United News of Bangladesh

Students of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Jahangirnagar University (JU) held a rally and human chain on Monday, protesting alleged misconduct with university Proctor and department Chairman Prof Dr AKM Rashidul Alam and demanding the immediate arrest and punishment of the accused in the attempted rape of a female student. The protest began around 1:00pm from the department premises and marched through different roads on the campus before ending with a brief rally at the Shaheed Minar. Protesters chanted different slogans – “Justice, justice, we want justice”, “We will not accept the humiliation of the Proctor”, and “We will not tolerate the harassment of teachers.” Speaking at the rally, 51th batch student Emon Molla said the failure to arrest the accused over the attempted rape had created frustration among students, and demanded the highest punishment of the culprit. He also alleged that certain groups were trying to divert the movement to political direction, and urged students to remain united for justice. Another student, Kamal Pasha, condemned the use of offensive language and discourteous behaviour towards teachers during recent protests, saying such actions were unacceptable. The protesters called for the immediate arrest of the accused, a fair trial and the preservation of a peaceful academic environment on the campus. The protest comes amid allegations that a group of students used offensive slogans against the university Proctor and attempted to harass him in front of the Proctor Office on Saturday night.  

A Chandpur court on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing another man over a land dispute in 2020. Chandpur Additional District and Sessions Judge Md Kamal Hossain handed down the punishment. The condemned convict is Arif Hossain Bepari, 43, son of Taiab Ali Bepari of the upazila. The court also fined him Tk 1 lakh, in default, to suffer two more years in jail. According to the prosecution, Wasim Bepari, 26, a trolley driver and son of Shaheb Ali Bepari of Shikirchar village in Matlab North upazila, had a long-standing enmity with the family of Mizanur Rahman alias Balu Mizan. As a sequel to the enmity, Wasim was hacked to death by the convict over the dispute on June 29, 2020. Local people spotted Wasim’s body near a bush the following day and informed police, who recovered the body. On June 30, 2020, Jahanara Begum, 60, mother of Wasim, filed a case with Matlab North Police Station against six people, including Mizanur Rahman, Arif Hossain, Azad Bepari, Karim Bepari, Salma Begum and Kuddus Bepari. Police submitted the charge sheet against them on May 31, 2021. After examining records and 25 witnesses, the court acquitted the five others as the allegations brought against them could not be proved.  

BNP Chairman’s Adviser and Executive Director of Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) Dr Farhad Halim Donar on Monday expressed concern over repeated attacks on doctors and demanded the enactment of laws to protect both doctors and patients. He made the remarks while speaking at a human chain organised by Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital, demanding safety and secure working environment for doctors and healthcare workers, as well as exemplary punishment for those involved in attacks on medical professionals, including Dr Nasir Islam in Shariatpur and similar incidents across the country. Donar said hospitals in Bangladesh have long been facing severe shortages of manpower and infrastructure compared to patient load. Citing the example of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, he said though it has around 1,700 beds, the number of patients often rises to 4,000-5,000. “In many cases, two or even three patients are placed on a single bed. Despite this, doctors continue to work. It is nothing short of a miracle,” he said. Highlighting the role of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the physician said many doctors stayed away from their families to protect them from infection while continuing to treat patients. “Doctors knew they could get infected and die, yet they continued treating patients. Nurses and health workers also served with courage,” he added. Donar said recent attacks on doctors are deeply alarming, noting that around 28 incidents of varying severity occurred in the past month. In one case, a doctor sustained serious head injuries and a fractured hand and is currently in critical condition, he said, referring to the attack on Dr Nasir Islam in Shariatpur Sadar Hospital. The ZRF Executive Director urged the government to enact laws for the protection of both doctors and patients. “There should also be clear provisions defining accountability if a doctor is negligent.” He warned that continued insecurity could discourage young people from entering the medical profession or push trained doctors abroad. Donar also praised recent government actions, saying authorities promptly arranged a helicopter to transport an injured doctor to Dhaka. He urged the media to verify information before publishing reports on such incidents. DAB leaders and BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam were present at the event. Relatives assaulted a doctor and vandalised the emergency department of Shariatpur Sadar Hospital early Saturday following the death of a patient undergoing treatment there.  

