United News of Bangladesh

Two people died after being crushed under the wheels of a train in Sadar upazila of Netrekona district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Russel Islam, 25, son of Lutfur Rahman of Sherpur district and Akash Roy, 24 of Dinajpur district. They were workers of a rice mill in Netrakona district. The accident occurred around 6:30 pm at Chollisha when the Mohonganj-bound ‘Mohonganj Express’ train from Dhaka knocked down the two while passing a level crossing, leaving them injured. Later, they were taken to Sadar Hospital where the doctors declared them dead.

A 26-year-old young man was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Bagmara in Rupsha upazila of Khulna district early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Abdul Rashed alias Pikul, son of Abdul Auwal of Rupsha upazila. SM Sabur Hossain, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Rupsha Police Station, said a group of miscreants opened fire on Rashed at Kadamtala field around 1 am, leaving him critically injured. Rashed received bullet wounds at his chest and head, said police. Later, he was taken to Khulna Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead. Rashed was wanted in several cases filed with Rupsha Police Station, said police.

A 39-year-old man was shot dead by miscreants in Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram on Saturday night. The victim was identified as Jamal Uddin, son of late Abul Khair, a resident of Shahnagar Dighirpar area under Lelang Union. Locals said Jamal Uddin was a former activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Another person, identified as Nasir, was injured in the shooting. The incident occurred around 8:00pm in the Shahnagar Dighirpar area. According to witnesses, a group of armed men opened fire on Jamal and fled the scene. Jamal died on the spot. Fatikchhari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) Rafiqul Islam said police rushed to the spot after receiving information. “Details will be known after investigation,” he said.

A young man allegedly took his own life by consuming poison after facing humiliation over a Tk 500 instalment payment in Dirai Upazila, Sunamganj. He died Friday morning while undergoing treatment at M. A. G. Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet. The deceased, Joy Mohapatra (19), was a resident of Bhangadhor village and the son of Liton Mohapatra. According to his cousin, Ayon Das, Joy had purchased a mobile phone from a local shop owner, Amirul Islam, son of Madris Mia from Borhanpur, for Tk 5,500. Following the agreement, he paid Tk 2,000 in cash and was to pay the remaining Tk 3,500 in weekly installments of Tk 500 each. Although he regularly made payments, he was late with the last Tk 500 instalment. On Thursday evening, Joy reportedly went to Amirul Islam’s shop to pay the instalment but was allegedly beaten, humiliated, and had the mobile phone confiscated. The family claims that Amirul also verbally insulted him. Distressed and traumatised by the incident, Joy allegedly bought rat poison from the same shop and consumed it at home. Ayon said that around 7:30pm, Joy admitted to taking poison, after which he was rushed to Dirai Upazila Health Complex and later referred to Sylhet due to his deteriorating condition. Dr. Moni Rani Talukdar, Resident Medical Officer at Dirai Health Complex, confirmed that the patient was in critical condition and had to be referred immediately. Family members, including Joy’s uncle Mitu Mohapatra, said they would file a case after discussion with his father in Sylhet. Regarding the allegation, shop owner Amirul Islam stated that Joy still owed him Tk 2,500 for the mobile and Tk 300 for Flexiload. He denied giving Joy any poison, claiming that he told Joy he did not have any when requested. Joy’s mother, Sheli Mohapatra, alleged that her son was physically assaulted at the shop, which drove him to consume the poison. Dirai police officer-in-charge, Enamul Haq Chowdhury, said that the police inspected the scene and will take legal action if complaints are filed.

