United News of Bangladesh

Seven Bangladeshi nationals were killed in the fire that broke out at a hotel in Kolkata, India early Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Thursday. The fire broke out at a hotel on Free School Street near New Market, one of Kolkata’s busiest and most densely populated areas. On Wednesday, the ministry confirmed five deaths citing local authorities. “According to local authorities, nine people have so far died in the fire. Police have confirmed the identities of five of them as Bangladeshi nationals,” the ministry said in a media release. Four of the Bangladeshi victims were members of the same family, it said, adding that local authorities have yet to confirm the identities of the remaining victims. Meanwhile, six Bangladeshi nationals injured in the fire have been released from hospital after receiving primary treatment. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Wednesday said the government will bring back the bodies of five Bangladeshi nationals killed in a hotel fire in Kolkata as soon as possible after completion of the identification and other necessary formalities. UNB Satkhira correspondent reports: two residents of Kaliganj upazila in Satkhira were among those killed in the devastating fire. The deceased were Alimuzzaman Saju, son of late Yunus Ali of Bareya village and Rebati Sarkar, wife of Bhavesh Sarkar of Tentulia village, both under Tarali Union of Kaliganj upazila. News of their deaths reached the area around 10pm on Wednesday, sending shockwaves through the two families and the local community. Kaliganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Milon Saha told UNB over the phone that he had learned that two of those killed in the Kolkata fire were residents of Kaliganj.“Efforts are underway at the higher government level to bring the bodies back to the country as soon as possible,” he said. Saju, who had shrimp enclosure business, travelled to India five to six days ago for treatment of back pain and was scheduled to return home on Wednesday, according to his brother. Rebati travelled to India about three months ago for medical treatment and returned home after seeing a doctor, said her family. She had gone to Kolkata again for a follow-up consultation when she died in the hotel fire. The families have demanded that the bodies be repatriated to Bangladesh as soon as possible. “We have already contacted our Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and the family members of those who were killed. Once the identification and other formalities are completed, we can bring these bodies back to Bangladesh as soon as possible,” State Minister Shama Obaed told reporters on Wednesday, adding that the Bangladesh mission in Kolkata is working on the matter. Responding to a question, the State Minister said the government would consider bearing the repatriation expenses if the families of the victims are unable to afford them. Officials of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata are maintaining close contact with hospitals and local police to provide necessary assistance to the Bangladeshi nationals affected by the incident, said the ministry. The mission has also opened a round-the-clock helpline to assist Bangladeshi nationals and their families. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka and the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata are maintaining close coordination with the relevant Indian authorities and monitoring developments concerning the Bangladeshi victims. A Bangladeshi journalist and three members of his family were among those killed in the fire. The deceased were identified as Debashis Dutta, 40, Kushtia correspondent for Ajker Patrika and Channel Nine; his wife, Afsana Simmin, 25; their three-year-old daughter, Swarna Shish Dutta; and his father-in-law, Akram Ali, 64. According to family sources, Dutta had travelled to Kolkata with his ailing wife for medical treatment. He is survived by another daughter, aged eight, as well as his parents. Besides, 38-year-old Ahmed Babu, a cosmetics businessman from Savar, was among those killed in the blaze.

Three people were killed and at least 18 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a sand-laden truck at Baniyacho in Shahrashti upazila of Chandpur on Tuesday morning. All three deceased were men  but their identities could not immediately be confirmed, said Additional Superintendent of Police of Chandpur Lutfor Rahman. The accident occurred around 8am when the Al-Arafah Paribahan bus was trying to overtake another vehicle and collided with the truck coming from the opposite direction, said witnesses. Officer-in-Charge of Shahrashti Police Station Mir Mahbubur Rahman said Noakhali-to-Jashore-bound Al-Arafah Paribahan bus collided head-on with the sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction. The front portions of both vehicles were badly mangled in the collision, leaving several bus passengers trapped inside. The injured were taken to Shahrashti Upazila Health Complex. Aklima Akter, health and family planning officer of Shahrashti Upazila, told UNB that 18 injured people were brought to the hospital from the accident site. "They were given emergency treatment. Three of them were in critical condition and were referred to Cumilla Medical College Hospital after receiving initial treatment," she said. The remaining injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital, she added. OC Mir Mahbubur Rahman said three bodies have so far been recovered from the scene and rescue operation is still underway.

