United News of Bangladesh

Applications for the British Council IELTS Prize 2023 are now open for IELTS test-takers from East and South Asian countries, including Bangladesh. The annual competition supports IELTS test-takers with up to £5,000 towards university tuition fees in English-speaking universities. Read: Focus on quality research: President asks universities This year, the IELTS Prize is open to test takers living in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It will be open to students who have applied for undergraduate or postgraduate studies locally or overseas through IELTS and will begin their course from January 2023 to March 2024. The deadline for submitting completed applications is 15 September 2023. Read: Recruitment Scam: IU VC’s conversation goes viral again A total of seven winners will be selected through a competitive application process in Bangladesh to receive a cash prize to support their studies. Applicants who wish to find out more information about the prize, the application process, and review frequently asked questions should visit https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/study-work-abroad/ielts-prize.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Thursday asked the university authorities to stop focusing on increasing number of research. "University authorities should ensure the quality of research apart from increasing the numbers," the President said. He said this while a four-member delegation of the Dhaka University led by its Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr. Md Akhtaruzzaman paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban. President's press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed the reporters after the meeting. Steps must also be taken in this regard, he also said. The Chancellor advised the universities to focus more on research activities to explore time-befitting knowledge and keep pace with the competitive world. Thanking the university authorities for making Dhaka University free of session-jam, President Shahabuddin said, "The incumbent government's continuity and political stability have contributed positively to this regard." The President said the country is now moving fast on the path of development and progress where new innovations in knowledge and science are mandatory. During the meeting, the Vice-Chancellor apprised the President of the academic development and activities of the university. Dr. Akhtaruzzaman said, "The session congestion caused by the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic has already been cleared by rescheduling examinations and class schedules under the Loss and Recovery Plan." Secretaries concerned to the President were also present during the meeting.  

A war crimes accused died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Thursday. The deceased was Nizamul Haque Miah ,76, of Sadhuhati village in Kashiani upazila of Gopalganj district. War criminal Abdus Subhan dies at DMCH Subash Chandra Bala, deputy district magistrate of Dhaka Central Jail (Keraniganj), said Nizamul Haque, an accused in a case over crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971, was taken to DMCH after he fell sick in the prison. Also read: Incarcerated war criminal dies at DMCH Prison guards including jail guard Md Solaiman Pradhan took him to the emergency department of DMCH at 6:08 am where the duty doctor declared him dead, said DMCH Police Outpost Inspector Bachchu Mia. Also read: War crimes convict dies at DMCH The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy, he said.

An audio clip containing a conversation between the Islamic University vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam and an unidentified person involving recruitment of drivers at the university went viral on social media Facebook on Tuesday night. A total of 14 audio clips containing conversations between the vice-chancellor and different people went viral on social media from February 16 to June 13 this year. The audio clip shared from a Facebook account Darbesh Salam on Tuesday, the VC was heard saying to a person addressing him as Nazrul that the university administration would circulate an advertisement of recruiting drivers at the university very soon. The VC also told the person to ask his candidate to apply for both the driver and helper posts so that the appointment of the candidate could not be missed. Read: Islamic University won't join combined admission test system Some senior teachers said that the conversations of the vice-chancellor went viral on social media one after another but the government, the Ministry of Education and UGC did not take any decision regarding the leaked audio conversations. They, in a press conference held on April 3, sought prime minister’s intervention regarding the leaked audio conversations, said IU Awami League-backed teachers’ alliance Shapla Forum’s general secretary Professor M Mahbubar Rahman. The vice-chancellor tarnished the image of the university by adopting unfair means of recruiting teachers and drivers at the university, he added. IUTA general secretary Professor Tapon Kumar Godder said that they sent written documents to the prime minister, the president, the education minister and the chairman of the University Grants Commission in this connection. They should look into the matter, he added. IU vice-chancellor Shaikh Abdus Salam said that he had nothing to say regarding the leaked audio conversations. “May Allah bless the person who leaked his conversations,” he said. Read:  42 Islamic University students win Science and Technology Fellowship On Monday, the written examinations for recruiting three engineers at the university were held after three audio clips containing vice-chancellor’s mobile conversations about recruitments went viral. IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan filed a general diary with the Islamic University police station after an audio clip containing conversation between the VC and a jobseeker of IU’s Mass Communication and Journalism Department had gone viral on February 17. The Islamic University Teachers’ Association and the Awami League-backed teachers’ alliance Shapla Forum submitted a written petition to the vice-chancellor requesting him to explain his audio conversations leaked on February 18. Later, the university administration postponed the recruitment boards of five departments. Read more: Islamic University celebrates 43rd founding anniversary Tuesday  

A fourth-year pharmacy student of Dhaka University went missing while taking bath at the Gorai River in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district on Monday. The student was identified as Tanvir, 23, fourth-year student of pharmacy department of Dhaka University and resident of Barguna district. Read: DU Business unit admission results published The incident took place at Koya Gorai railway bridge area of Kumarkhali on Kushtia-Rajbari railway line around 4:45pm on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Islam visited the spot. Tanvir is a resident of Barguna district. According to fire service and Kumarkhali police station sources, 13 students of pharmacy department of Dhaka University went to visit various places of Meherpur and Kushtia.  The incident took place while three of them went to Gorai River to take bath and Tanvir drowned. On information, Kumarkhali fire service personnel immediately started the rescue operation. Read: MoU signed to promote Bangladesh's cross-border trade capacity in agro-processed food products Mohsin Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali Police Station, said among thirteen, twelve are okay now. He acknowledged Tanvir is still missing.  Efforts are on to rescue him, the OC said.

