SIMEC Institute of Technology, Uttara, Dhaka. SIMEC Research Centre, Singapore, and SIMEC Institute of Technology, Bangladesh, jointly organised the conference. The inaugural session was chaired by Dr Ratan Kumar Roy, Director, SIMEC Research Centre, Singapore. Dr Sariful Islam, Research Coordinator, SIMEC Institute of Technology, delivered the opening remarks of the conference. Obaidullah also notes that “Bangladesh is not in a position to integrate the Rohingya, locally, and the resettlement is not viable as a small number of Rohingya get repatriated. The resettlement number of the Rohingya stands now at just 5500. The change in the international political landscape, with the rise of anti-migrant and refugee sentiment, makes the resettlement option for the Rohingya bleak.” Rohingya representatives, joined virtually from the camps, expressed their strong sentiment to go back to their homeland, Arakan of Myanmar. The Rohingya speakers highlighted the importance of getting recognition for their identity and citizenship rights back in Myanmar. Astrid Castelein, Assistant Representative for Protection, UNHCR Bangladesh, said that digital intervention, i.e., digital data registration, is not only critical for providing humanitarian assistance to refugees but also for a sustainable solution to the refugee crisis. The UNHCR in Bangladesh began biometric registration for Rohingya refugees in 2018, following a joint Memorandum of Understanding. Castelein has made this comment in the plenary session on Digital Intervention for Sustainable Solutions: Biometrics, Data Protection and Legal Concerns for Rohingyas in Bangladesh. The conference was curated with an inaugural session, two plenary sessions, seven parallel thematic sessions, a special session on academic publishing, and a valedictory session. The conference concluded with a valedictory address by Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, who highlighted the importance of regional cooperation, international responsibility-sharing, and justice-oriented approaches to inspire confidence in collective efforts. Dr Imtiaz has stressed the need to view the Rohingya crisis comprehensively. Recognising the complex actors involved, including states, military forces of Myanmar, intergovernmental organisations, business communities, and civil society, is essential for fostering respect and a shared sense of responsibility. Engr. Sardar Md. Shaheen, Founder Chairman of the SIMEC Foundation, which sponsored the conference, was the chief guest at the closing session. He pointed out that Bangladeshi academicians, scholars and institutes should continuously produce scholarship as well as make policy deliberations to have a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis, which has put extreme stress in many ways on Bangladesh. The conference has brought together scholars, policymakers, humanitarian practitioners, Rohingya representatives, media professionals, and government officials from Bangladesh, United States, Singapore, Germany and India to critically examine long-term responses to the Rohingya crisis. Discussions throughout the conference underscored the limitations of short-term humanitarian approaches and emphasised the urgent need for sustainable, rights-based, and politically informed solutions.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey on Saturday expressed deep concern over the situation in Bangladesh following recent violence in Dhaka and other parts of the country. In a statement, she said she joined the people of Bangladesh in mourning the loss of Sharif Osman Hadi and conveyed her sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. “I am deeply concerned about the situation in Bangladesh following the recent violence in Dhaka and other areas of the country,” she said. The Commonwealth Secretary-General urged respect for the rule of law and called on the authorities to ensure the safety of all, including members of the media. She welcomed the interim government’s statement pledging to hold those responsible for the violence to account and calling for restraint, responsibility and a firm commitment to rejecting hatred. She also appealed for calm and urged all concerned to exercise the highest degree of prudence and forbearance at this critical time.

The deadline for applying for admission to Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) for the 2025-26 academic year has been extended till December 25. The matter was confirmed in a notification signed by the Admission Committee President, Professor Md Ahmed Kabir Chowdhury, on Saturday. The notification said that in view of the current situation in the country and the requests of students and guardians, the application period for the 2025-26 academic year has been extended until 11:59 pm on December 25. The admission test for the 2025-26 academic year will be held on January 13 and 14 next year.

Law enforcement agencies have arrested ten people in connection with the killing of a Hindu youth who was beaten to death in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district. Of them, seven were arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and three by the police, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said on Saturday. Those arrested by RAB are Md Limon Sarkar, 19; Md Tarek Hossain, 19; Md Manik Mia, 20; Ershad Ali, 39; Nizum Uddin, 20; Alamgir Hossain, 38; and Md Miraj Hossain Akon, 46. The police arrested Md Ajmal Hasan Sagir, 26; Md Shahin Mia, 19; and Md Nazmul. RAB-14 and the police conducted operations at different locations to detain the suspects, the press wing added. The victim, Dipu Chandra Das, a local garment worker, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy in Bhaluka Upazila. His body was later set on fire.

