United News of Bangladesh

Palestinians have begun passing through the Rafah border crossing linking the Gaza Strip and Egypt following its reopening for passenger movement. The crossing had been mostly shut since May 2024, after Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side. The long-awaited reopening forms a central element of the first phase of a ceasefire framework proposed by US President Donald Trump between Israel and Hamas, which took effect in October. Under the arrangement, only a limited number of people, several dozen each day, will be permitted to cross in either direction. The passage of humanitarian assistance and commercial goods through the crossing remains prohibited. About 20,000 Palestinians who are sick or wounded are awaiting permission to leave Gaza to receive medical treatment abroad. According to Israeli media reports, only 50 patients will be allowed to exit the territory each day, accompanied by two relatives each. In addition, just 50 of the tens of thousands of Palestinians who left Gaza during the war will be permitted to return daily. The World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to supervise the evacuation process. Patients will be transported by bus from areas under Hamas control, passing through zones controlled by the Israeli military before reaching the Rafah crossing, BBC News reported. Read More: Israel to reopen Gaza–Egypt crossing after extended shutdown Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that anyone crossing the Yellow Line, the boundary of Israeli-controlled territory under the ceasefire agreement, would be “met with fire”. Under the arrangements, the Rafah crossing will be operated by European Union monitors alongside local Palestinian staff, while Israel will conduct security checks remotely. Israeli officials said a trial reopening of the crossing was successfully completed on Sunday. A Palestinian official familiar with the trial phase told the BBC that around 30 Palestinian staff members had reached the Egyptian side of the crossing ahead of full operations. The reopening follows provisions in US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which states that the crossing will operate under mechanisms used during a previous ceasefire last January. Before Israel seized control of Rafah in 2024, the crossing served as Gaza’s primary exit route and a key channel for humanitarian aid.   With inputs from BBC

Seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, have agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, according to a joint statement. Israel had earlier confirmed its participation. Trump on Wednesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin had also accepted the invitation, though Moscow later clarified it was still under consideration. The board, initially linked to ending the two-year Israel-Hamas conflict and overseeing Gaza reconstruction, does not specifically mention Palestine in its charter and appears aimed at taking on functions similar to the UN. Saudi Arabia said the Muslim-majority nations – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Qatar – support efforts for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, reconstruction, and what they called a “just and lasting peace”. The body’s charter will take effect once three states formally agree, with member nations holding renewable three-year terms. Contributions of $1 billion will secure permanent seats. Trump will serve as chairman and US representative with authority to appoint executive board members. The White House last week named seven founding Executive Board members, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov. Phase one of the plan involved a ceasefire, partial prisoner exchange, limited Israeli withdrawal, and increased humanitarian aid. Israel says the second phase, including reconstruction and demilitarisation, will proceed only after the return of the last hostages. Humanitarian conditions remain fragile. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports over 460 Palestinian deaths from Israeli strikes since the ceasefire, while Israel reports three soldiers killed in Palestinian attacks. The board faces challenges, as Hamas has resisted disarming without recognition of a Palestinian state, and Israel has not fully committed to withdrawing from Gaza.   With inputs from BBC

The Siwa Salt Lakes in Egypt’s Siwa Oasis are known for their striking turquoise water and for a rare experience: in many of the pools, it is extremely difficult to sink. Unlike some viral travel locations that disappoint in real life, these desert pools often look much like the photos shared online. Located near Egypt’s border with Libya, the pools are shaped by the area’s geology and by salt extraction. As minerals are excavated from dried salt lakes, some basins later fill naturally with water from underground springs. In the intense desert climate, water evaporates quickly, leaving behind very high concentrations of mineral salts. That salinity makes the water denser, creating strong buoyancy, so swimmers tend to float on the surface soon after entering. Some accounts say salt levels in certain pools can rise to extremely high concentrations — far higher than seawater — which further increases buoyancy and makes sinking unlikely. Beyond their appearance, the Siwa lakes are also linked to the oasis’s long history. Reports note archaeological finds in the region dating back thousands of years. Locally, salt and salt-rich materials have traditionally been used in construction, including in structures such as the historic Shali Fortress. Bali named world’s top travel destination for 2026 by TripAdvisor Today, salt taken from the lakes and ponds is used in a range of products and in wellness practices. Many visitors and locals believe the mineral-rich water can help with skin and sinus problems, though these claims are largely based on tradition and personal experience. Visitors are commonly advised to be cautious: avoid getting the water into your eyes and avoid shaving right before swimming to reduce irritation. Why Mount Damavand, Asia’s tallest volcano, is so famous To reach the lakes, travelers typically book day tours from Cairo or Alexandria or use local transport such as tuk-tuks for shorter trips. Alongside floating in the salt pools, tourists often visit Cleopatra’s Pool, the Oracle Temple, the Shali Fortress area and the Mountain of the Dead tombs. Siwa became more accessible after a highway opened in the 1980s, bringing the once-isolated oasis onto Egypt’s travel map.   #With inputs from  NDTV

