United News of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID) celebrated its 40th anniversary on Friday by organizing a day-long conference titled “Digital Transformation of Libraries with Artificial Intelligence” at the WVA Auditorium in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The conference was inaugurated by BALID Chairman Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman. Conference Convenor Prof. Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman highlighted the significance of the event, while Dr. Nasim Iqbal, guest of honour, shared insights from his professional experience in Australia. Patriotic crystal ball to light up Times Square on New Year’s Eve as US 250th anniversary begins The event was coordinated by BALID Secretary General AKM Nurul Alam (Apu), and the open discussion session was moderated by Vice-Chairman Razina Akhtar. Five research papers were presented across three technical sessions chaired by Prof. Dr. S. M. Zabed Ahmed (DU), Prof. Dr. Md. Saiful Islam (DU), and Dr. Md. Zahid Hossain Shoeb (NSU). Presenters included Zakir Hossain, IB Teacher Librarian (Switzerland), Jahid Bin Sultan (MIST), Dr. Md. Nurul Islam Mahfuz (IIUC), Md. Mubassir Ahsan (IUB), and Md. Atikuzzaman (NSTU). The event drew over 70 participants, including library and information science professionals, academicians, and ICT experts. Senior professionals actively participated in the open discussion, urging the continuation of BALID’s initiatives amid the era of digital transformation. The celebration concluded with a ceremonial cake-cutting by BALID members. 

The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has imposed restrictions on taxi-cabs, pick-ups, microbuses, and trucks from 12am on February 11 to 12am on February 12, 2026, ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum. Motorcycles will also face restrictions from 12am on February 10 to 12am on February 13, 2026. The restrictions will be relaxed for the following vehicles: law enforcement and armed forces; administration and approved observers; vehicles engaged in emergency services or carrying medicines, health-related supplies, and newspapers; vehicles transporting passengers or relatives to and from airports (with tickets or relevant proof); long-distance passenger vehicles; one vehicle per contesting candidate and one for each candidate’s election agent (with proper appointment and identity documents, and Election Commission sticker); journalists, observers, or vehicles used for election work with EC approval; motorcycles used by officials, employees, or others for election duties; and vehicles of telecom operators licensed by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Fraudsters targeting election staff for honorariums, EC warns The EC has authorised the relevant authorities to take necessary measures to allow exceptions on national highways, ports, inter-district or metropolitan entry/exit routes, and other key roads. Additionally, district magistrates and metropolitan police commissioners have been given authority to impose or relax restrictions on other vehicles according to the schedule during the election and referendum period. The announcement was made through a government notification signed by Al-Amin Md Nurul Islam, Deputy Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division.

Activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front and Chhatra Shakti on Sunday brought out a broom procession on the premises of Jahangirnagar University, protesting derogatory remarks about women allegedly posted from the X (formerly Twitter) account of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami however has alleged that Ameer Shafiqur Rahman's X account was 'hacked' by conspirators. The procession started from the university’s central Shahid Minar around 7:00pm. “We, including women from different professions such as garment workers, cannot accept this kind of insult,” said one of the protesters. Broom procession at DU over Jamaat ameer’s anti-women remarks “Our mothers and sisters have sacrificed their lives for this country. Please do not let such sacrifices go in vain,” another protester said while addressing the gathering. Earlier in the day, a group of female students of Dhaka University also brought out a broom procession on the campus, condemning the same remarks. That programme was held in the afternoon in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the university campus. In a Facebook post, Jamaat Ameer, however, claimed that false and misleading content has been circulating on social media aimed at misrepresenting their position.

The Ministry of Public Administration has temporarily suspended Md. Kamal Hossain, OSD and Senior Assistant Secretary, after he was sent to jail over allegations of faking his family background to secure a university admission and a BCS administration cadre job under the freedom fighter quota. A ministry notification issued today confirmed the suspension. The notice said Kamal Hossain misused the freedom fighter quota while serving as the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Nachole upazila in Chapainawabganj, prompting the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to file a case against him. According to the notification, Kamal Hossain appeared before the Senior Special Judge Court in Dhaka on Jan 28 seeking bail in the ACC case. The court rejected his bail plea and sent him to jail. Under Section 39(2) of the Government Service Act 2018, the government deemed it necessary to suspend him temporarily. The notification also said he will be entitled to allowances during the suspension period. 14 lakh now jobless due to stalled industrialisation: A.K. Azad at economic conference   The case, filed on Dec 26, 2024, by Md. Monjurul Islam Mintu, Deputy Director of the ACC Dhaka-1 District Coordination Office, alleges that Kamal Hossain presented his uncle, Bir Muktijoddha Md. Ahsan Habib, and aunt, Sanoara Khatun, as his father and mother to claim freedom fighter quota benefits. Using this false identity, he gained admission to a university and later secured a BCS administration cadre job under the quota.