Police have arrested 16 more people in Naogaon in the last 24 hours as part of the ongoing ‘Devil Hunt Phase-2’ operation, police said on Saturday. All the arrestees are leaders and activists of different organs and affiliated bodies of the Awami League, whose activities have been banned, Naogaon Superintendent of Police Mohammad Tariqul Islam said in a press release. The arrestees are Arman Khan Palin, 34, of Bangabaria area in Naogaon Sadar upazila; Mostafizur Rahman Firoz, 55, of Chakdev Masterpara; Rezaul Haque, 72, of Krittipur; Mehedi Hasan Nirob, 28, of Bacharigram; Md Hasan, 45; Abdul Kader, 60, of Kachua (Gahelapur) area of Raninagar upazila; Rafi Hasan, 25, of Meerut area in Jalalabad; Jahangir Alam, 63, of Gana (Dighi Purbapara) area; Ayet Ali, 56, of Sonaidanga area of Atrai upazila; Motibul Islam, 54, of Harirampur area of Patnitala upazila; Mizanur Rahman, 40, of Battali area; Momtaz Uddin, 55, of Sherpur area of Mahadevpur upazila; Rafiqul Islam, 42, of Haripur area; Moslem Prodhan, 41, of Kusmail area of Niamatpur upazila; Chaiful Islam, 42, of Kharapa area of Porsha upazila; and Jotiranjan Adhikari, 46, of Mainam area of Manda upazila. SP Mohammad Tariqul Islam said the operation is being conducted as part of regular police activities to curb crime and maintain law and order in the district. “A total of 55 people have been arrested in recent days, including accused persons in various cases and those with outstanding warrants,” he added. The police official said the operation would continue to ensure overall law and order in the district.  

A doctor of Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar has been temporarily dismissed for allegedly making objectionable comments about Shaheed Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and a prospective candidate for Dhaka-8. Dr Tajin Afroz Shah, was relieved from her duties through a notice signed by the Principal of Enam Medical College, Professor Dr Md Motahar Hossain Bhuiyan, on Friday (December 19). According to the notice, Dr Tajin Afroz Shah has been temporarily dismissed from the Department of Medicine for making objectionable comments about Shaheed Sharif Osman bin Hadi on Facebook. The order came into effect from December 19, 2024. She has also been asked to show cause within seven working days as to why she should not be permanently dismissed from her position. In addition, Dr Tajin Afroz Shah has been removed from the post of secretary general of Bangladesh Doctors Foundation (BDF). Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, died on December 18 while undergoing treatment in Singapore. He was shot in Dhaka on December 12. Following his death, a screenshot of an alleged Facebook comment from Dr Tajin Afroz Shah’s account, criticising Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. However, Dr Tajin Afroz Shah claimed that her Facebook account had been hacked. Later, she posted on the same account stating that unknown individuals had hacked her ID and demanded money. She described the circulated comments as “disgusting” and expressed her regret over the incident.

The chiefs of three services – Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Air Force– will meet Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday. “The meeting will be held at 12:00pm at Nirbachan Bhaban,” said EC Director (PR) Ruhul Amin Mollik on Saturday. Due to the meeting, the Election Commission shifted its pre-scheduled meeting over law and order from 10am to 2:30pm. In the afternoon, the EC will sit with top representatives of law enforcing agencies and intelligences to review the overall law and order situation ahead of the upcoming national election and referendum scheduled to be held on February 12, 2026. CEC Nasir will chair the meeting on law and order at the Conference Room of the Election Commission in the city. Top representatives of the armed forces, the Principal Secretary, the Home Affairs Secretary, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the Inspector General of Police, Directors general of Border Guard Bangladesh, the Coast Guard, Ansar and VDP, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), National Security Intelligence (NSI), National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), along with additional IGPs of Special Branch (SB) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Inspector General of Prisons are supposed to attend the meeting. The major agendas of the meeting are to review pre-election law and order situation, the activities of joint forces to recover illegal arms and prevent terror acts, and the compliance with electoral code by candidates and political parties as well as the issues related to maintaining an election-friendly environment.  Four election commissioners will be present in the law and order meeting. Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Saturday amended the election schedule gazette bringing change in the timeframe to file appeals challenging the decisions of the returning officers against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers during the scrutiny. According to the amended gazette, the appeals against the decisions of the returning officers can be filed from January 5 to 9, while the appeals will be disposed of on January 10-18. In the original schedule, the time for submission of appeals was January 5-11 and the time for disposal of the appeals was January 12-18. CEC takes attack on Hadi seriously, orders immediate action: EC Earlier on December 11, the Chief Election Commissioner announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next. According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is December 29, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).  

