United News of Bangladesh

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has confirmed that 13 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed in Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, matching casualty figures earlier reported by Afghan authorities. In a statement posted on X on Thursday, UNAMA said it had documented 13 civilian deaths and 10 injuries resulting from airstrikes carried out overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday in the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika. The UN mission said the casualties were mainly children and women and renewed its call for de-escalation, a durable ceasefire, protection of civilians, reopening of border crossings for humanitarian assistance and dialogue to resolve differences between the two neighboring countries. The strikes ended nearly a month of relative calm between Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose border conflict has continued despite repeated international mediation efforts. Pakistan had earlier rejected claims made by Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid that the attacks killed 13 civilians, dismissing the allegations as propaganda. The border between the two countries has remained closed for months, disrupting trade and transport and leaving thousands stranded. Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan has intensified since February, when Afghan forces reportedly carried out retaliatory attacks following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Hundreds of people have been killed in the violence, while multiple rounds of peace talks have failed to secure a lasting truce. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of sheltering militants responsible for attacks inside its territory, particularly members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul has denied the allegations. At a weekly briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the latest airstrikes targeted militant camps and hideouts along the border. He said the operation was launched in response to a series of recent militant attacks inside Pakistan and was based on credible intelligence. According to Andrabi, the strikes specifically targeted hideouts of militants referred to by Pakistan as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” a term used by authorities for the Pakistani Taliban and allied groups. He maintained that the operation was carried out with precision and that Pakistan would continue military actions against militant sanctuaries to protect national security. Asked about the UN report on civilian casualties, Andrabi said the government would review its findings but questioned the methodology used to determine the casualty figures, insisting that the strikes were directed solely at militant targets.

Veteran Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed passed away at a hospital in the capital on Monday. He was 82. Tofail Ahmed, a key figure in Bangladesh's Liberation War and the 1969 mass uprising, breathed his last around 4 pm at Square Hospital, according to his family sources. He was an 8-time Member of Parliament representing the Bhola-1, Bhola-2 and Bakerganj-1 constituencies during 1973–2024. He also served as the Minister of Commerce and Minister of Industries. Tofail Ahmed, a member of Awami League Advisory Council, is survived by his only daughter Dr Taslima Ahmed Zaman Munni. His wife Anwara Ahmed died on November 20 last year. Tofail’s namaz-e-janaza will be held at Dhanmondi's Taqwa Mosque after Maghrib prayers today. Later, the body will be kept at the morgue of Square Hospital. The body will be taken to Bhola on Tuesday either by a helicopter or in a refrigerated hearse, according to family sources. After Zuhr prayers on Tuesday, another janaza will be held at the Bhola District School ground  after which he will be laid to rest at the family graveyard. Tofail Ahmed, born on October 22, 1943, was one of the organizers of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 and acted as one of the chiefs of Bangladesh Liberation Front. Ahmed joined the Awami League (now party activities banned) and in support of the 1966 Six point movement and was involved in the 1969 mass uprising in East Pakistan as a student leader. He was the vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union. Besides that, after 1975, he spent about five years in jails of Dhaka, Mymensing, Sylhet, Cumilla, Barishal, Kushtia and Rajshahi. He was a veteran Parliamentarian and earned the love and respect of Parliament Members and people from all walks of life for his speeches in parliamentary debate on various national issues. He was the Minister for Commerce and Industries from June1996 to December, 1999. He continued as the Minister for Industries up to 2001, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Industry from 2009-2013. He was also Minister for Housing & Public Works and Industries from November 2013 to January 2014. He continued as the Minister for Commerce Ministry from January 2014 to December 2018. In 1970, Ahmed was a political secretary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  

Police recovered the body of a missing man from a pond in Natore’s Naldanga upazila on Friday morning. The deceased was identified as Milon Prang, 45, a resident of Brahmapur Hajipara village in the upazila. According to police and locals, Milon went missing after leaving home on Wednesday afternoon. Family members searched different places but failed to trace him. On Thursday morning, relatives found his clothes and shoes beside a pond owned by a local resident named Kalam and brought those home. Around 8:30am on Friday, Milon’s wife Shabana Khatun spotted a floating body in the pond and raised alarm, drawing locals to the scene. Being informed, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. Officer-in-Charge of Naldanga Police Station Nur-e-Alam said they were trying to determine the exact cause of death.

A man and his son were stabbed to death allegedly by two of his sons from his second marriage over a dispute over property in Mondolpara area of Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur on Tuesday morning. The deceased were identified as Dulu Mia, 70, and his son Kabil, 30. Another son, Habil, was injured in the attack. Chirirbandar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mahmudul Nabi said Dulu Mia had four sons from two marriages. A dispute had been going on over the distribution of around 16 bighas of land owned by Dulu Mia. As the conflict escalated, two sons from his second marriage- Sadequl and Sakib- allegedly stabbed their father and step-brother Kabil with sharp weapons, killing them on the spot, he added. The two suspects went into hiding after the incident. The OC said police are sending the bodies to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy and efforts are underway to arrest the suspects.

