United News of Bangladesh

At least 10 people suffered burn injuries after an air conditioner exploded at a salon in Alu Bazar area of Bangshal in the capital early Wednesday. The injured were taken to the Emergency Department of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 1:30 am. The injured were salon employees Shamsed, 30, Raju, 34, Pappu, 26, Arman, 37, and Shakib, 17, and customers Faruk, 35, Rinku, 30, Rony, 36, Jasim, 40, and Rafik, 25. Burn Institute's resident physician Dr Shawon Bin Rahman said all 10 victims were brought to the hospital with burn injuries. Faruk sustained 50 percent burns, Rinku 21 percent, Raju 18 percent, Pappu 18 percent, Shamsed 15 percent, Arman 15 percent, Rafik 12 percent, Rony 10 percent, Jasim 8 percent and Shakib 1 percent, he said. Of the injured, nine were admitted to the institute while Shakib was kept under observation in the emergency department as his injuries were minor, Dr Shawon said.

President-elect of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly Dr Khalilur Rahman has reaffirmed his commitment to an open, inclusive and Member State-driven presidency. Dr Khalilur, also Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, received Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia; Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia; and Zoran Dimitrovski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of North Macedonia, in New York on Wednesday. In separate meetings, they exchanged views on priorities for the 81st session of the General Assembly, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Grameenphone Limited has declared an interim cash dividend of 105 percent for the year 2026, equivalent to Tk 10.50 per share of Tk 10 each, alongside its audited financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2026. The dividend represents 100 percent of the company's profit after tax for the January-June period, according to a disclosure sent to the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on Wednesday. The record date for entitlement to the interim cash dividend has been set for August 12, 2026. Based on the audited accounts, Grameenphone's earnings per share (EPS) stood at Tk 5.62 for the April-June quarter of 2026, down from Tk 6.51 in the same quarter last year. For the January-June period, EPS was Tk 10.52, compared with Tk 11.21 during the corresponding period of 2025. The company's net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) came down to Tk 22.27 for the first half of 2026, against Tk 26.94 in the same period last year, marking a 17.3 percent decline. Grameenphone attributed the drop mainly to higher payments made to suppliers during the current period. Net asset value (NAV) per share was recorded at Tk 41.51 as of June 30, 2026, slightly lower than Tk 42.15 a year earlier. Following the corporate declaration, there will be no price limit on the trading of Grameenphone shares on the DSE on Wednesday.

A 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil has been sold for £37.4 million (about $50.1 million) at a Sotheby's auction in New York, setting a new record as the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold. The fossil, affectionately named Gus, stands more than 12 feet (4 metres) tall. Sotheby's said more than 60% of its bones were recovered, making it one of the most complete T. rex specimens ever discovered. The identity of the winning bidder at Tuesday's auction has not been revealed. Gus was discovered in 2021 on a remote ranch in the US state of South Dakota. "This result has been years in the making," said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's worldwide head of science and natural history. "Gus is not only an exceptional discovery but also a specimen that has been carefully excavated, documented, prepared and preserved," she said. The sale broke the previous record set by the stegosaurus fossil Apex, which was sold in 2024. Gus is also the first dinosaur fossil to sell for more than $50 million. Some scientists told the BBC that the record-breaking sale could signal a new era of fossil collecting by ultra-wealthy buyers. Hatton said the high price reflects the years of work and resources needed to recover and prepare the fossil. The excavation took place over three summers between 2021 and 2023, when the frozen ground had thawed enough for digging. It then took another three years in the laboratory to clean, study and assemble the skeleton. Researchers found bite marks on the skull and signs that several broken ribs had healed while the dinosaur was still alive, suggesting it may have been injured while scavenging or fighting with other dinosaurs. Although the buyer has not yet been identified, Gus may still be displayed for the public in the future. The previous record-holder, Apex, was loaned to the American Museum of Natural History for four years by its billionaire owner, Kenneth Griffin. As a result, despite its record-breaking sale, Gus could eventually be exhibited in a museum.

