United News of Bangladesh

President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at revitalizing the U.S. commercial fishing industry by easing federal regulations and opening up new areas for fishing. The move was welcomed by fishing industry groups but drew strong criticism from environmental organizations. Trump called the decision “an easy one,” claiming it would strengthen the U.S. fishing economy and reduce the country’s seafood trade deficit, which exceeds $20 billion. “The United States should be the world’s dominant seafood leader,” he said during the announcement. The order marks a significant shift in federal policy, prioritizing economic interests over conservation efforts that have long sought to protect vulnerable fish populations. Environmental groups warn that loosening regulations could further strain already declining species. “Rather than cutting red tape, this order pulls apart the very protections that safeguard our oceans and seafood supply,” said Beth Lowell, vice president of Oceana, a marine conservation group. She emphasized the importance of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the cornerstone of U.S. fishery management for nearly five decades. Dhaka’s worst air quality persists Environmentalists point to rising numbers of overfished species, which grew from 40 in 2013 to 47 in 2023, as a sign that existing protections need to be strengthened, not weakened. They also highlight depleted stocks in regions like the Northeast, where Maine shrimp and Atlantic cod have collapsed, and on the West Coast, where salmon numbers have dwindled. Despite these concerns, many in the fishing industry see the executive order as a lifeline. Lisa Wallenda Picard, head of the National Fisheries Institute, praised the order for reducing what she called “unnecessary regulatory burdens” and supporting every part of the seafood supply chain. The same day, Trump also rolled back protections on a vast marine sanctuary in the central Pacific Ocean — the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument — allowing commercial fishing in the area. The monument, created in 2009 by President George W. Bush, covers over 495,000 square miles. The debate continues between those who believe easing restrictions will help revive struggling fishing communities, and those who argue that long-term sustainability must remain the priority.      

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked first on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 176 at 9:30am this morning (April 20, 2025). Today’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy,’ referring to a severe health threat, according to the AQI index. The city’s air quality was also marked as worst with AQI score of 173 yesterday. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Pakistan’s Karachi and Lahore, and Nepal’s Kathmandu cities respectively occupied the second, third and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 168, 159 and 158 respectively. 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. Dhaka’s air quality continues to be ‘unhealthy’ 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. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has topped the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 173 at 09:05am on Saturday. The air was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the air quality and pollution city ranking. 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. India’s Delhi, Vietnam’s Hanoi and Nepal’s Kathmandu occupied the second, third and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 149, 147 and 125, respectively. 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’s air quality continues to be ‘unhealthy’ Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Dhaka’s air world’s worst this morning  

