United News of Bangladesh

Trading at both the Dhaka and Chattogram stock exchanges began on a negative note on Thursday, with key indices falling in the first hour amid declines in most company prices. The benchmark DSEX at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) shed 17 points. The Shariah-based DSES fell by 5 points, while the blue-chip DS-30 index lost 8 points. Out of the traded issues, prices declined for 217 companies against gains for 81, while 86 remained unchanged. The turnover at the DSE crossed Tk 127 crore in shares and units during the first half of the session. Bangladesh stocks slide on week’s opening day at DSE, CSE The downtrend also persisted at the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), where the general index dropped by 44 points. At the CSE, prices advanced for 25 companies, declined for 43 and remained unchanged for 11 issues. The port city bourse recorded a turnover of Tk 2 crore in shares and units in the first half.

The British High Commission in Dhaka has warmly welcomed the arrival of the King’s Baton in Bangladesh as part of the build-up to the Commonwealth Games 2026 – set to take place in Glasgow, Scotland. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said, “Welcoming the King’s Baton to Bangladesh is a proud moment that reflects our shared commitment to friendship, unity, and the values of the Commonwealth." She said it highlights the strong bonds between Bangladesh and the wider Commonwealth family as they look forward to Glasgow 2026. The King’s Baton Relay is a longstanding tradition that symbolises unity and shared values across the Commonwealth. It connects communities and inspires excitement ahead of the Games. The journey to Glasgow 2026 will span over 500 days, covering every corner of the Commonwealth. In a historic first, 74 individual Batons have been created—one for each nation and territory of the Commonwealth. Each Baton carries a unique word from His Majesty The King’s Message, engraved to reflect the spirit of inclusivity and togetherness. Guests from various sectors, including the Government of Bangladesh, sports, media, and the diplomatic corps, attended a reception hosted by the British High Commissioner to celebrate the Baton’s arrival on Wednesday. This reception followed the King’s Baton Relay at the Army Stadium, organised earlier on 17 December by the Bangladesh Olympic Association, which is also the official authority for the Commonwealth Games in Bangladesh.

Another Bangladeshi peacekeeper has been injured in a drone attack by separatist forces in Sudan, raising the total number of wounded Bangladesh Army personnel serving in the UN mission to nine. According to a media release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), eight Bangladeshi peacekeepers were initially injured when a United Nations mission camp in the Abeï area of Sudan came under a drone strike. Later, reports confirmed that another soldier was wounded in the attack, bringing the total number of injured to nine. The injured personnel are receiving treatment at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. One of them has already been discharged, while the remaining peacekeepers are reported to be out of danger, the ISPR said. Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in Sudan: Condolences keep pouring in from international community Meanwhile, the bodies of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in the 13 December drone attack on the Kadugli logistics base under the UN mission will be sent to Dhaka on 20 December. State honours will be accorded during their funeral rites, added the release issued on Wednesday. The Bangladesh Army continues to closely monitor the situation to ensure the safety and welfare of its peacekeepers deployed in Sudan.

After assessing the security situation on Thursday morning, Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka is now operational and functioning as normal. "We do understand the difficulties faced by applicants," said an official.  Based on evolving security situation, there will be a reassessment on IVAC operations, the official said. Visa services at other IVACs in Bangladesh are also being reviewed in light of the prevailing security situations. Due to security situation, IVAC JFP Dhaka was closed at 2 PM on Wednesday, said a notification issued by the IVAC in Dhaka. Bangladesh rejects India’s advice; vows free, fair polls All applicants who have appointment slots booked for submission on Wednesday will be given a slot accordingly. The Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park (JFP) in Dhaka is the main, integrated centre for all Indian visa services in the capital.

A juice vendor was stabbed to death during an Islamic gathering organised by Darul Aman Trust in Pabna Sadar upazila on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Sujan Mollah, 17, son of Saiful Mollah of Titpulia villag under Sathia upazila.   Police, however, detained the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Md. Sohan, elder son of Sheikh Sharif from Mahendrapur area in the Sadar upazila. According to witnesses, Sohan visited a sharbat stall near the gathering around 9:30am. After drinking the juice, he delayed paying the shopkeeper leading to an argument between them. At one stage, the accused allegedly said, “You know me, so what will you do if I don’t pay?” The altercation escalated when Sohan suddenly stabbed the seller in multiple places, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to Pabna General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 4:15pm on Wednesday. Officer-in-charge Md. Dulal Uddin of Pabna Sadar Police Station said a murder case has been filed in this connection. 

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB has arrested two people on charge of abducting a man and subsequently torturing in Sylhet. The abductors allegedly also stripped him and filmed before demanding the ransom. On Wednesday night, a RAB team arrested the suspects from the Barthkhala area under Dakshin Surma Police Station in Sylhet city; a media release sent from the RAB-9 shared this information on Wednesday night. The arrestees are Ahmed Hossain Mahin, 30, son of Nazmul Hossain of Barthkhala, and Suhel Ahmed, 24, son of Anwar Hossain of Halishar of Naria upazila under Shariatpur district. On 30 November, the victim, after attending a court hearing in Sylhet, was going to home in Kanaighat upazila by a bus. The kidnappers intercepted the moving bus near Kadamtoli Overbridge under Dakshin Surma Police Station and forcefully took him to a vehicle. The victim’s eyes were blindfolded, and his hands tied behind his back before being taken to an unknown location. There, he was stripped, physically tortured, and beaten. The accused then sent a video of the torture to the victim’s family, demanding a ransom of Tk 8 lakh. Later Tk 5 lakh and Tk 3 lakh were separately sent to the abductors. On 7 December evening, the victim was released in the Talatala area of Sylhet to his father and sister. The victim, a resident of Sonarkhejur area in Kanaighat upazila, filed a case with the police station concerned, naming the kidnappers.