Egyptian Ambassador to Bangladesh Omar Mohie Eldin Ahmed Fahmy met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday (4th November 2025) morning and discussed various issues related to the upcoming national election and bilateral relations. The hour-long meeting, which began around 11am, was held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. Deputy Chief of Mission at the Egyptian Embassy Soheila Mahran accompanied the ambassador during the meeting. Fakhrul urges BNP leaders to strengthen digital presence BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Joint Secretary General Humayun Kabir, and Organising Secretary Shama Obaid were also present. Sayrul said the meeting covered issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and Egypt, including Bangladesh’s next national election. The Egyptian Ambassador reaffirmed his country’s continued support for Bangladesh’s journey towards a better future, he said. Enemies of Bangladesh trying to create instability again, warns Fakhrul

U.S. President Donald Trump's recent call for toll-free access for American ships through Egypt’s Suez Canal has sparked widespread criticism across Egypt, with legal scholars, political figures, and citizens condemning the demand as both legally unfounded and a threat to international norms. In a Saturday post on Truth Social — the platform he predominantly owns — Trump insisted that U.S. military and commercial vessels should pass through the Suez and Panama canals without paying fees. He asserted that neither canal "would exist" without American involvement and said he had instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to "take care of, and memorialize, this situation." "Trump's proposals about international waterways constitute a serious threat to international peace, security, and public order," said Ayman Salama, a professor of international law at Cairo University, in remarks to Xinhua on Monday. Salama referred to the 1888 Constantinople Convention, which established key legal principles for the operation of the Suez Canal, emphasizing equal access for all nations. He argued Trump’s remarks disregard the sovereignty of coastal nations and the legal principle of non-interference in domestic affairs — posing potential risks to global trade and economic stability. No court decision on Suez Canal s claim over massive vessel Calling the statements "legally baseless," Salama urged the international community to uphold maritime law and resist attempts to undermine the established legal framework for navigation. Samaa Soliman, deputy chairman of the Egyptian Senate's Foreign, Arab, and African Affairs Committee, stressed Monday that "only Egypt is responsible for securing and protecting the Suez Canal," adding that the transit fees are a vital national revenue stream that supports the economy and public services. She labeled Trump’s comments as "unjustified interference in the affairs of a sovereign state, and is inconsistent with the principle of mutual respect between states." Soliman also blamed U.S. policies for contributing to regional instability, citing Washington's stance on the Palestinian issue and its inaction against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. According to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), Egypt’s revenue from the canal dropped by over 60 percent year-on-year in 2024 due to tensions in the Red Sea, resulting in a loss of nearly $7 billion. Sayed Abdel Aal, head of Egypt’s socialist Tagammu Party, called Trump’s statement "provocative rhetoric" and said it reflects "a hateful colonial mentality." He noted that canal fees are applied fairly and in line with international standards, and the U.S. has no right to demand exceptions. "Trump's call can only be viewed as economic colonialism in a new garment," he added. The Egyptian Parties Alliance, representing around 42 political parties, also issued a statement on Sunday rejecting Trump's comments and accusing him of "ignoring historical facts." On Egyptian social media, users strongly pushed back against Trump’s assertion that the U.S. deserves credit for the canal’s existence. One widely circulated post stated, "Our grandfathers built the Suez Canal with their blood when America was engulfed in civil war. We will continue the course of our ancestors, and Trump will not impose his conditions on us." With ship now freed, a probe into Suez Canal blockage begins Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal has long been central to global maritime trade, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. Though shaped by colonial influence, it has become a powerful emblem of Egyptian sovereignty, particularly after its nationalization in 1956 by President Gamal Abdel Nasser — a landmark moment in the country's modern history.  

