United News of Bangladesh

Calling it a landmark step to safeguard public health, the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) on Thursday demanded that the recently approved Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 be passed in the first parliamentary session following the upcoming election. The demand was made during a meeting held at BMA Bhaban in the capital. The organization also urged all concerned stakeholders to remain vigilant against concerted disinformation campaigns conducted by the tobacco industry, intended to undermine and obstruct the legislative process. During the meeting, speakers said that the tobacco control ordinance, once enacted into law in the parliament, will prevent the new generation from initiating the use of emerging nicotine products and discourage the use of other traditional tobacco products. Speakers also said that due to the unprecedented level of interference from the tobacco industry, some of the most critical proposed provisions—including banning the sale of loose tobacco products, banning mobile sale of tobacco products, introducing a mandatory retailer licensing system to sell tobacco products, and ensuring a complete ban on corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of tobacco companies—have been excluded from the finalized ordinance. Future policymakers must remain alert against such aggression by the tobacco industry. E-cigarettes, emerging tobacco products fully banned in Bangladesh Though tobacco, the fourth major risk factor behind premature deaths and disabilities in Bangladesh, claims nearly 200,000 lives each year in the country, the prevalence of tobacco use among adults (15 years and above) stands at 35.3 percent, they said. They added that the toll on public health and the environment inflicted by tobacco use and production causes the national economy a loss of BDT 87,000 crore, which is more than twice the size of revenue generated from the tobacco sector. During the meeting, attended by 56 members of the organization, Mizan Chowdhury, Co-convenor of ATMA, and Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, PROGGA, presented ongoing activities of ATMA and its way forward. Mir Masrur Zaman Rony, Chief News Editor of Channel I; Mortuza Haider Liton, Convenor of ATMA; Nadira Kiron, Co-convenor of ATMA; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA, also spoke.

Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) on Thursday agreed to work together to strengthen the linkage between agricultural research and extension to ensure inclusive growth. The commitment was made at a discussion meeting held at PKSF Bhaban-1 in the capital. The meeting was chaired by PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan. Emeritus Professor at Kansas State University, USA, Dr ANM Mahbub-ul Alam, attended the event as the chief guest, while BARC Executive Chairman Md Abdus Salam was present as the special guest. PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader delivered the welcome address. PKSF signs deal 5 commercial banks to fund partner organizations Although agriculture remains a key pillar of the country’s food security and employment, its contribution to GDP is limited to around 12 percent, while nearly 47 percent of the total labour force is engaged in the sector. Sluggish agricultural growth of 3.21 percent, shrinking arable land, declining soil fertility and rising production costs have emerged as major challenges. Dr Alam said institutions often hesitate to engage others who possess greater expertise in specific areas, even when such collaboration is necessary. “As a result, the country is deprived of the effective use of promising talent. We must break free from this mindset,” he said. PKSF leading calls for transition to agroecological farming Emphasising the need for balanced coordination between public and private initiatives for sustainable agricultural development, he added that ensuring food and nutrition security remains a shared national goal. Md Abdus Salam said the objectives of advanced agricultural practices are fourfold — better production, better nutrition, a better environment and, ultimately, a better life. He noted that BARC is continuously conducting research to achieve these goals and expressed hope that collaboration with PKSF would help expand research-based initiatives at the field level. He also said PKSF could play a complementary role to the government in implementing the ‘Transforming Bangladesh Agriculture: Outlook 2050’ strategy. PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan said that while Bangladesh holds a strong position in the global agricultural landscape, sustainable and inclusive growth cannot be achieved without addressing structural challenges. 12,000 youth to receive skills training under PKSF program “The main objective of today’s meeting is to enhance mutual cooperation between PKSF and BARC for the overall development of the agricultural sector,” he said, adding that coordinated efforts would also lead to innovative initiatives beyond conventional activities to benefit farmers and the sector. He expressed optimism that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two institutions would be signed soon. Highlighting that nearly 50 percent of the total agricultural credit disbursed in the country is provided by PKSF and its partner organisations, PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader said the organisation is working to expand markets and promote agricultural micro-entrepreneurship as a dignified and attractive profession through diversification and value addition. He added that PKSF is placing special emphasis on expanding ecological farming practices to reduce production costs, increase farmers’ income and restore soil fertility. Former BARC Executive Chairman Dr Wais Kabir and WAVE Foundation Executive Director Mohsin Ali also spoke at the discussion. A presentation on PKSF’s agricultural development interventions was delivered, and a special documentary was screened. Senior officials of PKSF and BARC, along with chief executives of PKSF partner organisations, were present at the event.