Two people were killed and two others injured in a collision between two motorcycles in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet district on Wednesday night. The accident occurred around 11:30 pm at Termail on the Sylhet-Zakiganj road. The deceased were identified as Abdul Ahad, 42, and Sabbir Ahmad, 21, of Goashpur and Ranaping Chatrish villages respectively under the Golapganj upazila. The injured Ariful Haque Joy, 35, and Zakir Ahmad were undergoing treatment Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital. Officer-in-charge Md Ariful Islam of Golapganj Model Police Station said the speeding bikes collided in Termail area, leaving one dead on the spot and three others injured. The trio was rushed to Osmani Hospital where physicians declared another dead, he said, adding that the remaining duo was receiving treatment.

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 10th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 166 at 9:50 am this morning (December 18, 2025). Today Dhaka’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy’ referring to a healthy threat, according to the AQI index. Such unhealthy air quality continued for the past few days. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Egypt’s Cairo, Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Delhi cities respectively occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 293, 284, and 280 respectively. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. Dhaka choked by ‘unhealthy’ air; ranks 10th worst globally The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that he has approved a $35 billion natural gas export agreement with Egypt, marking the largest gas deal in Israel’s history. The 15-year deal could also help ease tensions between the two nations following the two-year war in the Gaza Strip. U.S. energy giant Chevron, a major stakeholder in Israel’s offshore gas fields in the Mediterranean, will deliver the gas. Approximately half of the revenue is expected to flow to Israel’s state treasury. In a recorded statement, Netanyahu said the deal “greatly strengthens Israel’s position as a regional energy power, and it contributes to stability in our region.” Egypt, which borders both Israel and Gaza and has played a key mediating role with Hamas ahead of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in October, has not immediately confirmed the announcement. The agreement had faced earlier delays from Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who initially criticized its terms as unfavorable to Israel. Cohen joined Netanyahu at Wednesday’s announcement, expressing support for the finalized deal. Israel began exporting natural gas nearly a decade ago, initially to Jordan and later to Egypt, following the discovery of substantial offshore reserves in the early 2000s. Separately, Israel’s defense ministry announced that German lawmakers approved an expansion of the Arrow 3 missile defense system deal, increasing its value from $3.5 billion to $6.5 billion — the largest Israeli defense export in history. Germany aims to bolster its air defenses against potential threats from Russia. Source: AP 

The merger of five struggling Shariah-based banks into Sammilito Islami Bank PLC has yet to ease the financial strain on thousands of depositors, with a severe cash fund crisis persisting across branches. The consolidation, which combined Exim Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, and Union Bank, was launched amid high public expectations. Yet depositors continue to struggle to access their savings, highlighting an ongoing liquidity crunch. Shobnam Begum, a retired Social Welfare Directorate officer, told UNB that she has been unable to withdraw her pension from Exim Bank’s Moghbazar branch for three months. “Despite repeated assurances from the branch manager, I was turned away again this week,” she said, underscoring the growing hardship faced by ordinary account holders. Another depositor at Social Islami Bank’s Panthapath branch described the ordeal as “an unprecedented example of bank looting,” after having to lobby persistently to access his own funds. Bank Merger: 'Sammilita Islami Bank' receives final approval Branches of the merged banks now operate in near silence, with many customers stopping visits altogether. Observers noted that at the Nayapaltan branch of Global Islami Bank, the only visitors were DPS depositors, reflecting a sharp drop in public trust. Government Funds Unclear Confusion surrounds the Tk 20,000 crore in government capital earmarked for the new bank. While some officials suggested the funds had been released, a First Security Islami Bank branch manager said they had yet to arrive at branch level. “We cannot process withdrawals without written instructions from the top,” the official said. Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Arif Hossain Khan added that no government money has officially been disbursed for core capital formation. He cautioned that while initial assistance was promised, there is no certainty about the timing. Employee Uncertainty Looms The merger impacts more than 18,000 employees, whose annual salary and benefits total nearly Tk 2,000 crore. Currently private bank staff, these employees will transition into a government-owned institution. Questions remain over pay structure, benefits, and long-term job security, particularly given plans to privatize the bank within five years. Capital Structure and Priorities Sammilito Islami Bank PLC is expected to have an approved capital of Tk 40,000 crore, with Tk 35,000 crore paid-up. The government will contribute Tk 20,000 crore—half in cash, half via Sukuk bonds—while Tk 15,000 crore will be sourced from institutional depositors’ funds converted into shares through a bail-in process. Capital flight forces merger of 5 Shariah-based banks: BB Governor Authorities have stressed that small depositors will be prioritised for repayments, with larger depositors’ funds released in phases. Dr. Mohammad Ayub Mia, Chairman of the new bank, said restoring depositor confidence is the top priority. “The establishment of a government-owned Islamic bank sends a positive signal for the country,” he said, noting that technical teams are working to finalize the bank’s operational framework.