United News of Bangladesh

Saudi Arabia’s main airport in the capital Riyadh resumed limited flight operations on Wednesday, two days after airlines were notified that they could restart services with prior permission, following multiple attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels this month. Only Saudi airlines were operating at King Khalid International Airport on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking data published by FlightAware. Saudia and Flynas were operating flights, while major international carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, had cancelled services through mid-November. The airport was struck multiple times by Houthi rebels this month and was shut down on October 10. The decline in air traffic could have longer-term economic implications for Saudi Arabia beyond the direct damage caused by the attacks. The Houthis have acknowledged targeting the airport, claiming, without providing evidence, that Saudi Arabia used the facility to supply military equipment to government forces. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed five Houthi drones launched towards Saudi Arabia over the holy city of Medina on Wednesday. In Yemen, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said a ballistic missile struck a military camp near Aden airport. A transportation ministry official said airport operations were temporarily suspended, but the runway was undamaged and a civilian aircraft had departed before the strike.

India's largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI), said on Wednesday that a cyberattack by hackers breached the organization's data, resulting in the disclosure of 3,897 customer records on the dark web. According to the bank, the exposed data included customers' registered mobile numbers, dates of birth, names, gender, email addresses, and residential addresses. SBI said it has activated its cyber incident response and containment protocols and engaged an independent cybersecurity agency to conduct a comprehensive assessment and investigate the nature and extent of the alleged compromise. The bank claimed that the leak is not expected to have any material impact on the bank's core business operations, financial performance, or business continuity.

Siddiqui was working amid the constant hum of machinery when her vision began to blur and her heart started pounding. The garment factory on the outskirts of Karachi was sweltering, crowded with perspiring workers and large industrial machines radiating heat. The air was heavy with humidity from the summer monsoon. Feeling as though she could not breathe, Siddiqui drew the concern of her co-workers, who called her supervisor. The 28-year-old, whose identity The Associated Press is withholding beyond her surname for fear of employer retaliation, said she was told to finish her work. “The supervisor said, ‘Just complete this work,’” she told AP. “Suddenly darkness came before my eyes.” Overcome by the heat, she collapsed. Extreme heat, intensified by climate change, is creating hazardous working conditions in Pakistan's factories. From denim jeans to household goods, these factories manufacture products for global companies that have pledged to protect workers' health and safety. However, experts and labour rights advocates say those commitments have yet to translate into adequate workplace protection, leaving workers increasingly vulnerable as temperatures rise. AP interviewed more than a dozen factory workers in Karachi, all of whom described sweltering workplaces, a lack of heat-safety measures and adverse health effects, including fainting. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation from their employers. All but one said they lost wages when heat-related illnesses forced them to miss work. Ten said they produced goods for global brands sold in the United States and Europe. Workers face scorching conditions inside factories For workers like Siddiqui, extreme heat — temperatures of 32.2 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) or above combined with high humidity — is not merely an occupational hazard. She lives with her six children in a small room on the outskirts of Karachi without air conditioning, where temperatures regularly exceed 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) during heatwaves. Conditions are even worse inside the garment factory where she sews clothes for Spanish brands such as Zara and Mango. Large machines generate additional heat, while fans are often broken or too small to provide relief. Workers told AP that windows are narrow, positioned high up or kept closed to prevent theft, trapping more heat inside. “Smoke, heat, you face it,” said a 34-year-old male factory worker. Heat-related illnesses and wage losses are widespread Extreme heat can act as a silent killer, sometimes causing little outward indication while inflicting serious internal damage. It can also aggravate existing conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and asthma. Studies have linked heat exposure to dehydration, heatstroke, organ failure and death. “The longer you work in the heat, the less that you're protected from it and the health risks rise,” said Andreas Flouris, founder of FAME Lab, which researches the health effects of heat. Climate change is rapidly increasing the number of people exposed to extreme heat. The World Health Organization identifies heat stress as a leading cause of weather-related deaths. Research by World Weather Attribution has also found that climate change has substantially increased the frequency, intensity and risks of extreme heatwaves in Pakistan. Workers interviewed by AP reported temporary muscle paralysis, swollen limbs, fluctuations in blood pressure, breathing difficulties, blurred vision and exhaustion, particularly during the hottest months. One worker showed scaly rashes on her arms caused by repeated chemical exposure, saying the pain became worse in summer. All the workers said they had witnessed colleagues fainting because of the heat. Several had fainted themselves, some on multiple occasions. Those who collapsed were often given only a brief rest or a sugary drink before being instructed to return to work. Workers said complaints to supervisors had brought no meaningful changes. Only one worker interviewed by AP said they received paid sick leave. The others said they lost wages for missed working hours, even when they fainted at work or suffered heat-related illnesses. Siddiqui wept on the floor of her home while recounting how she fainted and was taken to hospital. She earns 15,000 Pakistani rupees ($54) a month, and the cost of hospital treatment — which her employer refused to cover — left her unable to afford food for her children. “Sometimes