The Ministry of Land is set to host a three-day “Land Service Fair 2026” across all upazila, district, divisional and national levels simultaneously from May 19 to 21, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman scheduled to inaugurate the event at Bhumi Bhaban in Tejgaon, at 10:30am on Tuesday. The fair, themed “People-Friendly Automated Land Management: Secure Land, Prosperous Future,” aims to bring simplified, transparent and automated land services to citizens’ doorsteps while raising public awareness about digital land administration. Citizens attending the fair will be able to access a range of services on the spot, including registration assistance on the land.gov.bd portal, online land development tax payment, e-mutation applications, certified copies of khatians, mouza maps and other digital land services. Distribution of land acquisition compensation cheques, grievance reception and public hearings will also be held at the fair. At the national level in Bhumi Bhaban, five service stalls will be set up by the Ministry of Land and its affiliated agencies. The District Commissioner's office in Dhaka and city circle offices will operate 15 stalls, while each division, district and upazila will have 20 stalls each. Stalls of the Department of Land Records and Survey, Land Service Facilitation Centres (LSFC), banks and other relevant institutions will also be present. The Ministry said it has already made significant strides in digitising land services, enabling citizens to complete e-mutation, pay land development taxes, obtain khatians and mouza maps, and avail postal land services, all from home through designated fee payments. “Various projects and programmes are being implemented to automate all land-related services,” the ministry said in a press release, adding that the fair will help citizens access services without harassment while familiarising them with the automated systems. Beyond service delivery, the fair will feature audio-visual content on land services, quiz competitions, awareness seminars, cultural programmes, student participation activities and a segment called “Bhumi Adda.” Booklets titled “Bhumi Amar Thikana” (Land is My Address), along with leaflets and stickers, will be distributed among the public. The ministry has also taken steps to ensure active participation of elected representatives, local administration, educational and religious institutions, media and civil society in the event.  

Bus services on all routes from Rajshahi remained suspended since Monday morning following a dispute over the newly announced committee of the Rajshahi District Motor Workers’ Union, causing immense suffering for commuters. According to workers’ union sources, a 21-member committee of the Rajshahi District Motor Workers’ Union was announced centrally on Sunday with Rafiqul Islam Pakhi as president and Mominul Islam general secretary. However, a section of workers rejected the committee and announced suspension of bus services on all routes from Monday morning. As a result, buses remained off the roads from the morning, leaving passengers stranded and causing disruption to public transport services in the region. Nazrul Islam Helal, general secretary of the Rajshahi Road Transport Group, said they do not want to operate buses under the newly formed committee. “We do not want to run buses under this committee. That is why bus services have remained suspended since morning,” he said. On the other hand, new General Secretary Mominul Islam said the central federation announced the committee after consultation with the ministers and MPs from the district. He alleged that some workers, who were not included in the committee, had enforced the transport shutdown. However, Mominul expressed hope that the issue will be resolved soon.    

