United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka University’s Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall has inaugurated a 'July Center' today at its July Shahid Smriti Bhaban as part of embracing and celebrating the spirit of the July mass uprising. This is the first hall-based 'July Center' at Dhaka University. On the occasion of this event, the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) of Dhaka University, Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, was present as the chief guest. The event was presided over by Professor Dr. Md. Akhteruzzaman, the Provost of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, while conducted by Associate Professor Dr. Md. Khorshed Alam of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism. In his speech Dr. Mamun Ahmed said that the July Revolution of 2024 was not merely a protest by students, but rather a reawakening of the nation’s conscience. Dhaka University was the inspiration, epicenter, and leading force of that awakening. Our classrooms became stages for strategic planning, and the campus turned into a fortress of struggle for justice and democracy. He further said that the spirit of building an inclusive, discrimination-free society—left by ‘July’—cannot be confined only to memory. The continuous resonance of that spirit is possible through this ‘July Center’. It will be an important hub for research, education, and inspiration for the new generation. The event was also attended by residential teachers of the hall, students, officers, and staff.

Dr Md Maksud Helali, a retired professor of Mechanical Engineering at BUET, has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). The appointment was announced Thursday in a gazette issued by the Education Ministry with the approval of the president and chancellor. Under Section 10(1) of the KUET Act 2003, Dr Helali will serve a four-year term, receiving the same salary and benefits as at BUET. Leadership vacuum paralyses Kuet; salaries unpaid, projects stalled He must reside full-time on campus. The President may cancel the appointment at any time.

A total of 49,779 applications have been submitted to the Jashore Education Board for the re-evaluation of SSC exam answer scripts. The re-evaluation results will be published on August 10, said Professor Dr Abdul Matin, Controller of Examinations at the board. The SSC results were published on July 10. This year, 138,851 students appeared in the examination under Jessore Board, of whom 102,319 passed. Following the result publication, students were given seven days—from July 11 to July 17—to apply for re-evaluation if they were dissatisfied with their scores. Applications were submitted for answer script re-checking in 24 subjects. HSC results 2024: Over 77% pass rate, GPA-5 achievers surge to 1.45 lakh According to the board, 16,128 applications were submitted for both English 1st and 2nd papers. Other notable figures include: Mathematics – 6,803; Science – 2,119; Chemistry – 3,272; Physics – 2,708; Biology – 2,176; and Bangladesh and Global Studies – 2,517. Dr Matin said experienced examiners will evaluate the scripts, and the board will ensure that students receive the scores they rightfully deserve.

The scheduled exams for today (Tuesday) in Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent have been postponed due to the BAF training aircraft crash in Uttara, Information. Youth and Sports Advisers Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud respectively announced it on their verified Facebook accounts early Tuesday. They made the announcement following a directive from Education Adviser Professor Dr Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, read the posts. “In a meeting with the Education Adviser, the decision to postpone Tuesday’s HSC exams was confirmed,” the posts stated. The advisers took to social media to announce it around 2:30am Tuesday. Netizens and students criticized the education boards' initial decision to continue with the exams despite the national tragedy. Prof Yunus assures probe into aircraft crash, urges all not to crowd hospitals The decision followed mounting criticism on social media after the terrible aircraft crash that left dozens dead and many injured. Investigative journalist Zulkarnain Saer expressed frustration on Facebook, writing, “Where is the Health Adviser? The Education Adviser already said there’s no link between today’s tragedy and the HSC exam. How can he even say that?” Rifat Rashid, president of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also called for postponement, writing: “Postpone tomorrow’s HSC exam, Interim Authority! After such a tragedy, no student is in a state to sit for exams.” Tuesday’s scheduled exams included Chemistry (Theory) 2nd Paper, Islamic History & Culture 2nd Paper, History or Home Economics 2nd Paper, and Production & Marketing 2nd Paper.

Professor Shakil Huda has been appointed as the new Director of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at Dhaka University. His appointment took effect on Tuesday (July 16, 2025), according to a university press release. Prior to this, Professor Huda had been serving as the Acting Director of IBA since October 8, 2024. An alumnus of the institute, Professor Huda completed his MBA from IBA, Dhaka University in 1992, securing the first position in Marketing. He later pursued his Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) from Texas Tech University in the United States in 2002. Alongside his academic career, Professor Huda has extensive professional experience. He has served as a consultant for various business organizations and has conducted management development training programs for several multinational companies and leading non-governmental organizations.  

East West University (EWU) on Wednesday organised the 7th Nahreen Khan Memorial Lecture, focusing on the dynamic evolution of literary translation in Bangladesh and beyond. Held at the university’s Manjur Elahi Auditorium, the commemorative event featured Dr Niaz Zaman — educationist, 2025 Ekushey Padak recipient, and retired professor of the English Department at the Dhaka University — as the keynote speaker. Her lecture, titled “Literary Translation and Translators: Bangladesh and Beyond,” examined the shifting global landscape of translated literature and the growing recognition of translated works on international platforms. Dedicated to the memory of Nahreen Khan, a former EWU student and daughter of late Dr Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to the caretaker government, the event served both as a tribute and a scholarly engagement with contemporary issues in translation studies. Dr Zaman highlighted the increased prominence of literary translations in prestigious awards such as the International Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. She delved into the concept of self-translation, referencing Rabindranath Tagore’s English rendering of Gitanjali, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her address also tackled the cultural complexities inherent in translation, stressing the fine balance between preserving cultural specificity and ensuring accessibility for a global readership. She further explored the rise of Bangladesh's translation industry, which has moved from functional documentation to vibrant literary expression. A notable trend, she observed, is the growing demand for Bangla-to-English literary translations among the global Bengali diaspora and English-educated readers in Bangladesh. However, Dr Zaman also pointed out the challenge of international distribution of such works, proposing the use of e-books and international book fairs to broaden their reach. The importance of literary journals and newspapers in promoting translated literature was also acknowledged. The event was joined by the presence of several distinguished individuals including Professor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, Chairperson of the EWU Board of Trustees and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank; Professor Dr Shams Rahman, Vice-Chancellor of EWU; Professor Dr Fakrul Alam, former professor at Dhaka University; and Air Cdre (retd) Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury, Treasurer of EWU. Faculty members, students, officials, and family members of the late Nahreen Khan attended the event, contributing to a rich and reflective dialogue on the present and future of literary translation.  