they eat one meal, sometimes they don't eat a meal,” she said, adding that her younger children sometimes cry from hunger. “The older ones have gotten used to it.” Practical solutions remain largely absent Factories can adopt simple, scalable and economically feasible measures to protect workers from extreme heat, including accurately monitoring indoor temperatures and humidity, providing cold drinking water and allowing regular breaks, Flouris said. Other measures include installing barriers to reduce radiant heat from machinery, improving ventilation and cooling systems, and painting rooftops white to reflect sunlight. “We're talking about some very simple strategies,” he said. However, workers told AP that almost none of these measures were in place at their factories. Several said the metal roofs of their workplaces made summer conditions unbearable, yet employers did not provide additional drinking water or breaks. All the workers said their factories lacked heat sensors. Only one reported having a ventilation system, which was switched on only when auditors visited for inspections. Although employers provided drinking water, workers said it was rarely cold and they were uncertain whether it was safe to drink. “Sometimes it smells like dead rats,” said the 34-year-old male worker. Safety pledges by global brands lack enforcement Pakistan has national and provincial laws, along with constitutional protections, intended to safeguard workers from hazardous workplace conditions, said Farhan Haider, a programme manager at the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research in Karachi. Some companies sourcing products from these factories, including Inditex, the parent company of Zara, and Mango, have signed legally binding agreements to protect workers or introduced their own workplace safety commitments. One of the most concrete initiatives is the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry. In 2025, the agreement announced that it would recognise heat as an occupational safety risk and develop protocols to address heat stress. The protocols remain under review and have not yet taken effect. Representatives of the Pakistan Accord, a country-specific safety programme operating as an extension of the broader International Accord, did not respond to AP's requests for interviews or comment. Brands have a responsibility to ensure their suppliers are held accountable for protecting workers, including from extreme heat, said Cara Schulte, a researcher at Climate Rights International who published a report on factory workers' conditions in Pakistan in 2025. In an email to AP, an Inditex spokesperson said the company was strengthening efforts to address heat stress across its supply chain through updated factory audits, guidance and training for suppliers, and cooperation with industry initiatives. A Mango spokesperson described workers' health and safety as a “non-negotiable priority” and cited the company's supplier code of conduct, which was strengthened this year to explicitly address extreme temperatures and heat stress. A spokesperson for Sindh province, where Karachi is located, acknowledged that implementation of the regulations remained a challenge. “The government is making efforts to enforce these regulations, but given the province's vast size and the presence of numerous industrial zones, complaints are inevitable,” said Sadia Javed, who is also a member of the Provincial Assembly. For workers like Siddiqui, however, complaints continue to go unanswered as temperatures climb. “If you feel too unwell, (supervisors) say, ‘This is an everyday problem. Women cry and complain a lot, but the work still must be done,’” she said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday as Washington and New Delhi seek to finalise a long-delayed trade agreement and strengthen energy cooperation. The two countries are trying to revive trade negotiations that stalled for months amid tensions over US tariffs and India's purchases of Russian oil. “We’re very, very close. I would say we’re about as close as you can be without having executed the agreement,” Rubio told reporters in Mumbai, adding that only a small number of issues remained to be resolved and an agreement could be reached shortly. India's foreign ministry said the discussions were expected to cover major areas of bilateral cooperation, including energy, trade, investment and defence. Washington imposed tariffs of up to 50% on most Indian goods in August 2025 after trade negotiations broke down. Under a framework agreed in February 2026, the tariff rate was reduced to 18%, but talks have since made little progress. Earlier this month, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the negotiations had “plateaued”. However, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said last week that the first phase of a trade agreement was in its final stages. India wants its final tariff rate to be comparable to those imposed on competing manufacturing economies such as Vietnam. Energy trade has also been a source of friction between the two countries. India's purchases of discounted Russian crude since the start of the war in Ukraine have periodically strained relations with Washington. New Delhi has said it plans to expand energy imports, including from the United States, while diversifying its suppliers to maintain market stability and keep prices affordable. Speaking to reporters on Saturday before leaving for India, Rubio acknowledged that New Delhi had diversified its energy sources but continued to import substantial quantities of Russian oil, making an immediate shift to other suppliers difficult. “You’ve got countries like India, for example, that have voluntarily diversified their energy portfolio but are still getting a substantial amount of energy from Russia because it’s hard to pivot from one day to the next,” he said, describing India as an important US ally and partner. Despite disagreements over trade and energy, Washington and New Delhi continue to strengthen cooperation in defence and technology. The United States considers India an important strategic counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Rubio's visit to India followed a trip to Uzbekistan aimed at promoting trade and strengthening ties with Central Asian countries. According to the US State Department, Rubio is scheduled to visit a refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Wednesday and meet business leaders. The facility, operated by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, is the world's largest refining complex. In March, US President Donald Trump announced that the company was investing $300 billion to establish an oil refinery in Brownsville, Texas. Rubio last visited India in May.

