United News of Bangladesh

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Thursday said the attacks on the media houses - The Daily Star and Prothom Alo - are in no way acceptable and condemnable. "Such attacks are not acceptable. We condemn the attacks," he said, acknowledging that they could not prevent it. The Foreign Affairs Adviser, however, said the Home Ministry would be in a better position to talk about it further. Hossain made the comments at a farewell interaction with the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said the media was able to speak freely after the formation of the interim government. When asked about the mob violence and attacks on the The Daily Star and Prothom Alo on the late night of December 18, he, however, said it was right to ask the Home Ministry about the mob violence. July Museum highlights climax of 36 days, Hasina’s misrule: Foreign Adviser  But, the adviser said, he condemns the attacks on the media houses, and those are in no way acceptable. Senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present at the media briefing.  

In a move aimed at reducing public expenditure on electricity procurement the interim government has revised the tariffs of three state-run gas-based power plants in Ashuganj, Siddhirganj and Haripur. The officials concerned are expecting annual savings of about Tk 119.06 crore through this pragmatic move. The approvals were given at a recent meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat. According to the Power Division, the tariff rationalisation initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to ensure more efficient use of public funds, reduce the financial burden of power purchases on the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), and improve overall fiscal discipline in the energy sector. The committee approved the proposal to re-determine the levelised tariff of the 412MW Haripur Combined Cycle Power Plant operated by the Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited (EGCB). Under the revised structure, the tariff has been reduced from Tk 4.7796 to Tk 4.7588 per kilowatt-hour, which will come into effect from August 2025. Once implemented, BPDB is expected to save around Tk 36.68 crore annually from electricity purchases from the plant. The Haripur plant currently supplies about 305.33 crore units of electricity each year, for which BPDB pays nearly Tk 1,453.01 crore annually. Over the remaining contract tenure of 13 years, 8 months and 5 days, BPDB will have to pay an estimated Tk 19,864.12 crore for electricity from this facility. EGCB is a government-owned generation company, with 95.80 per cent ownership under the Power Division and 4.20 per cent held by BPDB. Any profit generated by the company is treated as government revenue, making cost optimisation within such plants directly beneficial to the public exchequer. The committee also approved a proposal to revise the tariff of the 335MW Siddhirganj Combined Cycle Power Plant, also operated by EGCB. Following the revision, the tariff has been reduced from Tk 5.5216 to Tk 5.4204 per kilowatt-hour, effective from August 2025. The adjustment is expected to save BPDB approximately Tk 63.13 crore annually. The plant currently produces around 248.27 crore units of electricity each year, with BPDB spending about Tk 1,345.70 crore annually to procure power from the facility. Over the remaining contract period of 16 years, 1 month and 9 days, BPDB’s total payment obligation is estimated at Tk 21,675.03 crore. In another decision, the committee approved the re-determination of the levelised tariff for the 450MW Combined Cycle Power Plant operated by Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL). Energy experts, economists oppose govt plan to raise electricity tariff The tariff has been reduced from Tk 5.7844 to Tk 5.7634 per kilowatt-hour. With the revised rate, BPDB is expected to save around Tk 19.25 crore annually. BPDB currently pays approximately Tk 1,593.17 crore each year to procure electricity from this plant. Over the remaining contract tenure of 14 years, 11 months and 22 days, total payments are projected to reach about Tk 23,880.02 crore. APSCL is also a government-owned power generation entity, and its earnings are treated as state revenue. Officials said the combined tariff revisions for the three plants will result in significant annual savings for the government while maintaining uninterrupted electricity supply from reliable, gas-based facilities. They noted that since the plants are operated by state-owned companies, the revised tariffs strike a balance between ensuring financial sustainability of the generation companies and reducing BPDB’s expenditure. The move is seen as part of the interim government’s broader strategy to rationalise energy costs, curb subsidy pressures, and safeguard public money through more efficient procurement decisions.

