United News of Bangladesh

A total of 17,988 voters including inmates of Faridpur district jail will cast their votes through postal ballots in the national election. Among them, 52 inmates and 13 jail officials and employees will exercise their franchise through the postal ballot system. Of the 52 jail inmate voters, two are women. Jail sources said Faridpur district jail currently houses 1,244 inmates including 51 women. Read More: Bangladeshi expats cast 458,000 postal votes ahead of Feb-12 polls Out of the total inmates, 52 expressed interest in voting by postal ballot. Of them, 10 are under trial prisoners while 42 are convicted prisoners. The two female voters are also convicted prisoners. Jail Superintendent Md Nazrul Islam said jail inmates and under-trial prisoners were encouraged to participate in the election following the Election Commission’s announcement. “Applications were collected from interested inmates and all required procedures have been completed. Preparations are also underway to set up two voting booths for inmates and one separate booth for officers and employees inside the jail,” he said. Faridpur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Kamrul Hasan Mollah said “We have already completed all special preparations. We hope that, following Election Commission guidelines, voters will be able to participate in the postal voting process smoothly for the first time,” he said. Read More: Political parties urged to pledge separate road safety law in election manifestoes

Road safety campaigners on Sunday urged major political parties to include a clear commitment to enact a separate and comprehensive Road Safety Law in their election manifestos ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election. The call came at a press conference organised by Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh at Dhaka Reporters Unity. They said the existing legal framework is inadequate to curb the country’s growing number of road crash deaths. Road safety expert M Khalid Mahmud read out a written statement at the press conference. Speakers recalled that Bangladesh’s first transport-related law, the Motor Vehicles Ordinance of 1983, lacked essential road safety provisions, resulting in long-standing legal and enforcement gaps. Although a draft Road Transport and Road Safety Act was finalised in 2016 it was not enacted at the time. Following the 2018 student-led movement sparked by the deaths of two students of Shaheed Ramizuddin Cantonment College, the government repealed the 1983 ordinance and enacted the Road Transport Act, 2018 but many critical road safety components were omitted. They noted that implementation of the law was further delayed due to the absence of rules until the Road Transport Rules, 2022 were issued on December 27, 2022. Even then, road safety issues were addressed only briefly, leaving major legal ambiguities unresolved. Road crashes remain one of the leading causes of death and injury in Bangladesh, speakers said. Official data from agencies such as the BRTA and Bangladesh Police show that around 5,000 people die and more than 10,000 are injured every year. However, estimates from the World Health Organization, non-governmental organisations and media reports suggest the actual figures are several times higher. Read More: 7,359 people killed in road accidents in 2025: Road Safety Foundation's count almost static The coalition said Bangladesh continues to lag behind global best practices and the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, as the current law focuses mainly on transport regulation rather than comprehensive safety measures. They highlighted major gaps, including inadequate attention to risky road user behaviour, insufficient protection for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities, the absence of a standardised crash investigation and data system, and the lack of a legally recognised lead agency to coordinate multi-sectoral road safety efforts. Calling for adoption of the UN-endorsed Safe System Approach, speakers said a separate Road Safety Law is essential to ensure safer speeds, roads, vehicles and road users, along with effective post-crash response. They noted that many countries have significantly reduced road fatalities by implementing this science-based approach. The event was moderated by Kazi Borhan Uddin, Road Safety Project Manager at the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh. Among the speakers were Dr Md Shariful Alam, Country Coordinator of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator; Ranjan Karmakar, Executive Director of Steps Towards Development; AHM Bazlur Rahman, CEO of BNNRC; Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, Programme Director at the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh; Md Sharafat-e-Alam of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society; Sharmin Rahman of Dhaka Ahsania Mission; and Swarnil Mondal of Dhaka International University, along with other coalition leaders.

