United News of Bangladesh

Three Qatari diplomats were killed and two others injured in a car accident on Saturday while traveling to Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, health officials said. The crash occurred when their vehicle overturned about 50 kilometers from Sharm el-Sheikh, the officials said, adding that the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The diplomats, members of Qatar’s protocol team, were on their way to the resort city ahead of a high-level summit celebrating the recently brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media. Israel airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill 1, wound 7 Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, played a key role in mediating the ceasefire, while Turkey joined the negotiations earlier this month in Sharm el-Sheikh. The talks resulted in a truce and the release of hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the upcoming summit in Sharm el-Sheikh will be co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and US President Donald Trump. More than two dozen world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, are expected to attend the meeting.   Source: AP

At least three people, including two women, were killed and 10 others injured when a speeding bus lost control and ploughed into a roadside shop in Daganbhuiyan upazila of Feni district on Thursday. Two of the deceased were identified as Shamim Ara Begum, 50, wife of Shahidullah from Khushipur area, Md Shraban, 20, son of Abdul Matin from Dakshin Jaylaskar village of the upazila. Officer-in-charge (OC) of Mohipal Highway Police Station Harunur Rashid said the accident occurred around 10:15am when the Noakhali-bound bus of ‘Sugandha Paribahan’ from Feni Sadar skidded and hit an electric pole before crashing into the shop on Feni-Noakhali regional road near the entrance of Lucky Road adjacent to Silonia Bazar. The accident left at least 13 people injured, he said. Businessman killed in Meherpur road crash Locals rescued the injured and sent them to Feni General Hospital where physicians declared three of them dead on arrival, the OC said. Of the injured, seven are receiving treatment at the hospital, one was shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital and two others were released after giving first aid, he said, adding that the bodies have been kept at the hospital morgue. Blaming the reckless driving during rains, highway police officials said the bus was seized and legal action will be taken.

A 29-year-old youth was shot dead early Wednesday while asleep in his Maheshwar Pasha residence under Daulatpur Police Station of Khulna city, said police. The deceased was identified as Tanvir Hasan Shuvo, general manager of an international marketing company. Shuvo was preparing to go abroad. Quoting family members, officer-in-charge of Daulatpur Police Station Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said Tanvir fell asleep while playing games on his phone with headphones on. RMG worker stabbed dead in Dhaka Around 4:30am, family members rushed to his room after hearing the sound of a gunshot and found three bullet shells in the room, he said. He was first rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) around 5am where physicians suggested he be taken to Dhaka, the OC said. But he died at the hospital around 7:30am while preparations were underway to shift him.

At least 146 land and environmental defenders were killed or went missing worldwide in 2024, with more than 80% of the cases reported in Latin America, according to a report released Wednesday by watchdog group Global Witness. The London-based organization said Latin America remains the most dangerous region for people defending their homes, communities, and natural resources, accounting for 120 of the total cases. Colombia was the deadliest country, recording 48 killings — nearly one-third of global cases — followed by Guatemala with 20 and Mexico with 18. Guatemala saw a fivefold increase in killings compared to 2023, making it the country with the highest per capita rate of defender deaths. Brazil reported 12 killings, while Honduras, Chile, and Mexico each recorded one disappearance. Laura Furones, lead researcher of the report, told the Associated Press that multiple factors drive persistent violence in Latin America, particularly in Colombia. “These countries are rich in natural resources and vast tracts of land are under pressure for food and feed production. Conflicts over resource extraction and land use often lead to attacks against those defending their rights,” she said. Since 2012, Global Witness has documented over 2,250 killings and disappearances of land and environmental defenders globally, nearly three-quarters of which occurred in Latin America. Close to 1,000 cases were recorded since 2018, when the region adopted the Escazú Agreement — a treaty aimed at protecting environmental defenders, guaranteeing access to environmental information, public participation in decision-making, and timely measures to prevent and punish attacks. The report highlighted that Indigenous peoples continue to face disproportionate risks, accounting for roughly one-third of global lethal attacks despite representing only about 6% of the world population. Ninety-four percent of attacks on Indigenous defenders occurred in Latin America. In Colombia’s Cauca region, Indigenous youth are participating in community “semilleros” (seedbeds) to learn environmental care, cultural traditions, and territorial defense to protect their land from armed groups and extractive industries. Small-scale farmers were also heavily targeted, making up 35% of victims in the region. Many killings were linked to land disputes, extractive industries such as mining, logging, agribusiness, and criminal networks. Organized crime, private security forces, and hired hitmen were implicated in numerous cases. Colombia’s Putumayo department, bridging the Andes and the Amazon, illustrates the dangers defenders face. Rich in forests and rivers, the area is also a hotspot for armed groups, extractive projects, and illicit trade, including drug trafficking and illegal mining. Environmental defenders described living under constant threat, with illegal activities tied to armed groups making them frequent targets. Andrew Miller of Amazon Watch said transnational criminal networks involved in drug, gold, and timber trafficking have increasingly become a major source of deadly threats against environmental defenders. “The security situation for defenders across the Amazon is becoming increasingly precarious,” he warned.  

A man was killed and five others sustained injuries in a clash between two factions of BNP in Narsingdi Sadar upazila early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Idan Mia, 55, of Muradnagar village. The identities of the injured could not be known immediately. Man killed by cousin over family feud in Sylhet; 5 others injured Additional Superintendent of Police Sujan Chandra Sarker said the clash broke out around 5 am between the supporters of Alokbali union BNP convener Shah Alam Chowdhury and expelled member secretary Abdul Kaiyum Mia over establishing dominance, leaving six people injured. One of them died on the way to a hospital, he said. Locals said tensions had been growing between the two groups since August 5, 2024 over establishing dominance.