A Narayanganj court on Thursday sentenced a man to death for killing his mother-in-law in 2024. Narayanganj Senior District and Session Judge Abu Shamim Azad handed down the punishment. The condemned convict is identified as Nazmul Hossain Hira, 40, son of Mana Munshi of Fatulla area of the district. According to the prosecution, Ambia Khatun, wife of Samsul Haque of Uttar Narsinghapur area in Fatulla was killed by the convict Nazmul as she resisted him from stealing gold ornaments from the house on June 6, 2024. Saiful Islam Sajib, son of Ambia filed a murder case in this connection.    

Nagad, the mobile financial service of the Bangladesh Postal Department, and National Bank PLC have jointly introduced a new channel allowing expatriates’ families to receive remittances directly into Nagad mobile wallets. Under this initiative, customers sending remittances through National Bank can now have the money delivered directly to their beneficiaries’ Nagad mobile wallets, said a press release issued on Thursday. Remittances sent from abroad through the National Bank will be credited straight to beneficiaries’ Nagad wallets, it said. As a result, expatriates can remit money using international exchange houses, money transfer operators (MTOs), or banks. Beneficiaries, including those in remote areas of the country, will be able to receive and use the money 24 hours a day from anywhere, with minimal cash-out charges. Besides, the remittance recipients will also continue to enjoy the government’s 2.5 percent incentive. In addition, the service is available through more than 60 money transfer operators (MTOs) and over 300,000 Nagad Uddokta points nationwide. A remittance payment agreement was signed between National Bank PLC and Nagad at Nagad’s head office in Dhaka’s Banani area recently. Adil Chowdhury, Managing Director of National Bank and Md. Motasem Billah, administrator of Nagad signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations. They also described the initiative as a groundbreaking step toward bringing remittance services to the country’s marginal and underserved communities. They also expressed optimism that the agreement would not only increase the flow of remittances into Bangladesh but also contribute positively to the national economy. National Bank’s Deputy Managing Director (In-Charge), Md. Meshkat-ul-Anwar Khan, Head of Remittance Division, Milton Roy, Nagad’s Senior Associate Administrators, Md. Habibur Rahman and Md. Abu Taleb, Associate Administrator, Anwar Ullah, Chief Commercial Officer, Muhammad Shaheen Sarwar Bhuiyan, Head of Remittance, Md. Ahsanul Haque Bashar, along with other officials from both institutions were present at the signing ceremony.  

Army Headquarters on Thursday said around 100,000 army personnel have been deployed across the country to ensure a free, fair and uninterrupted environment for the national election, with the key objective of restoring voters’ confidence. Director of the Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters Brig Gen Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain shared the information  at a press briefing on Thursday at the Roller Skating Complex in the capital. He focused on the activities of the Bangladesh Army deployed under In Aid to Civil Power. He said that in previous elections, a maximum of 40,000 to 42,000 army personnel were deployed, mainly as striking forces stationed in far from pooling centres' areas. This time, for the first time, army patrols have been allowed to operate up to the premises of the polling centres. Army Chief urges officers to perform election duties impartially Monzur Hossain said the expanded deployment aims to ensure voters can travel to polling centres safely and without hindrance. Keeping the need for voter security in mind, the Army Chief has retained only the minimum necessary personnel at barracks and deployed the rest to support the conduct of a credible election. Brig Gen Monzur said due to a shortage of required vehicles, the army has sought support from the civil administration. Where requisitioned vehicles are unavailable, vehicles are being hired to ensure uninterrupted patrols.  He added that army personnel have been working tirelessly and conducting round-the-clock patrols to help rebuild public confidence. He further said maintaining law and order well ahead of the election is crucial for holding a fair election. Accordingly, army deployment was increased from 35,000 to 50,000 on January 10, 2026, and later expanded to 100,000 on January 20, 2026, he added. Alongside the Army, the Navy has deployed 5,000 personnel while the Air Force has deployed 3,730 members. The Bangladesh Army is operating in 62 of the country’s 64 districts and 411 upazilas and has set up a total of 544 temporary camps. Through regular patrols, joint operations and the establishment of check posts, surveillance has been strengthened and weapons recovery operations are ongoing.  

