Khulna has become a major corridor for drug smuggling, with traffickers exploiting road and rail networks to transport Yaba pills and other narcotics from Cox’s Bazar to Jashore via Khulna. The ineffectiveness of authorities in ensuring stringent legal action has further emboldened these criminal networks. Due to its convenient transport links, smugglers have increasingly favoured this route, using a variety of tactics to evade detection. Drugs such as Yaba, cannabis and Phensedyl are being trafficked through the district’s border points and discreetly distributed across the country. Although law enforcement agencies in Khulna are actively conducting operations to seize narcotics and arrest those involved, the persistence of drug trafficking remains a significant challenge. Major Drug Seizure in Khulna In a recent operation, law enforcement authorities arrested two people, including a Rohingya national, and confiscated 9,000 Yaba tablets—Khulna’s largest-ever haul of the illicit drug. The detainees have been identified as Touhidul Karim, 25, son of Mozar Mia from Kutupalong Rohingya Camp in Cox’s Bazar, and Imran Khan, 31, son of Shahidul Khan from Keshabpur Upazila in Jashore. During the raid, the Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) also recovered four counterfeit Tk 1,000 notes, two mobile phones, and a forged National ID card. Read: Karwan Bazar Railway: The go-to place for illegal drugs in Dhaka Under interrogation, Imran Khan disclosed that Touhidul had rented a house in Ghoshpara, Palbari under Kotwali Police Station in Jashore, which was being used as a base for trafficking Yaba pills. Additional Commissioner of KMP, Kutubuddin, said, “This is the largest seizure of Yaba in our force’s history, surpassing the previous record of 4,500 pills. A fake Bangladeshi National ID card was also recovered from the Rohingya arrestee. We are investigating the sources, transporters, financiers, and masterminds behind the drug trade to take decisive legal action against them.” Key Drug Smuggling Routes Intelligence sources reveal that traffickers smuggle various drugs through the bordering district of Satkhira via Chuknagar in Khulna and from Jashore via Keshabpur, Chuknagar and Abhaynagar to Phultala. Besides, the Jashore-Benapole commuter train is frequently used to transport drugs into Khulna. Satkhira and Jashore routes serve as major transit points for smuggling Phensedyl, Yaba and other narcotics from India into Bangladesh. Authorities have identified Zero Point and Pather Bazar under Khan Jahan Ali Police Station as key drug smuggling hubs. Meanwhile, illicit substances are being transported to Daulatpur and Khulna railway stations using the Benapole-Khulna commuter train. Read more: Sylhet’s Bishwanath sees alarming rise in drug abuse   Women are often used as carriers, concealing drugs within other goods before distributing them across the country through well-organised networks. Persistence of the Drug Trade Despite ongoing crackdowns, many drug traders manage to secure bail and resume their illicit activities. Intelligence reports highlight numerous drug trafficking hotspots, including: Khulna City: 44 points in Khalishpur, 14 in Khulna Sadar, 14 in Khan Jahan Ali, 11 in Labanchara, 10 in Daulatpur, seven in Aranghata, six in Sonadanga and three in Harintana Police Station areas. Surrounding Upazilas: Seven areas in Terokhada, nine in Dacope, four in Paikgacha, two in Koyra, as well as multiple locations in Batiaghata, Digholia and Rupsha upazilas. Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sonadanga Police Station, said, “Around 44 buses operate from the Sonadanga bus stand, many of which are used to smuggle drugs to border areas such as Jashore and Satkhira.” He added that a portion of these narcotics enters Dhaka, while others are smuggled across international borders. Read more: Illegal drug, arms trade thrives in Mirpur's Pallabi Alubdi Jhilpar Slum under ex-MP's control The growing use of Khulna as a hub for drug trafficking underscores the urgent need for enhanced law enforcement measures. While authorities continue their efforts to curb the trade, the resilience of smuggling networks highlights systemic weaknesses in enforcement and legal deterrence. Strengthening border security, increasing surveillance on transport routes and ensuring strict legal consequences for offenders will be critical in dismantling the region’s thriving narcotics trade.

