United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, ranked sixth among the world’s most polluted cities on Friday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 107 recorded at 9:50 am. The air was classified as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, meaning it may pose health risks to vulnerable people, according to the AQI scale. Indonesia’s Jakarta, Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kinshasa and China’s Chengdu occupied the top three spots with AQI scores of 170, 148 and 142 respectively. An AQI value between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while 151–200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201–300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 and above is ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI measures daily air quality by indicating how polluted the air is and what health effects may be experienced by people. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution, which typically worsens during the winter months and improves in the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes around seven million deaths worldwide each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

At least three people were killed and another injured in a road accident in Belkuchi upazila of Sirajganj early Friday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately, said Amirul Islam, duty officer at Belkuchi Police Station. The accident occurred around 6 am in the Meghulla area when a bus of Dhaka Express collided with a three-wheeler van, leaving three people dead on the spot and another injured. The injured person was sent to a local hospital for treatment, police said. Further details about the victims and the circumstances surrounding the accident were not immediately available. Police are investigating the incident, the duty officer added.  

Neymar will miss Brazil's World Cup warmup match against Egypt to continue treatment for a leg muscle injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Thursday. The 34-year-old was last Thursday diagnosed with a grade two calf strain requiring an estimated recovery period of two to three weeks. "Neymar will not travel with the delegation to Cleveland," the CBF said in a statement ahead of Saturday's friendly at Huntington Bank Field. "He will remain in New Jersey, undergoing physical therapy and intensifying his physical recovery program." Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 international matches last played for Brazil in October 2023, when he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker has since struggled with injuries, managing only 17 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions after returning to boyhood club Santos in January 2025. Brazil will begin its World Cup Group C campaign against Morocco in New Jersey before meeting Haiti in Philadelphia and Scotland in Miami. The tournament will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. 

A 12-year-old girl, a Class-IV student of a government primary school in Chandpur's Shahrasti upazila, has been found five months pregnant, with her family accusing a 60-year-old neighbour of raping her. The incident took place in Chitoshi East Union and has sparked widespread concern in the locality. The accused, identified as Nasir Uddin, reportedly went into hiding after the matter came to light. According to local residents and family members, the victim is the daughter of physically challenged parents and frequently worked at the accused's house. The girl said that her parents had sent her to Nasir Uddin's house about seven months ago at his request to assist with household chores. During that period, he allegedly touched her inappropriately on several occasions. She further alleged that in February, Nasir Uddin forcibly took her into a room and raped her. The accused allegedly threatened to kill her parents if she disclosed the incident, leaving her too frightened to tell anyone about it. The matter came to light on June 2 when the girl's aunt noticed physical changes and questioned her. The child then disclosed the alleged rape, family members said. Subsequently, the family took her to a physician, who confirmed that she was five months pregnant. Following the disclosure, the accused fled the area, according to locals. The victim's mother alleged that her daughter had been raped and threatened with death. "My daughter is now five months pregnant. We will seek legal action and demand justice from the administration," she said. Md Aminul Islam, member of Ward No. 5 of Chitoshi East Union Parishad, said he had heard about the incident and found the allegations to be credible after making inquiries. "It is a shameful incident involving a helpless family's young daughter. I demand exemplary punishment for the accused," he said. Shahrasti Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mir Mahbubur Rahman said no formal complaint had yet been filed with the police. "If a complaint is received, the matter will be investigated and legal action will be taken accordingly," the OC said.  