A six-member committee formed by the Ministry of Shipping has begun investigating allegations that hills were cut to collect soil for land filling at Ramgarh Land Port in Khagrachhari on Saturday. The committee conducted an on-site inspection of several areas where soil had reportedly been removed from hills, as well as the filled sections of the land port. The investigation follows a report published in a national newspaper on Jan 7, 2026, titled “Hills cut for port construction for India”. In response, the Ministry of Shipping formed the six-member committee on Jan 8 under the leadership of Md. Firoz Ahmed, Joint Secretary (Implementation), giving it a three-day deadline to submit its findings. On Saturday, the committee visited various sites in the upazila, including Baidhyatil, speaking with local residents and collecting photographs, data, and soil samples. They later inspected the land port itself, gathering samples of the soil used for filling and assessing the quality of construction work. Committee members present included Secretary Rasna Sharmin Mithu, the Ramgarh Upazila Executive Officer Kazi Shamim, a representative from BGB, and officials from the contractor company Monico Ltd. Earlier on Friday, a high-level team led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping also visited Ramgarh to examine the allegations. The committee has not provided any public briefing or comments to journalists regarding their investigation, as of Saturday.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Saturday (January 10, 2026) said police personnel deployed at high-risk polling centres during the next national election will be equipped with body-worn cameras to help prevent violence and ensure transparency. “There are around 24,000 risky polling centers across the country. Police personnel assigned to these centers will be provided with body-worn cameras so that no violence or chaos can occur. Through these cameras, everything can be monitored,” he said. The IGP made the remarks after attending a special welfare meeting with police officers and members of various units of the Rangpur Metropolitan Police and district police in the afternoon. The IGP also sought cooperation from the public in carrying out police duties effectively. EC to start disposing appeals against decisions on nomination papers Referring to the flow of arms, he said illegal weapons are being seized gradually, although it is not possible to recover all of them at once. Baharul Alam said police personnel across the Rangpur division remain fully committed to ensuring a free, fair, and festive election, noting that the Election Commission has taken initiatives to conduct the polls peacefully. “It is our responsibility to maintain stability and create a suitable environment for the elections. All members of the Rangpur Range and Rangpur Metropolitan Police are determined to ensure full security,” he added. He further said the police will not be working alone during the election. On polling day, around six lakh Ansar members will be deployed alongside police forces. In the pre-election period, members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and other defense forces are also assisting law enforcement. 645 appeals filed with EC against decisions on nomination papers Besides, the Border Guard, Coast Guard, and Navy are working in coastal areas to control criminal activities. Rangpur Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Aminul Islam, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Majid Ali, superintendents of police from eight districts of the division, and other senior police officials were present at the event.

Police have solved the case surrounding the death of a young man whose body was found floating in the Kanchan River in Gozaria, Munshiganj, last month. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, and the victim’s stolen auto-rickshaw has also been recovered. At a Saturday press briefing at the Munshiganj Superintendent of Police’s office, SP Md. Menhazul Alam said that on December 6, 2025, around 2:30 pm, a young man’s body was spotted floating in the Kanchan River in Baushia Union under Gozaria Police Station. Police retrieved the body, which was later identified by the victim’s elder brother Jahangir Alam as Md. Shahjalal, 27. Shahjalal worked as an auto-rickshaw driver. According to the family, the unidentified suspects tied up Shahjalal’s hands and feet, brutally killed him, stole his auto-rickshaw, and dumped his body in the river. Following the incident, Jahangir Alam filed a murder case with Gozaria Police. A police investigation team led by SI (N) Rubel Sikder carried out operations using intelligence and technology. On January 9, around 6:30pm, the team arrested the victim’s friend Ibrahim alias Sagar, 28, from Panchgachhia area under Motlob Uttar Police Station in Chandpur. Later that night, around 9:30pm, another suspect, Fahim, 24, was arrested from Bhoberchar Bus Stand area under Gozaria Police Station based on information provided by Ibrahim. During interrogation, Fahim admitted that he had received the stolen auto-rickshaw from Ibrahim and let his father Khorshed use it. Following Fahim’s information, police recovered the auto-rickshaw from his home in Dauderkhara area under Comilla Kotwali Police Station. Police said legal action against the arrested suspects is underway and the investigation into the case is continuing.