North Korea on Monday threatened to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploy additional weapons along its border with South Korea, as the two rivals remain locked in a dispute over last month's landmine explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers. Earlier this month, South Korea formally accused North Korea of planting the mines that exploded on Sept. 21, urging Pyongyang to apologise and remove other mines. The announcement came after North Korea denied responsibility for the blasts and warned of strong retaliation if provoked. On Monday, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused South Korea of repeatedly firing warning shots and issuing warning broadcasts along the border since August, citing alleged crossings by North Korean soldiers as an "unreasonable pretext." She said such provocations had "gone beyond the red line" since the landmine explosions. "A grave situation is prevailing along the southern border due to the reckless behavior of the ROK military gangsters," Kim Yo Jong said, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea. She said the North Korean military was considering deploying "more tactical strike means along the southern border as a preemptive and suppressive measure to deal with contingency" and resuming loudspeaker broadcasts against South Korea. On Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Jin Yong-Sung, described the North Korean threats as "intolerable" and ordered the military to respond firmly to any potential provocations. Jin said South Korea's military would firmly deal with any incursions by North Korean troops across the border, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Tensions along the Korean border, one of the world's most heavily fortified, have risen in recent years as North Korea has added landmines, barbed-wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other frontline fortifications under its policy of severing ties with South Korea. South Korea's military previously said North Korean soldiers had crossed the Military Demarcation Line 50 times this year while carrying out fortification work. Seoul said its forces responded by firing warning shots and issuing warning broadcasts. The military did not immediately respond to North Korea's latest warning. In 2015, landmine explosions blamed on North Korea that maimed two South Korean soldiers brought the two Koreas to the brink of armed conflict after Seoul resumed frontline propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts for the first time in 11 years. The broadcasts are among the traditional psychological warfare tactics dating back to the Cold War that the two Koreas have occasionally used against each other during periods of confrontation. Since taking office last year, South Korea's liberal government, led by President Lee Jae Myung, has halted the broadcasts as part of efforts to improve relations with North Korea. Pyongyang subsequently stopped its own broadcasts. North Korea has recently intensified its weapons testing, apparently seeking to pressure the United States into making greater concessions after US President Donald Trump renewed efforts to restore diplomatic engagement with Kim Jong Un.

