United News of Bangladesh

A ninth grader was found dead in her house at Shanir Akhra in the capital on Saturday.The deceased was identified as Samia Akter Dia, 15, a student of Dania Bornomala High School and daughter of Anwar Hossain of Palashpur area.Nazmul, brother of Samia, said after evening, she went to the bathroom and locked the door. When she did not respond for a long time, family members broke the door and found her hanging with a scarf wrapped around her neck. She was quickly rescued and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue and Kadamtali Police Station has been informed of the incident.  

A drop in temperature has gripped Chuadanga, disrupting daily life and adding to the hardship of low-income workers. The Chuadanga Weather Observatory Centre recorded the season’s lowest temperature at 9am on Saturday, when the mercury fell to 11.8°C. The observatory forecast that a mild to moderate cold wave may sweep the district in the coming days. Md Zaminur Rahman, acting officer-in-charge of the Chuadanga Weather Observatory Centre, said temperatures are likely to dip further and a cold wave may sweep the district. Despite the biting cold, daily wage earners continue their work, braving fog and chilly winds. Shahin Ali, a carpenter who arrived in Chuadanga town for work, said, “I left for work after 6am. The fog and cold wind are making my body shiver. But I have no choice. If I skip even a day of work, my family can’t survive.” Rickshaw-puller Jalal Uddin said, “I drive at night and rest during the day. The cold has increased a lot in the past few days. Early in the morning, my hands and feet were freezing. If this continues, it will be very difficult to work at night.” Meanwhile, cold-related illnesses are on the rise at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital as the temperature continues to fall. Dr Bidyut Kumar Biswas, superintendent of the hospital, said cases of diarrhoea and child patients with cold-related complications have increased. “We are seeing more pneumonia, breathing problems, fever, cold and diarrhoea cases. Comparatively, the pressure of elderly patients is lower,” he said. He added that around 200–300 patients, including children and the elderly, are seeking treatment at the outdoor department every day for cold-related ailments.  

Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan on Saturday (December 06, 2025) said the country’s sugar industry cannot return to profitability through subsidies alone and  stressed the need for strong local and foreign investment to revive the sector. He made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting Natore Sugar Mill and Uttara Ganabhaban. Adilur said the government is working to attract investments and positive developments are expected in the sugar sector either during the tenure of the incumbent government or the next one. Read more: Closed sugar mills will be reopened: Adviser Adilur The adviser said sugar imports remain suspended now as the government will decide on importing sugar only after the stocks preserved are sold. Locally produced sugar is currently being marketed through the TCB, he said. The adviser said that discussions are underway to hold a meeting of the Council of Advisers at Uttara Ganabhaban as per tradition. Natore Deputy Commissioner Asma Shaheen, Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdul Wahab and other officials were present. Read more: Natore Sugar Mill workers to go on strike from Sunday

A man was stabbed to death allegedly by muggers in Tongi of Gazipur early Saturday. The deceased was identified as Siddiqur Rahman, an employee of a power company in Keraniganj. Monohar Ali, sub-inspector of Tongi Pashim Police Station, said a group of muggers waylaid Siddiqur on a flyover in Bata Factory area early in the morning while he was going to his workplace in Keraniganj. Later, they stabbed Siddiqur indiscriminately, leaving him dead. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Shaheed Tajuddin Medical College and Hospital morgue for autopsy.  

Six members of a family including a child suffered burn injuries in an explosion apparently from gas line leak at a house in Agargaon area of the capital early Saturday (December 06, 2025). The victims were identified as Jalil Mia, 50, Aneza Begum, 40, Asif Mia, 19, Sakib Mia, 16, Monira, 17 and Eva, 6. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp, said the explosion occurred at the house of Jalil Mia around 4:30 am, leaving six members of the family injured. Later, they were taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 7:45 am and received treatment there. Read more: Fire Safety in Apartments: Causes and Prevention

A 36-year-old man was stabbed to death and two others were injured in an attack allegedly by his neighbour during a meeting over marriage in Farhadabad in Hathazari upazila of Chattogram on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Rabiul Islam alias Babu, son of Zahur of Musa of the village. Manjur Quader Bhuiya, officer-in-charge of Hathazari Police Station, said a meeting was arranged at the house of Musa Sawdagor, adjacent to Nazirhat Train Station around 9 pm over marriage purpose. During the meeting, Babu had a verbal argument with one Jasim, son of Ibrahim, from the same area over a trifling matter. At one stage, Jashim hit Babu with a knife, leaving him dead on the spot. Later, Emrul Hossain Bachhu, 35, brother of Babu and his cousin Emon, 21—were injured during the attack when they tried to rescue Babu. They were taken to Nazirhat Hospital.