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations scheduled for Thursday in Gopalganj district have been postponed due to concerns over law and order, following violence centering National Citizens Party's rally on Wednesday afternoon. Curfew imposed in Gopalganj amid escalating tensions In a press release issued Wednesday night, the Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee said that the Geography (Theoretical) 2nd Paper (Code-126) exam has been postponed for the safety of the candidates. However, examinations under all general education boards, including other districts under the Dhaka Education Board, will be held as scheduled. Gopalganj clashes over NCP rally leave 3 dead A revised date for the postponed exam in Gopalganj will be announced later, the release added.  

Forty-eight  SSC examinees under Jashore Education Board, who were initially marked as failed in Chemistry due to an error by the authorities concerned,  have finally passed, with many securing GPA-5 following a revision of their results. The incident of mistake occurred at Pulerhat Secondary School exam centre in Jashore Sadar upazila where 329 students from six schools sat for the SSC exams this year. Of them, all 48 science students were shown as failed in the subject as their practical marks were not added to the final results. The error came to light after school teachers analysed the results and found that none of the science students had passed Chemistry. Upon inquiry, Centre Secretary Md Khan Jahan Ali contacted the controller of examinations at the board. No grace marks given in this year’s SSC exams: Inter-edu board head The board later confirmed that the practical marks had not been included in the result shits. Following the correction, revised results were published on Sunday showing that the students passed the subject, with several achieving GPA-5. One of the students, Miaraj Islam of Sarapole Secondary School, said he was confident of securing GPA-5. “I had GPA-5 in eight subjects and an A in one, but was shown as failied in Chemistry. My family was devastated. Now I have got GPA-5, everyone is happy,” he said. Jashore Board Exam Controller Abdul Matin said the results were incomplete due to the centre's failure to submit the practical exam scores. He assured that action would be taken against those responsible including the centre secretary for negligence.

European University of Bangladesh (EUB) has refuted what it called misleading information and malicious propaganda surrounding its Board of Trustees (BOT) and administrative structure, saying such actions are harming the academic environment and the university's reputation. Ahmed Farhad Khan, chairman of the current Board of Trustees, said, “My father Md Mokbul Ahmed, voluntarily stepped down from the previous BOT. Following that, we legally reconstituted the new board and submitted all relevant documents to the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC). We received the recorded copy and also obtained NSI clearance. Subsequently, we submitted all documents to the University Grants Commission (UGC). Therefore, the current BOT and its chairman are fully lawful and legitimate,” said a statement sent from the university on Thursday. He explained that the former chairman filed multiple injunction petitions against the current board. “The initial petition was dismissed by the Joint District Judge Court. He appealed to the District Judge Court, which also rejected it. Later, a civil revision was filed in the High Court, which only issued a rule and asked for maintaining the status quo. We then challenged this in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, which stayed the High Court’s order. So far, every court ruling has favoured us. The matter is now awaiting hearing at the High Court. The board’s formation and leadership are now sub judice, and interference is not permissible.” EUB holds its first convocation Regarding recent allegations, Farhad added, “We have been fulfilling our responsibilities lawfully for the past eight months. The accusations against us relate to incidents from 15 years ago, when we had no involvement with university operations,” according to the statement. He also alleged that a group is trying to illegitimately control the university using students, and said the authorities have gathered evidence and are taking legal action. Vice Chancellor Prof Md Aleem Dad echoed the concern, saying, “Some external individuals appointed by Mokbul Ahmed are attempting to incite unrest to destabilise the university.” Chairman Farhad urged journalists to verify facts about the university.

No grace or additional marks were given to the examinees to help them pass this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, said Prof Dr. Khondokar Ehsanul Kabir, chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and head of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee. Speaking at a media briefing at the Dhaka Board office on Thursday, he clarified that the results reflect students' actual performance. “This is the true result. No one has been given extra or grace marks. We made a 100 percent effort to ensure fair assessment,” he said. The board chairman said examiners were strictly instructed to evaluate answer scripts based on merit alone. “The marks students earned in their scripts were accurately compiled and published through our system. No leniency or special treatment was applied.” SSC, equivalent exam results published; pass rate 68.45% He claimed that unlike in previous years, this year’s results were completely free from external influence. “We faced no pressure from any higher authorities. We told examiners to mark answers properly, and that’s what they did.” He urged everyone to accept the results as the answer scripts of the examinees were evaluated properly. According to the Education Ministry, the average pass rate under 11 education boards across the country stands at 68.45 percent, a sharp decline from 83.04 percent recorded in 2024. This year’s SSC and equivalent exams began on April 10 and concluded on May 13. A total of 19, 28,970 students registered to take the exams including 9, 67,739 female students and 9, 61,231 male students.