United News of Bangladesh

Two people, including a microbus driver, were stabbed to death in two separate incidents, within a span of a few hours, in the city’s Port area and Hathazari upazila of Chattogram district on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Mahbub Alam, 37, a microbus driver of Hathazari upazila and son of Abdul Nabi and Ajier Rahman, 35, of the port colony area of the city. Zahidur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Hathazari Model Police Station, said Mahbub, also a caretaker of a building in Kalabagan area, had an altercation with some people at Kalabagan area over a trifling matter around 4:30am. At one stage of the altercation they stabbed Mahbub indiscriminately, leaving him dead on the spot. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to the hospital morgue. Police are working to bring those involved in the killing under book. In another incident, Ajier Rahman, son of Hossain Ali of Bagerhat district, was stabbed to death by some miscreants in the Port Colony area of the city early Sunday, said Abu Bakkar, sub-inspector of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP). Police rescued him in critical condition and took him to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 2:20am.  

Police recovered the bodies of a woman and her four-year-old son on Sunday in the Nayapara area under Kutunjom Union of Maheshkhali Upazila, Cox's Bazar. The deceased were identified as Ismot Ara, 26, and her son Abrar, 4. Locals said that Ismot Ara had visible injuries on her head, and a brick was found near the scene. Quoting Ismot Ara’s father, Mujibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Maheshkhali Police Station, said she had been suffering from mental instability for a long time. “In the past, she had hit her head against walls on several times and had even attempted self-immolation once,” he added. The OC also said locals and the family believe she may have hit her head with a brick. However, the matter is still not confirmed.” An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing. Local UP member Joynal Abedin said the deceased woman was divorced and lived in a house next to her father’s. “I cannot say whether it was suicide or murder,” he said.

Authorities have identified 351 polling centres in Kurigram district as high-risk out of a total of 706 stations across its four parliamentary constituencies ahead of the 13th National Parliament Election. Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath disclosed the information at a meeting of the District Law and Order Committee held at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room on Sunday. She said the district administration is determined to ensure a fair, peaceful and neutral election. Of the total polling centres, 351 have been classified as high-risk, while 14 centres in char areas lack electricity connections. Power supply to those centres will be ensured through generators, she added. The deputy commissioner also said instructions have been issued to the concerned departments to improve weak internet connectivity in char areas. Superintendent of Police Khandaker Fazle Rabbi said the upcoming election requires joint cooperation from law enforcement agencies, political parties, journalists and professionals, expressing optimism that an acceptable election can be held with collective efforts. BGB Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mahbub Ul Haque said 490 BGB members will be deployed to maintain law and order in five upazilas, including Phulbari, Nageshwari, Kurigram Sadar and Ulipur. Army Camp Commander Major Inzamamul Alam Inzam said 650 army personnel will be deployed to assist in the election process, adding that a list of saboteurs has been prepared and necessary actions are underway. Participants at the meeting urged all stakeholders to act responsibly to ensure the election is held in a peaceful and festive atmosphere. Among others, District BNP Convener Mostafizur Rahman, Senior Joint Convener Professor Shafiqul Islam Bebu, District Jamaat Secretary Nizam Uddin, journalist Syed Babu, leaders of various political parties and concerned officials were present.  

The quiet morning in Whykong union, Teknaf, was shattered when an 11-year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by communities along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Tanzina Afrin, daughter of Jashim Uddin, was in the Lamba Beel area around 7:00am on Sunday when a bullet hit her on the head. The round is believed to have crossed into Bangladesh during a gunfight in neighbouring Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where clashes were taking place between the Arakan Army and a separatist group. Md Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, said the injury was caused by stray gunfire originating from across the border amid the ongoing conflict. Myanmar presses ahead with second phase of elections amid ongoing conflict As panic spread in the locality, family members and neighbours rushed Tanzina to hospital. She was later transferred to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital for advanced treatment, according to additional superintendent of Cox’s Bazar Police Alak Biswas. Security forces, including members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Bangladesh Army and local police, moved to the area soon after receiving information about the incident.

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.