United News of Bangladesh

What began as a routine search for a missing sum of money spiralled into a shocking double murder inside a Mohammadpur flat, a crime that investigators say was rooted in a heated altercation between a housewife and the domestic worker she had employed only three days earlier! Police have arrested the housemaid, Ayesha, and her husband, Rabbi, from Nalcity in Jhalakathi, ending their frantic run across districts following the killings. The case has since unfolded as a chilling account of deception, theft and unverified domestic employment. Read more: Mohammadpur Murders: Chilling details emerge as hunt for domestic help intensifies Tracked Down Through an Old Police Record At a briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Thursday noon, Additional Commissioner of DMP SN Nazrul Islam revealed how investigators identified Ayesha. A crucial breakthrough came from an old record at Mohammadpur Police Station, a file containing her photograph, marked by burn scars on her face. This small but telling clue led police to the Geneva Camp, where she was already known for theft-related activities. Nazrul Islam said Ayesha had a long history of stealing from the homes where she worked. She routinely concealed her identity, avoided using a mobile phone, provided no address and kept her face veiled, making it difficult for employers to identify her later. In July, she allegedly stole Tk 8,000 from a residence, prompting the filing of a general diary at Mohammadpur Police Station. She has also been accused of stealing from her sister’s home. Read more: Mohammadpur double murder: Maid disguised herself in victim’s school uniform to flee A Husband Drawn into the Trail Investigators traced Rabbi after learning that Ayesha had once handed him her damaged mobile phone for repair. That allowed police to track the SIM card previously used in the device. Teams then conducted a series of raids — in Hemayetpur of Savar, Mohammadpur, Patuakhali’s Naluya, and finally in a village in Nalchity of Jhalakathi — where the couple were arrested around 12:30 pm on Wednesday. A stolen laptop was recovered from their room. Police say Ayesha has confessed to the murders. Three Days of Work, A Deadly Climax Ayesha joined the victims’ household only three days before the incident. Throughout her time there, she kept her face covered, preventing anyone from recognising her clearly. Read more: Domestic help sued over Mohammadpur double murder On the second day, she allegedly stole Tk 2,000, triggering an argument with the housewife, Laila Afrooz. On the third day, Ayesha returned with a switch-gear knife. Another confrontation broke out over the missing money — and this time, the dispute turned fatal. According to police, Ayesha stabbed Laila. When Laila’s daughter, Nafisa, tried to intervene, she too was stabbed to death. In her escape, Ayesha wore Nafisa’s school uniform and fled the apartment, taking with her a laptop, a mobile phone and other valuables. She later changed her clothes at her mother’s home in Savar, before travelling to Manikganj, where she disposed of the school uniform and blood-stained clothing in the Singair River. A Call for Vigilance The Additional Commissioner has urged city residents to verify the identity and background of any domestic worker before employing them, stressing that structured records and proper documentation could prevent similar tragedies in the future. Read more: Mohammadpur Murders: Domestic help finally arrested after days on the run

Twenty percent of Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims must travel to Saudi Arabia via Madinah next year and 30 percent will return through the same route, according to the 2026 Hajj agreement between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. The Religious Affairs Ministry sent a letter to all lead Hajj agencies informing the new rule on Wednesday. According to the letter, 20 percent of all pilgrims travelling under both government and private management must enter Saudi Arabia through Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah while 30 percent will return through the same airport. As per the deal, all lead Hajj agencies have been instructed to ensure necessary arrangements in this regard. The agencies were asked to prepare for all logistical arrangements related to flights and pilgrim movement through the airport. Bangladesh has managed a quota of 78,500 pilgrims to perform Hajj next year.  

The viva voce of the candidates who passed the written examination of the 46th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) will begin on December 28. The Public Service Commission (PSC) announced the schedule through a press release on Thursday. A total of 975 candidates have been called for interviews. The detailed interview schedule is available on the PSC’s official website www.bpsc.gov.bd or http://bpsc.teletalk.com.bd.  

