United News of Bangladesh

Thick black smoke billowing from the chimneys of iron smelting, steel and re-rolling factories in the capital's Shyampur industrial area has sparked concerns over worsening air pollution, with local residents alleging it is taking a serious toll on public health.

Milestone School and College on Tuesday paid tribute to the victims of last year's devastating Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crash, marking the first anniversary of the tragedy with solemn remembrance, prayers and commemorative events at its Diabari campus. The institution observed the day with a two-session programme to honour those killed in the crash that struck the school's Haider Ali Academic Building during a routine training flight on July 21, 2025. According to the school, 37 people, including BAF pilot Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar, were killed in the accident. The victims included 28 students, three teachers, three guardians and one nurse. The day's observance began at 10:00am with floral tributes at a memorial erected in front of the Haider Ali Academic Building, where the aircraft crashed, according to a press release.

A sexagenarian motorcyclist was killed in a road accident on the Gulistan-Jatrabari Flyover in the Jatrabari area on Tuesday evening. The deceased was identified as Abul Kasham, 60, son of late Md Fazlul Haque. Hailing from Bhedarganj of Shariatpur district, he had been residing at Shewrapara in the capital. He used to run a rod-cement business in the locality. Motorcycle collision leaves 2 dead in Bagerhat Boxer Sadia Islam, who helped rescue and take the victim to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), said she was travelling by a scooter to her hometown in Shariatpur when she saw Kasham’s motorcycle lose control on the flyover at the Dhalpur turning point around 5:00pm. The accident left the elderly man critically injured, she said, adding that she, along with Sub-Inspector (SI) Soumitra Sarkar of Jatrabari Police Station, immediately took him to the DMCH where the on-duty doctor pronounced him dead around 6:00pm. Victim's elder son Bappi said his father was a rod and cement trader. He had travelled to Shariatpur to visit his mother and met with the accident while returning to Dhaka. SI Soumitra said police were investigating whether the crash occurred solely due to loss of control or if any other factors were involved.

Three members of a family, including an eight-year-old child, suffered burn injuries after a gas leak caused an explosion at a house in the capital’s Bhatara area early Tuesday. The incident occurred at a house on the 100 Feet Road of Notun Bazar under Bhatara Police Station. The victims were identified as Md Shaheen, 24, his wife Fahima Akter, 21, and their niece Hafsa, 8. They were rescued in burnt condition and taken to the emergency department of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 6:00am, where doctors admitted them for treatment. Jasim, brother-in-law of Shaheen who brought the injured to the hospital, said Shaheen works at a shop and lived with his family on the ground floor of a six-storey building in the area. He said the family members were asleep when a sudden explosion occurred due to a gas line leak, causing a fire inside the house. Dr Shawon Bin Rahman, a resident doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Shaheen suffered burns to 50 percent of his body, while his wife Fahima sustained 45 percent burns and Hafsa suffered 40 percent burns. He said the condition of all three victims was critical and they were undergoing treatment under observation at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Four men have been caught on Sunday while attempting to join government service after allegedly securing appointments through proxy candidates who sat for their oral examinations for the post of Office Assistant (Grade-20) under the Ministry of Public Administration. The four were detained when they arrived at the ministry to join their jobs. During questioning, all of them admitted that they had not appeared in the oral examination themselves and that other individuals had taken the test on their behalf, said Md. Mansur Hossen, Public Relations Officer of the ministry. The accused were identified as Md A Alim of Gopalpur upazila in Tangail, Md Ali Haidar of Chauhali upazila in Sirajganj, Md Russell Rana Liton of Nageshwari upazila in Kurigram, and Md Masud Fakir of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur. During interrogation, they disclosed that they had paid money to different individuals in hopes of securing government jobs. Some had already made payments, while others promised to pay after joining the service. Based on the evidence, the Ministry of Public Administration filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station. An investigation would also determine whether other individuals or an organised fraud ring were involved in the recruitment scam, Officials said.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members have arrested three suspected extortionists for torturing a man and his son after kidnapping them in the capital’s Kalyanpur area. The arrestees were Md Billal, 35, Md Jumman, 30, and Sheikh Md Faisal, 35. They were arrested during a drive in Darus Salam area on Saturday, said RAB-4 Company Commander Additional Superintendent of Police K N Roy Niyoti at a press briefing at the battalion headquarters in the capital on Sunday. Police arrest 116,725 nationwide since May According to RAB, victim Md Mahfuzur Rahman, a businessman and resident of Sabujbagh, was returning home on a motorbike with his son from a relative’s house in Mohammadpur shortly after 12:30 am on July 2.

A ninth-grade student was killed after a battery-run electronic rickshaw hit the motorcycle in the capital's Dakshinkhan on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Md Shishir, 17, student of Udayan High School, son of Suman Rahman of Sadar upazila in Lakshmipur district. According to Arafat Rahman, who accompanied him to the hospital, the accident occurred around 10:30 am in the Dobadia of Mollartek. He said Shishir had gone out riding a friend's motorcycle when a speeding battery-run rickshaw struck the motorcycle from behind. The impact threw Shishir onto the road, leaving him with severe head and body injuries. Local people rescued him and took him to a nearby hospital. As his condition worsened, he was transferred to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead at around 3:45 pm. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the police camp at DMCH said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue, and the matter has been reported to the concerned police station for necessary legal action.