Awami League must face the ongoing judicial process over the July uprising killings and seek apology if it wants to return to active politics, said Prof Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser. Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Rapture, Reform and Reimagining Democracy: Navigating the Agony of Transition’ organised by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) at BRAC Centre in Mohakhali, Ali Riaz said the party has neither acknowledged the July uprising nor expressed any regret. “Sheikh Hasina still believes the July uprising was an Islamic militant movement backed by the West and meticulously designed by Prof Muhammad Yunus. With this mindset, there is no scope for making Awami League relevant in politics,” he said. July Charter a pact with people and parties, not an imposition: Ali Riaz Rejecting commonly cited estimates of Awami League’s support base as flawed and baseless, Ali Riaz said claims that the party enjoys 40 percent or even 20 percent public support lack any credible justification. “If someone cites the 42 percent turnout in the staged 2024 election, then there is nothing more to say.” He termed arguments about keeping a large number of Awami supporters outside the reform process as ‘crippled logic’, noting that the reform exercise was inclusive. “About 56,000 people shared opinions through our website and surveys were conducted in 46,000 households. These were ordinary citizens. We did not work based on whether someone was Awami League or BNP.” Explaining whether the absence of Awami League from the Consensus Commission made the dialogue less democratic, Ali Riaz said there was no practical way to involve the party. “ Can anyone give me Sheikh Hasina’s address so that I could send her a letter inviting her to the commission? Those who were around have fled with laundered money. Others are either in hiding or in jail. Under these circumstances, how could discussions take place with them?” he said. Highlighting the limitations of the interim government, Ali Riaz said the bureaucracy has become stronger than before, while the government failed to exert effective control. “The command Awami League had over bureaucrats does not exist for the interim government. Bureaucrats have taken advantage of this vacuum.” On the failure to implement many recommendations of the reform commissions, he said the government lacked either the necessary will or the required authority in different cases. “As a result, many reforms never saw the light of day.” Criticising civil society, Ali Riaz said it completely failed to work in solidarity with the interim government. Vote ‘Yes’ to curb concentration of power: Prof Ali Riaz “They aligned themselves with one political party or another and did not stand by the government even for a moment,” he said, predicting that civil society would again fail to play a meaningful role in reform efforts under the next government. Referring to the July movement, Ali Riaz said it was not a ‘revolution’ but an ‘uprising’. Although it failed to push the state decisively towards reform, he noted that significant changes are still possible through a referendum.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a man along with a looted foreign-made pistol and 290 rounds of ammunition from the North Goran area in the capital early Thursday. The arrestee was identified as Asadul, 25, son of Marfat, a resident of Nilukachar under Kalmakanda Police Station in Netrokona district. The recovered firearm and ammunition were looted from a police station on August 5, 2024, said Sanad Barua, Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (Media) of RAB-3. Acting on a tip-off, a RAB-3 team conducted a raid at a house owned by Azgar Ali adjacent to Haji Mosque Lane at 415/2-D, Nabinbagh in North Goran during the early hours. Read More: Man arrested in Savar as suspect in five murders During the arrest, RAB recovered one foreign-made Beretta 21A Bobcat pistol (made in USA), one magazine, 290 rounds of .22 LR ammunition, one empty cartridge, and one mobile phone from his possession. A case was filed under Section 19A of the Arms Act, 1978 with Khilgaon Police Station later in the day.