The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal No 3 as a low-pressure area has formed over Northwest Bay and adjoining North Odisha-West Bengal coast. Under its influence, squally weather may affect the Maritime Ports, North Bay and adjoining Coastal areas of Bangladesh, said a Met office bulletin on Wednesday. All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan. The former actor, who married Britain's Prince Harry in 2018, was nominated on Tuesday in the Outstanding Lifestyle Program category. Her show will compete with A Different Breed, George to the Rescue, The Motherhood and The Wizard of Paws. The winners of the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be announced on Oct. 30 at the Hollywood Palladium. With Love, Meghan features cooking, entertaining and gardening segments, along with appearances by celebrities including Chrissy Teigen and Mindy Kaling. Prince Harry also made a guest appearance. The series ran for two seasons in 2025 and also released a holiday special. Before joining the British royal family, Meghan—then known as Meghan Markle—played Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits from 2011 to 2018. She left the show before marrying Prince Harry. CBS led all networks with 48 Daytime Emmy nominations. The nominees for Daytime Drama Series are Beyond the Gates, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless. The nominees for Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series are Stacy Haiduk (Days of Our Lives), Karla Mosley (Beyond the Gates), Michelle Stafford (The Young and the Restless), Heather Tom (The Bold and the Beautiful) and Tamara Tunie (Beyond the Gates). For Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series, the nominees are Eric Braeden (The Young and the Restless), Steve Burton (General Hospital), Scott Clifton (The Bold and the Beautiful), Thorsten Kaye (The Bold and the Beautiful) and Christian Jules Le Blanc (The Young and the Restless). The nominees for Daytime Talk Series are 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, TODAY with Jenna & Friends and The View. Kelly Clarkson was also nominated for Daytime Talk Series Host. Other nominees include Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro of The View, along with Tamron Hall, Jennifer Hudson and Sherri Shepherd. Clarkson is set to end her seven-season run this fall, while Sherri was canceled in May after four seasons. Meanwhile, ABC's The View is facing renewed scrutiny from federal regulators, who want to revisit whether the program should be subject to equal-time broadcasting rules.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Wednesday said a low-pressure area has formed over the Northwest Bay and adjoining North Odisha-West Bengal coast, raising the likelihood of rains again across the country. According to the Met Office, the axis of the monsoon trough extends through Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, the centre of the low-pressure area and Assam, passing across the southern part of Bangladesh. The monsoon is currently fairly active over Bangladesh and strong over the North Bay, the BMD said. In its forecast commencing from 9:00am Wednesday, the Met Office said light to moderate rain likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh & Sylhet divisions and few places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal & Chattogram divisions. Moderately heavy to heavy rainfall is expected at places across the country, according to the forecast. The BMD also said both day and night temperatures may rise slightly across the country over the next 24 hours.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday urged schoolchildren to plant at least one tree every year and take care of it, saying the younger generation must lead the effort to build a greener and healthier Bangladesh. "Wherever you think a tree can be planted—whether at your school or near your home—I request every one of you to plant at least one tree every year," he said after inaugurating a nationwide tree plantation programme at government primary schools by planting a sapling at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon. Tarique Rahman inaugurated the nationwide tree plantation programme as part of the ‘Green School’ initiative. Addressing students and teachers connected virtually from schools across the country, the Prime Minister encouraged children not only to plant trees but also to learn about them. He asked students to find out what species of tree they have planted, how long it would live, how much oxygen it would produce and how it benefit people by using the internet and other learning resources. "You will learn something new about a tree every year. And when the trees grow, you will enjoy their shade at school after playing with your friends or the cool breeze around your home," Tarique said. Calling for a nationwide movement for greening the country, he said everyone should work together to make Bangladesh greener for future generations. "Let us all work together to build a greener Bangladesh.” Under the programme, trees were planted simultaneously at 64,587 government primary schools across the country. A total of 193,761 saplings were planted, with three trees at each participating school. Officials said 915 schools could not join the programme due to natural disasters. Under the ‘Green School’ initiative government primary schools are expected to plant nearly one crore trees over the next five years. Following the inauguration, the programme showcased various initiatives and innovations in primary education from all 64 districts. Exhibitions featured school feeding, joyful learning, digital education, Foundational Learning (FLN) and other education programmes being implemented across the country. The Prime Minister visited the exhibition stalls, interacted with students and praised their creativity and innovation.