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked third on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 161 at 9:25am this morning (April 18, 2025). Today’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy,’ referring to a severe health threat, according to the AQI index. The city’s air quality was defined as the world’s worst with an AQI score of 183 on Thursday, last working day of the week.    When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Senegal’s Dakar, Pakistan’s Lahore, and India’s Delhi cities respectively occupied the first, second, and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 275, 164 and 160 respectively. Dhaka’s air quality turns ‘unhealthy’ 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. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked first on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 183 at 9:25am this morning (April 17, 2025). Today’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy,’ referring to a severe health threat, according to the AQI index. Yesterday’s (April 16) air quality marked unhealthy for sensitive groups with an AQI score of 133. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Dhaka’s air quality turns ‘unhealthy’ Nepal’s Kathmandu, Senegal’s Dakar, and Vietnam’s Hanoi cities respectively occupied the second, third and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 170, 167 and 160 respectively. 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. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Rachel Dancyg never thought she would see her dog again after it disappeared in the Hamas attack that sparked the ongoing war with Israel. Her ex-husband and brother were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel and killed. She thought her beloved pet had suffered the same fate. So when a soldier called the family on Tuesday night, telling them that Billie had been found alive in Gaza, it was hard to believe. “It's a miracle,” Dancyg told The Associated Press on Wednesday, hours after being reunited with her now 3 1/2-year old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. “It doesn’t make sense ... People didn’t survive. How did she?" The reunion brought a rare touch of joy in Israel after 18 months of devastating war. The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack killed some 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 others being kidnapped. Nearly 60 hostages remain in Gaza, more than half of whom are believed to be dead. An Israeli offensive launched after the attack has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities, and reduced large parts of Gaza to rubble. U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire and bring home remaining hostages appear to be at a standstill. Nir Oz was one of the hardest hit communities, with nearly a quarter of the approximately 400 residents killed or captured in the 2023 attack. For Israelis, it stands out as the embodiment of their country’s vulnerability that day. Soldiers took hours to respond. Some families have said they saw Hamas militants killing or kidnapping animals. It's unclear how Billie ended up in Gaza. When Hamas entered Dancyg's home, she hid in the safe room with her family for eight hours, holding the door shut. But she fled so quickly there was no time to find the dog. For months, the community looked everywhere for Billie, but there was no trace of her. Nepalese national Bir Bahadur Rai reunites with family after 45 years The family later moved to northern Israel. Then, on Tuesday night, Dancyg’s daughter received a phone call from a soldier who had just returned from Gaza. He said he had their dog. “I couldn’t believe it. I asked for a photo. I was really confused,” said her daughter, Lee Maor. The soldier said he found Billie in Gaza's southern city of Rafah — about 9 miles (15 kilometers) from the Kibbutz — days earlier, and she immediately gravitated toward his troops, not leaving their side. It might have been because Billie heard them speaking Hebrew, he told them. Speaking to Israeli television, reserve soldier Aviad Shapira said he found Billie among the rubble and called out to her. “I said ‘shalom’ and she jumped on me,” he said. He had a feeling that she didn't belong in Gaza and that there was a story behind her, Shapira said. He brought the dog to a veterinarian and found the family’s contact information on a chip inside the animal. Stroking Billie on her lap, Dancyg says it will take time to see how the odyssey has affected her. Billie appears happy to be home, but she seems disoriented and has lost weight, Dancyg said. While Israeli media happily reported Billie's return, the Nir Oz community reminded people not to forget what the family went through. In a Facebook post, the kibbutz called the reunion a "little light in a lot of sorrow.” The body of Dancyg's ex-husband, Alex, 76, was recovered by the army and returned in August. The body of her brother Itzhak Elgarat, 68, was returned earlier this year as part of a ceasefire. Sunamganj court reunites 45 estranged couples For Dancyg, Billie's return gives her some sense of closure. Yet she said it is bittersweet knowing there are hostages still in Gaza. “I can’t get out of this trauma as long as they are there," she said.

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 10th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 133 at 9:40am this morning (April 16, 2025). Today’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ referring to a health threat, according to the AQI index. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. United Arab Emirates’ Dubai, India’s Delhi and China’s Wuhan cities respectively occupied the first, second, and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 686, 191 and 172 respectively. 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. Dhaka’s air quality turns ‘unhealthy’ 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. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Rains may lash parts of the country in 24 hours commencing 9 am on Sunday. “Rain or thundershowers accompanied by lightning and temporary gusty wind are likely to in a few places in Rangpur, Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions, and at one or two places in Mymensingh, Khulna, and Dhaka divisions today,” said a Met Office bulletin. Elsewhere in the country, the weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy skies. Dhaka’s air quality turns ‘unhealthy’ Meanwhile, a mild heat wave is sweeping Chattogram, Rangamati, Feni, Bandarban, and Bagerhat and it may continue, the forecast said. In Dhaka, the wind will blow from the west or northwest at a speed of 8–12 kph, and the relative humidity at 6pm on Saturday was recorded at 60 per cent. 