The High Court on Thursday dismissed the rule issued on a petition challenging the legality of the Chittagong Port Authority’s (CPA) ongoing process of signing an agreement with a foreign company to operate the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port. The bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed delivered the order after hearing arguments from lawyers on the matter. As a result, there remains no legal bar to the CPA proceeding with the agreement to hand over the operation of the New Mooring Container Terminal to a foreign operator. Additional Attorney General Anik R. Haque said the writ petitioners applied to the court of the Chamber Judge seeking a stay of the High Court verdict. The Chamber Judge issued a ‘no order’ in response to their application, thereby upholding the High Court’s verdict. Barrister Zamir Uddin Sircar, Advocate Ahsanul Karim and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented the petitioners in the court. HC grants six-month bail to BCL leader Saddam on humanitarian grounds Earlier, on December 4, the High Court delivered a dissenting verdict on a rule concerning the legality of the Chattogram Port Authority’s ongoing process to sign an agreement with a foreign company to operate the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT). A bench, led by Senior Justice Fatema Najib, declared the ongoing process of the Chattogram Port Authority to sign the contract with the foreign company for operating the NCT as ultra vires, citing violations of the 2015 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act and the 2017 guidelines of the Governance and Transparency Committee (GTC). However, Justice Fatema Anwar disagreed and discharged the rule, rejecting the writ petition. As per procedure, the dissenting verdict was sent to the then Chief Justice for final disposal. The Chief Justice then referred the matter to a single bench led by Justice Zafar Ahmed, who conducted hearings and delivered the verdict on Thursday. On February 17, 2019, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Chattogram Port Authority and DP World under the PPP framework for the operation of the New Mooring Container Terminal. The writ petition, filed by Mirza Walid Hossain, president of Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum, sought a directive for a fair and competitive bidding process, citing reports in national media questioning why the terminal, which already had all infrastructures in place, was being handed over to a foreign company. The petition also raised concerns about the legality of the ongoing process of signing the agreement with the UAE-based company. The High Court initially issued a rule on July 30 last year, seeking clarification on why the ongoing process of signing the contract with the foreign company should not be declared ultra vires under the PPP Act and related guidelines. The court also asked why a fair and competitive public tender should not be ensured before appointing any operator to manage the NCT. Following hearings on the rule, the High Court issued a dissenting verdict on December 4. BNP’s Gafur Bhuiyan cannot contest Cumilla-10 as HC rejects writ The New Mooring Container Terminal, one of the largest at Chittagong Port, was constructed in 2007. The port authority invested a total of Tk 2,712 crore in phases for the construction and equipment of the terminal. The terminal handles the majority of import and export containers passing through the Chattogram Port.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur on Thursday dismissed rumours surrounding the newly formed Sammilito Islami Bank, alleging that vested interests are paying individuals to provoke unrest as part of a planned smear campaign. Speaking at an emergency press briefing at the central bank headquarters in Dhaka, Mansur said organised efforts were under way to incite disorder at bank branches, including the filming of provocative videos, particularly in the Chattogram region. Reaffirming the new bank’s financial stability and continued state support, he said authorities were monitoring the situation closely and warned that law enforcement agencies would be deployed if needed. Read More: Bangladesh Bank to ease rules, give banks more freedom: Governor “We believe in democratic practices and everyone has the right to protest. But certain vested interests are paying people to create chaos. These efforts will not succeed,” Mansur said. The governor sought to reassure depositors amid controversy over profit distribution following the consolidation of several troubled Islamic banks into Sammilito Islami Bank. He said the government had provided ‘extraordinary support’ using public funds to stabilise the institution, stressing that the state could not shoulder the entire financial burden alone. “Burden sharing is a global practice,” Mansur said, pointing out that while some