The Aga Khan IV was laid to rest on Sunday at a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt. The death of Prince Karim - the 49th hereditary imam of the Shiite Ismaili Muslims - was announced Tuesday by the Aga Khan Development Network and the Ismaili religious community. His son, 53-year-old Rahim Al-Hussaini, has been named as the Aga Khan V, the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims, in according with his father’s will. On Saturday, a private funeral service took place at the Ismaili community center in Lisbon attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spain’s King Emeritus Juan Carlos and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The Aga Khan is considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and is treated as a head of state. The governor of Aswan welcomed Prince Karim’s family at the southern Egyptian’s provinces airport on Saturday. “When his will was opened, it was found that he had requested to be buried in Aswan near his grandfather, Sultan Muhammad Shah, and his grandmother, Om Habiba,” said Maj. Gen. Ismail Kamal. Ismaili mourners marched as bells rang during the burial ceremony in the country’s southern Aswan province, as Prince Karim’s body was taken in a van. They carried his body, draped in a white shroud, and placed it on a yacht on the Nile River. Prince Karim, 88, was given the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth in July 1957, two weeks after his grandfather, the Aga Khan III, unexpectedly made him heir to the family’s 1,300-year dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect. The late Aga Khan evolved over decades into a business magnate and a philanthropist, moving between the spiritual and the worldly with ease. He was a defender of Islamic culture and values, but also widely regarded as a builder of bridges between Muslim societies and the West. The Aga Khan Development Network deals mainly with issues of health care, housing, education and rural economic development. It says it works in over 30 countries and has an annual budget of about $1 billion for nonprofit development activities. Ismailis lived for many generations in Iran, Syria and South Asia before also settling in east Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as Europe, North America and Australia more recently. They consider it a duty to donate up to 12.5% of their income to the Aga Khan as steward.

Egypt will convene an emergency summit of Arab nations on February 27 to discuss the “latest serious developments” in the Palestinian territories, the country’s foreign ministry announced on Sunday. The summit follows Egypt’s efforts to rally regional opposition against a proposal reportedly linked to former US President Donald Trump, which suggests relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan while placing the coastal territory under US control. According to the statement, the summit was convened after extensive consultations between Egypt and Arab nations, including Palestine, which formally requested the meeting. Coordination efforts also involved Bahrain, the current chair of the Arab League. On Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty engaged with regional counterparts, including officials from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, to reinforce opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians. War-torn Lebanon forms its first government in over 2 years Last week, Trump floated the idea of US administration over Gaza, proposing to transform the war-torn region into the “Riviera of the Middle East” after relocating its Palestinian residents to neighboring countries. The suggestion has sparked global condemnation, with Arab nations firmly rejecting the plan and reiterating their commitment to a two-state solution, ensuring an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Source: With input from Arab News

Egypt unveiled several discoveries near the famed city of Luxor on Wednesday, including ancient rock-cut tombs and burial shafts dating back 3,600 years. They were unearthed at the causeway of Queen Hatshepsut’s funerary temple at Deir al-Bahri on the Nile’s West Bank, according to a statement released by Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities & Heritage. It said it worked in tandem with the Supreme Council of Antiquities on the site since September 2022. Artifacts found at the tombs included bronze coins with the image of Alexander the Great dating to the Time of Ptolemy I (367-283), children’s toys made of clay, cartonnage and funerary masks that covered mummies, winged scarabs, beads and funerary amulets. Hawass told reporters that the discoveries could “reconstruct history” and offer an understanding of the type of programs ancient Egyptians designed inside a temple. The archaeologists also found the remains of Queen Hatshepsut’s Valley Temple, rock-cut tombs dating back to the Middle Kingdom (1938 B.C. - 1630 B.C.), burial shafts from the 17th dynasty, the tomb of Djehuti-Mes and part of the Assassif Ptolemaic Necropolis. The rock-cut tombs had been previously robbed during the Ptolemaic period and later. Still, the Egyptian teams uncovered some artifacts such as pottery tables that were used to offer bread, wine and meat. A grand museum displaying Egypt's ancient treasures is opening for a trial run Inside the burial shafts dating back to 1580 B.C. - 1550 B.C., anthropoid wooden coffins were found, including one that belonged to a young child. It remained intact since its burial some 3,600 years ago. War archery bows were also found inside the burial chamber, indicating that those who owned the tombs had military backgrounds and fought to liberate Egypt from the Hyksos. Not many artifacts from Djehuti Mes’s tomb were found, but the tomb itself reveals more about Djehuti Mes, who oversaw Queen Teti Sheri’s palace. The date engraved on the Djehuti Mes’ funerary stelae indicates that the tomb goes back to the 9th year of King Ahmose I’s reign (1550 B.C. - 1525 B.C.). Part of the extended Ptolemaic necropolis that occupied the site of the causeway and the Valley Temple was also uncovered. The tombs in the cemetery were built of mud bricks over the remains of Queen Hatshepsut’s temple. A large part of the necropolis was unearthed earlier in the 20th century but wasn’t properly documented. Egypt’s currency edges higher against the US dollar after price hikes In November, Egyptian and American archaeologists excavated an ancient tomb with 11 sealed burials near Luxor. The tomb, which dates to the Middle Kingdom, was found in the South Asasif necropolis, next to the Temple of Hatshepsut.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus reached  the Egyptian capital on Wednesday to attend the D-8 Summit. The Minister of the Public Business Sector of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mohamed Shimi, received him at the Cairo International Airport when he reached there at 11 am (local time), said the Chief Adviser's press wing. Later, the Chief Adviser held a brief meeting with the minister. Earlier in the morning, Dr Yunus left Dhaka on a three-day visit to Egypt. The flight carrying Chief Adviser Prof Yunus departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1:20am Wednesday. Heads of government from several more countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan, will join the summit on December 19. Read: CA Dr Yunus leaves for Egypt to attend D-8 summit

