United News of Bangladesh

NOVOAIR, one of the country’s leading private airlines, has announced an attractive offer allowing passengers to purchase air tickets on zero percent interest EMI, with the lowest monthly return fare starting from Tk 1,567. Under the offer, passengers can buy not only return tickets but also one-way tickets with a minimum value of Tk 5,000 through EMI facilities, said a press release issued on Sunday. The airline said no hidden fees or additional charges will be applicable on the installment payments. This EMI offer is available at any of NOVOAIR's sales offices. Valued passengers can pay the ticket price in six easy installments with all leading partner banks in the country. Sohail Majid, Director (Sales and Marketing) of NOVAIR, said that we hope that this installment facility will make traveling affordable and easier specially for family travellers. This will give them a relief of additional financial pressure right now. NOVOAIR is regularly introducing new facilities and services to ensure easy and comfortable service to passengers. Besides, there is also an offer for a two-night Cox's Bazar travel package with a minimum monthly installment of Tk 1,818. Under this package, there will be return air tickets to Cox's Bazar with all taxes, hotel accommodation, transportation from Cox's Bazar airport to the hotel and Sehri or Iftar facilities.   To enjoy this offer, a minimum of two persons must purchase the package. Currently, NOVOAIR operates daily flights from Dhaka to Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Saidpur routes.    

The prices of diesel, octane, petrol, and kerosene will remain unchanged in March, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division has said. On February 26, the division sent a letter to the chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) instructing that all types of fuel prices be kept steady. The letter was made public on Sunday morning. Earlier, on February 1, the government reduced fuel prices by Tk 2 per litre. Diesel was lowered from Tk 102 to Tk 100 per litre, octane from Tk 122 to Tk 120, petrol from Tk 118 to Tk 116, and kerosene from Tk 114 to Tk 112. For March, prices will remain the same. Fuel prices in Bangladesh are determined monthly for consumers through an automatic pricing system which adjusts rates based on fluctuations in global oil markets. According to the revised  Automatic Fuel Pricing Guidelines,the Energy and Mineral Resources Division has decided to maintain March fuel prices unchanged.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday urged authorities to ensure health services for public even if it requires working with limited resources. He made the remarks in the morning while talking to reporters after inspecting the 250-bed General Hospital in Thakurgaon. Fakhrul, also BNP secretary general,  said the establishment of a medical college in Thakurgaon has been confirmed. He said the hospital’s supervisor would be provided with the necessary resources to maintain cleanliness and deliver proper health services. A lift will also be arranged by the district administration to facilitate the movement of patients and their relatives. Speaking on the overall health services in Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital and the district, he said the 250-bed general hospital will be expanded to 500 beds to better serve the local population. Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Farzana, Superintendent of Police Belal Hossain and  health officials were present.

The government is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East, Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad said on Sunday. He made the remarks while meeting passengers stranded at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport due to the escalating tensions in the region. The minister visited the airport to assess the situation, listened to the concerns of stranded passengers and assured them that the government is by their side during this difficult time. The minister said ensuring the safety and welfare of passengers is the government’s priority. He said coordination with relevant authorities is ongoing to facilitate the resumption of travel as soon as the situation stabilises. He urged everyone to remain patient. Several international flights have already been canceled amid rising tensions in the Middle East following attack on Iran by US and Israel . Flights to destinations including Amman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain have been suspended, leaving many Umrah pilgrims stranded at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said a PID handout. Airport authorities and related agencies are working to manage the situation and provide information to passengers.

A man was killed and at least six others were injured in two rounds of clashes between activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami at Hasadah Bazar in Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Hafizur Rahman, 55, owner of a jewelry shop  in Jibannagar town  and elder brother of Jamaat’s Banka union unit ameer. Hafizur died around 2:30am while undergoing treatment at Islami Bank Hospital in Dhaka, said Jibannagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Solaiman Sheikh. Among the seriously injured was Mofizur Rahman, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Banka Union and the younger brother of the deceased. He was later shifted to the ICU of a private hospital in Dhaka, where his condition remained critical till filing of this report. Witnesses said the clashes broke out in front of  Kamil Madrasha gate at Hasadah Bazar between 7pm and 9pm, shortly after iftar on Saturday over previous rivalry. About 40 to 45 minutes later, activists from Hasadah and neighbouring Banka unions regrouped at the market, triggering fresh violence. During the second clash, BNP activists allegedly attacked Banka Union Jamaat ameer Mofizur Rahman and when his elder brother Hafizur Rahman tried to intervene, he was assaulted and seriously injured. Both brothers were later taken to Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex and then referred to Jashore 250-bed General Hospital. As their condition deteriorated, they were airlifted to Dhaka, where Hafizur later succumbed to his injuries. Police rushed to the spot, brought the situation under control and rescued the injured. Additional police were deployed in the area to prevent further violence. Other injured Jamaat activists included Mofizur Rahman, 40, son of late Ohab of Sutiya village, Khairul Islam, 50, son of late Gopal Mondal of the same village, and Sohel, 35. Two of them were admitted to Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex. On the BNP side, three people were injured. They are Abdus Salam Master, 50, general secretary of BNP’s Banka Union unit, Mehedi Hasan, 40, a recently relieved former leader of Hasadah Union Swechchhasebak Dal, and his father Jasmin Uddin, 65. Later in the night, when BNP’s Banka Union general secretary went to Jibannagar police station to file a complaint, he was reportedly attacked in front of police personnel. The OC and his force intervened and arranged his treatment at the upazila health complex.  