An American journalist who has lived in China since 2010 and worked for several state media organizations there pleaded guilty in a U.S. court Thursday to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, the Justice Department said. Thomas Pauken II is set to be sentenced Sept. 1 in a U.S. District Court and he faces up to 10 years in jail, the department said. He writes under the name Tom McGregor to distance himself from his father with the same name, who was a former chairman of the Texas Republican Party in the 1990s and ran for governor more than a decade ago. It is the latest in a string of cases that the federal government has brought against people suspected of working for the Chinese government without proper disclosure. Eileen Wang, a former mayor of Arcadia, California, agreed in May to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. She was accused of doing the bidding of Chinese officials, including sharing articles favorable to Beijing. Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors, was accused of selling her influence to the Chinese government. Sun pleaded not guilty to charges that she failed to register as an agent of a foreign government, conspired with her husband to launder money and helped people commit visa fraud to enter the U.S. illegally. A December trial ended in a mistrial when a federal jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has been unable to inspect nuclear facilities in Iran affected by the war last June according to a confidential report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog circulated to member states and seen Thursday by The Associated Press. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that it “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran or whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities.” The IAEA warned that it was “unable to discharge its safeguards responsibilities” that it has under the Safeguards Agreement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding that it is “indispensable and urgent” for Tehran to implement its obligations under that Treaty. The only nuclear facility inspected in Iran by IAEA inspectors since the last report in February has been the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was visited on June 1-3. The reactor currently running at Bushehr uses uranium from Russia enriched to 4.5%, a low level needed for power generation in such plants. The confidential report come as tensions have flared in the Middle East. Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait’s main airport on Wednesday, killing one person, wounding dozens of others and briefly closing the airfield — the latest in back-and-forth attacks by Iran and the U.S. that test a fragile ceasefire. According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponize its program, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in a recent AP interview. He added that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a weapon. Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines. The report said Grossi reiterates his "full support to the negotiations underway aimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution to issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme, and his readiness … to support an eventual agreement.” Talks have dragged on for weeks as mediators seek a more enduring truce in the war, now in its fourth month. They are increasingly strained by Israel’s broadening war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Iran maintains its hold on the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial waterway for the world’s oil and natural gas and related products like fertilizer — and the U.S. continues its blockade of Iranian ports. Global fuel prices remain high, and the effects of the conflict are felt well beyond the region.

At least four people were killed when a small aircraft crashed in Croatia on Thursday, according to police. The crash occurred near the town of Medulin on the Istria Peninsula, police said in a statement. Croatia's state-run HINA news agency reported that the aircraft was a German-registered plane that had departed from Austria before the accident. Images from the scene showed the wreckage scattered across a field, while police officers and firefighters were deployed to the crash site. Local pilot Nijaz Delic told the Index news portal that the aircraft appeared to spiral in the air before plunging to the ground. Authorities have not yet confirmed how many people were on board the plane. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and no further details were immediately available.