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Monday said the FY 27 ADP reflected the electoral commitments and long-term reform agenda of the newly elected government. “It is a reform-oriented and ambitious investment plan aimed at steering Bangladesh from a fragile economy towards prosperity, he said briefing reporters after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The NEC meeting approved an Annual Development Programme (ADP) worth Tk 3 lakh crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year. This is a very important NEC meeting from many perspectives, he said. “After a long time, an elected government in Bangladesh is going to present a budget and a development plan. The proposed framework reflects our election manifesto and overall development vision.” He said the government’s strategy was centred on recovery, transition and reconstruction from what he termed a fragile economic condition inherited from the past. As part of that effort, the government has prepared a five-year roadmap titled “Five-Year Strategic Framework for Reform and Development,” which outlines priorities for economic recovery, institutional reform and sustainable development. The Finance Minister said the first pillar of the framework focuses on reforming state institutions, expanding judicial and legal services, administrative digitalisation, strengthening law enforcement agencies and modernising public investment management. He also announced plans to introduce a multi-year public programme management system. Khosru said the proposed ADP for FY2026-27 was not limited to infrastructure development but also aimed at establishing a non-discriminatory society, a sustainable economy and balanced regional development. According to the proposal, the total size of the ADP has been set at Tk 3 lakh crore, of which Tk 1.90 lakh crore will come from the government’s own resources, while Tk 1.1.10 lakh crore will be financed through project loans and grants. He said the larger ADP size compared to the current fiscal year reflected the government’s confidence in improving implementation efficiency under an elected administration. “We believe an elected government will have greater implementation capacity and efficiency,” he said. The minister also announced stricter criteria for appointing Project Directors (PDs), saying the government wanted to eliminate politically influenced or incompetent appointments that had contributed to corruption and delays in project implementation in the past. “There will now be clear criteria for appointing Project Directors. Only those who fulfil the criteria will be eligible,” he said. He said the government would closely monitor all development projects through ministry-based dashboards tracking real-time progress. Ministries would be required to monitor delays and take immediate corrective measures where implementation lagged behind schedule. Khosru said around 1,300 ongoing projects inherited from previous governments including Awami League(now facing ban on its activities) and Professor Yunus-led interim government are currently under review. He alleged that many of those projects were driven by corruption, inefficiency or political considerations rather than public interest. “Projects that are not viable or no longer necessary will be dropped,” he said. “For projects that have progressed significantly, further reviews will determine whether completing them would benefit the country and its people.” The Finance Minister stressed that all future projects must be completed within the stipulated timeframe and warned that there would be no scope for repeated deadline extensions. He added that the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) would investigate projects affected by corruption or serious mismanagement and recommend action against those responsible. Responding to questions over the large allocation under block grants and social protection schemes, Khosru said the government had kept substantial allocations aside because many existing projects were likely to be cancelled after review. The funds would later be redirected to new and priority projects based on necessity and public benefit, he said. He defended separate welfare cards for different groups, including farmers and families, saying targeted benefits required separate identification systems. “The beneficiaries of farmer cards and family cards are not necessarily the same. These are targeted support mechanisms and must remain separate,” he said. The Finance Minister said all future projects would be evaluated on the basis of “value for money,” return on investment and employment generation. “We do not want jobless growth,” he said. “Every project must contribute to employment and economic productivity.” He also emphasised climate considerations in development planning. Replying to a question about the government’s ability to implement such a large ADP amid weak revenue collection, Khosru acknowledged that Bangladesh’s tax-GDP ratio remained among the lowest in the world. He said the government is preparing a major reform programme for the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to expand the tax network and bring more people into the formal tax system. “For years, the same taxpayers have carried the burden while the tax net remained narrow,” he said. “We are going to expand the network significantly.” The minister expressed optimism that improved governance, leadership and investor confidence would support economic recovery and higher investment flows. He claimed that several international investors and fund managers had recently shown interest in Bangladesh because of the government’s reform agenda and leadership commitment. Referring to implementation concerns in the health and education sectors, Khosru said the government planned to significantly expand technical and vocational education institutions with internationally recognised accreditation and certification systems. He said investments in healthcare, education and skills development were essential to achieving universal healthcare, boosting employment and strengthening export competitiveness. When asked whether the ambitious ADP posed a financial risk given the country’s economic constraints, Khosru defended the decision by comparing the economy to a tube well that requires water to be poured in before it starts flowing again. “This fragile economy cannot recover without investment,” he said. “That is why we are going for a large development budget.”  

Dhaka Stock Exchange PLC (DSE) and BRAC EPL Investments Limited signed an agreement on Monday to facilitate electronic subscription of the Sajida Orange Zero-Coupon Bond through DSE's Electronic Subscription System (ESS), marking the first private bond to be offered through the platform to eligible investors. Subscription for the bond on the DSE ESS platform will run from May 18 to May 23. The signing ceremony was attended by DSE Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar, Sajida Foundation Deputy Chief Executive Officer Md Fazlul Hoque, and BRAC EPL Investments CEO Syed Rashed Hussain, along with other senior officials. Speaking at the event, Nuzhat Anwar said building innovative and inclusive financing frameworks was critical to harnessing Bangladesh's demographic dividend. "Innovative instruments like orange bonds are opening new avenues for alternative financing in the capital market.” Rashed Hussain said the Sajida Orange Bond was laying the foundation for an internationally benchmarked thematic bond market in Bangladesh. “The initiative would create a robust impact investment platform for domestic and foreign investors, ensuring both social impact and financial returns.” He expressed hope that the bond's launch through the DSE platform will pave the way for similar issuances in the future. Fazlul Hoque described the Orange Zero-Coupon Bond as a significant step towards investment-based financing for women. The Sajida Orange Zero-Coupon Bond carries a total face value of Tk 158.50 crore. Of this, bonds worth Tk 75.73 crore in face value are being offered to eligible investors through DSE's ESS platform. The bond is structured as a zero-coupon instrument across one-year, two-year, and three-year tenors, allowing investors to choose their preferred investment duration.  