Two devotees died while nine others fell sick at the Rangpur Divisional Ijtema ground in Rangpur on Thursday. The deceased were identified as Saidur Rahman of Pirganj upazila and Tara Mia of Tangail district. Maidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Pashuram Police Station, said both of the devotees died from old age complications or cold-related diseases. Abul Hossain, a supervisor of Ijtema ground No 6 tent, said the nine devotees who fell sick are receiving treatment at the venue. The Rangpur Divisional Ijtema is being held at Amashu Kukrul area in Ward No. 4 of Rangpur city.  

A 45-year-old woman who returned home from Saudi Arabia recently was found dead at her rented house on Tank Road in Khulna city early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Sheuli Begum, who had married her second husband Md Salauddin Khan only a few days ago. Neighbours said her first husband’s son Riad, 28, a tiles worker, used to live with his mother in the same house. Sheuli returned from Saudi Arabia 10 days ago and rented the house. About one month ago, she divorced her first husband from abroad and married Salauddin after returning home, said Shahjahan Ahmed, inspector (investigation) of Khulna Sadar Police Station. Around five to six days back, she withdrew Tk 5.75 lakh from a bank and brought the money home which the family members knew, the police official said. Shihab Karim, assistant commissioner of police (Khulna Zone), said the body was recovered from a locked room, and since the murder her son Riad remained abscoding. Senior officers visited the spot and a CID forensics team collected evidence from the scene, he said. Investigators suspect she was first struck on the left side of her head and later suffocated with a pillow. No case has been filed yet.

The Election Commission has directed all aspirants in the upcoming national election to remove their campaign materials within the next 48 hours, ahead of the announcement of the polls schedule and the July National Charter referendum this (Thursday) evening. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin will announce the election schedule at his pre-recorded address to the nation, which is set to be aired by the state-owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar at 6:00pm (December 11, 2025). The much-sought schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and the national referendum will be announced at 6pm. The Election Commission issued a notification on Wednesday night, asking the probable candidates to remove all election-related displays, including posters, banners, wall writings, billboards, gates, arches, pandals, and decorative lighting, at their own expense. Read more: Election schedule to be announced Thursday evening Besides, the EC directed local government bodies, including city corporations, municipalities and union parishads to ensure implementation of the removal order within the stipulated time. The CEC’s speech was already recorded by Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar on Wednesday afternoon. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Wednesday afternoon said the schedule would be declared for elections in all 300 constituencies. Earlier on Wednesday, the Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, met President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban to brief overall preparations to hold the upcoming parliamentary elections and the referendum. Four election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarker and Brig Gen (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah as well as EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed were present in the meeting. Read more: President expresses satisfaction over EC’s preparations for polls, referendum The President expressed satisfaction over the overall preparations undertaken by the EC for the upcoming election and the referendum. “The President expressed satisfaction after we informed him in detail,” EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said while talking to reporters after a meeting. The Secretary said they informed the President about extending the balloting hours by one hour—now set from 7:30am to 4:30pm. “When we said that we extended the balloting hour by one hour from 7:30am to 4:30pm, he termed the decision logical and expressed his satisfaction,” he said. During the meeting, he said, they apprised the President of various preparatory activities, including the updating of electoral rolls, the registration of new political parties and Out-of Country Voting (OCV) and In-Country Postal Voting (ICPV). The President was also briefed on the Commission’s plan to use two types of ballot papers—one for the national election and another for the referendum—to be held simultaneously on the same day, said Akhtar Ahmed. The President assured them that he would extend all necessary cooperation and support for the arrangement of a free, fair and meaningful election. Read more: Avoid unauthorised gatherings after election schedule: Govt There are some 12.76 crore voters under 42,761 polling stations across the country’s 300 constituencies. White ballot papers will be used for the national election and pink ballot papers for the referendum. Though the postal balloting system has been in the laws for a long time, it was never practiced in the previous elections. This is the first time the Election Commission is introducing a hybrid postal balloting system, enabling expatriates, government staff, polling personnel, and the persons who will be in the legal custody to exercise their franchise through a combination of digital registration and manual voting. Till Wednesday (December 10), nearly 300,000 expatriate voters from some 120 countries across the world have already registered through ‘Postal Vote Bd’ app to vote in the national election and referendum. The registration process for expatriates will continue till December 25. The ICPV (In-Country Postal Voting) registration process for the government staff on duty outside their voting places, polling personnel, and the persons under the legal custody (jails) will start after the announcement of election schedule and continue for 15 days. Read more: Election schedule soon as request made for recording CEC’s address According to EC’s projection, some 10 lakh people from inside the country may vote through the postal ballot papers in the election.