Bangladesh and Japanese government have signed an agreement aiming to improve the fish landing centre in Cox’s Bazar. The signing ceremony of the ‘Project for Improvement of Fish Landing Center of BFDC in Cox’s Bazar district’ was held on Wednesday at Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo. Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) and JDC-KONOIKE Joint Venture signed the agreement and the project will be implemented with grant assistance from the Japan Government. 2 top UAE companies plan to invest in port development, energy sectors in Bangladesh BFDC Chairman Suraiya Akhtar Jahan signed the agreement on behalf of the Bangladesh Government. She sought Japan’s continued support for the development of Bangladesh’s fisheries sector. Bangladesh’s ambassador to Japan Md. Daud Ali welcomed all and thanked the Japanese Government for continuous support and cooperation in the development of Bangladesh. Mentioning that Japan is Bangladesh's largest single development partner, the ambassador said that this cooperation is gradually expanding in various sectors including trade and commerce, agriculture, infrastructure, communication, health, education, and human resource development. He also hoped that the friendly relations between the two countries will become stronger in the future. Saudi Ambassador honored with prestigious "Bangladesh Medal for Diplomatic Excellence" A grant agreement for the project was signed between ERD and JICA on  March 28, 2024 for an amount of 2.294 billion Japanese Yen (equivalent to Tk. 168.48 crore or 15.31 million USD). The project is expected to turn the Cox's Bazar Fish landing Center into modern fish landing facility that will increase capacity and enhance landing ability for the wholesale fish market.

Members of Bangladesh Navy have arrested 19 people including a human trafficker for their alleged attempt to go to Malaysia illegally from Kacchapia in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district. Tipped off, a Navy team conducted a drive in the area early Tuesday and arrested them, said a press release of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Bangladeshi, Indian civilians face off along Chapainawabganj border The arrestees were handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station. In line with the current government's directives, under the framework of 'In Aid to Civil Power, the Bangladesh Navy will conduct regular patrol operations to recover illegal arms, eliminate drugs and terrorism and maintain law and order.

Tall trees near Cox’s Bazar and Saidpur airports are causing turbulence during flight landings, said Novoair’s Chief of Safety Captain Ashfaq-Ur-Rahman Khan. He raised the issue during a workshop, titled “Aviation Infrastructure and Imperatives for Aviation Safety” jointly organised by Novoair Aviation and the Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum (ATJFB) on Wednesday. Captain Ashfaq gave a presentation on various aspects of flight safety at the workshop. He mentioned that tall trees around the two airports are causing turbulence. While many assume the turbulence is due to pilot error, he clarified that it is a natural phenomenon. He further mentioned that a letter has already been sent to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) regarding this issue. In his presentation, he also stressed the importance of runway surface levelness and the need for advanced navigation systems for flight safety. He detailed the complete set of regulations in place to ensure the safety of both flight crews and passengers. Flight operations suspension for 3.5hrs daily for 7 nights at Dhaka airport Addressing a question about flight safety from the journalists, Novoair’s Managing Director Mofizur Rahman spoke about the issues of bird strikes and laser lights near airports. “To prevent this, the airport authorities are taking various initiatives including using sound guns. However, various slaughterhouses, fish farming, etc., which are sources of bird food, must be stopped from the areas around the airport.” Furthermore, he discussed the issue of laser lights being aimed at pilots, a serious safety concern. He pointed out that in many countries, law enforcement apprehends offenders within an hour of such incidents, whereas in Bangladesh, law enforcement struggles to take swift action. The event was chaired by ATJFB President and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Special Correspondent Tanzim Anwar.