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked fifth on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 179 at 8: 23am this morning (April 13, 2025). The capital's air was classified as ‘unhealthy’, according to the AQI index.  An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’, usually prompting sensitive individuals to limit prolonged outdoor exertion. A score between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 150 to 200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and a reading of 301 or more is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks to residents.  The top three positions were occupied by China’s Guangzhou, Chongqing and Shenzhen with AQI scores of 296, 195, and 187 respectively.  Urgent climate action, water resilient path charted for Bangladesh In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO₂, CO, SO₂ and ozone.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths each year worldwide, primarily due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Young climate activists in the capital called for an urgent revision of Bangladesh’s Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP), voicing strong opposition to the plan’s continued reliance on fossil fuels with a warning that the current plan undermines climate goals. As part of the Global Climate Strike, youth under the banner of YouthNet Global staged a peaceful demonstration on Friday in front of the National Press Club with 200 young people, demanding a just transition toward renewable energy and a greater share of international climate finance for Bangladesh. Similar events were reported in 50 districts across the country, involving students from schools, colleges, and universities. The demonstrators, holding placards with messages such as “Time to move away from fossil fuels” and “We demand renewable energy, Don’t sell our future”, warned that the IEPMP could deepen the country’s dependence on expensive and polluting fossil fuel imports. Speaking at the rally, organisers said Bangladesh’s energy future should not be tied to fossil fuels, which are contributing to the climate crisis and threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions, especially in vulnerable coastal and low-lying regions. They stressed that the government must increase the share of renewables—such as solar, wind, and hydro—in the national energy mix and demanded transparent access to international climate finance to support a just and inclusive energy transition. YouthNet Global, a grassroots-led youth network working on climate justice and sustainability, has been at the forefront of the climate strike movement in the country since 2019. The organisation said youth voices must be meaningfully included in national energy planning processes, including the National Determined Contribution (NDC). The activists at the rally collectively called upon multinational banks and institutions to stop investments in fossil fuels to effectively curb global temperature rise, while also urging for increased climate finance. While acknowledging the current government in Bangladesh stated a pro-climate stance, they pressed for concrete policies that would significantly boost investments in renewable sources. Expressing solidarity with the youth movement, Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director at the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), strongly criticized the current IEPMP, describing it as a continuation of the previous government’s flawed planning. Moazzem said, “This plan set unrealistic forecasts for electricity demand, thereby serving the interests of influential groups involved in the fossil fuel business’’. He added, ``Following the political transition, it is now time to reform the IEPMP through necessary revisions. We hope that the new IEPMP will be locally financed, locally owned, and based on local solutions.’’ Speaking at the rally, Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, underscored the need for transparency and inclusion in shaping Bangladesh's energy future. “The IEPMP must reflect the realities on the ground. We don't need a plan that benefits vested interests, undermines climate goals. But a fair and realistic roadmap that prioritizes local solutions, public transparency, and a decisive shift away from fossil fuel dependency towards renewable energy,” said Sohanur. “Now is the time for a people-centered energy transition—one that empowers communities, promotes renewable energy, and puts an end to the era of false solutions. Our future must not be sacrificed for the profits of fossil fuel interests,” he added. Joining the call, Professor Kamruzzaman Majumder, Chairman of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), highlighted the environmental gaps in the current plan and urged policymakers to integrate climate considerations. “It is essential to revise the IEPMP to incorporate carbon emission guidelines for high-polluting power plants, which are currently absent,” Professor Kamruzzaman said. He added, “Moreover, it is critical to align the IEPMP with the Renewable Energy Policy Draft 2025 to ensure that Bangladesh’s energy trajectory is sustainable and climate-resilient.” The rally ended with a collective call to policymakers to rethink the IEPMP and align it with Bangladesh’s climate commitments, sustainable development goals, and aspirations for a greener, fairer future. Furthermore, they called upon polluting developed nations to fulfill their climate funding pledges and demanded unconditional debt relief for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. The Global Climate Strike, inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future movement, has become a worldwide call for climate justice, particularly focusing on ending fossil fuel dependency. In Bangladesh, the movement is gaining momentum, with youth-led actions held across the country, involving students from schools, colleges, and universities, with young people increasingly vocal about the country’s energy future and a just transition.