Bangladesh is embarking on one of the most ambitious overhauls of its social protection system, seeking to replace fragmented welfare programmes with a digitally driven, citizen-centric model that promises to make benefits more transparent, targeted and accessible. Dynamic Social Registry (DSR), a nationwide digital platform being implemented by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Social Welfare, is designed to allow citizens to apply for social protection benefits from anywhere in the country while enabling the government to identify eligible recipients through data-driven poverty assessments, according to the budget document. The initiative signals a shift from traditional, programme-based welfare administration towards an integrated digital ecosystem where social protection is linked to verified household data, direct benefit transfers and continuous updating of beneficiaries’ socioeconomic conditions. A move away from fragmented welfare The government acknowledges that Bangladesh’s existing social protection framework—comprising more than 90 separate programmes—has struggled with overlapping benefits, weak coordination and exclusion of many deserving households. According to the budget document, the current system is “neither sufficiently responsive to contemporary needs nor sustainable in the long term.” The DSR is intended to address these weaknesses by creating a unified database capable of scientifically assessing poverty and determining eligibility across different social programmes. Officials said this will reduce duplication, improve targeting and ensure that government resources reach those who need them most. Building on a digital foundation The reform builds upon the Single Registry System, already introduced by the Finance Division to streamline beneficiary management. Under the system, social protection payments are transferred directly into beneficiaries’ mobile financial service or bank accounts through the Government-to-Person (G2P) payment mechanism. The registry currently contains information on around 4 crore beneficiaries and can verify another 2 crore citizens. According to the budget document, the digital registry has already improved transparency in beneficiary selection, strengthened account verification and eliminated duplication in fund disbursement. A life-cycle approach The budget outlines plans for a life-cycle approach to social protection, bringing every citizen—from birth through old age—under a comprehensive support framework. Officials say the strategy aims not only to provide financial assistance but also to promote economic empowerment and self-reliance while ensuring that vulnerable groups remain protected during different stages of life. The document also reiterates the constitutional commitment to ensuring food, clothing, shelter and employment for every citizen, while acknowledging that persistent poverty and unequal distribution of resources continue to drive inequality. Family Card Programme at the centre The government’s flagship initiative is the Family Card Programme which represents a significant departure from individual-based welfare schemes. Built on the philosophy that “the family, not the individual, is the fundamental unit of development,” the programme seeks to identify poor households and provide them with integrated support covering food security, healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities. Unlike many existing programmes, the Family Card is issued in the name of the mother or female head of household, a move aimed at strengthening women’s financial and social position within families. Each beneficiary household receives Tk 2,500 per month directly through the G2P payment system—almost three times higher than allowances under many existing safety-net programmes. The government is also incorporating household family-tree information into the database, creating a more comprehensive digital record of beneficiaries. Ultimately, authorities plan to transform the Family Card into a Universal Social ID Card for every citizen by 2030, replacing the allowance-based components of many existing social protection programmes. During the pilot phase, 60,044 female heads of households have been receiving benefits. In the coming fiscal year, the government plans to issue Family Cards to 41 lakh women, backed by a proposed allocation of Tk 14,500 crore. Expanded benefits across programmes Alongside structural reforms, the government has proposed expanding several existing social safety programmes. The Old Age Allowance Programme will add 100,000 beneficiaries, increasing total coverage to 62 lakh, while the monthly allowance will rise from Tk 650 to Tk 700. The Widow and Destitute Women Allowance Programme will also expand by 100,000 beneficiaries to 30 lakh, with monthly payments increasing to Tk 700. Under the Disability Allowance Programme, beneficiary numbers will increase from 34.5 lakh to 38 lakh, while monthly payments will rise from Tk 900 to Tk 1,000. The government also plans to expand educational support for students with disabilities by increasing beneficiaries from 81,000 to 100,000 and raising stipend rates across all education levels. Support for pregnant women and newborns will continue through the Mother and Child Assistance Programme, with beneficiaries increasing to nearly 19 lakh and an allocation of Tk 1,944.70 crore proposed for the next fiscal year. Financial assistance for patients suffering from cancer and five other chronic diseases will also be strengthened, with one-time grants doubling from Tk 50,000 to Tk 100,000. Pension and legal reforms The budget also proposes measures to improve the Universal Pension Scheme, including better management of pension funds and allowing participants to withdraw 30 percent of accumulated savings as a one-time gratuity. In addition, the government plans to establish a state-funded welfare programme for destitute orphan children and amend weaknesses in the Parents’ Maintenance Act, 2013 to improve its implementation. Challenges ahead While the reform agenda is among the most comprehensive attempts to modernise Bangladesh’s social protection architecture, successful implementation will depend on several factors. Maintaining accurate and regularly updated household data, ensuring digital access in remote areas, protecting personal information and coordinating among multiple ministries will all be critical to achieving the programme’s objectives. There will also be pressure to ensure that genuinely poor households are not excluded during the transition from existing schemes to a unified digital system.