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked the third on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 254 at 9:06 am this morning (December 06, 2025). Today’s air was classified as 'very unhealthy’ and such air quality continued for the past few days, according to the AQI index. Iraq’s Bagdad and India’s Delhi, occupied the first and second spots in the list, with AQI scores of 285 and 264, respectively. Read more: How Can One Person Reduce Environmental Pollution? When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Read more: How to Reduce Air Pollution in Bangladesh?

The lioness that escaped from its enclosure at the National Zoo in Mirpur on Friday  afternoon has been brought back to its cage safely. Immediately after its escape, the zoo authorities strengthened its security measures and moved visitors to safe areas as a precaution, said a PID handout. A specially trained animal-management team managed to tranquillise the lioness and guide it back into its enclosure after nearly an hour of effort without any damage or injuries, it said. The animal is now in stable condition and a veterinary team is closely monitoring its health. To determine how the lioness  managed to leave its enclosure, the Department of Livestock Services has formed a two-member probe committee headed by Dr Md Boyjar Rahman, Director (Administration). The other member is Md Shariful Haque, Deputy Director (Farms) of the department. The committee has been asked to submit its report to the department’s Director General Dr Md Abu Sufian within three days. The zoo authorities thanked visitors and the media for their cooperation and concern, and said stricter measures will be taken to strengthen visitor safety in the future. They also reassured people  that the zoo remains fully safe for visitors and regular activities will continue as usual.  

Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, went to Evercare Hospital again on Friday night to stay beside her critically ill mother-in-law, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment in the CCU. Earlier in the day, Zubaida arrived in Dhaka from London and went straight to Evercare Hospital to see Khaleda. She spent more than two hours there before heading to her father’s home in Dhanmondi. But later at night, she rushed back to the hospital to monitor Khaleda’s treatment and speak with the medical team, said a member of the medical board. “Dr Zubaida Rahman came to the hospital again at around 8:20pm,” he added. The medical board member said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Chattogram City Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain also came to the hospital at night to enquire about Khaleda’s health. Zubaida was scheduled to accompany Khaleda back to London today on a special air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar. However, the plan has been delayed as the Qatar air ambulance is unlikely to arrive in Dhaka before Saturday due to technical issues. Besides, Khaleda Zia’s physical condition deteriorated slightly on Thursday night, further pushing back her travel plan. As a result, she is now unlikely to fly before Sunday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told UNB. “Because of a technical fault, the air ambulance is not arriving today. If everything goes well, it may reach Dhaka on Saturday. If Madam’s condition allows and the medical board agrees, she will fly on December 7 (Sunday), Insha’Allah,” Fakhrul said Khaleda’s London medical trip 'depends on her health condition' Dr Zubaida, who is also a member of the medical board overseeing Khaleda’s treatment, had been monitoring her condition from London via virtual consultations. Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 with multiple critical complications. She was shifted to the CCU on November 27 as her condition deteriorated. As of Friday evening, her health remains unchanged and she is under close observations, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.  

The Election Commission (EC) has urged all concerned not to spread confusion regarding the announcement of the election schedule and polling date for the upcoming national election.EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told the media on Friday evening that no decision has yet been taken on the schedule. “Many are mentioning different dates on their own,” he said, requesting caution and responsibility in disseminating information. He said the EC expects responsible behaviour from the media, especially in the current national context. Reports in various media outlets have speculated that the election schedule might be announced on December 11, while some have suggested that the polling day could be in February. Meanwhile, the EC will sit for a formal meeting on Sunday to discuss the poll schedule. UN briefs Bangladesh’s political parties on election commission support The Commission has also sent a letter seeking an appointment with the President. The meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin is scheduled for December 10 at 12 pm. EC sources, however, indicate that December 11 is a highly likely date for announcing the election schedule.