Dhaka, the densely-populated capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 3rd on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 183 at 9 am on Sunday. Dhaka’s air was classified as ' unhealthy', according to IQAir, a Swiss free real-time air quality monitoring platform. Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi occupied the first and second spots in the list, with AQI scores of  244 and 193 respectively. When the AQI value for particle pollution is 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

The government will provide overnight accommodation for passengers whose flights have been cancelled due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment said on Saturday. In a statement, the ministry said several flights were cancelled, causing unexpected inconvenience to passengers. “All passengers whose flights have been cancelled will be provided with overnight accommodation,” the statement said, requesting them to contact the Expatriate Welfare Desk or Lounge for necessary assistance. Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad spoke with the stranded passengers at the airport on Saturday assured them of the government’s support during this difficult time.

In Chattogram, armed criminals opened fire on the house of former MP and Managing Director of Smart Group, Mujibur Rahman CIP, despite police presence. Early Saturday, four masked gunmen repeatedly fired at the businessman’s house located in the Chandanpura area in Chawkbazar. The bullets shattered window glass on the second floor of the house. Although no one was injured, panic spread across the area. Earlier, on January 2, the same house was targeted in a similar manner. A video of the incident, captured by CCTV cameras, has circulated on social media. The footage shows four armed men firing at Mujibur Rahman’s house. All of them were seen carrying modern firearms. After the shooting, they fled through the road beside the Chaktai canal behind the house. Confirming the incident, Officer in Charge of Chawkbazar Police Station Babul Azad said four armed men opened fire and left the scene within 30 seconds. “Police are investigating to identify those involved and legal action will be taken,” he added. On January 2, criminals also fired indiscriminately in front of the same house in a similar way. Police investigation later found the involvement of followers of former Shibir cadre Sazzad Ali Khan. That attack was carried out over a demand for Tk 100 million in extortion. After that incident, Chattogram Metropolitan Police arranged round-the-clock police guard in front of the house.

Footpaths in the city will be freed from illegal occupation in a planned and orderly manner through dialogue with city authorities, traders and hawkers after Eid-ul-Fitr, said Road Transport and Bridges, Railways, and Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam on Sunday. He made the remarks while inaugurating a modern foot overbridge in the New Market area under the Mirpur Road corridor in the capital. Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Freedom Fighter Md Abdus Salam was also present at the event. The foot overbridge was constructed with DSCC’s own funds at a cost of about Tk 9.77 crore under the direct supervision of the city corporation. The construction was carried out by Dockyard and Engineering Works Limited (DEW) between January 1, 2023 and October 30, 2025. Built with reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and steel structures, the bridge is 42 metres long and 20 feet wide. To facilitate easy movement for pedestrians, especially the elderly and children, an escalator has been installed. Currently, this is the only foot overbridge under DSCC END with an escalator. The bridge also has 7-foot-wide conventional stairways on both sides and is directly connected to Noor Mansion on the eastern side and New Super Market on the western side for the convenience of shoppers. A modern lighting system has been installed to ensure night-time safety and enhance aesthetics. Speaking at the inauguration, the minister said the New Market area, surrounded by 31 markets, is one of the busiest commercial zones in the city, and the new foot overbridge would significantly reduce pedestrian suffering. He, however, warned that no illegal hawkers or shops would be allowed to occupy the bridge under any circumstances. Presiding over the programme, DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam said development projects are being undertaken in line with the Prime Minister’s directives, prioritising public welfare and citizens’ needs. He urged New Market traders to sell goods at fair prices during the holy month of Ramadan and to keep the market area clean. According to DSCC, there are currently 31 foot overbridges under its jurisdiction. In addition, construction of another foot overbridge is underway near the old Ramna Police Station at Mogbazar. Repair works of seven more foot overbridges at Paribagh, Sobhanbagh, Science Lab, Shahbagh, Balaka and Hatkhola intersections are also being expedited. DSCC authorities expressed hope that the newly inaugurated foot overbridge would help ease long-standing traffic congestion in the New Market area and ensure safer road crossing for pedestrians.

Dhaka, Feb 28 (UNB) – Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Friday said political parties must change their election manifestos in line with public expectations, changing times and the needs of youth. He said politics is not static but dynamic. Therefore, not only election manifestos but also the goals, aims and declarations of political parties should reflect people’s hopes, demands of the time and youth aspirations. Govt working to curb artificial price hikes, break syndicates: Minister Salahuddin The minister made the remarks while speaking at a discussion and iftar programme marking the first anniversary of the National Citizen Party (NCP) at the Abahani Limited Dhaka ground in the capital. Salahuddin said he felt hopeful when the NCP began its journey as a political party in the democratic arena. He said participation of young people in politics would bring greater dignity and energy to the country’s political landscape and help move the nation forward. He expressed hope that as a new political party, NCP has already come a long way. Changes likely at top of police administration: Minister Salahuddin He noted that the party secured six seats in the national parliament by joining electoral alliances and said the number of seats could increase in the future, even leading the party to state power one day. The minister said ups and downs are natural in politics and those who fail to accept them do not survive. He added that people want a political environment that reflects public needs and encourages all citizens to engage in politics. He said NCP would practice politics that truly represents the people and carries forward public aspirations, including the expectations of students and citizens during the July 2024 mass uprising. He also said he attentively read the party’s election manifesto and found it encouraging. Calling on all to remain united in the national interest, Salahuddin Ahmed said there would be debates in the National Parliament, but unity must be maintained on national issues. He said the National Parliament would be turned into the main centre of discussion, where all issues would be addressed and solutions would be found through dialogue and debate for the nation. Later in the day, the home minister attended an iftar and doa programme organised by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.