depositors received a 4% profit for 2024 and 2025 due to past losses, they had benefited from returns of as much as 12% to 13% in earlier years. From this year, depositors will receive market-based profit rates, currently set at 9.5%, he said. “In the coming days, they will receive 9.5%. What more could one ask for?” Mansur added. Read More: Too many banks; Bangladesh needs only 10–15: Governor Regarding criticism over compliance with AAOIFI standards for Islamic finance, the governor said the issue was not about introducing new rules but ensuring the survival of a functioning bank. “If the bank doesn’t exist, who will pay the profit?” he said. Mansur also rejected rumours that he was planning to take leave or resign, calling the claims baseless. “I have not submitted any leave application, no leave has been granted, nor do I have any intention of taking leave.” He said Bangladesh Bank had undertaken more reforms in the past year than in the previous 14 to 15 years combined, scaling back non-essential regulatory controls to focus on core priorities such as foreign exchange management and financial market development. The governor urged the public to verify information directly rather than rely on rumours. “Go to the banks yourselves, listen and understand the situation. In Bangladesh, there is no end to rumours,” he added.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday filed two cases against former Bhandaria Upazila Parishad Chairman Mirajul Islam and his wife Shamima Akhter on charges of acquiring wealth beyond their known sources of income and money laundering. The cases were filed with the ACC Integrated District Office in Pirojpur in the morning. Assistant Director of ACC Mohammad Monirul Islam filed the cases as complainant, while the investigations are being supervised by Deputy Director Md Aminul Islam of the ACC’s Integrated District Office, Pirojpur. Read More: Freedom Fighter quota abuse: ACC to sue 12 PSC officials, 9 others The ACC said Md Mirajul Islam, 48, served as chairman of Bhandaria Upazila Parishad and is also proprietor of Ifti ETCL (Pvt) Ltd, Ifti Enterprise and South Bangla Trade International. The ACC found that Mirajul Islam acquired around TK 87crore immovable properties, including land, houses, flats and shops, worth Tk 36 crore 74 lakh  along with movable assets worth Tk 50 crore 61lakh including bank savings, business capital, company shares and nine vehicles. His total movable and immovable assets stood at Tk 87 crore 34 lakh while his family expenditure was calculated at Tk 29 crore 50 lakh. Thus, including family expenditure, his total assets amounted to Tk 116 croe 83 lakh, whereas his acceptable income was found to be only Tk 17 crore 71lakh. No liabilities were found in his name. The ACC alleged that Mirajul Islam illegally acquired assets worth Tk 99 crore 13 lakh beyond his known sources of income, an offence punishable under Section 27(1) of the ACC Act, 2004. The ACC further alleged that he embezzled government funds and deposited proceeds of crime amounting to 2691 crore in accounts across nine banks. Read More: ACC arrests son of former PSC driver over Tk 3.25cr illegal wealth Of the amount, Tk 26,79 crore was transferred, converted and layered through multiple bank branches to conceal the source of the illicit funds, constituting money laundering under Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. Allegations against Shamima Akhter The ACC also filed a separate case against Mirajul Islam’s wife, Shamima Akhter, proprietor of Mess’s Shimu Enterprise, on similar charges. According to the case statement, Shamima is a licensed contractor who participated in tenders of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The ACC alleged that she received work orders but embezzled government funds without executing the projects. It found that she acquired immovable assets worth Tk 32 crore, including family expenditure, against an acceptable income of Tk 7 crore 9 lakh. No liabilities were found in her name. Read More: ACC sues 8 over fake certificates, embezzlement at Forest Research Institute The ACC alleged that she acquired assets worth around Tk 24 crore beyond her known sources of income, punishable under Section 27(1) of the ACC Act, 2004. Besides, the ACC said analysis of her Brac Bank account revealed deposits of Tk 122 crore 75 lakh , believed to be proceeds of crime. Of this amount, Tk 122 crore 39 lakh was transferred, converted and layered through banking channels to conceal the illegal source, constituting offences under Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. The ACC said eight more cases had earlier been filed against the couple over allegations of embezzlement of nearly Tk 1000 crore  by receiving work orders from LGED under contractor firms and misappropriating funds without executing development projects. Those cases are currently under investigation.

