United News of Bangladesh

Two people were killed and two others injured when a CNG-run auto-rickshaw crashed into a road divider while taking a U-turn in Tejgaon Industrial area of the capital on Friday night. The deceased were identified as Alim, 48, a CNG driver and passenger Harunur Rashid, 32, of Kishoreganj district. The accident occurred around 10 pm when the Mohakhali-bound CNG-run auto-rickshaw, carrying three passengers, hit the road divider while taking a U-turn, leaving four people injured. Father, daughter killed in Dhaka road crash Inspector Faruk, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp, said the injured were taken to the hospital where doctors declared the CNG driver and one passenger dead. The injured female passengers—Happy Akter, 22, and Brishti Akter, 25—are undergoing treatment at the hospital, he added.

A 45-year-old man and his daughter were killed when a truck hit a motorbike in Science Lab area of the capital on Friday night. The deceased were identified as Saju Ahmed Sumon and his daughter Sumaiya Ahmed Trisha, residents of Shahjahanpur area. The accident occurred around 11 pm when the truck hit the motorcycle carrying the duo while they were heading towards their home, leaving one killed on the spot and another injured, said sub-inspector of New Market Police Station, Mahmudul. Bus–microbus collision leaves 2 dead on Dhaka–Barishal highway The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared her dead. Police arrested the driver and seized the truck.

The United States has suspended the issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of Bangladesh and 74 other countries, the US Embassy in Dhaka said on Monday. However, the suspension does not apply to visitor visas, it added. In a message posted on its official Facebook page, the embassy said effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused all immigrant visa issuances to nationals of countries, including Bangladesh, whose immigrants have a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer. “The pause does not apply to visitor visas. Immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of impacted countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department of State will continue to schedule visa interviews, “ it said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has ordered the authorities concerned to keep 100,000 volunteers ready in Dhaka to deal with any potential earthquake situation. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu disclosed this while talking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday after a meeting with the Prime Minister. The minister said the Prime Minister gave several instructions in view of the recent increase in earthquake incidents. “He (PM) has instructed us to prepare 100,000 volunteers in Dhaka city following the same model we have in the coastal areas,” Dulu said. The minister said the Prime Minister also directed the authorities to identify open spaces, including playgrounds and schools in Dhaka, to relocate people during emergencies. The Prime Minister instructed the ministry to ensure quick procurement of necessary equipment and work with other ministries to build public awareness, he said. “We will work on these issues and sit again on the 11th to review the follow-up,” the minister added. Asked about the country’s rescue capacity in the case of a major earthquake, Dulu said the discussions were aimed at capacity building. “So far, the equipment we have procured has been handed over to the Armed Forces Division and some to the Fire Service,” he said. On long-term disaster management planning, the minister said there is a 180-day plan in place. “We will implement whatever falls within our jurisdiction,” he added. Regarding the removal of risky high-rise or vulnerable buildings in high-risk zones under Rajuk, the minister said, “Yes, it is within our purview. Where it involves the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, we coordinate and work together,” he said.

Police have arrested four members of an alleged kidnapping gang in connection with the abduction of Arfan Sayeed, son of an Information Ministry official. According to police, the arrests were made following instructions from the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after the matter was brought to his attention. The arrestees are Tanvir Ahmed alias Fahim, 23, Ishraq Yamin Likhon, 20, Hasan Al Banna alias Haslam, 21, and Mostafiz Rahman Punj, 22. Schoolgirl stabbed to death in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division Masud Alam said the group is an organised gang. He said they targeted young people through social media, allegedly using drugs and women to lure victims before kidnapping them for ransom. In this case, the suspects allegedly contacted the teenager through social media, took him to the Chamelibagh area of Khilgaon, and demanded ransom over the phone. Police said the victim’s father informed the Prime Minister about the incident, after which the Ramna Division DC was directed to take immediate action. Schoolgirl stabbed to death by lover in Hazaribagh; suspect arrested DC Masud said the kidnappers held the teenager in an under-construction building in the Chamelibagh area. Using information technology, police traced the location. However, sensing police presence, the suspects fled, leaving the victim behind. The teenager was later rescued, given first aid at a private hospital, and handed over to his family. Police are searching for another suspect believed to have been involved. A case has been filed with Ramna Police Station, and further operations are underway.