Bangla Academy on Thursday reiterated that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will begin on February 20, ruling out the possibility of postponing the country’s largest literary event. The decision was announced at an emergency press conference organised by the Bangla Academy. Member Secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 Organising Committee Selim Reza said the Academy had taken note of differing opinions and proposals regarding the fair’s schedule, including requests from a section of publishers to hold the fair after Eid. “By the time such requests were made, nearly 60 percent of the preparations had already been completed,” he said. Read More: Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 to begin on Feb 20 Reza explained that organising a month-long book fair after Eid would push the schedule into April, a period marked by extreme heat, dust, frequent storms and the risk of Kalbaishakhi nor’westers and rainfall. “Considering these realities, hosting the book fair in April is not practical.” He said unavoidable circumstances had made it impossible to inaugurate the fair on February 1 this year, as done traditionally. As a result, the fair will commence on February 20, following a unanimous decision by the organising committee, which has already held several meetings. In response to publishers’ demands, the Academy has reduced stall rents by 25 percent compared to last year, despite a significant rise in overall organisational costs, Selim Reza noted. He said all major preparations for the fair have been completed as planned. An event management firm has been appointed, he said, adding, Suhrawardy Udyan has been allocated by the government, stall construction is underway, and the schedules for discussions and cultural programmes have been finalised. Invitations have also been sent to prospective speakers and contributors. Read More: Amar Ekushey Book Fair to be held on time: Press Secretary According to Selim Reza, a total of 580 institutions applied for stalls this year, including 527 publishers who participated last year and 53 new applicants.  Due to space constraints, he said, stalls have so far been allocated to all 527 returning publishers and 24 new ones. Besides, 56 institutions have applied for larger stalls compared to last year, while more than a hundred government and private organisations have also sought stall allocation for the fair. The fair will remain open daily from 2:00pm to 9:00pm. As the book fair will be held during Ramadan, the Bangla Academy said special arrangements will be in place at the fair venue for iftar facilities for visitors and participants. The Amar Ekushey Book Fair is regarded as a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s literary and cultural calendar, commemorating the Language Movement and celebrating the country’s publishing industry. Read More:‘Sparsho Braille’ distributes free books for visually impaired at Ekushey Book Fair 

Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Moncho, on Thursday staged a sit-in in front of Jamuna, the residence of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, demanding justice for their leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The organisation shared the information on its official Facebook page on Thursday afternoon though it did not provide further details about the sit-in. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of the platform and  a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical treatment where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18. Since the incident, Inqilab Moncho has been holding protests and demanding justice.  

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) will operate additional metro rail services on the election day to facilitate voters and ensure smooth movement of passengers. DMTCL Managing Director Faruk Ahmed said extra trains will be operated on the election day to prevent inconvenience to voters and regular commuters. Metro rail services would remain normal on both February 11 and 12, he added. He said the services would run following the regular working day schedule. To ensure uninterrupted metro rail operations during the election period all leaves of DMTCL officials and employees concerned have been cancelled, he added.

Thirty-six dwelling houses were gutted in a fire that broke out at a colony in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district on Thursday. Md Nurul Karim, warehouse inspector of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the fire originated from a gas cylinder at a house in Mawna Uttarpara in the morning and engulfed the adjoining houses. On information, two firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after nearly two hours. Valuables, including cash, televisions, refrigerators and furniture, were gutted in the fire. However, the extent of the damage could not be ascertained immediately.    

The government has decided to confer the Ekushey Padak 2026 on 9 distinguished citizens and a music band in recognition of their outstanding contributions in their respective fields. The proposal of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs was approved by the Council of Advisers on Thursday , according to the Chief Adviser’s press wing.  Those selected for the country’s second-highest civilian award are Farida Akhtar Babita (film), Prof Md Abdus Sattar (fine arts), Marina Tabassum (architecture), Ayub Bachchu (music), Warfaze (music band),Arthy Ahmed (dance), Islam Uddin Palakar (theatre), Shafik Rehman (journalism), Prof Dr Mahbubul Alam Majumdar (education) and Tejosh Halder Josh  (sculpture). The Ekushey Padak is awarded annually in recognition of contributions to various fields, including culture, education, music, fine arts, and social service.