Workers and employees of Chattogram Port observed a strike for the second consecutive day on Sunday at the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), protesting the government’s decision to lease the terminal to foreign firm DP World, disrupting import-export and worsening vessel congestion. Cargo handling at the port remained suspended as loading and unloading of goods from ships came to a halt, causing growing suffering for traders and raising concerns over mounting financial losses. Ignoring a cautionary notice issued by the Chattogram Port Authority, workers began demonstrations on Saturday and continued the work stoppage. The strike was enforced from the morning at the call of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, SCOP and several other labour organisations. Movement  of container-laden lorries, trailers and covered vans inside the port area remained suspended. Ctg port operations stumble amid strike against NCT lease plan Business leaders expressed fears that prolonged disruption of port operations could lead to severe vessel congestion and significant damage to the country’s import-export activities. Meanwhile, the port authority transferred four officials to Pangaon in Dhaka for defying port directives and participating in Saturday’s strike. An investigation committee has also been formed in this connection. The Chattogram Port Authority said that following Saturday’s strike, the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) issued a notification banning all kinds of rallies, protests and public gatherings in the port area for one month starting Sunday. Chattogram Port Director (Administration) Mohammad Omar Faruk said the High Court has already delivered its verdict regarding the NCT. “If anyone creates disorder by defying the verdict, the port authority will take strict action,” he warned. He added that disciplinary measures would be taken against officers and employees found participating in processions or protest programmes during office hours.    

BNP on Sunday questioned the credibility of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer’s claim that his social media account was hacked, saying the claim came nearly nine hours after a controversial anti-women post triggered widespread criticism. “After facing strong criticism over a misogynistic post, the hacking claim was made around 1:00am. How reasonable is it to make such a claim nine hours later?” said BNP Election Steering Committee Spokesperson Mahdi Amin. Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Gulshan election office, he said if any important or verified social media account is hacked, the first responsibility is to inform the public immediately to prevent confusion. “But in this case, the hacking claim came only after public anger spread. Naturally, questions arise about how credible this claim is.” Mahdi also said that during the period in question, several posts were made from the Jamaat Ameer’s Facebook account, but there was no mention that his X (formerly Twitter) account was hacked. Chhatra Dal protests Jamaat Ameer’s anti-women remarks on X He said a General Diary (GD) was filed with Hatirjheel Police Station around 3:30am, where it was stated that the hacking was detected at 4:55pm. “If that is true, why was the GD filed nearly 12 hours later? Is there any reasonable explanation for this delay?” the BNP spokesperson asked. Mahdi, also an adviser to BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, questioned how the account could be recovered so quickly after the hacking claim. He said BNP clearly stands for women’s personal freedom, dignity and equal rights, but the language used by the Jamaat Ameer and the mindset reflected in the controversial post are unacceptable in any civilised society. “This is a clear expression of misogyny.” The BNP leader said the verified X account of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman allegedly used filthy, offensive and degrading language against women, which, if true, reflects an attempt to push society back into medieval darkness. Mahdi said a portion of the post made at 4:37pm on January 31, when translated, stated that bringing women out of their homes in the name of modernity exposes them to exploitation, moral decline and insecurity, comparing it to prostitution. He said the Jamaat Ameer had previously made negative remarks about women’s empowerment in an interview with Al Jazeera. Calling it a pattern of behaviour, Mahdi said such views are not new for the party, referring to earlier incidents where a Jamaat leader made offensive remarks against female students of Dhaka University. He said the Jamaat chief had earlier made backward remarks publicly, including proposing shorter working hours for women. The BNP leader noted that the party which repeatedly speaks of establishing “justice” has not nominated a single woman as a parliamentary candidate in any constituency, which, he said, clearly reflects its degrading attitude towards women. He also cited an incident where a member of the same party compared women’s entry into parliament to a ‘trophy’ during a television talk show, describing it as an act of contempt. Mahdi said the nation has also seen the party repeatedly declare in public that no woman will ever be allowed to hold its top leadership position. “Yet, the women of that party are going door to door collecting people’s NID cards and bKash numbers. Is this their so-called justice?” he asked. The BNP spokesperson said they have observed that due to election alliances with Jamaat, many women leaders of an allied political party were forced to resign, while many openly expressed anger and frustration. He said even parties contesting elections as part of alliances have admitted that they are facing various obstacles because of this party. “There have also been allegations that questions were raised about the clothing of female candidates, which is an extreme display of indecency and misogyny,” Mahdi said. He said female members of BNP, its associate bodies and especially its student wing have been facing severe harassment both online and offline, allegedly by Jamaat supporters. Mahdi highlighted the contributions of women in every sector of Bangladesh, including industry, education, healthcare, law enforcement, administration, media, sports and social movements. He recalled the role of women in past movements, including the July 2024 mass uprising and the 1971 Liberation War, saying the nation can never deny their sacrifices. “But whenever a crisis arises, one party chooses the dirty path of attacking women,” the BNP leader said. Mahdi said the nation knows that during the 1971 Liberation War, the enemy followed the same path of oppression and violence against women, and that independence was achieved after passing through a dark chapter in which millions of mothers and sisters lost their honour. “We will not accept any injustice, oppression or abuse against them. BNP will not accept it, and Bangladesh will not accept it,” he said. Mahdi said Jamaat claims that people have already seen BNP and that now it is their turn. “But the people of the country have already begun to see how, in the form of medieval barbarity, half of the population—our mothers and sisters—is being insulted,” he said. Mahdi said BNP clearly declares that there will be no compromise, no fear and no retreat when it comes to protecting the dignity of women across the country and in online spaces. BNP Media Cell Convener Prof Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel, Jubo Dal President Abdul Moneim Munna and Swechchhasebak Dal Senior Vice-President Yasin Ali were also present at the press conference.  