A death row convict, Abdul Majid, 39, was arrested on Wednesday by the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) during a raid near Cox’s Bazar's Sugandha Beach. Majid had been on the run since escaping from jail in August 2024 and was sentenced to death in 2014 for the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Asif, in Natore. Acting on intelligence surveillance and secret information, the ATU apprehended Majid in the Sadar Police Station area of Cox’s Bazar District, according to Barrister Mahfuzul Alam Rasel, Superintendent of Police (SP) for the ATU’s media wing. Surveillance intensified as criminal activities rise at Kamrangirchar: DMP DC The case dates back to July 4, 2006, when Abdul Majid killed 14-year-old Asif during a dispute at a local arbitration meeting. Majid had allegedly entered the home of a local woman with malicious intent and was caught by residents. When the local Union Parishad member called for a community arbitration, Majid became enraged and fatally struck Asif, the member’s nephew, with a hoof in front of witnesses. Asif’s grieving mother, Momtaz Begum, filed a murder case on July 7, 2006, with Singra Police Station. Following an investigation, police submitted a charge sheet to the local magistrate court. After years of legal proceedings, the Additional Sessions Judge Court of Natore sentenced Majid to death on October 27, 2014. He was subsequently detained at Kashimpur High Security Jail. 4 police officers, including former Mirpur Deputy Commissioner, temporarily suspended Majid’s escape occurred on August 6, 2024, during widespread unrest, vandalism, and chaos at Kashimpur Jail following the fall of the Hasina government amid anti-discrimination student protests. Taking advantage of the disorder, Majid managed to flee and went into hiding. Investigators later discovered that Majid had relocated to Cox’s Bazar, where he was reportedly planning to flee the country. Acting on precise intelligence, the ATU tracked his movements, verified information, and arrested him during the raid.

A Cox’s Bazar court on Thursday granted bail to a seventh grader who was picked up ‘along with arms’ instead of his father on November 26. Cox’s Bazar Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Zillur Rahman granted bail to Tousiful Karim Rafi, 14, a class VII student of Teknaf Hnila High School, after his 9 days of imprisonment. Rafi’s lawyer Ayasul Rahman said the court granted him bail considering his age. Ex-minister Sujan denied bail in murder case On November 26, a team of Teknaf Model Police Station led by Officer-in-Charge Gias Uddin, conducted a drive at the house of Rezaul Karim, a panel chairman of Hnila Union Parishad but he managed to flee. Locals said they picked up Rafi failing to arrest his father. Police claimed they detained Rafi along with arms.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) one-stop service centre for the Rohingya community in Cox’s Bazar.  Irma van Dueren, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh, Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali, Acting Chief of Mission of IOM Bangladesh, and Md Shamsud Douza, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner inaugurated the facility.    The inauguration ceremony also featured a guided tour of the facility, cultural performances led by Rohingya artisans, and the award of certificates to the refugees who have completed psychosocial and protection skills development programmes.  An innovation in refugee care, this centre is designed to address the urgent mental health, psychosocial, protection service and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs of the Rohingya refugees, offering an integrated approach to service delivery. The centre combines multiple essential services under one roof, making it easier for refugees to access the support they need without the burden of visiting multiple facilities, said a press release. The centre’s holistic model is designed to enhance the well-being and resilience of the community by providing private counselling rooms for mental health sessions, safe spaces for child-friendly services and socio-relational activities, SRH services including family planning, menstrual regulation, and adolescent health education, and protection services for survivors of Gender-based Violence (GBV). In addition, the centre also hosts a mini-Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC). This portion includes guided tours, cultural events, master classes, arts and crafts by skilled Rohingya artisans, and storytelling sessions to preserve and celebrate Rohingya culture. Dhaka seeks IOM’s role in protecting rights of Bangladeshi migrant workers The facility also includes a multipurpose space for community meetings, workshops and activities that engage the refugees and promote participation in mental health and psychosocial support programmes. An important feature of the centre is ‘Shanti Barir Bagan’, a community garden that fosters mental health and well-being through engagement in gardening activities. “The Government of the Netherlands has Mental Health and Psychosocial Support as a priority within its humanitarian interventions. The One Stop Service Centre realised by IOM for Rohingya refugees Camp 20 Extension supported by the Government of the Netherlands and others, is a good example of the integrated approach needed for MHPSS,” Ambassador Irma van Dueren said.   “Many more of these centres are needed for the Rohingya Refugee population. I want to thank the IOM team and the Government of Bangladesh for this impressive achievement.”   “Marking an important milestone in enhancing the well-being and resilience of refugees in the camps, this centre is a testament of IOM’s commitment to supporting the mental health, protection and preservation of Rohingya cultural heritage of the Rohingya refugees,” Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali, Acting Chief of Mission of IOM Bangladesh, said. The Netherlands partially funded the construction and provision of continued integrated MHPSS, protection and sexual reproductive health (SRH) services at this one-stop service centre, along with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia, the Global Affairs Canada (GAC), European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Japan, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) of the U.S. Department of State, World Bank and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina distributed 18,566 more houses  among the homeless and landless families across the country under Ashrayan-2 project on Tuesday (June 11, 2024), five days before the Eid-ul Azha. She opened the distribution of the houses alongwith ownership documents through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban, connecting to Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat, Eidgaon upazila of Cox’s Bazar, and Char Fashion upazila of Bhola. Besides, the PM declared 70 more upazilas, including all upazilas of 26 districts, free from landlessness and homelessness people. With this declaration, the total number of landless and homeless-free districts has reached 58 and the number of landless and homeless-free Upazilas has gone up to 464 across the country. The houses were constructed under the government’s flagship housing programme, Ashrayan-2 Project, aiming to ensure housing for all. PM Hasina's Ashrayan project to set another milestone Tuesday On Tuesday, the prime minister distributed 1,282 houses in Lalmonirhat, 261 in Cox’s Bazar, and 1,234 in Bhola districts. Earlier, the prime minister distributed 63,999 houses in the first phase, 53,330 in the second phase, 59,133 in the third phase, and 39,365 in the fourth phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project across the country. Under the project, each landless and homeless family is provided with a semi-pucca house on two decimals of land, with ownership jointly granted to both husband and wife. Each house consists of two bedrooms, a kitchen, a toilet, and a veranda. The rehabilitation programme for homeless people was initially introduced by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1972. Following that PM Hasina initiated the Ashrayan project in 1997 to provide ownership of houses and lands to homeless and landless people. Since its inception, the Ashrayan project has rehabilitated a total of 771,301 families, benefiting an estimated 3,856,505 individuals. Across all programmes, 4,340,000 people from 867,904 families have been rehabilitated, including 2,910,265 people from 582,053 families under the Ashrayan Project. Read more: Ashrayan project: PM Hasina to provide free houses, lands to 18,566 families