Chattogram Customs House has successfully completed the largest auction in its history, selling around 2,800 tonnes of unclaimed and auctionable goods through an electronic auction process, officials said. The auction was conducted as part of a broader initiative to ease the persistent container congestion at Chattogram Port, mitigate associated security risks, ensure physical and financial safety, prevent wastage of state assets and enhance the overall operational efficiency of the country’s principal seaport. Under this initiative, Chattogram Customs House has been regularly auctioning off unclaimed and auctionable consignments stored at its auction sheds. As part of the ongoing drive, a long-stored consignment comprising ‘used dredger steel pipes, rubber hoses, fittings and accessories’ — weighing approximately 2,800 tonnes — was put up for sale through an e-auction. NBR targets faster cargo clearance, simpler customs rules, says its chairman With a no-objection clearance from the Ministry of Commerce, the auction was conducted through the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) official e-auction website. The competitive bidding process took place on December 15, 2025, with a total of 13 bidders participating. The consignment was finally sold at the highest bid of Tk 92.75 million. Following payment of the bid value along with applicable VAT and income tax, the total realised amount stood at Tk 115.94 million. On completion of all payments, the goods were released in favour of the successful bidder, customs officials said. In terms of volume, officials said, the consignment marks the largest single auctioned cargo in the history of Chattogram Customs House. The successful auction has significantly freed up space at the customs auction shed, contributing to improved yard management and smoother cargo handling at the port. At the same time, the government has secured a substantial amount of revenue through the process, according to the officials. Customs duty on mobile phone imports, local sets reduced Customs authorities said regular disposal of unclaimed and auctionable goods through e-auction has been playing a vital role in maintaining normal port operations and reducing pressure on storage facilities. Chattogram Customs House will continue its e-auction activities to ensure timely clearance of auctionable goods and sustain the efficiency of port operations, the officials added.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Thursday extended the deadline again for submitting income tax returns for individual taxpayers for the 2025–2026 tax year until February 28, 2026. The decision was taken in the public interest under the powers conferred by Section 334 of the Income Tax Act, 2023, with prior approval from the government, according to an official notification, according to an NBR order. Previously, the deadline for filing income tax returns for the concerned taxpayers was set for January 31, 2026. Meanwhile, the NBR has made online submission of income tax returns mandatory for all individual taxpayers this time. As per the order, individual taxpayers are required to submit their returns online through the NBR’s e-return portal at www.etaxnbr.gov.bd. However, considering difficulties related to registration in the e-return system, the NBR has provided a conditional relaxation. Any person who is unable to submit an income tax return online may apply for permission to submit a paper return. A turbulent 18 months at NBR, as various reform initiatives rolled out In such cases, the taxpayer must submit a written application with specific and reasonable justification to the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Taxes by February 15, 2026. Upon approval from the respective Additional or Joint Commissioner of Taxes, the taxpayer will be allowed to submit a paper-based income tax return. The move aims to promote digitalisation of the tax administration system while allowing limited flexibility for taxpayers facing genuine technical difficulties.

Bangladesh on Thursday repatriated 128 fishermen who had been detained in India under a mutual repatriation arrangement between the two neighbouring countries. At the same time, 23 Indian fishermen who had been held in Bangladesh were sent back to India under the same arrangement, said a press release. Bangladesh Coast Guard received 128 Bangladeshi fishermen along with five Bangladeshi fishing boats from the Indian Coast Guard at a handover ceremony at the international maritime boundary line in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh handed over 23 Indian fishermen and two Indian fishing boats to the Indian Coast Guard. Rohingya crisis not receiving due attention, repatriation only solution: Prof Yunus A number of government agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Bangladesh Coast Guard, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the Ministry of Shipping, Border Guard Bangladesh, Bangladesh Police and  local administration worked jointly to facilitate the repatriation process.