United News of Bangladesh

Interim government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will address the nation at 7:30pm today. This is going to be his second speech to the nation since his appointment as the Chief Adviser to the interim government. Bangladesh Television , BTV World and BTV Chattogram will broadcast his speech, according to his press wing.  

Detectives in a drive arrested Awami League leader and former lawmaker Abdus Sobhan Miah Golap from Dhaka's Tejkunipara on Sunday. A DB official requesting anonymity confirmed the arrest. Golap was arrested around 2 pm in a case filed against him, the DB official said. Ex-minister Golam Dastagir Gazi arrested: DMP Golap was the former parliamentary member of Madaripur-3 constituency. He is Publicity and Publications Secretary of Awami League.  

In a latest reshuffle in the administration, the government has promoted 131 joint secretaries to additional secretaries, raising the number of additional secretaries to 524. The Public Administration Ministry issued a notification in this regard on Sunday. This the biggest reshuffle in the civil administration since the interim-government led by Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr Muhammad Yunus took charge on August 8.

The flood situation in the lower areas of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Cumilla and Chattogram districts continues to improve, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC). Besides, the water level of major rivers in North-Eastern, Eastern and South-Eastern regions of the country keeps falling. In the last 24 hours, no significant rainfall was observed in eastern Cumilla, Brahmanbaria and Feni districts bordering Indian Tripura and inland basins of Tripura province and water levels in upstream rivers continued to recede, it said. According to the data of the meteorological agencies, there is no possibility of heavy rainfall in the north-eastern region of the country and adjacent uplands in the next 24 hours. Besides, the water level of the Manu, Khoai, Dhalai rivers in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts of the northeastern region may decrease and the flood situation in the adjacent low-lying areas may continue to improve. According to information from meteorological agencies, moderate to heavy rainfall is likely in the eastern part of the country and adjacent uplands in the next 24 hours. At this time, the water level of Gumti River in Cumilla district of the region may remain stable and the flood situation in the adjacent low-lying areas may remain stable. According to the information of meteorological agencies, there is a possibility of heavy rainfall in the south-eastern region of the country and adjacent uplands in the next 24 hours. The water level of Sangu, Matamuhuri, Karnaphuli Halda and other major rivers of Bandarban, Khagrachari, Cox's Bazar and Chattogram district may increase. The flood situation in the lower areas of Feni district may improve in the next 24 hours, but may remain unchanged  at some places. The Brahmaputra-Jamuna river water level is decreasing, while the Ganga-Padma river water level is stable, which may continue for the next 48 hours. The water level of the Surma-Kushiyara River in the northeastern part of the country is stable, which may continue for the next 24 hours. The water level of Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers in the northern part of the country is steady, normal flow of these rivers may prevail in the next 48 hours.

At least 10 lakh families have been stranded in 73 upazilas under 11 flood-hit districts till Sunday afternoon, according to the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry. However, no new deaths were reported till 3 pm today. Two people remained missing in Moulvibazar. So far, 18 people have died and at least 52,09,798 affected as flood wreaked havoc in the eleven districts. The districts are Feni, Cumilla, Chattogram, Khagrachari, Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Laxmipur and Cox’s Bazar. Of the total deaths, four died in Cumilla, one in Feni, five in Chattogram, three in Noakhali, one each in Brahmanbaria and Laxmipur and three in Cox’s Bazar districts, said the ministry. The number of families affected in the flood is 10, 47,029 under 545 municipalities/unions. Meanwhile, at least 4,15,273 people have taken shelter in 3,654 shelter centres while 22,298 domestic animals were kept there. A total of 748 medical teams are providing medical services in the flood affected areas. A sum of Tk 3.52 crore has been allocated in the 11 flood-hit districts while 20,650 tonnes of rice, 15,000 pieces of dry foods/packets and baby foods and fodder worth Tk 35 lakh each were allocated, said the ministry. Alongside government institutions, private organisations, businesses and general people also providing relief materials in the flood-hit areas while the deputy commissioners of the flood-affected districts have been instructed to work together in coordination with the coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, army, navy, medical team and other volunteers.