The country’s stock markets witnessed a mixed performance in the first half of Thursday’s trading session, with key indices at both the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) fluctuating between gains and losses. At the DSE, the benchmark DSEX edged up by 1 point, while the Shariah-based DSES dropped by 2 points and the blue-chip DS30 declined by 3 points. A total of 219 companies saw price gains against 91 that declined, while prices of 80 issues remained unchanged. The turnover at the bourse surpassed Tk 200 crore during the first half of the session. Meanwhile, trading at the CSE moved into negative territory as the overall index fell by 15 points. Despite the index decline, most issues at the port city bourse posted gains, with 41 companies advancing, 34 losing and 17 remaining unchanged. The turnover at the CSE exceeded Tk 5 crore in early trading.  

A 40-year-old housewife was killed allegedly by a gang of thieves at Shimlapolli in Sarishabari municipality area of Jamalpur district early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Lipi Begum, wife of Mohor Ali, assistant sub-inspector of Rab-2 in Mohammadpur area of the capital. Bachhu Mia, officer-in-charge of Sarishabari Police Station, said a group of thieves entered the house of Mohor Ali around 2:30 am after breaking open the grill of a window. Sensing the presence of the thieves, Lipi tried to resist them. At one stage, the thieves strangulated her with a scarf, leaving her dead on the spot and left the place. Hearing screams from other house inmates, local people rushed in and took Lipi to Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared her dead. On information, police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies to Jamalpur General Hospital morgue.  

An activist of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) was killed in a clash reportedly between two factions of the BNP in Baraiyarhat municipality under Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram district early Thursday. The victim, Gazi Tahmid Khan, 25, died around 12:30am while undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. According to locals, the clash broke out between followers of former BNP municipality unit convener Didarul Alam Miazi at the Traffic Point area on Wednesday evening, leaving several people injured. Tahmid was initially taken to Baraiyarhat General Hospital and later transferred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Kazi Nazmul Haque, officer-in-charge of Zorarganj Police Station, said a police team rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. One of the injured was taken to Chattogram and later died, he said, adding that they would investigate the incident if any complaint is lodged. He also said no case has been filed so far in connection with the clash. Locals said Tahmid was previously involved in the anti-discrimination student movement in northern Chattogram and later served as organising secretary of Islami Chhatra Andolan (Charmonai) under Zorarganj Police Station. Recently, he joined Chhatra Dal in his locality.      

Within a span of five minutes, Sylhet experienced two mild earthquakes early Thursday, triggering panic among people. The first quake struck at 2:20:31 am followed by a second at 2:25:14 am, Shah Md Sajib Hossain, assistant meteorologist of the Sylhet Seismic Observatory Centre, said on Thursday morning. No damage or casualties were reported so far, he said. According to the Seismic Observatory of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the first quake measured 3.5 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre reported to be in Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet district. Mild earthquake jolts parts of Bangladesh The second tremor, measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, originated from Borolekha upazila in neighbouring Moulvibazar district, according to the BMD. Bangladesh had recently experienced several earthquakes, with the epicentre in Narsingdi, raising concerns among people across the country.