Christopher Nolan has long dreamed of making films for IMAX screens. The Oscar-winning director of Oppenheimer, Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy says his fascination began in childhood after watching nature documentaries at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. He often wondered what it would be like to create a major Hollywood film for that format. That dream has now become reality with The Odyssey, the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX film. A milestone for IMAX filmmaking Nolan said the project became possible after years of technical improvements. Earlier IMAX cameras were too loud for dialogue-heavy scenes, but following Oppenheimer, filmmakers worked with IMAX to develop a special camera enclosure, known as "the blimp," that reduced the noise. The new camera system, named The Keighley after longtime IMAX executives Patricia and David Keighley, is dedicated to David Keighley, who died three weeks after completing his work on The Odyssey. The new setup also brought challenges. The camera weighed about 300 pounds once enclosed, film had to be reloaded every two-and-a-half to three minutes, and a mirror system had to be created so actors could see one another around the large camera during filming. Despite the difficulties, Nolan said the goal was to give audiences "something special." "They're looking for something new and exciting, and that's what we're trying to offer," he said. Many viewing options As The Odyssey opens in theatres on Friday, moviegoers can choose from several formats, including IMAX 70mm, standard 70mm, IMAX digital, 35mm, Dolby Cinema and other premium large-format screens. Speaking to The Associated Press in 2023, Nolan explained why he prefers certain formats and why he believes seeing films in cinemas offers an experience that cannot be matched at home. "If they can find an IMAX screen to see the film on, that's great," Nolan said. "It really is just a great way of giving people an experience that they can't possibly get in the home." Why IMAX 70mm stands out Nolan's previous films — Dunkirk, Tenet and Oppenheimer — were shot using large-format film, combining IMAX 65mm and Panavision 65mm, before being projected in 70mm. He said IMAX 70mm offers unmatched sharpness, clarity and depth, making viewers feel immersed in the film without the need for 3D glasses. "The screen disappears," Nolan said, explaining that the large image fills the audience's field of vision and creates a highly immersive experience. He first used IMAX cameras in The Dark Knight, which opened with an IMAX 70mm aerial shot. "Every time we screened that, we would get a gasp," he recalled. "It was something no one had seen before." Technically, IMAX film delivers nearly 10 times the resolution of a traditional 35mm projector. Each frame contains roughly 18,000 pixels of detail, compared with 1,920 pixels on a standard home HD display. Why shoot on 65mm but project in 70mm? Nolan explained that the extra 5mm originally provided space for the soundtrack on film prints. Today, with digital sound, that space remains as part of the traditional format and serves as a visual enhancement. Framing for different screens Nolan said shooting with IMAX requires careful planning because different cinemas use different screen shapes, known as aspect ratios. His team uses a technique called "center punching the action" to ensure key visual elements remain visible across all formats. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema also monitors framing for various screen sizes while filming. On giant IMAX 1.43:1 screens, viewers see the full image. In other formats, including 35mm, digital and CinemaScope, parts of the top and bottom are cropped. Nolan said this does not compromise the artistic composition of the film. Nolan's preferred formats For Nolan, IMAX 70mm remains the best way to experience a movie. However, such screenings are rare, with only 32 theatres in the United States and Canada showing films in that format. He also praised standard 70mm prints, calling them "a fabulous presentation." "The two formats are sort of different and I love them both," he said. Digital formats still offer a strong experience Most audiences will watch The Odyssey in digital formats, including IMAX digital, laser projection and other premium large-format systems such as Regal RPX, Cinemark XD and Cineplex UltraAVX. Nolan said his team spends months preparing digital versions from the original IMAX film to ensure the highest possible image quality across all screens. He also praised modern laser projectors used in IMAX and Dolby Cinema theatres for their excellent picture quality and contrast. According to Nolan, IMAX's influence over the past two to three decades has encouraged cinemas to improve picture and sound quality, benefiting both filmmakers and audiences. Nolan's favourite seats When it comes to choosing a seat, Nolan says it depends on the type of theatre. For CinemaScope screens, he prefers sitting near the front, around the middle of the third row. For large IMAX 1.43:1 theatres, he recommends sitting slightly behind the centre of the auditorium to get the best overall view.