Police have arrested seven people, including organisers, after a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal killed 19 people and injured dozens in Kolkata on Saturday evening. The stampede broke out around 7:40pm on Saptami, the seventh day of the 10-day festival. Those arrested include puja committee Secretary Raj Kumar Sewda, Vice President Santanu Dubey, bamboo structure constructor Biplab Mukherjee, crowd controllers Koushik Saha and Pintu Dey, and private security incharges Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained by Delhi Police on Friday, minutes before he was scheduled to lead a “Lehra Do Tiranga” rally in the Indian capital. It was the second time Dipke had been detained within a week. He was earlier detained shortly after arriving in Delhi from Mumbai to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The proposed march was also prompted by the arrest of CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were sent to five days of judicial custody after entering Jantar Mantar while waving the national flag on October 13, a day after the historic site was denotified as a protest venue. Before detaining Dipke on Friday, police visited his home and served him a notice warning against holding the march. The notice, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), said prohibitory orders were in force around Connaught Place, a major shopping hub in central Delhi. It also stated that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had not granted permission for the proposed Tiranga Yatra and warned that proceeding with the march would constitute a violation of the law. Dipke, 31, was wearing a white T-shirt bearing a picture of Mahatma Gandhi and jeans when police informed him that waving the national flag was not illegal. However, they warned that holding an unauthorised march and gathering a crowd would violate the restrictions and invite legal action. Police also reminded him of the requirements under the Flag Code of India to treat the national flag with due respect. Source: NDTV

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has seized on student leader Neha Bora’s remark that Bangladesh inspired the Gen Z movement in India, with party national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari describing it as an “open admission of regime change”. Bora, 29, studied at Delhi University before pursuing a doctorate at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Arts and Aesthetics. In an undated interview, she said the Gen Z movement currently unfolding across India had first emerged in Bangladesh, a strategic partner of New Delhi and a key ally in securing its borders, particularly in the northeastern states. "The Gen Z movement we are seeing everywhere in this country first started in Bangladesh and congratulations to you for showing us the way and extending solidarity to the young people of this country," she is heard saying in the clip shared by the BJP leader. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted on August 5, 2024, following weeks of student-led protests that escalated into deadly nationwide unrest. Drawing parallels between the two countries, Bora said both movements were fighting for the restoration of “democratic and voter rights”. In India, protests have been taking place against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral malpractices. "We know that the movement that began in Bangladesh was for democratic and voter rights. Today the movement that the young people are participating in and leading is also a movement for democratic and voting rights," she said. "We know that the fight that you fight against religious fundamentalism in your country is also the fight that Gen Z and the young people of this country are fighting today," she added. Bhandari cited the video to support his allegation that the Congress-led opposition was seeking to replicate the events in Bangladesh. "Rahul Gandhi and his entire ecosystem do not wish to offer mere political resistance; they aim for regime change. In an interview, Neha Bora stated that she is inspired by the Gen Z-led movement in Bangladesh, and they intend to replicate in India what took place in Bangladesh," Bhandari, who is aggressively shouting in the video, claimed. "This proves that Rahul Gandhi's objective is not political resistance; rather, his goal is to destroy the Constitution and democracy within India. It demonstrates that the entire Congress ecosystem is solely focused on dismantling Indian democracy and orchestrating a regime change, similar to what happened in Bangladesh. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress ecosystem pose a danger to Indian democracy, and everyone who believes in Indian democracy should oppose him," Bhandari, a former journalist, added. In the same interview, Bora expressed hope that the two South Asian countries could work together for a better future for the region and the world. "And we hope that together you in Bangladesh and we in India can fight together for a better south Asia for a better world," she said. Earlier this week, Bora joined leaders of the Rahul Gandhi-led Opposition INDIA bloc in a march to the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. At a subsequent press conference, Gandhi rejected the suggestion that the protests should be treated as separate demonstrations, describing them as “one protest”. "All the protests are one protest. There are no parallel protests and the idea is India is marching. We do not care who you are, which formation you come from, if you are protecting the constitution, as we are, we are with you, we will help you, we will support you, we will protect you and expect the same from you. This is an expression of our love for Indian people," Gandhi had said. Known for her soft-spoken manner in conversation and forceful speeches at public gatherings, Bora has attracted a following through addresses in Hindi and English. She frequently invokes constitutional rights and connects student grievances with broader concerns over inequality and government accountability. She drew wider attention during protests in July over alleged examination paper leaks, joining other activists in demanding the education minister’s resignation. Her speeches at Jantar Mantar, a historic protest site, criticising the government and police response to demonstrators, subsequently circulated widely online. Since then, Bora has become a regular presence at demonstrations in the Indian capital. During protests seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, she was repeatedly detained and returned to the streets after being released. Bora has said that ideology alone does not drive the current mobilisation, arguing that hope is an even more powerful force. "Fear is infectious, of course. But hope is also infectious," she told news agency Reuters. "People have courage now because they think that they can have courage." She said the demonstrations reflected years of accumulated grievances. Source: NDTV