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman on Saturday (May 25, 2024) said cyclonic storm 'Remal' is projected to make landfall in the coastal regions of Satkhira in Khulna and Cox’s Bazar in Chattogram by Sunday evening. Almost 4,000 shelter centres have been prepared in the coastal districts,  equipped with adequate dry food, he said while speaking at a press briefing held at the Secretariat. Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) may issue  great danger signal number 10 between 12 am Saturday to 1 am Sunday, said the minister. As Cyclone Remal approaches, tension grips Bagerhat’s coastal areas Currently, the maritime ports have been asked to maintain local cautionary signal no one and No 3 signal will be issued within a few hours, he said. 80,000 volunteers are ready to tackle the situation and all necessary preparations have been taken, said Mohibur Rahman. Cyclone Michaung: Tourist ship operations suspended on Teknaf-St Martin's Island route The State Minister also warned that parts of Satkhira and Cox’s Bazar could be significantly impacted by the cyclonic storm, with a potential 7-10 feet high tidal surge, heavy rainfall, and landslides in the hilly areas of Chattogram.

Training on 'Quality control, quality assurance system and lab test procedures for salt iodization' for the officials of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) is going at Cox`s Bazar. The training started on Friday (February 16, 2024) will end on Tuesday in two phrases. Read more: Industries Minister invites SMEs to invest in BSCIC facilities This training was jointly organized by Salt cell, BSCIC and Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR). Chairman of Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik inaugurated the training. Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan director of IFST, BCSIR presided over this training while Akil Ranjan Tarofder, GM of Extension division in BSCIC, Sarawor Hossain AGM of Extension division and Head of Salt Cell, BSCIC and , officials of IFST, BCSIR and Nutrition International were present. Read more: 12 types of salt used in cooking, baking and seasoning