A total of 15,712 people were killed and 14,143 injured in motorbike accidents across Bangladesh in seven and a half years from 2020 to July 2026, according to a report of Road Safety Foundation (RSF). A large number of the victims were young people, with 58 percent of those aged between 13 and 35, said the report published on Saturday. Of the total accidents, 6,314, or 39.30 percent, occurred when heavy vehicles hit motorbikes, while 5,497 accidents, or 34.21 percent, happened after motobike riders lost control. Another 3,548 accidents, or 22.08 percent, involved head-on collisions, while 706 accidents, or 4.39 percent, occurred for other reasons. According to the report, goods-carrying vehicles such as trucks, covered vans, pickups, tractors, trolleys and lorries were responsible for the highest share of motorbike crashes, accounting for 40.34 percent, or 6,481 incidents. Motorcycle riders themselves were solely responsible for 36.29 percent, or 5,831 accidents, while bus drivers were blamed for 13.47 percent, or 2,164 incidents. Three-wheelers were responsible for 4.55 percent, private cars, microbuses, ambulances and jeeps for 2.72 percent, bicycles and rickshaws for 0.76 percent, and pedestrians for 1.84 percent of the accidents, according to the report. Regional roads see most crashes Regional roads accounted for the highest number of motorcycle accidents, with 6,689 incidents, or 41.63 percent of the total. National highways accounted for 4,773 accidents, or 29.71 percent, while 2,646 accidents, or 16.47 percent, occurred on city roads and 1,957, or 12.18 percent, on rural roads. The report said motorcycles account for around 71 percent of all registered motor vehicles in Bangladesh, with a significant proportion being operated by teenagers and young adults. It also identified reckless riding, violations of traffic rules, weak enforcement of traffic laws, poor road infrastructure, inadequate awareness campaigns, lack of technological monitoring, insufficient affordable public transport and severe traffic congestion as major factors behind motorcycle crashes. The report also revealed the advertising strategies of motorcycle manufacturers and marketers sometimes encourage young people to associate high-speed riding with excitement, contributing to reckless driving. It further said many bus and goods-laden vehicle drivers operate vehicles recklessly, increasing the risk of collisions with motorcycles. Lack of helmets a major concern The report identified failure to use quality helmets as one of the major reasons behind the rising number of deaths in motorcycle crashes. It said motorcycles are around 30 times more vulnerable than four-wheeled vehicles, while the lack of convenient and affordable public transport and severe traffic congestion is encouraging more people to use motorcycles. According to the report, wearing a quality helmet can reduce the risk of death in a crash by 48 percent. Accidents rise over the years The report showed a rising trend in motorcycle crashes, with deaths increasing over the period. Motorcycle crashes killed 1,463 people in 2020, rising to 2,214 in 2021 and 3,091 in 2022. Deaths stood at 2,487 in 2023, 2,609 in 2024 and 2,671 in 2025. Up to July in 2026, 1,177 people had died in motorcycle crashes. It also recommended introducing safety and monitoring technologies on motorcycles, making the use of quality helmets mandatory and ensuring strict enforcement of traffic laws. It called for road-safety awareness campaigns in educational institutions, safety-focused campaigns on social media through the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and changes to the language and presentation used in motorcycle advertisements. It also recommended developing safer road infrastructure and introducing affordable, passenger-friendly public transport to reduce dependence on motorcycles.