Bangladesh Army has recovered 179 firearms and 1,941 rounds of ammunition during joint operations across the country ahead of the national election, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The operations, carried out in collaboration with other security agencies, also saw the detention of 1,774 people. Read More: Chattogram army operation seizes weapons and drugs, 2 arrested The drives have been going on since the election schedule was announced on December 11, 2025 and continued until February 1, the ISPR added.

A Dhaka court on Sunday imposed a travel ban on Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Azaz for his alleged involvement in irregularities and corruption. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Judge Md Sabbir Foyez passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said ACC public prosecutor Tariqul Islam. According to the petition, allegations against Mohammad  Azaz are under investigation for various irregularities, corruption and acceptance of bribes through abuse of power. Complaints have been brought against him over a range of issues including the leasing of Mirpur Gabtoli cattle market,e-rickshaw project, control or occupation of Borak Tower or Hotel Sheraton, allocation of shops at Banani kitchen market, construction and allocation of shops in the parking area of the Khilgaon Taltala Super Market, the city corporation’s van service, allocation of shops on footpaths, and others. The ACC said that under section 22 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, Rule 8 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Rules, 2007 and section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a notice was issued to Azaz to appear before the commission and provide his statement. However, he did not appear at the ACC office.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday fixed February 5 for delivering its judgment in a crime against humanity case over the burning of six bodies at Ashulia during the July mass uprising. The three-member bench of ICT-2 led by its Chairman Justice Nazrul Islam passed the order after concluding the law-point argument from both sides. Former MP Muhamamd Saiful Islam and 15 others were accused in the case. ICT issues arrest warrants against Hasina, 5 others Among them, eight were arrested in the case. They are-former additional superintendent of Dhaka District Police Abdullahil Kafi, former additional superintendent of Dhaka District Police Shahidul Islam, DB inspector Arafat Hossain, sub-inspector Abdul Malek, Arafat Uddin, constables Mukul Chokdar and Kamrul Hasan and Sheikh Abzalul Haque. On August 21,2024 , the tribunal framed charges against all 16 accused formally commencing the trial. Constable Sheikh Abzalul Haque pleaded guilty and was granted state witness status.   According to the case, six youths were shot dead by police at Ashulia on August 5 last year after which their bodies were burned on a police van. A video of the horrific scene was widely shared on social media, shaking the nation. It helped the victims' families identify two of the victims. The video shows several bodies lying on the back of a van while police officers are seen loading another body onto the vehicle. The bodies were covered with dirty clothes and banners found on the streets before being set on fire. Investigators found that one of the victims was still alive when the fire was set, resulting in their death. The case was filed with the tribunal on September 11, 2024.  