In the 2026 Pirojpur Press Club elections, A. S. M. Rezaul Islam Shamim of Daily Amar Desh has been elected president, and S. M. Tanvir Ahmed of Daily Bangladesh Pratidin and Jamuna TV has been elected general secretary. The elections were held on Saturday morning following the annual general meeting of the press club. With no other contenders for any positions, all candidates were elected unopposed. The election was conducted under the supervision of Md. Iqbal Karim, the election commissioner appointed by the district commissioner and deputy director of the District Social Services Office. Other executive committee members elected unopposed include: Vice Presidents: Khelafat Hosen Khasru (Daily Pirojpurer Kotha) and Sheikh Md. Rashid Al Munan (NTV) Joint General Secretary: Ziaul Haq (Somoy TV) Treasurer: Kumar Shuvo Roy (Banglavision) Office & Property Secretary: Md. Tamim Sardar (Independent TV & Daily Ajker Patrika) Literary & Cultural Secretary: Kabir Hossain (Dipto TV) Sports Secretary: Rezwan Islam Sazn (Weekly Baleshwar) IT & Publications Secretary: Sheikh Abu Md. Zubayer Jony (Weekly Pirojpur Bani) Executive members: Mahamud Hossain (UNB), M A Rabbani Firoz (Daily Khobor), Arif Mostafa (Daily Bonik Barta & Bangla Tribune), Fasiul Islam Bacchu (Samakal & Channel i), Zahirul Haq Titu (Daily Jai Jai Din & New Nation), Khalid Abu (Amader Somoy), Mahamudur Rahman Masud (Daily Manab Zamin), Wahi Hasan Babu (Inqilab), and K M Habibur Rahman (Daily Star & DBC TV). Founded in 1967, Pirojpur Press Club has maintained its legacy as one of the district’s prominent social organizations.  

Prices of winter vegetables are still relatively high despite adequate supply at kitchen markets in Lalmonirhat, adding to the woes of people with fixed income already overburdened with soaring prices of daily essentials. During the peak winter season, kitchen markets in  five upazilas of the district including—Patgram, Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Aditmari and Lalmonirhat Sadar—are brimming with winter vegetables. Cauliflower, cabbage, beans, carrots, radish, tomatoes, spinach and other winter produce are available in abundance, yet their prices remain sharp. Prices of winter vegetables drop in Khulna, essentials continue to rise During a recent visit to the market on Saturday (Jan 10) this UNB Correspondent found that potatoes are being sold at Tk 30–40 per kg, eggplant at Tk 50–60 per kg, tomatoes at Tk 70 per kg, carrots at Tk 40 per kg, beans at Tk 60 per kg, pumpkin at Tk 50 per piece, raw bananas at Tk 30 per dozen, ladies finger beans at Tk 60 per kg, pointed gourd Tk 60 per kg, bottle gourd Tk 40–60 per piece depending on size, cauliflower at Tk 40 per piece, cabbage at Tk 50 per piece, papaya at Tk 30 per kg, radish Tk 40 per kg, sponge gourd at Tk 50 per piece, bitter gourd at Tk 50 per kg, red spinach at Tk 20 per bunch and mustard leaves at Tk 20 per bunch. Customers are negotiating prices with vendors, often moving from one stall to another in search of better deals. Consumers said the high prices of vegetables throughout the year put pressure on household budgets and while winter usually brings some relief, the relief is minimal this year. Salma Begum, a housewife from Shialkhowa, said that earlier they used to buy a few vegetables for 200–300 taka. Now, with the same amount of money, one can't even fill a bag with vegetables and even the variety in the family's meals is decreasing. Another buyer, Samad Mia, an office employee at an organisation, said that because vegetable prices are high, they no longer have the opportunity to eat vegetables regularly. Winter was supposed to be truly comfortable for middle-class people like us, but now it is not. Saiful Islam, a vegetable seller, said, “Production usually rises in winter, but this year cold weather has affected supply, keeping prices relatively high.” Mohammad Helal Mia, a seller from Namuri market, added, farmers should have brought more vegetables to the market, but the sudden cold has disrupted supply. Another seller said that although higher prices increase profit per unit, fewer buyers mean overall sales remain unsatisfactory. “If the price is lower, people buy more. This way, our products don't remain unsold either,” he said. Early variety winter vegetables raise hope among Jessore farmers According to the stakeholders, if weather conditions are not favorable, vegetable prices may remain high throughout the winter season.

A mild cold wave is sweeping over parts of the country and it may continue in some places, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said on Saturday. According to the regular Met office bulletin, “A mild cold wave is sweeping over Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions and the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga and Kushtia and it may continue at places.” Moderate to thick fog may occur over the riverbasins of the country and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during mid-night to morning. Chuadanga and Panchagarh’s Tetulia recorded the country’s lowest temperature at 8.3 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, BMD said. Night temperature may rise slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Gopalganj records season’s lowest temperature at 7.5°C as cold wave grips Bangladesh Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.