The Agrani Bank authorities suspended one of its officials temporarily on charges of assaulting M Mostafizur Rahman, a professor of Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies department of Islamic University in Kushtia over previous enmity. Read: IU Students protest attack on teacher, block Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway The suspended, M Shohel Mahmud, was the principal officer of Kushtia Chaurhash Agrani Bank branch. A press release, signed by the bank deputy-general manager M Mahbubur Rahman, was issued in this regard on Thursday night. According to the press release, the students of the Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies department on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the chairman of the bank demanding punishment of Shohel. Later, the bank authorities suspended Shohel Mahmud from his job temporarily for tarnishing the image of the bank by assaulting IU Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies department Professor M Mostafizur Rahman physically who was also the general secretary of the university teachers’ Association. Read: IU student's MBA, BBA certificates cancelled Agrani Bank deputy general-manager M Mahbubur Rahman said that they suspended Shohel for violating the bank’s rules and regulations. On Wednesday morning, Shohel swooped on Mostafiz while the latter was walking on the road over their previous enmity. Shohel, at one stage, beat up Mostafiz with a bamboo stick of land that left him injured on the spot. Later, other people rescued Mostafiz from the spot and took him to Kushtia General Hospital for treatment. A group of students of the Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies department staged a demonstration on the campus in Kushtia on Thursday protesting at an attack on the professor. Read: Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman gets bail in DSA case The students later blockaded the Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway demanding immediate arrest of Kushtia Chaurhash Agrani Bank official M Shohel Mahmud. IUTA and the teachers of the Al-Hadith department, in separate protest releases, also demanded immediate punishment of the bank official who carried out an attack on Professor M Mostafizur Rahman.

IDP Education Bangladesh, an international education services provider and co-owner of IELTS examination, opened its new office at Green Rowshonara Tower, Shatmasjid Road in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi on Thursday. Headquartered in Australia, IDP has more than 170 offices across more than 30 countries, sccording toa press release. Also read: IELTS Practice Tests: 7 Full Free IELTS Mock Tests to Take Online "For over 50 years IDP has played a significant role in international education by offering comprehensive counselling services to students and having placed more than 650,000 students into quality institutions in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States of America and Ireland,” it said. Also read: IELTS vs TOEFL: Which is better for study abroad? IDP already has offices in Gulshan, Chattogram and Sylhet and this new office will provide students the opportunity to get free counselling for study abroad and related services in Australia, UK, USA, Canada, NZ and Ireland, said the release. Also read: How to Pick a College or University Abroad for Higher Education For information and counseling about higher studies students can visit the new Dhanmondi office from Sunday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, except government holidays, it also said.

Students of Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies department of Islamic University in Kushtia staged a demonstration on the campus on Thursday protesting  the attack on Professor M Mostafizur Rahman of the department allegedly by an Agrani Bank official. Around 100 hundred students of the Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies department gathered in front of the university’s main entrance and blocked the Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway demanding immediate arrest of Kushtia Chourhash Agrani Bank official M Shohel Mahmud. Vehicular movement highway were halted during the protest. Read: IU students demand reopening of halls The students urged the university authorities to take action against the bank official who carried out an attack on the professor while he was walking on the road on Wednesday morning, the agitating students said. The students said they would continue their demonstration on the campus until their demand of arresting the bank official was met. On information, a team of IU proctorial body went to the spot and brought the situation under control. The students withdrew their demonstration as the proctorial body assured them of looking into the matter. Read: IU student torture: HC orders suspension of 5 students including Antara Earlier, Agrani Bank official Shohel assaulted Professor Mostafiz on Wednesday morning following a dispute between over a land. As a sequel to the dispute, Shohel swooped on Mostafiz while he was walking on the road in the morning. Shohel, at one stage, beat up Mostafiz with a bamboo stick that left him injured on the spot. Later, people rescued Mostafiz from the spot and took him to Kushtia General Hospital for treatment. Read more: DU student assaulted ‘by BCL man’ for not offering salam

The results of  undergraduate program of Business unit of Dhaka University have been published. DU Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman published the results on the University's official website at 1 pm. Students can check their results at admission.eis.du.ac.bd or can use short message service (SMS). Read: DU admission test: Science and Fine Arts results published For SMS notification of the results, candidates have to type DU BUS  [exam roll]  and send it to 16321. A total of 8526 students out of 38,235 students passed the exam against 1050 seats. From commerce background, Mehraj Hossain came 1st in the test scoring 103.5 marks out of 120 marks while from humanities section Zilhaj Sheikh secured first position scoring 98.91 marks and from science section, Abdullah Ibne Masud came 1st scoring  94.25 marks. This year the admission tests were arranged in a combined setting where students from all backgrounds (Science, Commerce and Arts) participated in each unit. Read: DU Arts, Law and Social Science admission test results published; Pass rate 9.69% There are total 1050 seats in Business faculty, of which, 930 seats have been allocated for solid commerce students, 25 seats for arts students and 95 seats for science students. All the successful students have been asked to fill up the subject choice form between June 18 to July 6. Read more: DU holds 'Ka' unit admission test

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent exams will begin on August 17. The Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board released the routine of the exams for all education boards on Thursday. Read: HSC selection test to begin from May 30 According to the routine, HSC written exams will begin on August 17 and will continue till September 25. Practical exams will be held from September 26 to October 4, according to the routine. Read: HSC exams begin across the country HSC exams will be held for three hours from 10 am to 1 pm and 2pm to 5pm. This year's HSC exams will kick off with the Bangla first paper. Read more: Over 12 lakh students expected to sit for HSC exams from Sunday