A Bangladeshi expatriate was killed in an Israeli airstrike in war-torn Lebanon on his way to work, said the Bangladesh Embassy on Sunday. The fatality occurred in the Grazmiye area of Beirut on Saturday afternoon (local time), they said.   The deceased was identified as Mohammad Nizam Uddin, son of Mohammad Abdul Quddus of Khaira area of Kasba Upazila in Brahmanbaria. He aged around 31bearing the passport No- EF0620043. Nizam's wife is in Lebanon now, and officials at the Embassy have already spoken to her. "They are in contact with her. She has been informed that it will not be possible to bring back the body to Bangladesh due to the lack of flights amid war situation," said a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh Ambassador to Lebanon, Air Vice Marshal Javed Tanveer Khan expressed grief over the death of the remittance fighter and sought forgiveness for his departed soul and extended condolences to the bereaved family members.  

Sharjah-based Bangladeshi expat Arif Khan won Dh20 million (Dirhams) in the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s ‘Mighty 20 Million’ raffle draw held in the Capital, reports Khaleej Times. The amount equals Taka 485,742, 452 in Bangladeshi currency according to current exchange rate.  Khan has been working in Sharjah for the past four years. He has been trying his luck for the past year or so and bought the winning ticket number 144481 on May 27 all by himself. “I always used to purchase tickets alone. I was just trying my luck. I have never bought any other lottery ticket in my life. I was buying for the past year,” the 36-year-old resident told Khaleej Times. Asked if he knows how much the prize money will be Bangladeshi currency of Taka, he tried to calculate but then gave up. Also read: Canadian expats marry onboard Biman flight “I don’t know. The fact that I have won Dh20 million is still sinking in. It’s only in the last half-an-hour or so that I started hearing these digits: ‘Dh20 million.'” Khan hails from the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka and runs a car maintenance shop in Sharjah. Currently he has got no immediate plans on what to do with the jackpot. “I don’t have any set plans. I saw the promotions of Big Ticket on the social media platforms and got interested. I have never tested my luck before. I worked in Saudi Arabia for 12 years. My business went down there. But now all is well.” Khan, a happy family man, wants to use the winning amount to help those in need. Also read: Expat Bangladeshi 'beaten to death in Paris' “I have two children, my wife and my parents. My brother runs a shop here. We are a happy family. I hope this money can be used to help others. Money is the most dangerous thing in the world. So, I want to use it to help others and not let it change myself,” he added.   Meanwhile, Fatibha Binas pocketed the second prize of Dh1 million with ticket number 271300 bought on May 27. Nahita Vincent won the third prize of Dh100,000 with ticket number 219746 purchased on May 19.

A Bangladeshi expat was allegedly killed in a road accident in Brunei on Tuesday afternoon. Five others also sustained injuries in the accident. The deceased was identified as Nur Mostofa, 45, son of freedom fighter Sirajul Islam of Dharmapur village in Chattogram's Sitakunda upazila. Read: 50-year-old unidentified man’s body found in Sylhet However, the identities of the injured are yet to be known. They are undergoing treatment at a hospital there, sources said. Mostofa, who went to Brunei years back, was actually crushed under the wheels of an unidentified vehicle, said the deceased's cousin Nur Alam. Read: Minor rape survivor married to 39-year old accused in Khulna jail A friend of Mostofa from Brunei called his wife around 8pm on Tuesday and informed her about the accident, he added. Nur Alam said that they had sought the help of the Bangladesh Foreign Office and other authorities concerned to bring back his body.  

The quintessential Bengali 'Macher Jhol’ or fish curry has now reached the table of Masterchef Australia. All thanks to 38-year-old Bangladeshi expat Kishwar Chowdhury who has made it to the celebrated show this season. A mother of two, Chowdhury is pursuing her dream of becoming a cookbook author aiming to showcase recipes handed down by her mother Laila Chowdhury (recent one being the macher jhol or fish curry). The homemaker made her way to MasterChef Australia Season 13 with her sardines in green mango broth, served with black lentils, beetroot and blood orange bhorta. Read: Kishwar wins Australians hearts with her Bangladeshi recipe on Masterchef Later, she cooked several drool-worthy  Bengali cuisines on the show -- from Chingri Bhorta (mashed prawns) to the humble Maach Bhaja (fish fry). She aims to put Bangladeshi cuisine on the global culinary map with her passion for cooking, bringing international recognition to homegrown flavours but with a twist. “If I don’t do that this food recipe and flavor will fade with me, I really want to pass them to my children,” she said in an earlier interview. “This is testament to the fact that simple food, you have nowhere to hide with it, can be the best and most triumphant in the world," one of the judges said about Kishwar’s dishes in the competition. Read: Different forms of Vitamin D: Benefits, sources of Vitamin D1 vs D2 vs D3 MasterChef Australia is an Australian competitive cooking show based on the original British MasterChef. Initial rounds consist of a large number of hopeful contestants from across Australia individually "auditioning" by presenting a food dish before the three judges in order to gain one of 50 semi-final places. The semi-finalists then compete in several challenges that test their food knowledge and preparation skills. The contestants will then be whittled down through a number of individual and team-based cooking challenges and weekly elimination rounds until a winning MasterChef is crowned. Read Most creative ways to eat more fruits for the non-fruit eaters The contestants of MasterChef Australia, play for a prize that includes chef training from leading professional chefs, the chance to have their own cookbook published, and $ 250,000 in cash.