United News of Bangladesh

Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Bangladesh Listyowati has encouraged stronger cooperation between healthcare institutions and hospitals of Bangladesh and Indonesia, including through capacity building, exchange of expertise, experiences and best practices in healthcare services, exchange of delegation visits, and training for healthcare professionals. The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Dhaka supported and facilitated the participation of four leading Indonesian hospitals at the International Health Tourism and Services Expo held in Dhaka from May 7-9. To maximise the visit, the Indonesian Embassy facilitated various meetings and visits with health sector partners in Bangladesh, as well as organised a business gathering and networking session to promote Indonesia’s health tourism sector. The series of activities formed part of Indonesia’s economic diplomacy efforts in the health sector by showcasing the quality of Indonesia’s healthcare services and promoting Indonesia as one of the region’s leading healthcare destinations, while at the same time strengthening bilateral cooperation in the health sector between Indonesia and Bangladesh, particularly as both countries already have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on health cooperation. The Indonesian delegation participating in the event consisted of representatives from Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital (RSCM), Harapan Kita National Cardiovascular Center, Dharmais National Cancer Hospital, and Siloam Hospitals Group. The Indonesian Ambassador emphasised that the event was not only about introducing the quality of Indonesia’s healthcare services, but also about building bridges and strengthening partnerships between the two countries. “The momentum of this visit can be utilized to encourage stronger cooperation between healthcare institutions and hospitals of both countries, including through capacity building, exchange of expertise, experiences and best practices in healthcare services, exchange of delegation visits, and training for healthcare professionals,” she said. The Ambassador said this activity also serves as a platform to expand cooperation networks and open concrete collaboration opportunities in medical services, health tourism, and healthcare human resource development. The Indonesian Ambassador, together with representatives of Indonesian hospitals, also conducted a courtesy meeting with the Secretary of the Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, to discuss potential avenues for strengthening bilateral health cooperation, including the implementation of concrete programs that could provide direct benefits to the people of Indonesia and Bangladesh. The Embassy also facilitated various strategic agendas and institutional visits by the Indonesian hospital delegation to several leading healthcare facilities in Bangladesh, including United Hospital, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bangladesh Specialized Hospital, and the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital. Efforts to promote Indonesia’s medical tourism sector were also marked by the signing of a cooperation agreement between Siloam Hospitals Group and GD Assist Bangladesh on May 8. The collaboration is expected to encourage the people of Bangladesh, with a population of more than 170 million, to consider Indonesia as a healthcare destination in the region, said the Embassy on Sunday. Overall, the series of activities and visits by the Indonesian delegation to Dhaka were carried out smoothly and productively, marked by a number of commitments for future cooperation in various health sectors to be followed up by both parties, in efforts to enhance mutually beneficial health sector cooperation.  

Indonesia will ban social media for children under 16, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said Friday. Hafid in a statement to media said that she just signed a government regulation that will mean children under the age of 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. The implementation will start gradually on March 28. “The basis is clear. Our children face increasingly real threats. From exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and most importantly addiction. The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight alone against the giant of algorithms.” Hafid said.  

An unmarried couple in Indonesia’s Aceh province has been publicly caned a total of 140 times after being found guilty of having intercourse outside marriage and consuming alcohol, offences under the region’s Islamic Sharia law. Local authorities said the 21-year-old woman collapsed and briefly lost consciousness during the punishment, which officials described as the highest number of lashes carried out in a single public caning session in the province. She was struck by female officers using a rattan cane and was later taken away by ambulance after fainting. The man involved was also caned as part of the punishment. The couple were punished on Thursday along with four others convicted of violating Sharia law, including an officer from Aceh’s Islamic police force. Under Aceh’s Islamic criminal code, intercourse outside marriage is punishable by up to 100 lashes, while alcohol consumption carries a sentence of 40 lashes. The punishments are typically carried out in public and remain common in the deeply conservative province. The Islamic police officer was caned 23 times, along with his female partner, for being alone together in a private location. Authorities said the officer would be dismissed from service. Human rights groups have long criticised public caning in Aceh, calling it cruel and degrading. Azharul Husna, Aceh coordinator for Indonesian rights group Kontras, said the punishments are not properly regulated and stressed the need for better safeguards and post-punishment care for those subjected to caning. Aceh is the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia that formally enforces Sharia law, which allows for public corporal punishment for a range of offences.   With inputs from BBC

At least seven people have lost their lives after a landslide triggered by flash floods hit the Cisarua sub-district of West Bandung Regency in Indonesia’s West Java Province early Saturday, local media reported. The disaster occurred around 3:00 a.m. local time, when residents heard a loud rumble before mud and debris flowed from Pasirkuning Village into neighboring Pasir Kuda Village. Dozens of homes were buried under mud and landslide debris, causing extensive damage to residential areas close to the impact zone. Police said seven bodies had been recovered by noon on Saturday, while hundreds of residents were still feared missing or trapped. Search and rescue teams are continuing efforts at the scene. Rescue operations have been slowed by challenging terrain, thick layers of debris and the possibility of further rainfall. Read More: South Africa declares national disaster after deadly floods and severe weather Authorities have advised people living nearby to remain cautious and avoid areas vulnerable to landslides, warning that unstable soil could lead to additional disasters.

