United News of Bangladesh

Amnesty International has demanded immediate release of journalist Anis Alamgir, who was arrested on December 15 under Bangladesh’s Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), describing the move as a misuse of counterterror laws to suppress freedom of expression. "The interim government must respect its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and immediately release Anis Alamgir," said Amnesty International’s South Asia Researcher Rehab Mahamoor on Wednesday. Responding to the arrest, she said it reflects an “alarming trend” of individuals being targeted for being perceived to support activities of the now-banned Awami League. “Rather than misusing anti-terror legislation to silence people expressing their views and opinions, the interim government and authorities should instead be facilitating freedom of expression and association, including in the lead up to elections,” Rehab Mahamoor said. She urged the interim government to uphold its international obligations. According to media reports, Alamgir was arrested following a complaint alleging that he and four others used social media and other media platforms to spread propaganda in favour of the Awami League. A Dhaka metropolitan magistrate court later placed him on a five-day remand. During the court hearing, Alamgir reportedly defended his professional role, saying: “I am a journalist. I question those in power. I have been doing this for two decades. My job is not to bow to anyone.” The Anti-Terrorism Act was amended in May this year by the interim government to ban the activities of the Awami League. Since then, the law has reportedly been used against several individuals perceived to support AL including other journalists. Amnesty International warned that using terror legislation to curb freedom of expression and association violates international law, especially ahead of Bangladesh’s general election scheduled for February 2026. The rights group urged authorities to ensure a human rights–respecting environment regardless of political affiliation. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately drop terrorism charges against the veteran journalist, to release him unconditionally, and to stop targeting the media under national security laws. In a statement issued from New Delhi, CPJ said Alamgir was arrested and charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for allegedly spreading propaganda through television talk shows and social media posts and conspiring to rehabilitate the semi-banned Awami League. “Using a counterterrorism law to detain a journalist months before a landmark election raises serious concerns about the interim government’s commitment to press freedom, a pillar of democracy,” said CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunāl Majumder. He urged authorities to immediately release Alamgir and end the practice of prosecuting journalists for expressing views critical of the government. According to CPJ, police opened an investigation against Alamgir and three others on December 15. He was arrested a day earlier by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police from a gym in the capital. A Dhaka magistrate later granted police a five-day remand to question him. CPJ noted that Alamgir, a former war correspondent who covered conflicts in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, has decades of experience in print and broadcast journalism. In recent years, he has been a regular commentator on national politics, security issues and media freedom. Bangladesh’s next general election is scheduled for February 12. CPJ warned that, if convicted under the ATA, Alamgir could face life imprisonment and a heavy fine. The watchdog also reported a sharp rise in attacks on journalists in Bangladesh, including at least 17 assaults in February 2025 alone, alongside multiple arrests under security-related laws. Dhaka Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to CPJ’s request for comment.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh Park Young-sik on Wednesday paid a farewell call on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and said Korean electronics giant Samsung, is now keen to expand its operations in Bangladesh, including scaling up mobile phone production in the country. He said the two countries expect to hold a new round of negotiations on a planned Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in February, which would pave the way for duty-free access for Bangladeshi goods—particularly ready-made garments—to the South Korean market, one of the world’s largest economies. The meeting was held at the State Guest House Jamuna on Wednesday, marking the completion of his diplomatic tenure in Bangladesh. During the meeting, Ambassador Park expressed his condolences and “deep sorrow” over the deaths of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were killed in a recent drone attack on a United Nations peacekeeping base in the Abyei area of Sudan, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing. The ambassador also conveyed his best wishes for Bangladesh’s democratic transition, expressing hope that the country would hold a free, fair, and peaceful election on February 12. Both sides discussed ways to further strengthen Bangladesh–South Korea relations, including attracting greater Korean investment in Bangladesh, the status of a planned comprehensive economic agreement, investment in human capital, and the expansion of cultural exchanges between the two friendly nations. Chief Adviser Prof Yunus congratulated Ambassador Park on the successful completion of his tenure and thanked him for his contributions to deepening bilateral relations. Prof Yunus said Bangladesh has undertaken a series of reforms to attract foreign direct investment in the country. He noted that the interim government has resolved a long-standing issue related to the Korean Export Processing Zone in Chattogram, expressing hope that this would attract leading South Korean companies to Bangladesh. The ambassador noted that Bangladeshi garments currently account for less than five percent of clothing imports into South Korea, a market dominated by exports from Vietnam and Indonesia. He said goods from the two South East nations enjoy duty free market access to Korea through bilateral and multilateral free trade arrangements. Recalling the deep cultural and people-to-people ties between the two nations, the Chief Adviser suggested that South Korea consider establishing more training centres, particularly language institutes, to enhance the skills and employability of Bangladeshi youth. SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed was also present during the meeting.