Twelve more children died from measles and with measles-like symptoms across the country in 24 hours until 8: 00 am Thursday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the new deaths, one was confirmed as measles-related while the remaining 11 were listed as suspected cases. Of the suspected deaths, the highest five cases were reported in Dhaka. With the latest figures, the total number of confirmed measles deaths since March 15 has risen to 57 while suspected deaths to 279. According to DGHS data, 1,238 new suspected measles cases were recorded during the reporting period, taking the total number of suspected cases to 45,498. During the same period, 286 new confirmed measles cases were reported, raising the total number of confirmed infections to 6,208. Since March 15, a total of 31,912 suspected measles patients have been hospitalised, 28,238 of them have recovered, the DGHS said.    

A 26-year-old physician was found dead at a house in the Shahbagh area of the capital on Monday. The deceased was identified as ABM Abid Hasan Jisan, 26, son of Ahsan Habib of Sadar upazila in Chuadanga district. Jisan used to live in a flat at Eureka Saleha Palace on the Habibullah Road with his colleagues. His colleague Hafizur said Jisan was working as a physician at Popular Hospital Medical College Hospital at Dhanmondi after completing his MBBS from Kushtia Medical College under 2018-19 session. Dipto Sinha, a roommate of Jisan, found him unconscious on his bed around 2:30pm. Later, they took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors pronounced him dead, he said, adding that he was unaware whether the deceased had consumed anything prior to his death. Dipto also claimed that Jisan was suffering from hypertension, saying he found him speaking with his family while leaving the room in the morning. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body was kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

An elderly woman was hacked to death allegedly by her grandson for refusal to transfer land to him in Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Ayesha Khatun, 70, of Jatia village under Bhaitkandi union of the upazila. Police arrested the accused – Jasim Uddin, son of late Mohidul Islam – over the incident. According to police and locals, Ayesha had been living alone after being separated from her husband many years ago. Her only son died shortly after Jasim’s birth, and Jasim’s mother married another person. However, she also passed away. Ayesha raised Jasim from childhood. Growing as an adult, Jasim got married and built a house a short distance away, where he lived with his wife and two children. However, following a recent family dispute, his wife left him, forcing him to live alone. Locals said Ayesha owned a piece of land, part of which Jasim used for cultivation. Suspecting that Ayesha’s nephews might claim a share of the property, Jasim had been pressuring his grandmother to transfer the land to him, leading to a conflict between them. Around 9:00pm on Wednesday, an argument broke out between them when Jasim again demanded that Ayesha sign over the land deed. At one point, he allegedly hacked her with a sharp weapon, killing her on the spot. Locals caught Jasim and informed the police. Law enforcers later rushed in and arrested him, said Sub-Inspector Azizul Haque of Phulpur Police Station. He said they also recovered the body and sent it Mymensingh Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy . 

A former policeman died as he jumped off the rooftop of a three-storey building after hacking three people, including his son, at Banchanagar in Lakshmipur municipality on Monday morning. The deceased was identified as Nasir Ahmed, 55, hailing from Faridganj upazila in Chandpur district. The injured were identified as victim’s son Imran, 21, and neighbours Mizanur Rahman, son of Golam Rahman, and Nasir Ahmed, son of Abdul Mannan. Nasir went into retirement in August last year after serving as a constable at the Traffic Department of Bangladesh Police in Chandraganj Police Station of Lakshmipur. Police and locals said Nasir, along with his wife and two sons, has been living at a house at Banchanagar for the past seven years. After his retirement, he reportedly developed some mental health issues. Recently, his wife went to their village home with their other son, leaving Nasir alone at home with his college-going son Imran. On Monday morning, Nasir allegedly attacked Imran with a machete, leaving him seriously injured. As the injured son tried to escape from the house, Nasir chased him. Witnessing the scene, neighbours tried to resist him, said Hossain Mohammad Raihan Kazemi, additional superintendent of Lakshmipur police. However, Nasir hacked them too, leaving Mizanur and Nasir injured. At one point, he went up to the roof of the three-storey building and jumped from there. On information, police took Nasir to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital, where he was declared dead. The other injured were also taken to hospital. Two of them were later sent to Dhaka for better treatment.

Police recovered the body of a rickshaw puller from the Padma River in Rajbari Sadar upazila on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Liton Khan, 42, son of Akkach Ali Khan of Radhakantapur village in the upazila. Pplice recovered the body around 10am from the Urakanda area under Barot union. Family members said Liton went out with his rickshaw around 10pm wearing a jacket. He told them that he might travel far with a passenger and could return late. Locals spotted his body floating in the Padma River on Sunday morning and informed police. Officer-in-Charge of Rajbari Police Station Uttam Kumar Ghosh said the body bore injury marks on the head. “We suspect that miscreants snatched his rickshaw, killed him and dumped the body in the river,” he said. The body was sent to Rajbari Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy, the OC added.

An unidentified 25-year-old man was killed in a road accident at Jatrabari in the capital early Thursday. Quoting witnesses, Sub-Inspector Md Irfan of Jatrabari Police Station said the victim was crossing the road near Asma Ali Pump around 2:30am when a speedy vehicle struck him, leaving him seriously injured. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 4:30am, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. The body has been sent to the hospital morgue for postmortem.