United News of Bangladesh

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday (November 15) said his party will give top priority to resolving longstanding water-sharing disputes and stopping what he described as ‘Indian hegemony’ with Bangladesh. Talking to reporters after inspecting a rubber dam built on the Mahananda River in Chapainawabganj, Fakhrul said issues related to the Teesta and Farakka, fair water shares, and border killings will be among top priorities if their party is elected to power. Ensuring Bangladesh’s fair share of water and stopping border killings are priorities of BNP’s politics, he asserted. Read more: Global democracies push for fair election in Bangladesh: Khosru Fakhrul said India, as a neighbouring country, has every opportunity to maintain good relations with Bangladesh. “During the Liberation War in 1971, India stood by us. They should extend even greater cooperation now. But unfortunately, we have witnessed the opposite. The Modi government has put pressure on Bangladesh, taken everything, and given us nothing. That was the failure of the Awami League government,” he added. “The relations must be on the basis of equal footing. Our national interests must come first,” Fakhrul added. The BNP secretary general arrived in Chapainawabganj to join a mass rally organised as part of the ‘Save the Padma, Save the Country; Bangladesh First’ campaign. Read more: BNP weighing review of ‘controversial’ nominations amid grassroots unrest

A Bangladeshi fisherman was injured in firing by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Polladanga border region in Chapainawabganj's Bholahat upazila. The injured is Jahangir Alam, 24, a resident of Kolonipara village of Gohalbari union. According to locals, Jahangir was fishing on a boat in the Mahananda River along the Polladanga border region at around 4:30 am on Saturday (February 17, 2024). At that time, BSF fired at him, and his right hand was shot. BSF detains 23 Bangladeshis along Chhagalnaiya border in Feni The locals then rescued him and rushed him to the Upazila health complex. Dr Delwar Hossain, duty medical officer of Bholahat Upazila Health Complex, said Jahangir was brought to the hospital with a bullet injury to his right elbow. Later, he was referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for better treatment. BSF regrets recent border killing, says Foreign Ministry Lt Col Golam Kibria, commanding officer of the BGB-59 battalion in Chapainawabganj, said members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) opened fire on Jahangir when he went near the Indian territory while he was fishing. He also said the BGB has sent a protest letter to the BSF in this regard. Body of Bangladeshi killed by BSF returned through Lalmonirhat border

A fishermen drowned in the Mahananda River while fishing at Barogharia in Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj district on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Shukuddi, 65, son of Aftab Ali of the upazila. Read more: Schoolboy drowns at waterfall in CU Shukuddi went to the river by a boat for catching fish in the morning, said Saber Ali, deputy assistant director of Chapainawabganj Fire Service and Civil Defense. At one stage, he fell into the river from the boat and went missing. Read more: Madrasah boy drowns trying to save distressed man in Cox's Bazar On information, drivers from local fire service rushed to the spot and fished out his body from the river around 10:30 am, said Saber Ali.