The cost of a government project for strengthening the production, storage and distribution of quality seed potatoes has increased sharply due to repeated delays in implementation. With the latest revision, the total estimated cost has risen to Tk 1,138.74 crore from the originally approved Tk 688.21 crore, according to official documents. The project, titled “Strengthening Production, Preservation and Farmer-Level Distribution of Quality Seed Potato,” has undergone its second revision. Alongside the cost escalation, the completion deadline has been extended by another two years. The Ministry of Agriculture is the sponsoring ministry, while the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation is implementing the project. The project cost was first revised to Tk 727.43 crore. Continued delays caused by extended construction schedules, additional infrastructure needs and higher operational expenses have pushed the proposed budget much higher, said officials. Most of the revised cost will be financed by government funds with a smaller share will come from the BADC’s own resources. The implementation period initially ran from September 2019 to June 2024. It was later extended to June 2025 and has now been further prolonged until June 2027. Officials involved in the project said the extended timeline has directly contributed to higher spending, particularly on cold storage construction, mechanisation, energy supply, farm-level seed production and transport-related costs. One of the main reasons for the latest revision is the decision to construct additional cold storage facilities to meet the government’s target of distributing 60,000 tonnes of seed potatoes to farmers by 2030. Existing and ongoing facilities under BADC are expected to provide storage capacity of just over 53,000 tonnes. To address the shortfall, four additional cold storages will be built. The project covers selected districts and upazilas in eight divisions. Its objectives include expanding the availability of disease-free, high-quality seed potatoes, increasing modern storage capacity and improving farmers’ skills through training and demonstrations. Despite the rising cost, the Planning Commission has viewed the revised project positively. By June 2025, financial progress had reached nearly 88 percent, while physical progress stood at around 95 percent. The commission said at successful completion of the project would help boost potato production, strengthen modern and sustainable storage systems and contribute to national food security. Officials added that the revised timeline is necessary to ensure proper completion of newly added infrastructure, including cold storages in northern and central districts, renovation of older facilities and the introduction of solar power in selected storage units. They said that without the extension, the intended benefits of the expanded investment would be difficult to achieve. The project is expected to generate broader economic and social benefits by improving seed quality, stabilising yields, creating rural employment and increasing farmers’ access to improved potato varieties. Potatoes are Bangladesh’s top vegetable crop and a key staple for food security. This year’s production reached a record 1.12 crore metric tonnes, surpassing national demand by around 22 lakh metric tonnes. Cultivated area expanded by 8 percent year on year to 4.92 lakh hectares in fiscal year 2024–25, while total output rose 9 percent from 1.06 crore tonnes a year earlier, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Israel’s military said on Wednesday that its troops fired a mortar shell into a Palestinian residential area in the Gaza Strip, wounding at least 10 people, in the latest incident to strain the fragile ceasefire with Hamas. According to the Israeli army, the mortar was fired during an operation near the so-called “Yellow Line,” a demarcation drawn under the ceasefire agreement that separates Israeli-held areas of Gaza from the rest of the territory. The military said the shell deviated from its intended target, which was not specified, and added that an investigation into the incident was underway. Fadel Naeem, director of Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, said the hospital received at least 10 wounded people following the strike. This was not the first incident since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10 in which Israeli fire has caused Palestinian casualties outside the Yellow Line. Palestinian health officials say more than 370 people have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce began. Israel maintains that its forces have responded to violations by Hamas and claims that most of those killed were militants. However, an Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity under military rules, acknowledged that the army is aware of several incidents in which civilians were killed, including young children and a family traveling in a van. Palestinians say civilian deaths have occurred partly because the Yellow Line is not clearly marked in many areas. While Israeli troops have been placing yellow blocks to delineate the line, residents say the markers are still missing in several locations. Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is facing difficulties as both sides accuse each other of repeated violations. The first phase of the truce involved the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. The next phase is expected to include the deployment of an international stabilization force, the establishment of a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals. Israel has said it will not move to the second phase until the remains of hostage Ran Gvili, still believed to be in Gaza, are returned. Hamas, on the other hand, is urging increased international pressure on Israel to open key border crossings, halt deadly strikes and allow more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.