Researchers have discovered the world’s oldest cave painting on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The painting shows a red hand with claw-like fingers and is at least 67,800 years old. The stencilled hand was found in Liang Metanduno cave on Muna Island, southeast of Sulawesi. Scientists say the artist pressed a hand against the wall and sprayed pigment around it, then altered the fingers to create a claw-like effect. The discovery predates the previous oldest hand stencil in Spain by about 1,100 years. Experts say it shows early symbolic thinking and creativity in humans far earlier than previously believed. Professor Adam Brumm of Griffith University, Australia, said the finding challenges the idea that human creativity began in Europe. He noted that such symbolic art existed across Indonesia tens of thousands of years ago. Archaeologists say the painting also supports the theory that humans reached the Australia–New Guinea landmass, Sahul, much earlier than thought. The artists in Sulawesi likely belonged to populations that later spread across the region. Previous discoveries on Sulawesi included hand stencils and animal figures dating back 40,000 to 51,000 years. The new find shows that cave art was widespread and a long-standing cultural practice in the region. Professor Maxime Aubert, co-lead of the study, said humans had the capacity for abstract and symbolic thought long before reaching Europe, suggesting creativity was an innate trait of the species.   With in puts from BBC

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday named retired Gen. Djamari Chaniago as the new coordinating minister for politics and security, moving to stabilize his Cabinet after violent protests left 10 people dead last month. Chaniago, 77, replaces Budi Gunawan, who was removed earlier this month without an immediate successor, fueling days of speculation. Gunawan’s dismissal followed nationwide demonstrations that erupted in late August over lawmakers receiving a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,075) — nearly 10 times Jakarta’s minimum wage. The unrest intensified after the death of ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan, who was struck by a police vehicle. The protests, among the toughest tests for Subianto’s young presidency, forced a Cabinet reshuffle in which five ministers lost their posts, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a respected former IMF and World Bank official. Local media and analysts said Gunawan was blamed for failing to coordinate with security agencies during the crisis and was absent from key meetings. Concerns over his health also contributed to his removal. Subianto’s decision to elevate Chaniago is seen as part of a broader strategy to reconsolidate power by installing trusted figures in strategic positions. Chaniago, a former army commander, was among seven generals on the Officers Council of Honor in 1998 that investigated Subianto’s role in the abduction of pro-democracy activists during the final days of Suharto’s regime. Subianto was later dismissed from the military for “misinterpreting orders,” though he was never tried, while some of his subordinates were convicted. Analysts say the appointment reflects an effort to mend old divisions. “Prabowo needs broad support, including from senior military figures and elites who once opposed him, to strengthen his government,” said Selamat Ginting, a political and military analyst at the National University. At a ceremony at Jakarta’s Merdeka Palace, Subianto also swore in three other ministers. Erick Thohir, former state-owned enterprises minister and a close ally of ex-president Joko Widodo, was named minister of youth and sports. Thohir, 55, is a businessman and former owner of Inter Milan and D.C. United, and has served as chairman of the Football Association of Indonesia since 2023.

At least 15 people have been killed and 10 others remain missing after flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains struck Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province and the tourist island of Bali, authorities said Wednesday. The rains, which began Monday, caused rivers to overflow and unleashed landslides across the two provinces. In East Nusa Tenggara, rescuers on Wednesday recovered the bodies of a mother and her child buried under mud in Mauponggo, the worst-hit village in Nagekeo district, along with a man in the neighboring village of Loka Laba. Earlier, three members of a family were found dead after their house was swept away in Mauponggo, where four others remain missing, officials said. In Bali, rescuers pulled the body of a woman from a flooded area near Badung market in provincial capital Denpasar late Wednesday, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari. Six people are still unaccounted for. Eight other bodies were found earlier, including four who died when a building was washed away in the Kumbasari market area of South Denpasar, said Nyoman Sidakarya, head of Bali’s Search and Rescue Agency. The floods and landslides have affected nine cities and districts in Bali, submerging at least 112 neighborhoods and damaging roads, bridges, shops and houses, according to Bali’s Disaster Mitigation Agency. Videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed cars swept away in muddy waters, while soldiers and rescuers used rubber boats to evacuate children and the elderly from rooftops. Bali Governor Wayan Koster said floodwaters reached up to 2.5 meters in places, forcing more than 800 people into temporary shelters. Electricity and water supplies were cut off, prompting hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other facilities to rely on generators, he added. In Nagekeo, flash floods swept away villagers and vehicles, destroyed two bridges, two government offices, a plantation, rice fields and livestock, said local disaster agency head Agustinus Pone. At least six villagers were confirmed dead there, while four others remain missing. Muhari said rescue operations have been hampered by severe weather and rugged terrain. Indonesia frequently experiences floods and landslides during the rainy season, which typically lasts from September to March.