Amid Bangladesh’s continued engagement, Myanmar’s Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Than Swe and Chairman of the United League of Arakan Twan Mrat Naing have congratulated recently appointed Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman which is seen positively by Dhaka. The head of the Arakan Army has sent a congratulatory letter to the Bangladesh Foreign Minister for the first time. A senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB that the messages from Myanmar and Arakan Army authorities are an extraordinary event and have come in the wake of continued engagement. “They reflect their confidence in the new Bangladesh government in promoting a peaceful resolution of the Rohingya issue through continued contacts and dialogue," said the official. The Myanmar Foreign Minister expressed firm commitment to enhancing bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation between Dhaka and Naypyidaw and Dhaka. The two separate messages are viewed as indications of readiness of both the Myanmar government, and the Arakan Army and ULA (AA) to work with the newly-formed Bangladesh government to find a resolution to the Rohingya crisis. "In your new capacity as the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, I hope you will continue to work with us to find practical, sustainable and realistic solutions. Building on our existing goodwill, we now have an opportunity to chart a new course of friendship between Bangladesh and Arakan,” the source quoted the ULA Chairman Naing as saying in his letter to FM Rahman. The Bangladesh government has been in contact with both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army to find a solution to the Rohingya crisis. Referring to engaging with the Arakan Army, the then National Security Adviser and High Representative Dr Rahman on May 6 last year said Bangladesh, as a sovereign state, would maintain communication with whomever it wants taking its own interest into consideration. "We will speak to whoever we want for our own interests. It doesn't matter who said what," he said while responding to a question about the Myanmar military government's opinion on Bangladesh's contact with the Arakan Army. "One thing must be kept in mind. The Arakan Army controls the other side of the Bangladesh border. Bangladesh has to manage, protect, and keep this border peaceful," Rahman said at that time, stressing that they will keep in touch with whoever is on the other side. In August 2017, over 750,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh following violent military crackdowns in Myanmar's Rakhine State. They joined previous influxes of Rohingya who fled the country in the 1970s and 90s. Today, more than 1.3 million Rohingyas live in Bangladesh, most of them in Cox's Bazar district, near the border with Myanmar. The strain on the local host community and its already stretched facilities and services has been immense.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has reaffirmed Bangladesh's unwavering support for Saarc process and its commitment to working with member states to achieve the shared vision of peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia. Saarc issues were discussed when its Secretary General Md Golam Sarwar called on the State Minister on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The State Minister recalled that the idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first proposed by Bangladesh in the early 1980s by late President Ziaur Rahman to promote people's welfare, improve quality of life, and strengthen collective self- reliance. Time to view Bangladesh differently: Shama Obaed Being one of the founder members and the host of the very first Summit of Saarc in December 1985, Bangladesh acknowledges the valuable contributions of member states in sustaining the relevance of Saarc amid evolving regional and global dynamics.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Monday said they see huge confidence in the new government from countries which are willing to engage deeply and work with Bangladesh very closely. “We want to establish mutually beneficial relations with every country as coequals…we will resolve all our issues respectfully and on the basis of mutual respect,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after a series of courtesy meetings held on Sunday and Monday with diplomats stationed in Dhaka. The Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of protecting independence and sovereignty, not interfering in each other's internal affairs. “Our policies will be based on mutual interests and national dignity.” “I am pretty confident that we will be able to conduct a very dynamic foreign policy in the coming days,” he said, mentioning that so far they have had courtesy and friendly meetings with envoys. Asked about safety along the Bangladesh-India border and measures to stop border killings, the Foreign Minister said he is not taking any specific question and they will discuss specific issues later, which will require some time. Dr Rahman said the Envoys of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, India, China, Pakistan, the United States and European countries led by the EU Ambassador met him on Sunday and Monday where he outlined the new government's foreign policy. "We have started meetings with envoys since Sunday. We have presented the outline of our government's foreign policy to them. Our motto is Bangladesh First. Bangladesh will be above all,” he said. Next Bangladesh govt will need to navigate tricky foreign policy issues: Crisis Group The Foreign Minister expressed optimism that they will be able to establish deep relations with other friendly countries in the region and the world. The Foreign Minister on Wednesday said they want to get back to the foreign policy of martyred President Ziaur Rahman which was very positive and expansive, stressing that the government wants to maintain a good relationship with each country while at the same time protecting the country’s interests. “Foreign policy is a very serious matter,” he told reporters at the state guest house Padma in the evening, seeking objectivity from the media while reporting on foreign affairs. The Foreign Minister said an imprudent or misleading statement can affect international relations and urged journalists to maintain objectivity and avoid rumors.

A Dhaka court on Sunday sentenced four people to life imprisonment for violating a young girl at Kamrangirchar in Dhaka in 2009. Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Munshi Md Mashier Rahman pronounced the punishment. The lifers are—Shahidul Islam, Saiful Islam, Nizam and Manir Hossain alias Sentu. Among them, Saiful was tried in absentia. The court also fined Tk one lakh each, in default, to suffer one year more in jail. 5 arrested in Dhaka for breaching election code; awarded jail terms, fines The court also asked the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka to deposit the fine money after selling the assets of the convicts. According to the prosecution, the 25-year-old victim along with her friend went to Beribadah at Ashrafabad in Kamrangirchar on September 25, 2009. At one stage, her friend went to her home leaving her alone in the area. Later, the convicts picked up the girl to a boat and violated the girl in turns on boat. Meanwhile, the convicts kept the girl confined to a room of the house of one Salam Contractor. Being informed, the parents of the girl rescued her from the house and took her to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Biman MD, his wife, sent to jail for torturing domestic help A case was filed with Kamrangirchar Police Station. Sub-inspector of Kamrangirchar Police Station Shafiqul Islam Shikdar submitted chargehseet against them on October 31, 2010.

Visiting Nepalese Minister for Foreign Affairs Bala Nanda Sharma on Wednesday met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and both Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to work closely across bilateral, regional, and multilateral platforms, advancing the shared interests of the two countries and peoples. The Nepalese Foreign Minister congratulated his Bangladesh counterpart on his appointment as the Foreign Minister of the government of Bangladesh. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shama Obaed Islam, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, and Director General Israt Jahan were also present in the meeting. Foreign Minister Sharma was accompanied by Ambassador Ghanshyam Bhandari, Joint Secretary Gahendra Rajbhandari, Deputy Chief of Mission Lalita Silwal, and Under Secretary Madhusudan Bhattarai. Special prayer for Khaleda Zia held at Kathmandu mission