A three-day Bangladesh Light Engineering Expo 2026 will begin in the capital on Monday. The expo will showcase domestic industrial capabilities, reduce reliance on imports, and create new opportunities for accessing international markets, organisers said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday. President of Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners’ Association (BEIOA) Abdur Razzaque said the expo, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and the World Bank-backed Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) project will be held at Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Centre from February 2 to 4. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman will attend the inaugural ceremony on February 2 as the chief guest. Hosna Ferdous Sumi, senior private sector specialist at the World Bank, and Md Abdur Rahim Khan, additional secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and project director of EC4J, will attend as special guests. Highlighting the sector’s importance, Abdur Razzaque said the light engineering industry provides crucial backward linkages to agriculture, textiles, construction, power, automobiles and household appliances. He said around 50,000 small and medium light engineering enterprises are currently operating across the country, employing more than 300,000 skilled workers and contributing nearly 3 per cent to the national GDP. Nearly half of Bangladesh’s US$8.2 billion domestic demand for engineering products is met locally through the production of more than 3,800 types of machinery, spare parts, tools, dies, moulds and engineering accessories. Heavy dependence on imported machinery and components still persists, indicating significant scope for further expansion, he said. Despite strong global demand, Bangladesh’s share in the nearly US$7 trillion global engineering market remains below 1 per cent, he said. Currently, exports from the light engineering sector stand at about US$795 million. With appropriate policy support, technological upgrading and increased investment, export earnings could reach US$12.56 billion by 2030, he added. Describing the expo as more than a display event, Abdur Razzaque said it will serve as an effective sourcing and networking platform, connecting manufacturers, buyers, suppliers, investors and policymakers, and facilitating technology transfer, business deals and access to global markets. More than 50 booths will showcase innovations and production capacity of local enterprises. Two seminars will be held alongside the expo—one on strategies to enhance global competitiveness after LDC graduation and another on the importance of research and innovation in developing the light engineering sector. BGMEA honours Hams Garments for achieving world’s highest score for green factories The BEIOA president said producing high-value exportable products requires product diversification and technology transfer, urging government support for adopting modern technologies, research and innovation. He also called for rationalisation of import duties on raw materials and easier import facilities to boost competitiveness. Organisers expressed optimism that the expo would strengthen the domestic industry, attract investment, create employment and enhance the global visibility of Bangladesh’s light engineering sector. The exhibition will remain open daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

The Appellate Division on Sunday rejected a writ petition filed by BNP-nominated candidate Manjurul Ahsan Munshi, upholding the Election Commission’s decision to cancel his candidacy for the Cumilla-4 constituency on charges of loan default. The Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, passed the order after dismissing Munshi’s leave-to-appeal petition. Earlier, the High Court had declared Manjurul Ahsan Munshi’s candidacy invalid. He later filed an appeal challenging the High Court verdict. Alliance partners can't share electoral symbol: High Court  The BNP candidate faces allegations of loan default after concealing relevant information in his affidavit. Although the returning officer initially found his nomination valid, the Election Commission cancelled it on January 17 following objections raised by NCP candidate Hasnat Abdullah, who alleged that Munshi was a loan defaulter. Munshi then filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the Election Commission’s decision. However, the High Court rejected the petition on January 21. Meanwhile, the Appellate Division agreed to hear a leave-to-appeal petition filed by BNP candidate Mobasher Alam Bhuiyan of the Cumilla-10 constituency, seeking restoration of his candidacy. He was also allowed to take part in the election pending disposal of the appeal. On the other hand, the Appellate Division rejected a separate leave-to-appeal petition filed by BNP candidate Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan, effectively barring him from contesting the polls.  

In a remarkable display of rehabilitation and craftsmanship, the Bangladesh Jail Pavilion has been crowned the winner of the general pavilion category at the 30th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF). ​Beyond the barbed wire and stone walls, a quiet revolution of industry has been brewing. This year’s fair provided the ultimate stage for that transformation, as products made by inmates from 38 prisons across the country took centre stage, capturing both the judges' accolades and the public's imagination.