A scrap trader sustained bullet injuries after being shot by a miscreant in Khulna city on Sunday night, apparently for refusing to comply with an extortion demand. The incident took place in front of Gallamari Ideal Nursing Home Clinic around 11 pm, police said. The victim was identified as Rafiqul Islam Manik, 40, son of Rustum Majhi, a resident of MA Bari Road in the town. He was initially taken to a local hospital and later sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment. Sonadanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Rafiqul Islam said the victim ran a scrap business in front of the clinic and was staying there at night when the incident occurred. He added that a man identified as Sayel had earlier attempted to extort the victim. Police suspect the shooting took place after the demand was not met.  

Two people were killed after a fire broke out at a high-rise building in Katabon area of Elephant Road in the capital early Saturday. The deceased were identified as Md Jony, 24, son of Babul Mia of Kishoreganj district and Abdus Salam, 20, son of Selim Sarkar of Kahalu upazila in Bogura district. Jony served as a clerk to Barrister Moazzem and Salam, a clerk of Prosecutor Abdullah Al Noman at the International Crimes Tribunal. The fire broke out on the 12th floor of the 14-storey Al-Baraka Tower on Elephant Road at around 1:05 am. On information, six firefighting units rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control around 3:08 am, said Md Sihab Sarkar, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defence control room. The fire was completely extinguished at 5:40 am, he said. Firefighters rescued two people from the building and took them to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Md Nazmul and Sarwar, who accompanied the victims to the hospitals, said the fire broke out at around 1:05 am, filling the upper floors of the building with smoke. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the police camp at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said the bodies have been kept at the DMCH morgue The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage could not be immediately determined.  

Four people died in two separate incidents after entering septic tanks in Chattogram city and the district's Raozan upazila on Friday. In the city, two construction workers died after becoming trapped inside a septic tank while working at an under-construction multi-storey building in Dhaniyalapara under Double Mooring police station. The deceased were identified as Sakib and Hridoy. Double Mooring Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahinur Alam said the incident occurred around noon at a building under construction near American Building and Lucky Mansion in the Choto Mosque by-lane area of Dhaniyalapara. The two workers reportedly suffocated after entering the septic tank on the ground floor of the building for maintenance work. Police and Fire Service personnel recovered the bodies and sent them to the morgue of Chattogram Medical College Hospital for autopsy, the OC said. In a separate incident in Raozan upazila, two workers died after entering a septic tank to clean it at a house under construction in Jhikuti Para of Noapara union. The deceased were identified as Pradip Das of Kochukhain area in Raozan and Samiran Das of Kodurkhil area in neighbouring Boalkhali upazila. Pradip was also the son-in-law of the house owner, locally known as Ratan Doctor. Raozan Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jasim Uddin confirmed the deaths. According to local residents, Pradip entered the septic tank around 12:30 pm and became ill after inhaling toxic gas accumulated inside the tank, which had remained closed for a long period. Samiran entered the tank in an attempt to rescue him but also lost consciousness after being exposed to the gas. Fire Service personnel later recovered both men and rushed them to a hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