A 37-year-old woman and her minor daughter were killed and another injured when a truck hit an auto-rickshaw at Dargahat Bazar in Kahalu upazila of Bogura district on Monday night. The deceased were identified as Ainun Nahar Asha, wife of Ratan of Adamdighi upazila and her six-year-old daughter Arat. Cop, two others killed in Jashore road crash Quoting witnesses, Nitai Chandra Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Kahalu Police Station, said the accident occurred around 8:30 pm when the truck crashed into the auto-rickshaw, leaving one killed on the spot and two others injured. The injured were taken to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared Arat dead.

Three people including a police officer were killed in a road accident on Jashore-Bagharpara highway in Bhangura Bazar area of Bagharpara Upazila on Sunday night. The deceased were identified as Sub-Inspector (SI) Nikkan Adhya of Lahuria Investigation Center under Lohagara Police Station in Narail, Akhtar Hossain, son of Ahmad Ali of Basundia area in Jashore Sadar,  and Abu Jafar, son of Abdul Majid of Vekutia area in Jashore town and former joint general secretary of the central committee of BNP’s volunteer wing Swechhasebok Dal. Tularampur Highway Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sheikh Sekandar Ali said when a bus crashed into a stationary truck loaded with bamboo around 10:45 pm on Sunday some of the bamboos pierced into the bus, leaving Akhtar Hossain dead on the spot. 2 killed in M’singh road crash Locals rescued Abu Jafar and police officer Nikkan Adhya and took them to Jashore General Hospital in critical condition. Abu Jafar was declared dead on arrival while Nikkan Adhya was referred to Dhaka for advanced treatment. But his condition deteriorated en route and he was taken to Narail Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. OC Sekandar Ali said proper legal action will be taken.

A 25-year-old man was killed in broad daylight by unidentified miscreants in South Keraniganj of Dhaka on Saturday. The victim, Sagir, was the son of Amir Hossain of Subhadya Uttarpara. He worked as a salesman at a clothing shop in the city’s Islampur area. Syed Muhammad Akhtar Hossain, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj Police Station, said the incident took place around 9:30 am on Saturday in front of Sudhar’s house in the Chunkutiya Nazirerbagh area. The miscreants slit Sagir’s throat with a sharp weapon and fled the scene. Auto-rickshaw driver killed by muggers in Kamrangirchar Locals discovered the body on the road and informed the police. Upon receiving the information, police recovered the body around 2:00 pm and sent it to the Mitford Hospital morgue. Sagir’s family said he got married eight years ago and had a six-year-old daughter. According to the family, the killing was allegedly linked to an extramarital affair, as Sagir had divorced his wife over her alleged relationship with another man. Police are preparing to file a murder case in this regard, added the OC.

The family of a young Utah man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk told authorities he had recently become “more political” and recalled a dinner table conversation where they discussed whether Kirk was spreading hate. Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause statement released Friday. A judge has ordered him held without bail. Robinson had recently mentioned Kirk’s scheduled visit to Utah Valley University — about three and a half hours from his family home in southern Utah — which sparked a discussion during dinner about his dislike of Kirk’s views, according to the family. State records show Robinson is registered to vote but unaffiliated with any political party and listed as inactive, having not voted in the last two general elections. His parents, who run a granite countertop business, are registered Republicans. Court records indicate Robinson has no prior criminal history. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf, and his family has not responded to media inquiries. Community in shock Police sealed off Robinson’s street on Friday as reporters gathered outside the family’s home in a suburb of St. George. Window blinds were drawn, and neighbors expressed shock online that someone from their close-knit community had been implicated in such a high-profile killing. Several praised the family for assisting authorities in his arrest. Neighbors described the Robinsons as quiet, outdoors-oriented, and active in family trips. Social media posts from previous years show the family vacationing in Disneyland, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Alaska, and engaging in boating, fishing, zip-lining and target shooting. One 2017 photo shows a smiling young Robinson holding the handles of a .50-caliber heavy machine gun during a visit to a military facility. Robinson had been baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though church spokesperson Doug Andersen declined to provide further details about his involvement. Neighbors said they hadn’t seen the family at church services for years. Friends and acquaintances described him as intelligent, quiet and reserved. Robinson had been an honor roll student in high school, scoring in the 99th percentile on standardized tests. He earned a scholarship to Utah State University in 2021 but dropped out after one semester. He later enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George. How the arrest unfolded Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Friday that the breakthrough came when a family member reached out to a family friend with information that Robinson had confessed or implied involvement in the shooting. Authorities then confirmed the tip with a friend of Robinson’s, who showed them messages describing a note Robinson allegedly left behind. Discord, the social media platform where Robinson was reported to have shared gun-related discussions, later clarified that the communications in question were between Robinson’s roommate and another friend after the shooting, not posted by Robinson himself. When Robinson was arrested, authorities said he was wearing clothing consistent with surveillance footage of the shooter. Ammunition recovered at the scene bore engravings referencing meme culture and fascist imagery, according to Governor Cox.

Two people were killed as a motorbike crashed into a car on Sylhet-Sunamganj regional highway in front of a food warehouse in Shantiganj upazila of Sunamganj on Saturday. The deceased were identified as motorcyclists Md Jewel Mia, son of Wahid Ali of Saudergaon village in Doarabazar upazila and Md Shobdar Ali, son of late Abdur Razzak of Hasannagar Moynar Point in Sunamganj municipality. Two killed in separate road accidents in Feni Locals said the accident took place around 11:30 am when the motorbike heading towards Jagannathpur collided with the Sunamganj-bound private car, leaving Jewel Mia dead on spot. Shobdar Ali succumbed to his injuries on the way to Sunamganj Sadar Hospital, said Joykolosh Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Suman Kumar Chowdhury .