Egypt’s president announced Sunday his country has proposed a two-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas during which four hostages held in Gaza would be freed. There was no immediate response from Israel or Hamas as the latest talks were expected in Qatar, another key mediator. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said the proposal includes the release of some Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza. It aims to “move the situation forward,” he said, adding that negotiations would continue to make the cease-fire permanent. Talks in pursuit of a longer, phased cease-fire have repeatedly stalled. Hamas wants Israeli forces out of Gaza as a precondition, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said they will remain until destroying Hamas. There hasn’t been a cease-fire since November’s weeklong pause in fighting in the earliest weeks of the war. Israel’s Mossad chief was traveling to Doha on Sunday for talks with Qatar's prime minister and the CIA chief in the latest attempt to end the fighting and ease regional tensions that have built since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. Those tensions now see Israel at war with both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and openly attacking Iran, their backer, for the first time this weekend. Iran’s supreme leader on Sunday said Israel's strikes — in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack this month — “should not be exaggerated nor downplayed,” while stopping short of calling for retaliation. During a government memorial for the Hebrew anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that “not every goal can be achieved through only military operations," adding that “painful compromises will be required” to return the hostages. At the same event, protesters disrupted Netanyahu's speech, shouting “Shame on you." Many Israelis blame him for the security failures that led to the attack and hold him responsible for not yet bringing hostages home. Inside Gaza, the latest Israeli strikes in the north killed at least 33 people, mostly women and children, Palestinian officials said, as an offensive in the hard-hit and isolated area entered a third week. The U.N. secretary-general called the plight of Palestinians there “unbearable.” Israel said it targeted militants. Netanyahu says strikes on Iran achieved Israel's goalsNetanyahu in his first public comments on the strikes said “we severely harmed Iran’s defense capabilities and its ability to produce missiles that are aimed toward us.” Satellite images showed damage to two secretive Iranian military bases, one linked to work on nuclear weapons that Western intelligence agencies and nuclear inspectors say was discontinued in 2003. The other is linked to Iran's ballistic missile program. Iran said a civilian had been killed, with no details. It earlier said four people with the military air defense were killed. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s 85-year-old supreme leader, said “it is up to the authorities to determine how to convey the power and will of the Iranian people to the Israeli regime.” Khamenei would make any final decision on how Iran responds. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Monday at Iran’s request. Switzerland, which holds the council’s rotating presidency, said Russia, China and Algeria, the council's Arab representative, supported the request. Iran's most powerful proxy is Hezbollah, which has stepped up firing on Israel in response to Israel's ground invasion in southern Lebanon in recent weeks. Two Israeli strikes killed eight people in Sidon in southern Lebanon, with 25 wounded, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The Israeli military said four soldiers, including a military rabbi, were killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, without providing details. An explosive drone and a projectile fired from Lebanon wounded five people in Israel, authorities said. Truck ramming in Israel wounds dozensA truck rammed into a bus stop in Ramat Hasharon near Tel Aviv, killing one person and wounding more than 30. Israeli police said the attacker was an Arab citizen of Israel and had been “neutralized.” The ramming occurred outside a military base and near the headquarters of Israel’s Mossad spy agency. Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group praised the attack but did not claim it. Tensions have soared since the war in Gaza began, and Israel has carried out regular military raids into the occupied West Bank that have left hundreds dead. ‘Harrowing levels of death’ in northern GazaThe Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency service said 11 women and two children were among 22 killed in strikes late Saturday in Beit Lahiya in the north. Israel's military said it carried out a strike on militants. Ministry official Hussein Mohesin said 11 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in the Shati refugee camp in the north, with many injured. “Most of the injuries are children and women, and most of them are in very serious condition," he said. Israel's military did not immediately comment. Israel has waged a massive air and ground offensive in northern Gaza since early October, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there. Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled in the latest wave of displacement. Aid groups have warned of a catastrophic situation. Israel has severely limited the entry of humanitarian aid in recent weeks, and the three remaining hospitals in the north say they have been overwhelmed. The U.N. secretary-general noted “harrowing levels of death.” The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. They killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. Some 100 hostages remain in Gaza, around a third of whom thought to be dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive has devastated much of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of 2.3 million, often multiple times.