Md Rubel Ahmed, a close associate of Faisal Karim Masud alias Rahul—the prime accused in the murder of Inqilab Moncho spokesman Sharif Osman Hadi—has given a confessional statement in court. Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman recorded the statement after Rubel was produced before the court on Saturday by the investigation officer, CID Police Assistant Superintendent Abdul Qadir Bhuiyan, following two rounds of remand totaling nine days, Prosecution Sub-Inspector Rokonuzzaman said on Sunday. “He was sent to jail after recording the statement,” the official added. Read More: Hadi murder: Court orders freezing of 53 bank accounts of Faisal Rubel was arrested from the Ati Nayabazar area of South Keraniganj late on January 21. The following day, the court granted a six-day remand, and last Wednesday, an additional three days were approved. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi had been serving as the spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, a political and cultural platform formed in the aftermath of the uprising. On December 12, around 2:20pm, assailants riding a motorcycle shot Hadi on Box Culvert Road under Paltan Model Police Station before fleeing the scene. He sustained critical gunshot wounds to his head and below his right ear. Read More: Hadi Murder: Court sets Jan 15 for hearing charges Hadi was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital. As his condition worsened, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment on December 15. He succumbed to his injuries on December 18 while undergoing treatment there. Following the incident, Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber filed an attempted murder case with Paltan Police Station on December 14. The case was later converted into a murder case after Hadi’s death.

A Dhaka court on Sunday approved the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) request to place former state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain under arrest in a graft case. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz passed the order following the ACC’s petition, ACC lawyer Tariqul Islam said. ACC Assistant Director and case investigation officer Khorshed Alam submitted the plea after Farhad was brought to the court from prison. According to the petition, Farhad, who served as state minister from 2019 to 2024, allegedly acquired assets worth more than Tk 1.11 crore, inconsistent with his known sources of income, by abusing power. Man arrested with looted foreign pistol, ammunition in Dhaka The petition said Farhad has 12 bank accounts that recorded total deposits of over Tk 6.54 crore and withdrawals amounting to more than Tk 6.35 crore—an “unusual and suspicious transaction.” After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, Farhad Hossain was detained from the capital’s Eskaton area on September 15. He has also been shown arrested in various cases related to the anti-discrimination student movement.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has imposed a penalty of demotion by two pay grades on Additional Tax Commissioner Sehela Siddika for misconduct, following the conclusion of a departmental inquiry, while simultaneously withdrawing her temporary suspension. According to the order, Siddika was found guilty of violating the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979 and the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018, after she allegedly organised and encouraged a work-stoppage programme through messages circulated on WhatsApp in May 2025. While serving, the order said, with the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit in Dhaka, Siddika allegedly posted messages on May 21, 2025, calling on field-level income tax, customs and VAT officials in Dhaka to gather at the NBR headquarters and remain there from morning to evening the following day. Read More: NBR extends income tax return deadline again She also urged officials outside Dhaka to observe a similar sit-in at their respective offices. Later messages clarified that the programme would run from 9:00am to 5:00pm, with import, export and international passenger services exempted. The authorities held that these actions compelled on-duty officials to abandon their official responsibilities, thereby disrupting national revenue collection activities. The conduct was deemed a clear violation of Rule 30A of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979, and constituted misconduct under Rule 32 of the same rules. Read More: A turbulent 18 months at NBR, as various reform initiatives rolled out A departmental case was initiated under Rule 3(b) of the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018. After Siddika submitted her written explanation and sought a personal hearing, a hearing was held on December 3, 2025. Subsequently, an inquiry officer was appointed, who concluded that the charges of misconduct had been proven beyond doubt. After reviewing the show-cause reply, inquiry report and all relevant documents, the competent authority decided to impose a penalty under Rule 4(2)(gh) of the 2018 rules. As a result, Siddika’s basic salary has been reduced by two grades—from Tk 71,200 to Tk 65,820. The order also stated that her temporary suspension has been withdrawn and that the decision will take effect immediately.

The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday urged officials involved in election-related activities not to respond to phone calls from fraudsters. The EC said it has recently been observed that fraudsters are attempting to collect bKash numbers from election officials by promising election-related honorariums. Fraudulent calls are being made using the phone numbers 01342046232 and 01612677074, according to a PID handout. CEC sits with representatives of law enforcement, intelligence agencies The commission said election-related honorariums will be provided to all officials at their respective centres through presiding officers after the voting in the upcoming referendum and national elections, in line with existing rules. “There is no need to contact any person or organisation for receiving honorariums,” the EC said, urging all officials assigned to the elections to remain vigilant and avoid responding to such calls.

All scheduled banks in Bangladesh will remain closed for four consecutive days from February 11 to 14 due to the national election and the regular weekend. Bangladesh Bank on Sunday issued a notification announcing  holiday on February 11 and 12 (Wednesday and Thursday) to facilitate the election and the referendum. As these two days are followed by the weekly holidays on Friday and Saturday (February 13 and 14)  banking activities will remain suspended throughout the four-day period. Bangladesh Bank to ease rules, give banks more freedom: Governor The decision follows an earlier order issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on January 25 which declared February 11 and 12 as public holidays for the election and the referendum. Besides, the government has announced a special holiday on February 10 for workers and employees in industrial areas to allow them adequate time to travel and cast their votes. Normal banking operations will resume on February 15.

At least 15 people were injured as supporters of Gonadhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur and independent candidate Hasan Mamun clashed in Patuakhali-3 (Galachipa-Dashmina) late Saturday night. The clash took place in front of Chatra Government Primary School in Dakua Union when processions of the two candidates came face-to-face, triggering a confrontation after a verbal dispute. Three of the injured were admitted to Galachipa Upazila Health Complex, while others received first aid. Read More: Nur accuses ‘section of interim govt’ of backing  August attack on him, blames failure for Hadi killing Both sides blamed each other for the violence. Galachipa police officer-in-charge Md. Zillur Rahman said police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. No immediate comments were available from either candidate.