Dozens of protesters marched in Bangkok on Thursday, urging global financial leaders to address growing inequality, poverty, pollution and other social and environmental concerns as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank held their annual meetings. Some demonstrators wore masks depicting US President Donald Trump, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and other leaders, while pulling a float shaped like a large pink pig with dollar signs for eyes towards the heavily guarded convention centre. The march briefly disrupted traffic near the venue, where more than 15,000 officials and experts had gathered for the IMF's autumn meeting. The protesters also criticised international financial institutions and what they described as “vile abuses” by the Thai government and financial institutions. In a written declaration, the People’s Network Against the World Bank and IMF said Thailand was grappling with a household debt crisis, declining living standards, environmental degradation and increasingly severe climate disasters. Thailand has used the meetings to promote its capital as a host city, although Bangkok's luxury hotels and displays of wealth stand in stark contrast to its slums, polluted canals and people sleeping on the streets. Recent severe flooding has destroyed crops and damaged millions of homes and businesses, further worsening the difficulties faced by many people across the country. The demonstration remained largely peaceful, apart from a minor scuffle with police on a pedestrian bridge. The protesters marched from the nearby Khlong Toei slum towards the convention centre before dispersing. Rising inequality, climate-related disasters and conflicts are among the major issues being discussed by global leaders during the weeklong meetings. Thailand, like many low- and middle-income countries, particularly those dependent on imported energy, has faced economic pressure as the Iran war has kept oil prices above $100 a barrel for much of this year. The World Bank identifies Thailand as the region's most income-unequal country. In its latest economic outlook, the IMF warned that rising prices and mounting debt were aggravating inequality across many of its 191 member economies. Economic growth in Asia is projected to slow to 4.8 percent this year, down from 5 percent in 2025, before declining further to 4.4 percent in 2027, according to IMF economists. The slowdown reflects successive shocks from the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the Iran war, higher tariffs and other trade barriers. IMF chief Georgieva and other senior economic officials have stressed the importance of managing public debt, urging countries, including Thailand, to direct government spending towards targeted and temporary assistance for their most vulnerable populations.

Japan on Wednesday lodged a formal protest with Russia over the arrest of a Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage, demanding an explanation, access for Japanese officials and humane treatment for the reporter. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged that the journalist, who works for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, had collected information on Russia’s defence capabilities on behalf of a Japanese intelligence agency. The Russian Foreign Ministry identified him as Yuki Imai. The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said the journalist was arrested on Sakhalin Island while preparing to leave Russia. The arrest has added to tensions between the two countries, which have worsened since Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup in August. The island is one of four disputed islands in the Kuril chain, controlled by Moscow but claimed by Tokyo. Hokkaido Shimbun said the journalist had been working in Russia on a journalist visa and was scheduled to leave the country on Tuesday. The newspaper did not identify him by name. His latest report from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the capital of the Sakhalin region, was published on Oct. 5. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that Imai had been charged with espionage. She accused Japan of using its journalists in Russia to collect information aimed at undermining Russian security and described the alleged practice as “regrettable.” Zakharova also said Japan’s policies toward Russia and its military expansion threatened Moscow’s security interests in the Far East, warning that the case would further strain bilateral relations. In Tokyo, Kimitake Nakamura, head of the European Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev on Wednesday to protest the arrest and Russia’s announcement of the case without first explaining it to the Japanese government, according to a ministry statement. Nakamura called for the journalist to receive humane and fair treatment and demanded that Japanese officials be permitted to contact him. He also reaffirmed Japan’s territorial claim to the disputed islands, which Tokyo calls the Northern Territory. Nakamura separately protested a recent visit to Iturup by officials from a Chinese regional government and companies, describing it as “unacceptable.” The Sakhalin regional government announced the visit on Tuesday. Nozdrev said he would convey Japan’s position to Moscow, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the journalist’s immediate release, saying journalists should not be used as leverage in broader geopolitical disputes. “Journalists must not be used as leverage in wider geopolitical disputes,” said Fiona O’Brien, CPJ’s director for Europe and Central Asia. The rights group said at least 30 journalists were being held in Russia in connection with their work. Earlier, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the journalist’s health condition remained unknown because Japanese officials had been unable to contact him. Russia had not responded to Tokyo’s requests for access, he added. “We’ll do everything we can for the protection of the Japanese citizen,” Kihara said. Although Japan has “many problems” with Russia, the two countries are neighbours and “we need to communicate,” he said, adding that Tokyo would take appropriate steps to protect its national interests while managing relations with Moscow. The Russian region of Sakhalin includes Sakhalin Island and the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, which Russia controls and Japan claims. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had protested Putin’s August visit to Iturup, describing it as another setback for relations already strained by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Japan imposed additional economic sanctions on Moscow over the conflict. The Soviet Union seized the Kuril Islands from Japan in the final days of World War II. The long-running territorial dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending hostilities.