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said political opponents are trying to distort and divert public attention regarding the implementation of BNP’s electoral pledges including the ‘Family Card’ and ‘Farmers Card’ programmes but are failing to shake people’s confidence. “An atmosphere of hope and trust has emerged among people today. They are unable to destabilise that confidence. That is why they are resorting to sarcasm and making various adverse comments,” he said. Rizvi made the remarks while briefing reporters after a joint meeting organised by BNP at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital. He presided over the meeting. BNP Joint Secretary General Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel was present at the briefing. Rizvi said that before the opponents’ criticisms can even gain traction, BNP Chairman PM Tarique Rahman is already moving ahead rapidly in fulfilling the promises made to the people. “When they see that Tarique Rahman is moving much faster in implementing promises than their comments can spread, they become frustrated. His works are already being accomplished,” he said. He said Tarique Rahman had clearly outlined before the people what BNP would do if it came to power and what role it would play for public welfare. “Since the day he formed the government after winning a landslide mandate, he has been playing an extraordinary role in fulfilling those commitments,” Rizvi said. The PM's Political Adviser also criticised a previous government for failing to fulfil their promises to people. “They could not provide rice at Tk 10 per kg, could not ensure jobs in every household and could not provide fertiliser free of cost, despite making those pledges,” he said. “But BNP Chairman  Tarique Rahman has only promised what is realistically possible in our socio-economic condition and he is doing exactly what he said,” he added. Rizvi described former President Ziaur Rahman as a ‘rare statesman’ who established multi-party democracy in Bangladesh and guided the country towards development. The meeting was organised marking the 45th martyrdom anniversary of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman. He said Bangladesh had plunged into famine, violence and political chaos after independence and at that critical moment people and members of the armed forces jointly accepted Ziaur Rahman as their leader to restore peace and stability. “His success remains a bright chapter in history,” Rizvi said. He said Ziaur Rahman took groundbreaking initiatives to increase production, create employment opportunities, send manpower abroad and reform the agricultural sector. He also excavated 1,600 kilometres of canals as part of his efforts to tackle the impacts of reduced water flow caused by the Farakka Barrage, he added. Rizvi said Ziaur Rahman also internationalised the issue of Bangladesh’s fair share of water from transboundary rivers and worked to protect the country’s sovereignty and national interests. “He not only focused on development and production, but also strengthened the country’s independence and sovereignty through various initiatives,” he added. He said Ziaur Rahman revived multi-party democracy after what he termed the killing of democracy through the formation of the one-party BAKSAL system on January 25, 1975. “Many political parties resumed their activities and everyone began speaking freely again,” Rizvi said. He also praised Former Prime Minister and Former BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for continuing the struggle for democracy following Ziaur Rahman’s path and enduring repeated repression and imprisonment.

A new development has emerged in the decade-old murder investigation of Cumilla Victory College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu, as DNA tests on evidence collected from her clothing have identified the presence of a fourth male. Investigators from the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) said DNA analysis found samples from four males on Tonu’s clothing, including sperm samples from three men and blood traces of another unidentified individual. Investigating officer of the case – Inspector Tariqul Islam – confirmed the latest findings on Sunday night. The information was communicated to PBI by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) about a month ago in response to an official request, he said, adding that efforts are underway to match the DNA evidence with suspects as the high-profile probe continues. Earlier on April 21, 2026, the PBI arrested Hafizur Rahman, former senior warrant officer of the Bangladesh Army, from Dhaka in connection with the murder. According to PBI sources, DNA samples collected from suspect Hafizur Rahman are being matched with evidence recovered from Tanu’s clothing. However, the DAN test results were not available as of Monday. Tonu, a second-year student of the history department at Victoria College, went missing on March 20, 2016, after leaving for private tuition inside Cumilla Cantonment. Her body was later recovered from a nearby forest area, prompting her father Yar Hossain to file a murder case at Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station. The case has since seen multiple changes of investigation agencies, moving from local police to the Detective Branch, then Criminal Investigation Department, and later to the PBI, but no breakthrough has been achieved so far. Family members have long alleged a lack of transparency in the investigation, claiming that earlier DNA tests were conducted, but their results were never made public. Tariqul is the sixth officer to lead the probe.  

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit has arrested four people  including the alleged mastermind of a gang involved in stealing underground and overhead copper wires belonging to Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). The arrestees are Ibrahim, 30, Humayun Kabir, 49, Md Julhas, 30, and Md Babul, 35. N M Nasiruddin, deputy commissioner of the Media and Public Relations Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said members of the unit’s Special Action Group identified the suspects using CCTV footage and technological support while investigating a theft case filed with Kalabagan Police Station. The four were arrested during a series of drives conducted in Hazaribagh and Mohammadpur areas from around 3pm to 8pm on Sunday. Initial interrogation revealed that the accused were members of an organised theft ring. They allegedly opened underground manholes late at night pretending to be BTCL workers or road repair staff before cutting and stealing valuable underground and overhead copper wires. Police said the suspects also confessed to burning the plastic coating of the stolen wires to extract the copper, which was later sold to local scrap dealers. The arrestees were sent to court, police said.