Rescue operations were underway on Thursday to locate 29 missing people after a ferry sank off Indonesia's popular resort island of Bali, leaving at least five dead. According to the National Search and Rescue Agency, 31 people were rescued from the vessel, which had 53 passengers and 12 crew members on board when it sank on Wednesday night. “The ferry is completely submerged, and there’s a chance some people are trapped inside. However, for now, we’re concentrating the search on the water’s surface,” said Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue team. The five recovered bodies will be returned to their families in Banyuwangi, East Java, Sigit added. Authorities said the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry sank roughly 30 minutes after departing Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi for Bali’s Gilimanuk Port, a short 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) journey. Rescue teams deployed a helicopter and 15 boats to search for survivors, assisted by fishermen and coastal residents. Rough sea conditions have complicated the search efforts. Strong waves reaching up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) and poor visibility hindered operations overnight. Although the weather improved Thursday morning, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reported waves as high as 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) with strong currents and winds persisting in the afternoon. Serbian police detain 79 protesters as dissent persists against populist president “Today’s search is focused on the waters between the accident site and Gilimanuk Port, where initial victims were found,” Sigit stated. An officer at the port reportedly saw the ferry sinking before rescue teams could be dispatched. "The vessel couldn’t be contacted by radio initially, but communication was eventually established with other ships. By then, the ferry was already listing," Sigit explained. Many survivors were found unconscious after drifting for hours in rough seas, Banyuwangi Police Chief Rama Samtama Putra said. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident. Survivors reported a leak in the ferry’s engine room. The ferry was carrying 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks. Relatives of passengers gathered at the port, visibly distressed and desperate for news. Those rescued were taken to nearby medical facilities, including Bali’s Jembrana Regional Hospital. Supardi, a 64-year-old survivor, described his harrowing experience. “When the ferry began to tilt, I thought of jumping into the sea, but the ship sank too quickly. I went down with the water, maybe 7 meters deep, before managing to climb to the surface,” he said. He and three others stayed afloat by using life jackets until rescuers arrived. Ferry accidents are frequent in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of over 17,000 islands, where lax safety standards and overloading often contribute to maritime disasters.  

A natural stones quarry in Indonesia’s West Java province collapsed on several people who were working inside on Friday, killing at least two people and leaving several workers missing, officials said. At least 10 people were trapped in the rubble when the mine in Cirebon district collapsed, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi estimated in a video statement, and rescuers have retrieved at least two bodies. Earthquake off Sumatra damages over 100 homes in Indonesia The exact number of casualties was still unclear as local television reported rescuers were able to pull at least a dozen injured people from the debris and recover bodies during a grueling search effort. Police, emergency personnel, soldiers and volunteers were trying to locate any remaining worker. Their efforts were hampered by unstable soil that risked further slides, the television report said.  

The vibrant streets and bustling shopping malls of Jakarta have come alive with traditional music and dragon puppet dances as Indonesia prepares to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Communities across Asia will mark the Lunar New Year on January 29, with 2025 being the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac. Festivities, including fireworks and parades, aim to dispel misfortune and invite prosperity. In Indonesia, home to millions of people with Chinese heritage, crowds gathered to enjoy performances featuring traditional dragon and lion puppets. These intricate creations, some as long as 65 feet (20 meters), are operated by groups of performers walking underneath interconnected sections, with drummers adding a rhythmic backdrop. Indonesia showcases returned artifacts it had sought for decades from the Netherlands In the weeks leading up to the celebrations, performance troupes rehearse tirelessly in makeshift spaces, such as the back of a small coffee and snack shop. Local residents, including women and children, often stop by to watch these practices. During quieter periods, the puppet heads are stored on shelves. Just days before the Lunar New Year, one troupe loaded their puppets and performers into a truck for a mall performance, with others following on motorbikes. At the venue, hundreds of spectators were captivated by the drumming and puppet dance. Enthusiastic applause accompanied the show, and some audience members presented “angpau” — red envelopes containing money traditionally given during special occasions — by placing them into the puppets’ mouths.