A Bangladeshi student who went to Cyprus for higher studies was found dead in a forest there, claimed his family. The victim, Shahriar Ahmed, also known as Emon, 22, hailed from Lochanpur village in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi district. He was the eldest son of Nasir Mia, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in Greece. According to family members, Shahriar went to Cyprass around three months ago on a student visa after enrolling online at a university there. He had been living in Oroklini area of Larnaca and was sharing accommodation with another Bangladeshi, Raihan. His family said Shahriar had been looking for a job to reduce the financial burden on his family which had been sending him around Tk 50,000 to Tk 60,000 every month for expenses. On June 11, Shahriar informed his mother that he had secured a job and would begin work that night. He also shared the news with his father and the roommate. Before leaving for work, his roommate Raihan asked him to send his location upon arrival. At around 9 pm local time, Shahriar sent his location via WhatsApp and Raihan replied with an “OK” message, but Shahriar never viewed it, according to the family. About an hour later, a message was sent from Shahriar’s WhatsApp account to his father claiming that he had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom of 35,000 euros for his release. The message threatened to sell his eyes and kidneys if the money was not paid. Initially, family members suspected that Shahriar’s WhatsApp account had been hacked. However, when he did not return from work the following day, Raihan filed a report with local police. The family said the WhatsApp account remained active and ransom demands continued for several days. Shahriar’s younger brother, Nayan Ahmed, said the family eventually agreed to negotiate with the kidnappers and settled on a ransom amount equivalent to Tk 5 lakh. “On Sunday, we went to the bank to send the money. We wanted to speak to my brother first using his phone which was with the kidnappers. But their behaviour and responses made us suspicious and we decided not to transfer the money,” said Nayan. Later that night, the family learned that Cyprus police arrested a Bangladeshi national, identified as Shahin Babu, 22, in connection with the case. According to family members, police recovered Shahriar’s body from a forest based on information provided by the suspect.   Investigators also recovered a knife believed to have been used in the killing.   The family said Cyprus police have not disclosed the suspect’s home district in Bangladesh.   Raipura Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Masud Rana said he heard that a Bangladeshi national has been arrested in connection with the abduction and murder of a student in Cyprus.   “However, we have not yet received any official communication from the Cyprus Embassy regarding the matter, nor has the victim’s family contacted us for assistance,” he said.   “If the family seeks support, necessary measures will be taken through the ministry concerned,” said the UNO.  

A university student who was preparing to leave for Australia for higher education has lost his life in a road accident in the capital's Fakirapool area just days before his scheduled departure. The deceased, Arafat Rahman Shawon, 19, son of Md. Lutfor Rahman and a first-year BBA student at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). Shawon hailed from Baro Deora Ansar Ali Road area  in Gazipur. He used to live with his family in Madhubagh area of Moghbazar in Dhaka. His mother, Sultana Akter, said her son was preparing to pursue higher studies in Australia and his flight to Australia was scheduled for June 30. "He went out on a motorcycle with friends to watch a football match at night. While passing through Fakirapool, a pedestrian was crossing the road when the motorcycle collided with him around 12 am. The pedestrian was injured, and my son suffered severe injuries to his head, face, and other parts of his body," she said. He was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, she said. Inspector Md. Faruk, in-charge of the police camp at DMCH, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue. The injured pedestrian is currently receiving treatment at the emergency department.

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect last October, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry said on Wednesday that 1,005 people have been killed in Israeli military operations since the truce began, amid continued airstrikes, shelling and gunfire in various parts of the enclave. The latest casualties followed a series of Israeli drone strikes over recent days targeting towns, refugee camps in central Gaza and areas of Gaza City. In the latest incident, an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza killed two Palestinians and injured six others, according to health officials at Nasser Hospital. The Israeli military confirmed carrying out the strike, saying it targeted a “terrorist,” but provided no further details. Relatives of the victims told hospital authorities that the attack hit a group of people near the beach in the Mawasi tent camp, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Israel has maintained that it continues to conduct operations against Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza and has expanded the territory under its control inside the enclave. In a separate statement, the Israeli military said it had killed two militants belonging to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement in strikes carried out over the weekend. Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Sunday that the overall death toll from the Israel-Hamas war, which began in October 2023, has surpassed 73,000. The ministry does not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties, though its records are generally regarded by international organizations as credible and are maintained by medical professionals.

Five Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel were killed after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed during a routine training mission in the northeastern Indian state of Assam on Saturday, officials said. The aircraft went down near Jorhat in Assam, the Indian Air Force said in a statement posted on social media platform X. Visuals from the crash site showed debris scattered across a field following the accident. The IAF expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said it stood in solidarity with them during this difficult time. Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the crash, and further details are awaited. The incident comes months after two Indian Air Force pilots were killed in March when a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed during a routine training sortie in Assam.