The undergraduate (Honours) first-year admission test of Jahangirnagar University (JU) for the 2025–26 academic session will begin on Sunday with the examination of ‘C’ unit. The university authorities have issued nine important instructions for candidates appearing in the admission test, Syed Mohammad Ali Reza, member secretary of the university’s Admission Management Committee and deputy registrar (education), said on Saturday evening. 1.      Candidates must fill in the OMR answer sheet properly using a black ballpoint pen. Any incorrectly filled OMR sheet will be considered invalid. The form must not be folded, torn, stained, stapled or pinned. 2.      Candidates are required to write their roll number, shift and question set code in English. Both the OMR sheet and question paper must be submitted to the invigilator at the end of the examination. 3.      Information regarding exam centre and seat can be found on the downloaded admit card. 4.      Candidates must reach the centre at least 10 minutes before the examination begins. 5.      No bags, books, mobile phones, watches, calculators or any electronic devices will be allowed inside the examination hall. A wall clock will be available in the hall for time management. 6.      Only candidates and concerned officials will be permitted to enter the examination centre. 7.      The results of the admission test will be published within seven days after the completion of the examination on the website: ju-admission.org. Jahangirnagar University suspends 16 students over ragging of freshmen 8.      Candidates must bring the original Secondary School Certificate (SSC) registration card along with the admission test admit card. 9.      As the JU campus is located about 30 kilometres away from Dhaka city, candidates have been advised to arrive at the centre well in advance, considering possible traffic congestion. According to university sources, a total of 219,399 applications have been submitted this year against 1,844 seats in seven units, meaning an average of 119 applicants are competing for each seat.    

The two-day Hason Raja Folk Festival–2025 will begin in Sylhet on Sunday, marking the birth anniversary of renowned Sufi poet Hason Raja. Organised by the Hason Raja Folk Literature and Culture Council, the festival will be held at the Central Shaheed Minar premises in Chowhatta area of the city. Programmes will run daily from 3:30pm to 10:00pm. The festival will showcase various aspects of Hason Raja’s life, philosophy and folk heritage through discussions, cultural performances, recitations and renditions of his songs. Dr Jahirul Islam Achinpuri, president of the central committee of the Hasan Raja Folk Literature and Culture Council, said Hasan Raja’s birthday falls on December 21. He said the council has been working to revive Bengal’s traditional Sufi culture with the aim of promoting a non-violent, intellectual, creator-centred and afterlife-centred society. Researchers, artists, litterateurs and cultural activists from different parts of the country are expected to participate in the festival, he added, noting that enthusiasm has already been created in Sylhet’s cultural arena surrounding the event. 56 migratory birds freed from poachers and released in Sylhet Dr Achinpuri also said the festival was originally scheduled to begin on Saturday, December 20, but was deferred by a day in observance of the National Mourning Day announced by the government for the demise of Shaheed Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The organisers urged people from all walks of life to attend the festival with their families.  

The bodies of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were killed in a drone attack by separatist forces in Sudan arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday (December 20, 2025). A flight of Emirates Airline, carrying the bodies of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers landed at the Airport on Saturday morning, according to a media release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The Chief of General Staff of the Bangladesh Army, Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim, received the bodies. Read more: Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in Sudan: Condolences keep pouring in from international community After a namaz-e-janaza at the Central Mosque of Dhaka Cantonment, the peacekeepers’ bodies will be sent to their respective villages by helicopter and they will be buried with full military honour. Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and nine others were injured in a drone attack on the Kadugli logistics base under the UN mission in the Abeï area of Sudan on December 13. The injured personnel are receiving treatment at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. One of them has already been discharged, while the remaining peacekeepers are reported to be out of danger, the ISPR said. Read more: Another Bangladeshi peacekeeper injured in Sudan drone attack