The recent floods have caused significant damage to Bangladesh’s fisheries and livestock sectors, with losses estimated at over Tk 2000 crore, according to Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter. She shared these figures during a briefing at the Secretariat on Sunday, addressing the impact of the floods and outlining necessary actions. The adviser urged businesses not to hike prices of essential commodities like milk and eggs, despite the temporary supply shortages caused by the floods. The floods have resulted in losses worth Tk 411 crore in the livestock sector across 12 districts, while damage to the fisheries sector amounts to Tk 1,590 crore, she said. To support those affected, she announced that loans will be provided to farmers and entrepreneurs under favorable conditions. She also advised NGOs to temporarily halt loan collections in flood-hit areas to alleviate the financial burden on affected communities. The adviser assured that the ministry is closely monitoring the situation to prevent any artificial price hikes in milk and eggs.

The Secretariat has once again come to a standstill as protesting Ansar personnel have blockaded the complex, preventing any entry or exit. The demonstration, which began after 12 pm, saw Ansar members positioning themselves in front of the Secretariat and its various gates, effectively sealing off the administration hub. All five gates of the Secretariat remain blocked, leaving government officials and employees trapped inside. No one has been able to leave or enter the premises, exacerbating the situation for those caught within. The Ansar forces have been protesting for the past two days, demanding the nationalization of their jobs. They claim to have been subjected to prolonged discrimination and say that previous assurances to address their concerns have not been fulfilled. The protesters have vowed to continue their blockade until their demands are met, declaring that they will not allow anyone to exit or enter the Secretariat until then. This protest follows a series of demonstrations that have taken place in front of the Secretariat after the fall of the Awami League government. Disgruntled employees and workers from various sectors have been increasingly vocal about their grievances.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has renewed his appeal to “strengthen regional protection” efforts, to provide access to conflict-affected communities and further support to host countries, including through the 2024 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis in Bangladesh.  The Secretary-General calls on all parties to the conflict in Myanmar to end the violence and ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with applicable international human rights standards and international humanitarian law, said his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in a statement on the seventh anniversary of the displacement of Rohingya people and other communities from Myanmar. 25 August marks seven years since the forced mass displacement of Rohingya people and other communities from Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Over 1.3 million Rohingya are presently sheltering in Bangladesh and over 130,000 more across the region without immediate prospects for return.  “The dire security and humanitarian situation with ongoing access challenges has exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities of the people of Myanmar, including the Rohingya, who continue to face discrimination and persecution as the armed conflict escalates in Rakhine State,” Dujarric said.  The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar is engaging all stakeholders, including regional actors, to move towards an inclusive Myanmar-led process for sustainable peace and national reconciliation that are important steps to create conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of the Rohingya people to Myanmar, he said.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has alerted the Chief Adviser’s office about a vested interest group spreading false propaganda in their name, targeting various media outlets, including mainstream media. According to a message from the Chief Adviser’s press wing, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement confirmed that letters and lists circulating under their name are fraudulent. "Please do not be misled by such malicious communications," the message said on Sunday. The Chief Adviser’s press wing emphasized that this group is falsely using the name of the student movement to run a smear campaign against media organizations. The false messages claim that these media outlets did not support or cooperate with the movement, and threaten that those who do cooperate will face “insults, defamation, and even termination.”

The interim government is taking decisive steps to designate the Dhaka Metro Rail as a Key Point Installation (KPI) and emergency service, aiming to prevent future attacks and vandalism. Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, made this announcement during a briefing at the Secretariat station of the metro rail on Sunday morning. "The government is actively working to upgrade the metro rail's status to a KPI," said Khan. "This measure will significantly enhance security and safeguard the metro rail from any acts of vandalism." He emphasized that declaring the metro rail an emergency service is essential to ensure its uninterrupted operations, which are crucial for the city's daily commute. When asked about the perpetrators behind the recent disruptions, the adviser dismissed the notion that those advocating for change in the country were responsible, instead attributing the incidents to "miscreants."