A construction worker died after falling from the fifth floor of an under-construction government school building in the capital's Khilgaon on Saturday morning. The deceased was identified as Md Shamim, 22, son of Sadikul Islam of Jagannathpur village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila. He had been staying at the construction site. Rakibul, a manager of the contracting company, said around 8:10 am Shamim was operating a crane at a building of Khilgaon High School to lift bricks and sand when he accidentally fell from the building. 2 HSC examinees among 3 killed in Narsingdi road crashes He suffered fatal injuries and died on the spot, he said. However, he declined to disclose the name of the contracting company. Officer-in-Charge of the Khilgaon Police Station Md Shafiqul Islam said police recovered the body after receiving information about the incident and sent it to the Dhaka Medical College morgue for post-mortem examination. Legal proceedings are underway, the OC added.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on Thursday announced a Tk 4,527.74 crore budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, with a focus on urban development, revenue collection, drainage improvement, waste management and dengue control. DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan unveiled the budget at a press conference held at the corporation's conference room on Thursday afternoon. DNCC to work with RAJUK, WASA to prevent waterlogging, lake bank erosion: Administrator Announcing the budget, the administrator said it had been prepared considering the realities of urban development, revenue collection and implementation, describing it as a timely, practical and development-oriented budget. He said the budget had been structured in line with the government's "Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka" slogan. According to him, the budget gives priority to controlling dengue mosquitoes and other vector-borne diseases, preventing waterlogging, repairing damaged roads, modernising drainage and manhole systems, ensuring faster household waste collection, expanding and modernising the Aminbazar landfill, accelerating waste-to-energy projects, improving road lighting and road safety. Besides, modernising city corporation markets, preparing a practical plan for hawkers, undertaking development initiatives for slum dwellers, modernising cattle market management, renovating the Gabtoli and Mohakhali bus terminals, reclaiming and restoring canals to maintain water flow, and strengthening tree plantation and cleanliness programmes to build a planned, modern and liveable city, the DNCC Adminisrrator added. The administrator further said he had assumed office four months ago and, despite budgetary constraints, the city corporation had undertaken various initiatives with the overall support of the present government. He said these included construction and repair of roads, measures to reduce waterlogging, strengthening cleanliness activities, dengue control programmes, successful measles vaccination campaigns, prompt removal of sacrificial animal waste, improved waste management through the Aminbazar landfill, rapid field inspections and measures following recent heavy rainfall, raising public awareness for faster household waste disposal, conducting mobile court drives to free footpaths from illegal occupation, intensifying canal recovery and cleaning activities, strengthening tree plantation under the "Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka" initiative, and distributing educational and sports materials among students. The administrator said all activities in Dhaka city do not fall under the jurisdiction of the city corporation, noting that RAJUK, WASA and the Public Works Department are also involved. He said the city corporation is working in coordination with the relevant agencies to build a waterlogging-free Dhaka North, adding that public cooperation is essential to achieve the goal. He urged city residents to be more aware, saying greater public awareness would help reduce waterlogging, build a dengue-free city and ensure a cleaner urban environment. He added that the city corporation remains engaged in providing services to residents around the clock. DNCC Chief Executive Officer, Chief Engineer, Revenue Officer and other departmental heads were present at the press briefing.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam on Monday said the city corporation will work in coordination with RAJUK, WASA and other relevant agencies to prevent lake bank erosion and ensure that rainwater no longer remains stagnant on roads in the DNCC area. Speaking to reporters during a visit to the eroded lake bank and waterlogged area in front of Manarat University on Road No. 104 in Gulshan-2, the administrator said a coordinated approach is essential to address the city's recurring waterlogging problem. DNCC administrator claims zero tolerance for tender irregularities under his watch "If city residents become more aware and the drainage system is further improved, rainwater will no longer remain stagnant on roads in the future," he said. He urged residents not to dump waste indiscriminately and called on them to help keep drains clean to ensure smooth drainage. Replying to a question from journalists, Shafiqul Islam said the canals under DNCC that have been encroached upon must be recovered to effectively tackle waterlogging. He said the city's waterlogging problem and the resulting public suffering cannot be resolved unless the canals are restored. "To save the city and build a better urban environment for the future, it is essential to free the canals from encroachment," he said, seeking cooperation from journalists and city residents in the canal recovery drive. The administrator said mosquito infestation has already declined in many parts of the city following the cleaning of several canals and drainage systems, including the Muslim Bazar Canal. He also instructed DNCC officials to take necessary measures for the quick removal of water accumulated on roads and to implement long-term steps to prevent future waterlogging. Later, the administrator visited the Namapara area in Khilkhet to inspect the drainage outlet and directed officials to renovate the Namapara Canal to restore proper water flow and improve drainage. DNCC Chief Waste Management Officer, Chief Engineer, Chief Health Officer, the administrator's private assistant and local BNP leaders, among others, were present during the inspection.