United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh on Thursday warmly welcomed a recent statement by the Chinese government expressing its wish for a smooth general election in Bangladesh, reaffirming that the election is an internal affair of the country. In a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh said it deeply values the cordial and friendly relations between the two countries, which have been further strengthened under the interim government. Bangladesh also strongly reaffirmed its firm commitment to the “One China Principle,” the ministry said, underscoring Dhaka’s long-standing and principled position on the issue. Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said the general election, scheduled for February 12 next year, is Bangladesh’s internal affair and reiterated its position of "non-interference" in other countries' internal issues. Responding to a question in a regular media briefing in Beijing, he said China upholds the principle of "non-interference" in other countries’ internal affairs. "We are confident that the interim government and people of Bangladesh are capable of handling their own affairs well and pursuing a development path suited to their national conditions," said the Chinese Spokesperson. He hoped that Bangladesh would hold a smooth general election and advance the country’s political agenda in an orderly manner..

A mysterious fire broke out at the old building of the Jessore Registry Office on Thursday night, destroying centuries-old documents, including volume books, balam registers, index books, and other important records. The blaze started around 9:00 pm in the old office building. Within an hour, historical documents dating back to the British era were reduced to ashes. Firoz Ahmed, Senior Station Officer of Jessore Fire Service and Civil Defence, said two units reached the site shortly after the alert. The building gate was locked, and no staff were present inside. Firefighters broke the lock to enter and managed to control the fire after about an hour. Officials confirmed that two rooms housing old records were completely destroyed, and remaining documents were damaged by water used to extinguish the flames. The full extent of the loss will be determined after investigation. Shamsuzzaman Milan, former officer of the Jessore Sub-Registry Office, said the building stored critical documents from 1741 to 1940, covering Jessore and surrounding areas. He noted that the building was rarely opened, and most documents have now been completely destroyed, with the remainder damaged by water. Sohrab Hossain, President of the Jessore Document Writers’ Association, also visited the site. He said the night guard, named Hira, was not present when the fire broke out. Local shopkeepers described the incident as mysterious, noting that there was no electrical connection in the building, ruling out short circuits as the cause. They suspect the fire may have been set deliberately. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the exact cause and assess the total damage.

Nomination scrutiny for the Jashore-1 (Sharsha) constituency in the 13th national parliamentary election has been completed, with four candidates declared valid and three disqualified. The decision was announced on Thursday afternoon following the scrutiny by Jashore Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Asheq Hasan at the district administration office. The candidates whose nomination papers were found valid are BNP-nominated candidate Nuruzzaman Liton, Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Muhammad Azizur Rahman, Jatiya Party nominee Jahangir Alam Chanchal, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Boktiar Rahman. Meanwhile, the nomination papers of three candidates were cancelled. They include former BNP central office secretary Mofiqul Hasan Triti for failing to submit party nomination documents, and two independent candidates—Sharsha upazila BNP president Abul Hasan Jahir and Shahjahan Ali Goldar—for discrepancies in the required signatures of one percent of voters. The returning officer said all decisions were taken in accordance with electoral laws after thorough verification of the submitted documents.

A fire broke out at a jute warehouse in the Shaildubi area of Kashimpur in Gazipur on Thursday evening. The blaze started around 6:00 pm, according to local sources. After the fire broke out, warehouse workers and local residents initially tried to control the flames on their own. However, due to the presence of highly flammable jute materials, the fire spread rapidly and their efforts failed. As the fire engulfed the entire warehouse, the Fire Service was informed. Five units of the Fire Service rushed to the spot and managed to bring the fire under control after nearly two hours of effort. Firefighters faced difficulties in extinguishing the blaze due to a shortage of water, said an official on duty. The extent of damage caused by the fire could not be determined immediately. Fire Service authorities said the exact cause of the fire would be known after an investigation.

Police on Wednesday have seized Indian smuggled goods worth Tk 81.29 lacs n from beneath stones loaded on a truck in South Surma of Sylhet and arrested one person in connection with the incident. The arrest was made during a drive around 1:00 pm on the Dhaka–Sylhet highway in the Mominkhola Mushargaon area, according to Sylhet Metropolitan Police media cell. The arrestee was identified as Md Zakaria Islam (38), son of Md Khaza Mia and Nurunnahar Begum of Kharita area under Gobindaganj Police Station in Gaibandha district. Police said Zakaria was transporting around 100 cubic feet of stones in a Tata truck from the Sylhet–Dhaka highway. During a search, law enforcers recovered Indian smuggled goods hidden beneath the stones. The seized items included 1,026 pieces of Nivea body lotion, 554,400 pieces of diclofenac tablets, 20,304 pieces of cream and other cosmetic products, with a total estimated market value of Tk 81,29,640. A case has been filed against Zakaria under the Special Powers Act, and he has been produced before a court, said Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police Mohammad Saiful Islam.

At least nine people, including a woman, were injured in a clash over a land dispute in Durgapur village, Shyamnai, Raiganj Upazila of Sirajganj. Two of the injured have been admitted to the hospital, confirmed OC of Salanga Police Station, Imam Jafar. The conflict revolves around a 30-decimal plot in Shyamnai Mauza, long contested between Ainul Master and Abdur Razzak Sheikh. On Wednesday afternoon, supporters of Abdur Razzak attempted to seize the disputed land by cutting its boundary. When Ainul Master’s group resisted, a scuffle broke out. Both sides clashed using traditional weapons, leaving nine people injured. Among the hospitalized are Ainul Master (61) and Harun Rashid (55). The OC said a formal complaint has been filed, and legal action will follow after investigation. Police have already inspected the scene.