In a major move to inject vitality into a sluggish economy and generate employment, Bangladesh Bank (BB) on Thursday night announced a Tk 20,000-crore pre-refinancing scheme aimed at fully reviving closed and partially operational industries. Under this new policy, titled the "Pre-Refinancing Scheme for Assisting Closed Large-Scale Industry and Service Sectors," eligible business entities and corporate groups can secure working capital loans up to Tk 200 crore at a highly concessional interest rate of 7 percent. The initiative offers massive relief to manufacturers, given that the market interest rate across commercial banks currently exceeds 14 percent following recent monetary tightening. The central bank issued a comprehensive circular detailing the implementation guidelines late Thursday. This policy stems from a broader economic recovery roadmap announced on May 23 by Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostafizur Rahman, who promised a Tk 60,000-crore master fund to stimulate economic growth. According to the guidelines, commercial banks will pull funds from this central bank repository at a 4 percent interest rate and disburse it to qualified industrial and service enterprises at a maximum capped rate of 7 percent. All scheduled banks operating in Bangladesh are eligible to participate in the scheme. The central bank noted that the fund primarily targets large-scale manufacturing and service establishments that possess the necessary machinery and infrastructure but are suffering from production stoppages solely due to an acute shortage of working capital. Special emphasis will be placed on boosting export volumes and generating fresh employment opportunities. Partial or completely closed enterprises capable of resuming full operations will receive priority. Furthermore, efficient, functional companies that acquire or lease underperforming or closed external factories to revitalize them will also receive priority access to the credit facility. To maintain financial discipline, the central bank has imposed strict compliance checks. Borrowers must have a clean slate in the Credit Information Bureau (CIB) database, with no active loan defaults. Any business or entrepreneur with a record of money laundering or past credit misappropriation will be strictly barred from accessing the fund. Loan Utilization Rules: The tenure of the working capital loan will be a maximum of one year at the customer level, renewable based on actual performance and utilization. Borrowers will also enjoy a six-month grace period, meaning interest installment collections will only begin after the first six months. The policy strictly regulates how the loan can be spent. Companies can use the funds to cover up to four months of wages and allowances for workers and staff. It can also be utilized to clear utility dues (electricity, gas) and procure raw materials necessary for immediate production. To ensure transparency, all worker salaries must be routed directly into their respective bank accounts or verified Mobile Financial Services (MFS) accounts linked to their National Identity (NID) cards. Cash transactions are strictly prohibited. The central bank explicitly stated that these loans cannot be used to adjust, settle, or pay off any pre-existing bank liabilities or debts. Strict Monitoring & State Recognition: To prevent fund diversion, Bangladesh Bank has mandated a rigorous oversight framework. Lending banks must collect weekly sales and revenue reports from the borrowers. Bank representatives will be required to physically inspect the factory premises every three months to prepare compliance reports, while Bangladesh Bank reserves the right to conduct surprise spot inspections at any time. Borrowers must channel all business-related income and expenditures through a single, designated bank account. Failure to repay the funds on time will result in the central bank automatically deducting the outstanding amount directly from the respective commercial bank’s current account held with Bangladesh Bank, alongside a 2 percent punitive interest penalty. In a unique motivational approach, the central bank announced that companies, entrepreneurs, and banks that demonstrate successful implementation and actively contribute to the national economy through this scheme will be honored with official state recognition.

Md. Nurul Amin, 44, was among the 22 nationals from seven countries who tragically lost their lives in the devastating fire incident at a New Delhi hotel on Wednesday. The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Thursday night said they are facilitating the earliest repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased. As of 4th June evening, two Bangladesh families have been particularly affected by the fire that broke out on June 3. Both families staying in the hotel were in Delhi to avail medical treatment at the nearby Max Hospital. The High Commission remains in constant contact with the victims and their families who are under treatment at various hospitals in New Delhi. Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah visited all the Bangladesh nationals under treatment at the Max Hospital and inquired about their condition with the attending physicians. The High Commission officials remain positioned at the Hospital to liaise round-the-clock with the patients and the Hospital and address any exigency. The High Commission is also in contact with the India authorities to ensure necessary treatment and support for the victims.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will bolster its air defense capabilities in response to recent Ukrainian drone attacks that have penetrated deep into Russian territory. Speaking during a meeting with heads of international news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin acknowledged that some Ukrainian drones had managed to evade Russia's air defense systems. "To our regret, some of them break through," Putin said, referring to the attacks on his hometown of St. Petersburg. He added that Russia's air defense network would be strengthened to better counter such threats. The remarks came a day after a Ukrainian drone strike set fire to an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and also targeted a nearby naval facility. Putin also reiterated Moscow's readiness to seek a compromise on Ukraine based on understandings reached during his recent summit with US President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska. He said Ukraine would need to accept those terms for any agreement to be reached. The Russian leader rejected suggestions that European Union countries could serve as mediators in peace negotiations, arguing that they could not be considered neutral parties. "Mediation assumes neutrality. Where is the neutrality here?" Putin said, adding that Russia could not place its trust in countries that had long advocated what he described as a strategic defeat of Russia. Commenting on Russia's use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, Putin said it had been launched against targets that allowed Russian forces to assess its capabilities and precision before any broader deployment. He also reaffirmed Moscow's objective of gaining full control over Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, noting that Kyiv still controls about 15 percent of the territory. According to Putin, Russian forces are continuing to advance along the entire front line, expressing confidence that what he described as the patriotism and determination of the Russian people would help achieve Russia's objectives in Ukraine.